Externally-Funded Grants

• Analyzing Railroad Grade Crossing Crashes in Kentucky and Creating New KYTC Railroad Safety Initiatives (Sole PI: Kirolos Haleem). Active Project, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC). ($85,854).

With the ultimate goal of reaching "target zero", this project aims at comprehensively analyzing traffic safety at railroad grade crossings across the state of Kentucky by analyzing total, severe, and fatal crashes, then identify high-crash locations for potential safety improvments and implmentation of federal railroad programs (initiatives). A statewide survey of Kentucky drivers' understanding of traffic laws and regulations nearby railroad grade crossings in the state of Kentucky will be also conducted.

• Safety Investigation of Roundabouts and Restricted Crossing U-Turn (RCUT) Intersections in Kentucky (Sole PI: Kirolos Haleem). Active Project, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC). ($125,295).

This project aims at comprehensively analyzing the safety effectiveness of roundabouts and RCUT intersections in Kentucky. A survey of communities with and without roundabouts in the state of Kentucky will be also conducted.

• Phase 2: Impact of Real-Time Weather Information on Traffic Safety in Kentucky (Sole PI: Kirolos Haleem). Active Project, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC). ($144,552).

This project will build upon the completed phase 1 project (that mainly focused on Kentucky's interstates) and will delve deeper into the effect of real-time weather variables on traffic safety at intersections and major arterials in Kentucky.

• Comprehensive Investigation of Motorcycle Crashes in Kentucky (Sole PI: Kirolos Haleem). Active Project, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC). ($150,588).

This project aims at comprehensively investigating causes of motorcycle-related crashes in the state of Kentucky and identifying high-crash locations in the state. Potential countermeasures will be also proposed.

• Statewide Investigation of Distracted Driving Crashes in Kentucky (Sole PI: Kirolos Haleem). Active Project, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC). ($154,000).

This project aims at comprehensively investigating causes of distracted driving crashes in the state of Kentucky and identifying high-crash locations in the state. Potential countermeasures will be also proposed.

• Impact of Real-Time Weather Information on Traffic Safety in Kentucky (PI: Kirolos Haleem, Co-PI: Eric Rappin “Kentucky Mesonet Center”). Completed Project, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC). ($137,386).

This project uses microscopic data extracted from the Kentucky Mesonet stations to investigate the relationship between nearby traffic crashes and real-time atmospheric variables (e.g., temperature, wind speed, humidity, and precipitation) across Kentucky using the “association rules” technique.

• Commercial Motor Vehicle Crash Investigation in Kentucky (Sole PI: Kirolos Haleem). Completed Project, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC). ($165,000).

This project aims at comprehensively investigating causes of commercial motor vehicle (CMV) crashes in the state of Kentucky and identifying hot-spot CMV crash concentrations in the state. Potential countermeasures will be also proposed.

• In-Service Performance Evaluation (ISPE) of Guardrails and Cable Barriers in Alabama (Sole PI: Kirolos Haleem). Completed Project, the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT). ($268,000).

This project aims at conducting a statewide in-service performance evaluation (ISPE) of guardrails and cable barriers in Alabama to test the effectiveness of such roadway appurtenances in the state. An inventory of median cable barriers will also be conducted.

• Comprehensive Investigation of Bike Crash Causes, Patterns, and Countermeasures in Alabama (PI: Kirolos Haleem, Co-PI: Michael Anderson). Completed Project, the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT). ($285,000).

This project aims at investigating causes and patterns of bike-vehicle crashes in Alabama. Review of police reports is conducted and bike safety performance functions (SPFs) will be fitted. Survey of drivers’ and bicyclists’ understanding of bike regulations in the state is performed. Finally, countermeasures are proposed for the identified safety deficiencies.

• Understanding and Enhancing Driver Safety at Work Zones: A Driving Simulator Study (Sole PI: Kirolos Haleem). Active Internal Project, Research & Creative Activities Program (RCAP), Western Kentucky University. ($13,410).

• Investigating Distracted Driving in Kentucky: A Driving Simulator Study (Sole PI: Kirolos Haleem). Completed Internal Project, Research & Creative Activities Program (RCAP), Western Kentucky University. ($12,868).

• Pilot Study on Improving Crash Data Accuracy in Kentucky through University Collaboration (PI: Eric Green “University of Kentucky”). Completed Project, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC). (Total: $217,000, WKU Portion: $54,313).

This project presents a three-university collaboration (University of Kentucky, University of Louisville, and Western Kentucky University) to improve crash data reporting accuracy in Kentucky and correct miscoded crash data (e.g., crash types, vehicle maneuver, and injury code) by manually reviewing police crash reports/narratives and applying a text mining approach.

• Building a Research Foundation for Assessing the Safety of Autonomous Vehicle-to-Pedestrian Technology in Kentucky (PI: Farhad Ashrafzadeh). Completed Internal Project, Research & Creative Activities Program (RCAP), Western Kentucky University. ($15,426).

• Harnessing Kentucky Mesonet Observations to Assess the Role of Kentucky Climate on Traffic Crash Patterns and Severity (PI: Eric Rappin). Completed Internal Project, Research & Creative Activities Program (RCAP), Western Kentucky University. ($15,996).

• Evaluation of Signage Alternatives for Express Lane Facilities (PI: Albert Gan). Completed, Sponsored by Research and Innovation Technology Administration (RITA), U.S. Department of Transportation – Georgia Tech University Transportation Center. ($60,000).

This project aims at evaluating alternatives of potential hybrid signs for express lane facilities in Florida. Examples are the toll pricing and travel time signs. The output of the project is anticipated to be useful for the upcoming edition of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD).

• Extraction of Basic Roadway Information for Non-State Roads in Florida (PI: Albert Gan). Completed, Sponsored by Florida Department of Transportation Research Center. ($120,000).

This project aims at developing an automated process to extract roadway information for non-state roads in Florida using existing data. The information includes the number of lanes, posted speed limit, shoulder type (paved or unpaved), and median type (divided or undivided).

• Digital Advertising Billboards and Driver Distraction (PI: Virginia Sisiopiku). Completed, in Partnership with University of Alabama at Birmingham, Research and Innovation Technology Administration (RITA), U.S. Department of Transportation – Georgia Tech University Transportation Center. ($43,000).

This project aimed at exploring the impact of digital advertising billboards on driver distraction and traffic safety along both freeways and street arterials. In this project, an extensive literature review was conducted, as well as crash data analysis in the states of Florida and Alabama, driver survey, and an empirical study using a driving simulator.

 

• A Comprehensive Study to Reduce Pedestrian Crashes in Florida (PI: Albert Gan). Completed, Sponsored by Florida Department of Transportation Research Center. ($150,000). (An AASHTO 2015 High Value Safety Research Project).

In this project, an extensive literature search was performed and pedestrian crash causes and patterns in Florida were identified. Factors that affect pedestrian crash injury severity at signalized and non-signalized locations were also identified. Furthermore, pedestrian high crash locations at signalized and non-signalized locations were identified and potential countermeasures to relieve pedestrian safety issues were proposed.

 

• Roundabouts and Access Management (PI: Albert Gan). Completed, Sponsored by Florida Department of Transportation (Subcontract from University of Florida). ($70,000).

This project reviewed literature on roundabouts and their design application throughout the United States to understand how access management, capacity, and safety were addressed. The project also recommended changes in guidance documents in Florida including the access management resources, Median Handbook, and Driveway Information Guide. As part of the project, safety analysis was conducted by identifying roundabout locations, collecting field data (such as land use, number of circulating lanes, and type of control), reviewing police reports in details, and constructing collision diagrams for each roundabout.

• Synthesis of the Advance in and Application of Fractal Characteristics of Traffic Flow (PI: Albert Gan). Completed, Sponsored by Florida Department of Transportation Research Center. ($40,000).

Fractals are irregular geometric objects that exhibit finite details at all scales, and once magnified, their basic structures remain the same regardless of the scale of magnification. In this project, a comprehensive review of applications of fractal theory in different fields of science was conducted. Examples were traffic flow, weather forecast, human health studies, economics, and astronomy. The fractal analysis revealed the existence of fractal characteristics in both crash and traffic data. Multiple applications were concluded, e.g., prediction of crash trends at intersections and identification of high-crash locations.

• Best Practices in the Use of Hybrid Static-Dynamic Signs (PI: Albert Gan). Completed, Sponsored by Florida Department of Transportation Research Center. ($150,000).

The project aimed to seek potential locations along freeways and arterial streets in District 4 in Florida where newly-designed hybrid static-dynamic message signs could be displayed. A focus group study approach was used that helped perceive drivers’ response to the usefulness of each sign application, as well as the feasibility of understanding the displayed messages.

• Before and After Safety Study of Roadways Where New Medians Have Been Added (PI: Albert Gan). Completed, Sponsored by Florida Department of Transportation Research Center. ($225,000).

The project aimed to identify locations where new restricted medians were installed in place of undivided or two-way left turn lane medians. A before-and-after analysis was conducted to evaluate the safety performance, e.g., percentage reduction in specific crash types after installation, changes in crash rates, etc. Face-to-face interviews with business owners were performed to seek how the median installation has affected their business.

• In-Service Performance Evaluation (ISPE) for G4 (1S) Type of Strong-Post W-Beam Guardrail System and Median Cable Barrier: Volumes I & II (PI: Albert Gan). Completed, Sponsored by Florida Department of Transportation Research Center. ($280,000).

This two-volume project aimed to evaluate the safety performance of existing W-beam guardrails and cable barriers in the state of Florida. A statewide inventory of existing guardrails and cable barriers was performed to identify the locations comprising those types. Afterwards, crashes occurring at these locations as a result of hitting those guardrails were identified. Crash police reports were downloaded and reviewed in detail to determine whether the crash was indeed guardrail-related. Moreover, crash analysis (e.g., before-and-after analysis) was conducted to determine various crash patterns and differences in the crash performance of different vehicle types and crash severity levels.

• Transit Service Reliability: Analyzing Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) Data for On-Time Performance and to Identify Conditions Leading to Service Degradation (PI: Fabian Cevallos). Completed, Sponsored by the National Center for Transit Research (NCTR) Tier I University Transportation Center & Federal Transit Administration (FTA). ($75,000).

The project aims at conducting research on the use of AVL data for improving transit service reliability and on-time performance. As part of the project, the challenges and issues towards measuring and improving on-time performance will be investigated. Furthermore, conditions leading to transit service degradation will be identified to assist transit agencies in providing higher quality of service.

• Analysis of Movable Bus Stop Boarding and Alighting Areas (PI: Albert Gan). Completed, Sponsored by Florida Department of Transportation Research Center. ($110,700).

The project explored the feasibility of using movable/reusable bus stop boarding and alighting pads for Florida transit agencies. Different design alternatives were developed for movable boarding and alighting pads, then a life-cycle cost analysis was performed. Six materials (i.e., concrete/asphalt, metal, rubber, thermoplastic, composite, and wood), along with their commercially available products, were evaluated based on their structural performance, long-term durability, adaptability, life cycle cost, aesthetics, and safety and accessibility of transit riders with mobility devices. Plastic lumber and metal were found to have the highest potential to replace the conventional design.

• Preparing Florida for Deployment of SafetyAnalyst for All Roads (PI: Albert Gan). Completed, Sponsored by Florida Department of Transportation Research Center. ($300,000).

The project aimed to help Florida’s professionals and researchers to get accustomed to the newly-released crash analysis software application, SafetyAnalyst. The project showed the capabilities and functionalities of SafetyAnalyst in conducting crash analysis for highway safety management. Additionally, a comparison was held between the Highway Safety Manual (HSM) and SafetyAnayst regarding the safety performance functions (SPFs) calibration procedure and the steps for roadway safety management. As part of the project, crash prediction models for different roadway facilities (e.g., freeways, arterial streets, intersections, and ramps) specific to Florida’s conditions were developed, which act as the state of Florida’s standard models. A web-based GIS-system was also developed to display the high crash locations list from SafetyAnalyst.

• Standardization of Crash Analysis in Florida (PI: Albert Gan). Completed, Sponsored by Florida Department of Transportation Research Center. ($143,000).

The project aimed to standardize crash analysis methods and tools across the state of Florida, so that all state districts and city and county agencies would use the same analytical approaches and softwares (for identifying high-crash locations, for instance). As part of the project, on-site visits were made to various districts and local agencies. The remaining districts and agencies were reached via an online survey. The final recommendations of the methods were in accordance with the Highway Safety Manual.

• Identification of Intersections’ Crash Profiles/Patterns to Include Unsignalized Intersections and Expand the Safety/Traffic Database (PI: Mohamed Abdel-Aty). Completed, Sponsored by Florida Department of Transportation Research Center. ($150,000).

The project identified crash profile tables for unsignalized intersections which could be used as reference manuals for judging the safety of those particular intersections. In the project, huge data collection effort was conducted which resulted in collecting 2500 unsignalized intersections, representing the most comprehensive data collection effort in the state of Florida. In addition, categories for classifying unsignalized intersections were created based on their geometric characteristics (e.g., size, number of legs, and land use), as well as traffic features (e.g., traffic control type “stop-controlled, yield-controlled, or non-controlled” and annual average daily traffic).