Featured Studies
This page highlights some of the transportation-related research projects and programs at the University of Minnesota that have broad implications for transportation policy, technology, and planning.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Transitway Impacts Research Program
The Transitway Impacts Research Program answers questions about the economic, travel, and community impacts of transitway corridors in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. The program was launched in 2006 by the Hennepin County-University of Minnesota partnership and has grown to include a mix of funding partners and program supporters including; county, state, and local governments, non-profits, and research institutions.
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.