Access to Destinations Study

This interdisciplinary research effort takes a new approach to understanding how people use the transportation system, and how transportation and land use interact. Dealing with multiple modes of transportation—including automotive, transit, and non-motorized—the Access to Destinations Study examines the ability of Twin Cities-area residents to reach the destinations they need to visit in order to meet their needs. By integrating travel behavior and land use information, the study aims to create a more meaningful picture of transportation and its role in our lives. Study Web site

Design of a Framework for Measuring Sustainable Regional Development

How a region grows and develops affects its transportation systems, economic health, environment, and quality of life. Currently, however, there are limited tools for understanding the impacts of various development policies. In a new study funded by the McKnight Foundation, a University team is conducting research and working with practitioners in the field to design a framework for measuring sustainable regional development. Study Web site

Value Capture for Transportation Finance

Large public investments in state transportation infrastructure—such as new freeway interchanges, highways, or transit stations—can increase the value of adjacent private land, sometimes substantially. Capturing the value of this benefit through various tools is gaining interest as a finance mechanism for infrastructure investments. But many questions remain: Does “value capture” promote or hinder economic development? How high should the tax rate be? How stable is the revenue?

To answer these and other questions, the state legislature appropriated funding to CTS to study the public policy implications of value capture. Study Web site

Interstate 35W Bridge Research

The collapse of the Interstate 35W bridge over the Mississippi River on August 1, 2007, resulted in a tragic loss of life and a major disruption of the Twin Cities’ transportation system. Following the collapse, University of Minnesota researchers initiated several lines of research aimed at investigating the failure of the original bridge, analyzing the effects of the collapse on the rest of the traffic network, and developing enhanced sensor systems to monitor the health of the new I-35W St. Anthony Falls Bridge. Research Web site

Rural Intersection Decision Support

The Intelligent Transportation Systems Institute is working with several state departments of transportation to improve the safety of rural highway intersections through the application of Intelligent Transportation Systems technologies. In addition to gaining a better understanding of the causes of crashes at rural intersections, this study aims to develop a deployable system to improve driver safety without obstructing the movement of highway traffic. Project Web site

Moving Communities Forward (AIA Study on Design of Transportation Projects)

This pioneering study, undertaken in partnership with the American Institute of Architects (AIA), examines the benefits that well-designed transportation projects bring to communities in areas such as economic development, public health, personal safety, environmental protection, aesthetic and cultural qualities, and community planning. Project Web site

Implementing Transportation Knowledge Networks (NCHRP 20-75)

The National Highway Cooperative Research Program (NCHRP) Project 20-75 developed a business plan for implementing Transportation Knowledge Networks, based on the recommendations of TRB Special Report 284. The objectives of this project were to define what specific products and services TKNs should offer to maximize value to transportation practitioners, identify the resources that would be required, and develop a feasible and sustainable funding strategy. Project Web site