Spring 2004 Term Paper

Civil Engineering 350
Introduction to Transportation Planning

General Requirements:

This assignment will be conducted in a participating team environment that will simulate the structure frequently utilized by transportation professions. The teams will normally consist of four students per team, unless the class size dictates some teams need to have five members. Students will be responsible for selecting the teams but the professors will assist if it will benefit the team selection process.

The teams will select a topic or problem of interest as a subject for the paper, so long as it is directly related to the course. However, the subject should be a transportation planning issue, development, or policy. It is sometimes easier to select a topic that the team members have an interest in and have some knowledge of the issues. The topic is subject to instructor approval and shall be submitted and approved by the professors.

Term Paper Requirements:

A search of literature will be necessary to ascertain facts about the topic. The paper shall be original work, based on information gathered in the literature search. The teams will need to refer to several sources, not just one or two. For format, use the formats demonstrated via the references at the end of each chapter of the report. References should be placed in order, as they appear in your text. Number should cite them in the paper’s text as it appears in the bibliography, i.e. (2). Library sources shall include call numbers.

It is expected that the paper will be completed with the aid of a word processing computer package. If this is not feasible, let the professor know when the team members are submitted. The length of the term paper will be a minimum of 20 pages in length and it is anticipated that many will be in the range of 25 pages.

Format:

The paper will conform to the following format:

A cover will be required with information that details the course name and number, the semester, the paper title, and appropriate graphics if they add value.
Page 1 shall be a cover sheet with title. A sample is provided for reference.
Page 2 shall be an index of pages which includes a list of all tables and figures that are in the paper. They shall be separate lists and shall be in the order as they are presented in the paper.
Page 3 shall begin an executive summary. This executive summary should be one page in length, but occasionally it is two pages in length.
Page 4 (page 5 if two pages are used in the executive summary) will be the beginning of the paper and it will be organized as follows (include headings):
Introduction which will provide a problem statement, the purpose of the paper, some background on the topic, a description of the scope of the paper and a brief indication of the contents that will follow.

Body of the paper will use main headings and subheadings as appropriate. Well chosen headings not only aid the reader and leads them through your thought process, but remind you to keep the contents of the section in focus. Include in this section (as appropriate) a discussion of data needs and sources, analysis approaches used, potential solutions or directions for policy impact on transportation.

Conclusions are most effective if they serve as a candid critique of the paper, in which the team points out what is important, what is significant, and the validity of the results. It not only reviews the results, but also interprets them.

Topics:

The topics selected must have references from technical literature and not just popular literature such as Road and Driver magazine. One of the best resources to learn of technical articles and reports in highway and related modes is the HRIS ABSTRACTS. A partial list of Transportation Research Journals and Periodicals is provided in "ATTACHMENT A". Note: you should also review the reference list at the end of each chapter of your text.

The following list of topics is provided to assist you in the selection of a term paper topic. It is not a requirement to choose from this list, but topics should be closely related. Only one team may work in a specified area. Therefore, the earlier the teams identify their topic, the more likely it will be that they will get the topic of their choice. If any teams have not successfully selected a topic by the deadline date, a topic will be assigned.

Asset Management System – highways, bridges, other
GASB 34 – Impact on transportation management
Travel Model Improvement Program – a new generation of travel demand models
Energy use in transportation – Transportation Energy Data Book is a good resource
Growth management – does it achieve the intended effects (Portland, Maryland, Story County, IA)
Global warming – fact or fiction
Alternatives to the gas tax – road pricing using GPS
Environmental justice – what is it? What are the implications?
Expanding the Mississippi lock and dam system – who benefits, who loses?
Light rail – where does it make sense?
Intelligent Transportation System topics
- Driver Information Systems
- Vehicle guidance and collision avoidance
- Transit Customer Information
Bicycle considerations in street and recreational development
Deregulation of motor carriers
Deregulation of airlines
Deregulation of railroads
Impact of deregulation of (choice/mode) and the transportation services
High occupancy vehicle lanes: When are they beneficial? / Future of Hot Lanes
Issues in distribution of road-use-tax revenues in Iowa
Parking system development and effects on travel demand
Human factor considerations in the design of (your choice)
Effects of staggering of work hours on peak hour passenger traffic flow
Advantages and disadvantages of restricting motor carrier access to the CBD
Methods of allocation of road-use-tax revenues among jurisdictions
An analysis of effects of public information campaigns on drunk driving
Impact of child restraints and seat belt laws on highway safety
Impacts of CBD residential revitalization of traffic demands
Citizen participation in transportation studies/policies
Effects of the use of drugs on highway safety
Auto exhaust fumes: environmental effects, programs to reduce, results
Effects of construction of transportation facilities on land use
Impact of noise pollution on humans, methods to reduce
Human sensory process and driving: impact caused by aging drivers
Human perceptual-motor and cognitive factors: effects on driving
Analysis of effects of the growth of containerization for shipping
Economic analysis of highway safety improvements
Impacts of railroad abandonment's on transportation services
Large truck safety on highways
Analysis of higher speed limits on highways

The topic for the team term paper is required to be submitted in the following form:

Write the proposed title (subject to minor changes as the paper progresses toward completion)
Write a paragraph describing the topic, how it will be covered in the report, and what the limit in topic coverage is being proposed. Don't necessarily try to cover the whole range suggested by the topic chosen.
Submit a full sheet of plain white paper (no spiral paper)
Date the submittal
List the team members

Term Paper Schedule:

The schedule for successfully completing the term paper is:

Date	What's due
January 20, 2004	Teams are to be turned in
February 3, 2004	Topics are to be turned in
March 2, 2004	Outline of term paper is due
March 30, 2004	Draft term paper is due
April 13, 2004	Completed paper is due

Presentation

Each team will present its findings before the class, starting on April 20. Each team member must have a speaking part in the presentation. Visual aids may be used as appropriate.

Term Paper Grading:

Grades for the term paper will include keeping on schedule, organization of the paper, original thoughts that tie into the class subjects, the presentation of information, and the conclusions that are drawn and supported by the body of the paper. All members of a team will earn the same grade for the paper. Students will not pass the course without completing the term paper.

The grading for the term papers will be:

Evaluation criteria	Points
Schedule	10
Organization	10
Relevant Contents	30
Conclusions	30
Oral Report	20
Total	100 points

ATTACHMENT A

TITLE

TERM PAPER

Team Member 1

Team Member 2

Team Member 3

Team Member 4

A term paper written for CE 350

Introduction to Transportation Planning

In partial fulfillment of requirements for the

Successful completion of the course

Iowa State University

Ames, Iowa

April 200X

Professors

Stephen J. Andrle

Duane E. Smith

CE 350 Transportation Research Journals and Periodicals

(Partial list)

Call No.	Title
TA 1001 A44	Transportation Engineering Journals of the American Society of Civil Engineers
HE 331 A1, T67	Transportation Quarterly - Eno Foundation
HE 11 T75	Transportation Research Forum Proceedings (an annual publication)
HE 1 J825	Journal of Transportation Economic and Policy
TA 1001 T7	Transportation Planning and Technology
HE 1 T688	Transportation Research
HE 1 T69	Transportation Science
TA 1001 T68	Transportation
TA 1001 A1H5	High Speed Ground Transportation Journal
HE 305 T7	Transit Journal
NA 9000 P6931X	Journal of the American Planning Association
TE 1 H5411	Transportation Research Records of the Transportation Research Board (search through Transportation Information Service (TRIS) @ www4.national academies.org/trb/tris.nsf)
TF 1 M721X	Modern Railroads
TF 1 R131	Railway Age
TF 1 R134	Railway Track and Structures
HE 369 A1	Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) Journal

Title

TR News (selected articles and TOC at www4.nationalacademies.org/trb/onlinepubs.nsf/web/TR-news)*

AASHTO Journal (www.aashto.org/journal/a-j.html)*

Transportation Research Information Service (www4.nationalacademies.org/trb/tris.nsf)

*Indicates highly topical journals to scan for ideas