In The News – The Western Transportation Institute

Coming up Soon! December Summit will Focus on Rural Road Safety

Posted on October 15th, 2018

Following a highly successful inaugural forum in 2016, the National Center for Rural Road Safety and the National Association of County Engineers will host the 2^nd National Summit on Rural Road Safety from December 4-6, in Savannah, Georgia. At the first summit, more than 100 attendees from around the country collaborated on defining the future for “Moving Rural America” by articulating the key transportation safety issues facing rural areas, culminating in a call to action of “On the Road to Zero, We Cannot Ignore Rural.”

For the second summit, participants will continue to move the rural conversation forward and focus more intently on safety solutions and “Bridging the Gap.” Some of the key questions they will tackle include how to create a unified voice for rural areas, and how to implement safety solutions with rural constraints.

“After the first summit, participants were encouraged by the progress we made to develop an initial action plan and they wanted to keep the momentum going,” said Safety Center Manager Jaime Sullivan. “At the upcoming summit, we’re looking forward to taking the next step of how to select and implement safety solutions that will make a real difference on rural roads.”

If you’re interested in attending, early bird registration closes on November 12! The agenda and registration information are available here.

Major Milestones

Posted on October 10th, 2018

Photo of WTI staff members receiving service awards at Montana State University ceremony — Susan Gallagher, Kathy Rich, Jamie DuHoux and Leann Koon receive service awards from MSU President Waded Cruzado

Congratulations to the WTI staff members who were recognized last week for their years of service to Montana State University. Many of them were able to attend the Milestones in Service ceremony on October 2, during which they received congratulations and service awards from MSU President Waded Cruzado. Thanks to all of you for your (combined) 75 years of dedication and contributions to WTI and MSU!

Jamie DuHoux – 20 years

Susan Gallagher – 15 years

Marcel Huijser – 15 years

Leann Koon – 10 years

Jamie Arpin – 5 years

Karalyn Clouser – 5 years

Kathy Rich – 5 years

In the News: WTI gets a “shout out” for its contribution to MSU research expenditures

Posted on September 25th, 2018

In two news stories last week, WTI was one of the MSU departments noted for its strong annual research totals: “The Norm Asbjornson College of Engineering rounds out the top three colleges for research expenditures with $15 million, led by its Center for Biofilm Engineering, Department of Electrical Engineering and the Western Transportation Institute.”

Bozeman Daily Chronicle: https://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/montana_state_university/msu-research-spending-totals-million-second-highest-in-history/article_47af68f8-f1f7-52e5-afeb-3a718986c0f8.html

MSU News story on research: http://www.montana.edu/news/17978

In the News: Streamline Bus Service Celebrates Three Million Rides

Posted on September 5th, 2018

Image of passengers boarding Streamline bus. KBZK TV Interviews David Kack about the history and success of the Streamline Bus service. — KBZK TV Interviews David Kack about the history and success of the Streamline Bus service.

The Streamline Bus Service in Bozeman achieved a major milestone in August – 12 years of service and three million rides! KBZK Channel 7 visited the community barbecue hosted by the Human Resources Development Council (HRDC), which operates Streamline, and interviewed WTI’s David Kack on the history and growth of the service over the years. Watch the full news story with David’s interview on the KBZK website.

The Pop-up Traffic Calming Projects, featured in the last issue of Newswire, are also “popping up” in the local news. KBZK Channel 7 traveled to the Bozeman projects locations last week to film the installations in action, and to interview WTI’s Dani Hess (in the rain!). This news clip is available on the KBZK website. The Bozeman Daily Chronicle also featured the story on the front page of the Sunday September 2, 2018 issue.

Vehicle passes over temporary pedestrian crossing. — KBZK TV Interviews Dani Hess about the temporary “Pop Up” traffic calming projects.

AARP Highlights Bozeman Traffic Calming Project in National Publication

Posted on July 30th, 2018

In 2017, the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) awarded a Community Challenge grant to WTI and the City of Bozeman to purchase a mobile Pop-up Project Trailer, which neighborhoods and local groups can use to work towards safer multimodal streets. WTI and the City, in partnership with volunteers from Big Brothers and the community, used the trailer to install the Tamarack/Tracy traffic calming demonstration project last fall.

Temporary traffic calming installation in Bozeman, Montana with pedestrian crossing marked in temporary paint — Temporary traffic calming installation in Bozeman, Montana

The project is now highlighted on the AARP website, as part of a feature showcasing what the grant winners achieved with their funding. It is also included in AARP’s 2018 publication Where We Live: Communities for All Ages — 100+ Inspiring Examples from America’s Local Leaders.

The traffic calming installation was one component of the Transportation Demand Management partnership between WTI, the City of Bozeman, and Montana State University.

Going forward, the trailer will be available for use by other neighborhoods and local groups who want to take the first step in working towards safer multimodal streets in Bozeman.
Update: See how the trailer will be used next. WTI helps NW Bozeman neighbors bring their vision for safer streets to life!

Blanketing the Roadsides: Wool Erosion Control Blankets Nurture Revegetation

Posted on July 9th, 2018

MSU News is highlighting a successful collaboration between WTI and the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) to use blankets made of Montana wool to prevent erosion and promote plant growth along highways. For a recent feature article, Principal Investigator Rob Ament invited MSU news staff to visit the test site along Highway 287 near Three Forks, Montana. Despite harsh conditions at the site, researchers are observing what Rob calls “vigorous plant growth” where the blankets were placed for field trials. In addition to the erosion control benefits, the blankets could also have economic benefits by creating a new market for Montana wool. Check out the article and photos by MSU News, and learn more about the project on the WTI website.

Teton County Approves Wildlife Crossings Plan

Posted on July 3rd, 2018

Two deer crossing guard rail and road on Hwy 191 approaching Jackson Hole, WY. At a recent meeting, the county commissioners of Teton County, Wyoming approved a wildlife crossings master plan, which will now become part of the region’s Integrated Transportation Plan. The Plan was developed by WTI’s Road Ecology program, with Research Ecologist Marcel Huijser serving as the Principal Investigator. Focused on key highway segments near Jackson, Wyoming and Grand Teton National Park, the Plan identifies and prioritizes locations where the installation of wildlife crossing structures can enhance safety, prevent collisions, and preserve connectivity. During the course of the project, Road Ecology staff also traveled to Wyoming for public meetings to assist with local outreach efforts. Approval of the plan was covered by the Jackson Hole News; the full plan is available on the WTI project page.

David Kack Named “Business Person of the Year” by Big Sky Chamber of Commerce

Posted on July 3rd, 2018

Glass award plaque in glass with the following wording. "Big Sky chamber of Commerce. 2018 Business Person of the Year. David Kack, Western Transportation Institute." Congratulations to WTI’s own David Kack, who was honored with a Big Sky Chamber of Commerce Award at the Chamber’s Annual Dinner last week. David was selected for the “Business Person of the Year” Award, in recognition of his 15 years of work to establish and grow the Skyline bus service, as well as his more recent leadership efforts in partnership with the Chamber and other stakeholders to successfully secure a $10 million federal TIGER grant for improvements to the transportation network in the Big Sky region. The Awards dinner was also featured in today’s issue of Explore Big Sky.

Cover Stars: Graylings from Fish Technology Center Grace the Cover of MSU Magazine

Posted on June 25th, 2018

(Mountains and Minds photo: Montana State University) - Grayling fish on cover — (Mountains and Minds photo: Montana State University)

Mountains and Minds is Montana State University’s premier print publication for showcasing the institution’s people, events, and accomplishments. Published only twice a year, Mountains and Minds selected some familiar young fish for the new edition’s coveted cover photo: young grayling from the Bozeman Fish Technology Center (BFTC), raised for the fish passage research conducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the Montana State University (MSU) Department of Ecology, the MSU Department of Civil Engineering, and WTI.

In addition to the cover photo, the magazine includes a 10-page feature story (and stunning photo spread!) describing the 15 years of research conducted by these partners to better understand how native fish species move through waterways and how to improve fish passage through their habitats. WTI Research Scientist Matt Blank is interviewed about his early culvert research as well as his efforts with the partners to build the artificial flume at BFTC for fish swimming studies. Graduate students Ben Triano and Nolan Platt discuss their field work in the Big Hole River studying grayling in their native environment.

WTI Newswire will provide a link to the article when this issue is available online. Details about the grayling research are available on the WTI website; more information about the collaborative research program is available on the MSU Fish Passage webpage.

In the News: Wildlife Vehicle Crossings in California

Posted on May 29th, 2018

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has begun the planning and development of a wildlife crossings bridge on Highway 17, a commuter corridor that passes through deer and wildlife habitat in the Santa Cruz Mountains. According to a recent article in the Santa Cruz Sentinel, Caltrans consulted with WTI’s Marcel Huijser during the planning process, and used cost-benefit analysis strategies from a 2009 WTI journal article co-authored by Marcel to assess mitigation options. In addition, WTI Road Ecology staff hosted two forums for Caltrans staff in 2016 to educate them on wildlife connectivity issues and mitigation options.