Research Projects

Summary:
This project evaluates the impact of pedestrianization at Pike Place Market on vendors and delivery access, and analyzes how nearby traffic patterns change under the Market’s Vehicle Access Pilot.

Summary:
This project explores how micro-pantries—small, decentralized, community-run food pantries and fridges—can complement traditional hunger relief while reducing food waste. Our team is deploying wireless sensors, building a centralized information system, and collaborating with public health experts to improve food safety, efficiency, and access. This first-of-its-kind research aims to close gaps in food rescue and distribution by building a connected, hyper-local network that empowers communities to share safe, high-quality food.

Summary:
In December 2022, Mayor Bruce Harrell signed Executive Order 2022-07 directing City departments to work together to prioritize and expand actions that equitably reduce or eliminate greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) within the transportation sector. One of the actions the Mayor called for is to develop at least three low-pollution neighborhoods by Q1 2028. SDOT received a RAISE (Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity) federal planning grant to develop the implementation and funding plan to meet the Mayor’s commitment. SDOT...

Summary:
The Urban Freight Lab will implement wireless sensors in neighborhood micro-pantries to monitor inventory, expiration dates, and local demand and supply patterns, aiming to optimize food distribution and safe storage.

Summary:
The Urban Freight Lab partnered with Net Zero Logistics, the City of Boston, and the Boston Transportation Department on an e-cargo bike delivery program with the goal of supporting local businesses, reducing pollution, easing traffic congestion, and improving street safety.

Summary:
The Urban Freight Lab (UFL) was approached by the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) to complete a review of proposed evaluation criteria and propose a data collection plan in preparation for the implementation of a Freight and Bus Lane (FAB) Lane in Fall 2024 for King County Metro's Bus Route 40.

Summary:
Food security, defined as access at all times to nutritious food, is a necessary condition for human beings to thrive and have an active and healthy life. In Seattle, about 13 percent of adults experienced food insecurity. Moreover, food security is not equitably distributed across the population. Food insecurity is more common in households with young children, with single parents, with incomes below 185 percent of the poverty threshold, in Black and Hispanic populations, and in principal metropolitan areas.

Summary:
With the rise in demand for home deliveries and the boom of the e-bike market in the U.S., cargo cycles are becoming the alternative mode of transporting goods in urban areas. However, many U.S. cities are struggling to decide how to safely integrate this new mode of transportation into the pre-existing urban environment. In response, the Urban Freight Lab is authoring a white paper on how cities can prepare for and promote large-scale adoption of cargo cycle transportation. Sponsors include freight logistics providers, bicycle industry leaders, and agencies Bosch eBike Systems, Fleet Cycles, Gazelle USA, Michelin North America, Inc., Net Zero Logistics, the Seattle Department of Transportation, and Urban Arrow.

Summary:
This project studies the Pedaling Relief Project in Seattle, a volunteer bike-based system that supports food rescue, grocery delivery, and pantry restocking. It looks at how cargo bikes move food between food banks, businesses, and community pantries as part of a last-mile delivery network. Using real operational data, the project examines how the system works in practice and where it can be improved. The goal is to better understand and strengthen volunteer-powered food delivery systems in cities.

Summary:
The Urban Freight in 2030 project explores emerging trends shaping urban freight and their implications for sustainable development. Drawing on the expertise of Urban Freight Lab members, partners, researchers, and subject matter experts, the project develops a shared vision for the future of urban delivery. The resulting vision documents outline key opportunities, challenges, and strategic priorities for urban freight systems through 2030.

Summary:
(This project is being conducted under the Urban Freight Lab's (UFL) Technical Assistance Program, where UFL contributes to the project by providing 1:1 match funds in terms of staff and/or research assistants to complete project tasks.) This project focuses on conducting targeted freight industry market research to identify strategies that can support charting a pathway to zero-emission freight strategies for New York City by 2050 and identify the associated roadblocks and barriers to entry. 

Summary:
The mission of the Seattle Flu Study (SFS) is to prototype city-scale capabilities for epidemic preparedness and response. One of the aims of this study is to understand methods to implement rapid interventions outside of clinical settings and within 48-72 hours of the onset of symptoms, to enable the immediate diagnosis, treatment, or isolation of flu-positive individuals. 

Summary:
The Supply Chain Transportation & Logistics Center (SCTL) is conducting collaborative research with Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) to explore and share innovative approaches for moving, storing, and redistributing surplus food. Transportation, storage, and logistics have been key operational barriers to increasing rescued food. SPU commissioned SCTL to create a shared data-driven understanding of the logistics of food rescue in Seattle. The purpose of this project is to reduce waste and increase access and food quality for customers of food banks and meal programs. Research will be conducted with both businesses that donate food and the organizations that receive it.

Summary:
The Urban Freight Lab primarily focused on optimizing UW Department of Laboratory Medicine's 12 routes per day, moving lab specimens and conducting departmental business. The work will optimize the minimize both the expected lead time (from the time the specimens are ready for pick up to the time they are delivered to the lab for testing) and the extent to which couriers work outside of their maximum shift durations.

Summary:
The Supply Chain Transportation & Logistics Center and Seattle Department of Transportation worked in collaboration with employers, transit operators, and transportation network companies (TNCs) to test a variety of strategies to mitigate the traffic impacts of TNC pick-ups on the greater transportation network and improve safety for passengers and drivers. Strategies included increasing the number of passenger loading zones in high-traffic pick-up areas and geofenced pick-up or black-out areas.