This article was originally published in Catalyst, May 2022.
In Minnesota, trucking produces about 13 percent of the total pollutants in the state. Moreover, a 2019 EPA report identified the transportation sector as the source of the highest share of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States, a problem compounded by the fact that this pollution is more concentrated in urban areas.
Continue reading Researcher Charts Path for Greater use of Electric Freight Vehicles in MinnesotaThis article was originally published in Catalyst, May 2022.
Photos and stories about people biking and walking on packed trails were common during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Transportation researchers also reported surges in bicycling and walking during this time of social restrictions and widespread closures, but little was known about how those surges related to longer-term trends.
Continue reading How Did COVID Impact Biking and Walking in Minnesota? Trail Data Holds Answers, Say U of M ResearchersThis article was originally published in Catalyst, May 2022.
Displaying the highway death toll on message boards is a common awareness campaign, but new research from the University of Toronto and University of Minnesota indicates this tactic may actually lead to more crashes.
Continue reading Highway Death Toll Messages May Cause More CrashesDiversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are becoming increasingly important factors in the modern workforce. Integrating DEI is not only a strong moral move that can set an organization apart from its peers but also a way to promote innovation, attract talent, and retain valuable employees in a tight labor market.
Continue reading Diversity and Equity in the Freight Industry: A Moral—and Smart—Business MoveThis article was originally published in Catalyst, February 2022.
Many Minnesotans have driven on I-35W through Minneapolis without giving any thought to how the freeway was built—or the impact it’s had on the community. Thanks to the work of several U of M researchers and Twin Cities residents, we now have the opportunity to learn just that.
Continue reading Museum Exhibit Reveals I-35W’s Impact on a South Minneapolis CommunityThis article was originally published in Catalyst, February 2022.
In recent work, researchers in the U’s Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISyE) examined one potentially important application of autonomous vehicle (AV) technology: ride hailing.
Continue reading Adding Autonomous Vehicles to Ride-Hailing Fleets Could Benefit Platforms and DriversThis article was originally published in Catalyst, January 2022.
University researchers are investigating ways to extend the life of asphalt pavements and generate cost savings by adding innovative materials to asphalt mixes. In a recent study, they found that improving asphalt mixes with graphite nanoplatelets and taconite concentrates offers new possibilities for enhancing damage-detection techniques and restoring subsurface cracking using microwave energy.
Continue reading Innovative Additions Could Help Asphalt Pavements Sense Damage—and Repair ThemselvesThis article was originally published in Catalyst, January 2022.
A U of M study of farm vehicle safety on rural roads identified factors—such as crop type and number of vehicles operated—that can help predict the likelihood of a farm’s vehicles being involved in a crash on a public road.
Continue reading Model Helps Predict Likelihood of Farm Vehicle Crashes on Public RoadsThis article was originally published in Catalyst, January 2022.
Arterial bus rapid transit (BRT) has gained momentum in the Twin Cities as a less-expensive alternative to light-rail transit. However, this expansion of BRT has also raised concerns that the new lines will spur an increase in housing values and neighborhood gentrification, potentially displacing low-income residents. A new study eases these concerns: It found that the A Line BRT route encouraged ridership but had no effect on housing values.
Continue reading Property Values Remain Stable after Opening of Twin Cities Bus Rapid Transit LineThis article was originally published in Catalyst, November 2021.
With the improvements made to their lane-departure warning system, U of M researchers are one step closer to preventing highway crashes and deaths. In a recent project, the research team enhanced its lane-departure warning system, which uses standard GPS data rather than expensive cameras or maps—moving toward an affordable, market-ready product to warn drivers about dangerous lane drift due to drowsiness or inattention.
Continue reading Affordable Lane-Departure Warning System is on the Road to Market Readiness
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