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Highway Transportation

Economies that rely heavily on motor freight and passenger vehicles can be threatened by environmental, energy, and logistical concerns such as bottlenecks, aging infrastructure, and vulnerability to disruptions. RAND research on highway transportation recommends best practices to improve capacity, modernize infrastructure while recognizing resource limitations, and establish sustainable priorities for funding long-term improvements that address energy and environmental concerns.

Blog
Four-Day School Weeks, Domestic Terrorism, North Korea: RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap focuses on the trade-offs of a four-day school week, how to counter domestic violent extremism, racial disparities in who is convicted of more-serious speeding charges, and more.
Oct 8, 2021
Research Brief
Black Motorists Face More-Serious Charges for Excessive Speeding Than White Motorists Do
In many states, motorists accused of excessive speeding can face either a criminal misdemeanor or a traffic infraction. Data on speeding violations in Virginia show large racial disparities in who is convicted of a misdemeanor.
Oct 4, 2021
Report
Racial Disparities in Misdemeanor Speeding Convictions
In this report, researchers use data on speeding violations in Virginia to examine whether there are racial disparities in who benefits from the discretion of law enforcement and the courts to discount or downgrade misdemeanor violations.
Oct 4, 2021
Report
Model of Travel in London Phase 3: Mode and destination choice model estimation
RAND Europe and partners were commissioned by Transport for London (TfL) to update and enhance their strategic transport model, the Model of Travel in London (MoTiON). This report documents RAND Europe's work on the mode-destination choice models.
Feb 26, 2021
Report
Model of Travel in London Phase 3: Frequency model estimation
RAND Europe and partners were commissioned by Transport for London (TfL) to update and enhance their strategic transport model, the Model of Travel in London (MoTiON). This report documents RAND Europe's work on the frequency models.
Feb 26, 2021
Report
A new travel demand model for London: Estimation of the mode and destination choice models
RAND Europe and partners were commissioned by Transport for London (TfL) to develop a new strategic travel model for London, the New Demand Model (NDM). This report documents RAND Europe's work to develop new mode-destination choice models.
Jun 19, 2019
Report
Quantifying travellers' willingness to pay for the Harbour Tunnel in Copenhagen: A stated choice study
This study uses a stated choice experiment to quantify travellers' willingness to pay for a tolled tunnel in Copenhagen. Discrete choice models are used to quantify travellers' value of travel time savings.
Mar 20, 2018
Journal Article
Understanding Changes in Youth Mobility
This report presents a summary of a two-year project undertaken within the National Cooperative Highway Research Program to help transportation planners and managers understand the implications of profound changes in the nature of travel demand patterns in the United States and in other western countries.
Mar 31, 2017
Commentary
Rebuilding America's Infrastructure in the Trump Era
Policymakers generally agree on the need to rebuild America's infrastructure. But the country is far behind in this area. Why? Transportation projects take time and money. And it's hard to predict how a project will affect its surroundings.
Nov 14, 2016
Journal Article
Understanding the Potential of Variable Tolling to Smooth Congestion on Downstream Facilities: Applications of a Joint Time-of-Day and Route Choice Model
The aim of this research was to understand the conditions under which time-varying tolls could be used to effectively smooth congestion on a downstream, untolled roadway.
Apr 6, 2016
Report
Evaluating the Impact of Whole-Body Vibration (WBV) on Fatigue and the Implications for Driver Safety
Summarizes findings from a review of the literature on whole-body vibration (WBV) and fatigue, in addition to looking at study designs and methodology for providing more rigorous investigations of the impact of WBV on fatigue and driver safety.
Oct 22, 2015
Commentary
Pay as You Go
Using vehicle miles traveled as a means of distributing the cost of maintaining America's roads and bridges may not be the only answer. But it represents the kind of innovative thinking that is necessary when this sector of the American transportation infrastructure is desperately in need of a fix.
Jul 22, 2015
Commentary
How to Improve Oregon's Mileage-Fee Experiment
Oregon is rolling out the nation's first large-scale pilot to examine switching to a mileage fee instead of the gas tax. The trial is a welcome next step toward understanding how mileage fees can be deployed.
Jul 7, 2015
Report
The Impact of Adopting Time-of-Day Tolling: Case Study of 183A in Austin, Texas
This study evaluates the traffic and revenue impacts of moving from a fixed toll rate on the 183A Turnpike in Texas to a toll structure that varies by time of day.
Jun 18, 2015
Multimedia
A New Way to Pay for Transportation: Exploring a Shift from Fuel Taxes to Mileage-Based User Fees
In this June 2014 Congressional Briefing, Liisa Ecola discusses growing shortfalls in federal and state funding for surface transportation programs, and the potential of mileage fees (rather than fuel taxes) to reduce those shortfalls while also reducing traffic congestion, harmful emissions, and excessive road wear.
Jun 26, 2014
Commentary
Take Charge with Teens' Auto Safety
Driving is a risk that virtually all of us take on a daily basis, says Jeffrey Wasserman. But we can do much to mitigate risks and protect our children, our community, and ourselves.
Apr 21, 2014
Commentary
Deadly Aftermath of 'Microsleep'
Though “microsleep,” commonly referred to as “highway hypnosis,” may enter the public discourse most often when it's cited as the possible cause of a disaster like the Metro-North train wreck, it is responsible for fatal accidents on American highways every day.
Dec 12, 2013
Multimedia
The Future of Mobility: Transportation 2030
In this December 2013 Congressional Briefing, Johanna Zmud and Peter Phleps illustrate two distinct scenarios for the future of mobility 17 years from now and how choices that policymakers make today will affect the future of mobility in America.
Dec 3, 2013
Report
Mileage-Fee Design Strategies to Reduce System Cost and Increase Public Acceptance
As traditional transportation revenue sources primarily based on gas tax continue to dwindle or stay even at best, the notion of transitioning to a vehicle-miles-traveled fee or mileage-based user fee has come under substantial consideration. Some design strategies can reduce system costs and increase public acceptance of mileage-based fees.
Nov 14, 2013
Report
Manchester Motorway Box: Post-Survey Research of Induced Traffic Effects: Model Estimation
This report describes the development of discrete choice models to support analysis of the induced traffic effects resulting from the completion of the M60 Manchester Motorway Box in the UK.
Jul 22, 2013

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