The Shelf
To borrow these materials, contact Arlene Mathison, Minnesota LTAP librarian, 612-624-3646, e-mail amathison@umn.edu.
Reports
A Review of Pedestrian Safety Research in the United States and Abroad (Federal Highway Administration)
This report summarizes research on pedestrian safety in the United States with a focus on crash characteristics and the safety effects of various roadway features and traffic-control devices; it also considers pedestrian educational and enforcement programs. This pedestrian safety synthesis was part of a large FHWA study, "Evaluation of Pedestrian Facilities." The results of this research will be useful to transportation researchers, engineers, planners, and safety professionals involved in improving pedestrian safety and mobility.
Geotechnical Engineering Circular (GEC) #6: Shallow Foundations (Federal Highway Administration)
Part of a series of reports by the FHWA's National Geotechnical Team offering practical geotechnical design and construction guidance, this report highlights techniques and guidance for designing and constructing shallow foundations, such as simple footings under retaining walls or more elaborate bridge piers or abutments that only extend several feet below the bottom of a highway structure. As a relatively new technology, shallow foundations are underutilized in the transportation industry. They have the potential, however, to reduce costs and construction time in situations where installing deep foundations is expensive or environmentally unattractive. To download or request a copy of any of the GEC reports, visit www.fhwa.dot.gov/bridge/geopub.htm#geocirculars.
Geotechnical Engineering Circular (GEC) #7: Soil Nail Walls (Federal Highway Administration)
Part of a series of reports by the FHWA's National Geotechnical Team offering practical geotechnical design and construction guidance, this report explains the technique of using steel bars to reinforce earthen walls. Installation involves sequentially excavating soil or rock and inserting unstressed, grouted soil nails. Transportation agencies can use soil nailing for excavation applications like slope stabilization and the construction of temporary and permanent retaining walls and abutments. The technique has a design life of 75 years, requires minimal workspace, and can save money and reduce construction time. To order, visit www.fhwa.dot.gov/bridge/geopub.htm#geocirculars.
Roadway Safety Tools for Local Agencies: A Synthesis of Highway Practice (NCHRP Synthesis 321, Transportation Research Board's National Cooperative Highway Research Program)
This synthesis is designed to be an easy-to-use, practical summary of safety tools for local agencies to use in analyzing and developing or enhancing their own customized roadway safety programs. It covers reactive and proactive safety tools, and methods and tips for developing a local safety improvement program. The appendices contain resources such as safety-related Web sites, free or low-cost periodicals, crash analysis software, and sample reports. The synthesis is available online at http://trb.org/publications/nchrp/nchrp_syn_321.pdf.
Videos
Getting Across: Passage of Aquatic and Semi-Aquatic Organisms at Road-Stream Crossings (USDA Forest Service, San Dimas Technology and Development Center)
Many culverts act as dams, or have water depths and flow velocities that otherwise block the passage of fish and other aquatic organisms. Not only does the health and diversity of the watershed depend on free passage, the Endangered Species and Clean Water Acts also mandate it. This video explains why and how fixing culverts at road-stream crossings will restore habitats. It provides a detailed but still non-technical overview of aquatic organism passage at road-stream crossings. Emphasis is on the importance of culverts duplicating the natural stream, by matching the width, gradient and bottom characteristics as closely as possible. In addition to benefiting wildlife and habitat, the closer the culvert simulates the stream, the better the culvert will perform over its design life, causing less erosion, sedimentation, and backwater effects during storm events. Developed for the Forest Service, the information is also applicable for anyone responsible for the design or placement of culverts at road-stream crossings. (VHS, 2 videos)
Web sites
ITS Benefit of the Month (USDOT's ITS Joint Program Office)
With numerous intelligent transportation systems (ITS) technologies currently available and many more in development, transportation professionals want a quick and easy way to learn about the experiences of other who are using the technologies, the costs and benefits of ITS, and whether the available technologies meet industry expectations. With this information, transportation professionals will be better equipped to choose the right ITS technologies for their projects. To highlight some of the most successful ITS technologies, the U.S. Department of Transportation's ITS Joint Program Office recently introduced the ITS Benefit of the Month, a new feature available on the office's "ITS Benefits and Costs Database" Web site. The Benefit of the Month is available at www.benefitcost.its.dot.gov.