Getting from A to B: using an interactive display to demonstrate transportation planning and design issues

Recently some funds donated to the Civil and Natural Resources Engineering Dept at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand, were used to develop some interactive engineering displays for existing and prospective students. The first exhibit developed was a transportation board display, representing a landscape upon which a new road route was to be determined. The metallic display surface is sub-divided into hexagonal sections, each with a "cost" reflecting the relative difficulty of constructing in that location (e.g. due to mountains, rivers, development, etc). Magnetic straight and curved road elements (each with a value reflecting the costs to road users) can then be placed on the display to create an alignment between the chosen end points. The aim for users of the display is to determine the optimal road alignment, in terms of minimal construction costs, road user costs, or both. Since its creation, the display has been used in various locations, both on campus and at career expos. It has been immensely popular with visitors, many of whom get quite caught up in solving the problems presented. The potential for using this as a classroom tool for maths, science or geography classes at high school has also been identified. This paper outlines the development of the display, its applications to date, and the transportation lessons that it can highlight.

• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Koorey, G
• Conference:
  • Transportation Research Board 88th Annual Meeting
  • Location: Washington DC, United States
  • Date: 2009-1-11 to 2009-1-15
• Date: 2009-1

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: 13p
• Monograph Title: Transportation Research Board 88th Annual Meeting compendium of papers DVD, January 11-15, 2009, Washington, DC

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Education; Highway design; Publicity; Transportation planning; Universities and colleges
• Uncontrolled Terms: Planning and Environment
• Geographic Terms: New Zealand
• ATRI Terms: Education; Publicity; Road design; Transport planning; University
• Subject Areas: Education and Training; Highways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01384039
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: ARRB
• Files: ATRI
• Created Date: Aug 22 2012 4:08PM