1. 1
Research Program Highlights
District Department of Transportation
Summer Research Interns!
Summer/Fall 2014
DDOT welcomed nine interns this
summer, ranging from college stu-
dents to PhD candidates. The interns
worked on various research projects
across the agency and presented
them on August 7th.
Tamiko Toye and Gervais Mbunkeu
worked with Cesar Barreto in IPMA
doing work on ADA data collection
and software evaluation.
Zuxuan Deng did research on the
Truck Trip-Generation element of the DDOT freight model, working under Eulois Cleckly in PPSA.
Yanan Xin worked in QA/QC with James Graham, Amanda Harvey, and Jose Colon, improving
DDOT’s asset inventory data management.
Amy Liang did Red-Top meter implementation work with TOA and Evian Patterson.
Pranay Bagde and Akhil Jain worked with IPMA and Ali Shakeri on agency coordination proce-
dures with large-scale development.
Joseph Vincent and Anita Kinney worked on the archival and digitization project in the library.
From left to right: Zuxuan Deng, Yanan Xin, Tamiko Toye, Amy
Liang, Joseph Vincent, Gervais Mbunkeu
FY 2015 Research Projects
Projects for the upcoming fiscal year have been selected. The Research Advisory Committee
(made up of the Associate Directors from each administration) met on July 17th to select the
FY15 research projects. Projects will be funded as funding becomes available to research, starting
at the top of the list.
Rank Project Name
1
Performance Metrics and Supportive Analysis Methodologies for Highly Urbanized,
Multi-Modal Systems
1 Analysis of Per-Ride Fare Data for Capital Bikeshare
3 Relating Capital Bikeshare Usage to Existing and Future Bicycle Count Data
4
Integration of Renewable or Cleaner Energy Generation Technology into
Transportation Infrastructure
5 Traffic Signals and ITS Communication Security Audit
6 DDOT Cost Estimating for Professional Engineering Services
7
Compliance, Perception and Effectiveness of Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons
(RRFB) and Pedestrian Hybrid Beacons (HAWK Signals) in the District of Columbia
2. 2
Sharing DC History
DDOT Data Initiative
The DDOT Library & Archives has joined the
wide world of social media! The DDOT tumblr
launched in June to much interest. Photos
posted on the page have been featured in
Greater Greater Washington, Old Time DC, and
the Washington Post Express.
The DDOT Library & Archives contain photos,
maps, and documents from across the years,
documenting the growth and changes in DC
through history and transit. The goal of the
tumblr is to share these pieces of history with a
wider audience.
The DDOT tumblr has connected with other
major libraries and archives in the area, such as
the DC Public Library System, the Smithsonian,
and the National Archives. In conjunction with
Chris Quay and the Communications department,
we hope to share more in the upcoming weeks!
Research and OITI are leading an effort to
streamline data management at DDOT. The
goals of the effort are to:
a. get a better handle on data that is already
available at DDOT,
b. create a framework and business process
that enables us to store that data in a
consistent, query-able format,
c. integrate disparate data platforms where
practical, and
d. provide access to various data users at
DDOT.
To get started, Research and OITI are
compiling an inventory of existing data at
DDOT through a wiki: https://sp3.ddot.dc.gov/
oi/data/DataWiki/Home.aspx
Moving forward, the data team will be
working to create a common interface,
where appropriate, to streamline
access to various datasets at the
agency. This will include data stored at
DDOT’s Transportation Safety Data
Center at Howard University. Training will be
made available on accessing the data stored at
the Data Center.
The team will also be providing contracting
language on standard data formats to include
in contracts where data will be collected. This
will enable future data collection to be easily
integrated across the agency.
Lastly, the team is looking at moving extant
data to a common warehouse where feasible,
which will also streamline access.
If you have datasets, please add information
on them to the data wiki!
If you have questions, please contact James
Graham, Stephanie Dock, or Soumya Dey.
Streetcar tracks at M and 30th Street NW
in Georgetown, December 8th, 1959.
http:ddotdc.tumblr.com
3. 3
Project UpdatesIntern Spotlight
Amy Liang, our research
intern with the TOA
parking team since this
summer, is a graduate
student from the Catholic
University of America.
She is pursuing her PhD
degree in Civil
Engineering.
Amy works with the Red Top Meter program
and her work to date includes developing a
metric on meter inspections and conducting an
occupancy study. As the inspection process of
the Red Top Meters goes, she keeps updating
the inspection database and collaborating with
OITI team on updating parking meter GIS
information.
Starting this fall she is also helping with the
Residential Permit Parking (RPP) program. Her
goal is to develop an operational method
which can facilitate the RPP decision making
process. If successful, her work would
effectively save process time later and make
our policy more operable both qualitatively
and quantitatively.
The Research Program recently gave a
presentation at the DDOT FY15 Paving Plan
Development Workshop on the results of a
survey of how peer cities develop their paving
plans.
The survey found that in most cases the
selection of streets is a mix of quantitative and
qualitative factors, with varying public and
political input. Common factors included
pavement condition, geographic equity, and
demands on the street (including citizen
complaints).
Research can do a scan like this for your next
project! Contact Stephanie Dock or fill out the
request here: http://tiny.cc/DDOT-lit-review
Recently Published
Trip Generation Data Collection in Urban
Areas (PPSA, Jamie Henson)
Strength and Permeability of Pervious
Concrete (IPMA, Wasi Khan & Rezene
Medhani)
Ride Quality and Pavement Condition
Indices Prediction (IPMA, Edward
Carpenter)
Establishment of Ideal Saturation Flow Rate
for Intersection Level of Service Analysis
(TOA, Wasim Raja)
Active Projects
Evaluation of Peak Hour Parking
Restrictions on Major Arterials (TOA, Gregg
Steverson) - ends December 2014
Evaluation of Transit Signal Priority
Strategies through Microsimulation (TOA,
Wasim Raja) - ends September 2015
Upcoming Projects
Monitoring and Evaluation of Pavements to
Preserve Trees, Improve Stormwater
Infiltration, and Reduce Sidewalk Uplift (UFA
leading, Alit Balk)
FY15 projects—see front page
“Public Agency Performance Management for
Improved Service Delivery in the Digital Age:
Case Study,” Soumya Dey, Jose Thommana, &
Stephanie Dock, Journal of Management in
Engineering, August 2014.
“Modern Chauffeurs,” Soumya Dey and
Stephanie Dock, Parking Professional, May
2014.
“Transforming the Washington, DC, USA,
Parking Meter Program Using a Lean Six Sigma
Improvement Process,” Soumya Dey, Journal
of Transportation, July 2014.
Paving Workshop
Papers Published
4. 4
The Research Program held outreach
meetings with 5 local universities to help
better connect our needs with their areas of
interest and expertise.
DDOT staff submitted at least 8 papers for
presentation at the TRB Annual Meeting in
January 2015.
The Research Program is an active member
of the State Transportation Innovation
Council, helping to integrate innovative
practices into DDOT’s everyday work.
The library now offers a small study/
meeting space in the back for 3-4 people.
Feel free to utilize it!
The library has study materials! We have
books for both the PE Exam and the PMP
Exam. Come check them out and let us
know if there are other useful titles we can
acquire!
Did You Know?
Check out our website:
http://tiny.cc/DDOT-research
Or scan the QR code at right >>
Visit the DDOT Library:
5th floor of the DDOT main offices (55 M)
Open daily from 8:00 to 4:45.
Contact us:
DDOT.Research@dc.gov
Director of Research and Technology Transfer
Soumya Dey, Soumya.Dey@dc.gov
Tel: 202-671-1369
Research Program Specialist
Stephanie Dock, Stephanie.Dock@dc.gov
Tel: 202-671-1371
Librarian
Katie Crabb, Kathleen.Crabb@dc.gov
Tel: 202-671-2023
Talk to Us!
Webinars
Practical Structural Health Monitoring for
Bridge Owners
October 22, 2pm-3:30pm
LRT and BRT and CRT and SCT… Oh My!
November 4, 1pm-2:15pm
Summary of Recent Stormwater Research
Funded by NCHRP
November 12, 1pm-2:30pm
Implementation of International-Roughness-
Index-based Smoothness Specifications for
Bridges and Approaches: Lessons Learned
November 17, 1pm-3pm
Conferences
TRB 94th Annual Meeting (Washington, DC)
January 11-15, 2015
DDOT staff attend for free, so register now:
http://trb.org/annualmeeting
Upcoming Events
Around the Research World
Here we highlight interesting research done by
other agencies in recent months:
“New York City Green Loading Zones
Study” New York State DOT and New York
State Energy Research and Development
Authority
http://www.trb.org/main/blurbs/171388.aspx
“Smartphone-Based System Improves
Safety and Mobility for Visually Impaired
Pedestrians” University of Minnesota
University Transportation Center
http://www.trb.org/main/blurbs/171368.aspx
“Crash Experience Warrant for Traffic
Signals” NCHRP Web-Only Document 204
http://www.trb.org/main/blurbs/171359.aspx
“Effectiveness of Safety and Public Service
Announcement Messages on Dynamic
Message Signs” FHWA
http://www.trb.org/main/blurbs/171320.aspx
