A Bayesian assessment of the effect of highway bypasses in Iowa on crashes and crash rate

Introduction

A common contention is that the construction of highway bypasses negatively impacts the economy of local communities by reducing pass-by traffic for businesses. However, as access to specific business' account records is limited, this impact is difficult to quantify. Another common contention is that bypasses contribute to a reduction in overall crashes in the community and in the surrounding areas. Even though a large number of bypasses have been constructed in the State of Iowa over the past several years, their actual impact in terms of traffic safety has not been quantified.

Objectives

This study seeks answers to the following questions: (a) Are bypasses in Iowa associated with a reduction in crash frequencies and crash rates on the bypassed highway? (b) Do bypasses in Iowa introduce a reduction of overall crash frequencies and rates or do they merely shift crashes from the highways through the communities to the bypasses with no significant overall reduction?

Method

We obtained crash information from the Iowa DOT at 19 sites on which a bypass was constructed sometime during the past 23 years. We also obtained the same information at six sites used as comparison sites on which no bypasses were constructed at least until 2005. We them employed a Bayesian approach to estimating the association between the construction of the bypass and crash rates, while also accounting for other factors.

Results

The construction of bypasses in Iowa is associated with a significant increase in traffic safety both on the main road through town and on the combined main road and bypass roadway.     

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in breast milk of first-time Irish mothers: impact of the 2008 dioxin incident in Ireland

The 2008 dioxin incident in Ireland resulted in elevated concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), dibenzofurans (PCDFs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in Irish pork and pork products, due to the consumption of contaminated animal feed by pigs. In order to investigate any resulting impact on the Irish population, these contaminants were measured in pooled breast milk samples from 109 first-time mothers, collected in 2010. A comparison of the results with similar data from 2002 revealed generally lower concentrations of PCDD/Fs and dioxin-like PCBs in the 2010 samples, confirming the declining trend reported by many authors. Contaminant concentration levels for both 2002 and 2010 were generally slightly lower than those reported internationally, with a mean combined PCDD/F and PCB WHO-TEQ of 9.66 pg g⁻¹ fat, for an overall pooled sample of milk from 2010. An apparent slight increase in PCDFs was observed between 2002 and 2010 (from 2.73 pg WHO-TEQ g⁻¹ fat to 3.21 pg WHO-TEQ g⁻¹ fat), with the main contributory congener being 2,3,4,7,8-PentaCDF. While it cannot be totally discounted that the slight increase in 2,3,4,7,8-PentaCDF and in the overall PCDF WHO-TEQ in breast milk could be attributable to consumption of Irish pork during the 2008 incident, we consider that it is more likely that this was due to other factors, including the predominantly urban/industrial sampling locations for the 2010 samples, compared to 2002.     

航运公司安全管理有效性组合赋权评价模型

为提高航运公司安全营运管理的决策科学性,需要对其安全营运管理的有效性进行过程跟踪评价。基于安全管理的运行过程与安全结果 2种评估指标,提出2种指标相结合的安全管理有效性评价模型。在熵权法(EVM)和层次分析法(AHP)计算的基础上,通过一致性检验确定有效性评价体系指标的权重。提出以组合赋权法确定优化权重数值。经案例应用,得出某航运公司安全管理有效性评价定量化结果。分析结果表明,当前该公司安全管理体系中操作管理是安全管理绩效的关键,而人力资源方面和管理体系方面的改善措施需要与之协调。     

交通环境的法律治理与道德约束

通过分析交通环境所面临的严重问题后认为，首先必须运用法律治理手段纠正由市场失灵导致的交通环境问题，但这种强制性手段有其缺陷，因为交通环境的治理也存在道德问题，只有配合以道德约束，德法兼备，才能进行卓有成效的交通环境治理。     

基于业务的网络可靠性试验流量生成方法研究

网络的发展从仅关注速度的提升转移到关注业务的交付能力,由此网络可靠性问题越来越受到研究者的重视。网络可靠性试验是评价网络可靠性的一种重要手段,而试验流量的生成对可靠性评价结果具有决定性的影响。然而目前从可靠性角度对网络进行试验时,对任务的描述较为简单,无法支撑由客户需求分解到网络流量生成的全过程;从流量模型角度出发的生成技术则仅关注全网流量,难以支持可靠性试验中的流量生成。本文提出基于业务的混合模型的流量描述方法,并使用软件实现,最后进行试验验证所提出方法的有效性。     

车辆非尾气管颗粒物排放特征研究

车辆尾气排放控制技术和排放标准在近年来得到了快速发展,但非尾气管(non-exhaust)排放却很少涉及.非尾气管排放主要包括车辆制动磨损、轮胎磨损、路面磨损和车辆扬尘,本研究调查了北京典型道路车流量和车辆运行速度等参数,应用欧盟非尾气管排放因子分析车辆制动磨损、轮胎磨损和路面磨损PM10排放.结果显示:不同类型道路的...     

Investigating the effect of geometric dimensions of median traffic barriers on crashes: Crash analysis of interstate roads in Wyoming using actual crash datasets

IntroductionDespite the numerous safety studies done on traffic barriers’ performance assessment, the effect of variables such as traffic barrier’s height has not been identified considering a comprehensive actual crash data analysis. This study seeks to identify the impact of geometric variables (i.e., height, post-spacing, sideslope ratio, and lateral offset) on median traffic barriers’ performance in crashes on interstate roads.MethodGeometric dimensions of over 110 miles median traffic barriers on interstate Wyoming roads were inventoried in a field survey between 2016 and 2018. Then, the traffic barrier data collected was combined with historical crash records, traffic volume data, road geometric characteristics, and weather condition data to provide a comprehensive dataset for the analysis. Finally, an ordered logit model with random-parameters was developed for the severity of traffic barrier crashes. Based on the results, traffic barrier’s height was found to impact crash severity.ResultsCrashes involving cable barriers with a height between 30″ and 42″ were less severe than other traffic barrier types, while concrete barriers with a height shorter than 32″ were more likely involved with severe injury crashes. As another important finding, the post-spacing of 6.1–6.3 ft. was identified as the least severe range in W-beam barriers.Practical applicationsThe results show that using flare barriers should reduce the number of crashes compared to parallel barriers.     

街区建筑物对城市交通隧道废气排放的影响

采用大气边界层模式和随机游动扩散模式相连接的模拟方法,对上海市拟建的交通隧道排气口附近街道建筑物区域的气流分布和废气排放物浓度场进行了数值模拟分析,设计了6种方案,并按不同的废气排放形式,分别分析了街区的地面污染物质量浓度分布.结果表明,在建筑物存在的情况下,排风口造成的地面污染物质量浓度的最高值会很大,可达0.44 mg/m3,若换成排风塔,则为0.13 mg/m3; 没有建筑物的情况下,由排风口和排风塔造成的地面污染物最高质量浓度分别为0.11 mg/m3,0.4 mg/m3.当风速增大,质量浓度会降低,最大值分别从0.44 mg/m3降为0.2 mg/m3,和从0.13 mg/m3降为0.1mg/m3.分析表明,建筑物附近的气流特征对污染物扩散会起引导作用: 垂直方向上,导致污染物从高空被带入地面; 水平方向上,使得污染物在下风向堆积; 当风速增大时,地面污染物质量浓度值降低.同时研究表明,对排风塔污染物散布起主要作用的是水平方向的气流结构,而对排风口的污染物散布起主要作用的则是其附近建筑物的背风侧的气流下洗效应和水平流场,因此建筑物背风侧有可能成为重污染区.     

重大事故应急处置基本原则与程序

提高重大事故的风险意识和应急处置能力,对坚持以人为本,建设和谐社会和保护人民群众生命财产安全有重要意义。本文论述了重大事故应急管理基本认识,应急处置过程应遵循的主要原则,论述了适用于各类突发公共事件的应急响应通用程序,并提出其应成为应急管理标准化的一个主要内容。     

以淮安市为例研究中小城市噪声污染现状及趋势

收集2006-2010年淮安市各功能区环境噪声、交通噪声和区域环境噪声监测数据,分析中小城市环境噪声的污染状况,结果表明中小城市的噪声环境质量都有不同程度的好转,与大城市环境噪声比较,各类噪声都明显低于大城市的噪声污染,但随着城市和交通的改造与发展,第4类城市功能区夜间环境噪声有增加趋势。