Findings from the Transportation Research Board’s

2013 State Partnership Visits Program

Specialists in the Transportation R

esearch Board’s Tech-

nical Activities Division identify current issues, collect

and generate information on the issues, and disseminate

the information throughout the transportation community.

The TRB Annual Meeting, TRB-sponsored conferences

and workshops, standing committee meetings and com-

munications, publications, and contact with hundreds of

organizations and thousands of individuals provide TRB

staff with information from the public and private sectors

on all modes of transportation.

A major source of this information is the TRB annual

state partnership visits program. Transportation pro-

fessionals on the TRB staff meet on site with representatives

of state departments of transportation (DOTs) and with rep-

resentatives of universities, transit and other transporta-

tion agencies, and industry. In addition, TRB staff is

involved with planning and delivering confer-

ences, workshops, and meetings. This report

summarizes what TRB staff learned from vis-

its and activities during the past year.

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Partners inPerformanceManagement

According to the December 2013 Fiscal Surveyof States, “state budgets are slowly improv-ing, but when … the impacts of inflation [are

factored in], spending and revenue are both stillbelow their prerecession peaks.”1 The report fore-casts that growth in state revenues and spending in2014 will continue below historical averages.

In recent years, with limited resources, many statedepartments of transportation (DOTs) have reliedincreasingly on performance management and mea-surement to guide and manage programs. MovingAhead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21),the federal surface transportation legislation passedin 2012, establishes a performance- and outcome-based approach for states to measure performance inthe context of collective progress toward nationalgoals.

MAP-21 requires state transportation agencies tomeasure and gauge performance from the conditionof roadway pavement to improvements in safety.Although experiences and approaches vary amongstates and agencies, performance management—andthe underlying data programs required—is definingtransportation institutions in the 21st century.

State DOTs and other transportation organizationsare working to ensure a high return on investmentfrom limited resources by adopting performance man-agement techniques and by implementing innovativesolutions.

Institutional IssuesPolicy, Management, and LeadershipWith performance-based management a key tenet,U.S. DOT is promulgating performance requirementsthrough a series of nine rulemakings scheduled inseveral phases.

Washington State DOT initiated an agencywideperformance reporting process in 2001. A quarterlyreport, the Gray Notebook, provides system performance and project delivery updates on six policy goals: preservation, safety, mobility, environ-ment, stewardship, and economic vitality.2 Withmore than a decade of experience in measuring andmanaging performance, Washington State DOT iswell positioned to meet the forthcoming MAP-21requirements.

In Tennessee, state DOT employees rely on thePerformance Measurement Reference Guide, whichdefines what the agency is measuring, how theresults are collected and calculated, and why it matters.3

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The Gray Notebook, Washington State DOT’s quar-terly performance report, judges such performancemeasures as the safety of rest areas, including thenew electric vehicle charging station at the Gee Creekrest area on I-5 near Vancouver, Washington.

Crews repair a bridgedeck in West Virginia.Pavement condition andother state DOTinitiatives are subject toperformancemeasurements requiredby MAP-21.

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1 http://www.governing.com/topics/finance/State-Budgets-Improving-But-Growth-Still-Below-Historic-Rates.html.

2 www.wsdot.wa.gov/accountability/graynotebook.pdf.3 www.tdot.state.tn.us/osp/pdfs/TDOTReferenceGuideDefinitions.pdf.

The Transportation Investment Generating Eco-nomic Recovery (TIGER) discretionary federal grantprogram allocated a fifth round of funding in 2013,providing more than $123 million dollars for infra-structure projects in 37 states. TIGER grants havetotaled more than $3.6 billion dollars and havefunded 270 projects in all 50 states, the District ofColumbia, and Puerto Rico. U.S. DOT has receivedmore than 5,200 applications for TIGER grants,requesting more than $114.2 billion for transporta-tion projects.

Planning Planners across the country have focused on the rule-making for MAP-21, which aims to transform thetransportation planning and programming processesinto performance-based systems. Staff from stateDOTs, metropolitan planning organizations, localtransportation agencies, and transit agencies havebeen providing information for developing the rules,as well as detailed comments on the proposed rules.Performance goals identified in the legislationinclude the preservation and improvement of high-ways, the improvement of safety, and support foreconomic growth.

Many planners and programmers have not waitedfor federal rules to implement performance-orientedpolicies and practices. For example, Ohio DOT staffhas explored the use of new data, such as cell phonetrace data, for planning and performance monitoring.

In North Carolina, the state legislature adoptedthe Strategic Mobility Formula, which changes theway of selecting and funding transportation projects.The goal is to fund more transportation projects,boost the economy, and maximize the benefits oftransportation spending. North Carolina DOT staff isworking out the details of applying condition data,plan forecasts, and local input to prioritize projects.

These and other initiatives across the country willhelp transportation agencies implement the finalMAP-21 rules.

Legal IssuesRisk management practices are a major legal concernin transportation agency operations, including enter-prise risk management programs to identify issues inday-to-day operations and to develop cost-effectivesolutions. Commercial insurance products offer aneconomic risk management tool, particularly for so-called megaprojects and for long-term public–private partnership concessions.

States have increasingly sought legal assistancein monitoring and managing operations and in ini-tiating related training and research projects. Theeffects of the Manual on Uniform Traffic ControlDevices: 2009 Edition on state traffic and highwayoperations remain a concern.

New developments have emerged in the quest formore efficient environmental reviews of transporta-tion projects. Reduced review times and simplifiedprocesses are performance goals inherent in recentactions by President Barack Obama, the Federal

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A plan for a newpassenger train station indowntown Raleigh,North Carolina, hasreceived funding fromthe TIGER grantprogram.

In June 2013, NorthCarolina Governor PatMcCrory signed into lawthe Strategic MobilityFormula, a new way offunding infrastructureinvestments.

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Transit Administration, and the Federal HighwayAdministration.

On May 17, 2013, a presidential memorandum,“Modernizing Federal Infrastructure Review and Per-mitting Regulations, Policies, and Procedures,”directed federal agencies to work together to reducethe time to complete project environmental reviews.The memorandum increases the potential for cate-gorically excluded projects that require little evalua-tion or documentation; this should speed theenvironmental review process.

As state DOTs increase involvement in data reten-tion and management and prepare for the advent ofautomated vehicles and highways, questions arise inthe following areas:

u The conceptualization of “control” in the con-text of automated vehicles;

u Ownership of the data required or generated byautomated systems;

u The potential liability of the parties involved inthe manufacture and development of automatedvehicles; and

u The control of the liability exposure of thedriver, the owner, and the manufacturer through pri-vate or contractual means.

Environment, Energy, and Climate ChangeThe lingering recovery efforts from the so-calledsuperstorms—which include hurricanes, tornadoes,and other extreme weather events—have many statesreevaluating priorities for long-term transportation

infrastructure. Climate change adaptation plansadopted by states are playing an important role indecisions about long-term investments. State budgetsare not increasing, and the repair or rebuilding ofstorm-ravaged roads and the benefits of new tech-nologies must be analyzed.

State legislation is influencing transportationresearch in California, particularly the Global Warm-ing Solution Act of 2006, which requires state agen-cies to identify strategies for reducing greenhousegas (GHG) emissions. Another bill, SB 391, requiresthe California Statewide Transportation Plan for2015 to include strategies for reducing GHG emis-sions to 1990 levels by 2020 and to 80 percent belowthe 1990 levels by 2050.

Accordingly, the California Air Resources Board,California DOT, and the California Energy Commis-sion are meeting quarterly in a unique partnership toshare research proposals, projects, and other initia-tives to reach the state’s Climate Change and Sus-tainability targets. Researchers at the University ofCalifornia, Berkeley, are developing a state “mitiga-tion roadmap” for sustainable transportation, basedon a comprehensive assessment of strategies forreducing GHG emissions.

Other high-visibility issues include reducing theair quality impacts of freight transportation; effects ofnoise on the increasing number and type of proper-ties designated as historic; lessons from the devel-opment and deployment of environmentalmanagement systems; and innovative methods offacilitating wildlife crossings and preserving criticalhabitats. State DOTs are also continuing to adapt toincreasingly strict regulations for stormwater man-agement, which can affect construction costs andtimelines.

State DOTs are developing plans for repairinginfrastructure assets damaged by extreme weatherevents.

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In October 2012, Super -storm Sandy washed outparts of NC-12 in PeaIsland Wildlife Refuge inNorth Carolina. Manystates are incorporatingthe potential effects ofintense storms into theirlong-term infrastructureplans.

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Critical Infrastructure Protection and Security In the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy and otherextreme weather events, states have increased focuson system resilience and on understanding the inter-relationships between transportation infrastructureand other major lifeline systems, such as the powergrid, fuel supply chains, and water systems. The cas-cading failures of these systems during SuperstormSandy affected the region’s ability to recover withina reasonable time. In New York and New Jersey, fill-ing stations faced two major problems: inadequatefuel, because of limited prepositioned supplies, andpower outages.

In collaboration with the Regional ResiliencyAssessment Program of the U.S. Department ofHomeland Security (DHS), New Jersey is examiningthe interdependencies in the state’s petroleum distri-bution system, applying the lessons learned fromSuperstorm Sandy. The state has instituted the RetailFuel Station Energy Resiliency Program, which

includes grants to help retail fuel stations along keyroutes purchase generators and “quick connects” topower the pumps.

In May 2013, DHS issued an update to theNational Response Framework that “mandates thedevelopment of a series of policy and planning doc-uments to explain and guide the nation’s collectiveapproach to ensuring and enhancing national pre-paredness.” Working with the American Associationof State Highway and Transportation Officials(AASHTO), states are prioritizing support for theimplementation of the National Response Frame-work, the National Incident Management System,and the National Infrastructure Protection Plan.

Data and Information TechnologiesStates are developing data approaches to supportenterprise management initiatives, such as perfor-mance management and asset management. Con-strained resources, however, have focused data efforts

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A downed power line inPrattsville, New York,after Hurricane Irene in2011. States are studyingthe connection betweentransportationinfrastructure and othernetworks, such as thepower grid.

Residents of Queens,New York, stand in linefor gas. New York andNew Jersey experiencedfuel shortages and fuelstation power outagesafter Superstorm Sandy.

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on providing information for decision making, oftento explore the trade-offs between maintenance andcapital expenditures, among links, and betweenmodes. The Maryland State Highway Administra-tion uses improvement to the entire transportationsystem as a criterion. TRB’s National CooperativeHighway Research Program (NCHRP) is developingtools to improve the use of data for investment deci-sions, both for intermodal trade-offs and for identi-fying and prioritizing areas for improvement.4

Spatial location has proved to be a valuable toolfor interrelating information from different sources.Utah DOT’s UPlan is a spatial framework that canarray data from different programs and from otheragencies in the state. An AASHTO TechnologyImplementation Group is helping other states pursuethis model. Iowa DOT has made spatial location afacet of all information sources.

Working under funding constraints for data pro-grams, states are using technology and partnerships toimprove the quality and availability of information.Wyoming DOT has implemented a cooperative pro-gram with the National Park Service for traffic countsin and around Yellowstone National Park.

Improved understanding and communication ofthe transportation system’s role in supporting the stateeconomy and businesses is gaining importance as offi-cials make the case for the needed investments. Forbusinesses, understanding freight flows and supplychains is key; the U.S. DOT Freight Analysis Frame-work, which uses data from the Commodity FlowSurvey of the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, pro-vides a foundation for business freight planning.

AviationGovernment funding issues continue to affect thenational aviation system. Budget cuts resulting fromthe sequestration temporarily forced the closure ofmore than 100 air traffic control towers at smaller airports; the staff limitations and the reduced staffhours for air traffic controllers caused major delaysat larger airports and throughout the aviation system.Although the restrictions were temporarily over-

turned, the ongoing uncertainty about the budgetmakes the system susceptible to costly failures anddelays and slows the implementation of much-needed system improvements through the NextGenprogram.

The airline consolidation trend proceeded withthe merger of American Airlines with U.S. Airways.Objections raised by the U.S. Department of Justiceonly delayed what many considered inevitable; nev-ertheless, some concerns continue about the impactson consumers from ticket prices and in the avail-ability of flights to and from less-served airports.

Other issues at the forefront include the incorpo-ration of unmanned aircraft into U.S. civilian airspace;new safety-related rules changing the flight-hourrequirements for pilots to fly commercially and theeffects this may have on the availability of qualifiedpilots; new technologies that enable more extensiveuse of alternative fuels in commercial aircraft; andhow the collection and analysis of big data—largeand complex data sets—may change aviation.

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A Utah DOT project usesmobile lidar to map thestate’s roadway assets.

Utah DOT’s mapping andplanning tool UPlanallows data sharingamong units and assem-bles and disseminatesroadway information in auser-friendly environment(http://uplan.maps.arcgis.com).

Federal budget cuts in 2013 forced the closures of airtraffic control towers at smaller airports, such as DonScott Field at Ohio State University in Columbus.

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4 http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2725; http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=3399.

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Freight SystemsIn implementing the freight provisions of MAP-21for the rulemaking due this year, U.S. DOT and statesare working to define performance measures forfreight movement on the Interstate Highway System.U.S. DOT has drafted an initial designation of the Pri-mary Freight Network and has established a NationalFreight Advisory Committee of public officials, pri-vate-sector stakeholders, and academicians, includ-ing several TRB leaders. State DOTs are adoptingfreight plans and establishing advisory committees tobe eligible for higher federal funding matches forfreight-related highway projects.

Dramatic increases in freight transportationrelated to oil and gas hydraulic fracturing operationshave presented challenges in North Dakota, Texas,New York, West Virginia, Louisiana, and other states.In many cases, oversize trucks carrying heavy equip-ment, as well as the inputs and outputs from theoperations, are causing problems for road mainte-nance and safety on two-lane, low-volume roads notengineered for heavy truck traffic.

The domestic energy boom also affects freightrail, particularly with increases in mile-long unittrains carrying the fracturing sand and petroleum. Inrural areas, a passing wall of tanker cars along an at-grade rail crossing effectively can cut a small town inhalf and can create issues for emergency manage-ment and residents’ mobility.

Highway DesignTo improve highway performance, designs are apply-ing pavement and bridge management data, infor-mation from bridge monitoring systems, andprocedural innovations. Florida DOT, for example, isexamining management system data to determine if

infrastructure performance is consistent, predictable,and repeatable. When a performance rating is lowerthan expected, the agency uses the data to improvethe designs.

Connecticut DOT is incorporating creative,research-based solutions into designs. To extendbridge performance, the agency is implementingdamping systems to reduce fatigue damage. Nation-wide, similar efforts are under way to improve thedesign of accelerated bridge construction projects,including seismic connections—such as sacrificialstructural fuses—to mitigate damage.

Minnesota DOT has heavily instrumented the I-35 West–St. Anthony Falls Bridge to monitor time-dependent behavior, such as shrinkage and creep.Although the posttensioned, precast concrete box-girder bridge is only five years old, the departmenthas collected a significant amount of data on concretebehavior, enabling better prediction of long-term per-

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(Far left:) The U.S. DOT’sinitial Primary FreightNetwork includes I-70—which runs fromMaryland to Utah—andother major Interstates.

(Left:) Empty oil tankstravel from East Coastrefineries to NorthDakota, which has seen alarge increase in oil- andgas-related freighttransportation.

States use data frombridge monitoringsystems for performancemanagement of repairsand construction.

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formance. The agency’s bridge designers are applyingthe information to improve concrete bridge plans.

Many state DOTs are cooperating in pooled-fundstudies of design-related performance, to spur inno-vation and address uncertainties. Through statisticaland probabilistic analyses, several studies are devel-oping more accurate design methodologies toimprove performance and maximize return oninvestment.

Highway Construction and MaterialsState transportation agencies are working to deliverhigh-quality highway infrastructure projects fasterand at less cost. Many are completing larger projectsunder any one of a variety of alternative project deliv-ery systems. Construction manager-at-risk is a new-comer to the toolbox; an NCHRP project has

prepared a guidebook.5 States recognize the need foralternative quality management systems for theseproject delivery approaches. Another NCHRP proj-ect is identifying the systems and developing guide-lines.6

State agencies have been emphasizing sustain-ability and recycling. Many are open to using recy-cled waste materials or by-products in highwayconstruction, as long as the materials are evaluatedin the same way as virgin or traditional constructionmaterials, for structural integrity, cost, and environ-mental implications. Reclaimed asphalt pavement(RAP) is now common in most states, and the use ofreclaimed asphalt shingles (RAS) is on the rise. Somestates have applied asphalt mixtures with up to 35percent RAP; others allow RAP–RAS mixtures.

Cold-recycling technology is gaining attention.An NCHRP project is exploring cold in-place recy-cling and full-depth replacement.7 Virginia andMaryland have used slag cement as a sustainablematerial, and others have indicated interest. Two-liftconcrete paving construction promotes recycling butlimits the higher-quality materials to the upper lift.The Illinois State Toll Highway Authority has usedthe technique on an Interstate 90 project.

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The new I-35 West–St. Anthony Falls Bridgein Minnesota has morethan 300 sensors thatmonitor bridgeconditions.

Material is stabilizedwith lime kiln dust in anin-place recycling projecton I-81 in Virginia. Manystates have adopted theuse of reclaimed asphaltin construction projects.

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5 http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2963.6 http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2714.7 http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2530.

Geotechnical EngineeringEmerging issues and concerns of geotechnical engi-neering practitioners in the public and private sectorsinclude the following:

u Critical projects are requiring large amountsof geotechnical and construction data, raising con-cerns about how to collect, compile, process, andinterpret these data efficiently.

u The use of geotechnical engineering instru-mentation before and during construction has helpedverify design criteria and soil and rock properties. Thisapproach has reduced costs and risk; disseminatinginformation about the new techniques is important.

u Soil and aggregate are compacted to increasethe density of embankments and pavements andimprove performance. To measure density, moststates use the nuclear density gauge (NDG), whichhas high operating costs and raises safety concerns—the device contains radioactive material. States there-fore are exploring nonradioactive devices as analternative to NDG. An NCHRP Synthesis project isexpected to provide useful information on nonnu-clear devices for practitioners and researchers.8

u States are considering the reuse of foundationsin bridge rehabilitation to reduce project costs, con-struction delays, environmental impacts, and trafficcongestion. States are developing guidelines andmethodologies for the approach.

In Kansas, the Mission Gateway Project, adesign–build megaproject, is riddled with old under-ground limestone mines. Kansas DOT’s geotechnicalengineering unit prepared a three-dimensional digi-tal model for contractors interested in submittingbids—a first for a U.S. design–build project.

Highway OperationsAgencies are exploring a range of newer intersectionand interchange configurations that have improvedtraffic operations and reduced crashes. These includediverging diamond interchanges, continuous-flowintersections, superstreets, Michigan lefts, and J-turns.

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A school bus enters a J-turn on US-65, south ofBuffalo, Missouri. Newconfigurations can leadto safer intersections andbetter traffic flow.

Geotechnical engineeringinstrumentation can helplower costs and risksassociated withconstruction projects.

8 http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=3362.

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Proactively managing and operating the roadwaycross section is becoming commonplace in manystates. Agencies are attempting to optimize use of theentire roadway to improve the performance of spe-cific lanes or of the entire freeway or highway. Underthe active traffic management approach, the operat-ing agency proactively manages demand and avail-able capacity on a facility by applying operationalcountermeasures or modifying strategies.

Active traffic management strategies includedynamic speed limits, restricted lanes allowing onlyhigh-occupancy vehicles or trucks, access controlssuch as express or reversible lanes, motorist infor-mation such as electronic dynamic message signsand lane control signs, peak-hour shoulder use, rampmetering, and priced and managed lanes. These solu-tions have proved cost-effective in reducing delayand improving travel-time reliability.

Vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-roadway tech-nologies, along with road vehicle automation, areanticipated to be the next major breakthroughs inoperations and safety. Federal and state agencies, theautomobile industry, and other private-sector part-ners have been researching the effectiveness and fea-sibility of advanced vehicle technology. Deploymentcould fundamentally change the way people drive,advance real-time operations, and prevent crashes.

Many industry and academic experts predict lim-ited automated driving as early as 2015, with fullyautomated vehicles by 2020. To prepare the way, afew states have enacted legislation allowing the oper-ation of automated vehicles on their roadways, andother states are contemplating similar legislation.

Infrastructure PreservationIn preparation for the maintenance-related perfor-mance measures for pavement and bridge assetsunder MAP-21, many agencies are updating theirmaintenance management systems. Some, like Ten-nessee DOT, are determining which activities are bet-ter suited for the agency to handle and which for acontractor. The justification now relies less onagency perceptions and more on data from mainte-nance management systems.

State DOTs are applying preservation principles inmanaging infrastructure. States recognize the impor-tance of preserving and maintaining not only theirinfrastructure but also their equipment fleets, a sig-nificant operational expenditure. Savings in the oper-ational costs of fleet equipment can have an impacton an agency’s ability to deliver its program. Okla-

Some states haveexperienced increases inbicycle- and pedestrian-related crashes.

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Many commercialvehicle-to-infrastructuretechnologies already areon the market, includingthe Drivewyze systemthat provides weigh-station bypasses for truckdrivers.

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homa DOT, for example, is converting its fleet tocompressed natural gas; the estimated annual savingswith full implementation will be $3 million.

Highway SafetyIn 2012, 33,561 people lost their lives in motor vehi-cle crashes in the United States, according to theNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration(NHTSA). Although this increase after six years ofdeclining fatalities does not constitute a trend, itdemonstrates the complexity of highway safety.

Decision makers are trying to understand howvarious factors have affected highway fatality trends,to invest limited resources most efficiently in pro-grams with the greatest potential for reducing fatal-ities and serious injuries. Increased safety belt use,safer vehicles, better roads, increased funding forinfrastructure improvements, the economic down-turn, changes in teen licensing laws, and enhancedenforcement efforts are among the factors identifiedas possible contributors to the downward trend incrashes.

The recent increases in fatalities appear to be asso-ciated with a variety of crash characteristics. The risein pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities and injuries hasraised concern in several states. Massachusetts nowconducts road safety audits after most pedestrian- orbicycle-related fatalities to understand the nature ofthe crash and to explore the measures necessary toprevent similar crashes.

MAP-21 requires states to focus on safety perfor-mance targets, especially involving fatalities and serious injuries. Oregon DOT has developed a

Performance Dashboard Website, which postsgauges, graphs, trend symbols, and text to summa-rize progress in the state toward various targets,including safety indicators.9

Ports and WaterwaysAfter the major system disruptions caused byweather-related events in 2012, including Super-storm Sandy on the East Coast and drought condi-tions in the Midwest, states and their federal agencypartners with stewardship over ports and waterwayshave been examining the resilience of the marine9 www.oregon.gov/ODOT/CS/PERFORMANCE/docs/2014%20Dashboard.swf.

Oregon DOT’sPerformance Dashboardwebsite reviews thesafety of its travelers,roads, rail systems, andemployees.

Workers repair thedewatered Algiers Lockin New Orleans,Louisiana. Locks closedfor repairs cause delaysfor cargo on thenetwork.

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Did You Know?u Wyoming has more “blow off the road” crash

locations than any other state. Wyoming DOTposts a “No Light Trailer” message on infor-mation systems when wind gusts exceed 50mph under any road conditions. In locationswith wind gusts of 65 mph or more and withadequate signage, Wyoming DOT will initiateclosure to light, high-profile vehicles. The clo-sure targets vehicles that are prone to beingblown over, such as recreational vehicles, mov-ing vans, and lightly loaded commercial vehi-cles; the restriction also includes smallervehicles pulling trailers.

u Wyoming has a population of nearly 600,000 innearly 100,000 square miles; officials describetheir state as “one community with very longstreets.”

u Bicycle traffic is increasing by 4.6 percent peryear in Minneapolis, Minnesota, according to aplanning model developed in research on thecity’s bicycle and pedestrian traffic.

u In December 2013, Michigan became thefourth state to pass legislation that allows thetesting of automated vehicles on public road-ways. The law requires a human in the driver’sseat at all times to monitor performance andtake control if necessary. Other states that havepassed similar laws include Nevada, in 2011,and Florida and California, in 2012.

u The average number of deer–vehicle collisionsin Virginia approaches 50,000 a year, the fifthhighest in the United States. Virginia DOTspends approximately $4 million annually toremove animal carcasses from the road forproper disposal in landfills. A recent study bythe Virginia Center for Transportation Innova-tion and Research shows that Virginia DOTcould save $0.5 million by windrow compostingthe deer carcasses.

u In 1901, to get speeders under control andmake the roadways safer, Connecticut passedthe nation’s first speed limit: 12 mph.

u Road dust is the leading source of particulatematter in Montana. Of the state’s 14 areas des-ignated by the Environmental ProtectionAgency for nonattainment of air quality stan-dards, 10 were cited for high levels of particu-late matter.

u Belle Fourche, South Dakota, is the site of thegeographic center of the 50 United States ofAmerica.

u In 2012, Minnesota DOT’s Library Services pro-vided a return on investment—in time saved indollars and in actual dollars saved—of $1.90for each $1 the agency spent on library staffand materials.

u Union Pacific’s rail switch yard in westernNebraska is the largest in the country, accord-ing to Nebraska Department of Roads and theUniversity of Nebraska.

On days with high winds, Wyoming DOT closesroads to vehicles prone to being blown over.

An automobile outside a garage in Greenwich,Connecticut, in 1908. The state had established thenation’s first speed limit only 7 years earlier.

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transportation system. The concern for resiliencyextends beyond natural events to the aging and inad-equate infrastructure, which continues to causedelays and increase costs across the supply chain—for example, when locks on the inland waterways aretaken offline for repairs, or when cargo vessels mustlight-load because navigation channels are notdredged to their federally authorized dimensions.

These issues have created unprecedentedmomentum for passage of the Water ResourcesDevelopment Act, which authorizes the navigationand waterways infrastructure programs under theU.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Bringing waterwaysinfrastructure up to a state of good repair and prior-itizing expansion projects in a fiscally constrainedenvironment are priorities for states that rely on sea-ports and the inland waterways system for economicprosperity and jobs. In August, the Kentucky Trans-portation Center at the University of Kentucky helda symposium in Louisville to discuss the movementof freight via the nation’s inland waterways and con-necting rail systems.

With the Panama Canal expansion scheduled forcompletion in 2015, larger vessels will be able totransit the canal and call on U.S. East and Gulf Coastports. States continue to invest in their seaports andlandside intermodal infrastructure to prepare forthese cargo opportunities.

RailPassenger RailThe Passenger Rail Investment and ImprovementAct of 2008 requires that states share passenger trainoperating costs with Amtrak for routes of less than750 miles; the Northeast Corridor, however, isexempt. The act mandated cost-sharing agreements

between Amtrak and the various states by October 1,2013, and negotiations between Amtrak and thestates were successfully completed without any lossof service. Amtrak continues to cover the costs of itslong-distance trains and of trains in the NortheastCorridor.

In other passenger rail developments, planningfor the California high-speed rail system continueddespite efforts to halt the project because of envi-ronmental and fiscal concerns. Amtrak set new rid-ership records in the past year and began takingdelivery of new high-speed electric locomotives forthe Northeast Corridor.

Freight RailChanges in the energy production industry had aprofound effect on freight rail in 2013. Sustainedgrowth in well development increased rail traffic indrilling equipment and fracturing sand, but the mostnotable trend was the continued growth in the move-ment of crude oil by rail. A disastrous derailment and

The new Amtrak CitiesSprinter high-speedelectric locomotiveundergoes tests at theU.S. DOT TransportationTechnology Center inPueblo, Colorado, in2013.

The June 2013 freighttrain derailment in Lac-Megantic, Quebec, wasone of the deadliest railaccidents in Canadianhistory.

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explosion in Canada has raised questions aboutsafety. Repercussions and findings from the investi-gation of the accident will continue to affect theNorth American rail freight industry.

Public Transportation Vehicle miles of travel continue to level off in theUnited States; automobile ownership is declining,while ridership on all modes of public transportationhas grown by 16 percent since 2000. The followingtrends and advances present opportunities and chal-lenges for the transit industry:

u Demographics. The American Public Trans-portation Association’s comprehensive survey of“new millennials”—persons born between 1982 and2003—indicates a shift in attitudes about automo-bile ownership and willingness to walk, bike, ride

transit, or carpool when the choice is cost-effectiveand convenient. The survey indicates that this pop-ulation values mobile phones more than automo-biles as a personal possession.

u Data and communications technology. Thecreation and implementation of the General TransitFeed Specification provide transit customers withweb- and smart phone–accessible information aboutschedules and service navigation. Cities from SanFrancisco to Denver, New York, and Boston havemobile apps in place to help users navigate multi-modal transit networks.

u New services in urbanized areas. Cities fromToronto, Ontario, to Washington, D.C., are hostingcarsharing and bikesharing services, making door-to-door trips more convenient and inviting for tran-sit riders and reducing congestion and the demandfor parking in densely developed urban areas.

u Policy focus. Superstorm Sandy, high-profileaccidents on commuter and subway trains, andMAP-21 are drawing policy attention to practicalissues of safety, resilience, state of good repair, andperformance measures for transit.

Enhancing System PerformanceTRB salutes the transportation organizations, leaders,and innovators who—as the examples above demon-strate—are working to enhance the performance oftransportation systems and services. TRB will continueto provide research and disseminate information onperformance management and related areas across itsprograms and activities. More information on TRBresources in this area—including publications, com-mittees, events, and webinars—is available on the TRB Performance Measurement Information ResourceCenter at www.TRB.org/ABC30/ABC30.aspx.

Chicago, Illinois, openedits first bikeshare stationin June 2013.

According to a recentsurvey by the AmericanPublic TransportationAssociation, the youngergeneration of travelers isembracing alternatives toauto mobile travel—andmany value mobilephone ownership abovecar ownership.

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