Issue link: http://uwashington.uberflip.com/i/903202
24 Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium thus countermeasures can be developed. Instead of deploying new devices for near-miss detection, which would generate a lot of extra cost, making use of the existing devices is much more reasonable. To address the problems in bus-to-pedestrian near-miss detection, we are developing a cost-effective method in this project. The primary goal of the project is to develop a method that can detect bus-to-pedestrian near-miss events in order to support bus-to-pedestrian collision avoidance applications and provide additional data source for safety statistical analysis. Specifically, we will define indicators for near-miss events in videos taken by onboard front facing cameras, then develop a video processing framework to automatically detect and record near-misses. Given the fact that the northwest region has a large number of transit agencies and relies heavily on transit buses in terms of commuting, such near-miss detection method will definitely obtain additional information to enhance further research on bus-to-pedestrian safety studies in the region. Potentially, the proposed method can save cost for related agencies and improve both pedestrian and bus safety. • Project: Low Cost High Density RWIS Development Phase II • PI: Billy Connor (UAF), bgconnor@alaska.edu Remote Weather Information Systems (RWIS) are commonly used to provide DOT's and the public with current weather information along highways. WeatherCloud in partnership with UAF and PacTrans has developed a RWIS that costs about 1/10 the cost of previous RWIS. As part of the development process it was recognized that communications remain a barrier to the deployment of RWIS in very remote areas. WeatherCloud developed a Weather Mesh which allows each RWIS to relay information from RWIS around it to a connected site. The purpose of this study is to test the Weather Mesh system in remote Alaska over a winter. WeatherCloud is a leader in the development of mobile observation platforms as part of a Maintenance Decision Support System. Working with Billy Connor, WeatherCloud adapted this technology to low cost Remote Weather Information Systems. Prototypes of these systems have been in operation over the last year in Texas, Arizona, Colorado and Alaska. Billy Connor has been involved with the MDSS implementation including the implementation of the mobile platforms over the past 5 years. • Project: Improving the Safety of Left-Turn Operations at Signalized Intersections for High-Risk • PI: Ahmed Abdel-Rahim (UI), ahmed@uidaho.edu The objectives of this research project are: 1) describe and document the characteristics of signalized intersection based on Idaho's crash experience, 2) analyze different factors that may influence crash rates at signalized intersections in Idaho, and 3) identify intersection design and control measures that can be implemented to reduce crash rates at signalized intersections in Idaho. The research will focus on three signalized intersections operational areas: 1) left-turn treatment 2) advance warning flashing signals at high speed intersections, and 3) nighttime flashing operations. Measures to improve the safety for three different high-risk driver groups: mature drivers, young drivers, and impaired drivers will be considered for this study.