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on Transport Economics |
| By: | Xiong, Wen Professor; Zhang, Yuanyuan PhD; Chen, Xiaohong Professor; Jiang, Chao |
| Abstract: | Being a public resource, the roadway space was distributed between different road users based on the Passenger-Car-Unit (PCU) concept. However, this concept tends to under estimate the capacity of public transportation and non-motorized travel. To improve the traditional car-oriented design to become more human-oriented, this study proposed a Passing-passenger-unit (PPU) and the method to observe the PPU in roadway level and area level. The PPU data were collected for urban arterials and residential areas in China to test the method and to compare the right-of-way distribution at different types of locations. Results showed that the PPU revealed the true efficiency of the facility carrying passengers. Using PPU would tell a different story about the facility or system compared to using PCU. Additionally, using PPU to analyze the right-of-way for the roadway or community could offer guidance for improving pedestrian and bicyclist environment. |
| Keywords: | Engineering, Passenger-Car-Unit, Passing-Passenger-Unit, Passing-Passenger-Transport, Public Transit, Right-of- way |
| Date: | 2014–08–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsrrp:qt3s64r0h8&r=tre |
| By: | Weinzimmer, David; Sanders, Rebecca L.; Dittrich, Heidi; Cooper, Jill F. |
| Abstract: | This paper elaborates on findings from an evaluation of the San Francisco Bay Area’s Safe Routes to Transit (SR2T) program, which funded enhancements to increase walking and cycling to regional transit stations. To understand how the program influenced travel choices, behavior, and perceptions of safety and local air quality, researchers surveyed transit users and observed driver, pedestrian, and bicyclist behavior in the periods before and after the enhancements were made at multiple transit stations. Data from the treatment and control stations suggest that the streetscape and roadway improvements made through the SR2T program positively influenced the propensity to walk, bicycle, and take the bus to transit stations as reported through surveys. In particular, results show that walking and bicycling increased by 3% among treatment sites compared with control sites. Bicycling also increased at control sites, indicating a general societal shift. Further, driving decreased 2.5% at treatment sites. Perceived air quality, in general, improved in the post-period. When asked about perceived traffic risk, bicyclists more than pedestrians reported feeling safer on the road, with 10% of the bicyclists, on average, feeling safer after the improvements. There were also economic benefits from this project—pedestrians and bicyclists were overrepresented in those who stopped en route to transit for food and drink. The evidence suggests that the SR2T program positively impacted the decision to walk and bicycle to access transit. It is recommended that the program be expanded to additional sites in the future. |
| Keywords: | Engineering, Safe Routes to Transit, California |
| Date: | 2014–07–21 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsrrp:qt3wv3g18b&r=tre |
| By: | Proulx, Frank R.; Zhang, Yuanyuan PhD; Grembek, Offer PhD |
| Abstract: | Information about pedestrian infrastructure and volume is indispensable to monitoring, evaluating, and improving the environment for comfortable and safe walking. However, determining and organizing the various types of data in a way that is easy to update and analyze can present challenges. This study designed and developed a relational database for pedestrian infrastructure and volume, and comprises two core components (node table and approach table) and several sub-components (tables for crosswalks, sidewalks, buffers, signs, transits, bikeways, bicycle parking, and volumes). Important measurements were proposed based on the literature and practice review and grouped into different component categories based on their attributes and relationships. To connect all the components, links were defined according to their relative locations. To prove the feasibility of the database, an infrastructure data collection pilot was conducted across 100 miles of California highways using computer imagery, and across seven miles of highways using field inventory. Time costs associated with collecting infrastructure data for the entire State Highway System were estimated to be 4,006 hours and 8,935 hours for using computer and field collection methods respectively. This study demonstrates that the database is easy to maintain, flexible to update, and feasible for data collection both via computer imagery and in the field. Although most of the data in the database is related to pedestrian, basic bicyclist related information is also included to demonstrate the transferability of the database to store bicyclist infrastructure and volume in the future. |
| Keywords: | Engineering, Database, activity transportation, infrastructure, volume |
| Date: | 2014–11–15 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsrrp:qt8q9021rc&r=tre |
| By: | Gabriel M. Ahlfeldt; Arne Feddersen |
| Abstract: | We analyze the economic impact of the German high-speed rail (HSR) connecting Cologne and Frankfurt, which provides plausibly exogenous variation in access to surrounding economic mass. We find a causal effect of about 8.5% on average of the HSR on the GDP of three counties with intermediate stops. We make further use of the variation in bilateral transport costs between all counties in our study area induced by the HSR to identify the strength and spatial scope of agglomeration forces. Our most careful estimate points to an elasticity of output with respect to market potential of 12.5%. The strength of the spillover declines by 50% ever 30 minutes of travel time, diminishing to 1% after about 200 minutes. Our results further imply an elasticity of per-worker output with respect to economic density of 3.8%, although the effects seem driven by worker and firm selection. |
| Keywords: | Accessibility, agglomeration, high-speed rail, market potential, transport policy |
| JEL: | R12 R28 R38 R48 |
| Date: | 2015–03 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cep:sercdp:0172&r=tre |
| By: | Cooper, Jill F. MSW; Grembek, Offer PhD; Henk, Russell H. PE; Tisdale, Stacey M. |
| Abstract: | Teen drivers, especially males, are known to be at greater risk of being involved in a motor vehicle collision than any other age group. While novice teen drivers’ primary risk factors are commonly known, less is known about what teens perceive as risk factors for peers getting hurt or killed in motor vehicle collisions. This mixed methods study uses survey data from the Teens in the Drivers Seat (TDS) program in California to explore (1) teens' perceived risk factors for motor vehicle collision injury; and (2) the relationship between perceived risks and age, gender, and driving experience. Findings may inform future program development and expansion for TDS and other teen driver safety programming. |
| Keywords: | Engineering, teen drivers, motor vehicle, collisions |
| Date: | 2014–11–14 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsrrp:qt1nk1m8kd&r=tre |
| By: | World Bank |
| Keywords: | Transport Economics Policy and Planning Industry - Common Carriers Industry Finance and Financial Sector Development - Debt Markets Private Sector Development - E-Business Transport and Trade Logistics Transport |
| Date: | 2015–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wbk:wboper:21498&r=tre |
| By: | Nicolò Barbieri (Deptartment of Economics. University of Bologna, Italy.) |
| Abstract: | This paper aims to shed light on the drivers that encourage a shift from incumbent internal combustion engine technologies towards low-emission vehicle technologies. We emphasise the role of fuel prices, one of the main drivers of environmental innovation, and other features of the technology space (such as technological proximity), in impacting technological dynamics and fossil fuel technological lock-ins. Specifically, we investigate whether green technological efforts come at the expense of other environmental or non-environmental inventive activities. In doing so, we employ Self-Organised Maps (SOMs) to detect the main technological domains exploited by the automotive industry during the period 1982-2008, using triadic patent families as a proxy for technological efforts pursued in each technological field. On the one hand, we test whether these drivers foster the substitution of non-green patents with green ones. On the other, we analyse if they favour substitution between technological efforts related to alternative vehicles, de facto influencing low-emitting vehicle competition. Our findings suggest that higher tax-inclusive fuel prices (used as a proxy for carbon tax) are effective in redirecting patenting activities from non-green to green technological fields. In addition, we observe a similar impact when we focus on green technological fields. Although this result may involve the risk of potential lock-in into sub-optimal substituting technologies, there are insights that the competition within the environmental technological domain mainly regards technological efforts spent on greening conventional cars and developing low-emission vehicles. |
| Keywords: | Environmental technologies, Self-Organising Maps, Crowding out, Fuel prices, Patent data |
| JEL: | O32 Q55 L62 |
| Date: | 2015–03 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:srt:wpaper:0615&r=tre |
| By: | Zhengbin Dong; Wenjie Wu |
| Abstract: | Air networks are normal examples of transportation systems among ubiquitous big data networks in dynamic nature. This is particularly the case in developing countries with rapid airport network expansions. This paper explores the structure and evolution of the trunk airport network of China (ANC) in major years during 1980s-2000s. We generalise the complex network approach developed in existing studies and further test for statistical properties of weighted network characteristics by using pair-wise traffic flows. We find that ANC is a small-world network in which (i) the number of airflight connections and (ii) the number of shortest paths going through a given airport city meet the densification law, however, its degree distribution does not follow power-law statistics like other countries' airport networks. The spatiotemporal decomposition of network metric plots and the visualization maps leads to a rich harvest of stylized ANC structures: (i) national hub-and-spoke patterns surrounding mega-cities; (ii) regional broker patterns surrounding Kunming and Urumqi, and (iii) local heterogeneous disparity patterns in isolated geographical cities, such as Lhasa, Lijiang, Huangshan, etc. These findings have important implications towards understanding the geo-political and economic forces at stake in shaping China's urban systems. |
| Keywords: | Airport system, complex network, regional development, China |
| JEL: | O18 R12 P25 |
| Date: | 2015–03 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cep:sercdp:0173&r=tre |
| By: | Ragland, David PhD, MPH; Bigham, John; Oum, Sang Hyouk; Chen, Katherine; Felschundneff, Grace |
| Abstract: | There is a disproportional risk of motor vehicle death and injury among American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations in the United States. As home to the nation’s largest population of AI individuals, it is vital that California develop a better understanding of the factors contributing to this risk to guide the development and implementation of interventions to improve traffic safety for this population on the nearly 100 Rancherias and reservations in the state. However, there is very little data about the numbers and types of collisions, and driver and environmental factors contributing to the collisions that occur on tribal lands. As a first step toward better understanding the scope of the risk disparity, and the shortcomings in data collection, SafeTREC conducted a literature review and crash analysis using data from the Statewide Integrated Traffic Record System (SWITRS) and tribal area base maps targeting these communities. As a result of presentations and discussions at a California Tribal Safety conference where these analyses were presented, a number of procedural and institutional challenges were identified. Addressing these issues will not only help policymakers identify interventions to improve traffic safety on tribal lands, but it will give tribal jurisdictions tools to compete for scarce safety funding through the use of data documenting the need for safety improvements. Future research efforts should be aimed at refining these and other initiatives to address both the dire conditions of traffic safety on California’s tribal lands, and the limitations of the data. |
| Keywords: | Engineering, Traffic injury, California, tribal lands |
| Date: | 2014–08–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsrrp:qt6v97d95z&r=tre |
| By: | Kenneth Fortson; Randall Blair; Kathryn Gonzalez |
| Abstract: | In this report, we present key findings of an impact evaluation of the Rural Road Rehabilitation Project (RRRP) in Armenia. The RRRP was originally conceived as part of a five-year, $236 million Compact between the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) and Armenia designed to increase household income and reduce poverty in rural Armenia. |
| Keywords: | Rural Road Rehabilitation Project, Armenia, International |
| JEL: | F Z |
| Date: | 2015–03–12 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:mpr:mprres:3dad6663ad0343f28cb24633d310c7a3&r=tre |
| By: | Medury, Aditya; Grembek, Offer |
| Abstract: | Network screening techniques are widely used by state agencies to identify locations with high collision concentration, also referred to as hotspots. However, most of the research in this regard has focused on identifying highway segments that are of concern to automobile collisions. A major difference between pedestrian and automobile hotspots is that pedestrian-based conflicts are more likely to arise in localized regions, such as near intersections, mid-blocks, and/or other crossings, as opposed to along long stretches of roadway. Hence, in order to address this issue, a dynamic programming-based hotspot identification approach is proposed which provides efficient hotspot definitions for pedestrian crashes. The proposed approach is compared with the sliding window method and the results reveal that the dynamic programming method generates more hotspots with a higher number of crashes, while covering fewer miles. |
| Keywords: | Engineering |
| Date: | 2014–11–15 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsrrp:qt10d0x1z7&r=tre |
| By: | Griswold, Julia B. Corresponding author; Grembek, Offer |
| Abstract: | With the increasing prevalence of mobile technology and high-profile crashes bringing attention to distracted driving, data on cell phone involvement in collisions is critical for understanding the extent of the problem, examining the effectiveness of policies, and developing interventions to improve safety. Some limitations of existing data have been previously identified, but this paper examines the specific case of California’s collision data. Temporal, geographic, and jurisdictional trends are analyzed to identify the source and type of inconsistencies in the cell phone involvement data. Matching and  comparison of state and federal data sources highlight further limitations. Data could be improved by simplifying the California crash report form and aligning variables to be more consistent with federal standards. In the meantime, it is not recommended that existing data on cell phone involvement in collisions be used for any analyses to evaluate policy or driver behavior. |
| Keywords: | Engineering, safety, distracted driving, collision data, cell phones |
| Date: | 2014–08–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsrrp:qt7n02398s&r=tre |
| By: | Van Vyve, Mathieu (Université catholique de Louvain, CORE, Belgium); Aly, Abdelrahaman (Université catholique de Louvain, CORE, Belgium) |
| Abstract: | We investigate how to solve several classical network flow problems using secure multi-party computation. We consider the shortest path problem, the Minimum Mean Cycle problem and the Minimum Cost Flow problem. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time the two last problems have been addressed in a general multi-party computation setting. Furthermore, our study highlights the complexity gaps between traditional and secure implementations of the solutions, to later test its implementation. It also explores various trade-offs between performance and security. Additionally it provides protocols that can be used as building blocks to solve complex problems. Applications of our work can be found in: communication networks, routing data from rival company hubs; benchmarking, comparing several IT appliances configurations of rival companies; distribution problems, retailer/supplier selection in multi-level supply chains that want to share routes without disclosing sensible information; amongst others. |
| Keywords: | network flows, multi-party computation, secure collaboration |
| JEL: | C61 C65 |
| Date: | 2014–09–30 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cor:louvco:2014057&r=tre |
| By: | Bigham, John; Strang, Garrett; Oum, Sang Hyouk |
| Abstract: | Traffic collision reports typically provide descriptive locations indicating where a collision occurred and referencing the nearest intersection. Global Positioning System (GPS) technology can be used to provide latitude and longitude coordinates in addition to the descriptive location and many states now include GPS coordinates in collision reports. However, research has shown that there is potential for numerous errors when police agencies use GPS to complete traffic collision reports. In California, GPS coordinates have been included in the statewide collision database since 2006, but their overall accuracy has never been evaluated. The objective of this paper was to review the status of GPS coordinates in California collision data from 2009 to 2011 and to categorize types of errors or discrepancies that were exhibited, investigate error trends, and develop recommendations for use of the GPS coordinates. Instead of just classifying a GPS coordinate location as correct or incorrect, eleven categorizations were developed to better assess the breadth of differences between the GPS coordinate and descriptive location. Overall, 43% of GPS coordinates were categorized as correct, 2.5% were unknown, and the other 54.5% exhibited some type of discrepancy with the descriptive location. GPS coordinates located off the roadway were the most frequent error type, comprising nearly 20% of the sample, while systematic GPS errors such as truncated coordinates occurred 7% of the time. Accuracy appears to be improving over time, but it is recommended to thoroughly review the coordinate locations prior to conducting any spatial analyses. |
| Keywords: | Engineering |
| Date: | 2014–07–25 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsrrp:qt2kh3z760&r=tre |
| By: | Commander,Simon John; Nikoloski,Zlatko Slobodan; Vagliasindi,Maria |
| Abstract: | It is widely accepted that the costs of underpricing energy are large, whether in advanced or developing countries. This paper explores how large these costs can be by focussing on the size of the external effects that energy subsidies in particular generate in two important sectors?transport and agriculture?in two countries in the Middle East and North Africa, the Arab Republic of Egypt (transport) and the Republic of Yemen (agriculture). The focus is mainly on the costs associated with congestion and pollution, as well as the impact of underpriced energy for depletion of scarce water resources, including through crop selection. Quantifying the size of external effects in developing countries has received relatively little analytical attention, although there is a significant body of literature for developed countries. By building on earlier research, as well as employing the United Nations ForFITS model, the paper provides indicative estimates of the external costs of energy subsidies, as manifested in congestion and pollution. The estimates using simulations indicate that these costs could be materially reduced by elimination or reduction of energy subsidies. The paper also describes the impact of energy subsidies on water consumption in a region where water resources are particularly limited. The findings provide further evidence of the adverse and significant consequences of subsidizing energy. |
| Keywords: | Transport and Environment,Energy Production and Transportation,Transport Economics Policy&Planning,Climate Change Economics,Climate Change Mitigation and Green House Gases |
| Date: | 2015–04–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:7227&r=tre |
| By: | AVELLA, Pasquale (Universita del Sannio, Italy); BOCCIA, Maurizio (Universita del Sannio, Italy); WOLSEY, Laurence A. (Université catholique de Louvain, CORE, Belgium) |
| Abstract: | IRP involves the distribution of one or more products from a supplier to a set of clients over a discrete planning horizon. Each client has a known demand to be met in each period and can only hold a limited amount of stock. The product is shipped through a distribution network by one or more vehicles of limited capacity. The objective is to find replenishment decisions minimizing the sum of the storage and distribution costs. In this paper we present reformulations of IRP, under the Maximum Level replenishment policy, derived from a single-period substructure. We define a generic family of valid inequalities, and then introduce two specific subclasses for which the separation problem of generating violated inequalities can be solved effectively. A basic Branch-and-Cut algorithm has been implemented to demonstrate the strength of the single-period reformulations. Computational results are presented for the benchmark instances with 50 clients and three periods and 30 clients and six periods. |
| Keywords: | inventory routing, valid inequalities, cutting planes |
| JEL: | C65 D71 |
| Date: | 2014–11–30 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cor:louvco:2014055&r=tre |
| By: | Berliant, Marcus; Tabuchi, Takatoshi |
| Abstract: | We consider the role of the nonlinear commuting cost function in determination of the equilibrium commuting pattern where all agents are mobile. Previous literature has considered only linear commuting cost, where in equilibrium, all workers are indifferent about their workplace location. We show that this no longer holds for nonlinear commuting cost. The equilibrium commuting pattern is completely determined by the concavity or convexity of commuting cost as a function of distance. We show that a monocentric equilibrium exists when the ratio of the firm agglomeration externality to commuting cost is sufficiently high. Finally, we find empirical evidence of both long and short commutes in equilibrium, implying that the commuting cost function is likely concave. |
| Keywords: | Commuting |
| JEL: | R13 R41 |
| Date: | 2015–04–07 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:63504&r=tre |