Tag Archives: center for transportation studies

Webinar: Technology for Bridge Preservation and Maintenance

The following announcement comes from the Center for Transporation Studies (See Seminars for other opportunities and recordings.)

Webinar
Thursday, June 15, 2023
1:00–2:30 p.m. Central

About the Event

This webinar will highlight how sensors and drones are being used in bridge maintenance and preservation—and explore how such technologies may help to shape the future of transportation infrastructure.

U of M associate professor Lauren Linderman will share thoughts from her contribution to our Future of Mobility series. In Sensing the Future of Infrastructure, she explains that sensor technology can provide vital data about bridges and other structures, allow for better performance tracking, and help stakeholders make more informed choices about future projects.

Jennifer Wells, state bridge inspection engineer at MnDOT, will discuss the agency’s unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) bridge inspections program.

The webinar is being held in conjunction with a meeting of the CTS Transportation Infrastructure Research Council.

Speakers

Lauren Linderman is an associate professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geo- Engineering at the University of Minnesota. Her research is focused on cyber-physical systems to improve the long-term performance of structures or limit their response during transient events, such as earthquakes or strong winds. Her primary areas of interest include structural monitoring, vibration mitigation strategies, wireless sensor systems, and data acquisition techniques.

Jennifer Wells is the state bridge inspection engineer at the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) and has been with the agency for more than 20 years. She is the project manager for the UAS research projects phases I and II. She received her bachelor’s degree from Michigan Tech University and a Master of Science in infrastructure systems engineering from the University of Minnesota.

Registration

This webinar is free to attend, but registration is required. Once you have registered, you will receive an email confirmation with a Zoom link. The link should not be shared with others; it is unique to you.

If you’re unable to join us for the live broadcast, a recording will be available here after the event.

Credit

Attendees are eligible for Professional Development Hours (PDHs) and American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) maintenance credits.

More Information

Please contact Samantha Hahn-Douville at snhahn@umn.edu.

Future of Mobility: Decarbonized transportation

April 26, 2023

The Future of Mobility series collects the perspectives of top U researchers and other national experts. In 17 articles, the authors scan the horizon and reflect on critical transportation topics. Each article recommends action steps for public officials and policymakers.

Continue reading Future of Mobility: Decarbonized transportation

Short Films, Big Visions: Transportation-themed films spark conversation about community connections

April 4, 2023

Dozens of community members and transportation advocates tuned in to “Short Films, Big Visions: A Series on Transportation and Community” on February 23. Co-hosted by CTS and the Humphrey School of Public Affairs, the virtual event featured a screening of short films produced by the Redford Center for its “Community Power” series followed by an engaging panel discussion.

Continue reading Short Films, Big Visions: Transportation-themed films spark conversation about community connections

Helping automated vehicles ‘see’ through fog and snow

April 18, 2023

While fully automated vehicles (AVs) have not yet reached the roads, the work to get them market-ready is steadily moving forward. One of the essential technologies these vehicles rely on for safety and performance is lidar, which has traditionally experienced a loss of accuracy in bad weather.

Continue reading Helping automated vehicles ‘see’ through fog and snow

New revenues needed to fill transportation funding gap

What’s next in transportation?

The Future of Mobility series collects the perspectives of top U researchers and other national experts. In 17 articles, the authors scan the horizon and reflect on critical transportation topics. Each article recommends action steps for public officials and policymakers.

Continue reading New revenues needed to fill transportation funding gap

COVID’s Effects on Public Transportation Use and Perceptions

How has the pandemic affected downtown commuters’ travel behavior and perceptions of public transportation?

The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a major toll on public transit ridership—raising questions for the future. Will people associate public transportation with health and safety risks and avoid using it? Will they see public transportation as a less desirable transportation alternative?

Continue reading COVID’s Effects on Public Transportation Use and Perceptions

EV System Impacts

Model helps analyze EV system impacts, evaluate policies for subsidies and charging

Electric vehicles (EVs) are expected to capture a substantial portion of the future vehicle market. In the short term, however, technology and infrastructure limitations—such as driving range and charging availability—will prevent transition on a large scale. Because EVs will share the road network with gasoline vehicles (GVs), says Alireza Khani, “it’s crucial to understand how EVs and GVs will coexist.”

Continue reading EV System Impacts

Are we ready for CAVs?

Thousand-mile trek collects data on Minnesota’s readiness for automated vehicles

How ready is Minnesota for connected and automated vehicles (CAVs)? Last August, researchers took a four-day, 1,086-mile trip around the state to find out. A newly published report details the team’s findings for transportation professionals and agencies as they consider how to make improvements to our transportation infrastructure for automated vehicles and driving.

Continue reading Are we ready for CAVs?