Research News

Ferry Vessel Propeller Wash Effects on Scour at the Kingston Ferry Terminal (Washington)

In recent years, severe scour at the Kingston ferry terminal in Washington state has caused concern for terminal safety, as underwater erosion has caused an undersea cliff face to migrate shoreward toward the onshore ferry trestle structure. This project investigated the role of ferry-generated turbulence in causing the erosion by characterizing the ferry vessel wake and wash structure and by developing a model to better predict seabed stress at ferry terminals caused by propeller wash.

Understanding Opportunities with Connected Vehicles in the Smart Cities Context

Pedestrians, bicyclists, and other non-motorized road users represent a large percentage of all traffic-related fatalities. This project focused on these especially vulnerable road users by developing a way to use information from connected vehicles to identify locations prone to conflicts between motorized and non-motorized users and improve traffic safety on multimodal roadway networks.

Washington State Ferries Triangle Route: Analysis of Alternative Concepts of Operation

The Washington State Ferry (WSF) System’s Triangle Route is heavily used and experiences a number of significant operational challenges. To improve operation of the Triangle Route, WSF would like to identify and evaluate operational concepts for the route that would not only improve ferry service performance but that could be implemented within the budget constraints of the agency. After analysis of several options, the researchers recommended three operational concepts for further exploration.

Cost-Effective Use of Sustainable Cementitious Materials as Reactive Filter Media

Transportation agencies need cost-effective tools to address stormwater pollution. In cold climates that require the use of a lot of snow/ice control products, chloride salts are a particular problem in highway runoff. This project assessed the use of crushed fines from recycled concrete (CFRCs), modified with nano silicon dioxide, to passively remove chlorides from polluted stormwater runoff.

A New Sustainable Additive for Anti-Icing Asphalt

This laboratory study developed and tested an anti-icing asphalt pavement that incorporated innovative salt-storage additives with a sustained salt-release rate. Anti-icing asphalt pavement that incorporates salt-storage additives holds promise as an effective strategy to not only prevent ice formation or weaken the bond of snow-ice to the pavement but also to reduce the use of salt chemicals for winter road maintenance.

Curb Allocation Change Project

Seattle has experienced a rapid increase in ride-hailing trips by transportation network companies (TNCs) such as Uber and Lyft. That increase has raised broad concerns about congestion, safety, and effective curb use. In response, this study evaluated a strategy of increasing passenger loading zone (PLZ) spaces to manage TNC driver stops and improve traffic flow when passengers are picked up and dropped off in the South Lake Union area of Seattle.

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I-405 Express Toll Lanes Analysis: Usage, Benefits, and Equity

This study examined how the I-405 express lanes—the Washington State Department of Transportation’s (WSDOT) newest dynamically tolled facility—are used, the benefits they provide to users, and how these benefits are distributed among different groups of noncommercial users. The project provided unique insight into facility usage patterns and equity impacts associated with different income and geographic groups.

Airport Infrastructure Resource Manual

To be well prepared for a major earthquake or other substantial hazard event, the state must have a complete inventory of existing airport facilities and understand their potential for emergency usage. This project created a comprehensive inventory of airport characteristics and surrounding facilities at 23 general aviation airports in Western Washington that will increase the state’s emergency preparedness and overall safety for Washington residents.

Material Application Methodologies Guidebook

Roadway maintenance agencies are challenged in winter to cost-effectively provide a high level of service and improve safety and mobility, and they strive to use the most recent advances in the application of maintenance materials, equipment, and sensor technologies. The goal of this research was to create a synthesis of best management practices for deicing application rates and material application methodologies.

Field Analysis of Wood Guardrail Post Decay

Wood guardrail posts can be inspected for decay by using a non-destructive testing technique called stress wave timing (SWT). This project investigated the integrity of wood guardrail posts in strategic locations of Washington state using SWT and then analyzed the data to determine factors that may lead to increased wood decay rates. The researchers determined that high climate index, , a measure of a region’s average annual rainfall and temperature, and poor preservative retention levels were associated with high decay rates. WSDOT will be able to use the results of this project in considering approaches to managing its guardrail assets in the future.

Washington State Transportation Center