scholarly journals Security and Safety of Rail Transit Tunnels

2019 ◽  
Vol 2673 (1) ◽  
pp. 92-101 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna M. Rakoczy ◽  
Stephen T. Wilk ◽  
MaryClara Jones
Keyword(s):  
Public Transportation ◽  
Gap Analysis ◽  
Fire Detection ◽  
The United States ◽  
South Florida ◽  
Rail Transit ◽  
Research Areas ◽  
Tunnel Design ◽  
Transportation Research ◽  
Industry Needs

Transportation Technology Center, Inc., with support from the Center for Urban Transportation Research at the University of South Florida, was tasked by the FTA to research areas of transit safety risk, identify existing specifications and guidelines for rail transit tunnel design, construction, maintenance, and rehabilitation, and perform a gap analysis to establish the need for additional standards, guidance, or recommended practices to support and further the safe operation of the United States’ public transportation industry. This paper presents industry needs with a focus on security and safety that were identified by reviewing past tunnel incidents and related literature. The compilation of past tunnel incidents includes available reports published by the National Transportation Safety Board and other U.S. and European agencies. These reports generally involve rare but high-risk events such as fires and flooding, and emphasize public safety. A summary of needs obtained through a literature review emphasizes the need for continually updated specifications and best practices. The industry needs findings include the need for working fire detection, ventilation, and emergency egress along with coordinated emergency response plans that can be utilized by trained personnel.

Creating Intelligent, Coordinated Transit

2005 ◽  
Vol 1927 (1) ◽  
pp. 138-148
Author(s):  
Judith M. Espinosa ◽  
Eric F. Holm ◽  
Mary E. White
Keyword(s):  
New Mexico ◽  
Rural Communities ◽  
Smart Card ◽  
Public Transportation ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
The United States ◽  
Automatic Generation ◽  
Client Referral ◽  
Transportation Research ◽  
Contactless Smart Card

New Mexico is among the first states in the United States to develop, implement, and deploy contactless, smart card technology in a rural area. The Alliance for Transportation Research Institute, working with the New Mexico Department of Transportation's Public Transportation Programs Bureau, developed the Intelligent, Coordinated Transit (ICTransit) smart card technology and the Client, Referral, Ridership, and Financial Tracking (CRRAFT) software. The U.S. Department of Transportation's FTA–FHWA Joint Program Office provided federal funding for the project. The ICTransit smart card functions as a universal use electronic fare card, enabling passengers to transfer between transit providers to access jobs, education, and health care beyond their local rural communities. ICTransit's Global Positioning System receiver and Pocket PC capture the time and location that passengers board and exit the vehicle and the passenger miles traveled on the vehicle. The CRRAFT software system for express scheduling, automatic generation of monthly financial reports, and onboard tracking of ridership provides increased efficiency in rural areas. The ICTransit system with CRRAFT can overcome barriers to coordinated interagency transportation and provide increased access and mobility to all, but especially to those underserved by public transportation. ICTransit with CRRAFT can empower states to build coordinated transportation networks that provide safe and seamless movement of people and enhance the quality of life.

TCRP A-40 Manual to Improve Rail Transit Safety at Platform/Train Interfaces: Summary of Platform-Train Interface Incidents

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dylan Anderson ◽  
Kate Hunter-Zaworski
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Public Transportation ◽  
The United States ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
Rail Transit ◽  
Key Factors ◽  
Cooperative Research ◽  
Safety Studies ◽  
Transit Agencies ◽  
Cooperative Research Program

The overall goal of the project is to develop a manual for the Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) that will allow practitioners to improve safety at rail public transportation platform/train and platform/guideway interfaces. Specific objectives include expanding upon previous safety studies and providing recommendations for mitigation strategies. Key factors that affect safety in relation to the platform-vehicle interface (PTI) have been identified through data collection. For the purpose of this study PTI refers to incidents related to the interface between the train and platform also known as gap incidents. Factors were analyzed to determine appropriate measures that would allow transit agencies to both prevent and minimize consequences of these incidents. This paper focuses primarily on platform vehicle interface incident data that were collected from four large transit operators in the United States.

Ethnohistory's Ethnohistory

2010 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 113-128
Author(s):  
Michael E. Harkin
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Theoretical Orientation ◽  
Historical Analysis ◽  
The United States ◽  
Ethnographic Research ◽  
European Contact ◽  
Documentary Sources ◽  
Research Areas ◽  
Foundational Work

This article examines the first decades of the field of ethnohistory as it developed in the United States. It participated in the general rapprochement between history and anthropology of mid-twentieth-century social science. However, unlike parallel developments in Europe and in other research areas, ethnohistory specifically arose out of the study of American Indian communities in the era of the Indian Claims Commission. Thus ethnohistory developed from a pragmatic rather than a theoretical orientation, with practitioners testifying both in favor of and against claims. Methodology was flexible, with both documentary sources and ethnographic methods employed to the degree that each was feasible. One way that ethnohistory was innovative was the degree to which women played prominent roles in its development. By the end of the first decade, the field was becoming broader and more willing to engage both theoretical and ethical issues raised by the foundational work. In particular, the geographic scope began to reach well beyond North America, especially to Latin America, where archival resources and the opportunities for ethnographic research were plentiful, but also to areas such as Melanesia, where recent European contact allowed researchers to observe the early postcontact period directly and to address the associated theoretical questions with greater authority. Ethnohistory is thus an important example of a field of study that grew organically without an overarching figure or conscious plan but that nevertheless came to engage central issues in cultural and historical analysis.

Acoustic Modeling of Meteorological Effects on Roadway Noise

2021 ◽  
pp. 036119812199458
Author(s):  
Roger L. Wayson ◽  
Kenneth Kaliski
Keyword(s):  
Road Traffic ◽  
Traffic Noise ◽  
Model Development ◽  
The United States ◽  
Noise Model ◽  
Road Traffic Noise ◽  
Atmospheric Conditions ◽  
Noise Propagation ◽  
Transportation Research ◽  
Meteorological Effects

Modeling road traffic noise levels without including the effects of meteorology may lead to substantial errors. In the United States, the required model is the Traffic Noise Model which does not include meteorology effects caused by refraction. In response, the Transportation Research Board sponsored NCHRP 25-52, Meteorological Effects on Roadway Noise, to collect highway noise data under different meteorological conditions, document the meteorological effects on roadway noise propagation under different atmospheric conditions, develop best practices, and provide guidance on how to: (a) quantify meteorological effects on roadway noise propagation; and (b) explain those effects to the public. The completed project at 16 barrier and no-barrier measurement positions adjacent to Interstate 17 (I-17) in Phoenix, Arizona provided the database which has enabled substantial developments in modeling. This report provides more recent information on the model development that can be directly applied by the noise analyst to include meteorological effects from simple look-up tables to more precise use of statistical equations.

scholarly journals Planning for the First and Last Mile: A Review of Practices at Selected Transit Agencies in the United States

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 2222
Author(s):  
Hossain Mohiuddin
Keyword(s):  
Los Angeles ◽  
Gap Analysis ◽  
The United States ◽  
Design Guidelines ◽  
Plan Implementation ◽  
Marginalized Communities ◽  
Transit Ridership ◽  
Last Mile ◽  
Transit Agencies

A transit trip involves travel to and from transit stops or stations. The quality of what are commonly known as first and last mile connections (regardless of their length) can have an important impact on transit ridership. Transit agencies throughout the world are developing innovative approaches to improving first and last mile connections, for example, by partnering with ride-hailing and other emerging mobility services. A small but growing number of transit agencies in the U.S. have adopted first and last mile (FLM) plans with the goal of increasing ridership. As this is a relatively new practice by transit agencies, a review of these plans can inform other transit agencies and assist them in preparing their own. Four FLM plans were selected from diverse geographic contexts for review: Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LA Metro), Riverside (CA) Transit Agency (RTA), and Denver Regional Transit District (RTD), and City of Richmond, CA. Based on the literature, we developed a framework with an emphasis on transportation equity to examine these plans. We identified five common approaches to addressing the FLM issue: spatial gap analysis with a focus on socio-demographics and locational characteristics, incorporation of emerging mobility services, innovative funding approaches for plan implementation, equity and transportation remedies for marginalized communities, and development of pedestrian and bicycle infrastructures surrounding transit stations. Strategies in three of the plans are aligned with regional goals for emissions reductions. LA Metro and Riverside Transit incorporate detailed design guidelines for the improvement of transit stations. As these plans are still relatively new, it will take time to evaluate their impact on ridership and their communities’ overall transit experience.

scholarly journals Impact of Extreme Weather on Healthcare Utilization by People with HIV in Metropolitan Miami

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 2442
Author(s):  
Daniel Samano ◽  
Shubhayu Saha ◽  
Taylor Corbin Kot ◽  
JoNell E. Potter ◽  
Lunthita M. Duthely
Keyword(s):  
Relative Risk ◽  
The United States ◽  
Extreme Weather ◽  
South Florida ◽  
Heat Index ◽  
Extreme Weather Events ◽  
Weather Data ◽  
Steady Increase ◽  
Daily Weather Data ◽  
The Impact

Extreme weather events (EWE) are expected to increase as climate change intensifies, leaving coastal regions exposed to higher risks. South Florida has the highest HIV infection rate in the United States, and disruptions in clinic utilization due to extreme weather conditions could affect adherence to treatment and increase community transmission. The objective of this study was to identify the association between EWE and HIV-clinic attendance rates at a large academic medical system serving the Miami-Dade communities. The following methods were utilized: (1) Extreme heat index (EHI) and extreme precipitation (EP) were identified using daily observations from 1990–2019 that were collected at the Miami International Airport weather station located 3.6 miles from the studied HIV clinics. Data on hurricanes, coastal storms and flooding were collected from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Storms Database (NOAA) for Miami-Dade County. (2) An all-HIV clinic registry identified scheduled daily visits during the study period (hurricane seasons from 2017–2019). (3) Daily weather data were linked to the all-HIV clinic registry, where patients’ ‘no-show’ status was the variable of interest. (4) A time-stratified, case crossover model was used to estimate the relative risk of no-show on days with a high heat index, precipitation, and/or an extreme natural event. A total of 26,444 scheduled visits were analyzed during the 383-day study period. A steady increase in the relative risk of ‘no-show’ was observed in successive categories, with a 14% increase observed on days when the heat index was extreme compared to days with a relatively low EHI, 13% on days with EP compared to days with no EP, and 10% higher on days with a reported extreme weather event compared to days without such incident. This study represents a novel approach to improving local understanding of the impacts of EWE on the HIV-population’s utilization of healthcare, particularly when the frequency and intensity of EWE is expected to increase and disproportionately affect vulnerable populations. More studies are needed to understand the impact of EWE on routine outpatient settings.

A Bibliometric Analysis of the Top 100 Cited Papers in Retinal Detachment

2021 ◽  
pp. 247412642110073
Author(s):  
Masumi George Asahi ◽  
Haig Pakhchanian ◽  
Christine Doepker ◽  
Rahul Raiker ◽  
Ron P. Gallemore
Keyword(s):  
Retinal Detachment ◽  
Bibliometric Analysis ◽  
Pigment Epithelium ◽  
Retinal Pigment ◽  
Microscopic Analysis ◽  
The United States ◽  
Electron Microscopic ◽  
Research Areas ◽  
Science Index ◽  
Funding Agencies

Purpose: This work aimed to identify and analyze the most frequently cited articles in retinal detachment (RD). Methods: Institute for Scientific Information’s Web of Science index (Thomas Scientific) was used to identify the top 100 most cited articles on RD between 1900 and 2019. Data from the top 100 most cited articles that met inclusion criteria were analyzed based on title, citation frequency, authorship, institution, journal, year of publication, and country of origin. Results: The top 100 articles in RD were cited 88 to 480 times. Steven K. Fisher was the most cited individual, with the University of California system being the most cited organization. Sixty-four percent of the top 100 articles originated from the United States and were published in the American Journal of Ophthalmology, Ophthalmology, and Archives of Ophthalmology at frequencies of 36%, 24%, and 11%, respectively. The top funding agencies included the US Department of Health and Human Services, the National Institutes of Health, and the National Eye Institute at 29%, 28%, and 27%, respectively. The top-cited article, which assessed the role of the retinal pigment epithelium by histologic and electron microscopic analysis of RDs in eyes of owl monkeys, was by Machemer and Laqua in the American Journal of Ophthalmology. Conclusions: This bibliometric analysis provides researchers and clinicians with a detailed overview of the most cited manuscripts in RD. Such analyses may guide researchers and funding agencies on important research areas in the field.

Getting to Work and Other Places the Poor Have to Go

2000 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 10-13
Author(s):  
Beverly Ward ◽  
Rosemary Mathias
Keyword(s):  
Public Transportation ◽  
State Level ◽  
Work Force ◽  
Welfare Recipients ◽  
Welfare To Work ◽  
Major Barrier ◽  
Job Opportunities ◽  
Board Of Regents ◽  
Care Training ◽  
Transportation Research

Lack of reliable transportation is a major barrier to linking current welfare recipients with job opportunities. Both private vehicles and public transportation play key roles in accessing jobs. Local investments in public transportation vary significantly from area to area, resulting in disparities of what level of investment is required to ensure that adequate transportation is available for those who need it. Even in communities well-served by public transportation, current services may be inadequate for providing transportation for former welfare recipients joining the work force, especially when work transportation is linked to the need to access child care, training, education, and other services. Based on extensive work carried out by anthropologists at the USF Center for Urban Transportation Research, this presentation covers two main issues: (1) an overview of the Florida WAGES program and of efforts pertaining to welfare to work and access to jobs in other states; (2) the extent to which WAGES and public transportation programs are integrated and coordinated at the local and state level in Florida. The research was funded from the Center's base operating funds provided by the Florida Board of Regents.

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