MTC Asset Newsletter Winter 2005

Students at TRB

Here's a sampling of sessions that MTC students attended: guardrails, meta-analysis, ITS, intersection designs, computer-aided crash reconstruction, signals, context sensitive design, urban form and travel behavior, freeway operations with ITS applications, professional development for careers in transportation, corrosion of bridges, destructive testing of bridge supports, sight distance, and signing and construction zone safety.

An Iowa State alumnus said, "TRB is like Christmas!"

Thomas Stout

I deliberately went to two sessions that were outside my normal area of interest: meta-analysis and computer-aided crash reconstruction. I found the meta-analysis session particularly interesting, especially as an approach to conducting research into prior
art (i.e., literature searches) while attempting to avoid various forms of bias.

Greg Karssen

I also enjoyed the subway, which was really my first experience on large-scale public transportation. I especially noticed how the city is designed to be not just a place for the government, but also a special place for the governed.

Justin Jackson

With the knowledge and expertise that filled those seminars, you could almost feel as though you knew nothing, but at the end of a seminar, you would be soaking wet in a vast array of fresh knowledge.

Kari Jensen

The idea of unmanned aerial vehicles soon being used in helping to protect the country and better our way of life was quite interesting. The trip was also a great opportunity to meet others from all over the world and hear about projects they are working on.

Neil Burke

In particular, I found the presentation on the addition of high-priced "HOT" and HOV lanes to be of interest. MDDOT has constructed and plans to construct additional priced lanes that promise commuters congestion-free travel. I wondered how much success these lanes would have on the Chicago-area freeways where traffic volumes are higher and commutes span longer hours.

Dan Ormand

The main thing I got out of TRB was a better realization of the vast spectrum of issues in the transportation field and how different locations called for unique considerations. For example, a British engineer described redesigning an urban area to reduce traffic and speed with the idea of creating local streets that kids could safely play in and that increased a sense of community.