TRC's research portfolio includes projects that cover a wide range of transportation issues.
CCRPC Bicycle Count Program Evaluation and Data Analysis
Project Team: Gregory Rowangould, Rose O'Brien, and Eliana Fox
Project Sponsor: Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission
This project: 1) determines the progress that has been made on the CCRPC’s Active Transportation Plan since its adoption in 2017 and updates the priority recommendation; and 2) develops a comprehensive bicycle count program for the CCRPC by reviewing and identifying gaps in existing data and reviewing best practices in bicycle data collection.
Effect of E-bike Use on Route Choice and Bicycle Infrastructure Preference
Principal Investigator: Stephen Montaño
Project Sponsors: University of Vermont and Federal Highway Administration
This project aims to understand the differences in how Vermonters using conventional and e-bikes choose their bicycle routes, the types of trips they make on bicycles, how safe they feel while riding and their preferences for different types of bicycle facilities and street designs.
Cool and Sustainable Sidewalks
Principal Investigator: Gregory Rowangould
Co-Investigators: Brittany Antonczak, Claude Morelli, Mahmoud Taha, Moneeb Genedy, Stephen Montaño, Patience Raby
Project Sponsor: EPA
Our technical challenge is to design a sidewalk that can be built using recycled and less energy- and carbon-intensive materials with the thinnest possible thickness, to reduce material use and limit heat storage capacity. By revisiting the materials and techniques that cities and towns use to build sidewalks, we believe it is possible to identify more durable, environmentally sustainable and cost-effective approaches than are commonly used today.
Evaluating the Timeline of Particulate Matter Exposure from Urban Transportation and Land-Use Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Strategies Using a Novel Modeling Framework
Principal Investigator: Gregory Rowangould
Project Sponsor: EPA
The aim of the proposed research is creating a clearer picture of how changes in land-use patterns and transportation systems affect population exposure to particulate matter (PM) pollution from vehicle traffic. The research also aims to understand how the timing of land-use and transportation system changes, particularly those strategies intended to mitigate climate change, affect greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and cumulative exposure to PM emissions. Finally the research will consider how well changes in PM emission inventories, which are widely used to assess improvements in air quality, correspond to changes in PM exposure.
Modeling Electric Vehicle Charging Scenarios for New York and New England
Principal Investigator: Jonathon Dowds
Project Sponsor: National Center for Sustainable Transportation
This project aims to utilize detailed travel behavior data to calculate time-specific regional demand for electric vehicle charging, specifically for the New York/New England region.
The 2021 Vermont Transportation Energy Profile
Principal Investigator: Jonathon Dowds
Project Sponsor: Vermont Agency of Transportation
The 2016 Vermont Comprehensive Energy Plan (CEP) included three goals and nine supporting objectives related to reducing transportation sector energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. The 2021 Vermont Transportation Energy Profile will be the fifth installment of a biennial reporting series that evaluates Vermont's progress toward achieving these transportation sector goals and objectives.
Measuring Adhesion Between Binders and Aggregates Using Particle Probe Scanning Force Microscopy at Low Temperatures
Principal Investigator: Ting Tan
Project Sponsor: Transportation Infrastructure Durability Center
This project will measure adhesion between plain binders and aggregate minerals at low temperatures, and measure adhesion between modified binders and aggregate minerals at low temperatures.
I-89 2050 Study
Principal Investigator: James Sullivan
Project Sponsor: VHB
This study conducts a comprehensive evaluation of the Interstate 89 corridor through Chittenden County out to a design horizon year of 2050 and develop a suite of policy, planning, and infrastructure recommendations that align with stakeholder-identified Vision, Goals, and Objectives for the corridor.
The Vermont Travel Model: Year 14 (2021-2022)
Principal Investigator: James Sullivan
Project Sponsor: Vermont Agency of Transportation
The statewide travel-demand model to addresses key traffic, regional travel, and policy questions for a variety of stakeholders. The work planned for Year 14 of this project includes efforts to continue the improvement of the Model functionality, accuracy, and effectiveness, building on its base-year of 2010.
A new method of determining payment for in-place concrete with double-bounded compressive strength pay factors
Principal Investigators: James Sullivan, David Novak, and Eric Hernandez
Project Sponsor: Transportation Infrastructure Durability Center
The goal of this project is to develop a new method of enforcing pay factors for payment of in-place CCS that does not rely on the Gaussian distribution and allows for the use of asymmetrical set of pay factors.
Synthesis of Technical Requirements and Considerations for Automated Snowplow Route Optimization
Principal Investigator: James Sullivan
This project’s goal was to expedite the process for states to procure an automated snowplow route optimization program vendor by providing a list of technical requirements and considerations that states can use to build their RFP.
Quantifying Correlations Between Winter Severity, Pavement Conditions, and Snow & Ice Control Cost
Principal Investigators: James Sullivan, Jonathon Dowds, Mitchell Robinson
Project Sponsor: Vermont Agency of Transportation
This Add-On project allowed an opportunity to quantify relationships among winter severity, SIC costs, and SIC performance to make data driven decisions about SIC budgeting, where SIC activities can be improved, and how SIC resources can best be utilized.