13 May
2010
13 May
'10
12:30 p.m.
One of the very specific items I would like on the agenda is re-writing
the NCHRP proposal "Integrating Existing and Emerging Transportation
Data Collection Activities to Maximize Analytical Capacity."
First, I suggest a new title "Promoting Transportation Data Efficiency
to improve transportation, environmental and energy planning"
Second, I would like 1 or 2 people to volunteer to re-write this
proposal in a form that will get it MORE VOTES in the NCHRP process.
This means the language needs to be clear and SUCCINCT (that means
SHORTER!). I know that Nathan, Jeff and Kate worked hard on this, but
there is too much detail. Also, the structure is unclear. Why are
probe surveys at the same organizational level in the proposal as
climate change and energy security? One is a data collection method,
and climate change is a big overarching problem.
I have attached the proposal submitted last year, and my poor attempt to
edit it. I don't think we should "give up" and instead, we should
re-write and re-submit!
Or maybe we can take care of this through email and don't need to have
it on the agenda!
Elaine
-----Original Message-----
From: abj30-friends-bounces(a)chrispy.net
[mailto:abj30-friends-bounces@chrispy.net] On Behalf Of Ed Christopher
Sent: Thursday, May 13, 2010 9:57 AM
To: abj30-friends(a)chrispy.net
Cc: Charlie Howard
Subject: Re: [ABJ30-Friends] Discussion Items for the Mid-Year Agenda
(ABJ30:TRB Urban Data Committee)
Emily--all good question but I am going to ramble about one which I do
not think TRB has ever been able to address, Travel Time, Speed and
Reliability.
Travel Time, Speed and Reliability (TTSR)crosses into many areas of
expertise as we know from the papers we get to review every year. We
also know that it extends far beyond the scope of what we would loosely
call "Urban". I have always believed that given the importance of the
issue, especially as we move towards performance based planning and
programming that TRB should take steps to address the TTSR issue by
forming a task force that would likely lead to a separate committee.
However, if you look at the larger picture you will see that the task
force that got formed is called "Data for Decisions and Performance
Measures". A description of it can be found in the TRB Data Section
newsletter which is attached. While it does not directly fit, I think
that the Urban Data Committee's 6+ years experience with dealing with
TTSR papers and research should certainly be of interest to and possibly
a point of consideration for the task force. As a topic are it has
certainly matured even though it doesn't have a "real" TRB home.
I am not sure how the TTSR issue area will play out but my personal
belief is that it should take on the nature of a full committee with
membership coming from from a wide range of disciplines.
Emily Parkany wrote:
Hi!
Kate Lawson and I were emailing about the agenda for the Mid-Year
Meeting at NATMEC in June in Seattle and I was thinking that it may
make sense to have discussions among the participants (in-person and
on the phone). I came up with the following discussion topics.
Please feel free to edit these (responding to the listserve or me:
emily.parkany(a)gmail.com ) and add your own suggestions.
1) Do we need new sources of data? Have people been following the
status quo or is the practice moving towards using archived ITS data
for planning, GPS surveys, location-based data, etc.
2) Do we have the right skills? What skills do we need new hires to
have?
Can a TRB workshop or other training address this?
3) Do we have the right subcommittees? What is the impact of census
data and archived data among the participants? Should the commitee be
considering other subcommittees (for example: travel
time, speed, and
reliability---and the SHRP 2 Reliability efforts)?
4) Is the urban data committee the right "home" for Travel Time,
Speed, and Reliability? [I lean towards yes.] Is there much
coordination between these researchers (for example, folks on SHRP 2
Reliability projects) and the committee?
Do these topics interest you? Kate suggests that they fit under a
"Preparing for the Annual Meeting/State of the Committee" Discussion
theme.
The mid-year meeting is not very long but this may be
our chance to
raise some of these issues.
When we put an agenda together, I will ask you to think about these
topics and I'll solicit opinions that we can put into a Powerpoint
presentation to start the discussion. This way, I hope that people
can participate before the meeting, in the room, and on the phone.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Emily
Emily Parkany
Secretary, ABJ30 Urban Transportation Data and Information Systems
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Ed Christopher
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