August 2018

FDOT Research Center Showcases I-STREET Testbed

The Florida Department of Transportation recently released their first installment of articles on I-STREET – a smart, multimodal roadway network dedicated to advancing the state of the art in connected and autonomous vehicle (CAV) implementation. The article covers an introduction to I-STREET, the current initial projects, safety initiatives and the three-part partnership. Click Here to Read the Full Article!

UFTI Researcher Evaluates Wind Effects on Mast Arms Dr. Jennifer Bridge, an associate professor in the Engineering School of Sustainable Infrastructure and Environment (ESSIE), served as the principal investigator on a project that reviewed current FDOT procedures for design and analysis of mast arm structures. The mast arm is the part of the overhead light signal pole that contains the traffic signal lights.  Experiments were conducted on the mast arm wind resistance with different signal configurations and backplate designs. The researchers found that current methods of evaluating the wind resistance of existing mast arm structures might be too conservative, and they suggested appropriate modifications to the methods of analysis for existing mast arms. However, they recommended maintaining the conservative methods for the design of new mast arms. They also found modifications of backplates that were able to reduce the wind profile of mast arm-signal structures. Click Here to Read the Final Report!

UFTI Representatives Attend Transportation Summit in San Juan, Puerto Rico UFTI affiliate Dr. Ruth Steiner, along with the UFTI's research manager Ines Aviles Spadoni, attended the “Leveraging Resources Today to Rebuild Puerto Rico’s Tomorrow” Transportation Summit n San Juan, Puerto Rico on July 26, 2018. The Summit was hosted by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Government of Puerto Rico, and the Central Office for Recovery, Reconstruction and Resiliency (COR 3 ). The Summit emphasized the importance of transportation infrastructure as part of the recovery of Puerto Rico post Hurricane Maria.

Fabio Sasahara, Ph.D. Student, Presents at Travel Behavior Conference in California Fabio Sasahara, a doctoral student at the UFTI, recently attended and presented at the 15 th International Conference on Travel Behavior Research, which took place July 15-20, 2018, in Santa Barbara, CA. Sasahara’s presentation was on "Modeling User Compliance with Route Guidance: An Analysis using the Metropia App." The conference, co-sponsored by UFTI and the STRIDE Center, is organized by the International Association for Travel Behavior Research (IATBR) with the purpose of serving as a multidisciplinary forum that brings together professionals interested in advancing travel behavior research.  To view pictures, as well as to find out where the next conference will be held, click here!

Apply to Be an Instructor! The T2 Center is looking for qualified instructors for the following courses: Intermediate Maintenance of Traffic Advanced Maintenance of Traffic Pilot Escort If interested, please send a resume and references to Don Weatherby, T2 training coordinator, or Alyssa Mercadante, network assistant.

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