Quarter 2 2017

June 16, 2020 in Newsletters

Florida T2 Center: Driving Innovation Forward in Training and Safety

Welcome to the May edition of the Florida T2 Center Newsletter. Feel free to call (352.273.1670) or email (t2assist@ce.ufl.edu) with any ideas, questions, or concerns. Thanks for reading!

In this newsletter:

  • Director’s Message
  • Center News
    • T2 Center Wins University of Florida (UF) Strategic Development Plan Grant
    • Florida’s Pedestrian and Bicycling Safety Resource Center (SRC)
    • Florida Occupant Protection Resource Center (OPRC) – May 2017 update
    • Florida Occupant Protection Coalition Meeting
    • UFTI Participates in FDOT Research Program Peer Exchange
    • Route Condition Tool Webinar
    • T2 Attends 2017 Florida Public Works Expo
  • Upcoming Courses and Training
    • STRIDE Summer Research Seminar
    • Free School Siting and Collaboration Workshop
    • STRIDE 2017 Webinar Series: Transforming Research into Practice
    • UFTI Faculty to Host Webinar on Highway Capacity Manual
    • The T2 Center Keeps Pilot/Escorts Well Informed with Updates
    • Writing for Transportation Professionals
  • Center Resources
    • Conference and Meeting Planning Capabilities
    • T2 Equipment Loan Program
    • Training Venues – We Need YOU!

Director’s Message

Welcome back to our readers!  In this issue, please take advantage of a number of opportunities to learn about recent research efforts of STRIDE through Free Webinars (June 9 and 16), a Seminar (June 2), and two Workshops on School Siting (June 15 and 16).  These training sessions provide a rare opportunity to learn about the latest trends in research.  The Southeastern Transportation Research, Innovation, Development and Education (STRIDE) Center is the 2016 USDOT Region 4 University Transportation Center housed at the University of Florida Transportation Institute (UFTI). STRIDE focuses on developing novel strategies for reducing congestion. The Center has nine partners, representing seven states in the Southeastern U.S.

Center News

T2 Center Wins University of Florida Strategic Development Plan Grant

The UF Transportation Technology Transfer (T2) Center’s research proposal, “Public Acceptance of Autonomous Vehicle (AV) Technology,” has been selected for a UF-City of Gainesville Strategic Development Plan research award.

The project will evaluate facilitators and barriers to AV use through a demonstration of the technology on campus and the surrounding area. The proposal was submitted as part of a call for projects that will utilize the campus and greater Gainesville community as a living laboratory. Over 60 proposals from 40 different departments and centers were submitted. Seven awards were granted.

The T2 Center is very excited to begin work on this effort and will post updates on the project in future newsletters.

Florida’s Pedestrian and Bicycling Safety Resource Center (SRC)

The Florida Pedestrian and Bicycling Safety Resource Center (PedBike SRC) is the statewide resource for bicycle helmets, and they’ve added some new items to the store! To help you with your community safety events, our PedBike Training Specialists are available to assist. For more information, contact pedbikesrc@ce.ufl.edu. 

Florida Occupant Protection Resource Center (OPRC) – May 2017 update

The Occupant Protection Resource Center has some great resources for Florida residents: the 2017 LATCH Manual,courses and events. Additionally, scholarships are available to become a child passenger safety professional.To view CPS Technician Certification courses across Florida, click here (Select Find a Course > Search). 

Florida Occupant Protection Coalition Meeting

The FOPC held their inaugural meeting on April 17 and 18 at the University of Florida. In the coming months, the FOPC will be developing a strategic plan that will serve as the blueprint for legislation, program, and funding strategies to maximize the State’s ability to reduce unrestrained motor vehicle occupant crashes. For more information about the FOPC and to learn of upcoming meetings, please visit http://floridaoprc.ce.ufl.edu/oprc/coalition.asp.

UFTI Participates in FDOT Research Program Peer Exchange

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) held a research program peer exchange on April 25-27, 2017, to exchange information and best practices. This peer exchange was held to create a road map for the Florida DOT research program based on national priorities and emerging technologies. The meeting was held in Tallahassee and included participants from the UFTI, AASHTO, FHWA, TRB, NCHRP, IBM, Caltrans, Georgia DOT, Montana DOT, Texas A&M Transportation Institute, University of Albany.

Route Condition Tool Webinar Recap

On May 4, PJ Smith, Senior GIS Analyst, Urban Designer with the East Central Florida Regional Planning Council delivered a webinar on The Route Condition Tool, a master Geographic Information Systems (GIS) transportation database that aims to improve walkability and safety by providing urban planners and engineers with a comprehensive and never-before-seen view of their transportation systems.

This tool is primarily used to:

  • Provide a map-based asset management system for daily use by planners and engineers
  • Improve safety and connectivity by identifying roads that can be converted into ‘complete streets’
  • Identify roads with higher probabilities for bicycle and pedestrian crashes using crash location data
  • Identify current and future Hazardous Walking Conditions to assist in school planning and siting

T2 Attends 2017 Florida Public Works Expo

The Florida Chapter of the American Public Works Association (APWA) held the 2017 Florida Public Works Expo in Tallahassee on May 11, 2017.  T2 had the opportunity to exhibit in the expo. For a recap, and the winner of our drawing for the free seat in one of our training courses, click here.

APWA has also released PAWS PRINT, a 12-page newspaper created for children in grades K-5 containing stories, fun facts, illustrations, and more all about public works! Download the PDF here!

Upcoming Courses and Training

STRIDE Summer Research Seminar

On June 2, 2017, the STRIDE Center, along with T2, will be hosting a one-day event at the UF Campus to showcase various products resulting from STRIDE-funded research. The seminar is free of charge, but there will be a $75 fee for PDHs. To learn more and register click here.

Free School Siting and Collaboration Workshop

The T2 Center is co-hosting two free school siting workshops on June 15 and 16, 2017. The June 15th workshop will be held in Orlando, FL, co-hosted by the East Central Florida Regional Planning Council. The June 16th workshop will be held in Tallahassee, FL, co-hosted by the Apalachee Regional Planning Council.

This workshop is free and lunch will be provided. The results of two STRIDE-funded projects will be presented: 1) Quantifying the Cost of School Transportation and Development of an Education Module and 2) Workshops on Multi-modal Costs. 20 recently-built schools in North Carolina (11 schools in urban, suburban and rural contexts) and Florida (9 schools in urban and rural contexts) were selected to be used to collect data on the multi-modal costs of school transportation. Researchers developed a decision support tool, referred to as the School Transportation Cost Calculator, to estimate the public and private transport costs of potential school sites.

For the abstract or to register, click here for the June 15th workshop and click here for the June 16th workshop.

STRIDE 2017 Webinar Series: Transforming Research into Practice

June 9, 2017, 10:30 am – 12:00 pm (EST) – Evaluation of Traffic Control Options in Work Zones

June 16, 2017, 10:30 am – 12:00 pm (EST) – From Rumble Strips to Text Stops: Infrastructure Solutions for Distracted Driving

To learn more and to register, click here.

To watch recordings of our previous webinars, click the links below!

Dynamic ATM Strategy Selection Tool (FREEVAL-DSS)Do’s and Don’ts of Smartphone GPS Data Sources for Cyclist Travel Behavior

UFTI Faculty to Host Webinar on Highway Capacity Manual

Dr. Scott Washburn will be hosting a webinar on the sixth edition of the Highway Capacity Manual (HCM6) on July 13, 2017. The webinar will be hosted from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and will provide a general introduction to the HCM6, as well as highlighting changes relative to the HCM 5th edition. Specific topics covered in the webinar will include the development process of the HCM, format and organization of the HCM, high-level overviews of the major revisions and enhancements to the uninterrupted-flow and interrupted-flow analysis methodologies, and an introduction to free software (HCM-CALC) that performs the uninterrupted-flow analysis methodologies of the HCM.

The T2 Center Keeps Pilot/Escorts Well Informed with Updates

Rules on pilot/escorting in Florida are updated on occasion with no grace period on new rules being ticket-able offenses. Pilot/Escorts are highly encouraged to check for rules changes at least once per year at www.flrules.org.

Writing for Transportation Professionals

This 8 hour workshop is intended for anyone involved in the writing, editing, or reviewing of letters, reports, manuals, and similar documents. Transportation professionals across a wide range of roles responsible for written communication will find this course useful.

This workshop will review the best practices in writing with the goal of improving clarity and quality. All phases of the writing process will be discussed. The course will cover writing pre-work (such as audience considerations and organization), rules of grammar, common mistakes, word choice, and strategies for the final edit.

The workshop will take place on August 2, 2017 from 8 am to 5 pm at the T2 Center. The cost of this workshop is $175 for public, and $195 for private.

Center Resources

Conference and Meeting Planning Capabilities

Did you know that T2 is positioned to assist you with any meetings or conferences you are planning? 

T2’s Jeri Shell is a seasoned meeting planner with nearly twelve (12) years of experience planning and staffing events for the University of Florida.  Whether you are planning a small workshop, round table, or committee meeting or larger events including demonstration showcases, peer exchanges, or large conferences, Jeri has the ability to work with you to ensure your event is a success.

We can tailor our services to meet your needs.  From venue selection, contracting, registration, financial management, invitational travel and on-site support, we can work with you to deliver on your event planning needs.

For more information or to discuss your meeting planning needs, please contact Jeri Shell at jerishell@ufl.edu or (352) 273-1693.

T2 Equipment Loan Program

The T2 Center has equipment available for loan to assist local transportation agencies without the need to purchase your own equipment.  Various items are available to you at no cost. 

Does your agency have equipment that you no longer use?  Donate these items to T2 and we will add them to our loan inventory to be used by agencies across Florida.

Training Venues – We Need YOU!

In an effort to best accommodate the training needs of agencies across the State, T2 strives to deliver trainings in all points throughout Florida to reduce travel and time away from projects for your staff. 

However, meeting space is always a challenge and we would like to ask for your help.  If you have any meeting space which we may utilize please let us know.  In exchange, T2 will offer a free seat in the class to the staff member of your choice. Please contact David Page at dkpage@ufl.edu or (352) 273-1685 to make arrangements.

Thank you for helping us better serve the Florida transportation community!