bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund
Authors: Grier David V. , Hawnn Arthur F. , Lane John M. , Patel Shilpa
Published: January 2019

The status and the performance of the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund (HMTF) are evaluated. The harbor maintenance tax (HMT) and HMTF were established by Title XIV of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986. The HMT is applied as a 0.125% ad valorem fee on the value of commercial cargo loaded or unloaded on vessels using federally maintained harbor projects. The HMTF is authorized to be used to recover 100% of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers eligible operation and maintenance (O&M) expenditures for commercial navigation, along with 100% of the O&M cost of the St. Lawrence Seaway by the St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation, certain costs of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and costs to administer the HMTF. The U.S. Supreme Court found that the HMT violated the export clause of the U.S. Constitution; as a result, the U.S. Customs Service halted HMT collections on U.S. exports in fiscal year 1998. However, the revenue stream from HMT collections on imports, domestic shipments, passengers, foreign trade zone cargo, and interest earnings should be sufficient to recover eligible expenditures for the foreseeable future.
Effective and Sustainable Development of Chinese National Intelligent Transportation System Architecture
Authors: Liu Hao , Zhang Ke , Wang Xiaojing , Qi Tongyan , Wang Chunyan
Published: January 2019

The development of an intelligent transportation system (ITS) architecture has attracted increasing attention across the world because such an architecture provides a common reference for the ITS community. Standardization of procedures in the development of an ITS architecture is necessary and urgent because of the architecture's inherent complexity, which requires the involvement of several development teams. Although a computer-aided systems engineering model is widely adopted to accomplish parts of the development task, so far no countries define a strict, clear, and applicable procedure to aid the development teams. This paper first briefly introduces the general methodology for the development of ITS architectures. Then it describes the reasons why a new development tool is needed and examines the components of this development tool. This tool provides developers with support by simplifying and standardizing the entire procedure of ITS architecture development. It reduces developers’ workload significantly, improves efficiency, and ensures completeness and consistency of the ITS architecture. It is the first attempt to integrate every step of ITS architecture development procedure into a single package, which has proved to be of great help for Chinese development teams in accomplishing this task effectively and easily in a sustainable way.
Field Evaluation of Late Merge Traffic Control in Work Zones
Authors: Beacher Andrew G. , Fontaine Michael D. , Garber Nicholas J.
Published: January 2019

The traffic control strategy of the late merge in work zones was devised to improve flow and safety at work zone lane closures. Although some states have put the strategy into practice, only a handful of short-term field studies have formally evaluated its effectiveness. Additional field studies were necessary to assess the efficacy of the strategy and its proper deployment. This paper documents the results of a field test of the late merge traffic control conducted over several months. The late merge strategy was evaluated by comparing its effectiveness with that of traditional plans for work zone lane closures. The field test was conducted on a primary route in Tappahannock, Virginia, at a two-to-one lane closure. Results showed that throughput increased, but the increase was not statistically significant. Likewise, time in queue decreased, but the decrease was not statistically significant. These results were much less dramatic than those of other studies. Possible reasons for this disparity include different driver populations, road types, vehicle mixes, and site-specific characteristics. Despite limited improvements in throughput and time in queue, more drivers were in the closed lane, a positive response to the late merge signs.
Developing a Storm Severity Index
Authors: Nixon Wilfrid A. , Qiu Lin
Published: January 2019

A primary goal in winter highway maintenance is to develop various maintenance processes so that quality control can be measured. If actions can be measured, they can be improved. A difficulty with this approach is that winter maintenance addresses the impacts of winter weather on the transportation system and that weather is inherently uncontrollable. Consequently, for a quality process to be applied to winter maintenance, the severity of individual storms must be assessed. This paper presents one way in which the severity of a storm can be measured, specifically by an index. The first step in developing an index for individual storms is to develop a method of describing storms. The method here describes storms by using six factors, including prestorm and poststorm conditions and temperatures, wind speed, and precipitation type. The matrix created is a refinement of that presented in FHWA's manual of practice for effective anti-icing. With the use of a simplified variation of this matrix-based description of storms (more than 250 descriptions), a score is generated for each storm type. This score is then adjusted so that scores for all storms fall into a normal distribution between 0 and 1. This ranking of storms was evaluated by winter maintenance garage supervisors at the Iowa Department of Transportation. Supervisors were asked to rank 10 storms (presented as brief written descriptions) from easiest to hardest to handle. Results were compared with those of the initial storm severity index. From that comparison, numerical values for certain factors were adjusted so that storm severity index scores for these 10 storms agreed with rankings given by the garage supervisors.
Effects of Density and Mixture Proportions on Freeze–Thaw Durability of Roller-Compacted Concrete Pavement
Authors: Delatte Norbert , Storey Chris
Published: January 2019

Roller-compacted concrete (RCC) is widely used for industrial and heavy-duty pavements. An economical and durable material for paving and other applications, RCC has a high strength and a high density. Although the strength of RCC has been thoroughly investigated, the freeze–thaw durability of RCC remains a topic of contention. RCC has often performed well in harsh field environments, but it frequently fails laboratory freeze–thaw durability testing. In this study, 24 specimens were fabricated for freeze–thaw durability testing with a gyratory compactor. The study variables were the degree of compaction, the amount of water, and the water-to-cement (w/c) ratio (and, hence, the amount of cement). The specimens replicated the concrete found in typical RCC pavement and dam construction. The RCC specimens were subjected to up to 300 cycles of rapid freezing and thawing and were tested for fundamental transverse frequency and mass loss. Because of the low aspect ratios of the specimens, fundamental transverse frequency testing was not reliable. Several specimens completed the 300 cycles with a mass loss of less than 10%. The freeze–thaw durability of RCC was found to be dependent primarily on the amount of cement paste and the w/c ratio and to a lesser extent on the degree of compaction.
Opening of the European Railroad Network
Authors: Calvo Francisco J. , de Oña Juan
Published: January 2019

The opening of railroad infrastructure to new transport operators in Europe has made it necessary to develop a pricing system for its use. The European Union (EU) has proposed guidelines for establishing a similar pricing system for all EU members. Nonetheless, pricing systems continue to differ substantially from one country to another. These differences reduce continuity between networks and distort the competitive conditions between countries and negatively affect domestic trade. This paper analyzes the pricing systems of eight European countries and presents several proposals for harmonizing them.
Position-Detecting System Based on the Global Positioning System
Authors: Sasaki Kimiaki
Published: January 2019

The Railway Technical Research Institute has developed a position detection system based on a new Global Positioning System (GPS). This system uses GPS to detect the approximate location of a train and then selects one of three algorithms to process the location data and determine the train's precise location. Running tests performed on the system showed that its position error was less than 4 m. This system has the potential to be used to control the car body tilting of tilt trains accurately and allow them to run at the maximum possible speed through the tight curves typical of the narrow-gage lines found in Japan. In addition, the automatic map created by this system makes it much easier to maintain the accuracy of the onboard database.
Use of Wireless Local Area Networks in Rail and Urban Transit Environments
Authors: Fitzmaurice Michael
Published: January 2019

Wireless technologies have expanded greatly over the past few years as a result of numerous technological advances and regulatory changes. Although rail and urban transit operators have long used radio systems primarily for voice communications, they are increasingly deploying new wireless networks in support of advanced applications for themselves and their customers. These applications have the potential to streamline rail and transit operations, enhance customers’ travel experience, and act as a new source of revenue. This paper reviews the recent technological advances and regulatory changes that have encouraged the proliferation of mobile wireless devices and networks and examines the issues associated with their design and deployment in the rail and urban transit environment.
High-Speed Defect Detection in Rails by Noncontact Guided Ultrasonic Testing
Authors: di Scalea Francesco Lanza , Bartoli Ivan , Rizzo Piervincenzo , Fateh Mahmood
Published: January 2019

Recent train accidents have reaffirmed the need to develop rail defect detection systems that are more effective than those used today. This paper proposes new inspection systems for detecting transverse-type cracks in the rail head, notoriously the most dangerous flaws in rails. In principle these systems can be applied to both continuous welded rail and jointed tracks because bidirectional inspection can be implemented. However, the systems may fail to detect defects located close to a joint. The proposed technology uses ultrasonic guided waves that are detected by remote sensors positioned as far away as 76 mm (3 in.) from the top of the rail head. An impulse hammer is used to generate waves below 50 kHz that can successfully detect cracks larger than 15% of the head cross-sectional area. For smaller cracks-those as shallow as 1 mm-a pulsed laser is used for generating waves above 100 kHz. The inspection ranges are at least 10 m (32 ft) for cracks larger than 15% of the head area and at least 500 mm (20 in.) for surface head cracks as shallow as 1 mm. The defect detection reliability is improved by using both reflection and transmission measurements.
Transportation Project Programming Process for an Urban Area
Authors: Akan Guzin , Brich Stephen
Published: January 2019

The Divisions of Transportation in Norfolk, Virginia, has developed a transportation project programming process (TPPP) to identify, evaluate, and priority rank projects to be included in various transportation improvement programs. The process is applicable for all the intersections and transportation corridors within the city network and is intended as an approach to increase safety and alleviate congestion. The process establishes a mechanism for the efficient use of limited resources with formalized coordination and communication among politicians, city administrators, city staff, and citizens. The process identifies and investigates hazardous roadway locations, establishes countermeasures, and sets priorities to correct the hazards identified. The TPPP also tests the identified locations for capacity deficiencies and identifies alternative strategies to reduce or alleviate congestion. The economic development related to those locations is further evaluated. Coordination with local developers, city and regional planners, and citizens groups is an integral part of the process. The product of this process is a prioritized list of recommended projects to be included in the city's capital improvement program and the local metropolitan planning organizations’ transportation improvement program. The products of the TPPP are also used to identify the city's candidate projects to be funded by the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991. The phases of the process and its applications are described.
Evaluating the Full Costs of Urban Passenger Transportation
Authors: Qin Jiefeng , Weissmann Jose , Euritt Mark A. , Martello Michael
Published: January 2019

Full-cost analyses are being used increasingly within the transportation community to evaluate modal alternatives. Full costs include the costs to users, public agencies, and society (external costs). A working model to estimate the full costs of different transportation modes at the corridor, network, and project levels—one allowing for cross-modal comparisons and easy calibration to local conditions—is presented. The computerized model (MODECOST) is designed to provide assistance to metropolitan planning organizations, transit authorities, and regional and municipal authorities in making cross-modal cost comparisons of transportation alternatives.
Performance Measures and Framework for Decision Making under the National Transportation System
Authors: Codd Ned , Walton C. Michael
Published: January 2019

In December 1993 Secretary of Transportation Federico Peña called for the creation of a National Transportation System (NTS). The goal of the NTS is to support national transportation planning and policy that maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of the nation's transportation network, in accordance with the mission of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA). It is proposed that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) pursue this goal by designing an NTS that can monitor the performance of the nation's transportation network; detect national and regional problems with the transportation system; facilitate the setting of performance goals and measure progress over time; and aid states and metropolitan areas in performance-based planning. To do this, the NTS must evaluate the transportation network's performance in terms of moving passengers and goods and of achieving the goals of the system's users. Therefore, the NTS must have as its basis a set of performance measures that apply to different modes and that reflect the varied goals of ISTEA, in the areas of system output as well as the environmental, social, and economic outcomes of system usage. Such performance measures are proposed, as is a general decision-making framework for using them. The ISTEA legislation, the NTS initiative, and potential data sources for supporting these performance measures are also examined.
Performance Measures for Multimodal Transportation Systems
Authors: Pratt Richard H. , Lomax Timothy J.
Published: January 2019

Transportation systems analyses have been evolving as the decision context for improvement projects and programs has changed. The increased emphasis on the movement of persons and goods, and a recognition of the importance of system performance measures that address the needs and interests of the audiences for mobility information, will result in a very different set of procedures for evaluating transportation and land use infrastructure and policies. Some of the key underlying concerns of performance measurement for multimodal systems are presented. Definitions are included for congestion, mobility, and accessibility that are used to guide the development of performance measures. Travel time–based measures are seen as the most readily understandable quantities, and examples are used to show how mobility can be measured for locations, corridors, transit analyses, and regional networks.
Role of Off-Model Tools in Network-Based Regional Conformity Analysis
Authors: Hartnett Laureen I. , Lawlor Matthew J.
Published: January 2019

Off-model tools are introduced, the role of off-model tools in supplementing regional network model-based conformity analysis is discussed, and the impact that these tools have had on recent conformity determinations in three nonattainment areas is assessed. The impact of off-model tools is examined through case studies from Chicago, Illinois; Richmond and Hampton Roads, Virginia; and statewide in Pennsylvania. In Chicago, Richmond, and Hampton Roads, the transportation improvement program or long-range plan conformity documentation was reviewed to determine what role off-model tools had in conformity analysis and what impact they had in conformity determinations. In Pennsylvania, projects were reviewed to assess the transportation and air quality impacts of a range of individual projects. Three primary conclusions can be drawn from the analysis: (a) off-model tools have had a significant impact in conformity analyses—often enabling a region to demonstrate conformity, (b) the data requirements are extensive and data collection may prove to be more time consuming than anticipated, and (c) off-model tools generally do not provide a framework for assessing the synergistic or systemic effects of projects. Further developments in off-model tools should focus on integrating off-model analysis with regional travel demand modeling processes and project data bases in an effort to develop a truly comprehensive modeling framework.
Automobile and Public Transit Use in the United States and Canada: Comparison of Postwar Trends
Authors: Schimek Paul
Published: January 2019

Differences in automobile and public transportation use in Canada compared with that in the United States are described. In Canada public transit use is almost twice as high per capita as in the United States. Automobile use is almost 20 percent lower per capita, or about the same as the U.S. level of the 1970s. Gasoline prices, which have been about US$0.13/L (US$0.50/gal) higher in Canada than in the United States since 1984, slowed the growth in Canadian automobile ownership and driving and created a more efficient automobile fleet, resulting by the early 1990s in 40 percent less highway fuel consumption per capita compared with that in the United States. One explanation for the higher level of transit use in Canada is more compact urban densities, as evidenced by the significantly lower share of single-family detached houses. The influx of public subsidies for transit in the 1970s in both countries had different effects: a much larger increase in service in Canada and deeper fare cuts in the United States but similar increases in unit cost of service. Each new transit trip in 1992 beyond the 1970 ridership level cost about four times as much to attract in the United States as it did in Canada.
Developing an Index of Transit Service Availability
Authors: Henk Russell H. , Hubbard Sarah M.
Published: January 2019

The procedures and results associated with the development of an index of transit service availability are summarized. This index uses the factors that most effectively quantify the availability of public transit service (both bus and rail) in an urban area at a macroscopic planning level. The factors that are included in the index are based on FTA Section 15 data and information from the 1990 census. The development of the index involved the application of more than 30 prospective measures of transit service availability to 228 urban area transit systems throughout the United States. The index uses three measures that quantify transit service coverage, frequency of transit service, and transit system capacity. The index is designed to serve as a planning tool and was specifically developed to facilitate the comparison of transit service availability between urban areas with similar demographics and allow transit systems to examine service availability over time. The index is not intended for use in assessing transit system efficiency or performance.
Assessment of Information Systems and Technologies at California Transit Agencies
Authors: Hickman Mark , Day Theodore
Published: January 2019

Research identifying and investigating the current technical and institutional frameworks for information systems and technologies at public transit agencies in California is described. With the rapid development of new information systems and technologies over the past 10 years, there are many opportunities for public transit agencies to improve data collection, processing, and dissemination. The current state of the practice for the use and sharing of data for operations monitoring, service planning, performance measurement, and customer information is examined. To investigate these topics, a broad survey of transit agencies in California was conducted; this was followed by detailed site visits and interviews with several representative agencies. The survey results are presented, and some conclusions for improving current practice are generated. First, the current means of data collection, processing, and dissemination are reviewed, and strategies for the application of new information systems and technologies are identified. A second element of the research involves reviewing the technical and institutional environments for data sharing both within a transit agency and between the transit agency and other organizations. Finally, innovative transit agencies and third-party organizations are also working to enhance data coordination and use among transit agencies and between transit agencies and other transportation organizations. On the basis of this inventory, it appears that many California transit agencies are strategically expanding the capabilities and use of these new information systems and technologies.
Applications of Technology in Providing Transit Information
Authors: Gildea Daniel , Sheikh Mikael
Published: January 2019

A number of efforts to electronically disseminate transit information are described and compared, leading up to a detailed analysis of one volunteer project to place transit information for the San Francisco Bay Area on the Internet. This service provides route, schedule, and fare information for a dozen transit operators. The system is used by more than 600 people daily, a number that is growing steadily. The results of a user survey are discussed, revealing that a large number of the system's users are regular transit users. Many are browsing instead of searching for specific information, and a smaller number use the system to check schedules for transit routes they use every day. The emergence of the Internet as a global standard gives transit operators a new opportunity to provide detailed information directly to their patrons at low cost and around the clock.
Token versus Stored Value Card use in New York City Subway System: Observational Study over Two Time Periods
Authors: Baugher Dan , Dennehy Robert , Varanelli Andrew
Published: January 2019

As transportation systems search for ways to improve service and reduce costs, new systems for fare payment are becoming more common. The human throughput at turnstiles of a large number of token and stored value card users was observed in the New York City subway system for 1 week and then for another week after a 6-month interval. The results suggest that magnetic card swipe read/write technologies for fare payment may, at least initially, slow down access to subway platforms and increase entry problems for users. Stored value card users took longer, on average, and showed more variability in throughput than token users. Stored value card users also experienced a fair amount of difficulty in swiping their cards through turnstile readers, although the difficulties decreased after 6 months. Users of cards also differed from token users on a number of demographic variables. With about 50 percent of the ridership served by the new system at the time of the study, the most consistent finding across both study phases was a tendency for males to use the new card-based system more often than females and for Spanish riders to use cards less often than other riders. Possible problems with the voluntary adoption of cards by riders and the need for marketing efforts are also discussed in light of the inability of cards to offer any improvements in terms of ease of use or turnstile entry speed over that of token systems.
Urban Oasis: Guideways and Greenways in the Human Environment
Authors: Warren Roxanne
Published: January 2019

Fixed guideway systems must, of necessity, be associated with densities of development that are sufficiently high to justify their installation. Where private automobiles are dominant, however, high densities are typically identified with environmental blight and traffic congestion, which are, in turn, instrumental in the exodus of the population to outlying areas and away from public transport. Residential development is key to the greater use of public transit, since it is at the home that the majority of all kinds of trips begin or end, and for residential development, environmental considerations are paramount. A synthesis of four elements is advocated: new, basically residential pedestrian zones of high to medium densities, with abundant landscaping throughout each zone and with linkage to peripheral parking and regional transit via short-range automated people movers.
Structural Responses of Transit Buses: Impact of Wheelchair Loads
Authors: Dusseau Ralph A. , Khasnabis Snehamay , Smith Terence A.
Published: January 2019

The structural responses of typical transit buses with and without wheelchair loads and the changes in these responses from one bus design to the next were investigated. To this end, finite-element computer models, with and without wheelchairs, wheelchair restraints, and wheelchair lifts, were developed for two 7.6-m transit buses designed in 1989 and 1992. These models were each analyzed under bus deceleration with seats attached to the bus floor only, and with seats attached to the bus sidewall and floor. With respect to the structural responses of these typical transit buses to bus deceleration it was concluded that (a) maximum member stresses in models with wheelchair loads versus models without wheelchair loads tended to increase in the 1989 bus models and decrease in the 1992 bus models and (b) small to moderate changes in the number, size, and location of structural members from one bus design to the next can have a substantial impact on the maximum member stresses.
Characterization of Metals and Solids in Urban Highway Winter Snow and Spring Rainfall-Runoff
Authors: Sansalone John J. , Buchberger Steven G.
Published: January 2019

Urban highways are a nonpoint source of metal elements and solids. These constituents are generated from traffic activities, pavement degradation, roadway maintenance, and atmospheric deposition. Pavement degradation and abrasion generates solids ranging in size from submicron particles to gravel-size aggregates. These constituents accumulate on the highway until they are transported from the pavement by traffic-induced turbulence or precipitation-runoff processes. Total metal elements and solids concentration are higher in snow washoff from urban highways than rainfall runoff. One reason is the snow washoff volume is less than the volume generated during a rainfall-runoff event. Another reason is that the residence time of a highway snowbank can range from hours to months depending on weather conditions. In addition, porous snow banks act as repositories that trap metals and solids. Metal elements and solids in urban highway winter snow and spring runoff at one highway site located along I-75 in Cincinnati, Ohio, are described and compared. Both snow and rainfallrunoff samples were fractionated into particulate-bound and dissolved metals. Solids characterization included dissolved, inorganic, and organic fractions. Results from snow samples taken at daily intervals from late January through mid-February 1995 indicate a significant increase in metal elements and solids accumulation for several days after two snow events. Results from runoff events in April 1995 indicate that the particulate-bound metal element washoff response was a function of rainfall intensity. In contrast, the dissolved response exhibited a dependence on the solubility of the metal element. Metal elements in rainfall-runoff were predominately dissolved as compared with more particulate-bound metals in snowfall.
Factors Affecting Joint Efficiency of Roller-Compacted Concrete Pavement Joints and Cracks
Authors: Pittman David W.
Published: January 2019

The mechanism of joint efficiency for roller-compacted concrete (RCC) pavement joints and cracks is affected primarily by aggregate interlock or friction at the vertical interface of the joint. Current U.S. Army Corps of Engineers design procedures for RCC pavements make the conservative assumption that no joint efficiency is achieved at RCC pavement joints and cracks. The purpose of this study was to determine the degree of joint efficiency achieved at RCC pavement joints and cracks; to determine the factors that affect the joint efficiency, and to what degree; and to develop a regression model to predict the joint efficiency using those factors. The heavy weight deflectometer (HWD) and other devices were used to conduct nondestructive joint efficiency tests at 12 different RCC pavement sites around the United States. The joint efficiency results ranged from 22 percent to 89 percent, depending on the type of joint or crack tested. The joint efficiencies decreased significantly with increasing crack width, crack spacing, and decreasing temperature. Cores were taken from some of the sites, and crack width measurements with depth indicated little evidence of crack skewing. The HWD load magnitude significantly affected the joint efficiency, and the individual effects of slab thickness and modulus of subgrade reaction did not appear to be significant from observation of the data. A regression was developed that predicts the joint efficiency of RCC pavement joints or cracks, with an R2 of 62 percent.
Development of Dowel Looseness Prediction Model for Jointed Concrete Pavements
Authors: Buch Neeraj , Zollinger Dan G.
Published: January 2019

The results of an in-depth study of factors that affect dowel looseness in jointed concrete pavements are presented. The laboratory investigation revealed the influence of aggregate type (in relation to oxide content), aggregate texture and shape, bearing stress (dowel diameter and crack width), load magnitude, and number of load cycles on the magnitude of dowel looseness and the subsequent loss in load transfer efficiency across saw-cut joints. A discussion is included on the development of an empirical-mechanistic dowel looseness prediction model based on the experimental results. Results of the sensitivity analysis of the dowel looseness prediction model (using laboratory data) are also presented. An associated scope of this research was to develop a relationship between dowel looseness and loss of load transfer efficiency. The sequential use of the dowel looseness prediction model and its relationship to load transfer efficiency allows the design engineer to predict load transfer characteristics of a joint, based on calculated (or measured) dowel looseness. The framework suggested to predict dowel looseness can then be incorporated into a fault prediction model for doweled joints.
Analysis of Current State Rigid Pavement Design Practices in the United States
Authors: Jiang Y. , Darter M. I. , Owusu-Antwi E.
Published: January 2019

Current portland cement concrete pavement design practices and the key concrete pavement design features used by state highway agencies in the United States are summarized. This information was obtained from a comprehensive survey conducted in 1994 and 1995 under an NCHRP project. Pavement types, design methodologies, and reliability levels are included, along with many design inputs. Parameters that the states use to characterize pavement site conditions, including climate, subgrade, and traffic conditions, are given. The designed concrete slab thicknesses for different site condition combinations are compared. An analysis of variance was conducted to compare the mean slab thicknesses designed in different climatic regions. This examination and summary of the details of current pavement design practices and design features for concrete pavements in the United States will be of interest to both pavement researchers and practitioners.
Numerical Modeling of Earth Structures: Some Things to Consider
Authors: Davidson Richard R. , Bentler David J. , Berger Donald J. , Ridlen Paul W.
Published: January 2019

Numerical modeling of earth structures has increased dramatically in geotechnical engineering design practice in recent years. This popularity coincides with the widespread availability of powerful new computer codes. Complex problems can now be analyzed in ways not thought possible 5 years ago. Whether this proliferation of analyses is a healthy trend that is improving the quality of design services is addressed. The purpose of this study is to pause and consider several analytical exercises for recent projects-some successful, some not- and examine the factors that most strongly influence the quality of analytical predictions.
Education and Training of Transportation Engineers and Planners Vis-à-Vis Public Involvement
Authors: Khisty C. Jotin
Published: January 2019

Public involvement in transportation investment decision making is central to accomplishing the vision of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991. FHWA and FTA are striving to promote this objective in the face of several problems, some of which stem from the biased education and training of engineers and planners. The predominant emphasis of the majority of planners has been and continues to be on technical issues to the exclusion of communicative action and emancipatory interest, resulting in planners not being able to cope with the demands of participatory democracy. The basic concepts of communicative action that need to be incorporated in the education and training of engineers and planners to equip them to deal effectively with citizen participation are introduced. It is recommended that in the changed context in which transportation engineers and planners will have to operate, it is essential that they gain competency beyond just technical areas and be competent to cope with the social, economic, and political dimensions of planning by gaining an understanding of the rudiments of communicative action. A blend of all three rationalities and interests (technical, communicative, and emancipatory) will have to form part of the day-today vocabulary and knowledge base of future planners in view of the importance of public participation in the transportation planning process. An appropriate graduate course on this topic is outlined.
Overflow Delay Model for Signalized Arterials
Authors: Li Jing , Rouphail Nagui M. , Tarko Andrzej , Velichansky Leonid
Published: January 2019

Delay is the principal parameter used to measure the performance of signalized intersections. Average stopped delay is the primary measure of effectiveness used in evaluating level of service at signalized intersections in the U.S. Highway Capacity Manual (HCM). In an urban street network, the traffic performance at contiguous intersections is highly correlated. Typically, two upstream effects are present, signal coordination and signal metering. Therefore, the delay models developed for an isolated intersection with the assumption of random arrivals are no longer appropriate for delay estimation at a signalized arterial. The impact of signal coordination on delay has been well documented in the literature. However, the signal metering effect has yet to be thoroughly evaluated. For uncongested network flow conditions, the upstream metering effect is of less importance. However, for congested network flow conditions operating at or slightly below capacity, upstream metering becomes critical. In this study, an analytical overflow delay model that effectively incorporates the upstream metering effect for congested signalized networks is developed and the parameters are calibrated. The model is founded on a random queue model that assumes a generalized arrival distribution and a bulk service time distribution. The format of the overflow delay model developed in this work is consistent with the format of the current HCM model. The enhanced model, when effectively validated by field data, can be a good supplement for the current HCM model.
Liturgy as Embodied Informal Education for Identity Re-formation: Luther’s 1523 and 1526 Liturgical Reforms
Authors: Griffis Michael P.
Published: January 2019

Martin Luther’s 1523 and 1526 reforms of the Catholic liturgy holistically contributed to the re-formation of the spiritual identities of believers at Wittenberg in three ways: (1) Reconstructed their living inheritance as the worshipping people of God; (2) Clarified the embodied biblical narrative of justification by faith in the gospel; and (3) Explicated their role as the local and global body under Christ the Head, reconnecting them to their heritage of witness in the world.
Positive and Negative Experiences on Social Media and Perceived Social Isolation
Authors: Primack Brian A. , Karim Sabrina A. , Shensa Ariel , Bowman Nicholas , Knight Jennifer , Sidani Jaime E.
Published: January 2019

Purpose:

To examine the association between positive and negative experiences on social media (SM) and perceived social isolation (PSI).

Design:

Cross-sectional survey.

Setting:

One large mid-Atlantic University.

Participants:

A total of 1178 students aged 18 to 30 were recruited in August 2016.

Measures:

Participants completed an online survey assessing SM use and PSI. We assessed positive and negative experiences on SM by directly asking participants to estimate what percentage of their SM experiences involved positive and negative experiences, respectively. Social isolation was measured using the established Patient-Reported Outcomes Measures Information System scale.

Analysis:

We used multivariable logistic regression to assess associations between both positive and negative experiences on SM and PSI. Primary models controlled for sex, age, race/ethnicity, educational status, relationship status, and living situation.

Results:

Participants had an average age of 20.9 (standard deviation = 2.9) and were 62% female. Just over one-quarter (28%) were nonwhite. After controlling for all sociodemographic covariates, each 10% increase in positive experiences was not significantly associated with social isolation (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 0.97; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.93-1.005). However, each 10% increase in negative experiences was associated with a 13% increase in odds of PSI (AOR = 1.13; 95% CI: 1.05-1.21).

Conclusion:

Having positive experiences on SM is not associated with lower social isolation, whereas having negative experiences on SM is associated with higher social isolation. These findings are consistent with the concept of negativity bias, which suggests that humans tend to give greater weight to negative entities compared with positive ones.
Aging in Place: The Role of Geriatric Social Work
Authors: Ivry Joann
Published: January 2019

Aging in place refers to the phenomenon of elderly persons remaining in their communities despite increasing frailty. Although housing specialists initially resisted this development, many housing environments are currently being adapted to meet the needs of the aged. Social work has a two-fold role in creating supportive housing environments for the elderly as they age in place. First, they can encourage aged residents to accept and receive services that will enable them to live independently despite diminishing capacities. Second, they can collaborate with housing managers to create responsive housing environments for their elderly tenants.
The Parenting Experience of Low-Income Single Women with Serious Mental Disorders
Authors: Sands Roberta G.
Published: January 2019

The author describes an exploratory, qualitative research study focusing on 10 single, low-income mothers with chronic mental illness who lived with their children in a supportive residential program. The mothers were interviewed and observed at the child-care center associated with the program. In addition, a comparison group of eight low-income, single mothers whose children attended a community day-care center were interviewed. The two groups of mothers viewed their children as central to their lives. Both groups of spoke of struggles. The mentally ill mothers’ struggles pertained to maintaining custody, whereas the non-mentally ill mothers focused on economic survival. Overwhelmingly, the mothers with mental illness wanted to live normal lives as mothers, wives, and workers.
The Effects of Monetary Incentives on School Performance
Authors: Reid William J , Bailey-Dempsey Cynthia
Published: January 2019

Interest in the use of monetary incentives as a means to motivate students to attend school or to improve their performance has been growing. In the present study, teenage girls at risk of school failure were randomly assigned to either a control condition or to one of two year-long experimental programs aimed at improving their academic work and attendance: (1) a “payment” program in which they were given only monetary incentives for improved performance or (2) a case-management program in which social workers, teachers, the girls, and their parents. worked together to develop and implement ways to help the girls do better. Both experimental programs surpassed the control condition with respect to positive changes in grades and attendance. The case-management outcomes were clearly superior to those of the payment program. However, neither program's effects appeared to carry over to the following year, which suggests that more sustained intervention may be necessary to bring about enduring improvement in the girls’ school performance.
Social Work Practice with Religious Families
Authors: Nakhaima Jem M. , Dicks Barbara H.
Published: January 2019

In social workers’ provision of services to families, the impact of religion is often overlooked. The authors describe a model that allows the family counselor with the consent of the family to utilize a religious consultant in the therapeutic process. The model draws upon the rich network of emotional and tangible resources typically possessed by religious communities and avoids the inefficient and potentially destructive isolation of religious families from their belief system. Although the model is designed for utilization with families who are closely connected to a religious community, its network approach can also be useful with some secular, urbanized families.
Expanding the Vision of the Social Constructionist Debates: Creating Relevance for Practitioners
Authors: Franklin Cynthia
Published: January 2019

The term social constructionism has been associated with the research debates among academic social workers. Recently Atherton offered an analysis of the research debates in an attempt to communicate the significance of these debates to social work practitioners. He argued that these debates are tearing the profession apart. A major limitation of Atherton's analysis is that it failed to provide relevance for practitioners by making connections between underlying themes of the debates and important parallel developments within clinical practice fields. The author offers a different interpretation of the research debates, viewing them as a metadebate about science and social science methods. Drawing distinctions between social constructionism and constructivism expands Atherton's discussion, defining their relationship to both research and practice. Examples from practice models are used to illustrate how constructionism and constructivism are significant concepts and are being used across disciplines as metatheories for practice.
Characteristics of Different Types of Childhood Violence and the Risk of Revictimization
Authors: Frugaard Stroem Ida , Aakvaag Helene Flood , Wentzel-Larsen Tore
Published: January 2019

This study investigates the relationship between the characteristics of different types of childhood violence and adult victimization using two waves of data from a community telephone survey (T1) and a follow-up survey, including 505 cases and 506 controls, aged 17-35 years (T2). The logistic regression analyses showed that exposure to childhood abuse, regardless of type, was associated with adult victimization. Exposure to multiple types of abuse, victimization both in childhood and in young adulthood, and recency of abuse increased these odds. Our findings emphasize the importance of assessing multiple forms of violence when studying revictimization. Practitioners working with children and young adults should be attentive to the number of victimization types experienced and recent victimization to prevent further abuse.
Area postrema syndrome: Another feature of anti-GFAP encephalomyelitis
Authors: Ciron Jonathan , Sourdrille Fanny , Biotti Damien , Tchoumi Thierry , Ruiz Anne , Bernard-Valnet Raphaël , Maubeuge Nicolas , Marignier Romain
Published: January 2019

Anti–Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) encephalomyelitis is a recently described entity and while the spectrum of this disease has been explored, further research is needed to fully describe its phenotype. Area postrema syndrome (APS) is usually associated with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSDs), whereas no case of APS has been previously reported with anti-GFAP encephalomyelitis. In this article, we report a case of APS in a 41-year-old woman in the context of anti-GFAP encephalomyelitis. This case was not associated with additional anti-AQP4 IgG and therefore extends the clinico-radiological spectrum of anti-GFAP encephalomyelitis.