The U.S. marine transportation system handles large volumes of domestic and international freight in support of the Nation's economic activities. As a vital part of that system, the Nation's container ports handle cargo and are sources of employment, revenue, and taxes for businesses or communities where they are located.

The U.S. Forest Service, Alaska region, Tongass National Forest (USFS), plans to make improvements to the Auk Village Recreation Area (AVRA or recreation area) and specifically Point Louisa Road (the road or roadway) which passes through the AVRA. The USFS determined that these improvements are necessary to improve safety and facilitate management of the AVRA. The USFS asked the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe) to review the latest USFS conceptual design, suggest modifications, and to develop additional conceptual designs.

The Volpe Center Acoustics Facility, in support of the California Department of Transportation, participated in a long-term study to assess several types of pavement for the purpose of noise abatement. On a 6.4-km (4-mi) stretch of a 2-lane highway in Southern California, several asphalt pavement overlays were examined. Acoustical, meteorological, and traffic data were collected in each pavement overlay section, where microphones were deployed at multiple distances and heights. Single vehicle pass-by events were recorded primarily for 3 vehicle types: automobiles, medium trucks, and heavy...

This primer describes the role of transportation systems management and operations (M&O) in advancing livability and sustainability. The document highlights the connections between M&O and livability and sustainability objectives and the importance of a balanced, comprehensive approach to M&O in order to support those objectives. The document describes nine key elements for managing and operating transportation systems in ways that support livability and sustainability. The document also provides a vision of how the regional transportation system could look in the future if M&O strategies...

The Volpe Center Acoustics Facility, in support of the Federal Highway Administration, investigated theinfluence of temperature on tire/pavement noise in order to provide guidance on correcting for temperature variations in measured sound levels. Several traffic noise and vehicle pass-by data sets with broad variation in both pavement and air temperatures were examined to help determine trends relating to the effects of temperature. The parameters investigated include: air vs. pavement temperature, single vehicle types vs. mixed traffic, and pavement type. Since the effects of temperature...

The Volpe Center Acoustics Facility, in support of theFederal Highway Administration(FHWA), investigatedthe implementation of pavement effects inthe FHWA Traffic Noise Model (TNM). Three options were considered, resulting in the recommendation of two options: 1) implementation of user-defined pavement-specific emission levels (REMELs), with proof of adequate data; and 2) implementation of on-board sound intensity (OBSI)-adjusted tire/pavement noise source levels, implemented as a large database in the FHWA TNM and also as a user-defined option. Each option would also include adjusting for the...

This Guide is intended for writers that develop specifications for the Federal Highway Administration's Federal Lands Highway Program. This Guide is to promote and facilitate the writing of specifications that conform to the five Cs of specification writing: clear, concise, complete, correct and consistent.

This report describes recent research supported by the US DOT's AERIS program, building upon existing work through developing and improving data collection methods, developing new data fusion techniques to improve estimates, and applying appropriate models for ITS environmental/energy assessments. In addition, the report includes a synthesis of information gathered on other programs in ITS environmental research, as well as a set of technical recommendations on how to proceed with Tracks 1 - 3 of the AERIS program.

Institutional issues provide challenges to implementing congestion pricing strategies. The primer explores the types of institutional issues that are commonly encountered with priced lanes, zone-based pricing, and parking pricing programs. These issues include the up-front challenges of establishing leadership, meeting legislative requirements, and setting an organizational structure. Once the challenges are overcome, there are numerous institutional issues related to the planning process, public involvement and implementation procedures. The primer examines these topics with the insights...

Tongass National Forest (NF) is in Southeast Alaska, a region rich in natural and cultural resources, which is currently undergoing significant economic change. This study examines how the existing assets of the Tongass NF's transportation system can be better used to generate economic development opportunities in Southeast Alaska communities and focuses on the Hoonah and Wrangell Ranger Districts within the Tongass NF. The study has been prepared by the U.S. Department of Transportation, Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, via an inter-agency agreement with the U.S. Department of...