Blockchain is a distributed ledger of transactions, developed originally as the accounting platform for the virtual currency, Bitcoin. The technology is used to verify transactions, creating records that cannot be changed or deleted. Verification is accomplished in a decentralized manner through a network of participants, or distributed nodes, rather than through a third party, such […]
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New Report: Finding the Value of Urban Parking
In this study, researchers examined smart parking, a parking management tool that helps drivers efficiently find and pay for available parking by knowing where they will park before reaching their destination. This can prompt more traffic to have a definitive destination when exiting from major roadways near dense urban areas, potentially leading to increased efficiencies […]
New Report: Potential Impacts of Panama Canal Expansion on Texas Ports
When the Panama Canal opened in 1914, it provided the first ever direct water passage between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The 2016 expansion of the Canal allows significantly larger cargo ships traveling from East Asia to access the U.S. Gulf and East Coasts via an all-water route, which is typically the least costly way […]
New Report: Performance Measures for Public Participation Methods
It has become increasingly important for public agencies to be transparent in how they meet their customers’ needs. Public engagement can be designed to integrate the views, concerns, and issues of the public into the decision-making process. By including the affected public early in the process, agencies can plan, design and build projects and programs […]
New Report: Demonstration of Unmanned Aircraft Systems for Traffic Incident Management
Previous investigations into technologies that can improve incident response, monitoring, and clearance resulted in the potential application of Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) for use in Traffic Incident Management (TIM). An initial investigation of UAS-TIM, summarized in the March 2017 report titled “Concept of Operations for Unmanned Aircraft Systems Use for Traffic Incident Management (UAS-TIM),” determined […]
New Report: What Is the Legal Framework for Automated Vehicles in Texas?
With the advent of automated vehicle technologies, we are entering a period of transition and uncertainty that involves harmonizing the laws we have on the books with new issues raised by the technology. Until the 85th Texas Legislature (2017), Texas law was not tailored to recognize automated vehicles (AVs), not for testing or operation on […]