Statistical and simulation methods for evaluating stationary and mobile work zone impacts

In 2014, nearly 10% of overall congestion on freeways was due to the presence of work zones (WZs), equivalent to 310 million gallons of fuel loss (FHWA, 2017a). In terms of safety, in the US, every 5.4 minutes, a WZ related crash occurred in 2015 (96,626 crashes annually) (FHWA, 2017b). Maintenance work involves both Stationary Work Zones (SWZs) and Mobile Work Zones (MWZs). There are many analytical and simulation-based tools available for analyzing the traffic impacts of SWZs. However, the existing traffic analysis tools are not designed to appropriately model MWZs traffic impacts. This study seeks to address this gap in existing knowledge through the use of data from MWZs to develop and calibrate traffic impact analysis tools. This objective is accomplished through data fusion from multiple sources of MWZ, probe vehicle and traffic detector data. The simulation tool VISSIM is calibrated for MWZs using information extracted from videos of MWZ operations. This is the first study that calibrated the simulation based on real driving behavior behind a MWZ. The three recommended calibration parameters are safety reduction factor of 0.7, minimum look ahead distance of 500 feet and the use of smooth closeup option. These calibration values can be used to compare MWZ scenarios. Also, the data collection framework and calibration methodology designed in this study could be used in future research. The operational analysis concluded that a moving work activity lasting one hour or more are suggested to be done when traffic volumes are under 1400 veh/hr/ln, and preferably under 1000 veh/hr/ln, due to the drastic increase in the number of conflicts. In addition, three data driven models were developed to predict traffic speed inside a MWZ: a linear regression model and two models that used Multi-Gene Genetic Programming (MGGP). The second objective is to develop models and tools for safety assessment of stationary work zones. In the WZ safety literature, few studies have quantified the safety impact of SWZ and almost no quantitative study assessing MWZ safety impact. Using Missouri data, this study introduces 20 new crash prediction models for SWZs on freeways, expressways, rural two lane highways, urban multi-lane highways, arterials, ramps, signalized intersections, and unsignalized intersections. All the models except freeway SWZs are proposed for the first time in the literature. The mentioned SWZ models are implemented in a user-friendly spreadsheet tool which automatically selects the most appropriate model based on user input. The tool predicts crashes by severity, and computes the crash costs. For MWZs, there is no crash data available to develop crash prediction models. Thus, this dissertation analyzed conflict measures as a surrogate for safety impacts of MWZs. Conflict measures were generated from the trajectories of traffic simulation model. The safety trade-off plots between conflicts and combination of MWZ's duration and traffic volume were introduced. A transportation agency can use these plots to determine, for example, if they should conduct a MWZ for a short duration when the volume is high or for a longer duration when the volume is lower.Includes bibliographical reference

Traffic Impact Assessment of Moving Work Zone Operations, October 2017

Road maintenance activities involve both short-term stationary work zones and moving work zones. Moving work zones typically involve striping, sweeping, pothole filling, shoulder repairs, and other quick maintenance activities. Existing traffic analysis tools for work zone scheduling are not designed to model moving work zones. A review of existing literature showed that many of the existing studies of moving bottlenecks are theoretical in nature, limited to certain lane configurations, and restrictive in the types of mobile work zone attributes considered. This research project sought to address this gap in existing knowledge by using field data from moving work zones to develop and calibrate a traffic impact analysis tool. This objective was accomplished through the fusion of multiple sources of work zone and traffic data. Four different data sources were used: Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) electronic alerts, probe-based travel times, data from point detectors, and field videos of moving work zones recorded from the back of a truck-mounted attenuator. A linear regression model was developed to predict traffic speed inside a moving work zone. Predictor variables in the models included historical speed, number of lanes, type of lane closure, and time of day. The simulation tool VISSIM was calibrated for moving work zones using information extracted from videos of moving work zone operations. The three recommended calibration parameters are a safety reduction factor of 0.7, a minimum look ahead distance of 500 ft, and the use of a smooth closeup option. These calibration values can be used by departments of transportation to model moving work zone scenarios. The operational analysis concluded that a moving work activity lasting one hour or more operates best when traffic volumes are under 1,400 veh/hr/ln, and preferably under 1,000 veh/hr/ln. Further, scheduling shorter duration moving activities on high-volume roads at multiple times (on the same day or on different days) works better than scheduling a longer duration activity. The safety analysis generated trade off plots between the number of conflicts and combinations of activity duration and traffic volume. A DOT can use these plots to determine, for example, if it should conduct a moving work activity for a short duration when the volume is high or for a longer duration when the volume is lower

An e-haling crime and exploitation classification framework

Society 5.0 is defined as “a human-cantered society that balances economic advancement with the resolution of social problems through socio-technical platforms that integrate cyberspace with physical space.” Society 5.0 is still a relatively new field of study, investigating new forms of, and platforms for, human-computer engagement. With the evolution of Society 5.0, it has been recognized that there has been an increase in number of e-hailing services (making use of public transport services through electronic applications) within the transportation industry. Although the introduction of e-haling services are seen as positive, this has also resulted in e-haling related crimes and exploitation. This research aims to present a first attempt classification of e-haling crime and exploitation. The research was performed by conducting a literature review that considered a subset of 33 peer reviewed articles (through a selection process) on themes relevant to how e-hailing services are exploited and what the modus operandi are when parties engage in e-haling exploitation and crime. Additionally, 7 relevant news articles were also included to make up the full spectrum of literature. The paper concludes by proposing a classification of the different forms of e-hailing crime and exploitation. This classification can be extended (e.g. the transport of illegal substances and human trafficking) and used in future research as a starting point to limit or prevent e-haling exploitation and crime.http://www.easychair.org/publications/EPiC/Computingam2023Informatic

Vista: September 23, 1966

https://digital.sandiego.edu/vista/1344/thumbnail.jp

Kreatywność projektantów zabawek zatrudnionych w spółdzielniach pracy w okresie PRL a czynniki ją ograniczające

During the communistic time period in Poland (Polish PRL state) people bought toys at the toys shops, the “RUCH” chain retailer and press shops, dedicated equipment stores for the scouts (Skladnica Harcerska) and at the church consecration festivals.Only few people got US dollar or other western currencies to buy imported western toys at special designated foreign currency shops “Pewex”. The majority of the teddy bears, toy cars and plastic blocks have been made domestically. Despite of the material and production technology shortage there have been many different toys in diverse quality on the market. Some of them good made and very popular. This was in major cases thanks to good designers. Those toys have been produced between 1940-1980 and distributed in special retail shops (PDT). In my article I will illustrate their history and daily problems and challenges of the employees working there.W 1980 roku Janos Kornai opublikował pracę pt. „Gospodarka niedoboru”. Zdefiniował w ten sposób centralnie sterowaną gospodarkę Komunistyczną. Także w Polskiej Rzeczpospolitej Ludowej, kraju, w którym po II wojnie światowej władzę przejęła Polska Zjednoczona Partia Robotnicza, brakowało wielu artykułów. Choć osobom żyjącym w czasach PRL w pamięci zapisał się głównie brak podstawowych artykułów spożywczych czy przemysłowych, także ilość (i jakość) zabawek pozostawiała wiele do życzenia. Brakowało nie tylko tkanin, surowców i innych materiałów potrzebnych do produkcji zabawek, ale także specjalistycznych maszyn i innych urządzeń. Nie było także odpowiedniej ilości wykwalifikowanych pracowników, m.in. z tego powodu w okresie PRL-u nie każde przedsiębiorstwo produkujące zabawki zatrudniało własnych projektantów. Mimo to w spółdzielniach pracy (bo to właśnie stamtąd pochodziła większość lalek czy samochodzików, które można było kupić w sklepach czy kioskach ruchu) powstawało wiele ciekawych wzorów. W artykule opisałam zarówno działalność zakładowych wzorcowni i prototypowni, jak i przywołałam nazwiska projektantów pracujących w przemyśle zabawkarskim

Education in post-war Legnica (1945–1968)

When the war activities came to a close, first Jews started to come into town, mainly the former prisoners from Gross-Rosen concentration camp, and then the displaced rescued in the territory of the Soviet Union. The newcomers soon opened their own educational facilities and in the school year 1946/1947 in Legnica there were: a kindergarten, a foster house, a heder, a primary school with Hebrew as the language of lecture, a kibbutz and a Hebrew primary school. The educational pluralism did not last long because from the school year 1950/1951 there remained just one state-controlled Jewish school (the other facilities had been closed). The kindergarten was the only exception and although it received the status of a public institution it preserved Jewish character until mid-50s. The subsequent years brought significant fluctuation of teachers and students as many of them left Poland in the first half of the 1950s, whereas from 1956 more newcomers arrived from the USSR. On September 1, 1959 a high-school class was launched in the local primary school. In the 1960s the emigration of Jews from Legnica increased significantly, which resulted in smaller number of students. A breakthrough year was 1968, when, because of too small numbe