Collaborative Funding to Facilitate Airport Ground Access, Research Report 11-27

This report presents the findings and conclusions from a research study that has examined the challenges of funding airport ground access projects and the role of collaborative funding strategies between the different agencies that typically become involved in such projects. The report reviews the recent literature on funding airport ground access projects, as well as funding transportation projects more generally. This is followed by a detailed review of current federal transportation funding programs relevant to airport ground access projects, as well as a discussion of state and local funding programs and potential opportunities for private-sector funding. A major component of the research described in the report consists of detailed case studies of seven selected airport ground access projects, including a major intermodal center, two automated people-mover projects, two airport access highway projects, and two airport rail links. These case studies examine the history of each project, the costs involved, and the funding programs and mechanisms used to finance the projects. Based on the literature review, the review of current funding programs, and the case study findings, the report identifies potential funding strategies for intermodal airport ground access projects, requirements for effective implementation of these strategies, and a recommended approach to facilitate successful project development and implementation. The report also presents recommended changes to transportation funding program rules and regulations that could facilitate and simplify development of intermodal solutions to future airport ground access needs

Podcar City Washington, MTI Report S-13-03

On October 23-25, 2013, the Mineta Transportation Institute (MTI) co-presented a two-and-one-half day conference offering insights, strategies, and opportunities for cities to develop personal rapid transit (PRT) systems in their jurisdictions. These PRT systems are also known as automated guideway transit (AGT) or “podcars.” They are small driverless cars (4-6 passengers) that operate on an automated guideway system. Typically, they are used to transport passengers for first- and last- mile trips, such as between a transit station and an airport. However, they may be used for longer distances within or between neighborhoods or commerce centers. The International Institute of Sustainable Transportation (INIST) was the primary producer for the conference. Along with MTI, other co-producers included the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA), the Swedish Transportation Administration, George Mason University, Advanced Transit Association (ATRA), and Kompass. Sponsors included Encitra, Lea+Elliott, and Citizens for PRT

The Nature of Context-Sensitive Solutions, Stakeholder Involvement and Critical Issues in the Urban Context

Over the last several decades many transportation and planning agencies have experienced conflicting demands emerging from the need to develop projects in an expeditious manner while at the same time involving stakeholders in the decision-making process, which sometimes is perceived as slowing project delivery and/or increasing costs. Given this tension between apparently conflicting demands, it is important to understand how the stakeholder involvement is being carried out and what best practices may be recommended. This study examines the issue in the context of a relatively new policy framework – Context Sensitive Solutions (CSS) – which supports the early integration of stakeholders into the planning process. The report pays particular attention to stakeholders’ involvement in projects within urban centers, where there is likely to be more complexity, both in terms of the number of stakeholders and end users affected. CSS is a relatively new process and not consistently interpreted or applied across states and/or agencies. The literature suggests that an underlying assumption when applying CSS principles to community involvement processes is that stakeholders are empowered through clear policies and procedures directed towards their participation. In our research, we found that the extent to which public agencies apply the CSS framework and involve and respond to stakeholders depends on each agency\u27s interest to engage the public in the deliberation process to find the best-fit project for a community. It is likely that the increased integration of stakeholders into the planning and project development process will not become a state of practice until the benefits flowing from community involvement are clearly understood by the agency staff. The CSS literature describes many benefits associated with comprehensive stakeholder engagement, including gaining constituents\u27 buy-in and support for project financing. A movement toward standardizing CSS policies and directives across the country will facilitate a public discussion about the benefits of engaging communities into the project design phase and away from solely expert-based designs. In addition, there are a number of stakeholder involvement practices that, if adopted, could expedite the integration of communities\u27 views and values in the decision-making process, while at the same time minimizing the chances of protracted consultation processes, time delays and additional costs

Analysis of Policy Issues Relating to Public Investment in Private Freight Infrastructure, MTI Report 99-03

The Norman Y. Mineta International Institute for Surface Transportation Policy Studies (IISTPS) at San José State University conducted this study to review the issues and implications involved in the investment of public funds in private freight infrastructure. After thorough legal research, the project team reached the following conclusions: LEGAL ANALYSIS: The California legislature has the legal power to invest public funds in privately-owned freight infrastructure projects State Highway funds, excepting gas tax revenues, may be used for investment in freight infrastructure projects. Gas tax revenues are restricted to highway use by current interpretations of the California Constitution. A challenge to this interpretation is not recommended. Gas tax revenues may be invested in roadway segments of freight infrastructure projects. RECOMMENDATIONS An analytical system of guidelines should be developed to score and evaluate any proposed freight infrastructure project. Economic development must be included in these scoring guidelines. Public agencies should maintain political contacts in order to control the political short-circuits of the planning process. The California Department of Transportation should develop a Freight Improvement Priority System for the purpose of prioritizing all freight improvement projects

Collaborative airport passenger management with a virtual control room

Key performance indicator-driven connection management at airports with public transportation services Integrated traffic management across a range of shareholders within a widespread network requires a definition of KPIs to assess intermodal performance. Their purpose is to monitor and analyze the technical performance of individual modules of a transportation network, e.g. an airport. Actions recommended to optimize operations and to maintain operation during disruptions are ideally based on an understanding of the system-wide impact of the action and for the entire intermodal chain of the journey from door to door. With all the numerous possible parameters and indicators which can be monitored within a complex transportation network, not every indicator is necessarily a key indicator. We show which indicators can depict a situation consisting of a system status and a system forecast, which allow interstakeholder optimization and which serve as an enabler for a Mobility as a Service (MaaS) concept. Examples of intermodal-oriented KPIs include the Amount of useable travel time, the Boarding Score and the Connectivity Matrix. Useable travel times are defined as the longest, continuous travel and waiting times which can be used for productivity or relaxation. The Boarding Score accounts for reaching a connection on time, e.g. catching the desired flight after travelling to the airport by train. The Connectivity Matrix dynamically expands the Minimum Connecting Time MCT (which is known from airports and is important for booking systems), allowing forecast values to be offered based on the demanded connecting journeys instead of on average spreadsheet values. With the deployment of the new key performance indicator set a tool is given to visualize situational awareness at an airport. This includes nowcasting as well as forecasting awareness which is required to assess different options of intervention. The method of calculation of the KPI set is enriched by a concept of visualization using virtual reality options to maintain usability within distributed management teams. For validation purpose, the Optimode.net simulation environment is used

Modus D5.1 Definition of use cases

Within the Modus project, one of the main goals is to analyse how the performance of the overall European transport system can be optimized by considering the entire door-to-door journey holistically and considering air transport within an integrated, multimodal approach. In this regard, it is essential to identify the main barriers in achieving European (air) mobility goals and how air transport can evolve by efficiently connecting information and services with other transport modes to achieve a seamless journey experience for passengers. For this particular purposes, a set of use cases is identified and defined within this deliverable D5.1

Review of Literature and Curricula in Smart Supply Chain & Transportation

This study provides a review of existing smart supply chain management (SCM) literature and current course offerings in order to identify unexplored implications of smart SCM. Specifically, the study focuses on curricula within the state of California to derive potential opportunities for the relevant practitioners in the Bay Area. In addition, the study further extends curriculum review to other well-recognized SCM programs around the U.S. By exploring current relevant course offerings from different academic institutions for higher education (i.e., universities), this research aims to deliver general ideas useful to knowledge practitioners in fields concerning SCM. Finally, the research illustrates a conceptual framework aimed at fostering familiarity with the necessary research topics for the evolving smart SCM

Urban Goods Movement and Local Climate Action Plans: Assessing Strategies to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Urban Freight Transportation

This report examines how freight transport/goods movement has been addressed in U.S. city climate action planning. Transportation generally is a major contributor of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and freight transport represents a growing component of transportation’s share. Almost all climate action plans (CAPs) address transportation generally, but we wished to focus on efforts to reduce GHG emissions from freight transport specifically. We analyzed 27 advanced local CAPs to determine the degree to which freight transport was targeted in goals and strategies to reduce GHG emissions. We found only six CAPs that included direct measures or programs to reduce freight emissions. Many of the CAPs mentioned general transportation objectives such as lowering vehicle miles traveled or reducing emissions from city-owned vehicle fleets, but most did not include strategies or actions that explicitly targeted freight transport. We identified the specific strategies and actions that cities are taking to address GHG emissions from freight transport, such as working with the freight community to promote anti-idling and encourage transitions to electric and alternative fuel delivery vehicles. We also analyzed freight transport plans relevant for the same cities, and found that most do not explicitly mention reducing GHG emissions. Most of the freight plans are focused on improving reliability and efficiency of freight movement, which would likely have the ancillary benefit of reducing GHG emissions, but that goal was not explicitly targeted in most of these plans. Based on our findings, we recommend that cities specifically target freight transport goals and strategies in their CAPs and better coordinate with planners developing freight transport plans to identify GHG emission reduction approaches

Promoting Intermodal Connectivity at California’s High Speed Rail Stations

High-speed rail (HSR) has emerged as one of the most revolutionary and transformative transportation technologies, having a profound impact on urban-regional accessibility and inter-city travel across Europe, Japan, and more recently China and other Asian countries. One of HSR’s biggest advantages over air travel is that it offers passengers a one-seat ride into the center of major cities, eliminating time-consuming airport transfers and wait times, and providing ample opportunities for intermodal transfers at these locales. Thus, HSR passengers are typically able to arrive at stations that are only a short walk away from central business districts and major tourist attractions, without experiencing any of the stress that car drivers often experience in negotiating such highly congested environments. Such an approach requires a high level of coordination and planning of the infrastructural and spatial aspects of the HSR service, and a high degree of intermodal connectivity. But what key elements can help the US high-speed rail system blend successfully with other existing rail and transit services? That question is critically important now that high-speed rail is under construction in California. The study seeks to understand the requirements for high levels of connectivity and spatial and operational integration of HSR stations and offer recommendations for seamless, and convenient integrated service in California intercity rail/HSR stations. The study draws data from a review of the literature on the connectivity, intermodality, and spatial and operational integration of transit systems; a survey of 26 high-speed rail experts from six different European countries; and an in-depth look of the German and Spanish HSR systems and some of their stations, which are deemed as exemplary models of station connectivity. The study offers recommendations on how to enhance both the spatial and the operational connectivity of high-speed rail systems giving emphasis on four spatial zones: the station, the station neighborhood, the municipality at large, and the region

COLLABORATIVE EMOTIONAL MAPPING AS A TOOL FOR URBAN MOBILITY PLANNING

In this article, we present a framework to collect and represent people’s emotions, considering the urban mobility context of Curitiba. As a procedure, we have interviewed individuals during an intermodal challenge. The participants have described their experiences of urban mobility while using different transport modes. We have we used emojis as graphic symbols representing emotional data, once it is a modern language widely incorporated in everyday life as well as evokes a natural emotional association with the data we collected. We built an online geoinformation solution for visualising the emotional phenomenon. As a result, we found that the proposed methodology captures environmental factors as well as specific urban features triggering positive and negative/neutral emotions. Therefore, we validated the methodology of collaborative emotional mapping through volunteered geographic information, collecting and representing emotions on maps through emojis. Thus, here we argue this is a valid way to represent emotions and incorporate a modern language to maps. Based on the results and broader literature, we affirm this is a valuable alternative to increase knowledge about cities, once mapping emotions could assist urban planners in identifying variables, generating positive and negative feelings over the city space, which drives urban planning within a citizen-centred perspective