University of Idaho
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.
Production of Renewable Diesel Fuel from Biologically Based Feedstocks
PI: Jon Van Gerpen (UI)
Dates: 03/01/2012 – 11/01/2013
Final Project Report: PacTrans-15-UI-Van Gerpen
Current petroleum-based transportation fuels are becoming increasingly expensive as petroleum is extracted from deeper waters, depleted fields, and politically unstable countries. In addition, these fossil fuels are identified as a significant source of CO2, which is responsible for global climate change. Alternative fuels produced from renewable biological sources are attractive options for displacing some of the petroleum-based fuels.
