Have you ever wondered what that terrible noise and vibration are when you slightly veer on a roadway? Those noisy bumps are referred to as rumble strips, and they are formed when a ribbon of asphalt has been milled with a special tool. Rumble strips produce sound and vibration to alert drivers when they cross…
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With the recent trend of increased integration between transportation planning and traffic operations, it is important for new traffic analysts and engineers to understand the different levels of planning along with the most appropriate tools and methods of analysis. As planning encompasses areas ranging in size from a few intersections to entire sub regions of…
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Greek inventor Archimedes once said, “The shortest distance between two points is a straight line.” This idea is such a simple concept and can be seen in so many parts of life. For example, babies understand this concept when crawling towards their parents, and predators understand this notion when chasing their prey. In engineering, we…
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Before a new development can be built, the local government will often require a traffic impact study (TIS) to be performed. But what exactly goes into a TIS? The purpose of a TIS – also called a traffic impact analysis (TIA) – is to assess the expected traffic impacts to the roadway network surrounding a…
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Last month, we announced the formation of a company ownership program designed to expand company ownership opportunities to three key levels: associate, principal, and senior principal. With the new program, Sain added three new associates – Nathan Currie, P.E., Paul Gilliam, P.E., PTOE, and Jeff Stephenson, P.E., PTOE. For this week’s blog, we are highlighting…
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In last week’s blog, we looked at several factors that may be contributing to an increase in fatality rates per miles driven since the COVID-19 pandemic began. It’s important to think about what we can do to reduce the risk of death or serious injury in road crashes. How can safety professionals address the “new…
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For several months, the COVID-19 pandemic has upended everyday routines and greatly impacted our health and economy. Typically, as economic activity declines, travel decreases, and the risk of being involved in a road collision also decreases. However, recent data from the National Safety Council (NSC) shows otherwise – emptier but riskier roads. Preliminary estimates from…
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COVID-19 has significantly impacted daily life around the world. Many people are teleworking, schools are adopting distance learning in greater numbers, and more entertainment and retail activity are occurring online than ever before. These lifestyle adjustments have led to travel behavioral changes that allow planners to reclaim underutilized roadway lanes for other purposes, such as…
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As a resident of the south Birmingham Metro Area for over 20 years, I have driven the I-65 corridor nearly every weekday and have seen it evolve throughout that timespan. The fast growth of communities south of Birmingham has resulted in increased traffic volumes on I-65. With nearly 130,000 vehicles per day, I-65 south of…
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Office employees are working from home, schools are closed, and large gatherings with friends and family are discouraged per social distancing recommendations. As we stay at home, we are reminded of how our community interactions have changed with COVID-19. Several reports and maps display how we are practicing social distancing; those numbers and colors illustrate…
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