Professional Development Short Courses

KAI offers a variety of one-, two-, and three-day short courses designed to provide the practicing professional with the latest advancements in a variety of fields within traffic engineering and transportation planning. These courses highlight our latest field experience, research experience, and activities on national committees. We strongly believe in fostering the development of professionals and the profession, one of the ways we accomplish this is through developing and teaching short courses.

We offer courses on the following subjects:

  1. Advanced Highway Capacity
  2. At-Grade Intersection Design
  3. Basic Highway Capacity
  4. Roundabouts Course
  5. Functional Geometric Design
  6. Traffic Signal Design
  7. Traffic Signal Timing
  8. Transit Capacity and Transit Quality of Service

View The Schedule to see when we'll be giving a course in your area!



Advanced Highway Capacity

Instructors

Wayne Kittelson, P.E.

Purpose

This three-day course is based upon the Revised 2000 Highway Capacity Manual and covers advanced applications of traffic flow and capacity analysis, including discussion and applications of delay, queuing, and shock wave analysis. Highway capacity analysis software (HCS) is demonstrated and used by participants to solve workshop problems. Applications discussed and demonstrated cover freeways, arterials, roads, and signalized/unsignalized intersections. Construction/maintenance work zone capacity is also covered, as this is a critical safety design consideration in handling traffic through work zones.

Course Topics

  1. Delay, queuing, and shock wave analysis
  2. Introduction to computer applications
  3. Freeway climbing lanes
  4. Passing lanes on two-lane two-way highways
  5. Operational method for signalized intersections
  6. Four-way stopped-controlled intersections
  7. Weaving sections analysis
  8. Construction/maintenance work zone capacity, queuing, and delays

Who Should Attend

This course is appropriate for both new and experienced transportation planners, designers, and traffic engineers who seek training or want an update in capacity analysis. Public agency and private sector participants will benefit. The advanced course reviews the fundamentals of traffic stream characteristics.

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Basic Highway Capacity

Instructors

Wayne Kittelson, P.E., Kittelson & Associates

Bob Layton, PhD., P.E., Oregon State University

Purpose

This is the first of two courses in highway capacity that combine to provide comprehensive insights into all aspects of capacity and level-of-service analyses for highway, transit, pedestrian, and bicycle facilities.

The purpose of this three-day course is to provide participants with a basic understanding of fundamental concepts underlying the analysis methods provided in the 2000 edition of the Highway Capacity Manual. Upon completion of the course, participants should be able to successfully undertake basic facility evaluations, and appropriately review and interpret the results of analyses conducted by others. Each participant will work in a team to solve sample problems and will discuss solutions in a classroom setting. The course has been completely updated to reflect the contents of HCM2000, the most recent edition of the Highway Capacity Manual.

Course Topics

  1. Traffic stream characteristics
  2. Traffic flow theory
  3. Traffic operations and level-of-service concepts
  4. Basic freeway segments capacity analysis
  5. Ramp junctions
  6. Weaving sections
  7. Multilane highway capacity analysis
  8. Two-lane two-way highways
  9. Transit facilities
  10. Pedestrian and bicycle facilities
  11. Urban streets
  12. Signalized and unsignalized intersections

Who Should Attend

This course is appropriate for transportation planners, designers, administrators, policy makers and traffic engineers who have not been formally introduced to highway capacity analysis techniques. It will also serve as a useful refresher for those who only apply highway capacity analysis techniques on an occasional basis. Those attending this course will benefit from the thorough review of fundamentals, information on the newest revisions to the Highway Capacity Manual, and the team problem solving workshop format.

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Roundabouts

Instructors

Ed Myers, P.E., Kittelson & Associates, Inc.

Brian Ray, P.E., Kittelson & Associates, Inc.

Lee Rodegerdts, P.E., Kittelson & Associates, Inc.

Wade Scarbrough, P.E., Kittelson & Associates, Inc.

Description

Circular intersection forms have been part of the transportation system in the United States for over a century. Their widespread usage decreased after the early 1960s. The advantages of the modern roundabout, including modified and improved design features, have again been recognized, more fully explored, and put to the test in the United States.

The instructor experts for this course will present the findings and guidelines relative to the development and design of the modern roundabout. They will highlight the distinct differences between the older traffic circle and rotary designs and the new design features. They will also address the typical questions of why, where, when, and how a roundabout design should be considered as an appropriate intersection solution.

This course reviews the planning phase of a roundabout, the operational analysis steps, and detailed design guidelines. The planning phase focuses on where roundabouts should be considered and which issues are inherent in the design and operation. The operational analysis covers the detailed performance of a roundabout and typical measures of effectiveness, such as capacity, delay, and queues. The design phase includes issues related to size, horizontal and vertical alignment, transit, pedestrians, bicyclists, signing, and striping. Throughout the course, you will have the opportunity to ask questions of the instructors and discuss a wide variety of current topics in the roundabout field.

The basis for the course is the FHWA document, Roundabouts: An Informational Guide; Kansas DOT and other State supplements to the FHWA guide; ongoing instructor involvement in NCHRP research and TRB, ITE, NCUTCD, and IESNA committees; and the instructors' practical experience in implementing roundabouts.

Course Topics

  1. Characteristics of early circular intersections and present-day roundabouts
  2. Roundabout site selection
  3. Roundabout planning
  4. Effectiveness measures for roundabouts
  5. Roundabout design

Who Should Attend

This course is appropriate for transportation planners and traffic engineers responsible for planning, implementing, and evaluating traffic control devices; public officials charged with the evaluation of traffic control alternatives; and planners and urban designers involved in neighborhood and downtown revitalization.

Variations on the Course

We have offered 4-hour, 1-day, and 2-day versions of the full three-day course to fit local needs. We are also in the process of developing variations of the course that concentrate more heavily on operational analysis and/or design. Please contact us for presentation options.

Past Locations (sponsor in parentheses)

  1. December 15-17, 1999, Portland, OR (University of Portland)
  2. February 16-18, 2000, Seattle, WA (Transpeed/University of Washington)
  3. March 2-3, 2000, Albany, NY (New York State DOT) – 2 day
  4. March 29-31, 2000, Spokane, WA (Transpeed/University of Washington)
  5. July 17-19, 2000, Anchorage, AK (ITE Alaska Section)
  6. October 18-20, 2000, Lacey, WA (Transpeed/University of Washington)
  7. November 28-30, 2000, Minneapolis, MN (Minnesota DOT)
  8. February 7-9, 2001, Seattle, WA (Transpeed/University of Washington)
  9. May 7-9, 2001, Minneapolis, MN (Minnesota DOT)
  10. May 17, 2001, Ames, IA (Iowa State) – 1 day
  11. June 13-15, 2001, Waukesha, WI (Wisconsin DOT)
  12. June 18-20, 2001, Wisconsin Dells, WI (Wisconsin DOT)
  13. June 27-29, 2001, Wilmington, DE (Delaware T2 Center/Delaware DOT)
  14. July 16-18, 2001, Laurel, MD (Maryland T2 Center/Maryland SHA)
  15. October 31-November 2, 2001, Harrisburg, PA (Pennsylvania DOT, Pennsylvania Transportation Institute)
  16. November 5-7, 2001, Harrisburg, PA (Pennsylvania DOT, Pennsylvania Transportation Institute)
  17. March 7, 2002, Toronto, ON (ITE Toronto) - 1 day
  18. March 18-20, 2002, Long Beach, CA (Caltrans, Transpeed/University of Washington)
  19. April 3-5, 2002, Corvallis, OR (Transportation Research Institute/Oregon State University)
  20. April 26, 2002, Fort Myers, FL (ITE SW Florida Chapter) – 1 day
  21. June 5-7, 2002, Sacramento, CA (Caltrans, Transpeed/University of Washington)
  22. August 12-14, 2002, Costa Mesa, CA (Caltrans, Transpeed/University of Washington)
  23. October 23-25, 2002, Raleigh, NC (Institute of Transportation Research and Education/North Carolina State University)
  24. October 28-30, 2002, Oakland, CA (Caltrans, Transpeed/University of Washington)
  25. January 29-31, 2003, Chicago, IL (University of Wisconsin)
  26. February 11-13, 2003, Raleigh, NC (Institute of Transportation Research and Education/North Carolina State University)
  27. March 12-14, 2003, Las Vegas, NV (University of Wisconsin)
  28. October 7-9, 2003, Raleigh, NC (Institute for Transportation Research and Education, North Carolina State University)
  29. October 15-17, 2003, Seattle, WA (Transpeed, University of Washington)
  30. Nov. 3-5, 2003 , Topeka, KS (Kansas Department of Transportation)
  31. March 25, 2004, Boise, ID (Idaho T2 Center)
  32. April 23, 2004, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa (South African Institution of Civil Engineering)
  33. May 3 - 5, 2004, Wilsonville, OR (Transportation Research Institute/Oregon State University)
  34. May 11, 2004, Midrand (Johannesburg), Gauteng, South Africa (South African Institution of Civil Engineering)
  35. November 3-5, 2004, Vancouver, WA (Transpeed/University of Washington)
  36. November 8-10, 2004, Arden Hills (Minneapolis), MN (Minnesota DOT)
  37. November 18, 2004, Fort Lauderdale, FL (Gold Coast ITE Chapter) - 1/2 day
  38. December 8, 2004, State College, PA (Penn State Traffic Engineering and Safety Conference) - 1/2 day
  39. December 13, 2004, Mankato, MN (Minnesota DOT) - 1 day
  40. December 14, 2004, Brainerd, MN (Minnesota DOT) - 1 day
  41. December 15, 2004, Arden Hills (Minneapolis), MN (Minnesota DOT) - 1 day
  42. May 11, 2005, Dublin, OH, American Public Works Association - Ohio Center - 1 day
  43. June 14-16, 2005, Atlanta, GA, Georgia Department of Transportation - 3-day
  44. January 9-11, 2006, Philadelphia, PA, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation - 3-day
  45. January 30 - February 1, 2006, Sancramento, CA, California Department of Transportation - 3-day
  46. February 7-9, 2006, Atlanta, GA, Georgia Department of Transportation - 3-day
  47. March 1-3, 2006, San Luis Obispo, CA, California Department of Transportation - 3-day
  48. March 15-17, 2006, Emeryville, CA, California Department of Transportation - 3-day
  49. April 11-13, 2006, Harrisburg, PA, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation - 3-day
  50. April 5-7, 2006, Ontario, CA, California Department of Transportation - 3-day
  51. May 2-4, 2006, Pittsburgh, PA, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation - 3-day
  52. May 17-18, 2006, Seattle, WA, Transpeed - 3-day
  53. May 23-25, 2006, Minneapolis, MN, Minnesota Department of Transportation - 3-day
  54. June 13-15, 2006, Allentown, PA, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation - 3-day

Resources

Arizona Department of Transportation
Modern Roundabouts: The Web Site
Roundabout Basics Brochure
FHWA Roundabouts: An Informational Guide
KAI Roundabout Toolbox (click on Roundabouts under KAI Toolbox)

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Traffic Signal Design

Instructors

John Ringert, P.E., Kittelson & Associates, Inc.

Charles Radosta, P.E., Kittelson & Associates, Inc.

Description

Traffic signal design presents the transportation engineer with many unique challenges, including traffic volumes, vehicle types, pedestrians and bicycles, construction and right-of-way costs, and environmental considerations.

The purpose of this three-day course, which covers traffic signal design principles, concepts, and criteria, will provide participants with a basic understanding of traffic signal design and the overall design process. Each participant will work in a team environment to solve sample problems and discuss solutions in a classroom setting. Discussions will cover current policies and manuals, in particular the Federal Highway Administration's Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices, Millennium Edition (MUTCD).

Course Topics

  1. MUTCD signal warrant analysis
  2. Signal operations and phasing
  3. Signal equipment
  4. Signal head placement
  5. Signal pole layout and design
  6. Geometric considerations in signal design
  7. Pedestrian considerations in signal design
  8. Vehicle detection design
  9. Signal wiring
  10. Signal conduit and junction boxes

Who Should Attend

This course is designed to introduce both new and experienced engineering personnel to the practice of traffic signal design. State, local agency, and private sector design supervisors, designers, and/or prospective designers both will benefit from this short course.

Past Locations (sponsor in parentheses)

  1. June 2003, Seattle, WA (Transpeed/University of Washington)
  2. November 2003, Seattle, WA (Transpeed/University of Washington)
  3. January 2004, Corvallis, OR (TRI/Kiewit Center/Oregon State University)
  4. May 2004, Seattle, WA (Transpeed/University of Washington)
  5. September 2004, Corvallis, OR (TRI/Kiewit Center/Oregon State University)
  6. October 2005, Wilsonville, OR (TRI/Kiewit Center/Oregon State University)
  7. April 2007, Bellevue, WA (Transpeed/University of Washington)

Relevant links

FHWA Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices
KAI website

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Traffic Signal Timing and Operations

Instructors

Peter Koonce, P.E., Kittelson & Associates, Inc.

Lee Rodegerdts, P.E., Kittelson & Associates, Inc.

Andy Daleiden, P.E., Kittelson & Associates, Inc.

Description

Traffic signal timing and operations presents the transportation engineer with an overview of signal systems and signal timing. This course is a companion course to the traffic signal design course, approaching signals from an operational context as opposed to the design perspective.

The purpose of this three-day course, which covers traffic signal timing and operations principles, concepts and criteria, will provide participants with a basic understanding of traffic signal timing procedures. Participants will be asked to solve sample problems and discuss solutions in a classroom setting. Discussions will allow participants to compare and contrast various jurisdiction policies.

Course Topics

  1. Introduction to intersection signalization and signal coordination
  2. Signal timing concepts and critical movement analysis
  3. Signal design for operations and timing analysis
  4. Isolated signal timing including cycle intervals, pedestrian movements, and actuation parameters
  5. Coordinated signal timing
  6. Signal timing methodologies
  7. Signal analysis for urban streets and interchanges
  8. Development and evaluation of signal timing plans
  9. Advanced topics including next generation systems, metropolitan coordination of streets and freeways, ITS, preemption concepts, and transit priority.

Who Should Attend

This course is designed to introduce both new and experienced engineering personnel to the practice of traffic signal timing. State, local agency, and private sector design supervisors, designers, and/or prospective designers will benefit from this short course.

Variations on the Course

We have offered 4-hour, 1-day, and 2-day versions of the full three-day course to fit local needs. We are also in the process of developing variations of the course that concentrate more heavily on operational analysis and/or design. Please contact us for presentation options.

Past Locations (sponsor in parentheses)

  1. February 2004, Seattle, WA (Transpeed/University of Washington)
  2. October 2004, Seattle, WA
  3. January 2005, Corvallis, OR (Oregon State University)
  4. June 2005, Spokane, WA (City and County of Spokane)
  5. October 2005, Seattle, WA
  6. January 2006, Corvallis, OR (Oregon State University)
  7. February 2006, Phoenix, AZ (IMSA Arizona)
  8. February 2006, Fort Lauderdale, FL (ITE Section)
  9. October 2006, Bellevue, WA (Transpeed/Univeristy of Washington)

Relevant Links

TRB Signal Systems Committee Website

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Transit Capacity and Quality of Service

Instructors

Paul Ryus, P.E., Kittelson & Associates, Inc.

Victoria Perk, CUTR, University of South Florida

Purpose

This course provides transportation professionals with an understanding of the factors that influence customer satisfaction and provides a framework for measuring and evaluating the quality of fixed-route transit services. Means of using this framework in transit and transportation planning are discussed and applied. The course also addresses impacts of service quality on ridership; sizing transit facilities to accommodate given passenger volumes; and relationships between, and ways to improve, transit capacity, speed, and quality of service.

Background and Training Need

This course is based on the TCRP Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual (TCQSM), published in 1999; with a second edition in 2003. The TCQSM covers key concepts in the planning, design, and evaluation of transit services, particularly fixed-route services. Participants are provided with a CD-ROM containing the manual and other related documents.

No prior knowledge of the TCQSM is necessary to take this course. However, some exposure to transit operations or planning and a professional desire to master transit capacity and quality of service concepts will be helpful.

Course Objectives

  1. Understand the key factors affecting customers’ perceptions of transit service quality.
  2. Understand relationships between service quality changes and ridership.
  3. Apply transit capacity and quality of service concepts to a variety of planning applications.

Audience

This course is intended for a range of professionals working for fixed-route transit operators, metropolitan planning organizations, state departments of transportation, state/county/local planning agencies, and consulting firms. Specifically, these include operations planners, service planners, transportation planners, and transportation engineers. In addition, the course will serve managers and town engineers of small to mid-size transit agencies providing fixed-route service.

Past Locations

  1. Washington, DC (June 2003)
  2. New Brunswick, NJ (May 2003)
  3. San Diego, CA (April 2002)
  4. Baltimore, MD (March 2002)
  5. Seattle, WA (October 2001)
  6. San Antonio, TX (August 2001)
  7. Brisbane, Australia (November 1999) (non-NTI)

Relevant Links

KAI transit web site

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