Bus transportation has traditionally served as the backbone of public transportation. Despite the importance and
efficiency of buses, compared to the automobile, these vehicles are weighted equally with automobiles at traffic
signals where a bus carrying 50 passengers is treated the same as an auto with a single person. Delays caused
by traffic signals and by street traffic congestion increase bus operating costs and degrade transit service quality.

<p>The objective of this research project was to study mobile and short duration work zone safety with particular attention to the identification of work zone safety devices, information systems for the reduction of safety and congestion, and implementation of innovative techniques to reduce delays and crashes due to work zones.</p>

<p>Herbicides have been widely used to control vegetation on roadside rights-of-way because they are perceived as more cost effective than other treatments. However, as knowledge of environmental systems has developed along with a growing social perception of health and environmental issues, a need for alternative methods to synthetic herbicide use for vegetation control along roadsides has become a prominent issue. Earlier phases of this research indicated several promising physical, cultural, biological/ecological, and chemical controls.

Herbicides have been widely used to control vegetation on roadside rights-of-way because they are perceived as more cost effective than other treatments. However, as knowledge of environmental systems has developed along with a growing social perception of health and environmental issues, a need for alternative methods to herbicide use for vegetation control along roadsides has become a prominent issue. As many organizations are also looking into innovative control methods, it is important to gather and review information generated throughout the industry.

Vegetation managers could use a tool to compare cost effectiveness of different non-herbicide and herbicide alternatives for treating roadside vegetation. Such a tool could be used to make informed decisions, better communicate the bases for treatment choices with various stakeholders, and direct research and development activities (focus R&D where the comparisons of different alternatives are interesting, but weak on factual information).

Rights-of-way vegetation managers are increasingly focused on environmental stewardship. Managers are interested in practices that will produce and demonstrate economically-sound, socially-responsible, and environmentally-sensitive decision making and operational practice. Environmental Management Systems have developed over the past decade to frame and advertise organizational efforts in environmental stewardship, but, to date, these systems have been only strategic/tactical in nature. They have not directly pertained to operations and field performance.

Over the last decade, a large number of high capital cost transportation projects
have been proposed for the New York City Region. Many have resulted from addressing
evolving capacity needs, changes in regional demographics and economics, meeting the
improvements necessitated by operating century old subway systems and recognizing the
impact of moving freight in a dense region. But the catalyst for bringing all of these projects
to the attention of the public and all regional agencies was the tragedy of September 11, 2001.

The apparent increase in light rail transit capital costs is a
significant concern for Federal Transit Administration, as
well as for its partner agencies at the state and local levels.
While unit costs have shown no clear trend over the past
decade, many individual agencies are experiencing
unexpectedly high project costs and could use assistance in
both bringing these costs under control and gaining tools to
better anticipate ultimate project costs.