To plan and program highway construction projects, the Texas Department of Transportation requires accurate construction cost data. However, due to the number of, and uncertainty of, variables that affect highway construction costs, estimating future funding needs can be an exceedingly difficult task. This research project sought to improve future forecasting projections through the creation of […]
planning
There’s No Such Thing As the Suburbs
For a recent report, TTI was faced with the challenge of classifying 1,300 survey response zip codes as urban, suburban, or rural. Researchers wanted to know where respondents lived to look at how shopping trends might affect freight and deliveries in different areas. We asked respondents things like “are you an Amazon prime member?” and […]
New Report: How Vulnerable is Texas’ Freight Infrastructure to Extreme Weather Events?
The freight community’s ability to prepare for and respond to extreme weather events is in part dependent upon the resilience of the transportation infrastructure and whether the system maintains functionality during and following adverse conditions. However, freight infrastructure resilience analysis, design, and planning methods are relatively immature and may limit the ability to effectively plan […]
Transportation leaders explore congestion, funding, alternative modes at policy symposium
Roadway congestion challenges and solutions were front and center on November 3 as transportation policy followers gathered for a symposium hosted by the Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) and the Texas Tribune. Throughout the morning, policy makers and other leaders stressed the need for careful planning in anticipation of continued rapid population growth, most of […]