Tag Archives: university of minnesota

Multi-modal, Policy and Planning, Research

CTS Webinar: Reaching Opportunities Through Transportation—New Results from the National Accessibility Evaluation

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Wednesday, January 7, 2026
noon–1:00 p.m. CST, VIRTUAL

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About the Event

Accessibility is the ease of reaching valued destinations. It can be measured for various transportation modes (auto, transit, bicycling, walking), to different types of destinations (home, work, school, shopping), at different times of day. Accessibility measures can be used to answer questions such as: How many jobs can I reach within a 30-minute transit trip from my home in Evanston, Illinois?

Continue reading CTS Webinar: Reaching Opportunities Through Transportation—New Results from the National Accessibility Evaluation →
Policy and Planning, Research

CTS Webinar: Preparing Transportation Professionals for AI Integration

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Monday, December 15, 2025, 12:00–1:30 pm (Virtual)

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About the Event

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly reshaping how we design, plan, and manage infrastructure systems. In this webinar, CTS scholars Qizhi He and Seongjin Choi from the University of Minnesota’s Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geo- Engineering will discuss how AI tools are beginning to influence teaching, research, and professional practice in civil engineering. Their conversation will consider how the field can adapt curriculum and training to prepare future engineers for an AI-integrated profession. They will also explore questions around quality management, professional ethics, and community-centered design in an AI-driven context.

Offering a practitioner’s perspective, Melissa Barnes will share insights from MnDOT’s ongoing AI pilot identification project. She will discuss how state agencies are evaluating opportunities and risks associated with AI implementation—and engaging and educating their staff about AI.

This webinar will highlight opportunities for collaboration between academia and practice as the transportation industry navigates the evolving impacts of AI on engineering education, quality assurance, and workforce development. 

Speakers

Qizhi He is an assistant professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geo- Engineering at the University of Minnesota (UMN) and a CTS scholar. Before joining the UMN, he was a postdoctoral researcher in the Scientific Machine Learning Group at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. His research focuses on developing hybrid physics–AI/ML computational methods for predictive modeling and the simulation of complex mechanical behavior in civil and geomaterials under extreme and multiphysics conditions. His work aims to advance next-generation, high-performance computing and digital-twin technologies that enhance infrastructure resilience and support natural hazard mitigation. 

Seongjin Choi is an assistant professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geo- Engineering at the University of Minnesota and a CTS scholar. Choi was previously a postdoctoral researcher at McGill University in Canada and Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology in South Korea. His research focuses on developing machine learning and (generative) artificial intelligence models for transportation and mobility data, with the goal of enhancing both individual-level travel experiences and system-level performance.

Melissa Barnes is the Operations Division artificial intelligence program manager (mobility) at MnDOT and a licensed civil engineer with more than 21 years of experience in transportation. She has worked at MnDOT for more than 12 years, including positions in Central Office and the Metro District. Her expertise spans program delivery, traffic engineering, planning, safety, operations, project management, policy, and cross-functional leadership, and she is known for her commitment to equity and collaboration. 

Registration

This webinar is free, 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.

More information

Visit the CTS website or contact Samantha Hahn-Douville at snhahn@umn.edu. 

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

Automated Vehicle Technology, Policy and Planning, Research

TRB Webinar: Connected Mobility Futures—Integrating Transit and Technology

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Dec 16, 2025, 12 PM – 1:30 PM CST (1:00PM – 2:30PM ET)

Pre-registration is required.

Public transit agencies are reimagining mobility through innovation, integration, and technology to create seamless travel experiences and improve access for all users. TRB will host a webinar on Tuesday, December 16, 2025 from 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM Eastern that will highlight strategies and technologies transforming the future of connected mobility. This session will explore how public agencies and technology partners are addressing fragmented systems through open platforms, integrated trip planning, and seamless fare payment, drawing on lessons from the Federal Transit Administration’s Integrated Mobility Innovation (IMI) and Accelerating Innovative Mobility (AIM) programs. Attendees will also gain insights into how Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) and Autonomous Mobility-on-Demand (AMoD) can expand access, improve service efficiency, and rebuild ridership. Presenters will share real-world examples, research, and lessons learned to help agencies advance scalable, user-centered transportation systems.

Continue reading TRB Webinar: Connected Mobility Futures—Integrating Transit and Technology →
Multi-modal, Policy and Planning, Research

CTS Webinar: Innovations for Energy-Efficient Transportation

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Thursday, November 13, 2025, 12:00–1:30 pm Virtual

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About the Event

Transportation is one of the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S., and reducing those emissions is key to tackling the climate crisis. New technologies—from eco-friendly navigation apps to connected and automated vehicles—offer exciting opportunities to make our transportation system cleaner and more energy efficient. But these tools can also create unexpected challenges, such as increased traffic congestion or higher overall emissions, if not carefully designed.

In this webinar, researchers will share new approaches to smarter routing and vehicle technology that can lower energy use and reduce emissions. Join us to learn how innovations in navigation, automation, and vehicle control could help shape a more sustainable future.

Speakers

Zongxuan Sun is a professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Minnesota. He is an expert on dynamic systems and control with applications in automotive propulsion systems. He worked at the General Motors Research Center for seven years prior to joining the University in 2007. His research work includes system modeling, control theory, building unique instruments, and testbeds for experiments.

Michael Levin is an associate professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geo- Engineering at the University of Minnesota and a CTS scholar. His research focuses on modeling connected and automated vehicles and intelligent transportation systems to predict and optimize how these technologies will affect travel demand and traffic flow. Levin is specifically interested in using traffic flow, transportation network analysis, and operations research methods to study these new technologies and their effects on cities.

Registration

This webinar is free, 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.

Credit

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

More information

For more information or to request support, go to complete announcement on the Center for Transportation Studies website.

Related MnDOT Research Projects

Environment, Materials and Construction, Research

Industrial by-products prove sustainable options for managing roadside stormwater

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Reprinted from CTS News, March 25, 2025

Roadside soil plays a crucial role in stormwater management. Naturally vegetated roadsides can filter and control runoff, helping to keep pollutants out of bodies of water and minimizing flooding to communities. However, soil left behind from road construction does not adequately support filtration and plant growth unless it’s amended with organic matter—and traditional mixtures for doing so, such as with sand and compost, can be costly and resource-intensive. 

sample plots
Field plots adjacent to the Natural Resources Research Institute parking lot were used to test the infiltration capacity, pollutant removal, and vegetative support capabilities of the soil mixtures.

To find a more sustainable solution, U of M researchers partnered with MnDOT and the Minnesota Local Road Research Board. Building on previous research, a team led by CTS scholar David Saftner, principal investigator and associate professor in the UMD Department of Civil Engineering, tested sustainable roadside soil mixtures using locally available waste materials and by-products generated from forestry, agriculture, and industrial activities.

In this project, nine materials were selected for testing, including a peat/biochar mix; dredged river sediment; pine and ash sawdust; VersaLime (a by-product of sugar beet processing); lime mud, bottom ash, and degritter (from a pulp and paper mill); and recycled concrete aggregate (RCA). All nine materials proved efficient at removing pollutants, though some were more effective than others. After extensive laboratory testing, the five top-performing materials were selected and used to create three engineered soil blends:

  • RCA (80%) and ash sawdust (20%)
  • RCA (80%) and peat/biochar (20%)
  • Dredge sediment (80%) and degritter (20%)

Field testing of these three engineered soil blends took place in outdoor plots. The team studied infiltration rate, pollutant removal, and plant growth from grass and flower seed. Through a life-cycle assessment, the researchers also evaluated material collection and transport, energy demand, human health and ecosystem impacts, climate change, and water use.

Their research revealed that all three engineered soil blends were effective at capturing and filtering the first inch of excess stormwater runoff, offering a viable alternative to traditional soil mixes. Other key findings: 

  • Of the engineered soil mixes, organic and coarser materials were better at allowing water to pass through.
  • Greenhouse tests showed promising plant growth, while field plots experienced challenges—possibly due to seasonal dryness.
  • The dredge sediment and degritter soil mix had substantially higher impacts than the other two soil mixes as well as the most CO2 emissions.
  • The RCA and ash sawdust soil mix had the lowest impacts, with the RCA and peat/biochar soil mix producing similar results.

Based on their findings, a design guide was developed for road engineers outlining best practices for using local by-products and waste materials to create engineered soil mixes while still adhering to regulatory standards. These recommendations are designed to be standard, common, and repeatable. 

“This was a great project and I’m especially happy with the design guide,” Saftner says. “Determining how to implement new procedures is tougher than using tried-and-true methods. Our hope is that the guide will simplify things for practicing engineers looking for more cost-effective, sustainable, and locally sourced solutions.”

The study results also highlighted many of the benefits of engineered soil mixtures including the reuse of waste materials, reduced spending on sand and compost, lower transportation costs, and fewer environmental impacts of transporting material. 

Further research on the reuse of waste materials includes another multi-phased project incorporating biochar. The first phase of that project should be finished this summer, with the second phase kicking off in summer 2026.

—Krysta Rzeszutek, CTS digital editor

Related Resources

Environment, Maintenance Operations, Research

Updated stormwater guide reflects new research, experience

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Reprinted from Catalyst, December 16, 2024

Effective stormwater management is essential for maintaining healthy urban environments, but it requires consistent monitoring and maintenance to prevent costly failures—something that municipalities across the state have struggled with for years.

At a recent CTS webinar, Andy Erickson, research manager at the University of Minnesota’s St. Anthony Falls Laboratory and CTS scholar, guided more than 160 attendees through recent changes made to the Minnesota Stormwater Inspection and Maintenance Resource Guide. The original guide, published in 2009, has been revised to incorporate more than a decade’s worth of field applications, research, and practical experience. The updated resource aims to improve the inspection, operation, and maintenance of stormwater management practices across the state, providing practitioners with essential tools to optimize stormwater management and increase cost-effectiveness.

Stormwater management is crucial for controlling urban runoff, and systems such as green infrastructure and low-impact development reduce pollution before stormwater is sent to lakes, rivers, and streams. However, these systems require regular upkeep to remain effective, and maintenance challenges arise from their passive nature and logistical issues in large urban areas. One key problem is the lack of on-site staff for monitoring and making the proactive inspections vital for preventing failures. Regular maintenance can reduce costs by avoiding the need for major repairs, but municipalities may still struggle to stay within their maintenance budgets, as funding for upkeep is often inadequate compared to the cost of new infrastructure.

“Since there are no operating staff on-site to see when these things fail or see what’s causing them to fail, we have to be proactive in our inspections,” Erickson said. That means inspectors must travel multiple times to locations spread out across the metro region—which significantly increases costs. “Depending on the size of the practice, your total maintenance cost might become more than your original construction cost within five years of the life of that practice,” he said. 

The 2024 update to the Minnesota Stormwater BMP Maintenance Resource Guide aims to address this issue by offering detailed instructions for inspecting and maintaining various stormwater systems. The updated guide includes inspection checklists in the form of fillable PDF documents. These checklists should streamline the inspection and documentation process and help inspectors assess site conditions, including vegetation health, erosion, and drainage performance. And the forms can be easily updated and reused, providing a practical tool for ongoing stormwater management. “The forms are not static, but rather are intended to serve as a resource that can be used and adapted to fit a jurisdiction’s particular needs,” Erickson explained.

Following items from the checklist, the guide provides specific maintenance recommendations based on inspection findings, including how to address issues such as erosion, vegetation dieback, and structural failures. 

“You can go through these to really home in on what maintenance is needed and when the maintenance is needed,” Erickson said.

The updated Minnesota Stormwater BMP Maintenance Resource Guide is now available online for download.

—Emma McIntyre, CTS communications intern

Related Resources

Research, Traffic and Safety

Lower speed limits signal a commitment to safety in St. Louis Park.

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Reprinted from Catalyst, September 5, 2024

What’s the right speed limit for local roads? Legislation passed in 2019 makes it possible for Minnesota cities to set speed limits below 25 mph without special approval. As a result, it’s a question many local transportation officials have been considering.

Continue reading Lower speed limits signal a commitment to safety in St. Louis Park. →
Environment, Research

Urban trees are litterbugs. Sweeping up after them could reduce stormwater pollution.

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Reprinted from Catalyst, September 11, 2024

A U of M study determined that the leaves, flowers, and seeds dropped by trees in urban areas are a big polluter of stormwater. The project researchers recommend street sweeping as one way to address this issue—and they provide guidance on how to effectively time and target sweeping efforts.

Continue reading Urban trees are litterbugs. Sweeping up after them could reduce stormwater pollution. →
Environment, Freight and Railroads, Policy and Planning, Research

Will Hydrogen Be a Carbon-Neutral Fuel Alternative for Freight?

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Reprinted from CTS News, March 19, 2024
—Sophie Koch, contributing writer

Hydrogen is getting a lot of attention in recent years as a potential fuel source in the transportation sector. However, it is important to consider the pros, cons, and limitations of this molecule when deciding how to use it.

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Policy and Planning, Research

States Explore Fee Alternatives to Fund Roadway Infrastructure

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Reprinted from CTS News; March 5, 2024
—Pam Snopl, CTS senior editor

The fuel tax is the backbone of our roadway funding system, but its ability to generate revenue is under pressure: more vehicles are using less fuel—or no fuel at all. In response, many states are turning to alternative revenue mechanisms to help bridge the funding gap.

Continue reading States Explore Fee Alternatives to Fund Roadway Infrastructure →