Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Travel time variability Definition and valuation

Institut for Transport - Denmark
August 2008

Increasing traffic leads to increasing severity, spatial extension and duration
of congestion. Congestion has two immediate consequences. One is that travel times increase on average. Another is that travel times become increasingly variable and unpredictable. When performing economic appraisal of transport policies it is important to account for both. This is fast becoming widely acknowledged in many countries around the world. The subject is, however, quite difficult for several reasons and so far there is no established consensus on how to define and value travel time variability. This report was commissioned by the Danish Ministry of Transport and its agencies Vejdirektoratet (the Road Directorate) and Trafikstyrelsen (the Rail Agency). Its purpose is to establish a definition of travel time variability and its value that is theoretically sound, possible to estimate from individual preferences, and applicable with existing or realistically foreseeable traffic models. In addition, the report provides short term recommendations for including valuation of travel time variability in Danish practice for economic appraisal of transport projects and outlines a future Danish study of the valuation of travel time variability.

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Monday, July 27, 2009

Alternative decision-aid tool for pavement management

Ferreira Meneses, Vicente
Proceedings of the ICE, Transport
162 February 2009 Issue TR1



This paper presents the development and implementation of a new decision-aid tool to be used in the pavement management system of Oliveira do Hospital in Portugal. This system includes the following components: a road network database; a quality evaluation tool; a costs model; a pavement performance model; and a decision-aid tool. The current decision-aid tool uses a deterministic section linked optimisation model with the objective of minimising the total expected discounted costs over the planning time-span while keeping the road pavements within given quality standards. The new decision-aid tool uses a deterministic section-linked optimisation model with the goal of maximising quality, performance or user benefits over the planning time-span for given annual budget levels. This new approach is suitable for road administrations that strictly adhere to known annual budgets for maintenance and rehabilitation. The current pavement quality and the constraints defined by the annual budgets determine the future quality and level of performance of the road pavements. The new decision-aid tool also uses the deterministic pavement performance model used in the flexible pavement design method of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, which allows the gap between project and network management to be resolved.

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Why should cities change from DOT to TOD?

Lai Li
Proceedings of ICE, Transport
162 May 2009 Issue TR2

Transportation systems and cities that are connected by development-oriented transit (DOT) should be reconnected under the newer concept of transit-oriented development (TOD). This paper examines the reasons why cities should progressively change from DOT to TOD. The literature was reviewed to examine the urban history of DOT and TOD and the aims of TOD were identified. The relationship between sustainable development and concepts of TOD was then established to show why cities should change from DOT to TOD. It was also concluded that the concepts of TOD match sustainable development. Finally, extended strategies of TOD were established for Taipei City in the two specific perspectives of the transport system and land use.

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Department for Transport: Improving road safety for pedestrians and cyclists in Great Britain

National Audit Office
May 2009



In 2007, 2,946 people were killed on Great Britain’s roads. This is 18 per cent less than in the mid-1990s. Travelling by road is still one of the riskiest daily activities, however, and it accounts for nearly 97 per cent of transport deaths.

Pedestrians and cyclists are among the most vulnerable road users as they have little physical protection. People walk and cycle less than they used to. The Department for Transport can encourage more people to walk and cycle by making these activities safer.

The Department leads the promotion of road safety. But local highway authorities are responsible for most of the delivery work. Other organisations also contribute to improving road safety.

The report examines whether the Department:
  • is improving safety among pedestrians and cyclists,
  • has an effective strategy and programme of activities for these groups, and
  • works well with other organisations.


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Making Cycling Irresistible: Lessons from The Netherlands, Denmark and Germany

Pucher, John and Buehler, Ralph
Transport Reviews (Courtesy of Transporte ativo)
28:4, 495 — 528
July 2008

This article shows how the Netherlands, Denmark and Germany have made bicycling a safe, convenient and practical way to get around their cities. The analysis relies
on national aggregate data as well as case studies of large and small cities in each country. The key to achieving high levels of cycling appears to be the provision of separate cycling facilities along heavily travelled roads and at intersections, combined with traffic calming of most residential neighbourhoods. Extensive cycling rights of way in the Netherlands, Denmark and Germany are complemented by ample bike parking, full integration with public transport, comprehensive traffic education and training of both cyclists and motorists, and a wide range of promotional events intended to generate enthusiasm and wide public support for cycling. In addition to their many pro-bike policies and programmes, the Netherlands, Denmark and Germany make driving expensive as well as inconvenient in central cities through a host of taxes and restrictions on car ownership, use and parking. Moreover, strict land-use policies foster compact, mixed-use developments that generate shorter and thus more bikeable trips. It is the coordinated implementation of this multifaceted, mutually reinforcing set of policies that best explains the success of these three countries in promoting cycling. For comparison, the article portrays the marginal status of cycling in the UK and the USA, where only about 1% of trips are by bike.

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Friday, July 24, 2009

Biofuels in Asia: An Analysis of Sustainability Options

USAID Asia
2009

The US Agency for International Development's Regional Development Mission for Asia (USAID/RDMA) released a report called , Biofuels in Asia: An Analysis of Sustainability Options. The purpose of this report is to provide an objective and comprehensive regional analysis summarizing the benefits and risks of biofuels development in Asia, and examining the distribution and use of biofuels through the lens of global climate change; biodiversity conservation; energy alternatives; food security; economic development; and local livelihoods. This report does not undertake a detailed evaluation of biofuels in comparison to other clean energy supply options for power generation and transport.

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Boletin Informativo Interno

Nº 31 2009
Ministerio de Transporte y Obras Públicas
Julio 2009

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World Trade Report 2009- Trade Policy Commitments and Contingency Measures

World Trade Organization
July 2009



The World Trade Organization (WTO) released the World Trade Report 2009: Trade Policy Commitments and Contingency Measures on 22 July 2009 (full report, pdf). The report examines the range of measures in WTO trade agreements that governments may call upon when facing economic difficulties (such as safeguards, anti-dumping, increase in tariffs up to allowed WTO ceilings etc) and the role that these measures can play. Read more about the report through the press release.

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Real-Time Traveler Information Systems

Transportation Research Board
July 2009



TRB’s National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Synthesis 399: Real-Time Traveler Information Systems explores the needs and expectations of travelers, the current status of a variety of traveler information systems in the United States, available and emerging data sources, and business models for sustaining traveler information.

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Infrastructure Development and Services in Selected Emerging Market and OECD Countries: Key Indicators

Harpaul Alberto Kohli
Emerging Markets Forum
September 2006

Part of the EMF Series of papers on International Capital Flows, Domestic
Capital Markets and Growth and Development in Emerging Markets Countries
Discussion

This report presents comparative key indicators of infrastructure development and
services in 12 countries between 1980 and 2005. The basic objective is to present a
broad and quick comparison across countries of the coverage, efficiency, and quality of key infrastructure services during the past 30 years.

The comparisons are presented in a series of charts and graphs based on a
comprehensive database of economic, social, financial, and sectoral data indicators
maintained by the Centennial Group.

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Comparison of Key Infrastructure Indicators for Selected Emerging Market and OECD Countries

Harpaul Alberto Kohli
Emerging Markets Forum
July 2008

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Thursday, July 23, 2009

UNECE Weekly

UNECE
Issue Nº 326 — 6-10 July 2009

Contents:
Greek basketball champions call for safer roads
Better border crossing for the road industry

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Turning Carbon into Gold: How the international community can finance climate change adaptation without breaking the bank

OXFAM
December 2008

Recognizing that poor communities in developing countries are the least responsible for climate change but most vulnerable to its impacts, the Bali Action Plan calls for ‘new and additional resources’ and ‘innovative finance mechanisms' to address urgent climate adaptation needs. Oxfam suggests that new financing mechanisms linked to emissions reduction regimes could be the way forward in the post-2012 climate negotiations and yield the minimum of $50 billion per year necessary for adaptation needs in developing countries.

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America’s Container Ports: Freight Hubs That Connect Our Nation to Global Markets

U.S. Department of Transportation - Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA)
June 2009



This report provides an overview of the movement of maritime freight handled by the nation’s container seaports in 2008 and summarizes trends in maritime freight movement since 1995. It covers the impact of the recent U.S. and global economic downturn on U.S. port container traffic, trends in container throughput, concentration of containerized cargo at the top U.S. ports, regional shifts in cargo handled, vessel calls and capacity in ports, the rankings of U.S. ports among the world’s top ports, and the number of maritime container entries into the United States relative to truck and rail containers. The report also presents snapshots of landside access to container ports, port security initiatives, and ongoing maritime environmental issues.

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OECD Economic Surveys: Brazil 2009

OECD Economic Surveys
2009, vol. 2009, no. 14, pp. 1 - 135
OECD
July 2009



OECD's periodic survey of Brazil's economy. This 2009 edition features chapters on looking beyond the economic crisis, reaping the benefits of macroeconomic consolidation, reforming indirect taxes and labour levies, and making government operations more effective.

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Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Win-win solutions for Climate Change and Transport

United Nations Centre for Regional Development (UNCRD)
February 2009

This document has been developed in preparation for the Fourth Regional Environmentally Sustainable Transport Forum, being held in Seoul, Republic of Korea, from 24 through 26 February 2009. This event is being hosted by the Ministry of Land, Transport, and Maritime Affairs of the Government of Korea, the United Nations Centre for Regional Development, and the Ministry of the Environment of Government of Japan in order to highlight the opportunities for co-benefit approaches. The time to leap-frog previous approaches is now, before our cities and communities are more home to motorised vehicles than they are to people. There is no single easy solution to economic uncertainty, social inequity, and global and local environmental degradation, but there are options that can do much to reverse our current unsustainable path.

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Presentation related

Aichi Statement

UNCRD - United Nations Centre for Regional Development
August 2005

Towards establishment of the Regional Forum for the promotion of environmentally
sustainable transport (EST) in Asia.

The participants, having met in Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture, Japan from 1-2 August 2005,for the International Conference on Environment and Transport, to draw up and adopt a statement on the establishment of a Regional EST Forum for the promotion of environmentally sustainable transport in Asia....

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Public-Private Partnerships and the Infrastructure Challenge in Latin America

Stefania Scandizzo
Discussion Draft
Emerging Markets Forum
November 2007

This paper is organized in five sections (including this introduction). Section 2 gives a brief overview of developments in infrastructure in Latin America over the last decades, and the reasons for reduced infrastructure investment in the region. Section 3 discusses the challenges facing infrastructure development and financing in the region. Section 4 considers the different sources of financing available for infrastructure in Latin America. Section 5 discusses the role of regional cooperation in infrastructure. Finally, section 6 presents concluding remarks, which focus on the need to expand infrastructure investment in the region through a combination of increased public spending, improved public-private partnerships, new sources of financing and regional cooperation.

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Determinants of the adoption of technological innovations by logistics service providers in China

Lin, Chieh-Yu
International Journal of Technology Management & Sustainable Development
2008, Vol. 7 Issue 1, p19-38, 20p

The growth of China's economy hinges to a large extent on the ability of the logistics industry to operate more efficiently and effectively in the global supply chain system. China's logistics service providers should pay attention to adopt more efficient logistics technologies to provide better services for their customers. This article studies the factors influencing the adoption of technological innovations by logistics service providers in China and investigates the influences of adopting new technologies on supply chain performance. A questionnaire survey is conducted to study the adoption of technological innovations by China's logistics industry. Technological innovations are classified into data acquisition technologies, information technologies, warehousing technologies, and transportation technologies. The influencing factors include technological, organizational, and environmental characteristics. We find that the adoption of technological innovations is significantly influenced by technological, organizational and environmental characteristics and that adopting new technologies will increase supply chain performance for the logistics industry in China.

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Infrastructure in Latin America: Achieving high impact management

Discussion Draft
Stefania Scandizzo & Pablo Sanguinetti
Emerging Markets Forum
April 2009

This paper is based upon findings in CAF’s annual Reporte De Economía y Desarrollo 2009 and was prepared for the Emerging Markets Forum held in Bogota, Colombia, April 1–3, 2009.

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Friday, July 17, 2009

Optimising price and location of parking in cities under a sustainability constraint "SUSTAPARK"

Transport & Mobility Leuven
April 2009

The main result of the SUSTAPARK project is an integrated model for city parking, intended for policy support. The overall model design and underlying principles are described in this report. It provides detailed information on the inputs and outputs of the various components of the integrated model and on the calculation methods and algorithms. It also includes information on the data necessary for the implementation of the model and a description of the model estimation method.

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Drink Driving Monitor

ETSC’s Newsletter on Drink Driving Policy Developments in the EU
ETSC
July 9th - Nº 08

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European Union Environmental Legislation: Existing and Proposed Legislation and the Potential Impact on Public Transport

GTKP
June 2009

This brochure is now in its third edition and provides a comprehensive overview of existing and proposed European legislation and its potential impact on the public transport sector up-to-date in spring 2009. It focuses on the most recent and most relevant legislation.

With the background of climate change and energy efficiency, environmental policy has developed to one of the top policy areas on the European level. Public transport is affected directly or indirectly by a whole range of legislation covering inter alia sustainable development, climate change, internalization of external costs, energy efficiency, pollutant emissions, noise or urban mobility.

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Maintenance Management

Transportation Research Board
July 2009



TRB’s Transportation Research Circular E-C135 Maintenance Management includes papers presented at the 12th American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials–TRB Maintenance Management Conference held in Annapolis, Maryland, July 19-23, 2009. The objective of this series of conferences is to provide a forum every 3 to 4 years for the exchange of new ideas and developments in the maintenance and operations management of transportation facilities.

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Boletín Marítimo

Nº 38
CEPAL
Julio 2009

Como continuidad de los boletines anteriores (ver enlaces relacionados al final de la noticia), en esta ocasión se presenta una actualización de la información correspondiente a los mercados marítimos a Junio del 2009, después de la crisis iniciada a mediados de 2008.

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Contagem de Ciclistas na nova Rota Cicloviária

Esquina das ruas Rodolfo Dantas com Ministro Viveiros de Castro
Copacabana – Rio de Janeiro
ITDP
Quinta feira, 4 de junho de 2009.

Novas rotas cicloviárias de Copacabana, nas ruas Ministro Viveiros de Castro, Duvivier e Rodolfo Dantas, ligando a estação de metrô Cardeal Arco Verde à Orla.
Este é um ponto com um movimento intenso de ciclistas, movimento este que tende a aumentar com a nova infra-estrutura. Em três meses será realizada nova contagem para que tenhamos um comparativo entre os deslocamentos por bicicletas antes e depois da implantação das rotas.

Para conferir o movimento de bicicletas no local, a Transporte Ativo realizou, na quinta feira, 4 de junho de 2009, uma contagem fotográfica, nos mesmos moldes das realizadas anteriormente, com o objetivo de levar às Secretarias de Transporte, Meio Ambiente, Urbanismo e CET-Rio os resultados, permitindo assim uma melhor avaliação da área para futuros projetos no local.

A contagem fotográfica nos permite contar e recontar, ver e rever vários itens correspondentes ao deslocamento por bicicletas.
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A Systems Approach to Risk Reduction of Transportation Infrastructure Networks Subject to Multiple Hazards

Mauricio Sanchez-Silva and David V. Rosowsky
University Transportation Center for Mobility
December 2008

In this project, researchers developed a model transportation infrastructure network that can be used to design efficient risk management strategies that ensure acceptable system performance (e.g., in terms of expected damage or recovery times) when subject to individual, simultaneous, or sequential threats, either natural or man-made. This study explores the performance of infrastructure networks using a systems approach; that is, networks will not be traditionally modeled as a collection of separate elements, but rather as a dynamically interacting whole. This project develops new analytical methods built on a hierarchical structure of the system that focuses on the interaction and dependencies between components. These methods are used to characterize and model the emergent properties of the entire system. This project integrates analysis of network performance with that of individual network components. The transportation network of Texas is used as an illustrative example of some parts of the model.

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McGraw-Hill’s Handbook of Transportation Engineering - Chapter 22. TRAFFIC CONGESTION

The University of Texas at Austin
2004



Congestion is everywhere. It arises in human activities of all kinds, and its consequences are usually negative. Peak demands for goods and services often exceed the rate at which that demand can be met, creating delay. That delay can take the form of supermarket check-out lines, long waits for a table at a popular restaurant, and after-work crowds at the gym. Yet the context in which we most often hear of congestion posing a serious problem, to ourselves and to our economy, is the movement of people and goods. The average American reports traveling 78 minutes a day, over 80 percent of which is by automobile.1 (NHTS 2001) The Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) estimates that over 45 percent of peak-period travel or roughly one-third of total vehicle miles traveled occur under congested conditions in many U.S. metropolitan areas. (Shrank and Lomax 2002) These include the predictable places like Los Angeles, Washington DC, and Atlanta; they also include places like San Diego (California), Tacoma (Washington) and Charlotte (North Carolina). Though crime, education, taxes, and the economy certainly are key issues for voters and legislators, polls regularly report congestion to be the number one local issue.

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Urban mobility report 2009

Texas Transportation Institute
July 2009

Congestion is a problem in America’s 439 urban areas, and it has gotten worse in regions of all sizes. In 2007, congestion caused urban Americans to travel 4.2 billion hours more and to purchase an extra 2.8 billion gallons of fuel for a congestion cost of $87.2 billion – an increase of more than 50% over the previous decade (Exhibit 1). This was a decrease of 40 million hours and a decrease of 40 million gallons, but an increase of over $100 million from 2006 due to an increase in the cost of fuel and truck delay. Small traffic volume declines brought on by increases in fuel prices over the last half of 2007 caused a small reduction in congestion from 2006 to 2007.

There are many congestion problems but there are also many solutions. The most effective strategy is one where agency actions are complemented by efforts of businesses, manufacturers, commuters and travelers. The best approach to selecting strategies is to identify projects, programs and policies that solve problems or capitalize on opportunities. The strategies must address the issue that the problems are not the same in every region or on every day – the variation in travel time is often as frustrating and costly as the regular “daily slog” through traffic jams. The 2009 Urban Mobility Report clearly demonstrates that all the solutions are not being implemented fast enough.

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Use of new energy sources in the rail sector

International Union of Railways
February 2007

This bibliography is the result of cooperation between the member documentation centres of the UIC Documentation Group. The references are taken from the databases of the following documentation centres: DB AG, FFE (RENFE-ADIF), SNCF and UIC. This compilation was prepared by the UIC Documentation Centre

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Development and Optimisation of stations

International Union of Railways
April 2008

This bibliography is the result of cooperation between the member documentation centres of the UIC Documentation Group. The references are taken from the databases of the following documentation centres: DB AG, FFE(RENFE-ADIF), MAV, PKP, SBB, SNCF and UIC.
This compilation was prepared by the UIC Documentation Centre

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Accessibility of the rail system for persons with reduced mobility

International Union of Railways
May 2009

This bibliography is the result of cooperation between the member documentation centres of the UIC Documentation Group. The references are taken from the databases of the following documentation centres: CD, DB AG, MAV, PKP, SBB, SNCF and UIC.
This compilation was prepared by the UIC Documentation Centre

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Financing of rail infrastructure projects through Public-Private Partnerships (PPP)

International Union of Railways
November 2008

This bibliography is the result of cooperation between the member documentation centres of the UIC Documentation Group. The references are taken from the databases of the following documentation centres: CD, DB AG, FFE (RENFE-ADIF), RATP, SBB, SNCB, SNCF and UIC. This compilation was prepared by the UIC Documentation Centre

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Cost-Effective GHG Reductions through Smart Growth & Improved Transportation Choices

An economic case for investment of cap-and-trade revenues
Center for Clean Air Policy
Transportation and Climate Change Program

June 2009

The Center for Clean Air Policy (CCAP) has analyzed the benefits of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through smart growth, improved transportation choices, and smart transportation pricing. CCAP estimates that comprehensive application of these policy tools according to best practices could reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT) per capita by 10 percent and reduce annual GHG emissions 145 MMTCO2 in 2030 — equivalent to the annual emissions of some 30 million cars or 35 large coal plants.1 These GHG reductions would be approximately 6 percent of the 2030 GHG reduction goal proposed in the American Clean Energy and Security Act.2 Our analysis indicates that these reductions can be achieved with significant net positive economic benefits, yielding net savings per ton, when factoring in avoided infrastructure costs, consumer fuel and insurance cost savings and projected tax revenue growth from high value economic development. These positive economic findings hold at local, regional, state and national levels. In this light, many of the GHG reductions from smart transportation choices are not only cheaper than reductions in the utility and petroleum sectors, but also would help ease the cost of compliance on those sectors.

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Thursday, July 16, 2009

E-learning for training Energy Agencies in mobility management and alternative fuels

E-TREAM

e-TREAM offers a complete e-learning platform for Mobility Management and Alternative fuels for free:
Select from 10 language versions
Be flexible; learn whenever you have time to do so
Get inspiration from best practices from all over Europe
Communicate with other users, with experts in the forums or with your personal tutor
Be interactive and use audio and video files, presentations, links and other features
Choose from 9 training modules:

Fundamentals of transport and energy (introduction)
Production and utilisation of bio-fuels
Alternative fuels and clean vehicles (excluding bio-fuels)
Driving style and in-car devices
Mobility Management for municipalities
Mobility Management for companies and institutions
Mobility Management for schools
Demand Management
Mobility Marketing

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Friday, July 10, 2009

LRT (Light Rail Transit) News: July 2009

Transportation Research Board
July 2009



The latest issue of TRB’s LRT (Light Rail Transit) News is now available. With the support of the Federal Transit Administration, the LRT News is published intermittently by TRB to disseminate information on new developments in light rail transit planning, technology, and operations. The newsletter also reports on new studies, completed research, and current literature. Articles in this issue highlight the 2009 Joint Light Rail Conference, .the Utah Transit Authority’s Front Lines 2015 project, Boston’s reopening of the vintage Mattapan-Ashmont “high speed” trolley line, and more.

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Guidelines for Dowel Alignment in Concrete Pavements

Transportation Research Board
July 2009



TRB's National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Report 637: Guidelines for Dowel Alignment in Concrete Pavements examines the effects of dowel misalignment on concrete pavement performance, and highlights measures for reducing misalignment and its adverse effect.

Appendixes A through D to NCHRP Report 637 are available online and provide detailed information on the literature review, laboratory and field test results, and finite element analysis.

Design Flexibility Considerations for Built Urban Environments

Transportation Research Board

TRB’s National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Research Results Digest 337: Design Flexibility Considerations for Built Urban Environments explores issues related to the use of roadway design exceptions or variances. The report also examines processes designed to help manage the use of exceptions or variances, and highlights potential means to provide a timely procedure for addressing design exceptions or variances.

Appendices A through D to NCHRP RRD 337 were not published as part of the report. They are linked to below.

A sustainable future for transport: Towards an integrated, technology-led and user friendly system

Commission of the European Communities
June 2009

The European Commission has released this Communication, summarizing a process of reflection on the future of transport in Europe. It refers to recent developments of the European Transport Policy and outstanding issues; looks at the future, identifying trends in transport drivers and the likely challenges they could pose to society; proposes intermediate policy objectives that could be pursued to address the emerging challenges in the transport sector; and describes some available instruments and possible lines of intervention for achieving the stated objectives. The ideas in this Communication are meant to stimulate further debate aimed at identifying policy options, without prejudging the formulation of concrete proposals in the next White Paper of 2010.

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COSTA RICA - Informe sobre el Gasto Público: Hacia una mayor eficiencia en el gasto

Banco Mundial y Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo
Julio 2009

CAPÍTULO 4 - Logrando una buena red caminera
A. Visión general de la red vial, 100
B. Gasto en caminos y asuntos institucionales, 105
C. Participación privada en caminos, 112
D. Necesidades de Gastos del Sector Vial y Requerimientos Financieros, 115

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TEN-T planning methodology

Transport & Mobility Leuven
July 8th 2009

Trans-European Transport Network planning methodology

The Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) policy can be considered as the central planning guideline of European transport planning. The objective of the TEN-T policy is to ensure the provision of the EU infrastructure in line with the economic, social and political objectives formulated in the Lisbon Treaty. It is essential to build the missing links and remove the bottlenecks in the European transport infrastructure, whilst at the same time, the sustainability of the transport networks in the future should be ensured.

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Safety Monitor

ETSC’s Newsletter on Transport Safety Policy Developments in the EU
European Transport Safety Council
Nº 77
July 09

Contents:
Road safety
Aviation, Rail & Maritime Safety
ETSC and Partner Organisations News

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Thursday, July 9, 2009

Benchmarking National Attractiveness for Private Investment in Latin American Infrastructure

World Economic Forum
2007



Chile, Brazil, Colombia and Peru lead the region with respect to the attractiveness of their private investment climate for infrastructure. Covering 12 economies in Latin America and the Caribbean, the study, “Latin America: Benchmarking National Attractiveness for Private Investment in Infrastructure”, assesses the main drivers of private investment in infrastructure projects for ports, airports, roads and electricity. This is the first time that the World Economic Forum has developed an index specifically analysing the investment environment for infrastructure.

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Red,White, and Green: Transforming U.S. Biofuels

Worldwatch Institute
June 2009



Over the last decade, biofuels have been championed in the United States as a new source of income for rural communities, as a way to reduce dependence on foreign oil, and most recently as a solution to the country's energy and climate change problems. These latter concerns are now the main driver behind the promise of biofuels, leading the United States and other governments across the world to encourage greater production and use. But as the market for biofuels expands, so too do the social, economic, and environmental impacts.

Rapid growth in biofuels use in the past five years has contributed to a sharp increase in food, feed grain, and soybean prices in the United States and abroad. These price fluctuations have fueled a global debate over "food versus fuel." At the same time, the global economic recession has led the U.S. biofuels industry to contract, threatening jobs and livelihoods.

Studies suggest that the environmental costs of producing "first-generation" biofuels such as corn-based ethanol on a large scale likely outweigh the benefits. These costs include increased water pollution, the loss of wildlife habitat, and declining freshwater resources. Of particular concern is the link between biofuels expansion and the global conversion of land for agriculture, as biofuel crops compete with forests and food crops for limited land and other resources.

Corn ethanol leads to only minimal, if any, reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, an oft-touted benefit and justification for expanding biofuels production. Current best estimates suggest that corn ethanol provides only a 12 to 18 percent net reduction in emissions, on average, compared to gasoline. If land that is rich in carbon is converted from forests or other natural ecosystems to biofuels production, these benefits can fall away completely.

These concerns point to a crossroads for the U.S. biofuels industry. The country must now choose between a business-as-usual approach that worsens environmental and climate problems, or a more cautious approach during which decision makers take the time to "get biofuels right" before rushing forward with more production. Taking the more sustainable path includes an immediate transition to "second-generation" biofuels while phasing out reliance on unsustainable first-generation fuels.
Advanced biofuels can be produced not just from annual crops, but also from fast-growing trees and grasses as well as from a range of organic wastes and potentially even algae. The feedstocks can be grown on marginal land that does not have to compete with food production and that can be cultivated in ways that minimize harmful effects on water quality and wildlife habitat. These feedstocks may also require fewer fossil fuel inputs and retain more carbon in their soils than corn and soybeans, enhancing their ability to mitigate climate change.

Research is now under way on the conversion of cellulose to biofuel, and dozens of entrepreneurs are working to commercialize this and other advanced biofuel technologies. There is no guarantee, however, that the production of advanced biofuels at a large scale will be environmentally beneficial, although current assessments show much promise.
Three broad efforts in U.S. policy would make biofuels production more environmentally sustainable and help ensure that the use of biofuels for transportation contributes to both energy security and global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions:

1. ‑Spur the rapid development of cellulosic and other advanced biofuels that significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, using existing economic instruments and other tools.

2. ‑Develop sustainability standards and make government support for biofuels conditional on meeting these standards.

3. ‑Create a holistic energy policy across all transportation-related sectors.
Reforming U.S. biofuel policies will require overcoming an array of economic forces that uphold the current industry structure. Present policies reward the least promising biofuels, and if they are not reformed, rising damage to the landscape and climate will fuel greater opposition.

Although second-generation biofuels are not a panacea, they offer the prospect of a more sustainable energy future. Getting there will require careful analysis of biofuel production, distribution, and use, including alternate ways to grow feedstock, power refineries, and use byproducts. Decision makers should also consider wider transportation solutions such as more fuel-efficient vehicles, investments in public transportation, ways to reduce congestion, and urban planning that promotes biking and walking.

The solution to the biofuels challenge is not simply a matter of substituting different feedstocks. Rather, it is about finding a new model that takes the United States down a truly red, white, and green path.

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Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Statutory Quality Partnership (sQP): Best Practice Guidance

Scottish Government
July 2009

This document is intended to be used as a toolkit for transport authorities considering the implementation of a statutory Quality Partnership (sQP) in their area, in conjunction with bus operators and Regional Transport Partnerships (RTPs).

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Notimopt

Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transporte - Costa Rica
Junio 2009

En esta edición:
  • MOPT inicia asfaltado del último tramo de la Costanera sur
  • Inició sustitución de luminarias en Sede Central del MOPT
  • XX Semana de Seguridad Vial y 30° del COSEVI
  • Semáforos para Alajuela y Heredia

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Buses for Scotland: Park and ride for Buses - A National Framework

Scottish Government Publications
June 2009

The aim of this Framework is to assist Authorities and bus operators on approaches to the development of Park & Ride facilities.

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Sobre Ruedas

Newsletter Nº 79
Fundación Profesional para el Transporte
Julio 2009


Contenido:
  • Uruguay: Montevideo. El polo logístico más destacado de la región.
  • Logística Verde. Se nos viene, y se nos viene ya.
  • La situación del Transporte Marítimo de carga en Argentina
  • Nueva edición del PACE CIT en el exterior.
  • Asumen nuevas autoridades en la Secretaria de Transporte de la Republica Argentina.

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Monday, July 6, 2009

More on High-Speed Rail

Out of control policy blog
Reason Foundation
June 2009

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Which equality for mobility?

Alloysius Joko Purwanto
Transport & Mobility Leuven
June 2009

For at least the last two decades, inequality has been a matter of great discussion in the area of mobility as in the economic field regarding social justice in particular. This social dimension is one of the three pillars of sustainable development. However, there is a considerable difference between, on one hand, political discourse and the work of researchers on measures of inequality in mobility and on the other hand, the conceptual dimension in mobility domain where “equalization” is needed. The objective of this paper is to show that the choice of a relevant dimension to equalize in the area of mobility is very important. It will be done by selecting multiple concepts of justice in the field of economics and political philosophy and by applying those concepts to the field of mobility. Three concepts are selected and analysed, namely: equal opportunities of John Roemer, equal resources of John Rawls and the capability approach of Amartya Sen.

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Exploring “development success”: Indicators, stories and contributing factors

Ursula Grant, Alan Hudson and Bhavna Sharma
Overseas Development Institute
January 2009

The research for this report has involved three main elements. First, an exploration of what constitutes “development success”. Second, an effort to identify – using quantitative data and indicators – those countries that have demonstrated the most progress in relation to a number of dimensions of development. And third, the collection of stories of successful development in a number of sectors including agriculture, education, infrastructure, microfinance, sanitation and water.

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Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Adapting to climate change: The public policy response

Public Infrastructure
RFF
June 2009



America's infrastructure—in transportation; energy generation and transmission; water, sewer, and telecommunications; and coastal defense—may be compromised by extreme weather events, rising temperatures, and other effects of global climate change. The threats are assessed in a new RFF Report, "Adapting to Climate Change: The Public Policy Response—Public Infrastructure."

Authors James E. Neumann and Jason C. Price, of Industrial Economics, Inc. in Cambridge, MA, examine climate-sensitive areas that could be imperiled by climate consequences such as flooding of lowlands, roads, and railway; loss of permafrost; clean water availability; damage to power lines and refineries; and overloading of sewer systems.

The report is one in a series issued as part of a major RFF project on domestic adaptation policy.

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CER News - April 2009

CER
April 2009

Contents:

Editorial
Towards Sustainable Transport
Rail Freight in Europe
Passenger Rail Services in Europe
Creating an Efficient Rail Network
Interoperability and Research
CER Events
CER Agenda

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Long-Term Climate Impacts of the Introduction of Mega-Trucks

Study for the Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies (CER)
CER - Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies
May 2009

This new study published by the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research reveals how introducing longer and heavier trucks on European roads would cause far more environmental damage than previously expected. The results of model simulations show that the use of megatrucks across the EU cannot be considered a suitable instrument to lower the environmental impact of transport: megatrucks would replace up to 30% of high-value and container transport volumes on rail. They would also produce an additional 2 million tonnes of CO2 each year.

The study finds strong evidence that the introduction of megatrucks would lead to negative impacts within 5 to 10 years that would far outweigh any initial positive effects. It is estimated that in the high-value goods and container transport markets, up to 30% of rail freight transport could be shifted back onto the roads. The research team also warns that the slump in some parts of the combined rail and road freight transport market may be as high as 85%. The report concludes that longer and heavier road freight vehicles should be rejected, not least because of their effect on climate protection policy. The modal shift effects would run counter to the EU’s CO2 reduction targets with an additional 2 million tonnes of CO2 produced each year if megatrucks were introduced.

The study ”Long-Term Climate Impacts of the Introduction of Megatrucks” was commissioned by CER and coordinated by Dr Claus Doll from the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research in Karlsruhe (Germany), between May and July 2008. Further partners in the study were Trasporti e Territorio (TRT) from Milan (Italy), Nouveaux Espaces de Transport en Europe – Applications de Recherche (NESTEAR) from Gentilly (France), the Fraunhofer-Center for Applied Research on Technologies for the Logistics Service Industries (ATL) in Nuremberg (Germany), and the Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics (IML) in Dortmund (Germany). The coordinating Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research (ISI) investigates how technical and organisational innovations shape industry and society today and in the future. A trademark of the systemic approach is the integration of research disciplines and the construction of a network for innovations, together with clients and interested parties. With its expertise, experience and reports, ISI as one of the application-oriented research institutes in the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft makes a contribution towards strengthening European competitiveness.

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Win-Win Solutions to Climate Change and Transport

United Nations Centre for Regional Development (UNCRD)
February 2009

This document has been developed in preparation for the Fourth Regional Environmentally Sustainable Transport (EST) Forum, being held in Seoul, Republic of Korea, from 24 to 26 February 2009 and seeks to encourage the strategic adoption of integrated and sustainable transport solutions for Asian nations and offers Asian decision-makers the opportunity to reshape urban transport systems to better meet the needs and realities of today's world.

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Training course on the design and construction of low volume rural roads

Research for Development
June 2009

The objective of the project is the effective transfer of appropriate knowledge on the selection, design, construction and management of Low Volume Rural Roads (LVRRs) to provincial and district engineers operating under the Cambodian National Decentralisation and De-concentration (NCDD) programme. The NCDD is investing in rural access and rural roads and is consequently interested acquiring knowledge relevant to improving the performance of these investments. Training Module 1 was conducted from 4th to 7th May 2009: LVRR paving and surfacing training. This is a 4 day course based on the materials developed for DF 55 in Vietnam, but amended and upgraded to suit Cambodian rural infrastructure needs and environments. Documents attached are course details and summary, and presentations for the course. The presentations are:

- 1: LVRR Principles
- 2: Surfacing and Paving Options
- 3: Pavement Option Selection and Design
- 4: LVRR Pavement Construction
- 5: Environmentally Optimized Design
- 6: Desk Exercise.

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Performance-Based Contracting for Maintenance

Transportation Research Board
June 2009



TRB’s National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Synthesis 389: Performance-Based Contracting for Maintenance explores experience with performance-based maintenance contracting in places where it has been adopted, including such issues as whether it has the potential to reduce costs and improve maintenance levels of service.

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Night-time traffic in urban areas: A literature review on road user aspects

VTI - Sweden
June 2009

The aim of this literature study is to review recent research on night-time traffic from a road user perspective. The report discusses road users’ behaviour, needs and problems in relation to other road users as well as to traffic environment. The study includes 128 references from 1998–2008 and it mainly concerns urban areas.

The report begins with a chapter about accident statistics, followed by a theoretical background that includes lighting terminology, Swedish regulations on road equipment, and the human eye and night vision. The main part of the report has its focus on five road user groups - drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists, older people and visually impaired people - and their needs, difficulties, performances and behaviour in night-time traffic.

The literature gives relatively much information about drivers'situation in night-time traffic, but there is a lack of knowledge in some areas such as drivers' interaction with parts of the driving environment. Also, there is partly a lack of knowledge on pedestrians and older road users. Regarding bicyclists and visually impaired people, there is only very few limited literature available.

Several areas that are interesting for further research are identified in the report

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Car Free Development and New Street Design: Recommended Reading and Links

SUTP
June 2009



The idea of Car Free Development is gaining increasing attention around the globe. Designing streets for people, not just cars, is considered to be a key issue in efforts aimed at reducing car dependency and promoting low carbon mobility, such as public transport enhancement and fostering non-motorised transport. Moreover, recent concepts summarised under the term New Street Design help to reconcile traffic movement with the needs of pedestrians and the desire for attractive public spaces.

This document aims at providing the reader with an overview of the latest available literature on Car Free Development and New Street Design. Moreover, it includes links to a wide range of related organisations and projects.

Registered SUTP users can download the document by clicking here 1.11 Mb (after login). Unregistered visitors may click here for registration (at no cost) and then proceed to download after login.


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Bellagio Declaration on Transportation and Climate Change

SUTP
May 2009



Twenty one representatives from eighteen different organizations working on transport and climate change in developing countries met 12 -16 May, 2009 in Bellagio, in a meeting to build a consensus on the required policy response to the growing CO2 emissions from transport in the developing world.

The meeting resulted in the Bellagio Declaration on Transportation and Climate Change . This Declaration calls on organizations and individuals to support urgent action to change the change the trajectory of future GHG emissions from transport and to make transport in developing countries more sustainable.

It appeals to all participants in the climate negotiations leading up to COP 15 to provide strong support for the following 3 key-principles

  • Principle 1: Effective Climate Action Is Incomplete Without Addressing the Overall System Performance of the Transport Sector.
  • Principle 2: Climate action in the transport sector should recognize co-benefits
  • Principle 3: Carbon finance mechanisms and associated procedures should catalyze sustainable transport policies, programs and projects

Organizations are encouraged to express their support for the Bellagio Declaration on Transportation and Climate Change. You can do so by signing the register of support. Please send an email to chuizenga[at]adb.org, with Name of your organization, your name, designation and an indication whether you are signing as representative of your organization or in a personal capacity.

The Bellagio meeting also produced a Common Policy Framework (CPF) on Transport and Climate Change in Developing Countries. The CPF elaborates the rationale for the Declaration and outlines how the three main principles in the Declaration can be implemented especially through COP 15 in December 2009.

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