Safety in Numbers and Bicycle Safety: A Detailed Analysis of the Denver Metropolitan Area

Recently across the US, there has been a push to accommodate and encourage the viability of alternative modes of transportation—especially bicycling. Leaders across all levels of government, trade groups, advocacy and policy groups, and others are promoting different methods to make urban areas more bikeable. Now, as planning practice is moving towards implementing a transportation system that serves different types of travelers, the US faces challenges involved with retrofitting existing automobile-oriented streets. While implementing bicycle safety initiatives is becoming a popular movement among municipalities, there have been differing opinions on the best way to make cities more bikable in academic literature (Pucher & Buehler, 2012). There is an ongoing debate about what types of improvements will be the most effective at reducing crash rates and/or decreasing individual risk for cyclists. Since 2003, one of the key factors in this debate has been the phenomenon of “safety in numbers.” “Safety in numbers,” or SiN, describes the observed inverse correlation between bicycle ridership and cyclist risk (Jacobsen, 2003). As ridership numbers increase, the relative risk per cyclist is said to decrease (all else being equal). When examining large-scale datasets, such as national ridership counts and crash statistics, research suggests there is a significant negative, non-linear correlation (exponentially decreasing) between ridership and crashes per rider. This means that while the total number of crashes increases with ridership, the rate of crashes per rider decreases. While bicycle safety and SiN are well-researched topics, there are still many questions about the SiN effect that are still unclear. First, the full character of the SiN effect is not explicit in the existing literature. Nearly all studies of the phenomenon have been conducted with large units of analysis (cities, countries, etc.). No study to the researcher’s knowledge has considered the SiN effect at the individual street level with real data. Second, because SiN has not been studied with small units, there has not been a way to control for road conditions that also effect bicycle crash rates. And third, it is not clear how all of the factors that determine cyclist injury and fatalities—including SiN, bicycle infrastructure, speed limit, road design, congestion, etc.—interact with one another. These gaps in collective understanding about safety in numbers has led to disagreements among scholars about its nature and implications for practice. One of the major debates surrounding SiN and policy has been its use as an argument to dissuade investment in separated bicycle infrastructure. Some think that separated infrastructure may undermine some of the safety benefits that may affect cyclists because of SiN; the goal of this type of infrastructure is to limit motorists’ conflict points with cyclists, and because of this, separated infrastructure may actually endanger other cyclists on the road because fewer cyclists are interacting with drivers in mixed traffic, lessening drivers’ incentives to adjust their behavior (assuming that behavior modification underlies the SiN effect) (Thompson et al., 2017). Despite limited understanding about this topic, SiN is has been used to make policy justifications, specifically pitting policy-only solutions against infrastructure improvement ones (Bhatia & Wier, 2011; City of Berkeley, 2010). It is crucial, then to understand the SiN effect more fully. My research addresses these gaps in the literature and provides recommendation for practice. My research reports several major findings. First, the safety in numbers effect is reflected on the individual road segment level; using a Cragg double hurdle model, I showed that numbers are a significant predictor of crashes, even when other control variables—infrastructure, congestion measures, speed limit, functional class, median household income, and road length—are added to the model. Second, my research shows that the SiN effect is best characterized by a non-linear, exponentially decreasing mathematical model, even on the segment level. Third, my research created detailed predictions that quantify how the SiN effect changes under different conditions. The most notable of these findings was twofold. First, there was no significant difference in the predicted number of crashes for segments with or without bike lanes as the number of trips increased. And second, facilities with separated bike lanes also receive a safety benefit from increased exposure, but the benefit is not as strong as on segments without separated bike lanes. In summary, my research verified existence of SiN on the road segment level as well as characterizes the effect mathematically. I also suggest that practicing planners should encourage more biking to improve overall road user safety, but that this should be done in tandem with other measures such as bicycle infrastructure

Fort Conger: A Site of Arctic History in the 21st Century

Fort Conger, located at Discovery Harbour in Lady Franklin Bay on northern Ellesmere Island, Nunavut, played an intrinsic role in several High Arctic expeditions between 1875 and 1935, particularly around 1900–10 during the height of the Race to the North Pole. Here are found the remains of historic voyages of exploration and discovery related to the 19th century expeditions of G.S. Nares and A.W. Greely, early 20th century expeditions of R.E. Peary, and forays by explorers, travelers, and government and military personnel. In the Peary era, Fort Conger’s connection with indigenous people was amplified, as most of the expedition personnel who were based there were Inughuit from Greenland, and the survival strategies of the explorers were largely derived from Inughuit material cultural and environmental expertise. The complex of shelters at Fort Conger symbolizes an evolution from the rigid application of Western knowledge, as represented in the unsuitable prefabricated Greely expedition house designed in the United States, towards the pragmatic adaptation of Aboriginal knowledge represented in the Inughuit-influenced shelters that still stand today. Fort Conger currently faces various threats to its longevity: degradation of wooden structures through climate and weathering, bank erosion, visitation, and inorganic contami­nation. Its early history and links with Greenlandic Inughuit have suggested that the science of heritage preservation, along with management practices of monitoring, remediation of contamination, and 3D laser scanning, should be applied to maintain the site for future generations.Fort Conger, situé au Havre de la découverte, dans la baie Lady Franklin, au nord de l’île d’Ellesmere, au Nunavut, a joué un rôle intrinsèque dans plusieurs expéditions de l’Extrême-Arctique entre 1875 et 1935, surtout dans les années 1900 à 1910, à l’apogée de la course vers le pôle Nord. Nous trouvons ici les vestiges de voyages d’exploration et de découvertes historiques, vestiges qui se rapportent plus précisément aux expéditions de G.S. Nares et d’A.W. Greely au XIXe siècle, aux expéditions de R.E. Peary au début du XXe siècle et aux incursions de divers explorateurs, voyageurs, militaires et employés du gouvernement. À l’époque de R.E. Peary, les liens entretenus avec les Autochtones de Fort Conger se sont intensifiés, car une grande partie des membres de l’expédition étaient des Inughuits du Groenland, et les stratégies de survie des explorateurs dépendaient grandement de l’expertise matérielle, culturelle et environnementale des Inughuits. Le complexe d’abris qui se trouve au Fort Conger symbolise une évolution, où l’on a délaissé l’application rigide des connaissances occidentales, comme en atteste la maison préfabriquée inadaptée conçue aux États-Unis pour l’expédition Greely, pour aller vers une adaptation pragmatique des connaissances autochtones, comme l’illustrent les abris d’influence inughuite que l’on aperçoit toujours de nos jours. En ce moment, la longévité de Fort Conger est menacée en raison de la dégradation des structures en bois, dégradation attribuable à l’altération climatique et atmosphérique, à l’érosion des berges, aux visites et à la contamination inorganique. Les débuts de Fort Conger et ses liens avec les Inughuits groenlandais suggèrent qu’il y aurait lieu de mettre en application la science de la conservation du patrimoine, jumelée aux pratiques de gestion de la surveillance, de restauration des matériaux contaminés et de balayage laser 3D, afin d’assurer le maintien du site pour les générations à venir

SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, ARTS, AND MATHEMATICS (STEAM) CURRICU- LUM AS A LENS FOR LANGUAGE AND CULTURE REVITALIZATION IN ALASKA

During the workshop we will share the details of a transformative and collaborative effort for capturing science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) curriculum that responds to the needs, traditions, and values of Alaska Native students, their parents, and their teachers. Participants will learn the philosophical and practical aspects of curriculum design and implementation. We will share samples of the curriculum map, lesson plans, and activities. In addition, workshop participants will have the opportunity to examine ways in which they can modify existing curriculum to integrate language, culture, and traditional knowledge in their classrooms and community

Application of 3D Laser Scanning to the Preservation of Fort Conger, a Historic Polar Research Base on Northern Ellesmere Island, Arctic Canada

Fort Conger, located in Quttinirpaaq National Park, Ellesmere Island, is a historic landmark of national and international significance. The site is associated with many important Arctic expeditions, including the ill-fated Lady Franklin Bay Expedition of the First International Polar Year and Robert Peary’s attempts to claim the North Pole. Although situated in one of the most remote locations on earth, Fort Conger is currently at risk because of the effects of climate change, weather, wildlife, and human activity. In this paper, we show how 3D laser scanning was used to record cultural features rapidly and accurately despite the harsh conditions present at the site. We discuss how the future impacts of natural processes and human activities can be managed using 3D scanning data as a baseline, how conservation and restoration work can be planned from the resulting models, and how 3D models created from laser scanning data can be used to excite public interest in cultural stewardship and Arctic history.Fort Conger, situé dans le parc national Quttinirpaaq, sur l’île d’Ellesmere, est un lieu historique d’importance nationale et internationale. Ce site est lié à de nombreuses expéditions arctiques importantes, dont l’infortunée expédition de la baie Lady Franklin relevant de la première année polaire internationale et les tentatives de revendication du pôle Nord par Robert Peary. Bien qu’il se trouve dans l’un des endroits les plus éloignés du globe, Fort Conger subit actuellement les risques découlant des effets du changement climatique, des conditions météorologiques, de la faune et de l’activité humaine. Dans cette communication, nous montrons comment un scanneur laser 3D a permis de répertorier les caractéristiques culturelles avec rapidité et précision malgré les conditions difficiles qui ont cours à ce site. Nous discutons de la manière dont les incidences futures des processus naturels et de l’activité humaine peuvent être gérées à l’aide des données 3D comme données de base, comment les travaux de conservation et de restauration peuvent être planifiés à partir des modèles qui en résultent et comment les modèles 3D créés à partir des données de scannage laser peuvent rehausser l’intérêt du grand public à l’égard de la gérance culturelle et de l’histoire de l’Arctique

Theranostics: New Era in Nuclear Medicine and Radiopharmaceuticals

Malignancy and many inflammatory diseases have become a major concern for mankind over the years. The conventional therapy of these diseases lacks the effectiveness of the better diagnosis and targeted treatment of these diseases, but nuclear medicine can be regarded as a savior in the current scenario. Over the years, radioactivity of radioisotopes has been employed for treatment of many diseases. Nuclear medicines came up with radiopharmaceuticals that impart the ability to destroy specific diseased cells with high-energy-emitting radionuclides. Moreover, the emergence of theranostics, which is a combination of single drug used both for diagnostic as well as therapeutic purpose, has added a new feather in the field of nuclear medicines for providing a specific and personalized treatment to the patient. The current chapter discusses about techniques used for imaging of these radionuclides for better therapy and diagnosis of the root cause of the concerned disease by positron emission tomography (PET)/CT and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/CT as well as the advantages and disadvantages associated with them. It also describes about applications of theranostics and nuclear imaging in cancer treatment and their future perspective