Lecture 1

Introduction to
Transportation Systems

INCI 4026 Highway Engineering; Fabiola E. Buitrago G., Ph.D.

Department of Civil Engineering and Surveying; University of Puerto Rico at Mayagez
Objectives
1. Understand the importance of transportation
systems
2. Identify the mission of transportation and
highway related agencies and organizations.
3. Identify transportation funding sources.

Assigned readings:
Garber & Hoel. Fourth edition. Traffic & Highway Engineering, Chapter 1,2
Autoridad de Carreteras y Transportacin.
Major Developments in Highways
Transportation
US Transportation History

Population of about 4 million in

the late 1700s,
About 5 % lived in cities;.
During 20th century over 75 %
of the U.S. population lives in
urban or suburban areas
US Transportation History
The dominant mode of
transportation during
the late 1800s with
intercity passenger
and freight
transportation was the
railroad.
Declined after the
World War II owing to
the competitiveness of
automobile and truck
transport.
Transportation in Cities
City transportation began with horse-
drawn carriages on city streets; these
later traveled on steel tracks.
They were succeeded by cable cars,
electric street cars, underground
electrified railroads and bus.
transportation.
The Auto Debuts
1880s
Daimler & Benz build first
successful autos with gasoline
engines
1895
four automobiles were produced
in USA
1901
8,000 registered vehicles
1910
over 450,000 cars and trucks
1916
Federal Aid Road Act
The Automobile and Interstate Highways
At the turn of the 20th century, the
automobile was poised to change the face
of transportation in the United States.
The Automobile and Interstate
Highways (Cont.)
Aided by the Interstate Highway System
under the Federal-Aid Highway Act of
1956, the automobile lead to mobility on a
scale formerly unknown, playing a major
role in urban sprawl.
Significant Events in Transportation
History
Date Event / Development

1794 Lancaster Turnpike first toll road.

1796 Congress approved 515-km road project between VA
& KY.
1806 First federal aid project Cumberland Road (National
Road), MD to IL.
1808 Gallatin Report 1st National Tp. Inventory, suggested
$20 M 10-yr federal road construction plan.
1866 Bicycles introduced to USA
1887 First daily railroad service coat to coast
1956 Federal-Aid Highway Act, $25 billion for the construction
of 42,500 miles of Interstate Highways over a 20-year
period.
Significant Events in Transportation
History
Date Event / Development

1967 US Department of Transportation established

1987 Surface Transportation and Uniform Relocation
Assistance Act; allowed states to raise the speed limit to
65 mph on rural Interstate highways.
1991 Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act
(ISTEA); overall intermodal approach to highway and
transit funding.
1998 Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-
21); seven planning factors be included in regional
transportation plans.
2005 Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation
Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU); new core
Highway Safety Improvement Program
MAP-21 (Moving Ahead for
Progress in the 21st Century)
An Act to authorize funds for Federal-aid highways,
highway safety programs, and transit programs, and
for other purposes.
Was signed into law by President Obama on July 6,
2012.
Funding surface transportation programs at over $105
billion for fiscal years (FY) 2013 and 2014.
MAP-21 is the first long-term highway authorization
enacted since 2005.
MAP-21 extends current law (SAFETEA-LU) for the
remainder of FY 2012, with new provisions for FY
2013 and beyond taking effect on October 1, 2012
Highways Transportation

Necessary condition
for economic growth
Interacts with land
use determining
location and
character of cities
and regions;
National security
Highway
Es una franja de
terreno con un plano
de rodadura
especialmente
dispuesto para el
trnsito adecuado de
vehculos, destinada
a comunicar entre si
regiones y sitios
poblados
Highway Transportation Federal
Agencies and Organizations

State DOTs - 50 states and Washington D.C.

Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands
Other Organizations: AASHTO, TRB, ITE, ASCE
Transportation Agencies Puerto Rico
Other Highway Transportation Related
Agencies of Puerto Rico
CSP - Comisin de Servicio Pblico:
regulation of taxis and trucks

ACAA Autoridad de Compensaciones por

Accidentes de Automviles: road crash
injuries /fatalities insurance

ASC Asociacin de Suscripcin Conjunta

del Seguro de Responsabilidad obligatorio:
road crash liability insurance
Fuentes de Fondos para Carreteras
Impuestos al usuario Tarifa de
Gasolina y diesel estacionamientos
Venta de vehculos Multas
Bateras Emisin de Deuda
Gomas
Prstamos
Aceite
Bonos
Registro de
vehculos Fondos Estatales
Licencia de conducir Fondos Federales
Peajes Concesiones / PPP
 Planning
Design
Construction
Operation
Safety
Transit
Management
Lecture Review