Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CAVs) Challenges with Nonmotorized Amenities Environments

With the deployment of Connected and Automated Vehicles in the coming decades, road transportation will experience a significant upheaval. CAVs (Connected and Autonomous Vehicles) have been a main emphasis of Transportation and the automotive sector, and the future of transportation system analysis is widely anticipated. The examination and future development of CAVs technology has been the subject of numerous researches. However, as three essential kinds of road users, pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists have experienced little to no handling. We explored the influence of CAVs on non-motorized mobility in this article and seven various issues that CAVs face in the environment

A Realistic Cyclist Model for SUMO Based on the SimRa Dataset

Increasing the modal share of bicycle traffic to reduce carbon emissions, reduce urban car traffic, and to improve the health of citizens, requires a shift away from car-centric city planning. For this, traffic planners often rely on simulation tools such as SUMO which allow them to study the effects of construction changes before implementing them. Similarly, studies of vulnerable road users, here cyclists, also use such models to assess the performance of communication-based road traffic safety systems. The cyclist model in SUMO, however, is very imprecise as SUMO cyclists behave either like slow cars or fast pedestrians, thus, casting doubt on simulation results for bicycle traffic. In this paper, we analyze acceleration, velocity, and intersection left-turn behavior of cyclists in a large dataset of real world cycle tracks. We use the results to derive an improved cyclist model and implement it in SUMO.Comment: Accepted for the 20th Mediterranean Communication and Computer Networking Conference (MedComNet 2022

The influence of noise, vibration, cycle paths, and period of day on stress experienced by cyclists

Urban and transport planners need to assess the stressful conditions experienced by cyclists, considering that highly stressful situations can discourage people from cycling as a transport mode. Therefore, this study has two objectives: (1) to present a method for monitoring stress and other environmental factors along cycling routes using smart sensors; and (2) to analyze the influence of noise, vibration, presence of cycle paths, and the period of the day on stress experienced by cyclists. Data were collected in the city of Sao Carlos, Brazil, using stress and noise sensors, accelerometers, and Global Positioning System (GPS). Primarily, heat maps generated from the data made it possible to identify critical points of stress along the routes. In addition, the results of a logistic regression model were analyzed to identify the influence of the studied variables on stress. Although high levels of noise increased the odds of experiencing stress by 4%, very uncomfortable vibrations increased the odds by 14%, and the presence of cycle paths reduced the odds by 8%, an analysis of p-values and odds ratio confidence intervals shows, with a 95% confidence level, that only the period of the day influenced stress, as confirmed by the data. In this case, the odds of having stress increased by 24% in the afternoon rush hour compared to the morning rush hour

Urban Street Networks and Sustainable Transportation

Urban street space is challenged with a variety of emerging usages and users, such as various vehicles with different speeds, passenger pick-up and drop-off by mobility services, increasing parking demand for a variety of private and shared vehicles, new powertrains (e.g., charging units), and new vehicles and services fueled by digitalization and vehicle automation. These new usages compete with established functions of streets such as providing space for mobility, social interactions, and cultural and recreational activities. The combination of these functions makes streets focal points of communities that do not only fulfill a functional role but also provide identity to cities. Streets are prominent parts of cities and are essential to sustainable transport plans. The main aim of the Street Networks and Sustainable Transportation collection is to focus on urban street networks and their effects on sustainable transportation. Accordingly, various street elements related to mobility, public transport, parking, design, and movement of people and goods at the street level can be included

Walking (and Cycling) to Well-Being: Modal and Other Determinants of Subjective Well-Being During the Commute

Although transportation’s impacts on physical health are relatively well-established, the relationship between transportation and subjective well-being (SWB) has been the subject of recent focus. Policymakers attempt to improve the health and well-being of populations through interventions to improve transportation experiences and promote sustainable transport modes, while researchers studying these connections seek valid and reliable measures of SWB in the travel domain. Studies consistently find travel by walking and bicycling to be rated more positively than automobile travel, yet many use single measures of travel SWB, obscuring nuanced variations between modes. Using the results of a Portland, Oregon, survey of nearly 700 commuters, this study investigates modal differences and other potential determinants of detailed, multidimensional measures of travel SWB. Specifically, the Satisfaction with Travel Scale as well as new measurement models of travel affect (distress, fear, attentiveness, and enjoyment) and travel eudaimonia (security, autonomy, confidence, and health) are examined for variations between modes. Structural equation models predicting the latent variable constructs as a function of trip and traveler characteristics yield valuable behavioral and psychological insights. Walking and bicycling rated much higher on measures of physical and mental health, confidence, positive affect, and overall hedonic well-being, suggesting significant benefits of physically active commutes. However, cycling commuters scored higher on distress and fear and lower on security, highlighting the value of multidimensional measures of travel SWB. Enhancing the quality of the traveling experience by various modes—such as making bicycling feel safer through protected infrastructure—could significantly improve commuters’ well-being

“Cyclist at 12 o’clock!”: a systematic review of in-vehicle advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) for preventing car-rider crashes

IntroductionWhile Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) have become a prominent topic in road safety research, there has been relatively little discussion about their effectiveness in preventing car collisions involving specific vulnerable road users, such as cyclists. Therefore, the primary objective of this systematic literature review is to analyze the available evidence regarding the effectiveness of in-vehicle ADAS in preventing vehicle collisions with cyclists.MethodsTo achieve this goal, this systematic review analyzed a selection of original research papers that examined the effectiveness of ADAS systems in preventing car-cyclist collisions. The review followed the PRISMA protocol, which led to the extraction of 21 eligible studies from an initial pool of 289 sources indexed in the primary scientific literature databases. Additionally, word community-based content analyses were used to examine the research topics and their links within the current scientific literature on the matter.ResultsAlthough the current number of studies available is still scarce (most sources focus on car-motorcyclist or car-pedestrian crashes), the overall quality of the available studies has been reasonably good, as determined by the selected evaluation methods. In terms of studies’ outcomes, the literature supports the value of in-vehicle ADAS for preventing car-cyclist crashes. However, threatful side effects such as unrealistic expectations of these systems and users’ overconfidence or desensitization are also highlighted, as well as the need to increase driver training and road user awareness.ConclusionThe results of this study suggest that Advanced Driver Assistance Systems have significant potential to contribute to the prevention of driving crashes involving cyclists. However, the literature emphasizes the importance of concurrently enhancing user-related skills in both ADAS use and road-user interaction through educational and training initiatives. Future research should also address emerging issues, such as ADAS-related behavioral ergonomics, and conduct long-term effectiveness assessments of ADAS in preventing car-cycling crashes and their subsequent injuries.Systematic review registrationPROSPERO, unique identifier CRD42024505492, https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=505492

Effects of Electronic Media Messages on the Perceived Self-Efficacy of Pedestrian Commuters Living in the Unincorporated Central Florida Community of Conway

Urban pedestrianism is increasingly perceived as a dangerous form of travel. While roadway design has been historically scaled to cars instead of people, planning professionals are now re-thinking their approach to make roads more inclusive for all travelers. Scholars, however, have learned harbored fear can trump behavior even under ideal travel conditions. Such fear can adversely impact perceived pedestrian self-efficacy, which is the self-generated internal assessment or belief in a traveler\u27s agentive abilities to navigate the travel environment. The challenge thus becomes twofold: improve the built environment while bolstering traveler confidence. The following study, therefore, employed a qualitative phenomenological research design to ascertain the concerns and perceptions of vulnerable travelers as it pertained to and was affected by travel-specific media. The study employed denizens selected from the Central Florida community of Conway, who were interviewed using a multi-method approach employing a semi-structured interview technique utilizing individual interviews and small focus group sessions. Using Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) as the theoretical framework, the researcher studied and documented the elements contributing to the perceptions of pedestrian travelers. The rationale for this approach is found in the dynamic relationships that exist between the objective travel environment, the perceived travel environment, and travel behavior - all representing the triad of cognition, the external environment, and social stimuli, which encompass Bandura\u27s Triadic Reciprocal Determinism (TRD). The four themes that emerged from the data analysis - communication, safety, cost, and happiness - characterize the experiences of the participants as they watched positively-themed media images modeling civil travel behavior. This research adds to existing literature on the magnitude such themes have on perception, to include latent perceptions harbored by pedestrian commuters concerning dangers - real or imagined - of traveling on local roadways

Local Government Actions to Prevent Childhood Obesity

Offers guidance on policy and programmatic actions local governments can take, with community input, to promote healthy eating and physical activity and to ensure equal opportunities for healthy living in low-income neighborhoods. Profiles best practices

Identifying Preferred Neighborhood Attributes Among Individuals 50 Years and Older, and Analyzing Their Access to the Physical Environment: A Case Study on Age Friendliness of Norman, Oklahoma

The number of people aged 65-and-older has been growing worldwide and in the United States. The needs of these aging individuals will affect the communities in which they live. Faced with this drastic shift in the older adults population, the idea of aging in place was proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO) to focus on making the older adults’ homes and communities safe by tailoring them to their well-being and needs. By aging in place, older individuals can remain in communities for as long as possible while keeping their autonomy and social connections. The concept of aging-in-place has been studied thoroughly in different fields like gerontology, social policy, and public health. By integrating a planning perspective on this interdisciplinary research topic, this dissertation focuses on the neighborhood preferences of individuals aged 50 or older in Norman, Oklahoma as well as their access to age friendly amenities through conducting a survey and spatial analysis. Successful aging in communities is not possible without access to reliable transportation, health services, recreational opportunities, physical and social support systems, and a wide variety of amenities. However, this study’s findings demonstrate that currently there is a gap between what individuals 50 years and above need to age in their neighborhoods and the current built environment attributes. Understanding this gap and the challenges these individuals face to age in their communities could help planners and designers develop policy and design recommendations to improve age friendliness of neighborhoods. Keywords: Age friendliness, Aging in Place, Residential Location Choice, Built Environment Attributes, Spatial Analysis, Older Adults, Middle Aged Adult