Economics and Finance

An Evaluation of the Accessibility Benefits of Commuter Rail in Eastern Massachusetts Using Spatial Hedonic Price Functions

Armstrong, RJ
Rodriguez, Daniel
2006

We estimate spatial hedonic price functions to examine local and regional accessibility benefits of commuter rail service in Eastern Massachusetts, while controlling for proximity-related negative externalities and other confounding influences. The data include 1,860 single-family residential properties from four municipalities with commuter rail service, and three municipalities without commuter rail service. We find some evidence of the capitalization of accessibility to commuter rail stations. Two model specifications suggest that properties located in municipalities with commuter...

A Research Roadmap for Transportation and Public Health

Sandt, LS
West, A
Johnson, S
Brookshire, K
Evenson, K
Blackburn, L
Peach, K
Tartala, M
Ricklin, A
Shah, S
Rodriguez, Daniel
Coburn, J
2019

Develop a holistic and strategic research roadmap–Identify evidence to support practical and useful information, and implementable tools, for state DOTs and partners.

Assessment of Traffic Simulation Models : Final Report

Alexander Skabardonis
University of California, Berkeley
Washington State Department of Transportation
1999

This report describes a study which focused on the selection and application of traffic simulation models. The models were evaluated for: capabilities and features, input data requirements, output options, relationship with traditional planning and operational analysis tools, and modeling effort and costs.

Fuel-Efficient Traffic Signal Management. Three Years of Experience 1983-85

Deakin, E A
Alexander Skabardonis
University of California, Berkeley
California Energy Commission
California Department of Transportation
1985

Nearly one-fifth of California's annual petroleum consumption occurs on streets controlled by traffic signals. This report presents results from three years of a statewide initiative to retime those signals to produce more energy-efficient traffic flow: the Fuel-Efficient Traffic Signal Management (FETSIM) Program. To date, sixty-one cities and one county have retimed a total of 3,172 signals under grants from the FETSIM Program. Improved timings have reduced vehicular delays by over 15 percent in project areas, and stops have been decreased by 16 percent, resulting in smoother traffic...

Traffic Analysis Toolbox Volume II: Decision Support Methodology for Selecting Traffic Analysis Tools

Jeannotte, Krista
Chandra, Andre
Alexiadis, Vassili
Alexander Skabardonis
Cambridge Systematics Incorporated
Federal Highway Administration
2004

This report provides an overview of the role of traffic analysis tools in the transportation analysis process and provides a detailed decision support methodology for selecting the appropriate type of analysis tool for the job at hand. An introduction to the role of traffic analysis tools and tool categories is provided. A set of criteria for selecting the appropriate type of traffic analysis tool is described in detail and each tool category is scored as to its relevance to the criteria. The criteria include the analysis context, study area, facility type, travel mode, management strategy...

Sustainable Transportation Energy Pathways, (STEPs) [Project]

Alexander Skabardonis
2007

Need to develop theory, tools, and methods that allow for self-consistent and transparent comparisons of promising alternative energy and vehicle pathways (hydrogen, biofuels, electricity, and fossil fuels). Also, to inform the public debate and to assist our public and private sponsors on sustainable transportation alternatives.

Bay Bridge Toll Evaluation: Final Report

Deakin, Elizabeth
Frick, Karen Trapenberg
Cervero, Robert
Alexander Skabardonis
Barnes, Ian
Kingsley, Karla
Rubin, James
Murakami, Jin
Amaro, Javier
Jensen, Erik
2011

On July 1, 2010, the Bay Area Toll Authority (BATA) raised the tolls on the seven state‐ owned bridges in the San Francisco Bay Area. For six of the bridges, a flat $5 toll was implemented for passenger vehicles with a 50% discount ($2.50 toll) for peak‐period 3+ person carpools, which had previously crossed the bridges free of charge. On the San Francisco‐ Oakland Bay Bridge, a more complex toll structure was put into place. The toll was increased to $6 during weekday peak periods (5‐10 a.m. and 3‐7 p.m.), and the off‐peak weekday toll was left unchanged at $4. The peak period 3+ person...

California’s Freeway Service Patrol Program Management: Information System Annual Report Fiscal Year 2003-04

Mauch, Michael
Alexander Skabardonis
University of California, Berkeley
California Department of Transportation
2011

The Freeway Service Patrol (FSP) is an incident management program implemented by Caltrans, the California Highway Patrol and local partner agencies to quickly detect and assist disabled vehicles and reduce non-recurring congestion along the freeway during peak commute hours. The first FSP program was piloted in Los Angeles, and was later expanded to other regions by state legislation in 1991. As of June 2004, there were ten participating FSP Programs operating in California, deploying over 315 tow trucks and covering over 1,500 (center-line) miles of congested California freeways. The...

Impact of Peak and Off-Peak Tolls on Traffic in San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge Corridor in California

Barnes, Ian C.
Frick, Karen Trapenberg
Deakin, Elizabeth
Alexander Skabardonis
2012

The San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge is located in the heart of the San Francisco Bay Area in California and connects two of the largest cities in northern California over San Francisco Bay. In July 2010, the Bay Area Toll Authority (BATA) increased tolls on the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge from a flat toll collected westbound only to weekday peak and off-peak tolls. BATA also instituted a carpool toll of $2.50 (previously carpools crossed for free) payable by FasTrak electronic toll collection tag only. With floating-car data provided by BATA, the change in travel time for the I-80, I...

Analytical Procedures for Determining the Impacts of Reliability Mitigation Strategies

Margiotta, Richard
Lomax, Tim
Hallenbeck, Mark
Dowling, Rick
Alexander Skabardonis
Turner, Shawn
2012

Basic reliability issues are addressed in this study, which is not concerned with average travel times, but rather ways of describing travel times that reflect the uncertainty in the amount of time required to travel between two points. Some of the uncertainty is systematic, such as the normal ebb and flow of traffic within the course of a work day or season of the year. Congestion associated with this systematic uncertainty is called recurrent. Congestion due to unpredictable or unexpected events is called nonrecurrent. If every travel time observed over a highway section for a year is...