Master of Science / Department of Civil Engineering / Sunanda Dissanayake / Rapid increases are estimated in the percentage of elderly among the U.S. population starting in 2010. A majority of the older Americans depend on automobiles to meet their transportation needs either because of lack of public transportation or by choice. Ninety percent of total trips made by the elderly are by personal vehicle and seventy percent of this number involves the elderly driving the vehicles. However due to the aging process, older drivers experience a natural decline in sensory, cognitive, and other mental and physical capabilities as compared to younger drivers. This situation, combined with an imperfect highway infrastructure is making older drivers one of the most critical groups in terms of highway safety, thus demanding safer driving conditions. Safety concern for older drivers arises when the fatality rate per mile driven is considered, as exposure is one of the crucial factors contributing to increased fatality risk of older drivers. Hence, exposure reported in Billion Vehicle Miles Traveled (BVMT) was considered for this study. Crash data and exposure data were used to compute the fatality rates. Sources for this data are the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) and National Household Travel Survey (NHTS). A basic characteristics study was completed to compare the fatality risk of younger (16-24 yrs), middle-aged (25-64 yrs), and older drivers (65+ yrs). Crash details were screened to study the characteristics of older drivers involved in fatal crashes. Risk for older drivers due to other involved drivers of all ages divided into groups was studied to understand their distribution. A number of statistical methods like the chi-square test of independence, odds ratio and double paired comparison estimates were applied to study contributing factors of older driver’s increased fatal crash involvement. Results from the characteristics study for the elderly indicate that a majority of fatal crashes occur under daylight conditions with relatively higher seatbelt usage and non-alcoholic driving on straight level roads, which are generally considered as safer driving conditions. Other factors studied include vehicle-related variables like body type; manner of collision; roadway-related variables like roadway function class, month of the crash, and day of the week; and driver-related variables like race. Roadway functional class, vehicle body type, travel speed, number of drunk drivers, and the month in which the fatality occurred were found to have strong correlation with age of the older driver. Results from paired comparisons were used to estimate the fatality risk of older occupants as drivers and passengers under two different conditions considered simultaneously. Older drivers were found to have more fatality risk compared to older passengers. Recommended measures are also discussed to enhance older driver safety in the U.S.

Master of Regional and Community Planning / Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional and Community Planning / Larry L. Lawhon / Affordable housing is an important component of Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) because it provides lower income households the option to live an automobile-free lifestyle. A TOD, for this research, can be defined as a development located next to a transit line which provides small-scaled amenities and pedestrian activities. It also integrates a mix of uses, such as residential, retail, and public uses. This report focuses on the residential portion of TOD by identifying the importance of affordable housing in Transit-Oriented Development. In order to explore affordable housing in TOD, a case study was conducted of an existing TOD in the Denver metropolitan region. This TOD, known as the CityCenter Englewood TOD, is specifically located in Englewood, Colorado. This report explores the policy decisions that Englewood made when deciding not to integrate affordable housing provisions into the development. The affordable housing situation in Englewood is rather complicated. A review of census data suggests that affordable housing is needed in the community, while community officials state that Englewood is contextually affordable compared to the Denver metropolitan region. The conclusion of this report identifies the characteristics of the Englewood community that portray little tangible need for additional affordable housing units in the year 2010. However, according to the “Best Practices” Study of this report, other TOD communities do show various levels of tangible need for a mixed-income environment.

Master of Agribusiness / Department of Agricultural Economics / Allen M. Featherstone / As the U.S. economy has changed, the use of diesel vehicles has increased. With this increase, has come an increase in the demand of highly trained technicians to work on those vehicles. North Arkansas College of Harrison, AR is looking for opportunities to keep its program offerings current with the educational demands of its potential students. During the last few years, North Arkansas College has received requests to start a diesel vehicle maintenance program. This thesis analyzes the feasibility of a diesel vehicle maintenance program at North Arkansas College. To determine the feasibility of such a program, all major aspects of the potential program must be considered and analyzed. The key questions addressed are: what is the interest level in the community for a diesel vehicle maintenance program, what are the major capital costs of starting the program, what would the potential operating budget resemble, and how would the program fit into the current field of area diesel maintenance programs? To study the feasibility of a potential diesel vehicle maintenance program at North Arkansas College, four steps were completed. First, a survey was developed that measured the interest from potential students, prospective employers, and interested community members from the potential market of North Arkansas College. Second, research was done to understand how a potential diesel vehicle maintenance program would fit into the current marketplace of established diesel maintenance programs. This was done by researching and comparing area programs to the type of programs that North Arkansas College offers and the possible model of a potential diesel vehicle maintenance program. Next, research was conducted to estimate the capital costs of starting a diesel vehicle maintenance program, as well as the potential operating budget. This was done by developing blueprints of a potential floor plan, a building to house the program, and the potential areas of study in the program. Based on these blueprints, actual bids and estimates were collected to calculate potential capital and operating costs. Finally, analysis was conducted to determine if the outcomes of a potential diesel vehicle maintenance program would fulfill the mission of North Arkansas College. The analysis of the feasibility of a diesel vehicle maintenance program at North Arkansas College reveals that there is interest from all three parts of the community in starting a diesel vehicle maintenance program. The research also revealed that the program would be a fit in the marketplace if it was an affordable, three semester program that covered the basics of the diesel powered vehicle. Also, research of the potential costs and revenues of the program reveals that the program would be sustainable. Finally, a diesel vehicle maintenance program would have much synergy with the current programs already offered at North Arkansas College. In the end, the results suggest that it is worthwhile to move forward towards starting a diesel vehicle maintenance program.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Industrial & Manufacturing Systems Engineering / Malgorzata J. Rys / Centerline rumble strips (CLRS) are effective in preventing cross-over crashes and are promoted in the United States (U.S.) as a low-cost safety measure. However, there may be negative issues and/or concerns that question their use under certain road conditions. This dissertation is the result of studying these issues and concerns to provide guidance to policy makers on future installations of CLRS, based on current good practices and on the results of specific investigations of exterior noise, safety effectiveness, economics, and drivers’ behavior, including their interaction with shoulders and shoulder rumble strips (SRS). From a survey conducted, good practices in the U.S. were summarized. From a before-and-after study of CLRS safety effectiveness, results showed that total correctable crashes were reduced by 29.21%. Crashes involving fatalities and injuries were reduced by 34.05%. Cross-over crashes were reduced by 67.19%, and run-off-the-road crashes were reduced by 19.19%. Both Naïve and Empirical Bayes methods were applied and showed statistically similar results. There was no statistical difference between football shaped and rectangular shaped CLRS. From the external noise study performed, it was found that external noise depends on vehicle speed, type of vehicle, and distance. Both football and rectangular CLRS substantially increased the levels of external noise at distances up to 45 m (150 ft). Therefore, before installing CLRS, the distance from houses or businesses should be considered. A distance of 60 m (200 ft) was recommended as the limit of the potential exterior noise problem area. From a study of drivers’ behavior, the analyzed configurations of rumble strips and shoulder width levels affected vehicular lateral position and speed levels, although speed deviations were not practically significant. The study of safety performance function models provided technical and economical recommendations for installation of CLRS. Overall, this study recommends the installation of CLRS on rural, two-lane, undivided rural roads in Kansas. Both patterns, rectangular and football, currently installed in Kansas have provided crash reductions, which have been reflected in economic benefits for society. Shoulder width and traffic volume should be considered as crash predictors for enhancement of the benefits. Guidelines were recommended for future better applications of CLRS.

Master of Agribusiness / Department of Agricultural Economics / Christine Wilson / The objective of this thesis is to examine the opportunity cost, both financial and efficiency, of inbound railcars of wheat that are not optimally loaded and shipped to ConAgra Mills’ facilities. In performing an analysis of data showing actual versus optimal weights, a cost will be assigned to determine how much “dead freight” or extra freight is being paid to railroads for space not utilized. Throughout the analysis, it can be determined which shippers are lacking efficiencies in loading as well as those who are meeting ConAgra Mills’ expectations. To accomplish this objective, data were extracted from various sources for an entire fiscal year and 22,351 data observations were analyzed. The information was specific to both individual railcars as well as the shipments as a whole. These data points were analyzed in two ways, financial and capacity/efficiency. Financially, a cost was assigned to each railcar that was under the railcar’s goal weight. From a capacity perspective, railcars were analyzed on a shipment basis to indicate if equipment could be saved by more efficient loading. The study determined that savings could be found in every situation analyzed. It was determined that in addition to inbound shipments from outside shippers, inter-mill shipments between ConAgra Mills facilities were affected by loading inefficiencies. There could be an opportunity for further analysis to determine the full scope of savings beyond the limitations of this study. The main limitation of this thesis was the primary source of data.

Master of Regional and Community Planning / Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional and Community Planning / Jason Brody / The design of a transit-oriented development (TOD) is a major concern with regards to its functionality and prospects for success. The Truman Sports Complex in Kansas City, Missouri, home of two professional sports venues, has a unique location on a proposed transit corridor, the Rock Island. This corridor is planned to run between downtown Kansas City and suburban Lee's Summit. Therefore, the Truman Sports Complex site is a natural choice for a TOD. Building a TOD at the Truman Sports Complex will create a focal point on the Rock Island Corridor that connects Arrowhead and Kauffman Stadiums to downtown Kansas City and Lee's Summit via a regional transit system; bring together a diverse population through the creation of a walkable, mixed-use center located adjacent to the regionally known cultural institutions; and encourage new development around the junction of Interstates 70 and 435, a major transportation node in Kansas City, Missouri. This study, focusing on the design of such a project on this specific site, employs an extensive site analysis informing conceptual and specific planning ideas. It draws from a large body of literature and precedents, incorporating well established elements and principles into a new development that is both unprecedented in the Kansas City region and unique among TODs and sports-related districts. The main findings reveal the desirability of a strategy to develop on the existing parking surface of the Truman Sports Complex and reroute the Rock Island Corridor through the middle of the site so that it passes between the two stadiums. The final plan incorporates a mixed-use program, with retail, entertainment, offices, and apartments, into a variety of building types, including garden apartment buildings, low- to mid-rise mixed-use buildings, and high-rise towers, placed throughout the site in a compact, walkable grid pattern of streets. The significance of this project is that it can inform the Mid-America Regional Council, the Jackson County Sports Complex Authority, and other relevant stakeholders about the potential for developing on this site, and it demonstrates that a mixed-use, pedestrian-friendly, large-scale transit-oriented development with a wide variety of program is both viable and desirable at the Truman Sports Complex.

Master of Regional and Community Planning / Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional and Community Planning / Jason Brody / Transit-Oriented Developments (TODs) are an unprecedented typology in the Kansas City region, which predominately exhibits automobile-oriented development characteristics. The Truman Sports Complex in Kansas City, Missouri, home of two professional sports venues, has a unique location on a proposed transit corridor, the Rock Island, planned to run between downtown Kansas City and suburban Lee's Summit. Therefore, the site is a natural choice for a TOD. Building a TOD at the Truman Sports Complex will create a focal point on the Rock Island Corridor that connects Arrowhead and Kauffman Stadiums to downtown Kansas City and Lee's Summit via a regional transit system; bring together a diverse population through the creation of a walkable, mixed-use center located adjacent to the regionally known cultural institutions; and encourage new development around the junction of Interstates 70 and 435, a major transportation node in Kansas City, Missouri. This study employs extensive regional, market, and transportation analyses to inform specific planning and programming ideas. It draws from a large body of literature and precedents, incorporating well established elements and principles into a new development that is unique among TODs and sports-related districts. The project’s findings reveal that retail, multi-family housing, and office development at the Truman Sports Complex, supported by rail transit and strong tenants, would fill a void in regional business and population density close to downtown, and have the potential to be economically viable as a regional center through 2040. This research has also shown that in order to achieve the adequate density for pedestrian vitality on the site, high-rise development with limited single-family options is necessary. And perhaps the most important finding is that the rail line should be rerouted through the center of the site if Transit-Oriented Development at the Truman Sports Complex is pursued, in order to maximize the pedestrian-accessibility of land suitable to development and ensure that activity is concentrated around the stadiums. Overall, the significance of this project is that it can inform the Mid-America Regional Council, the Jackson County Sports Complex Authority, and other relevant stakeholders about the potential for developing on this site, and it demonstrates that a mixed-use, pedestrian-friendly, large-scale transit-oriented development with a wide variety of program is both viable and desirable at the Truman Sports Complex.

Interest in school transportation has emerged in response to concern over the reduced levels of physical activity among children and youth. Recent Canadian policies emphasize population health intervention to encourage active travel among this younger population; urban planners and public health professionals have also highlighted the importance of the neighbourhood built environment. However, this “child-youth friendly” turn in policy and planning practice, particularly in Canada, has arguably occurred in advance of conclusive and generalizable knowledge about the relationship between the built environment and children’s travel. Within this context, this thesis is the first quantitative research that examines school transportation mode choice behaviour in the largest Canadian city, the City of Toronto. At first, a Behavioural Model of School Transportation was outlined. This exercise was followed by three empirical studies that explored school travel by children and youth, using travel data from Transportation Tomorrow Survey. The first of these three studies investigated the association between the built environment and the likelihood of walking or being driven, for journeys to and from school. The next study focused on a measurement issue; the potential influence of the modifiable areal unit problem on statistical modelling of the built environment - mode choice relationship was examined. Lastly, the potential influence of travel interactions among household members, the built environment, and unobservable spatial dependency (i.e., spatial auto-correlation), on school travel outcome of children and youth, were examined. The results indicated that caregiver availability may influence travel mode choice. The built environment near both home and school locations was associated with the likelihood of walking. In addition, the correlates of mode choice were different between children and youth, which perhaps, reflects a child’s cognitive development with age as an independent traveller. These findings suggest the need for neighbourhood-wide improvement in the built environment, and age-specific population health interventions at schools and in the communities.

A regional planning model is designed to facilitate coordinated land use and transportation planning, yet have a sufficiently simple structure to enable quick scenario turnaround. The model, TransPLUM, is built on two existing commercial software products: the Population and Land Use Model (PLUM); and a four-stage travel model implemented in a standard software package. Upon creating scenarios users are able to examine a host of results (zonal densities, origin-destination trip flows and travel times by mode, network link flows, etc) which may prompt modification of a reference land use plan and/or network plan. A zonal density-accessibility ratio is described: an index which identifies the relative utilization of a zone and which could serve as a coordinating feedback mechanism. The model was implemented for a pilot study area – the Winnipeg Capital Region. Development of a baseline scenario is discussed.

A regional planning model is designed to facilitate coordinated land use and transportation planning, yet have a sufficiently simple structure to enable quick scenario turnaround. The model, TransPLUM, is built on two existing commercial software products: the Population and Land Use Model (PLUM); and a four-stage travel model implemented in a standard software package. Upon creating scenarios users are able to examine a host of results (zonal densities, origin-destination trip flows and travel times by mode, network link flows, etc) which may prompt modification of a reference land use plan and/or network plan. A zonal density-accessibility ratio is described: an index which identifies the relative utilization of a zone and which could serve as a coordinating feedback mechanism. The model was implemented for a pilot study area – the Winnipeg Capital Region. Development of a baseline scenario is discussed.