Transportation Technology Transfer Projects

  • Transportation Technology Transfer Projects

    • FDOT Technology Transfer Support 

    UFTI-T2 Center provides support to the FDOT Research Office to increase dispersion of research results, increase potential for the application of research results, and improve accountability of researchers through the development and dissemination of technology transfer media. 

    The main objectives of this project are to: 

    • Provide editorial review services for FDOT reports to maintain consistent research reports 
    • Final report summary in compliance with ADA accessibility standards 
    • Create supporting files in InDesign, Microsoft Word, PDF format 
    • Prepare image representing research 
    • Online production of a research dissemination blog  
    • Online production of research showcase 
    • Assist project managers in producing research dissemination collateral materials 
    • Principal Investigator: Dr. Nithin Agarwal 
    • FDOT Project Manager: Jessica VanDenBogaert 

    Traffic Safety Resource Centers 

    Pedestrian and Bicycle and Occupant Protection 

    UFTI-T2 coordinates and participates in statewide coalitions whose members include representatives from government, law enforcement, public health, public works, engineering, public safety, private sector and academia, throughout Florida with a working knowledge and understanding of the various components of occupant protection and bicycle and pedestrian safety. Stakeholder engagement: 

    UFTI-T2 operates two web-based resource centers www.floridaoprc.ce.ufl.edu andwww.pedbikesrc.ce.ufl.edu  (OPRC and PedBike) providing technology transfer (dissemination of materials and resources, outreach support for local events) to a vast network of traffic safetystakeholders throughout Florida. Disseminating information through website, social media and newsletter  

    Local Technical Assistance Program 

    UFTI-T2 Center administered the local technical assistance program for the FHWA and FDOT for over 35 years providing training, educational materials, and technical assistance to local Florida agencies.  

    Florida Occupant Protection Coalition 

    UFTI-T2 coordinates and participates in statewide coalitions whose members include representatives from government, law enforcement, public health, public works, engineering, public safety, private sector and academia, throughout Florida with a working knowledge and understanding of the various components of occupant protection and bicycle and pedestrian safety. Stakeholder engagement: 

    Roundabout Symposium, Road Diet, Horizontal Curve Assessment – Ball Bank Indicator 

    Accelerated Safety Activities Program: T2 developed and delivered training to rural counties on horizontal curve safety on rural roadways; hosted a peer exchange workshop on road diet and lane elimination and a roundabout symposium; and assisted agencies with the development of local road safety plans. Partner with FHWA. 

    Reduce Teen Distracted Driving Education Program

    UFTI-T2 developed, refined, and updated the computer-based training program/curricula based on feedback from student users and Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles stakeholders and input from Community Traffic Safety Teams and FDOT to identify and incorporate effective communication strategies and materials.  Developing training courses and curricula and stakeholder engagement and shared knowledge 

    The training to Reduce Teen Distracted Driving is open for public access. 

    Safe Routes to School Technical Assistance for Rural Communities 

    UFTI-T2 Center provided technical assistance to communities lacking technical resources to develop a comprehensive application package to secure federal funding to implement new infrastructure to facilitate students walking and biking to school. This project involved high level of local coordination with stakeholders and leadership of schools, local officials, and regional transportation planning organizations.  

    UFTI-T2 collaborated with UF College of Design, Construction, and Planning to provide technical assistance.  

    Evaluation of Safe Routes to School Program 

    UFTI-T2 conducted an assessment of the SRTS technical assistance program; updated the SRTS Toolkit, made presentations at regional training seminars, helped identify potential regional partners and provided GIS analysis to assist rural agencies in prioritizing sidewalk infrastructure needs. Stakeholder engagement 

    UTC STRIDE – Strategies for Mitigating Congestion in Small Urban & Rural Areas 

    Despite the common perception that congestion is primarily an issue in large urban areas, both rural areas and small urban areas (under 50,000 population) also experience congestion – and they frequently lack the resources needed to address congestion. Lack of expert staff, fewer instrumented facilities, and characteristic differences in rural traffic flow combine to create significant challenges in reducing and managing rural congestion. The southeastern region is particularly sensitive to these challenges as the region contains many small urban centers and agriculture-based communities. The objectives of this study are to: 

    • Determine key characteristics of rural and small urban congestion (e.g. recurring and nonrecurring congestion, mode use, freight logistics, and special events); 
    • Identify resource constraints pertinent to rural and small urban communities; 
    • Identify or develop strategies to reduce and/or manage these congestion issues; 
    • Develop guidance that maps strategies to congestion issues for use by rural and small urban agencies; and 
    • Develop educational material (i.e. webinar, online module, short course, etc.) for use by rural and small urban agencies to help ensure successful implementation of developed guidance. 

    The research team will identify several such communities in the region and will maintain early and ongoing engagement with their transportation agencies. For example, Dr. Srinivasan (UF) leads the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) funded Transportation Safety Center, which works with rural counties in Florida; that work will be leveraged to identify issues and case studies and to disseminate educational material. 

    • Principal Investigator: Dr. Dimitra Michalaka, The Citadel 
    • Co-Principal Investigator: Kweku Brown, The Citadel 
    • Co-Principal Investigator:  Michael Hunter, Georgia Institute of Technology 
    • Co- Principal Investigator: Dr. Nithin Agarwal, Director UFTI-T2