Research Projects
Start Date: January 2022
Funding: University of Washington
Project Budget: $50,000
Summary:
For this project, two research groups at the University of Washington (the Urban Freight Lab and Lilian Ratliff's research group) will collaborate to integrate different data streams currently being collected separately and in an uncoordinated way, including data from in-ground curb sensors at CVLZs and PLZs, paid parking transactions at paid parking spaces, and data obtained from timelapse camera recordings. The groups will create a holistic framework to analyze not only the curb behaviors of different users but also how different users interact in the competition for limited curb space. The collaboration will advance the state of environmental science by providing the most complete dataset and creating innovative tools to inform policymaking on curb parking pricing and curb allocation to reduce cruising for parking and unauthorized parking events, therefore tackling the climate crisis by reducing urban vehicle emissions and traffic congestion, and the state of data science by developing a new statistical framework and machine learning algorithms to analyze curb space use behaviors from users and develop recommendations for cities on how to better allocate curb space to different competing demands.
For this project, two research groups at the University of Washington (the Urban Freight Lab and Lilian Ratliff's research group) will collaborate to integrate different data streams currently being collected separately and in an uncoordinated way, including data from in-ground curb sensors at CVLZs and PLZs, paid parking transactions at paid parking spaces, and data obtained from timelapse camera recordings. The groups will create a holistic framework to analyze not only the curb behaviors of different users but also how different users interact in the competition for limited curb space. The collaboration will advance the state of environmental science by providing the most complete dataset and creating innovative tools to inform policymaking on curb parking pricing and curb allocation to reduce cruising for parking and unauthorized parking events, therefore tackling the climate crisis by reducing urban vehicle emissions and traffic congestion, and the state of data science by developing a new statistical framework and machine learning algorithms to analyze curb space use behaviors from users and develop recommendations for cities on how to better allocate curb space to different competing demands.
Start Date: January 2022
Summary:
One of the disruptions brought by the COVID-19 pandemic was the reduction of in-store shopping, and the consequent increase in online shopping and home deliveries. In response, Cascade Bicycle Club started the Pedaling Relief Project (PRP) in 2020 — a nonprofit home delivery service run by volunteers using bikes to pick up food at food banks and deliver to food bank customers, among other services. The Supply Chain Transportation & Logistics Center (SCTL) and graduate Transportation Logistics students are undertaking a research study to analyze the transport and logistics system of the PRP and provide recommendations for operations improvement.
One of the disruptions brought by the COVID-19 pandemic was the reduction of in-store shopping, and the consequent increase in online shopping and home deliveries. In response, Cascade Bicycle Club started the Pedaling Relief Project (PRP) in 2020 — a nonprofit home delivery service run by volunteers using bikes to pick up food at food banks and deliver to food bank customers, among other services. The Supply Chain Transportation & Logistics Center (SCTL) and graduate Transportation Logistics students are undertaking a research study to analyze the transport and logistics system of the PRP and provide recommendations for operations improvement.
Start Date: January 2022
Funding: Urban Freight Lab
Project Budget: $180,000
Principal Investigator(s): Dr. Anne Goodchild
Summary:
The Urban Freight in 2030 project will explore emerging urban freight trends, their impacts on local and global sustainable development, and propose Urban Freight Lab’s future course of action. We'll use the expertise of the Urban Freight Lab members and partners, supported by up-to-date research and subject specialists, to create a shared vision of the future of urban delivery in 2030, and produce vision documents to be shared publicly, outlining and detailing the Urban Freight Lab’s vision of the future of urban freight.
The Urban Freight in 2030 project will explore emerging urban freight trends, their impacts on local and global sustainable development, and propose Urban Freight Lab’s future course of action. We'll use the expertise of the Urban Freight Lab members and partners, supported by up-to-date research and subject specialists, to create a shared vision of the future of urban delivery in 2030, and produce vision documents to be shared publicly, outlining and detailing the Urban Freight Lab’s vision of the future of urban freight.
Start Date: January 2022
Funding: City of Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT)
Project Budget: $60,000
Principal Investigator(s): Dr. Anne Goodchild
Project Manager(s): Dr. Giacomo Dalla Chiara
Summary:
In Phase 2 of the West Seattle Bridge Case Study, the research team will shift the focus from business establishments to consumers. In particular, we will explore consumer behavior, defined as how people choose to buy goods and services and where they buy them, to better understand residential demand and accessibility of goods for WS residents.
In Phase 2 of the West Seattle Bridge Case Study, the research team will shift the focus from business establishments to consumers. In particular, we will explore consumer behavior, defined as how people choose to buy goods and services and where they buy them, to better understand residential demand and accessibility of goods for WS residents.
Start Date: December 2021
Funding: City of Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT)
Project Budget: $32,000
Principal Investigator(s): Dr. Anne Goodchild
Summary:
This project will build upon a previous Urban Freight Lab study (funded by the U.S. Department of Energy) that was aimed at improving commercial vehicle delivery efficiency generating and providing real-time and future parking information to delivery drivers. In this subsequent study, researchers will build upon the knowledge developed and the existing network of parking occupancy sensors installed in a 10-block study area in the Belltown neighborhood of Seattle, Washington, to explore how historical parking occupancy data can be used by urban planners and policymakers to better allocate curb space to commercial vehicles. We will use data from the sensor network and explore the relationship between the built environment (location and characteristics of establishments and urban form) and the resulting occupancy patterns of commercial vehicle load zones and passenger load zones in the study area.
This project will build upon a previous Urban Freight Lab study (funded by the U.S. Department of Energy) that was aimed at improving commercial vehicle delivery efficiency generating and providing real-time and future parking information to delivery drivers. In this subsequent study, researchers will build upon the knowledge developed and the existing network of parking occupancy sensors installed in a 10-block study area in the Belltown neighborhood of Seattle, Washington, to explore how historical parking occupancy data can be used by urban planners and policymakers to better allocate curb space to commercial vehicles. We will use data from the sensor network and explore the relationship between the built environment (location and characteristics of establishments and urban form) and the resulting occupancy patterns of commercial vehicle load zones and passenger load zones in the study area.
Topics:
Curb ManagementThe Final 50 Feet of the Urban Goods Delivery SystemUrban Goods Delivery and Land Use
Curb ManagementThe Final 50 Feet of the Urban Goods Delivery SystemUrban Goods Delivery and Land Use
Start Date: January 2021
Funding: Urban Freight Lab, Frontier Metropolitan Planning Organization (City of Fort Smith - Arkansas)
Project Budget: $102,000
Principal Investigator(s): Dr. Anne Goodchild
Summary:
This project seeks to examine how microfreight hubs can increase equity to services, benefit historically marginalized communities, and be joined to share micromobility options, social service agencies and minority businesses in North Fort Smith, Arkansas. The Urban Freight Lab will assist Frontier MPO and the City of Fort Smith in this work create a cohesive strategy to develop a sound planning process, to grow collaborative relationships, to produce a sustainable business model, and to implement a microfreight hub pilot project that leverages community resources.
This project seeks to examine how microfreight hubs can increase equity to services, benefit historically marginalized communities, and be joined to share micromobility options, social service agencies and minority businesses in North Fort Smith, Arkansas. The Urban Freight Lab will assist Frontier MPO and the City of Fort Smith in this work create a cohesive strategy to develop a sound planning process, to grow collaborative relationships, to produce a sustainable business model, and to implement a microfreight hub pilot project that leverages community resources.
Start Date: January 2021
Funding: Urban Freight Lab, New York City Department of Transportation
Project Budget: $56,000
Principal Investigator(s): Dr. Anne Goodchild
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.
(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.
Start Date: January 2021
Funding: Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium (PacTrans)
Project Budget: $180,000
Other PI(s): David Hurwitz (Oregon State University)
Summary:
This study will use a driving simulator to design a simulation experiment to test the behavior of commercial vehicle drivers under various parking and delivery situations and to analyze their reactions. The ability to modify the simulator’s environment will allow the researchers to relatively easily test a range of scenarios that correspond to different delivery and parking situations, such as changing road characteristics (land use, number of travel lanes, nearby signals, traffic in adjacent lanes), curb allocations (paid parking, commercial vehicle loading zones, passenger load zones), and other road users (passenger cars, ridehailing vehicles, bikes). In addition to monitoring behavior and decision-making, the simulator can also monitor distraction (through eye tracking) and the stress level of drivers (through galvanic skin response) when making these decisions and interacting with other road users. Analyzing parking decisions and driver stress levels based on roadway and driver characteristics will provide insights on travel behaviors and the parking decision-making process of commercial vehicle drivers, and will help city planners improve street designs and curb management policies to accommodate safe and efficient operations in a shared urban roadway environment. This study is intended to fill knowledge gaps and serve as a valuable resource for policy makers, transportation engineers, and urban planners.
This study will use a driving simulator to design a simulation experiment to test the behavior of commercial vehicle drivers under various parking and delivery situations and to analyze their reactions. The ability to modify the simulator’s environment will allow the researchers to relatively easily test a range of scenarios that correspond to different delivery and parking situations, such as changing road characteristics (land use, number of travel lanes, nearby signals, traffic in adjacent lanes), curb allocations (paid parking, commercial vehicle loading zones, passenger load zones), and other road users (passenger cars, ridehailing vehicles, bikes). In addition to monitoring behavior and decision-making, the simulator can also monitor distraction (through eye tracking) and the stress level of drivers (through galvanic skin response) when making these decisions and interacting with other road users. Analyzing parking decisions and driver stress levels based on roadway and driver characteristics will provide insights on travel behaviors and the parking decision-making process of commercial vehicle drivers, and will help city planners improve street designs and curb management policies to accommodate safe and efficient operations in a shared urban roadway environment. This study is intended to fill knowledge gaps and serve as a valuable resource for policy makers, transportation engineers, and urban planners.
Start Date: January 2020
Funding: U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO)
Project Budget: $500,000
Summary:
This project aims to develop a city-scale dynamic curb use simulation tool and an open-source curb management platform. The envisioned simulation and management capabilities will include dynamically and concurrently controlling price, number of spaces, allowed parking duration, time of use or reservation, and curb space use type (e.g., dynamic curb space rezoning based on supply and demand). Researchers will design, implement, and test a curbside resource usage platform for fleet vehicles communications at commercial vehicle load zones (CVLZs), passenger load zones (PLZs), and transit stops, and perform demonstrations with stakeholder agencies and provide pathways to practice for promising curb allocation policies.
This project aims to develop a city-scale dynamic curb use simulation tool and an open-source curb management platform. The envisioned simulation and management capabilities will include dynamically and concurrently controlling price, number of spaces, allowed parking duration, time of use or reservation, and curb space use type (e.g., dynamic curb space rezoning based on supply and demand). Researchers will design, implement, and test a curbside resource usage platform for fleet vehicles communications at commercial vehicle load zones (CVLZs), passenger load zones (PLZs), and transit stops, and perform demonstrations with stakeholder agencies and provide pathways to practice for promising curb allocation policies.
Start Date: January 2020
Funding: City of Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT)
Project Budget: $65,000
Principal Investigator(s): Dr. Anne Goodchild
Project Manager(s): Dr. Giacomo Dalla Chiara
Summary:
Seattle DOT has engaged the Urban Freight Lab to conduct research to explore strategies to alleviate congestion impacts and minimize the disruption of goods and service delivery to West Seattle during the closure of the West Seattle High Bridge, which connects the West Seattle peninsula to the rest of the city.
Seattle DOT has engaged the Urban Freight Lab to conduct research to explore strategies to alleviate congestion impacts and minimize the disruption of goods and service delivery to West Seattle during the closure of the West Seattle High Bridge, which connects the West Seattle peninsula to the rest of the city.
Start Date: January 2020
Funding: Amazon
Project Budget: $50,000
Principal Investigator(s): Dr. Anne Goodchild
Summary:
Through synthesis of existing literature and interviews conducted with private and public stakeholders, this project aims to provide an overview of the barriers to achieving sustainable urban freight. The research will highlight key strategies that can enable sustainable last mile delivery in the urban environment and, importantly, outline the specific roadblocks to carrying out those strategies. This will help companies and public entities form sustainability plans and understand where collaboration between the two sectors in needed.
Through synthesis of existing literature and interviews conducted with private and public stakeholders, this project aims to provide an overview of the barriers to achieving sustainable urban freight. The research will highlight key strategies that can enable sustainable last mile delivery in the urban environment and, importantly, outline the specific roadblocks to carrying out those strategies. This will help companies and public entities form sustainability plans and understand where collaboration between the two sectors in needed.
Start Date: January 2020
Funding: Urban Freight Lab
Project Budget: $200,000
Principal Investigator(s): Dr. Anne Goodchild
Summary:
The Urban Freight Lab's Common Microhub project provides an opportunity for members to test and evaluate urban logistics strategies on the ground in Seattle's Uptown neighborhood. As third-party logistics companies enter the last-mile space and more cities commit to environmental focus and zero emission vision, the interest around creating logistics places in urban proximity is growing. The outcomes of this research can guide the development of future microhub implementations in other cities.
The Urban Freight Lab's Common Microhub project provides an opportunity for members to test and evaluate urban logistics strategies on the ground in Seattle's Uptown neighborhood. As third-party logistics companies enter the last-mile space and more cities commit to environmental focus and zero emission vision, the interest around creating logistics places in urban proximity is growing. The outcomes of this research can guide the development of future microhub implementations in other cities.
Start Date: October 2019
Funding: Seattle Flu Study
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.
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.
Start Date: September 2019
Funding: Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium (PacTrans)
Project Budget: $180,000
Other PI(s): Kevin Chang
Summary:
This research aims to develop innovative methods for managing curb lane function and curb access. The rapid rise of autonomous vehicles (AV), on-demand transportation, and e-commerce goods deliveries, as well as increased cycling rates and transit use, is increasing demand for curb space resulting in competition between modes, failed goods deliveries, roadway and curbside congestion, and illegal parking.
This research aims to develop innovative methods for managing curb lane function and curb access. The rapid rise of autonomous vehicles (AV), on-demand transportation, and e-commerce goods deliveries, as well as increased cycling rates and transit use, is increasing demand for curb space resulting in competition between modes, failed goods deliveries, roadway and curbside congestion, and illegal parking.
Start Date: August 2019
Funding: Seattle Public Utilities
Project Budget: $50,000
Principal Investigator(s): Dr. Anne Goodchild
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.
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.