TEXAS A&M TRANSPORTATION INSTITUTE
DESCRIPTION OF THE LEGAL ENTITY AND ITS MAIN TASKS
Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) develops solutions to the problems and challenges facing all modes of transportation. The Institute conducts over 700 research projects annually with over 200 sponsors at all levels of government and the private sector. In the laboratory and the classroom, TTI researchers help prepare students for transportation careers.
Recognized as one of the premier higher education-affiliated transportation research agencies in the US, TTI’s research and development program has resulted in significant breakthroughs across all facets of the transportation system. TTI research is widely known as an excellent value with a proven impact of saving lives, time and resources.
TTI’s headquarters is located on the campus of Texas A&M University in College Station. The Institute maintains a full-service safety proving grounds facility; environmental and emissions facility; and sediment and erosion control laboratory in Bryan, Texas, as well as many other laboratories and facilities on the Texas A&M campus. TTI has eight offices in Texas—Arlington, Austin, Dallas, El Paso, Galveston, Houston, San Antonio and Waco—and offices in Washington, D.C. and Mexico City. TTI also has a presence in Doha, Qatar, at Texas A&M University at Qatar.
The participation of TTI in the SAFEWAY Project is a twinning exercise consisting of exchange of information based on (a) related projects in which TTI is working with funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation, state, and local sponsors, and (b) activities included in Work Package 4 of the SAFEWAY proposal. We see great potential in this twinning exercise because ideas and lessons learned can be exchanged that will help to enhance the state-of-the-art in the area of connected transportation both in Europe and in the United States. Readily available mechanisms to facilitate the exchange of information, which TTI uses for a wide range of projects and initiatives, include communication exchanges, conference calls, and web-based meetings.
The total estimated level of effort by TTI researchers participating in this effort will be one (1) person-month over a 24-month period of performance. Assumptions behind this level of effort include four webinars (i.e., one webinar every six months) with up to six TTI researchers and periodic email and phone communications in between.
CV OF THE PERSONS
Christopher Poe, Ph.D., P.E. (Male). Dr. Christopher Poe is the Assistant Director at the Texas A&M Transportation Institute for Connected and Automated Transportation Strategy. In his current position, he is leading connected and automated vehicle, intelligent transportation system, and transportation operations research projects across the United States. Dr. Poe is currently developing a connected roadway classification system for the Transportation Research Board. Dr. Poe is also supporting projects on connected work zone deployment and commercial truck platooning using connected breaking and steering systems. Dr. Poe is the lead for the U.S. DOT designated automated vehicle proving ground partnership in Texas. Under this initiative, Dr. Poe leads a research team partnership with University of Texas and Southwest Research Institute supported by an urban test bed partnership of over 30 public agencies in Texas. Dr. Poe recently completed a national deployment in Dallas, Texas of Integrated Corridor Management along the U.S. 75 corridor. This U.S. DOT funded project built a decision support system for the public agencies to operate freeways, arterials, and transit to reduce overall travel time across transportation modes. | |
Robert Brydia, PMP (Male). Robert Brydia is an expert in developing highly functional and integrated systems for multiple deployment efforts, and for implementing cross-cutting technology innovations that lead to recognizable transportation improvements. He leads a program of research that works to provide advanced traveler information through sensing, analyzing, and presenting real-time information and travel advice to users of the surface transportation system. He has notable expertise in traveler information, traffic operations, traffic incident management, performance measurement, traffic management centers, and ITS communications. Throughout his career to date, Mr. Brydia has led more than $25 million in research for a variety of local, state, and federal sponsors and has participated as the technical lead in another $15 million of research. As lead or senior staff on projects, he is responsible for all aspects of designing, planning, procuring, operating, and maintaining operational deployments on roadways as well as designing and overseeing production of systems and end-user applications. | |
| Paul Carlson, Ph.D., P.E. (Male). Paul Carlson is the Division Head of the Traffic Operations and Roadway Safety Division, where he is responsible for leading a research program broadly focused on safety, design, and operations. He leads TTI's Visibility Research Laboratory located in TTI's State Headquarters and Research Building. This facility has been used to test new materials for traffic signs and pavement markings. TTI has also used the facility to develop and test their mobile luminance measurement system. The laboratory's equipment will measure the photometric properties of traffic control devices and lights to ensure safe travel for night time drivers. Dr. Carlson’s primary areas of interest are traffic engineering, highway safety, vision science, traffic control devices, geometric design, and human factors. Paul enjoys finding innovative solutions to solve transportation problems using advanced technologies. He has been a principal or co-principal investigator for numerous research studies dealing with topics such as traffic sign and pavement marking retroreflectivity, highway safety, night time driver visibility needs, centerline and edgeline rumble strips, traffic signal warrants, and operational effects of geometric design. | |
| Edward Seymour, Ph.D., P.E. (Male). Edward Seymour is an Associate Director at TTI. He is head of the Transportation Operations Group that includes offices in College Station, Dallas, Houston and San Antonio. The programs affiliated with the Transportation Operations Group include: intelligent transportation systems (ITS), traffic sensor technology, traffic management, traffic signal operations, work zone safety, traffic safety, traffic signs and markings, geometric design, railroad-highway grade crossings, professional development, and implementation offices located in urban areas. His research focuses on ITS architecture and standards and on transportation systems operations and management. He is also involved with technology transfer activities that are affiliated with several organizations. Since 1996, Dr. Seymour has served as chairperson of the National Transportation Communications for ITS Protocols (NTCIP) Committee jointly sponsored by the standards development organizations of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) and the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE). In addition he has served in leadership roles with several professional societies and national transportation related initiatives. | |