none available / This thesis is concerned with the analysis of a squared-Euclidean distance location-allocation problem with balanced transportation constraints, where the costs are directly proportional to distances and the amount shipped. The problem is shown to be equivalent to maximizing a convex, quadratic function subject to transportation constraints. A branch and bound algorithm is developed that utilizes a specialized, tight, linear programming representation to compute strong upper bounds. These bounds are shown to substantially dominate several other upper bounds that are derived using standard techniques, to an extent which significantly increases the size of problems solvable within a reasonable effort. The special structure of the transportation constraints is used to derive a partitioning scheme, and this structure is further exploited via suitable logical tests which tighten the bounds implied on the transportation flows by the branching restrictions. The transportation structure is also used to generate additional cut-set inequalities based on a cycle prevention method which preserves a forest graph for any partial solution. Results of the computational experiments, and a discussion of possible extensions are also presented. / Master of Science

published_or_final_version / Urban Planning / Master / Master of Science in Urban Planning

Transportation decision makers are tasked with doing more improvements with less funding, which requires effective tools to assess and predict the outcomes of their choices. The objectives of this research are to explore customer satisfaction in various contexts, assess its application in transportation contexts and develop quantitative, empirically-based tools that improve customer satisfaction in transportation decision making. This research conducted a survey of targeted customer satisfaction practitioners and their planning products and tested the implicit assumption. The findings are significant and contrary to current theory and practice. The results support the hypothesis that the impact of negative performance is different than the impact of positive performance on customer satisfaction in a transportation context. These findings suggest that the relationship is asymmetrical and nonlinear contrary to implicit assumptions of current decision support tools like the Importance-Performance Analysis (IPA) matrix. The results also identify that transportation agencies identify quality of life and customer satisfaction as an important goal and measure for their regions. These results suggest that customer satisfaction is a tool in decision making and there is an empirical methodology to accurately assess the relationship of performance to satisfaction that can impact resource decisions in transportation. The results also suggest that customer satisfaction can be used to address issues of social equity and the broader goals of transportation plans.

published_or_final_version / Public Administration / Master / Master of Social Sciences

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning, 1980. / MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND ROTCH. / Bibliography: leaves 250-265. / by Byungho Oh. / Ph.D.

As a result of the changing needs of society since the early 20th century, approaches to transportation planning have been continually shifting from highway-focused to multimodal, an approach which takes multiple modes of transportation into consideration. This evolution has been reflected in federal transportation legislation and continues to have many implications for transportation agencies, especially state departments of transportation (DOTs). The objective of this thesis is to analyze what state DOTs have done in order to adapt to the shift. More specifically, the project focuses on the organizational and funding structures of state DOTs. First, an organizational structure analysis of all 50 state DOTs was carried out. This analysis looked at how state DOTs incorporate multiple modes of transportation into their organizational structure. Secondly, the results of a statewide multimodal planning survey, to which 35 states responded, were analyzed. The survey gauged to what extent the representative from a given state DOT thought that their agency was conducting multimodal transportation planning. It also analyzed state DOT modal responsibilities, funding options, and characteristics that influence multimodal transportation planning. Lastly, case studies were carried out for six state transportation agencies: Florida DOT, North Carolina DOT, Oregon DOT, Virginia's Transportation Secretariat, Maryland DOT, and Massachusetts DOT. These case studies focused on organizational structure, funding, and multimodal efforts. Findings from the three different aspects of this thesis support the notion that highway is still the dominant mode in statewide transportation planning in most state DOTs. However, this research also supports the idea that this situation is changing, though more rapidly in some states than in others. Though it is not evident that one type of organizational structure is better than another, states have used the reorganization of these structures as a method for adapting to multimodal transportation planning. Overall, state DOTs tend to incorporate multiple modes of transportation into their organizational structure through multimodal divisions, separate modal divisions, or a combination of both. In addition to the organizational structures, some states have also restructured their funding mechanisms in order to make funds more flexible across all modes of transportation so that they may be able to better accommodate multimodal transportation planning. Those state DOTs with transportation trust funds and separate modal programs have generally shown more initiative in embracing a more multimodal approach to transportation planning. Besides organizational and funding structures, leadership, organizational culture, and institutional issues have been recognized as factors that influence the extent of multimodal planning.

Transportation in the United States is responsible for a disproportionate amount of global greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to climate change. To address the issue, strategies that seek to mitigate transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions and adapt transportation systems to the threats of a more inhospitable climate should be developed through the transportation planning process. The transportation plans and related documentation of 60 metropolitan planning organizations, 13 domestic cities, and 27 large international cities were reviewed to ascertain if climate change considerations are being incorporated into transportation planning. The review of transportation plans revealed that climate change considerations are often not incorporated into the planning process, especially in regard to adapting transportation systems to the effects of climate change due to the inherent uncertainties in climate data and risk analysis. On the other hand, greenhouse gas mitigation is more frequently included in the planning process, when compared to climate change adaptation, because the required data collection techniques and analysis tools are better developed and already in place within many planning organizations. This research has shown that there is much room for improvement in terms of including climate change into transportation planning through a variety of recommendations presented in the body of this thesis. Many of the identified mitigation and adaptation recommendations could be worked into existing transportation planning requirements, processes, and strategies at the metropolitan and local level. However, due to the influence by federal and state governments on the planning process, completely addressing climate change through transportation systems will require these high levels of government to redefine transportation regulations and planning requirements in addition to partnering with metropolitan planning organizations and local governments to develop more reliable climate data and increase its availability.

Transportation planning has become increasingly more performance-based over the past several decades. In part due the mandate from the 2012 Federal Surface Transportation Program authorization, Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21), agencies are adopting performance-based policies and programmatic frameworks to integrate the attainment of national goals into the transportation planning and decision making process. As agencies implement performance-driven decision making as a means to achieve national goals, local goals will become subject to the same framework. Although equity is not a national goal, transportation agencies continue to recognize it within their vision and planning goals. However, it is difficult to determine what constitutes equity, and to quantify and measure it. To plan for equitable outcomes in transportation therefore, it is necessary to develop evaluation methods that support the integration of equity in planning processes. The objectives of this research are to develop recommendations for procedures to formally incorporate equity considerations in transportation planning and program evaluation and to propose methodological revisions to existing analytical processes to enable evaluation of cumulative accessibility outcomes. A literature review -- drawing from the theories of equity, Federal regulations for addressing equity in transportation, performance management, and transportation and sustainability -- and practitioner interviews were used to gather information on the common and effective practices for addressing equity in transportation planning at the regional level. This information was an input in the development of a quantitative research approach to explore methodological limitations and planning gaps related to transportation planning for equitable outcomes. These results informed the development of a comprehensive approach to analyze and characterize cumulative impacts (i.e. accessibility) regionally. The approach is used to develop recommendations for regional transportation planning to influence equitable transportation outcomes for the full range of demographic groups over time. The research contributes to the knowledge base and professional practice of transportation planning by putting forward a construction for approaching equity in transportation planning and decision making based on equity theory, developing analytical methods to evaluate transportation investments for equitable outcomes, and offering a set of recommendations for moving transportation planning practices towards transportation planning for equitable outcomes.

No description available.

Thesis (MScEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: With the increased focus on the use of innovative and state-of-the-art technology in Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS), the need for more accurate and more detailed road traffic flow data has become apparent. Data obtained from vehicle detector loops, which merely act as vehicle presence sensors, is neither reliable nor accurate enough anymore. This type of sensor poses the problem that it has to be inserted into the road surface; temporarily obstructing traffic flows, and has to be replaced after pavement reconstruction. One of the solutions to this problem is to develop a traffic surveillance system that uses video image processing. In cities where Intelligent Transport Systems are used extensively, roadways are monitored through Closed Circuit Television Cameras (CCTV) that are closely watched by traffic control centre personnel. These cameras are mounted on posts on the roadside. These cameras can serve a dual purpose, being used for both human monitoring and as inputs to Video Image Processing Systems. In this study some of the digital image processing techniques that could be used in a traffic surveillance system were investigated. This report leads the reader through the various steps in the processing of a scene by a traffic surveillance system based on feature tracking, and discusses the pitfalls and problems that are experienced. The tracker was tested using three image sequences and the results are presented in the final chapter of this report. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Met die toenemende fokus op die gebruik van innoverende oplossings en gevorderde tegnologie in Intelligente Vervoerstelsels, het die noodsaaklikheid van akkurater en meer gedetailleerde padverkeer vloeidata duidelik geword. Data wat verkry word d.m.v. voertuig deteksie lusse, wat alleenlik voertuig teenwoordigheid/afwesigheid meet, is nie meer akkuraat of betroubaar genoeg nie. Hierdie tipe sensors het egter die nadeel dat dit in die plaveisel ingesny moet word, dus vloei tydelik kan belemmer, en moet vervang word elke keer as plaveisel rekonstruksie gedoen word. Een van die oplossings vir hierdie probleem is om 'n verkeers waarnemingstelsel te ontwikkel wat van videobeeldverwerking gebruik maak. In stede waar van uitgebreide intelligente verkeerstelsels gebruik gemaak word, word paaie gemonitor d.m.v. geslote baan televisiekameras wat op pale langs die paaie aangebring is. Personeellede van die verkeers beheer sentrum hou dan die inkomende televisiebeelde dop. Hierdie kameras kan 'n dubelle rol vervul deurdat dit vir beide menslike waarneming en as invoer in 'n video-beeldverwerking stelsel gebruik kan word. In hierdie studie was verskeie digitale beeldverwerking tegnieke wat gebruik kan word in 'n verkeers waarnemingstelsel ondersoek. Hierdie verslag lei die leser deur die verskeie stappe in die verwerking van 'n toneel deur 'n verkeers waarneming stelsel wat gebaseer is op die volg van kenmerke. Die verslag beskryf ook die slaggate en probleme wat ondervind word. Die voertuig volger was getoets deur van drie reekse beelde gebruik te maak en die resultate word weergegee in die finale hoodfstuk van hierdie verslag.