pacific nw transportation consortium region 10 Pactrans

Alternative Information Signs: An Evaluation of Driver Comprehension and Visual Attention

PI: David Hurwitz (OSU), david.hurwitz@oregonstate.edu
Co-Investigator: Michael Olsen (OSU)
Dates: 07/01/2013 – 8/31/2015
Final Project Report: PacTrans-29-OSU-Hurwitz

Roadway signs are a key component to promote safe and efficient transportation systems by providing simple messages to road users. One common sign type, the symbol sign, uses a recognized and widely understood symbol to efficiently convey information rather than words, numbers, or other means of communication. The “Information” sign is often used to indicate locations where motorists can obtain information about local roads, tourist attractions, and community services. The symbol currently specified in the Manual of Urban Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) for the Information sign is “INFO” in white text on a blue background (2009). Read More

Improving Sustainability of Urban Streets via Rain Gardens – How Effective Are These Practices in the Pacific Northwest?

PI: Meghna Babbar-Sebens (OSU), meghna@oregonstate.edu
Dates: 07/01/2013 – 7/31/2015
Final Project Report: PacTrans-46-OSU-Babbar-Sebens

Stormwater managers and engineers are required to evaluate the effectiveness of any best management practice (BMP) that is implemented by a city on its roadways. While artificial drainage systems are easier to evaluate, natural drainage systems are more challenging because of the variability in the design of the system itself. Better monitoring and evaluation methods are needed to evaluate the performance of such systems in the Pacific Northwest climate, since they are also sensitive to the runoff flows they receive and to the climate in the region they are installed. Read More

Laboratory Evaluation of Recycled Concrete as Aggregate in New Concrete Pavements

PI: Haifang Wen (WSU)
Dates: 03/01/2012 – 07/31/2014
Final Project Report: PacTrans-34-WSU-Wen

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) has initiated a research project to investigate the use of recycled concrete as aggregates (RCA) in Portland (hydraulic) cement concrete pavements (PCCP). The planned source for the RCA in the project will be from demolished pavements in western Washington, which generally contain very high quality aggregates. Aggregate quality varies across the state, and concrete made with RCA sourced elsewhere will likely have different properties.

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Media Filter Drain: Modified Design Evaluation

PIs: Cara Poor, Liv Haselbach (WSU)
Dates: 03/01/2012 – 07/31/2014
Final Project Report: PacTrans-44-WSU-Haselbach

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) wishes to modify the media filter drain (MFD) design by changing the crushed gravel specification used in the mix. In order to gain approval from the Washington State Dept of Ecology (Ecology) and incorporate into their standard specifications, metal removal rates for the new design need to be compared to the old design based on accepted stormwater doses.

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Meeting the Demands of Modern Grade Separation and Earth Retention: Characterization of Frictional Interference in Closely-Spaced Reinforcements in MSE Walls

PI: Armin Stuedlein
Dates: 03/01/2012 – 11/01/2013
Final Project Report: PacTrans-24-OSU-Stuedlein

The use of reinforced earth in the United States began in 1972; since then, Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) walls have grown in popularity, and can be found along nearly every state and interstate highway corridor. Due to their inherent flexibility, MSE walls are being constructed to greater heights, in nonlinear geometries, with multiple tiers and with very high reinforcement spacing. For example, the four-tier West MSE wall at Sea-Tac International airport was recently constructed to 46 m height, and is now the tallest wall in the Western Hemisphere. Read More