Article
Engineering, Civil
Tierra S. Bills
Summary: This study uses a regional activity-based travel model to analyze the equity of transportation and land-use planning scenarios in the Bay Area, California. The findings show that fine-grained distributional measures are crucial in assessing the individual and household-level impacts of regional transportation scenarios. Additionally, applying equity standards for ranking planning scenarios is significant, as different standards and evaluation criteria can affect the ranking results.
Article
Environmental Studies
Yuxin Wang, Yizheng Wu, Zhenyu Li, Kai Liao, Chao Li, Guohua Song
Summary: This study investigates the potential negative health burden of active travel due to air pollution exposure in China. It proposes a low-exposure route planning method based on pollutant concentration, trip purpose, and travelers' demographic characteristics. The study finds that exposure varies throughout the day and seasons in certain areas due to traffic, coal usage, and meteorology. Results show that exercising travelers may avoid a significant portion of exposure by choosing low-exposure routes with long detours. However, middle-aged and elderly travelers may still experience higher exposure compared to younger travelers even when taking low-exposure routes. These findings highlight the importance of considering health equity in transportation investment and policies.
TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH PART D-TRANSPORT AND ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Xi Li, Runsen Zhang, Jundong Chen, Yida Jiang, Qiong Zhang, Yin Long
Summary: This study estimated carbon emissions released due to household travel demands in 47 Japanese cities, with cluster analyses conducted by city. Results showed that cities with larger carbon footprints typically had smaller populations, while megacities had lower carbon emissions per capita. Direct gasoline combustion and train use were the key factors influencing regional differences in emissions.
Article
Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence
Bolong Zheng, Qi Hu, Lingfeng Ming, Jilin Hu, Lu Chen, Kai Zheng, Christian S. Jensen
Summary: This study focuses on a setting where there is a changing set of transportation requests from an origin to a destination before a deadline, and a group of agents capable of fulfilling the requests. The goal is to minimize the average idle time of the agents by assigning them to the requests. The study proposes a solution to the problem by developing a spatial-temporal prediction model for the requests and a route planning algorithm that takes into account both the predictions and the supply-demand state.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON KNOWLEDGE AND DATA ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Business
Raj Bridgelall, Edward Stubbing
Summary: This research introduces a closed-form model which takes into account the potential impact of connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs) on travel patterns and land use demands for shopping, entertainment, and dining. Statistics from the greater Toronto area suggest that population growth alone could significantly increase the demand for such land uses, but CAVs could potentially further amplify this demand.
TECHNOLOGICAL FORECASTING AND SOCIAL CHANGE
(2021)
Article
Economics
Caio Pieroni, Mariana Giannotti, Bianca B. Alves, Renato Arbex
Summary: This study analyzed the temporal and spatial patterns of urban transit movements in precarious settlement areas in Sao Paulo, Brazil using smart card data mining. The results revealed differences in travel behavior between low-income residents from precarious settlements and middle/high-income-class residents, with a focus on identifying low-paid employment travel patterns. The empirical evidence highlights smart card data's potential in uncovering low-paid employment spatial and temporal patterns.
JOURNAL OF TRANSPORT GEOGRAPHY
(2021)
Article
Economics
Javier Bas, Mohammad B. Al-Khasawneh, Sevgi Erdogan, Cinzia Cirillo
Summary: Many cities in the US have implemented Complete Streets principles and invested in developing better infrastructure for multimodal transportation. However, existing travel demand forecasting models and planning tools are not sensitive to changes in demand for non-motorized modes such as walking and cycling. This paper proposes a data collection plan, a multi-modal choice model, and strategies to update traditional transportation models to evaluate Complete Streets plans at a higher level.
TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH PART A-POLICY AND PRACTICE
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Caihua Zhu, Yubing Xue, Yuran Li, Zhenxing Yao, Yan Li
Summary: An inhalation model for particulate matter (PM) considering exercise load was established to assess its impact on residents' travel health. PM concentrations were collected at different transportation spaces, such as walking, bicycle, bus, taxi, and subway, using PM detectors. A multiple linear regression model, adjusted by road greening, was used to investigate the influencing factors on PM concentration. The air inhalation model, considering individual heart rate (HR) and characteristics, was obtained. The proposed model estimates PM2.5 and PM10 inhalation during a complete trip based on air inhalation per time unit, travel time, and PM concentration. Analysis of experimental data in Xi'an revealed significant differences in PM concentrations between taxi, bus, and subway carriages and environmental monitoring stations, while the differences were not significant in sidewalk, non-motorized lane, taxi station, bus station, subway concourse, and subway platform locations. PM concentration and humidity in the background environment positively influenced PM concentration in the transportation environment, while temperature and wind speed had negative effects. The mean values of air inhalation per time unit for males and females in each mode ranged from 9.6-26.8 L/min and 9.8-27.8 L/min, respectively. Exposure time in non-motorized transportation significantly affected PM inhalation, with walking connections and waiting in motorized transportation being the main contributing factors. The study results can be used to predict travelers' PM inhalation during completed trips and provide recommendations for choosing a healthier mode of transportation.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Civil
Meiyu (Melrose) Pan, Alyssa Ryan
Summary: In order to promote sustainable modes of transportation and reduce carbon emissions, it is important to understand how different demographic groups perceive and use active and shared transportation. This study investigated the factors influencing perceptions of barriers to public transit, micromobility, and carpool, and ranked their importance using advanced modeling techniques. The findings revealed that individuals who primarily drive are more likely to find public transit unreliable and have limited knowledge about micromobility. Women perceive public transit as less safe, uncomfortable, and inaccessible, while minority groups are less dissatisfied with public transit. This research provides valuable insights for transportation agencies to develop equitable strategies for improving and communicating active and shared transportation systems, regardless of demographic characteristics.
TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH RECORD
(2023)
Article
Environmental Studies
Leigh Ann Ganzar, Sarah S. Bentley, Deborah Salvo, Casey P. Durand, Alia Anderson, Amir Emamian, Deanna M. Hoelscher
Summary: This article presents a case study on the prioritization process of Safe Routes to School projects in Austin, Texas and provides a qualitative assessment of health equity considerations. The study found that council districts with higher funding needs tended to have a higher proportion of economically disadvantaged students, and the equal but inequitable nature of funding allocation was a major concern. The lessons learned from this process can serve as an example for incorporating equity considerations in active transportation infrastructure.
TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH PART D-TRANSPORT AND ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Ergonomics
Shamsunnahar Yasmin, Tanmoy Bhowmik, Moshiur Rahman, Naveen Eluru
Summary: Traditionally, safety researchers have used land use and urban form variables as surrogate for exposure information in non-motorized crash prediction models, but the lack of true non-motorized exposure data affects the quality of these models. This study aims to develop an integrated non-motorized demand and crash prediction framework to address this issue, and demonstrates the applicability of the framework through extensive policy scenario analysis.
ACCIDENT ANALYSIS AND PREVENTION
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Civil
Qiang Wang, Hao Jiang, Meikang Qiu, Yifeng Liu, Dongsheng Ye
Summary: With the development of intelligent transportation systems, accurate travel demand forecasting has become increasingly important. This paper proposes a graph-based deep learning framework, TGAE, to effectively capture the direction, weight, and temporal information of links in dynamic traffic networks, thus improving the accuracy of travel forecasting.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Guokai Li, Jingkuang Liu, Andrea Giordano
Summary: The location of a construction waste disposal facility is crucial for recycling construction waste effectively. This study focuses on the uncertain factors of waste supply and transportation cost and establishes a robust facility location model considering these factors. The results show that waste supply has a significant impact on the total costs of waste disposal and the location of facilities, and increasing uncertainty level parameters lead to higher total costs.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yougeng Lu
Summary: Ignoring human movement and spatiotemporal variability of air pollution can lead to differential exposure misclassification, potentially biasing health risk assessments. Workers' personal exposures were underestimated by 22% (5-61%) relative to their residence-based exposures, with those who commute >20 miles potentially experiencing the greatest underestimation of exposures. Omitting mobility resulted in underestimating exposures for residents in cleaner air areas working in more polluted areas, and overestimating exposures for residents in poorer air quality areas working in cleaner areas, creating important exposure and health disparities.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Marco Miotti, Zachary A. Needell, Rishee K. Jain
Summary: This study uses a structured regression approach to investigate the causal relationship between urban form, particularly density, and travel demand. The findings suggest that residents in the densest urban areas use significantly less energy for transportation compared to rural residents, with the availability of nearby destinations being the primary driver of this relationship. Additionally, differences in road network properties and public transit infrastructure also contribute to the density-energy use relationship.
Article
Environmental Studies
Wenwen Zhang, Ralph Buehler, Andrea Broaddus, Ted Sweeney
Summary: This study developed an e-scooter route choice model to reveal riders' preferences for different types of transportation infrastructures, finding that e-scooter riders are willing to travel longer distances to ride in certain types of roadways.
TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH PART D-TRANSPORT AND ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Regine Gerike, Caroline Koszowski, Bettina Schroeter, Ralph Buehler, Paul Schepers, Johannes Weber, Rico Wittwer, Peter Jones
Summary: Urban street design guidance has advanced in measuring space requirements for moving pedestrians, but lacks in planning pleasant street environments that encourage pedestrian movement and place activities. Improved linkage to scientific evidence could better support designers in providing safe, comfortable, and attractive street spaces that invite people to walk and stay.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Bettina Schroeter, Sebastian Hantschel, Caroline Koszowski, Ralph Buehler, Paul Schepers, Johannes Weber, Rico Wittwer, Regine Gerike
Summary: The study aims to analyze international guidance materials for cycling facilities in European countries and compare their similarities and differences. Findings suggest that countries in the early stages of promoting cycling tend to offer a wider variety of cycling infrastructures in their guidance materials than more established cycling countries. There is greater variability among countries in the criteria for selecting types of cycling facilities than in design characteristics.
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Gongbo Chen, Jiang Chen, Guang-hui Dong, Bo-yi Yang, Yisi Liu, Tianjun Lu, Pei Yu, Yuming Guo, Shanshan Li
Summary: China is facing increasing ozone pollution due to rapid economic development and urbanization. The study aimed to improve surface ozone concentration estimates using an iterative random forest model, recent ground monitoring data, and high-resolution meteorological data, achieving a higher accuracy than previous studies. The newly generated daily max 8-h average ozone data product with improved spatial resolution shows great potential in assessing the health effects of ozone pollution in both short-term and long-term studies.
SUSTAINABLE CITIES AND SOCIETY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yifan Yao, Tianjun Lu, Yisi Liu, Qiujun Qin, Jie Jiang, Hao Xiang
Summary: This study investigated the relationship between ambient PM2.5 exposure and depressive symptoms among middle-aged and elderly Chinese adults, and found a significant association between PM2.5 exposure and depressive symptoms, especially for individuals who never drink, with lower physical activity levels, or lived in western China.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Tianjun Lu, Julian D. Marshall, Wenwen Zhang, Perry Hystad, Sun-Young Kim, Matthew J. Bechle, Matthias Demuzere, Steve Hankey
Summary: This study investigates the use of microscale variables to improve prediction accuracy in air pollution models, and finds that models combining microscale and traditional predictor variables outperform traditional methods. Microscale variables have potential as suitable substitutes for traditional variables in national empirical models.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Tianjun Lu, Matthew J. Bechle, Yanyu Wan, Albert A. Presto, Steve Hankey
Summary: Integrating crowd-sourced low-cost sensor networks into land use regression (LUR) models has the potential to improve the assessment of exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5), especially in regions with limited regulatory networks internationally.
AIR QUALITY ATMOSPHERE AND HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Shouxin Peng, Tianjun Lu, Yisi Liu, Zhaoyuan Li, Feifei Liu, Jinhui Sun, Meijin Chen, Huaiji Wang, Hao Xiang
Summary: This study evaluated the association of PM2.5 and its constituents with kidney function and found significant associations between elevated blood urea nitrogen levels and PM2.5 as well as several metals and PAHs components. Superoxide dismutase was found to be positively associated with PM2.5 and mediated a portion of the association.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Tianjun Lu, Yisi Liu, Armando Garcia, Meng Wang, Yang Li, German Bravo-villasenor, Kimberly Campos, Jia Xu, Bin Han
Summary: This study used low-cost sensors and engaged community residents to develop a community-based monitoring program to assess exposure to PM2.5 in disadvantaged communities. The results showed that communities with higher proportions of Hispanic and African American populations, as well as higher rates of unemployment, poverty, and housing burden, were exposed to higher PM2.5 concentrations. Winter concentrations were significantly higher than summer concentrations. Valuable hour-of-day and day-of-week patterns were also identified among disadvantaged communities. The integration of low-cost sensors into citizen-science-based air monitoring programs has promising applications in addressing monitoring disparities, identifying hotspots, and informing emission control and urban planning policies to improve exposure assessment and promote environmental justice.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Ralph Buehler, John Pucher
Summary: This article examines the impact of COVID-19 on cycling levels and government policies toward cycling from 2019 to 2021. The study found that cycling levels generally increased during this period, primarily due to growth in recreational and exercise cycling. However, daily trips for work and education declined. The case studies of 14 cities also revealed significant increases in government support for cycling, including funding and infrastructure improvements. Measures such as expanding and enhancing bikeway networks, implementing protected cycling facilities, and restricting motor vehicle access were implemented to promote cycling.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Ralph Buehler, Andrea Broaddus, Elizabeth White, Ted Sweeney, Chris Evans
Summary: We report on the impact of mandatory e-scooter parking corrals on ridership and rider perceptions on Virginia Tech's Blacksburg campus. The introduction of parking corrals led to more negative perceptions, with riders finding them difficult to locate and use. Ridership declined significantly after the introduction of parking corrals, particularly among heavy user groups. Furthermore, our study highlights the importance of minimizing egress times for e-scooters to ensure user satisfaction.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Ralph Buehler, John Pucher
Summary: Walking is the most sustainable means of daily travel for short trip distances and is a key component of the overall transport system. This paper documents variation in walking rates among countries, cities in the same country, and in different parts of the same city. The study suggests that government policies, such as building safe walking infrastructure, designing pedestrian-friendly roadways, encouraging mixed land use and short trip distances, implementing lower speed limits and traffic calming measures, reducing parking supply and increasing parking prices, prioritizing pedestrians in traffic laws, improving traffic education, imposing tax surcharges on large personal vehicles, and strict enforcement of laws against drink and distracted driving, can increase walking rates and improve pedestrian safety.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Meng Wang, Tianjun Lu, Yang Li
Summary: This study evaluates the efficiency of a portable air cleaner (PAC) in removing indoor fine particulate matters (PM2.5) exposure under two automated operation settings: time-based mode and sensor-based mode. The results show that the PAC operated with sensor-based mode removes PM2.5 concentrations by 47% and prolongs clean air period by 23%, while the time-based mode reduces PM2.5 by 29% and increases clean air period by 13%. The sensor-based filtration identifies indoor pollution episodes that are hardly detected by personal perceptions. Therefore, our study supports the use of an automated sensor-based approach to effectively reduce indoor PM2.5 exposure.
Article
Regional & Urban Planning
Andrew Mondschein
Summary: The research examines the relationship between socioeconomic status and walking behavior, finding that middle-SES travelers walk less, while high-SES adults in urban areas prefer walking for specific trip purposes. Although there has been a broad-based increase in walking between 2001 and 2017, persistent imbalances suggest the need for a more pluralistic view of walkability.
JOURNAL OF PLANNING EDUCATION AND RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ralph Buehler, Denis Teoman, Brian Shelton
Summary: This paper compares the promotion of cycling in Washington, DC and Frankfurt, showing the success of increasing the percentage of bicycle trips in both cities. However, the incremental approach led to gaps in bike route networks. Both cities used a combination of bikeway infrastructure and soft policy measures in their bicycle promotion efforts.