News

11.30.2016

RSG Senior Consultant Presents at INRO Model City Portland Conference

RSG Senior Consultant Ben Stabler presented at the INRO Model City Portland Conference in Portland, Oregon. His presentation, titled “Development of an Open Matrix Emme Integration Tool,” shared about the tool he worked with INRO to build that reads and writes open matrix for easier integration with third-party software. This tool is now being used by metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) in Eugene, OR and Portland, OR.

Conference Details »

11.22.2016

RSG Project Highlighted in Burlington Free Press

Last week, the Burlington Free Press highlighted an RSG project for the City of Burlington, Vermont being led by RSG's Corey Mack and staffed by Roxanne Meuse. South End Burlington’s “Little Five Corners” – a five-legged intersection traveled by residents, commuters, and visitors of the independent businesses and small park located there – has long plagued those passing through. RSG has been contracted to identify and develop alternatives for this challenging space to make it safer and more accessible for people walking and bicycling, as well as to enhance the neighborhood as a whole.

To ensure a vibrant public participation process, Corey modified the typical indoor public meeting and had participants gather at the site to walk around the intersection and discuss the current layout, significant concerns, and possibilities for improvement. Ideas were brought to life back at the table Corey had set up in the park with a large aerial photo of the intersection on which participants could draw and erase. Back in the office (just a few blocks from the project site), the RSG team will now incorporate the local insight and ideas discussed at this meeting into the project’s next steps.

Full Article »

10.18.2016

RSG Director Invited to Help Develop Woodchip Heating Standard

John Hinckley, RSG’s Director of Air Quality Permitting, was recently invited to help develop a national woodchip heating standard to improve the performance, efficiency, and reliability of woodchip heating systems. He brings his expertise in emissions control and air quality permitting to the 15-member advisory committee, which represents diverse interests from across the country. The development of this standard will help improve air quality by reducing emissions from woodchip heating equipment.

National Woodchip Heating Fuel Technical Quality Standard Project »

09.20.2016

RSG Senior Engineer Awarded US Patent

RSG’s Karl Washburn was recently co-awarded US Patent 9,438,991, “Sound feedback system for vehicles”. This patent links autonomous “follower” agricultural equipment to a person monitoring their activity and health. Co-inventors include Karl’s former colleagues at Deere & Company – Julian Sanchez, Kristin Sullivan, and Noel Anderson.

Patent Summary »

09.16.2016

RSG Senior Engineer Speaks to BYU ASCE Chapter

RSG’s Kordel Braley spoke with Brigham Young University’s ASCE Chapter yesterday in Provo, Utah. He discussed RSG’s recent work on the Provo-Orem Transportation Improvement Project (POTIP), which will add general purpose lanes and bus rapid transit (BRT) along a congested corridor between Provo and Orem. RSG performed micro-simulation analysis, ridership forecasts, and analyzed the effects of transit signal priority (TSP).

Provo-Orem Transportation Improvement Project »

09.14.2016

RSG Releases New Version of rMove™

The latest version of RSG’s smartphone-based travel survey app, rMove™, was recently released to the Google Play and iTunes stores. This latest update, Version 2.3, debuts rMove’s new branding and includes updates such as user interface upgrades, proxy reporting for children, and in-app help.

This release was planned in advance of the Ohio Moves Transportation Survey which launched yesterday. The data collected through rMove will be used to inform travel forecasting models and ultimately inform ODOT’s future investments in transportation.

rMove Website »

09.13.2016

NHDOT Releases Bike-Ped Guide

The NHDOT recently released “Your Guide to Promoting Walking and Bicycling Accommodations in New Hampshire.” RSG worked with the NHDOT Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Advisory Committee (BPTAC) to develop the guide. It is designed to help anyone interested in improving the conditions for bicycling and walking in their communities by providing useful information on how and when to get involved in projects, and the various ways a project can be initiated, planned, and built, as well as reasons why someone should care about bicycling and walking.

Your Guide to Promoting Walking and Bicycling Accommodations in New Hampshire »

09.12.2016

Three Consultants to Present Four Sessions at TRB’s Tools of the Trade Conference

RSG consultants will lead four sessions this week at the 15th National TRB ‘Tools of the Trade’ Conference in Charleston, SC. The conference is designed to share knowledge on factors affecting the planning, development, programming, and implementation of multi-modal transportation facilities for small and medium-sized communities.

Conference Details »

08.22.2016

RSG Helps Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) Release MTA eTix App

Earlier this summer, the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) announced the release of their new app, MTA eTix®. The app allows New York’s Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad customers to purchase train tickets anytime, anywhere with their mobile devices. According to Governor Cuomo, “This new app puts riders first by eliminating the ticket line and helping New Yorkers and visitors get where they need to go with more freedom and convenience than ever before.”

RSG conducted significant market research to help design the software specs and the user interface to ensure the app is well received and heavily utilized by riders.

MTA eTix App »

08.04.2016

RSG Senior Consultant Leading Travel Model Network Sharing

RSG Senior Consultant Ben Stabler is coordinating a working group to modernize an online repository for travel model networks for research, testing, and education, and to set up and maintain a community around it. This work is being done as part of the TRB Committee ADB30(4) – Transportation Network Modeling; Network Models in Practice Subcommittee. Interested contributors are encouraged to visit the site and share their networks with the community.

http://trb-networkmodeling.org/testdata »

07.19.2016

RSG Contributes to Ground-Breaking Study on Transit

RSG is proud to have played a key role in the report Who’s on Board 2016: What Today’s Riders Teach Us About Transit That Works published by TransitCenter, an organization committed to improving transit through innovation. The study, released last week, offers several findings to inform how government agencies and elected officials approach transportation, land use, and development policy. In particular, it reveals that the most important factors in transit ridership are frequency, travel time, and walkability access.

Who's on Board 2016: What Today's Riders Teach Us About Transit That Works »

07.07.2016

RSG Senior Consultant Named to Michigan State University Alumni Board

RSG Senior Consultant Michelle Lee was recently named Chair of the Michigan State University Department of Geography, Environment, and Spatial Studies Alumni Board.

The Board is designed to assist students and faculty with a variety of initiatives, including connecting current MSU students to professions, increasing department visibility, and encouraging undergraduate enrollment. We are proud that Michelle is sharing her time and skill set to enhance Michigan State and facilitate continued learning.

MSU Department of Geography, Environment, and Spatial Studies Alumni Board »

07.05.2016

RSG Project Highlighted in Rutland Herald

An RSG project to optimize parking in downtown White River Junction, Vermont, was recently highlighted in the Rutland Herald.

RSG, with its headquarters in the historic White River Junction downtown, is partnered with neighboring business Vital Communities on the project. Together, the two companies will conduct a study to examine ways to improve current parking conditions and manage future demands for parking in the area.

News Article »

07.01.2016

RSG Senior Director Published in ‘International Journal of Sustainable Transportation'

RSG Senior Director Steve Lawson authored the article “A Systems-Based Approach to Address Unintended Consequences of Demand-Driven Transportation Planning in National Parks and Public Lands,” which was published in the latest issue of the International Journal of Sustainable Transportation.

The article introduces a systems-based transportation planning approach developed for the National Park Service to design and operate transportation in national parks according to management objectives for park resources and visitors’ experiences.

Article »

RSG Senior Director Published in 'International Journal of Sustainable Transportation'