December 2011 Volume 14 Issue 4

TransTalk
Presidents Message
By Bill McMenamin, PE
With the hustle and bustle of the holiday season upon us, its very likely you find your mind wandering even more so than usual. In spite of trying to block our the pressures that coincide with the holidays, thoughts of finding the perfect gift, where to go to get the most savings, and how many relatives are coming over for dinner permeate our lives for the next few weeks. These little stresses just add to those typical distractions we encounter on a daily basis, which is why its during these tumultuous times we as both transportation professionals and motorists need to be even more cognizant of being attentive behind the wheel. Its easier said than done in the technological age we live in. While distracted driving comes in various forms, the prevalence of cell phones, smart phones, and other hand held electronics have added a new dimension to the driving experience which is having widespread consequences. Now Im not going to lie and claim Ive never answered a call or text while in my car. I believe Id be hard pressed to find someone who hasnt. While cell phone usage and texting are the most recognizable, the overall documented statistics regarding distracted driving are staggering. According to the Centers for Disease Control, during the year 2009 almost 5,500 people were killed, with another 448,000 injured, in crashes where distracted driving was reported as a contributing factor. This accounts for 16% of the total motor vehicle fatalities within the United States. Of these, nearly 1,000 deaths and 24,000 injuries were identifed as being the result of cell phone usage prior to the crash. Whereas this constitutes a lesser percentage of the total than one would expect, researchers have found cell phone usage quadruples crash risk. Simply dialing a cell phone increases crash risk by three times. A University of Utah study has even concluded cell phone use while driving delays a driver's reactions as much as having a blood alcohol concentration at the legal limit of .08 percent. Thankfully, these sobering statistics have not been ignored. Many states are enacting laws or using graduated driver licensing systems to raise awareness about the dangers of distracted driving. In fact, as of July 2011, ten states and the District of Columbia have banned driving while talking on a hand-held cell phone for all drivers, with five of these states making it a primary offense. Text messaging is now prohibited for all drivers in 34 states. Novice teen drivers, the most visible culprits of cell phone usage while driving, are now banned from using them including hands free devices in

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30 states. ITE is also on the forefront of this issue. Robert Wunderlich, the current International President of ITE, made a pitch for ITE members to set the example by driving cell free in one of his messages earlier this year. However, while recent research from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) indicates these laws were generally effective at reducing use of hand-held cell phones, there was not a coinciding reduction in crashes. Theres still much work to be done! I wish you and your families a joyous and blessed holiday. When youre out and about this season, do your best to remain vigilant behind the wheel. Keep in mind 25% of drivers in the United States reported they regularly talk on their cell phones while driving, so even if youre alert, statistics show the majority of other motorists may not be.

Were Sorry. The following ads for The LiRo Group and Parsons Brinckerhoff were mistakenly omitted from the October issue of Transtalk.

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Luigi Casinelli Elected 2012 Met Section Treasurer

Luigi Casinelli, P.E., PTOE is a Professional Associate and Northeast Leader of HDRs Traffic & ITS business practice in the New York Metropolitan Area. He is a licensed Professional Engineer in the states of NY, NJ, and CT and he is also a board certified Professional Transportation Operations Engineer specializing in managing all types of traffic and transportation engineering studies for various public agencies including NYCDOT, PANY & NJ, NJDOT, NYSDOT and throughout the United States.

Upcoming Met Section Meetings

Thursday, January 19, 2012 Past Presidents Night at The Captains Ketch, Manhattan, NY Wednesday, February 22, 2012 Luncheon Meeting at Antonees, White Plains, NY - Topic: NY Empire Corridor presented by David Chan (NYSDOT) and Peter Melewski (HNTB)

Professional Transportation Planner (PTP) program receives NCCA Accreditation

The Professional Transportation Planner program has received accreditation by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies. This is truly the gold standard for certification programs; PTOE was accredited a several years ago. The PTP effort took a number of months and a great deal of work by ITE staff to prepare the NCCA submission. This means that PTP is the only accredited certification for planners (AICP does not meet the NCCA accreditation guidelines) The NCCA letter is available on the web at www.northeasternite.org

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From the Editor

By Mayer Horn, P.E., PTOE, PTP State Legislation
There has been substantial coverage by the media, especially the transportation and engineering media, of the failure at the federal level to address infrastructure needs, including highways, transit, and passenger rail, especially to put in place any long-term, sustainable, transportation funding mechanisms. There is likewise a need for state government to develop long-term sustainable funding mechanisms for transportation and other infrastructure investment as well as for ongoing operations and maintenance. Beyond the need for sustainable funding, there are a number of other issues which state legislatures could address to improve transportation. Here are a few: Yield to Buses: As an observer whether as a motorist, a pedestrian, a bicyclist, or a bus passenger (from very urban Manhattan to suburban Suffolk County) - I witness the delays buses experience in returning to a thru traffic lane from a curb bus stop without bus bulbs. A number of jurisdictions have legislation that requires motorists to yield to buses pulling into a thru traffic lane. In some of these transit systems, a yield-to-bus sign/signal on the left rear of the bus flashes whenever the driver activates the left directional signal. Red light cameras: These really should be no-brainers, not requiring any specific legislative action to authorize this number or that. However, the accusation that some jurisdictions have shortened the yellow clearance interval to increase the number of motorists caught, in order to raise revenues, should be addressed. A simple solution would be to require the certification by a PTOE that the duration of the yellow complies with the MUTCD. Of course, the focus should be on reducing the frequency and severity of crashes. Incidentally, summonses issued by automated enforcement carry monetary fines, but no points on drivers licenses. Automated speed enforcement: This might seem to be as simple as red light cameras, and it is in terms of allowing jurisdictions to implement this at as many locations as they wish. However, automated speed enforcement raises issues of realistic speed limits, speed tolerance, and street design. For example, if motorists are comfortable driving at 50 mph on a local street, installing 30 mph speed limits signs, without any of the traffic calming devices to ensure 30 mph speeds, should not be considered acceptable street design. Employer parking alternatives: Employer-provided free parking is quite common in the suburbs; in CBDs, some employers subsidize parking partially, some completely. Although state law doesnt require employers to offer free or even subsidized parking, state law could require employers, if they choose to offer free or subsidized parking, to also offer at least the same benefit for using transit, carpools, biking, or walking. (Continued on Page 6)

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ABSTRACT REQUEST
The ITE Northeastern District will hold its annual conference in Lake Placid, NY on May 23-25, 2012. The Conference Technical Program Committee is currently accepting abstracts for presentations at the technical sessions. Should you have an interesting project or topic that addresses the variety of transportation challenges we regularly face today, we would like to invite you to share your work with others in the profession. If you are interested in presenting at the conference, please send an email to ppfleuger@wattsae.com including: Your name and contact information Brief bio Proposed presentation title Brief (500 words limit) abstract/summary explaining your presentation concept or idea (we dont expect to have the final presentation packages at this time) Abstract submission deadline is DECEMBER 31, 2011. The Committee will consider proposals and respond promptly to all applicants. Should you have any questions, please contact Paul G. Pfleuger at (716) 206-5117 or at ppfleuger@watts-ae.com

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(Continued from Page 4)

This is often referred to as cash-out. Local zoning regulations, which often do require parking, encourage auto use and degrade building exterior environments. Treating alternative modes equally with autos could be legislated to apply not just for employees; for shopping centers, free transit might become the norm; the issue of transit service levels must also be addressed. Perhaps transit benefit districts should be considered; indeed, in downstate New York, the widely unpopular MTA tax was originally promoted as a mobility tax to increase transit service. Unfortunately, no sooner was it adopted than MTA recalculated its deficit and slashed transit service. Residency restrictions: Suburban communities which restrict access to public parks are (typically unconsciously) pulling in the welcome mat from tourists and visitors (e.g., shoppers) from adjacent communities. Restricting parking at commuter rail stations encourages auto travel at the expense of transit and could be outlawed at the state level. Indeed, parking facilities operated by the transit agencies and those operated by private businesses never impose residency restrictions. Regardless of ones political philosophy, if local government cannot avoid residency restrictions, the state could condemn the parking facilities and make other arrangements: the transit operator or a private parking operator. Project delivery: P3 - public private partnerships and DBOM design, build, operate, maintain should not just be allowed, but encouraged, especially in these difficult economic times. New Jersey has successfully used DBOM on both the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail Line and the RIVER diesel light rail line between Trenton and Camden. New York needs to catch up. Unsolicited proposals: States should have the ability to accept and deal with unsolicited proposals, whether to build and/or operate transportation facilities. Some states have this ability and they, their citizens, their businesses, and their visitors all benefit. Beyond ability, states and localities should welcome such proposals with enthusiasm and open minds. Managed lanes: A number of states are managing express lanes and even whole freeways to avoid congestion, even guaranteeing that there wont be any. Pricing is an important tool. In this metro area, real-time pricing has yet to arrive. The opportunity should not be confined to bridges, tunnels, and existing toll roads. The net revenues of widespread real-time traffic management incorporating pricing charging the lowest toll to guarantee no congestion would have to be determined before the need for additional revenue - whether from the transportation system or otherwise can be addressed. Operating efficiency: Inefficiency of operations, including work rules which increase costs, places a major burden on our transportation system, most heavily on the commuter rail systems. In some cases, attempts to improve efficiency have encountered opposition from elected officials. Instead, broad-based legislation could provide the backing needed to ensure that efforts to improve efficiency are not thwarted. In some cases, seeking competitive proposals, e.g., to operate commuter rail systems, could be legislatively mandated. Provide incentives: Some combination of financial incentives - carrots and sticks could be employed to achieve transportation objectives, such as transit agencies reducing costs by using part-time labor,

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buses having bike racks, state highway departments seeking competitive bids to operate freeways, and commuter rail lines to have appropriate ticket availability and expiration policies (or simply adopt POP proof of payment). Sometimes, financial incentives can be more readily achievable than legislated restrictions. Transportation as a System: At the several MPOs in the region, transportation plans include highways and transit; this inclusiveness carries over to the TIPs. Beyond that, there is rarely any consideration of transportation as a system, even though transit and highway department heads might sit together at the MPO table and even though, in New Jersey, the commissioner of transportation is de jure the chairman of NJ Transit. When there are proposals to raise transit fares or reduce transit service, the impacts on the highway system are rarely considered. How often is improved transit service and lower transit fares considered as a tool to reduce recurrent highway congestion? These suggestions represent opportunities to significantly improve transportation: highway and transit, operations efficiency and service, maintenance and expansion. So what? What needs to be done? The Transportation Plan: The transportation plans produced by the MPOs should include operations, efficiency, and service. Starting with where we are now, the plans should paint the picture of where we want to be, and identify at least initial measures to reach the goal. Which of the above proposals would not be appropriate for inclusion in a robust, comprehensive transportation plan? The MPO/Legislative Process: Currently, there is no MPO/legislative process. Lacking innovative and potentially controversial proposals, why should legislative leaders reach out to the MPOs for input on possible legislation and legislative changes? How often do MPO directors and senior staff meet with key legislators, especially those on transportation committees? How often would their state DOT commissioners allow or even encourage this? Comments on this article and other transportation issues are welcome.

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Dear Colleagues, In an effort to educate young adult drivers about the dangers of reckless driving and curb the behavior of texting while driving, the State Attorneys General and Consumer Protection agencies, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Ad Council are launching a new public service advertising (PSA) campaign nationwide. According to a national survey conducted by the Ad Council, eighty-two percent of young adult drivers (16-24) have read a standard text message while driving. Young adults live in a connected world where multitasking is the norm. They feel pressure to remain in constant contact, even when behind the wheel. This manifests in the car where young adults recognize that texting and driving is dangerous, but do it anyway. This new PSA campaign conveys to young adult drivers that texting while driving isnt multitasking, its essentially driving blind. By taking your eyes off the road, even for a few seconds, you are making the road less safe for you, your passengers and other drivers. The new television, radio, outdoor and digital PSAs were created pro bono by New York advertising agency The Concept Farm. All of the PSAs direct audiences to StopTextsStopWrecks.org, a new campaign website where teens and young adults can find facts about the impact of texting while driving and tips for how to curb the behavior. The website also has an area where individuals can post and share on Facebook their solutions to stop texting and driving. >> PSA Preview We encourage you to share this with your colleagues and I sincerely thank you for your continued efforts to help make the roads a safer place. Sincerely, Ray LaHood, Secretary, U.S. Department of Transportation Congratulations to Umass Amherst for winning the 2011 Northeastern District Student Traffic Bowl held at Riccardos in Queens, NY on November 17th. This school will be representing the Northeastern District at the International Student Traffic Bowl to be held at the International Meeting in Atlanta in 2012. UConn came in second place with Northeastern finishing third. Students from NJIT and TCNJ also participated.

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Photos
On Thursday, October 20, 2011 Ian Sacs, Director of the Transportation and Parking Department for the City of Hoboken gave a presentation at the afternoon technical session at Arthurs Tavern in Hoboken, NJ. Topics discussed included bicycle lanes and the Corner Cars car-sharing program. Corner Cars are a pool of vehicles made available to Hoboken residents who sign up that are shared so that they are used as often as possible. This means that instead of owning a car, you share a pool of cars with other residents. Surveys have shown that for each of these vehicles in Hoboken, over 17 households have given up their cars. To find out more visit: http://www.hobokennj.org/corner-cars/

The team from The College of New Jersey were the winners of the 2011 ITE MetSection Student Traffic Bowl and a check for $900. The team consisted of Amanda Feeley, Dan Guadron, Dan Levine, Jon Ruff, and Sean Covely (shown at right). TCNJ went on to represent the MetSection at the Northeastern District Student Traffic Bowl at Ricardos in November.

On November 17, 2011 Jack Bucksbaum, Assistant Chief Engineer/Design for the Port Authority of NY & NJ (shown at left) gave a keynote speech on the economys effect on the Port Authority and upcoming projects.

John Paradiso and Steven Demetropoulos of the Port Authority (shown at right) gave the evenings technical presentation. They discussed the Port Newark/Elizabeth Port Authority Marine Terminal Redevelopment & Roadway Improvement Plan. The session focused on some of the most elaborate roadway projects within the redevelopment program and also the specific traffic engineering aspects and challenges of each.

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Deadline
The next issue of TransTalk will be available in February. Materials submitted after February 1, 2012 cannot be assured of inclusion.
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Presentations from the 2011 Northeastern District Annual Meeting, which our Met Section hosted in May in Port Jefferson, are now available on the web: http://www.northeasternite.org/Annual%20Meeting.htm

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