Research Highlights

The Automated Traffic Signal Performance Measure (SPM) Workshop, held on January 26-27, 2016, in Salt Lake City, Utah, provided a forum to share best practices, agency progress, and configuring and troubleshooting tips, as well as to discuss the potential future of SPMs.

Purdue faculty, staff and students attended the Transportation Research Board (TRB) 95th Annual Meeting on January 10–14, 2016, in Washington, D.C. The program attracted more than 12,000 transportation professionals from around the world. Purdue colleagues shared their latest research findings in several dozen presentations, poster sessions, and committee meetings.

A paper co-authored by Steven Lavrenz, Christopher Day, and Darcy Bullock, from Purdue University, along with INDOT Engineer Rick Freije and Elkhart County Engineer Jay Grossman received the 2016 Transportation Research Board (TRB) Traffic Signal System Committee Best Paper Award at this year's TRB conference in Washington, DC.

Purdue University professional flight students are receiving a $795 reduction in semester fees as a direct result of an updated aircraft usage plan. The new fee structure is expected to save students $250,000 over the next two academic years. John Mott, associate head for aviation technology, assembled a team of Purdue researchers to collect real-time data on the university's fleet of Cirrus SR-20 aircraft. The team included Darcy Bullock, director of Purdue's Joint Transportation Research Program, and civil engineering graduate student Maggie McNamara.

On June 25, President Daniels testified before the Senate Finance Committee. President Daniels’ opening remarks reference the Purdue Road School, an event co-sponsored by JTRP and LTAP. President Daniels has been a long-time supporter of the Purdue Road School, first participating when he gave the 2006 Road School Luncheon address during the launch of Major Moves and this past year when he hosted a session with Mayor Dennis on the innovative partnership between the City and Purdue on the State Street initiative.

On May 27, 2015, Purdue University Lyles School of Civil Engineering Professors Jan Olek, Darcy Bullock, and John Haddock hosted a workshop and luncheon presented by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) on their Long-Term Pavement Performance Program (LTPP).

Last week, Purdue Lyles School of Civil Engineering students and faculty members had the opportunity to participate in an interactive field trip as part of the INDOT EVOLVE mentoring program. The field trip took place at the ongoing INDOT I-69 Interstate construction project near Bloomington, Indiana. Some of the onsite tour stops included crossing locations, Plummer Creek II Mitigation Site, and the SR45 and SR37 Interchanges.

Use of probe data and design of real-time system performance management project tops Purdue University among peers. MakeSchools.org featured the project along with links and references to the Indiana Mobility Reports.

Here is a quick look at the anticipated delivery of a 1937 truss bridge originating from Michigan. The trusses will be setup later this spring for use at Purdue University's Steel Bridge Research, Inspection, Training, and Engineering Center (S-BRITE) located outside of campus. The S-BRITE Center is under the direction of Associate Professor of Civil Engineering Robert Connor.