Professor Kumares C. Sinha
Edgar B. and Hedwig M. Olson Distinguished Professor of Civil
Engineering
Purdue University
USA

Keynote Title: Transportation Infrastructure Asset Management in the New Millennium

Abstract: The presentation will discuss the motivation for developing an integrated transportation asset management (TAM) tool as a system of infrastructure systems, in the context of challenges and opportunities from emerging information and communication technologies. Components of TAM, its relevance in an era of limited resources and how it can be used to provide cost-effective and timely transportation services will be highlighted with particular focus on the use of big data in sensing and monitoring infrastructure conditions and optimizing available resources.

Professor P. K. Sikdar
President
Intercontinental Consultants & Technocrats (ICT) Pvt. Ltd.
New Delhi
INDIA

Keynote Title: Road Safety Management in India – The Devil is in the Details

Abstract: More than 1,40,000 deaths and 5,00,000 injuries in India due to road accidents reported in 2014 must be understood with the significant under-reporting. With 1% of world’s motor vehicles India accounts for 11% of global road fatalities. These numbers clearly establishes it as a major public health problem as an ‘epidemic on wheels’, and a large number of those injured remain disabled for life. While the larger proportion of the road accident victims are vulnerable road users, who are from economically weaker sections, these families are pushed to further poverty. These injuries place immense burdens on hospitals and health systems, which is stated to be a public health crisis. At the global level, the economic loss is 1-5% of each nation’s GDP totaling to USD 1.8 trillion per year, with more than US$ 500 billion every year to the developing world. Without any sound and logical action taken, annual deaths are forecast to rise to 1.9 million by 2020 surpassing the HIV/AIDS. Road safety is a multi-sectorial problem and the management of road safety requires a multi-sectorial approach. In the federal system of governance in India, the government agencies managing education, transport, roads/highways, health etc. are the stakeholders in management of road safety, apart from members of civil society and business and commercial organizations. A coordinated approach is required from these agencies to effectively manage road safety. The systematic approach of Road Safety Management comprises of (i) Institutional Management Functions, (ii) Interventions, and (iii) Result Focus. The effectiveness of planning, designing, and implementation of interventions depend on relevancy and currency of data and how data is collected and managed. The Decade of Action for Road Safety (2011-2020) has charted out a tested action plan based on experience of the developed world, and recommends building a robust system for ‘Road Safety Management’ with defined capacity to handle this man-made calamity through structured actions at national, regional and local levels. All stakeholders of road safety like transport, education, home/police, highway/road, and health departments must have coordinated efforts using the well thought out actions under five pillars of the Decade of Action with a full knowledge of the road safety problem to manage and ameliorate it. This keynote presentation is to discuss aspects of road safety management, its present status in the country, and measures to improve institutional mechanism to really manage for abating this growing menace on Indian roads.

Professor Ram M. Pendyala
Frederick R. Dickerson Chair
Georgia Institute of Technology
USA

Keynote Title: Paradigms for Integrated Modeling in an Era of Connectivity, Automation, and Dynamic Mobility Management

Abstract: The growth of urban populations and increasing congestion levels in cities around the world have motivated transport planners and engineers to seek ways to better manage traffic and improve network performance through the application of real-time information systems, active traffic demand management strategies (ATDM), and dynamic mobility applications (DMA). The availability of big data in real-time, such as crowdsourced data, is making it increasingly possible to deploy operational strategies with a view to modify traveler behaviors and bring about more sustainable and desirable mobility outcomes. As the line that divides transport planning and operations becomes increasingly fuzzy, it is clear that integrated models of transport demand and network supply must be designed to be capable of reflecting dynamics of traveler behaviors and choices – at a high level of granularity – in response to real-time data, as well as fine-grained exogenous and endogenous changes in network attributes. This presentation offers a description of alternative integrated transport modeling paradigms that can simulate sensitivity of traveler behaviors to real-time network dynamics in the presence of dynamic mobility management strategies. The highest level of integration provides a significant degree of real-time responsiveness with the full range of traveler choices (activity destination, mode, route, accompaniment, duration) sensitive to real-time changes in network conditions (such as that which may be caused by a network disruption, or traveler response to real-time information). However, computational demands associated with higher levels of model integration (needed to reflect real-time behavioral dynamics) are quite steep, calling for the deployment of computing architectures that can effectively reduce model run times – particularly for large-scale modeling applications. Moreover, mining real-time data to provide customized high-value information and analytics to connected travelers presents a significant challenge to the industry. Advanced vehicular technologies, in the form of connectivity and automation, hold considerable promise in leveraging real-time information for traffic congestion management. This presentation offers a discussion of the key role that advanced integrated transport model systems may play in planning demand-responsive transport systems of the future. In addition, the presentation provides a description of the capabilities and computational challenges associated with varying levels of transport model integration, together with results from recent efforts involving the application of an integrated transport model system called SimTRAVEL to the analysis of dynamic mobility management strategies that aim to improve network performance while simultaneously reducing the carbon footprint of personal travel.

Professor B. B. Pandey
Civil Engineering Department
Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur
INDIA

Keynote Title: Sustainable Pavements for High and low Volume Roads

Abstract: Massive road building activity has been in progress in India during the last fifteen years for the construction of Highways and village roads to ensure a good network for an efficient transportation freight and passenger. Road costs have gone up due to high cost of aggregates, quality aggregates have depleted and stone quarries are being banned to prevent environmental degradation. Technology has to change to address the above issues. A new type of pavement known as Panelled Concrete Pavements is discussed. High modulus asphalt pavements need to be introduced to have a better performing asphalt roads which are free from potholes, cracks and frequent patching Some case studies on panelled concrete, recycled asphalt and cell filled concrete pavements are also included in the presentation. A pavement should be designed and constructed keeping in view that frequent maintenance and rehabilitation of high volume roads lead to huge road user cost due to interruption in traffic operation.

Professor Yoshitsugu Hayashi
Director, Education and Research Center for Sustainable Co-Development
Nagoya University
JAPAN

Keynote Title:Proposing A Generalised Cost/Benefit Analysis by Full Cost/Quality of Life as a replace of Construction Cost/ Benefit: Seeking for GNH rather than GNP

Abstract: Conventional Cost/Benefit Analysis (CBA) calculates total generalised cost considering travel time and cost and accidents saved by a new transport infrastructure in terms of GNP or GDP increase. However the merits for the society are not only total income increase but also opportunity for shopping, medical care and cultural life, amenity of life, safety and security, and also environmental burden such as air pollution, noise and heat island. Also the merits of an infrastructure project are different between young and old, male and female, rich and poor, etc. In urban and regional planning, it has become more and more important to assess the different merits for various categories of people in both developed and developing countries. In developed countries, whether the infrastructure is useful for elderly people is crucial in aging society while in developing countries avoiding mobility divide for the districts of rich people and those for poor. Therefore the conventional Benefit/Cost analysis does not make sense any more or even misleading. In the conventional CBA, cost considers only construction cost. But transport infrastructure creates the other costs for maintenance and the additional infrastructure for the new developments of residential, commercial and industrial land uses newly located by the infrastructure. Therefore we need to count these newly generated costs. To solve these essential problems, we have developed a new method introducing in CBA the performance concept of Quality of Life (QOL) against full cost of infrastructure. It can estimate levels of QOL for individual persons with various attributes in gender, age, income level, etc. in each mesh (e.g.1km2) in an urban area or a region by introducing a new concept of accessibility to values to increase QOL existing in surrounding locations of the residential mesh. We can calculate easily not only GNH by summing up QOLs for all citizens in the country but also Gross Happiness for a citizens' group in any attribute category. This is very useful for assessing transport planning and projects on how much they are useful to whom. The presentation includes the theory and the application examples to the cities of Nagoya (Japan), Singapore, Nanjing (China) and Bangkok (Thailand) to demonstrate the differences of peoples' preferences between factors of QOL.

Dr. S. Gangopadhyay
Director
CSIR - Central Road Research Institute
New Delhi
INDIA

Keynote Title: Suitability of various Public Transport Systems for Indian cities

Abstract: Selection of the most suitable public transport system or combination of the systems for a particular city should be done carefully to achieve sustainable solutions. This selection process is a complex as it involves large number of parameters. Broadly, three groups of parameters are involved in this selection. First group includes the system characteristics i.e. parameters of alternate public transport systems i.e. passenger carrying capacity, operational capacity, cost (capital, operational and maintenance), accessibility levels, reliability, built-up time, route flexibility, pollution generated, etc. Second group of parameters are of city and this includes city shape, landuse, zoning and aesthetics. Third group of parameters includes socio-economic characteristics of commuters including comfort, safety and security. Based on these parameters, most suitable and sustainable public transport system needs to be identified.

Professor Subhro Guhathakurta
Director, Center for Geographic Information Systems
Georgia Institute of Technology
USA

Keynote Title: Reclaiming the Public Realm to Improve Human Health and the Environment: Urban form and non-motorized transportation in Indian cities

Abstract: Indian cities are chocking with hazardous pollutants that are reducing average life expectancy of city dwellers by 3.2 years (Greenstone et al. 2015). Thirteen of the top 20 polluted cities in the world are in India and PM2.5 (small particulate) levels in these cities are much higher than Beijing or Shanghai. The response to the dire statistics about urban pollution has been woefully inadequate and has not addressed the significant source of the problem. Most Indian metros have instituted strict monitoring of emissions from private vehicles and Delhi has instituted a mandate for the use of natural gas in public vehicles. Yet, the pollution levels in all metros, especially in Delhi, are growing rapidly. In this presentation I argue that the source of urban health and pollution problems is the poor design of public spaces for access to daily activities. While the conventional application of “transportation and land use linkages” has prioritized mobility, the recent theories of accessibility have made planners rethink the way roads and public spaces are designed. By reorienting our focus on accessibility, especially through non-motorized modes, we begin to pay more attention to the people who need access to various destinations and have varying abilities, both physical and economic, to do so. In this presentation I will not only analyze the problem and point to a solution but also show examples of how actual places in Indian cities can be transformed through concepts such as those in Complete Streets. The examples are supposed to be schematics that provide key design ideas for implementation. We hope that these examples, drawn from different urban contexts, will inspire others to develop similar solutions for many more places in Indian cities. In addition, the proliferation of such design ideas could lead to the adoption of specific criteria in city ordinances with regard to transportation investments that emphasizes principles of accessibility, especially through non-motorized modes. Such policies have already been adopted in the US by over 500 cities and by 30 states. By transforming the urban environment towards other modes of travel, Indian cities can begin to get control of the pernicious effects of pollution, decrease congestion, improve human health, and create a more lively and pleasing public realm.

Professor Chandra Bhat
Director, Center for Transportation Research
The University of Texas at Austin
USA

Keynote Title: Predictive Analytics for Transportation Planning and Operations in a World of Big Data

Abstract: This keynote presentation will focus on the Big Data view of the transportation world, in which a whole host of equipment can act as sensors — legacy roadway systems, smart phones and GPS systems, and smart cars themselves. The key issue is how to deal with such voluminous amounts of incoming data per unit of time, and translate them into usable information for near-real time operations purposes or for longer-term planning purposes. This is a challenge, given the low latency and data reliability required to translate big data into usable information, especially for such safety applications as collision avoidance. In addition, predictive analytics to translate data into information requires the ability to deal with data that may be from multiple sources, highly noisy, heterogeneous, and high-dimensional with complex interdependencies. On the last of these, the joint modeling of data with mixed types of dependent variables (including ordered-response or ordinal variables, unordered-response or nominal variables, count variables, and continuous variables) is a tricky problem. The presentation will discuss the exciting possibilities, some pathways forward in terms of methods, and the research challenges in the emerging landscape of big data applications for the transportation field. This will include a summary discussion of the activities being undertaken as part of the U.S.DOT-funded Tier 1 Center at UT-Austin on “Data-Supported Transportation Planning and Operations” (D-STOP).

Professor Lalita Sen
Department of Urban Planning & Environmental Policy
Texas Southern University
USA

Keynote Title: Accessibility and Safety: Key Components for Inclusive Transportation

Abstract: Longevity in India is increasing, and the mobility of the population both for work and leisure is also increasing. In addition many women at all economic levels work. Thus public transport system must cater to women, older people, and young children besides the able bodied men, using public means to get about in most urban/suburban areas. Hence the need for both a focus of on issues of access and safety for all users of public transportation in any form: buses, taxis, suburban trains, subways, scooters, and cycle rickshaws (where available), and even ferries.

The emphasis should be on the design of foot paths, roadways, street crossings, overhead bridges, and stairs/ramps, as well as the actual transport vehicles that are being used. The focus will be on the need for accessible design for easy access to have safe mobility in urban and suburban areas, since that is where many rural residents come to look for jobs.

Regional variation in topography, climate and existing infrastructure in India also presents challenges in providing accessible and safe public transport. Existing rolling stock with its design limitations, and the demand for public transport during peak hours, adds to the challenge.

Issues to discuss among transportation planners and engineers:
The question that must be raised is should the government (s) consider retiring older/unsafe vehicles and assist private and public transport companies to buy newer more accessible vehicles to provide safer and better transport services , through incentives? Should there also be some financial incentives to discard older inaccessible and unsafe vehicles through public funds? Should there be some legislation to ensure threshold levels of safety and accessibility in all vehicles used for public transport? Should there also be some disincentives (such as fines) for violating existing or new legislations to ensure safety for both passengers of any vehicles used by a public transport system or a private for hire transport mechanism such as a taxi, or a minibus, long distance buses, commuter trains (suburban), ferries, or even commuter aircrafts? Lastly, “safety features” must also include ensuring the safety needs of the vulnerable population (disabled/ children) including women, who travel at peak and off peak hours using public transport as their primary form of transport.

Professor Junyi Zhang
Director, Center of Asian Sustainable Mobility Research
Director, Department of Development Technology
Hiroshima University
JAPAN

Keynote Title: Promoting Safer Driving based on a Smartphone App

Abstract: Traffic accidents are mainly caused by human errors, which are, however, not the same across drivers. It is therefore important to explore effective individualized traffic safety measures. Motivated by the high proportion of smartphones in the market, we developed a GPS-enabled smartphone app (called Safety Supporter) with driving risks diagnosis and traffic warning information provision functions, as a simplified diagnostic tool using only GPS information. The app can measure three objective second-by-second driving risks, i.e., speed limit compliance, acceleration and deceleration, and driving smoothness, in addition to driving propensity, perceived and experienced driving risks. To clarify the effectiveness of the app to improve driving safety, we implemented a three-month driving experiment, where 100 drivers were recruited to experience the app on expressways in the western part of Japan in 2014. During the experiment, different diagnosis and information provision scenarios were tested and a series of questionnaire surveys covering driving behavior and behavioral change as well as their influential factors were conducted with respect to each scenario. Analyses of data collected from the experiment revealed that the basic functions (objective diagnosis and traffic warning information provision) of the app are effective in improving the safety levels of 60% of drivers (i.e., careless drivers) in terms of speed limit compliance, acceleration/deceleration, and driving smoothness. Focusing on speed limit compliance, the use of the app with the basic functions leads to an improvement in driving safety of 60%–73% of drivers (i.e., irritable drivers and excessively confident drivers). As for aggressive drivers (60%), their acceleration/deceleration and driving smoothness could improve when using the app. Similarly, additional functions of driving propensity diagnosis and driving advice feedback also contribute to speed limit compliance and better control of acceleration/deceleration. The ranking of drivers’ diagnosis and self-diagnosis results is useful for improving driving smoothness. Unfortunately, the provision of service and parking areas information did not improve driving safety. Only those who desire to improve their driving safety are more likely to obey the speed limit. Thus, the influence of drivers’ heterogeneity is significant, implying that drivers’ heterogeneity (especially their various driving propensities) should be properly reflected in the deployment of individualized traffic safety measures. It is further confirmed that traditional enforcement of traffic rules (here, punishment for traffic rule violations) is still very powerful to force drivers to drive safely. Finally, the possibility of applying the App to serve as an alternative Big Data collection tool for traffic incident management is discussed.

Professor Partha Chakroborty
Civil Engineering Department
Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur
INDIA

Keynote Title: Optimization Problems in Transportation: Need for Non-Traditional Tools

Abstract: The field of transportation engineering and planning provide a rich array of optimization problems. Many of them can be solved using traditional mathematical programming methods. There are many more that require optimization methods that (i) deal with discrete problems more naturally, (ii) admit external procedure-based declarations within the formulation, etc. In this talk I plan to discuss a few problems in order to illustrate the gamut of optimization / search tools that are required.

Dr. Vivek Tandon
Civil Engineering Department
The University of Texas at El Paso
USA

Keynote Title: Management, Planning, Design, Construction, Operation, and Preservation, Maintenance and Rehabilitation: A holistic Approach for Resilient Transportation Infrastructure

Abstract: The purpose of transportation infrastructure is essential to reducing poverty by giving access to jobs, education, goods, services and markets. Additionally, improved transport infrastructure benefits a country’s economy, thus creating more employment and opportunities for all. The transportation infrastructure is not only a simple network consisting of individual rather a large interconnected system. With change in climate, increased air pollution, traffic congestion, and sustainability concerns, the existing or new infrastructure development should consider every aspect from design to rehabilitation (i.e. life cycle assessment) in a systematic fashion. To develop a resilient transportation infrastructure, various alternatives should be considered that address economic, environmental, and societal concerns for the life of the transportation infrastructure. Since life cycle assessment includes design through rehabilitation, the selected alternative should be able to withstand changes in climate and traffic and is sustainable should be considered. Thus, the transportation infrastructure development should be holistic in nature which considers various functions like Management, Planning, Design, Construction and Preservation, Maintenance and Rehabilitation. Therefore, the holistic approach calls for integrated liaison between various entities performing individual functions in an organization in a systematic fashion that leads to development of resilient transportation infrastructure.