Authored by transportation professionals throughout Kittelson, our blog is a space for evaluating new technologies, presenting unique approaches, and providing ideas to an industry that’s always moving. Twice a month, we share these articles through Streetwise, a reader-friendly digest of our latest thinking. Explore our posts below or filter by a topic of interest.
Latest Ideas
Electric Vehicle-Oriented Development: Where EV Charging Meets Land Use Planning
Transportation agencies must be thinking about the connection between EV charging and land use. Electric vehicle oriented development (EVOD) finds ways to connect EV charging with existing and planned amenities and resources.
So You’ve Won an SS4A Grant: How to Implement a Successful Project
To make the most of your grant, it’s important to have a clear picture of the steps required for a successful outcome. Read our top tips as you embark on your project.
2023 Trends in Transportation Technology Through the Eyes of CES, TRB, and the Florida AV Summit
Read six themes in emerging tech that will help communities plan strategically and flexibly in the face in uncertainty.
Slippery When Wet: How Water Impacts Roadways and What We Can Do About It
Read insights from Kittelson’s stormwater experts on how we can work with water, rather than against it, to design and maintain safer streets.
NYSERDA’s Bold Ideas to Reduce Carbon Emissions
The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) 2022 Clean Transportation Program announced an ambitious goal of cutting state carbon emissions by 80 percent by 2050. Here’s how!
Slower, Safer, Electric, Equitable, Resilient, Implementable: The Priorities of the 2023 TRB Annual Meeting
Here are the six themes that stood out to our staff from TRB 2023.
How Do We Get More Research into Practice?
As we look ahead to the 2023 TRB Annual Meeting, we’re reflecting on the role all of us have to play in incorporating new research into our projects.
A Holiday Message From Kittelson
After a year of plugging in to help communities build more connected transportation networks… we wish you a happy, healthy, and unplugged holiday season.
Using Transportation Modeling to Support Safe Evacuations
Evacuation planning is anything but simple. Though we like to use the word “plan,” the reality is natural disasters are wildly unpredictable in nature. Try…
A New FHWA Guide on Why Crosswalk Marking Design Matters
The FHWA Guide for Marked Crosswalk Design, Spacing, Placement, and Safety draws attention to the effects of crosswalk design. Read on to learn how we conducted this analysis and what our research revealed.
Find It/Fund It: Preparing for the Next Round of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funding Opportunities
Read a summary of five steps you can take now to prepare for next year’s IIJA grant opportunities.
Celebrating the 45-Year Impact of WTS in the Transportation Profession
“We know that our work serves diverse communities. Having diverse voices influencing those projects results in better outcomes for our communities.”
A Roadmap to Alaska’s Transportation Future
Alaska Moves 2050 is a roadmap to Alaska’s transportation future that outlines goals, policies, and measurable actions for an adaptable and resilient transportation system.
The Lessons and Themes of the 2022 NACTO Designing Cities Conference
Three major themes from the 2022 NACTO Designing Cities conference that helps us better understand the questions, trends, and values at the forefront of our industry.
Making Quick-Builds and Innovative Designs Truly Accessible for People with Visual Disabilities
Quick-build project hallmarks—temporary materials, rapid installation times, and modularity—allow many projects to overcome accessibility obstacles, like a lack of political will or funding. For users with disabilities, quick-builds can provide more immediate relief than more permanent counterparts.
5 Roundabouts for the 5th Annual National Roundabouts Week
It’s the 5th Annual National Roundabouts Week! We’re highlighting five of our favorite roundabout design projects over the years to celebrate.
The Roundabout Rodeo
For communities contemplating their first roundabout, a truck rodeo can be a great tool for building support and addressing the concerns of freight haulers, farmers, and other users. The event invites the community to come and test a full-size replica of the roundabout in a controlled environment.
The Transportation Soundtrack II
Part II: 1980–Today
Equitably Entering the E-Bike Era
How can the e-bike be a force for transportation justice?
Using Regional Speeding Data to Improve Safety in Orlando
MetroPlan Orlando—the Metropolitan Planning Organization for Central Florida—uses Connected Vehicle data to identify roadways throughout the region where high speeds may be contributing to more crashes and unsafe conditions for people driving, walking, biking, or moving.
ITS on a Budget: Cost-Effective Approaches for Investing in Smart Transportation Technology
Read on to find out more about cost-effective approaches for investing in Smart Transportation Technology.
Big to Little, Little to Big: How Strategic Changes to Transportation Planning Can Impact Major Public Health Crises
Transportation infrastructure can exacerbate a city’s public health problems. If our existing transportation habits aggravate these big public health issues, then changing those habits can help to mitigate them. Here’s how strategic changes to transportation planning can impact major public health crises.
Unleashing the Power of Active Transportation to Fight Climate Change
A major cause of climate change is the country’s greenhouse gas emissions that come from transportation. Reworking our communities to emphasize active transportation methods can play a large role in reducing the toll it takes on our environment.
Car Dependency Starts in the Parking Lot
A Look at Parking Policies in Transportation Development Reviews
How the Highway Safety Improvement Program Saves Lives
Highlights of the Highway Safety Improvement Program, which backs the efforts of States and local agencies to proactively prevent severe crashes via safety infrastructure improvements.
One-Stop Shop: NCHRP Research Report 992 Offers a Handy Overview of Pedestrian Analysis
The Transportation Research Board’s National Cooperative Highway Research Program released Research Report 992: Guide to Pedestrian Analysis to help provide guidance and methods for developing safe, functional, and attractive facilities for people who walk.
How Bike Infrastructure Benefits People Who Don’t Bike
Did you know that bike infrastructure holds many benefits for other modes of transportation, too?
Years of Future Living: An Update on Lake Nona’s Smart Fleet
The Lake Nona shuttle fleet has given the industry nearly three years’ of data on how automated vehicles navigate real-world traffic.
The Recipe for a Resilient Bicycle Network
Read about some of the biggest resiliency challenges facing our bike systems today, and six specific ways cities are tackling these challenges.
6 Tools for Data-Driven Decision Making
Read examples from seven transportation agencies who have tapped into data and built tools and dashboards that make decision-making on projects quicker, easier, and more informed.
These IIJA Funding Opportunities Are Just Around the Corner
Signed into law in November 2021, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) authorized $1.2 trillion in federal investments into transportation, broadband access, clean water,…
The Common Elements of Successful Shared Micromobility Programs
By Jessica Keller, Wayne Kittelson, Rachel Grosso, and Barrett Brown (Forth) Shared micromobility programs are still a relative newcomer to the transportation scene. The first…
Safety in Numbers: How Quick Build Projects Are Playing an Artful Role in Securing D.C.’s Streets
Quick builds make streets safer and more comfortable for vulnerable users and allow D.C. to uphold its promise to citizens to reduce traffic-related fatalities and injuries.
When Building a Better Bus Network Means Removing 2,000 Bus Stops
Learn how Miami-Dade County’s Department of Transportation and Public Works (DTPW) redesigned their bus network to increase efficiency, effectiveness, and ridership.
Women’s Bikes: An Intersectional Look at the History of Women and their Bicycles
In celebration of Women’s History Month, we’re taking a look at how brave women used bicycles as a tool, claiming the machine and public space for themselves and one another.
NCHRP Research Report 948: Making Intersections Safer for People Who Walk, Bike, and Roll
Historically, people walking and biking have not been prioritized in intersection design, and this is often apparent at Alternative Intersections and Interchanges (AIIs).
Signal Timing for Pedestrians and Bicyclists: Highlights from NCHRP Research Report 969
NCHRP Research Report 969 describes a toolbox of treatments to better address the needs of pedestrians and bicyclists at signalized intersections.
Getting EV Ready Through Local Development Codes
How can local agencies create an environment that’s ready for electric vehicles (EVs) through development codes and policies? On February 23, Kittelson and Forth held…
Don’t Take No For an Answer: A Tribute to the Life and Career of Lois Cooper
In celebration of #BlackHistoryMonth, we invite you to read the story of Lois Cooper, whose remarkable career at Caltrans and investment in the lives of hundreds of students changed the the career trajectories of many who followed in her path.
Quantifying the Benefits of Quick Build
How have quick build installations impacted travel patterns, shopping and dining habits, and safety for communities? A report analyzes the impact of quick build projects implemented in Massachusetts in 2020 and 2021.
6 Takeaways From the 2022 TRB Annual Meeting
The 2022 TRB Annual Meeting took place January 9-13. Read on for a summary of the event and the themes that stuck out to us as the transportation profession enters 2022.
Linking Communities Through Active Transportation Infrastructure: An Equity-Focused Quest to Identify a New River Crossing
Honoring the culture and history of Willamette Falls was essential to identifying the best alignment location for a new bicycle and pedestrian crossing between West Linn and Oregon City.
White Paper: How to Plan an AV Pilot
Read about the benefits of AV pilot programs, what we can learn from previous deployments, and how to write a successful AV pilot grant.
Getting Back in the Saddle: Lessons from a Horse-Powered Past for Transportation Planning Today
The history of urban horses holds valuable information for planners and engineers in the present. Understanding a community’s horse-powered past can reveal a footprint designed for the very low-speed, complete street environment we work so hard to create today.
What to Expect at TRB 2022
After a noteworthy year in which the world’s largest transportation research conference was moved online, the Transportation Research Board (TRB) Annual Meeting will be back to its…
VDOT’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Treatments Website: A Practitioner’s Guide to Design Treatments That Support Safer Walking and Biking
At what types of intersections are bike boxes most appropriate? How much do separated bicycle lanes typically cost? The answers these questions can be found on Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT)’s new Bicycle and Pedestrian Treatments website.
The Infrastructure Bill Passes: How Will the Money Get into Transportation Agencies’ Hands?
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act was passed by the House of Representatives on November 5, 2021. What does this mean for state and local agencies?
10 Tips for Writing Reports That People Read
Project reports contain a wealth of information—the culmination of months or years of technical analysis, community engagement, and hard work. But if the document is difficult to digest, the impact of that work is limited.
Signal Coordination: Are We Really Coordinating For All Users?
Under certain roadway and traffic conditions, signal coordination can be effective in reducing delays for drivers. However, it also has limitations, and its impact on pedestrians, bicycles, and transit is not often recognized.
Increasing Our Capacity for Empathy
We bring our experiences into our work. Associate Planner Conor Semler writes about why it’s important for transportation engineers and planners to develop empathy for experiences different from our own.
The Road to Resiliency: How Forward-Thinking Agencies Are Building Transportation Systems That Last
How are transportation professionals thinking about resiliency today? What do we need to be resilient against? We asked three forward-thinking clients.
Best Practices for Rural Transit Planning
In this article, we cover best practices for rural transit planners, applications of the ODOT Transit Development Plan Guidebook, and what rural transit planning might look like in the future.
A Day in the Life: A Look Into Publications, Graphic Design, and Content Writing at Kittelson
We talked to Michael Tumlin (Graphics Designer), Jennifer Marks (Publications Coordinator/Technical Editor), and Britt Zebleckes (Content Writer) to find out what a day in their life looks like.
Charlotte’s Thoughtful Approach to Transit Oriented Development Planning, and Why It Works
Read about the City’s holistic and community-based approach to transit planning that has led to flourishing neighborhoods around transit corridors.
Managing E-Bikes on Multi-Use Paths
Should e-bikes be allowed everywhere bicycles can go? Responses are divided, and not just at the personal opinion level—regulations also differ state by state.
Finding the Genius Loci of Transportation: How Landscape Architecture Leverages Infrastructure to Create Place
Like painters, landscape architects must consider how color, line, form, texture, and visual weight guide a person through a three-dimensional, living space.
Using Connected Vehicle Data to Track the Performance of Orlando’s Traffic Signals
Instead of using Bluetooth readers that pick up cars as they go by, why don’t we go straight to the source and get data from connected vehicles themselves?
Assessing the Transportation Needs of a “Zoom Town”
What San Joaquin Council of Governments Learned Through Their Transportation Innovation Study
Don’t Lose Your Audience in a Hybrid Meeting: Insider Tips from a Public Speaking Expert
Communications coach Karen Susman provides her top tips for keeping hybrid meetings engaging and inclusive.
Advancing Transportation Design Through Building Information Modeling (BIM)
We’re in the midst of what may be the next big shift in the way designs are produced and shared. Here’s what you need to know about the use of BIM and digital twins in transportation design.
STARs Align for City of Meridian: The Partnership of Costco Wholesale and Idaho Transportation Department
Learn about the collaboration that took this project from 5% design to completed construction in two years.
3 Alternative Methods for Designing and Constructing ADA Compliant Curb Ramps
As they rework curb ramps en masse–and seek to construct new ramps accurately the first time around–many agencies are running pilot programs to streamline design efforts in a way that’s compliant.
Strategies for Inclusion in a Hybrid Work Environment
Will employees be expected to return to the office full-time? Here’s how we’ve approached the conversation at Kittelson, including five ways we’re seeking to operate inclusively in a hybrid environment.
The Search for a New River Crossing
Building a bridge is no small feat (or cost), so it has been essential that we use data and examine this project from multiple perspectives to lead to a good investment. Here are five steps we took as part of a data-driven origin-destination study that will move this project forward.
Ideas for Incorporating Safety into Traffic Impact Analyses
Driven by California Senate Bill 743 (SB 743) and statewide safety goals, Caltrans has added more safety considerations into their review process for new development projects. Here is what Caltrans looks for in this additional review.
Urban Aerial Mobility Is Taking Off: Why Government Agencies Should Be Planning Today for More Transportation by Air
The transportation space is rapidly evolving, and the advancements of private companies like Uber and Amazon should be a signal to cities to plan now so they are not caught unprepared for urban aerial mobility.
COVID-19 is changing our streets. Could it also change the way we approach transportation projects?
The proliferation of quick build parklets, outdoor dining installations, and shared streets in the past year has shown us that we can move more quickly to implement transportation projects. Will the trend continue after the pandemic?
The Benefits of Shared Use Paths, By the Numbers
A new study from MassTrails puts numbers behind the health, transportation, environmental, economic, safety, and accessibility benefits of shared use paths.
A Blueprint for Implementing ATSPMs
Traffic signals contain a wealth of information that, when managed, is a tremendous asset in signal timing and systems management. The recently-released NCHRP Report 954 is giving agencies the keys to implementing automated traffic signal performance measures (ATSPMs).
Moving the Transportation Profession Forward: A Panel Conversation for Women’s History Month
On March 25, we gathered to celebrate the achievements of women in transportation and talk role models, what it looks like to get more women in transportation leadership, and what we wish we knew when we started our careers.
Five Ideas to Advance Equity in Transportation
Through the Transportation Equity Challenge, we came up with five practical ways to help our clients achieve more equitable outcomes in their projects.
Simple Tools for ADA Ramp Construction
As part of our Transportation Equity Challenge, DJ Gregory and Andrew Bailey from Kittelson Tucson explain what ramp construction has to do with equity, and how we can do better.
Essential Networks: Cultivating Trust-Based Relationships
As part of our Transportation Equity Challenge, a team from our Baltimore, Boston, and Orlando offices proposes a set of strategies to better leverage community relationships in our projects.
Child-Centered Public Engagement in Public Schools
As part of our Transportation Equity Challenge, Joceline Suhaimi notes we often overlook a diverse yet influential audience in community engagement.
Toward Equitable Outcomes: A Framework to Reexamine Enforcement
As part of our Transportation Equity Challenge, a team from our California offices introduce a framework for thinking through the use of enforcement, and alternatives to enforcement, in reaching safety outcomes.
Incorporating “Urban Forensics” Into Projects
As part of our Transportation Equity Challenge, read about a database for housing key cultural, historical, societal, and demographical aspects of projects.
A Methodology for Faster, More Accurate Signal Timing Optimization
Using a combination of three unique tools, Maricopa Association of Governments has saved time and money while improving accuracy in signal timing.
Takeaways from a Virtual TRB Annual Meeting
Read a summary of the Transportation Research Board’s 100th Annual Meeting, how TRB pulled off the meeting virtually, and what four themes emerged out of the hundreds of sessions.
A New Fleet of Automated Shuttles is Coming to Lake Nona, Florida
As part of a BUILD grant for a multimodal network throughout Lake Nona, Florida, Tavistock Development Company is partnering with Beep, Inc. to create the “Move Nona” automated vehicle program, which will be one of the largest automated shuttle fleets in the world within a single community.
5 Activities That Kept Us Connected in 2020
Virtual meeting fatigue is real, but it shouldn’t sabotage opportunities to connect. Here are five activities that helped us stay connected while working remotely for most of 2020.
Garrett Morgan: Engineer, Inventor, Leader
The stories we tell have meaning. As we reflect on Black History Month and our transportation industry, it is important to share the story of Garrett Morgan.
2021 Will Be an Electrifying Year in Transportation
Read about the six factors accelerating electrification in transportation in 2021.
What Will a Virtual TRB Annual Meeting Be Like?
Watch a video interview with two TRB 2021 event organizers about the planning that has gone into this massive virtual event, and what attendees can expect.
Roadmap to TRB 2021: An Inside Look Into Planning the Virtual TRB Annual Meeting
We sat down with TRB’s Ann Brach and James Bryant to learn how attendees can prepare for and maximize the TRB 2021 experience.
Webinar Recording: Smart Planning for a Connected and Automated Future
How will connected and automated vehicles (CAVs) impact capacity and change transportation infrastructure needs? Join us for a webinar and virtual panel discussion on December 8.
What COVID-19 Has Taught Us About Curbside Management
Will the pandemic permanently change the way we use the curb? Here are five approaches to long-term curbside management in light of COVID-19.
5 Reasons to Attend the TRB 2021 Annual Meeting as a Student
The National Academies of Science, Engineering & Medicine’s Transportation Research Board – referred to within the profession as TRB – was established in November 1920…
Applying Engineering Services to Honor Veterans in North Plains, OR
At the end of 2019, Blake Boyles with the City of North Plains, OR contacted Kittelson’s Principal Engineer Tony Roos to see if the Society…
FREEVAL-PA: An Innovation in Transportation & Software Engineering
A tool developed by Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) is changing the way PennDOT makes decisions about scheduling work zones. Historically, identifying the optimal timing…
Incorporating Health Into Transportation Projects: 6 Practical Principles for Success
As transportation professionals, we are in the public health business. The transportation policies, plans, projects, and recommendations we develop have an impact on the health…
The Case for Protected Intersections
What is a protected intersection? Read how and why the design works, and where we are seeing protected intersections being built in the United States.
What We Learned From Our First-Ever Virtual Internship Program
Adrian Ayala, who is pursuing a Master’s degree in City and Regional Planning at Rutgers University, had planned to move from New Brunswick, NJ to…
Is Your City Ready for an Automated Future?
How can a transportation agency effectively plan for emerging technologies with a 25-year view, when the future of automated vehicles, mobility as a service, ride-hailing,…
Webinar Recording: Achieving Health Targets Through Transportation Decisions
On October 8, 2020, we gathered to dialogue about what it looks like to factor health into transportation through a webinar with Kittelson’s Lauren Hunt, Phyllis Davis, John Paul Weesner, and…
Findings From the City of Bend’s Roundabout Metering Test
Since the early days of modern roundabouts in the United States, this form of intersection control has grown in popularity as a cost-effective and often safer alternative…
Bringing Modern Roundabouts to Maryland
How Ed Myers’ “circular reasoning” helped launch the first statewide roundabout program in the United States “What is a modern roundabout? Where are they used?…
Simple Tools That Made a Difference in Our Traffic Operations Project
When we can improve the functionality of a busy corridor and give “Twins of Evil” fans a hassle-free concert experience, we call that a project…
“Every Day is Saturday”: Alex Skabardonis’ Active Retirement and Eventful 38-Year Career
“Every day is Saturday,” says Kittelson Senior Principal Planner Alexander Skabardonis of his recent official retirement. In answer, Kittelson’s Rick Dowling says, “I hope you’ll…
Creating Safer Streets for Florida’s Aging Population With Road Safety Audits
The following article, authored by Benazir Portal of Kittelson & Associates and Kevin Walford of the Miami-Dade Transportation Planning Organization, was originally published in the…
Demystifying the Highway Capacity Manual for the Next Generation of Transportation Engineers and Planners
In an age of reliance on software programs, Michael Kyte and Rod Troutbeck’s Traffic Operations at Intersections is designed to help practitioners better understand and…
How Collaboration from Three MPOs is Transforming a Region’s Mobility Future
The Southeast Florida region – made up of Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach Counties – joins other rapidly growing regions looking to build their transportation…
My Virtual Internship Experience: Looking Back
Like many others, as COVID-19 continued to unfold, we at Kittelson were faced with the decision of canceling our internship program or reimagining it to…
Will COVID-19 Permanently Alter Teleworking and Commuting Patterns? Here’s What 1,000 Commuters Told Us.
COVID-19 has undoubtedly changed many work situations in the present. Will any of these changes stick around to be part of the “new normal” after…
Catalyzing Context-Sensitive Shifts in Transportation Planning & Engineering
Change always require a catalyst. Someone, or something, deciding things cannot go on the way they are. In 2019, Oregon Department of Transportation (DOT) released…
Adapting Public Spaces During COVID-19: 3 Examples of Tactical Urbanism Projects
“Everyone wants to know when this will end. That’s not the right question. The right question is: How do we continue?” ”“ Devi Sridhar, public…
My Virtual Internship Experience: Midway Update
Like many others, as COVID-19 continued to unfold, we at Kittelson were faced with the decision of canceling our internship program or reimagining it to…
COVID-19 Is a Wake-Up Call for Transportation
As COVID-19 continues to unfold and cities respond, we see streets closed to cars, an influx of bicycling, and growing energy behind the idea that…
My Virtual Internship Experience: Reflections on Week One
Like many others, as COVID-19 continued to unfold, we at Kittelson were faced with the decision of canceling our internship program or reimagining it to…
How Many Roundabouts Are in the United States?
Have you ever wondered how many roundabouts are in the United States? It’s the kind of question many of us assume has always been answerable…
Standing Together For Racial Justice
I’m proud to work for an organization that creates space to have difficult conversations and listen to one another. As our nation reels from and…
Taking Transportation Safety Beyond Engineering Improvements
The Role of LRSPs, SSARs, and Vision Zero Plans in Multidisciplinary Safety Planning Where there are transit stops, there are people walking. If there’s…
What Baltimore Can Teach Us About E-Scooters and Equity During COVID-19
Baltimore’s dockless vehicle program offers a wealth of insight for cities assessing the viability of e-scooters in their transportation system, particularly during COVID-19. Baltimore’s…
2-Minute Survey: Help Us Understand Post-Pandemic Commutes
With two minutes of your time, you could help us shine a light into what changes may be on the horizon with commuting and teleworking…
Who’s Holding Up the (Electric) Bus?
Electric buses have zero tailpipe emissions, are quieter, easier to maintain, and have lower lifecycle costs than diesel buses. Despite drawbacks including higher upfront costs…
A Day in the Life of Four Transportation Engineers and Planners at Kittelson
“What does a typical day for you look like?” This is a question we often get as we speak with students, and it’s a good…
How We’re Celebrating National Bike Month During COVID-19
For 64 years, May has been celebrated as National Bike Month and a chance to celebrate the health, economic, environmental, and social benefits of cycling….
Online Learning Roundup: Transportation Webinars, Podcasts, and Blogs to Keep you Up-to-Date While Social Distancing
With many people working and attending classes remotely these days, there is an abundance of online educational content coming through our feeds. Articles, webinars, and…
Webinar Recording: Story First: Strategies for Strong Virtual Communication
On June 4, 2020 we gathered to dialogue about effective communication in the virtual space through a webinar with Susan Mah, Steve Rhyne and Katie Taylor. Susan, Steve,…
Webinar Recording: Estimating Traffic Volumes When There’s No Traffic
On May 14, 2020, we gathered to dialogue about an important topic through a webinar with Brian Dunn, Chris Brehmer, and Wayne Kittelson, authors of…
NCHRP Report 948: A Game of “20 Questions” That Looks Out For Pedestrians & Bicyclists At Intersections
In a Restricted Crossing U-Turn (RCUT) intersection, a driver makes a right turn, travels about 500 feet, then enters a left-turn lane to make a…
WHITE PAPER: Estimating Traffic Volumes Under COVID-19 Pandemic Conditions
Recently, we offered broad ideas responding to a question on the minds of many practitioners: How can important projects that rely on field-collected volume data…
Two Transportation Planners Debate: Are E-Scooters Here to Stay?
We’re always in favor of a little friendly debate. It helps us stay open and gain new perspectives, especially around transportation topics that are shrouded…
Collecting Traffic Counts When There’s No Traffic
Developing Proxy Traffic Volume Estimates During COVID-19 Pandemic Conditions The COVID-19 pandemic has developed so rapidly that there has been very little opportunity for…
Moving Public Workshops Online: Tools & Examples for Responding to COVID-19
Conducting Community Outreach During a Period of Social Distancing While important for limiting the spread of COVID-19, social distancing and restrictions on gatherings of…
6 Transportation Heroes During the Coronavirus Outbreak
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a drastic impact on our transportation systems, which in turn affects the livelihood of employees in the transportation industry. In…
Steps We’ve Taken to Transition to Remote Work (And You Can Too)
Kittelson & Associates joins organizations across the world in preparing to go fully remote as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to unfold. As a consulting firm,…
How COVID-19 Is Impacting Travel Patterns and Transportation Mode Choice
Published: March 13, 2020 Last Updated: March 23, 2020 Here at Kittelson, we’re joining organizations around the world in closely monitoring recommendations surrounding COVID-19…
How Collaborating As “One Firm” Strengthens Kittelson’s Project Work
Kittelson & Associates, Inc. is a company spread over more than 25 offices, yet we don’t silo project work by location. Due to our “one…
Environmental Justice and Transportation Planning
What is environmental justice? What has been done to advance it? And how can transportation planners factor it into projects? Think of the water…
Webinar Recording: Thinking Twice About Bike Helmet Laws
On March 23, 2020 we gathered to dialogue about an important topic through a webinar with Conor Semler. Will mandatory helmet laws make bicycling in the…
How Transportation Agencies Can Set Themselves Up for Large-Scale ATSPM Deployment
Automated traffic signal performance measures (ATSPMs) are revolutionizing the way agency engineers view traffic management. These high-resolution data analytic tools pull from systems and components…
Webinar Recording: Environmental (in)Justice: From Recommendations to Regulations
On February 19, 2020 we gathered to dialogue about environmental justice through a webinar with Veronica McBeth. Veronica talked about: The harm inflicted upon minorities, low-income,…
Kittelson Launches the Sustainability Initiative: How Our Firm is Becoming Greener
In 2019, a group of us at Kittelson got together to discuss how we’re incorporating environmentally sustainable habits in our offices and firmwide operations. While…
Does Vision Zero Start at the Curb?
In the January 2020 issue of Parking Magazine, Kittelson Senior Engineer/Planner Alek Pochowski explains how good curbside management has tremendous implications for keeping communities safe….
The Biggest Themes of the Transportation Research Board’s 2020 Annual Meeting
The Transportation Research Board (TRB)’s Annual Meeting is an eye-opener to, and reminder of, the many ways that transportation intersects everyday life, and the vitally…
Blueprint for Urban Design, ODOT’s Approach for Design in Oregon Communities
An Efficient Route to Applying Performance-Based Design Guidance Traditionally, transportation engineers have been trained to apply a set of standards that primarily address function…
Two Ways Bike Helmet Laws Won’t Protect Bicyclists
Opinion | December 30, 2019 In November 2019, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) convened to examine the very important topic of bicycle safety….
A Primer on Automated Traffic Signal Performance Measures
Traffic signals can do much more for our transportation networks than just flash green, yellow, and red. Through advances in traffic signal technology and communications…
What We’re Most Excited About For TRB 2020
More than 13,000 transportation professionals from around the world will gather at the Transportation Research Board (TRB) Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., January 12”“16, 2020….
The Benefits and Drawbacks of a Cashless Public Transit System
Remember the “transit stores” of old? (Well”¦ of a few years ago.) Schedules would be stacked on one wall and people selling fare cards would…
Could Big Data Replace On-The-Ground Traffic Counts?
Understanding traffic volumes is the bread and butter of a transportation engineer’s work. Volumes are usually measured along roadway segments or at intersections – where…
An Interview With Gibran Hadj-Chikh
“We are in the Napster phase of transportation. We don’t know who’s going to have Spotify.” Gibran Hadj-Chikh joined Kittelson in August 2019 as…
Emergency Evacuation Strategies for Every Community
Emergency evacuations and resilience planning are increasingly important topics for many reasons. Here are two key points that are top-of-mind: #1: The substantial and increasing…
Tips for Your First TRB Annual Meeting
Approximately 20,000 transportation professionals from around the world will gather at the Transportation Research Board (TRB) Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., January 8-12, 2023. Kittelson…
Rick Dowling and Abby Morgan Talk Emerging Tech
The first national guidebook about the impacts of new technologies on land use and transportation was released in pre-publication form by Transportation Research Board October…
Why We Put on a Mid-Level Staff Retreat
We are passionate about the work we do. At the same time, we know people in the middle of their careers are in the thick…
How Visualization Techniques Can Change Your Project’s Outcome
Giving stakeholders the opportunity to visualize transportation solutions before they become reality can confirm a project’s course, or change it for the better. Visualization is…
How Connected & Automated Vehicles May Change Freeway Capacities
100% market penetration for fully connected and automated vehicles (CAVs) will likely be post-2050, and even then may be restricted to dedicated CAV-only facilities. However,…
Transportation Careers For Every Major
From graphic design to tech services, here are 9 career paths in the transportation field that might surprise you.
8 Creative Roundabout Projects for National Roundabouts Week
It’s National Roundabouts Week! To celebrate, we’re highlighting a few of our favorite roundabout design projects over the years. The Roundabout We Call “The Dogbone”…
Advice For Future Kittelson Interns, From Past Kittelson Interns
We just wrapped up our summer 2019 internship program, but we are already on recruiting students for our upcoming 2020 summer internships. We’re also excited…
5 Important Topics Presented at the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals (APBP) 2019 Conference
The Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals (APBP) 2019 Conference took place from August 25-28 in Portland, Oregon. Ten Kittelson staff members – representing our…
The Latest Tools in Roundabout Evaluation
Roundabouts continue to be constructed at a rapid pace in the United States. We have well over 5,000 roundabouts nationwide, and that number is quickly…
7 Key Insights from the Automated Vehicles Symposium in Orlando, FL
From July 15-18, 2019 in Orlando, Florida, leaders in all branches of transportation technology came together to share new research, make connections, and discuss the future…
Using Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality in Transportation Planning
You’re preparing for a public meeting to communicate the pros and cons of two different bike lane facility alternatives. You want thoughtful feedback that comes…
5 Ways to Make Cities More Walkable
Close your eyes for a second, and think of a city you loved walking through. What do you see and feel? Traffic whizzing by? Stress…
Curbside Management on Urban Streets, Part Two: Best Practices for Curbside Data Collection
By Rodrikas Jones, East Coast Director of Operations, Quality Counts What’s an activity that weathers rain, snow, and tornado warnings to piece together an accurate…
Six Common Pitfalls (and Solutions) of Effective Community Engagement
As a transportation planning and engineering firm, we exist to improve people’s daily lives with better and safer transportation. The only way we can do…
Three Ways E-Scooters Could Make Cities Safer + More Equitable
The most recent e-scooter you’ve seen may have been entertainment on someone’s vacation, or a feature in a brunchtime Instagram story. Or, it may have…
A 105-Year History of the Electric Traffic Signal
2019 marks the 105th anniversary of the electric traffic signal, so let’s travel back in time to the very first signal system”¦ which takes us…
Curbside Management on Urban Streets, Part One: The Value of the Curb
Once just a place for parking near your destination, today’s urban curbs have become a lively, non-stop interaction of countless modes of transportation, from cars,…
Planning-Level Capacity Adjustments for Connected and Automated Vehicles: The Future is Now
Self-driving truck platoons are delivering goods, auto manufacturers and ride-share providers are racing to be the first to distribute autonomous vehicles to customers, and connected…
Keeping a Unified Culture Across 26 Offices
Our company mantra has always been to hire motivated people and give them freedom to pursue their passions. When Wayne Kittelson founded Kittelson & Associates,…
Resilience Planning: Making Streets Nimble for Future Generations
When the nimbleness of a transportation network is tested, it’s rarely by an expected event – which is why it’s critical for communities to plan…
What Fort Lauderdale Teaches Us About Regulating E-Scooters
E-scooter companies expanded from one city to 71 cities in the United States in just 15 months. (For a visual illustration of this expansion, check…
The Intersection of Transportation and Health
APA National Planning Conference Session Brings Light to Common Health Challenges The way we move around – in terms of transportation choices as well…
Making Your Marketing Team Your Creative Partner
Tips for collaboration between marketing coordinators and technical staff What needs to happen for marketing activities to get the attention and momentum they need…
Five Takeaways from the 2019 ASCE Legislative Fly-In
More than 250 members of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) convened for the organization’s annual Legislative Fly-In March 12 – 14, 2019. Attendees…
Expanding Transportation Options Can Improve Quality of Life
Every weekday morning in Seattle, a programmer drives a Car2Go from her neighborhood to a light rail station. In Baltimore, a graphic designer uses a…
Pick Up Your Bike With Us During Bike Month!
For the past 63 years, May has been officially designated as Bike Month around the nation. We’re not surprised – May has an average high…
How Lyft and Uber Affect Transportation Patterns
The United States has some of the worst traffic congestion in the developed world: in 2017, drivers here spent an average of 41 hours stuck…
The Why, What, and How of Planning for Operations
We’re two planners who have come to realize that being good planners means thinking more like non-planners. What do we mean? Good planning considers the…
The Story of the Temporary Roundabouts After Hurricane Florence
There was no way to fully prepare for the wettest tropical cyclone on record in the Carolinas. Hurricane Florence made landfall in September 2018. A…
What Does Traffic Calming Calm?
The speed of drivers? The number of drivers? The impatience of drivers? The stress level of residents?
The Importance of the Equity Lens in Transportation Planning and Design
An equity lens helps planners and designers see the needs of every person potentially served or impacted by every transportation decision. It’s best applied when…
Honoring the Life & Legacy of John Zegeer
With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of John Zegeer, former Senior Principal Engineer at Kittelson – a dedicated colleague, a trusted mentor, and a…
How Machine Learning Data is Changing Our Streets
Machine learning has been an important tool for several decades. It has been used for diverse tasks such as handwriting recognition, patient monitoring, facial recognition,…
Five Themes That Emerged from the 2019 TRB Annual Meeting
The 98th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board just wrapped up in Washington, D.C. The brisk (and snowy) air may have had something to…
Reflections on a Visit Back to Amsterdam
Today, I walked through some streets of Amsterdam on my way to the American Consulate. Having lived in the United States for more than a…
3 Ways to Improve Public Transportation Sustainability
Finding solutions that enhance equity and sustainability for communities will always be central to the work we do as transportation professionals. Through research and data…
Getting to Work the Kittelson Way
Here at Kittelson, we like to think of ourselves as transportation nerds… and that transportation nerds get to work differently than the average US commuter….
AASHTO Green Book 8th Edition to Reflect Shifts Toward Multimodal Transportation
The future 8th Edition of A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets (Green Book 8) will reflect the dramatic evolution of the nation’s…
What’s the Future of Parking Garages?
Vehicle storage facilities are responding to a changing transportation network
Cycles of Health and Longevity
The Protected Bike Lane That's Revitalizing a Community
Complete Streets Defined
The term “complete streets” has gained momentum in recent years, but the concept is time-tested. How can we develop networks that meet a community’s needs?…
Shaped by Values, Driven by Innovation
Jack Freeman, Karl Passetti, a hardworking team, and a great deal of gumption made our Orlando office what it is today.
Finding the Right Internship for YOU
Kittelson interns past and present share their insights on identifying the opportunities that will enable emerging professionals to thrive.
Finding the Right Internship for YOU: Part Two
Once you’re confident in the guiding principles and opportunities presented, it’s time to engage in practical steps to demonstrate how your internship is a good fit. Kittelson interns past and present tell you how.
Addressing Competition for Curbside Parking Spaces
parkDC: Penn Quarter/Chinatown is seeing success for five key reasons.
Are navigation apps changing traffic patterns?
As apps like Waze continue to give drivers alternatives to sitting in traffic, our engineers discuss the impacts.
FDOT Integrates Design with Context to Implement Complete Streets
FDOT takes the principle of Complete Streets to the next step by integrating a context classification into its design manual to design speed ranges for non-access-limited state roadways.
Automated Traffic Signal Performance Measures
The Waiting Is (No Longer) the Hardest Part
Evolving Complete Street Networks
Approaching Complete Streets design with a typological framework based on land use context to create a connected network.
Keeping Time with the Future
Impacts of Connected Vehicles on Multimodal Geometric Design
How Future Vehicles Could Bring Cleaner Air
The Potential Effects of CAVs on GHG Emissions: A Research Synthesis
The Peanutabout: Solving Cambridge’s Skewed Intersection
The intersection of Hampshire Street and Cambridge Street in Cambridge, Massachusetts’ busy Inman Square presents a familiar challenge for cities. Due to its low-angle skew,…
Intern Jamboree Offers Camaraderie, Hands-On Learning Opportunities
Every summer, interns from Kittelson’s offices across the country gather in Portland for a week to participate in a host of hands-on learning opportunities, meet…
Performance-Based Design Helps to Address Evolving Infrastructure Needs
As state transportation departments seek to improve system performance, mobility and safety, engineers working in both the public and private sectors are charged with crafting…
Transforming Streets: Baltimore’s “Pop-Up” Protected Bike Lane
Four city blocks in Baltimore were transformed last Thursday, with a “pop-up” two-way protected bike lane, open for use by the end of the afternoon….
FHWA Develops Part-Time Shoulder Use Guide
June 30, 2016 A growing number of states in the United States are learning how part-time shoulder use can help manage congestion and want to…
Utah’s Zero-Fatality Safety Summit
Last week, the Utah Department of Public Safety and the Utah Department of Transportation hosted over 400 participants at their state’s Zero Fatalities Safety Summit….
How We Get to Work: Told Through the Data
Here at Kittelson, we like to think of ourselves as transportation nerds. We enjoy philosophical discussions about parking policies as much as we love a…
“Pop-Up” Event Brings Separated Bike Lanes to Portsmouth, New Hampshire
City officials in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, arrived at Middle Street early in the morning armed with plastic posts, hay bales, and flower pots. Staff from…
MSU’s Summer Transportation Institute Introduces Students to New Possibilities
“It made me want to go to college more than I already wanted to and it also inspired me to try harder in school to…
Testing Addresses Freight Industry Concerns about U.S. Highway 20 Roundabout
As the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) planned for a new roundabout on US 20 at Barclay Drive in Sisters, the freight industry expressed concern…
Anchorage Transportation Fair Offers Opportunity to Inform Public, Gather Feedback
Anchorage residents who wanted to know about transportation projects in their community recently had a chance to learn more about specific projects and see the…
TRIP97 Allows Central Oregon Jurisdictions to Collaborate on US 97 Improvements
From new residents to visitors from both inside and outside the state, people flock to Central Oregon for its natural beauty and ample array of…
Online Bike Count Data Clearinghouse Aims to Better Inform Transportation Decisions
The Bike Count Data Clearinghouse project aims to compile and standardize the collection of bicycle and pedestrian data to improve multimodal transportation planning across multiple…