University of Idaho
Evaluation of Ultra-wideband Radio for Improved Pedestrian Safety at Signalized Intersections
PI: James Frenzel (UI), jfrenzel@uidaho.edu
Co-Investigators: Denise Bauer (UI)
Dates: 01/16/2015 – 06/15/2016
Status: Completed
UTC Project Sheet
Final Technical Report
The goal of this project is to increase the safety of signalized intersections for pedestrians with special needs due to limited mobility or vision. This aligns directly with the strategic goal of “Safety” and addresses the topic of “Technological Impacts on Safety”. The research outcomes and technology developed under this proposal can be applied to existing intersections throughout the United States without significant changes to the infrastructure other than additional electronics.
Enhancing the Resilience of Idaho’s Transportation Network to Natural Hazards and Climate Change
PI: Tim Frazier (UI), tfrazier@uidaho.edu
Dates: 07/01/2013 – 7/31/2015
Final Project Report: PacTrans-52-UI-Frazier
The goals of this research are to determine both the process (i.e., methodology) and the technology (i.e., models) through which the vulnerability science community may provide value on critical and pervasive hazard risk-related issues to state and regional decision makers in Idaho for the purpose of transportation infrastructure resilience enhancement. To achieve the research goals, this study will conduct a probabilistic risk and vulnerability assessment of the state’s transportation network to current and future hazards with a special focus on increased flooding and landslide hazards associated with climate variability and change. Read More
Modeling Passing Behavior on Two-Lane Rural Highways: Evaluating Crash Risk under Different Geometric Condition
PI: Michael Dixon (UI)
Dates: 07/01/2013 – 7/31/2015
Final Project Report: PacTrans-47-UI-Dixon
Passing maneuvers on rural two-lane highways are a complex task with a significant effect on safety, capacity, and service quality. This maneuver, which involves driving in the lane of the opposing traffic, is associated with simultaneously increasing crash risk and increasing the driver’s speed. Understanding drivers’ passing behavior and their decision-making on two-lane rural highways can significantly contribute to accurately predicting risk and service quality. Only limited research has been conducted to capture and document drivers’ perception of when they need to pass and passing decision-making. This is partly because it is difficult to collect detailed data on driver perceptions and passing behavior in the real-world environment. Read More
A Framework for Improved Safety and Accessibility through Pedestrian Guidance and Navigation
PI: Denise Bauer (UI), dbauer@uidaho.edu
Dates: 07/01/2013 – 7/31/2015
Final Project Report: PacTrans-30-UI-Bauer
With the changes in America’s demographics comes a need to provide improved accommodation of individuals with reduced capabilities. To date, our research has focused upon assistive pedestrian signal technologies for pedestrians with impaired vision. Such individuals must learn to cross complex intersections safely using a range of sensory inputs, including auditory cues from traffic surge and beaconing systems. Unfortunately, reduced vehicle noise, particularly for hybrid or electric vehicles, combined with increases in background sound levels, reduces the effectiveness of this approach. Read More
Second Generation Accessible Pedestrian Systems
PIs: Richard Wall, Denise Bauer (UI)
Dates: 03/01/2012 – 11/01/2013
Final Project Report: PacTrans-16-UI-Bauer
As signal timing plans and intersection infrastructure get ever more complex in attempts to reduce vehicle delays at intersections, pedestrians are confronted with pedestrian operations that are shoehorned into traffic plans designed so that pedestrians have minimal impact on the travel time for vehicles. Wide-radius right turn lanes and roundabouts have long been recognized as particularly dangerous intersection designs for pedestrians. Just as traffic controllers are programmed for customized operations at each intersection, so too must the systems that interact with pedestrians be customized to provide a consistency of expectation for operations.
