Transcript Document

Importance of Transportation
Research to Counties
Research Quality and Uses of Results
Denver Tolliver
Director: Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute
Contents
• UGPTI’s role in transportation research
• Role of research in decision making
• County infrastructure research program
– Purpose
– Methods
– Data
– Dissemination of information
Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute
North Dakota State University
• Establish by legislation in 1967
• Rationale: provide objective research for
the state
• Administered by NDSU; part of university
system
• Grown over time: largely as a result of
federal grants and contracts
Purpose of UGPTI
North Dakota Code 54-53-03
The purpose of the institute must be to conduct and
supervise research in the field of transportation and
logistics in order to facilitate acquisition of a wider
knowledge and understanding of marketing factors
associated with the geographical location of the state of
North Dakota and the upper great plains in the field of
transportation and their influence on the socioeconomic
systems of the state, region, and country… The institute
shall make public its findings and conclusions in regard
thereto together with any suggested solutions.
UGPTI Advisory Council
North Dakota Code 54-53-02
There is established a transportation council
that shall serve in an advisory capacity to the
upper great plains transportation institute….
The council shall consult with the institute in
matters of policy affecting the administration
of this chapter and in the development of
transportation in the state of North Dakota.
Interdisciplinary Research
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Engineering
Planning
Policy
Economics
Operations/Mgmt.
Geography
Environmental
Analysis
Roads & Bridges
Railroads
Transit Systems
Urban Traffic
Freight
Transportation
• Logistics
• Safety
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Research and Decision-Making
Research/Modeling
• Basic: new methods or
tools
• Applied: information
for decision-making
• Verification/validation
of judgment
• Most needed:
uncertain dynamic
environment
Judgment/Expertise
• Routine decisions
– Certainty: known
influences, stable
conditions
• Intuitive assessment of
research results
• Applications of findings
• Use of findings in
decision-making
Key Factors in County Road Study
Oil and Gas
Agriculture
Number of wells
Cultivated acres
Well locations
Crop mix
Production rate/curve
Yield
Inputs/outputs
Gathering
pipeline
Crop densities
Elevator
network
pg. 8
Key Factors in Road Study (cont.)
Traffic
Road
Truck trips
Surface type
Truck axles/weights
Width & design
ESALs
Age & condition
Avg. Daily Traffic
Soil
Slide 9
County Road Research Process
Forecast
Economic
Activities
Assign Trips to
Road Segments
Infrastructure
Needs
Forecast
Traffic
Generation
Annual Segment
Trips
Review and
Assessment of
Results
Predict
Flows and
Routes
Impact
Factors
Revisions & Final
Estimates
Infrastructure Data Collection
• Goal: build a consistent county database
across state
• Traffic counts and vehicle classifications
• Road geometry [width]
• Road structure [layers, depths, support]
• Current road condition
• Road jurisdiction/ownership
• Bridge attributes
2013
Slide 13
Pavement Data Collection
Objective – collect pavement distress, ride , strength and
geometric information on paved county roads to determine
remaining life and projected construction costs
• Condition Data Collection
Collect data with NDDOT pathway van
5,600 miles of paved county roads
Will not collect short segments
Van will provide consistent pavement distress and ride
information
– Collection in July, August, Sep. 2013
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Slide 14
Pavement Data Collection
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Non-Destructive Testing - verify prior estimates on subgrade
strength
– Falling Weight Deflectometer (FWD) and Ground Penetrating
Radar (GPR)
– Western ND – all pavements not recently improved
– Eastern ND – selected based on agricultural production facilities
and other major traffic generators
– FWD will be done first and GPR will be done on the sites
thumped with FWD
Slide 15
Oil and Gas Activity
– Oil locations:
• Spacing units/fields
• Freshwater locations
• Sand Locations
• Transload facilities
• Supplies
– Production levels, by year
Slide 16
Data Collection: County Survey
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Aggregate (gravel) costs
Gravel production techniques
Placement costs
Transportation costs from pit to roads
Dust suppressant usage/costs
Stabilization usage/costs
Intermediate practices
– Stabilization armor coat
– Double chip seal/armor coat
– Others
Slide 17
Model Components
• 20 year forecasts for agricultural and oil production
• Ag forecasts specific to township and crop
– Reflect county yields and yield forecasts
– Changing crop mix
• Oil forecasts
– Specific to spacing unit
– Reflect filling in over time
– All inputs and outputs
• Baseline traffic
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UGPTI County and Township Road
Infrastructure Needs
Drilling Related Truck Movements
Agricultural Analysis
Known
Predict
Crop production
Truck trips and routes
Known
Elevator & plant demands
Estimate
Segment specific traffic
Data: crop production (NASS), elevator volumes (NDPSC), in-state processors
(survey), road network (NDDOT-GIS Hub), local road data (2008 survey)
Slide 20
Crop Production and Location
Slide 21
Wheat Movements
Slide 22
Gravel Road Analysis
• Life-cycle cost analysis - practices
– Graveling and blading
• Normal levels (e.g. regraveling
every 5 years, blade once per
month)
• Increased levels (e.g. regraveling
every 3-4 years, blade twice per
month)
• High levels (e.g. regraveling every
2-3 years, blade once per week)
• Usage of dust suppressant on
impacted roads
Slide 23
Paved Road Analysis Process
• AASHTO 1993 Design Guide
• Predict year & type of improvement
• Improvement threshold based on pavement
condition
• Year of improvement based on:
– Existing structural capacity
– Existing condition
– Forecasted ESALs (Equiv. Single Axle Loads)
Slide 24
Paved Road Improvements/Maint.
• Improvement type
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Overlay
Sliver widening
Reconstruction
Mine & blend
• Normal maintenance
– Chip seals
– Crack sealing and patching
– Other
Slide 26
Bridge Analysis
• Current NBI (County and Township)
– Identified structurally deficient and
functionally obsolete bridges
– Estimate replacement unit cost from recent
ND bridge projects
– Survey counties for biennial maintenance
cost
– Forecast replacement of deficient and
obsolete bridge
Slide 27
Outcomes/Results
• Estimated road and bridge investment needs
– 20 year horizon
– Biennial estimates
– Maintenance cost needs
• Report to legislative committees
• Reports online:
http://www.ugpti.org/downloads/road_needs/
Outcomes (cont.)
• Results used by legislature to decide:
– How much incremental funding is needed
– Where it is needed most
• Legislative funding:
– 2011: + $200 million
– 2013: + $600 million
– 2015: ?
Outcomes (cont.)
• Road database
– Updates needed biennially
– Field data collection and surveys
• Groundwork for asset management
• Multicounty transportation planning
coordination
– 4-county NDDOT planning study
– Potential for extension to other areas
Broad Dissemination
• Outreach to counties
• Publications
• National conferences
– Shale energy/road impact conferences
– Crude oil transportation
– Transportation Research Board/USDOT
• Congressional staff