CE 451/551 First Assignment

1) Read the information at http://www.ctre.iastate.edu/educweb/ce451/451.htm  (main page only).  Expected time: 10 minutes.  Simply confirm that you have read this course info and understand it.

2) Scan the course syllabus located at http://www.ctre.iastate.edu/educweb/ce451/syllabus.htm Please note that the syllabus schedule is subject to change based on availability of guests, opportunities we may identify, or work-related travel of the instructor (limited).  If you find any difficulties with the proposed exam dates, please let me know.  Otherwise, simply confirm that you have scanned the syllabus. Expected time: 5 minutes. 

3) Download and view the following “antique” planning slideshows from the 1970s.  They are scanned, so the quality is not great, but the historical information is noteworthy.  For each of these two 20-minute slide shows, comment (2 or 3 sentences) about what you think may still be the same, and what may be different.   Expected time: one hour. 

· 1977 FHWA Slide Show (Intro to Transportation Planning.) Play the “part 1” pdf and wav files at the same time - advance slides on “beep”

· 1977 FHWA Slide Show (Intro to Travel Demand Modeling.) Play the “part 2” pdf and wav files at the same time - advance slides on “beep”

4) FHWA CD: Introduction to Travel Demand Forecasting (ITDF or, the “Amarillo” CD).  I will leave a copy of this CD for you to check out from Mrs. Petersen, available by Wednesday, August 25 at noon (if my plane is on time from China).  You may make your own copy of this CD ROM or burn a disk from the ISO CD Image file located here.  Assignment: complete the ITDF executive or certificate track.  For instructions, click here. Expected time: 2-3 hours. Simply submit verification that you completed one or the other track.

5) Web reading about various planning/modeling activities underway in the US and abroad.  Search the internet for transportation planning activities at metropolitan planning organizations (small 50,000-100,000 population, medium 100,000 – 250,000 population and large >1,000,000 population to see what they do.  The acronym is MPO, but you will find them under various names (like COGs, MPAs, AOG, etc.).  Also check out an international site or two.  Spend 15 minutes per type of MPO (small, medium, large and international).  Deliverable: submit the web site location you scanned as well as one interesting feature about each web site. Expected time: one hour.