Sustainable Transportation Systems Program

Program Objectives:

Improve transportation energy efficiency and reduce emissions through roadway design, traffic operations, and community design and planning
Advance the use of sustainable fuels, technologies, and energy efficient transportation modes
Increase understanding of the economic and environmental impacts of renewable fuels and encourage use of sustainable transportation energy sources
Investigate economic models that encourage more efficient passenger and freight movement

Research focus areas

Assuring adequate infrastructure to support first (grain) and second (cellulose) generation biofuels industries
Evaluating and mitigating the impact of biofuel production and distribution on transportation infrastructure, including pavements, gravel roads, structures, and railroads
Cellulostic biofuels industry inbound and outbound logistics from harvest to final consumer markets
Use of biofuels industry co-products and by-products to improve transportation infrastructure
Multimodal transportation logistics systems for the bioeconomy (highways, railroads, waterways, and pipelines)
Assessing the fuel efficiency and emissions of biofuels
Fiscal impact of biofuels production and use on the transportation system

Increasing the quality of public transportation and encouraging cycling and walking facilities, services and environments
Encourage sustainability in community design and vision to bring people and their needs closer together, and to make cities more vibrant and walkable

Improving the efficiency of automobile use, such as using more fuel efficient vehicles, driving more efficiently, avoiding cold starts, and car pooling
Improving the efficiency of commercial vehicle traffic such as the use of idling reduction technologies and better route planning
Using telecommunications to reduce or replace physical travel, such as tele-commuting or tele-shopping
Reducing fuel use and emission through roadway design and traffic operations
Incorporation of complete streets and green streets concepts in Iowa urban design standards. (Joint effort with Statewide Urban Design and Specifications)
Modeling microscopic vehicle activity as input to modal emissions modeling
Assessing the air quality impacts of transportation strategies