<rss version="2.0" xmlns:atom="https://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">
  <channel>
    <title>Transport Research International Documentation (TRID)</title>
    <link>https://trid.trb.org/</link>
    <atom:link href="https://trid.trb.org/Record/RSS?s=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" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
    <description></description>
    <language>en-us</language>
    <copyright>Copyright © 2026. National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.</copyright>
    <docs>http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss</docs>
    <managingEditor>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</managingEditor>
    <webMaster>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</webMaster>
    <image>
      <title>Transport Research International Documentation (TRID)</title>
      <url>https://trid.trb.org/Images/PageHeader-wTitle.jpg</url>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/</link>
    </image>
    <item>
      <title>A Summary of Cased Highway Crossing Design Trends in Alberta</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/1869341</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This paper will discuss the latest highway crossing requirements of Alberta Transportation (AT), other regulators (National Energy Board, Alberta Energy Regulator, municipal), design standards (CSA Z 662, municipal), and utility company thinking that determine the need for a casing when crossing an Alberta highway, and then will give specific examples related to highway projects. Casings can be expensive to construct and come with their own unique maintenance requirements. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of utilities crossing under Alberta highways, many within cased crossings. Provincial standards have changed over the decades and are reflected in the latest cased crossing designs on the West Calgary Ring Road project. Along the TransCanada Highway west of Stoney Trail, there are four new utility crossings contemplated, each with its own nuances. The paper will discuss the methodology used to determine whether crossings require casings, and whether Alberta Transportation or other stakeholders drive the need for a casing at specific locations. Examples from the West Calgary Ring Road project will be discussed to help illustrate the design principles.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 30 Aug 2021 14:50:21 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/1869341</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>A Fully Automated Approach to Extract and Assess Road Cross Sections From Mobile LiDAR Data</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/1567514</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Road cross sections are designed to ensure safe operation of highways. Tangent segments are typically designed with cross slopes to ensure efficient drainage of water off the road’s surface, likewise, on horizontal curves the cross section is superelevated (tilted) to help vehicles counteract centrifugal forces. In both cases, ineffective slopes that do not meet design requirements, put vehicles at risk of overturning and skidding. Similarly, if deficiencies exist in side slopes, the chance of recovery for vehicles that run-of-the-road decreases substantially. Thus, transportation agencies must constantly assess elements of a road’s cross section to ensure that they meet current design standards throughout their service life. The microscopic nature of cross sectional elements makes measuring such information time consuming, highly disruptive to traffic, and resource intensive. To facilitate more efficient assessments of such features, this paper proposes a novel algorithm to extract road cross sections from light detection and ranging data. The algorithm involves estimating vectors which intersect the road’s axis, whereby points within proximity to the vectors are retained and extracted. Slope information is then measured off the retained points. The proposed algorithm is fully automated and employs multivariate adaptive regression splines to identify locations of change in slope. The algorithm was tested on two highway segments in Alberta. The high efficiency and precise manner in which the slope data was extracted, demonstrates the value of using the proposed algorithm in performing network-level assessment of road cross sections.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 27 Dec 2018 15:43:18 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/1567514</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Everything in between: Mobile RWIS help fill in the gaps</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/1481541</link>
      <description><![CDATA[With wet pavement and rain routinely proven to be the top two contributors to weather-related automobile crashes, followed by winter-weather hazards and fog, many states are turning to new and unique ways to face the challenges. Customized weather observations and forecasts driven by fixed Road Weather Information Systems (RWIS) are being used by transportation officials to make better decisions that help minimize the impacts of severe weather impacts; however, the number of RWIS that can be installed and maintained is limited. As a result, agencies are beginning to use mobile weather sensors, which are devices mounted on vehicles that gather and process information as they cover ground. Canada's Alberta Transportation (AT) has installed an extensive network of RWIS throughout the province, utilizing mobile weather sensors to provide more geographically specific observations for locations between RWIS at a lower cost.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 27 Sep 2017 10:18:05 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/1481541</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Leading In, Leading Out, and Leading from Behind: Knowledge Management at Alberta Public Service</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/1435346</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Alberta Public Service (APS) has invested in building a leadership and competency model with shared values that reinforce one another. This article outlines the shared values and the seven competencies built upon those values. The focus is on behavioral competencies related to how the work is done, as distinct from technical competencies, such as specialized knowledge. The goal is to build a culture that develops a leader in every chair—so that staff at all levels feel empowered to step into leadership roles within their working units, on project teams, or on committees. APS has incorporated elements of the model in their performance management system, in recruitment advertisements, and in job descriptions. In addition, APS traffic safety leaders also apply the model in working with community partners and stakeholders, fostering networks, and entering into interagency partnerships. A number of safety program examples are included to illustrate the influence of the organizational model.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 05 Dec 2016 11:23:45 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/1435346</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Automated Vehicle Tracking and Billing System for Snowplows</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/1214408</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Alberta Transportation (AT) has partnered with the province’s private highway maintenance contractors (HMC) on an innovative project to equip all snowplows with an Automated Vehicle Location System (AVLS). The primary objectives are to monitor and audit the work being done by the HMC and to increase productivity and efficiency through a newly-developed automated billing system. The entire AVLS consists of two basic components – hardware and software. The truck-mounted hardware consists of a Global Positioning System (GPS) unit, a wireless communications device, and sensors that provide real time data input on the use of the plow equipment (plow blade actions, spreader controls, and pre-wetting actions). The software program developed specifically for this project will collect snowplow data such as location, speed, truck identification, and actions, and automatically generate a billing record for AT to review and approve for payment. This will be the first deployment of such an automated billing system based on GPS tracking by a transportation agency anywhere in North America. In addition to the main benefits, other potential uses of this system are: the ability of the department and HMC to monitor the amount and location of salt and sand being placed so as to mitigate environmental impacts; in conjunction with other intelligent transportation systems (ITS) technologies such as the Road Weather Information System (RWIS), to optimize equipment resources during storm events; in conjunction with other department computer programs as a post-storm analysis tool based on the information gathered; and to assist with inquiries from the public and possible litigation matters.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 28 Sep 2012 15:30:15 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/1214408</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>The Evolution of Highway Maintenance Outsourcing in Alberta</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/798146</link>
      <description><![CDATA[In 1995, Alberta Transportation and Utilities took its first steps of many to outsource the highway maintenance work. This work covered all summer and winter maintenance of the provincial highway network. The department overcame many challenges as it changed its role from delivering the service to managing the delivery of the service by private sector. From day one, the industry and the department began to work together on forming a relationship of understanding from each other's point of view. This relationship was referred to as "partnering" and it would prove to be beneficial for day to day operations and in the future contracts. Following the outsourcing and prior to the next round of tendering, the department along with the industry conducted a major reengineering of the existing maintenance process. The group undertook a thorough review of all the maintenance specifications and contract requirements in an effort to identify the risk and allocate it where it could be best managed. During this period the department also sold its maintenance shops and increased its responsibility by assuming approximately 15,000 km of secondary highways from local municipalities. All of these changes were incorporated into the contracts prior to the second round of retendering. As a result of these changes there were significant savings. The department is now about to embark on its third round of retendering. Maintaining a level playing field for all contractors, creating a competitive bidding atmosphere, dealing with increased public expectation and issues on environment and insurance are just a few of the items that were reviewed in this round.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 30 Jan 2007 13:31:22 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/798146</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Asphalt Rubber – The Quiet Pavement?</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/795489</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The purpose of this paper is to present the finding of a study conducted by a group of Alberta transportation agencies.  Although the primary goal of the trial project was to establish whether ARC was a viable alternative road surfacing material in Alberta’s climate, ARC has proven to reduce road noise on pavement.  ARC is beneficial in that is has many benefits such as longer service life, reduced reflective cracking, reduced rutting, and reduced road noise. The study also studied road noise before and after ARC was installed in certain roadways. Theories developed from these studies including those of noise propagation and methodology of measuring the road noise, will be presented and a comparison between the road noise associated with ARC and previously existing conventional pavements will be discussed. The mechanism that results in lower road noise will be addressed as part of this discussion.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 29 Dec 2006 11:07:36 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/795489</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Evolution of Highway Maintenance Outsourcing in Alberta, Canada</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/786917</link>
      <description><![CDATA[In 1995, Alberta Transportation and Utilities took its first steps of many to outsource the highway maintenance work.  This work covered all summer and winter maintenance of the provincial highway network.  The department overcame many challenges as it changed its role from delivering the service to managing the delivery of the service by private sector.  From day one, the industry and the department began to work together on forming a relationship of understanding from each other's point of view.  This relationship was referred to as "partnering" and it would prove to be beneficial for day to day operations and in the future contracts.  Following the outsourcing and prior to the next round of tendering, the department along with the industry conducted a major reengineering of the existing maintenance process.  The group undertook a thorough review of all the maintenance specifications and contract requirements in an effort to identify the risk and allocate it where it could be best managed.  During this period the department also sold its maintenance shops and increased its responsibility by assuming approximately 15,000 km of secondary highways from local municipalities.  All of these changes were incorporated into the contracts prior to the second round of retendering.  As a result of these changes there were significant savings.  The department is now about to embark on its third round of retendering.  Maintaining a level playing field for all contractors, creating a competitive bidding atmosphere, dealing with increased public expectation and issues on environment and insurance are just a few of the items that were reviewed in this round.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 04 Aug 2006 16:17:39 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/786917</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>A REVIEW OF THE ALBERTA PERFORMANCE MEASURES</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/700335</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Performance measurement is a vital component of asset management used in planning and programming to identify assets that are under or over performing and to assess overall agency performance over time. More specifically, performance measures are used to, 1) define policy objectives at an early stage of policy or system planning, 2) provide the basis for annual performance reporting on system condition and performance as part of communication, 3) screen projects or set project priorities and, 4) allocate resources. Regardless of what performance measures are ultimately selected by an agency, they must meet the 4R test: be relevant and understandable to users, be technically robust, repeatable, and responsive to major work programs and/or budget fluctuations. As part of the move to asset management, Alberta Transportation has implemented performance based planning and monitoring of the provincial highway network. Three performance measures, based upon technical measurement, have been adopted which characterize network condition, functional adequacy and utilization. Recent budget planning cycles have indicated the current suite of performance measures is not sensitive enough to budget levels and as such, the department revisited them with the goal of improving their effectiveness as a measurement and reporting tool. This paper describes the analysis of, and modification to, the condition performance measure in an attempt to address the criteria of relevancy and sensitivity. The methodology used herein can serve as a template to other agencies facing a similar problem and/or to agencies in the process of defining a relevant, repeatable, robust, and responsive performance measure.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 22 Apr 2004 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/700335</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>BRIDGE EXPERT ANALYSIS AND DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/644500</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Alberta Transportation is in the process of developing an expert system that will support the department's bridge management functions.  The system's primary objectives are to facilitate consistent and accurate decisions to optimize the allocation of bridge funds, evaluate system performance, and plan and manage bridge construction, rehabilitation, and maintenance actions. The Bridge Expert Analysis and Decision Support (BEADS) system will be a major component of a larger departmentwide integrated Transportation Infrastructure Management System (TIMS) and will routinely interact with the corporate data repository and other TIMS components.  In addition to improvement needs related to condition and functionality, the BEADS system will respond to highway network expansion plans and socioeconomic decisions. The BEADS system consists of individual modules that address bridge structure elements and functional limitations.  These include the Substructure, Superstructure, Paint, Strength, Bridge Rail, Bridge Width, Vertical Clearance, Replacement, and Culvert Modules.  On the basis of existing and predicted condition and functionality states, the modules identify potential work activities, including their timing and cost, throughout the economic life cycle.  The Strategy Builder Module then assembles and groups the identified work activities into feasible life-cycle strategies.  A life-cycle cost analysis ranks the strategies.  Once the project-level analysis results have been determined, a network-level analysis may be performed to facilitate short-term programming, analysis of long-range budget scenarios, evaluation of network status, and assessment of the impact of policy decisions.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 21 Apr 2003 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/644500</guid>
    </item>
  </channel>
</rss>