Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Identification and Prioritizing Model Development
The proposed project covers two specific planning criteria for implementing HSIP and SAFETEA-LU funding for safety improvement projects. In addition, the proposed model will:

•  Reduce manual effort involved with the TDOT Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Program and simplify the program process.
• Better represent local state conditions for Tennessee and create a more relevant identification process for eligible crossings within the state.
• Allow for simple integration with TRIMS database and future program improvements.
• Provide a method that can be employed concurrently with other existing program processes that allows for initial model evaluation and seamless transition for TDOT personnel.

Start date: 2011/9/1, End date: 2012/8/31

Sponsor Organization: Tennessee Department of Transportation, 505 Deaderick Stree, Suite 700, James K. Polk State Office Building, Nashville, TN 37219-0334, Phone (615) 741-2842

Performing Organization: University of Memphis, Center for Intermodal Freight Transporation Studies, 3815 Central Avenue, Memphis, TN 38104

Golias, Mihalis, Phone: (901) 678-3547, Fax: (901) 678 -3026

GPS/GIS Analysis of Tennessee Truck Trips
Freight transportation planning is largely limited by the amount, quality and detail of truck trip data. Most truck movement data is reported at the inter-county level and is represented as aggregated tonnages that must be broken down to truck trips. Additionally, intra-county flows can be largely under-represented and commercially available commodity flow databases (e.g., TRANSEARCH) are prohibitively expensive. Surveying truck drivers (such as at truck stops or at terminal gates) and following trucks from terminals is time-consuming and requires a great amount of labor to geocode the trip origins and destinations. Truck trip traffic generated from these aforementioned sources relies on outdated and insufficient traffic generation data and models, shortest path algorithms and spot counts and the results are seldom validated.  The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI), with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) developed the Freight Performance Measures Web-Based (FPMWeb) tool. FPMWeb continually measures operating speeds (using GPS device data) of a large sample of trucks along 25 interstate highways.The proposed research will analyze raw ATRI GPS truck data to achieve the following goals:

•  Provide key indicators of performance for freight intermodal terminals in Memphis TN.
• Develop maps with travel times, flows for intercity truck traffic.
• Develop a model able to predict turn-around times at these terminals based on the demand, type of movement, terminal features among others. The proposed measures of performance and model can be used to capture with increased accuracy different operational strategies that reduce congestion in the vicinity of freight terminals.
• Determine Tennessee’s primary truck freight trading partners in the U.S. by zip code, along with the primary corridors that support these linkages. The resulting truck trip distribution and supporting GIS layers will be delivered to TDOT.
• Analysis of Tennessee truck corridors with a particular focus on travel times, flows and intracity truck traffic

Start date: 2001/9/1, End date: 2012/6/30

Sponsor Organization: Tennessee Department of Transportation, 505 Deaderick Stree, Suite 700, James K. Polk State Office Building, Nashville, TN 37219-0334, Phone (615) 741-2842

Performing Organization: University of Memphis, Center for Intermodal Freight Transporation Studies, 3815 Central Avenue, Memphis, TN 38104

Golias, Mihalis, Phone: (901) 678-3547, Fax: (901) 678 -3026

Labor Impacts of Compliance, Safety and Accountability (CSA) on the Trucking Industry; Supply and Demand Issues for the Future

This project address critical risk management safety issues in the trucking industry with the implementation of CSA and examines the impact of the driver related issues concerning supply and demand in the trucking labor market resulting, in effect, in an impact analysis regarding implementation of CSA. 1) Research Performance: this applied research project will produce a product that provides summary information that is not available on strategies and alternatives responding to CSA to address labor supply and demand issues in the trucking industry. The information will be presented in a manner that promotes better decision-making at the management and policy level. 2) Research Selection: This project will provide concrete information analyzing data that addresses labor market supply and demand issues. 3) Education: Critical workforce shortages and other economic imperatives in the trucking industry can be addressed by evaluating solutions working to meet CSA issues. This will foster opportunities to provide coursework and experiential learning that will enhance the workforce in the trucking industry in coming decades. 4) Technology Transfer: This research will identify the alternatives that can be implemented, utilized or applied immediately in part or as a whole.

Start date: 2011/5/1, End date: 2012/4/30

Sponsor Organization: University of Memphis, Center for Intermodal Freight Transportation Studies, 3815 Central Avenue, Memphis, TN 38104

Performing Organization: University of Memphis, Center for Intermodal Freight Transportation Studies, 3815 Central Avenue, Memphis, TN 38104

Principal Investigator:

Harrison, Haskel, Phone: (901) 678-2282, Fax: (901) 678-4086

Compatibility of Freight Transportation Facilities and Land Use in Major Intermodal Cargo Hubs: Memphis Metropolitan Area as a Case Study

Land use planning near freight facilities can minimize potential conflicts between freight transport and nearby land uses while supporting any relevant region-wide freight transport plan. This project proposes a land use analysis near freight facilities in Memphis Metropolitan area including Shelby, Desoto and Fayette Counties: The goals of this proposed land use analysis include: 1) Evaluation for compatibility with freight facility location, including any storage or intermodal yards, 2) Evaluation of impacts other roadway network, and 3) Analysis of economic and employment impacts of freight facility on adjacent communities.

Start date: 2011/5/1, End date: 2012/5/1

Sponsor Organization: University of Memphis, Center for Intermodal Freight Transportation Studies, 3815 Central Avenue, Memphis, TN 38104

Performing Organization: University of Memphis, Center for Intermodal Freight Transportation Studies, 3815 Central Avenue, Memphis, TN 38104

Principal Investigator:

Ozdenerol, Esra, Phone: (901) 678-2787, Fax: (901) 678-2178                  

A GIS Framework for the Evaluation of Truck Restrictions on State Highways

The purpose of this project is to: (a)survey and evaluate existing truck related accident and risk estimation models and their applicability; (b)survey and evaluate existing truck related accident risk minimization models, combined with static traffic assignment models relating the accident risk and the performance measures of the highways for freight transportation at the macro-level; and (c)propose a geographic information system (GIS) framework that may assist in the evaluation of truck related accident risk on state highways and the implementation of truck restrictions and rerouting to reduce the risk associated with truck traffic, while at the same time optimizing passenger and truck operational performance.

Start date: 2009/5/15, End date: 2011/5/15

Sponsor Organization: University of Memphis, Center for Advanced Intermodal Technologies, 3815 Central Avenue, Memphis, TN 38152-3370

Performing Organization: University of Memphis, Center for Advanced Intermodal Technologies, 3815 Central Avenue, Memphis, TN 38152-3370

Principal Investigators:

Golias, Mihalis, Phone: (901) 678-3547, Fax: (901) 678 -3026

Ivey, Stephanie, Phone: (901) 678-3286m Fax: (901) 678-3026

I-75 Corridor Feasibility Study

The purpose of the I-75 Corridor Feasibility Study is to obtain a more detailed understanding of the deficiencies of the corridor and then develop corridor level multi-modal solutions to address these deficiencies. The report will document the deficiencies along I-75 associated with: • Capacity and Congestion, • Horizontal and Vertical Geometry, • Operations and Maintenance, • Safety and Security, • Freight Movement and Diversion, • Economic Access, and • Intermodal Facilities. As the plan will identify short, mid, and long-term solutions, the deficiencies are identified for the time horizons of 2011, 2016, and 2030, respectively.

Start date: 2009/3/19, End date: 2010/10/29

Sponsor Organization: Tennessee Department of Transportation, 505 Deaderick Street, Suite 700, James K. Polk State Office Building, Nashville, TN 37219-0334, Phone: (615) 741-2848

Performing Organization: University of Memphis, Center for Intermodal Freight Transportation Studies, 3815 Central Avenue, Memphis, TN 38104

Principal Investigator

Lipinski, Martin, Phone: (901) 678-3279, Fax: (901) 678-3026