The 24th Annual NJDOT Research Showcase provided an opportunity for the New Jersey transportation community to learn about the broad scope of academic research initiatives underway and share technology transfer activities being conducted by institutions of higher education partners and their associates. The annual event serves as a showcase to present the ongoing initiatives and benefits of the NJDOT Research program. This event was an in-person event with a livestreaming option with sessions held from 9:00am-2:45pm on October 26, 2022.
This year’s Showcase theme, “Advancing Equity in Transportation” served as the organizing framework for the keynote speaker and panelists during the morning plenary session. Throughout the day the Research Showcase featured presentations on infrastructure, safety, mobility and equity topics being performed by research faculty, staff, and students and NJ agencies. Several awards were presented in recognition of research and implemented innovations.
The Research Showcase Program Agenda provides more information on the day’s proceedings, including presented topics and speakers. Recordings of the plenary and breakout sessions, and the presentations and posters shared during the event can be found below.
MORNING
WELCOMING AND INTRODUCTORY REMARKS
Mike Russo, NJDOT Assistant Commissioner, Planning, Multimodal, and Grants Administration, welcomed attendees to the Research Showcase event.
Parth Oza, Assistant Commissioner, Capital Program Management, provided opening remarks focusing on ways that NJDOT has embedded equity in the project delivery process. Mr. Oza emphasized the importance of gathering input from communities affected by transportation projects throughout all project phases, using grant applications to address the impact of flooding on disadvantaged communities, and planning for the safety of all road users through the agency’s Complete Streets policy.
Valeriya Remezova, Deputy Division Administrator, Federal Highway Administration’s New Jersey Division congratulated NJDOT for receiving the FHWA and AASHTO Innovative Initiative 2022 STIC Innovation Excellence Award. She recognized NJDOT research initiatives with an equity focus and noted New Jersey’s Metropolitan Planning Organization initiatives that advance equity.
Keith Benjamin, FHWA Associate Administrator for Highway Policy and External Affairs with Assistant Commissioner Michael Russo. Source: Steve Goodman
KEYNOTE ADDRESS
Keith Benjamin, Associate Administrator for Highway Policy and External Affairs, Federal Highway Administration provided the keynote address. Mr. Benjamin discussed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the opportunities to use this funding to address equity in transportation planning, project development, and other activities. He noted that the funding allows for new ideas of transportation to become a reality, and looks forward to subsequent policy embedding these changes in people’s everyday transportation experience. He noted the program’s success will be measured by improvements such as people being able to cross the street safely, mitigation of unsafe corridors, availability of bus shelters, and repaving of dangerous streets. He offered several examples of local initiatives where collaboration among partner agencies and organizations and involvement of local residents in the process resulted in more equitable projects.
Mr. Benjamin responded to several questions in a Q&A session that followed his keynote remarks.
Keith Benjamin and the host moderator, David Maruca, discussed the Bi-Partisan Infrastructure Bill, the USDOT Equity Action Plan, and the safety benefits of Complete Streets, among other topics in a lively Q&A session that followed Mr. Benjamin’s Keynote remarks. Source: Steve Goodman
MORNING SESSION PANEL DISCUSSION
An interactive panel discussion, “Perspectives on Advancing Equity in Transportation,” followed the keynote session with state, local and transportation management association (TMA) representatives who presented examples of the equity initiatives underway in their organization and reflected on some of the continuing challenges and opportunities for advancing equity in transportation in New Jersey.
The panelists included:
- Elkins Green, Director, Environmental Resources, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Green served as the Moderator for the session.
- Veronica Murphy, Director’s Office, Division of Local Aid & Economic Development, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Ms. Murphy shared a short video of the organization of Local Aid & Economic Development and provided an overview of the role that her office plays in providing grant funding for transportation projects. Ms. Murphy noted that equity considerations are embedded in the distribution of funding and in the process of providing technical assistance to communities through the Local Aid Resource Center.
- Krishna Murthy, President, EZ Ride described the mission and various activities of his TMA and focused on the organization’s EZ Ryde4Life program that assists older adults by coordinating with Lyft and Uber to provide rides. EZ Ride is trying to make the program more accessible to individuals who are paying directly for the program and have no sponsoring organization and described the affordability challenges for the users and operator.
- Andrew Tunnard, Assistant Commissioner, Transportation Operations Systems & Support, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Mr. Tunnard spoke about the Trenton MOVES project, an autonomous vehicle system that is being planned to offer transit shuttle services for an urban core population in the City of Trenton that tends to have one or no cars and spends a high proportion of their income on transportation to reach regional employment and other opportunities.
- Byron Nicholas, Supervising Transportation Planner, Hudson County Engineering described the County’s efforts to advance equity through project prioritization, public involvement, multimodal safety.
Morning Panel
Participants responded to a series of questions posed by the moderator and by the audience members.
Panelists discussed equity initiatives underway in their organization and shared their views on the challenges and opportunities for advancing equity in transportation. Source: Steve Goodman
AWARDS
The program continued as Amanda Gendek, Manager, NJDOT Bureau of Research, announced several awards given in recognition of research, innovation and implementation efforts. Below is a listing of the award winners presented at this year’s showcase:
- 2022 Outstanding University Student in Transportation Research Award – Xiao Chen, Rutgers University (Innovative Pothole Repair Materials and Techniques)
- 2022 Research Implementation Award – Anil Agrawal, City College of CUNY (NJDOT UAS/Drone Procedures Manual and Best Practices for Use in New Jersey)
- 2022 Best Poster Award – Ahmed Edrees, New Jersey Institute of Technology (Minimizing Total Cost of Work Zones on Two-Lane Roads with Managed Lanes)
- 2022 NJDOT Build a Better Mousetrap Award (State Agency) – Gary Liedtka-Bizuga and Henry Jablonski, NJDOT, Sawcut Vertical Curb
Awards Ceremony
PRESENTATION OF AWARDS
Accepting the Better Mousetrap Award, Gary Liedtka-Bizuga, Roadway Design Group 1, with Acting Assistant Commissioner Parth Oza, Bureau of Research Manager, Amanda Gendek, and Assistant Commissioner Michael Russo. Not shown here: Henry Jablonski, Region Central Construction. Source: Steve Goodman
Best Poster Award Recipient, Ahmed Edrees, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Minimizing Total Cost of Work Zones on Two-Lane Roads with Managed Lanes. Source: Steve Goodman
2022 Outstanding University Student in Transportation Research Award, Xiao Chen, Rutgers University, Innovative Pothole Repair Materials and Techniques. Source: Steve Goodman
2022 NJDOT Research Implementation Award, Anil Agrawal, City College of CUNY, NJDOT UAS/Drone Procedures Manual and Best Practices for Use in New Jersey. Source: Steve Goodman
AFTERNOON
INFRASTRUCTURE
Infrastructure Sessions
Corrosion Performance of Ultra-High Performance Concrete in Uncracked and Cracked Beams
Presenter: Seyed Masoud Shirkhorshidi, New Jersey Institute of Technology
Design of Lego-inspired Reconfigurable Modular Blocks for Automated Construction of Engineering Structures
Presenters: Rojyar Barhemat, Soroush Mahjoub, Victor C. Li and Yi Bao, Stevens Institute of Technology
Developing Electrically-Heated Flexible Pavement for Self-Deicing Application
Presenters: Ashith Padinhar and Marath Purakkal, Rowan CREATES
EQUITY & MOBILITY
Equity & Mobility Sessions
Real-Time Traffic Signal System Performance Measure Phase II
Presenter: Peter J. Jin, Rutgers University-CAIT
Assessing High-Resolution Connected Vehicle Data for TSM&O Applications
Presenter: Zijia Zhong, New Jersey Institute of Technology
Factors Influencing the Fatality of Pedestrian and Bicyclist Involved Crashes in New Jersey
Presenter: Hannah Younes, Rutgers University-VTC
Safety
Safety Sessions
Development and Evaluation of a Pedestrian Crossing Alert System Using 2-Channel LiDAR Sensor
Presenter: Branislav Dimitrijevic, New Jersey Institute of Technology
Emerging Countermeasures for Pedestrian Safety: A Review of State of Art and Recent Advances
Presenter: Anahita Kakhani, Rowan University
Complete and Green Streets: Effective Public Engagement Practics and Resouces to Promote Safety and Advance Equity
Presenter: Sam Rosenthal, Rutgers University
POSTERS
(click images for PDF)
Decision Aided Cost and Construction Time Estimates for the Gateway Tunnel Project – Ehsan Mehryaar, New Jersey Institute of Technology
Recommendations for Improving NJDOT Specifications for Cold In-Place Recycling – Ahmed Saidi, Rowan University
Minimizing Total Cost of Work Zones on Two-Lane Roads with Managed Lanes – Ahmed Edrees, New Jersey Institute of Technology
Simulating Corrosion Induced Damage in Recycled Aggregate Concrete Systems – Jin Fan, New Jersey Institute of Technology
A Review on Seat Belt Compliance of Drivers and Front Passengers: Data Collection, Analysis, and Countermeasures – Omar Al-Sheikh, Rowan University
Feasiblity Study of Shared Mobility Programs as a First/Last-Mile Solution in Underserved Communities: A Case Study in Camden City, NJ – Ruqaya Alfaris, Rowan University
Zero-Emission Bus Fleet: A Review of State Practices, Recent Developments, and Future Directions – Zahra Vafakhah, Rowan University
How Distraction Triggers Speeding: An Observational Case Study in New Jersey – Ahmed Sajid Hasan, Rowan University
Use of 100% RAP for Repair Purposes – Dr. Faisal Kabir, Rowan University
Three-Dimensional Finite Element Modeling of Cold In-Place Recycled Asphalt Sections in Accelerated Pavement Testing – Chenchen Huang, Cheng Zhu, Yusuf Mehta & Daniel Offenbacker, Rowan University
Assessment of the Impact of Binder Grade on the Laboratory Performance of Fiber-Reinforced Asphalt Mixtures – Ali Reza Khan, Ayman Ali, Yusuf Mehta, Rowan University
A Framework for Proactive Safety Evaluation of Intersection Using Surrogate Safety Measures and Non-Compliance Behavior – Deep Patel, Rowan University
