Roads and Transportation

Engineering I

Chapter 1
The Profession of
Transportation
Dr. Sari Abusharar
Associate Professor
Civil Engineering Department
Faculty of Applied Engineering and Urban Planning
Outline of Presentation

 Introduction

 Importance of Transportation

 Transportation History

 Transportation Employment
Introduction
What are the differences
between transportation,
highway and traffic Transportation
engineering? Engineering

Highway
Engineering

Traffic
Engineering
Introduction
Highway engineering
 Highway engineering is an engineering discipline
which involves the design, construction and
maintenance of Highway Roads & Systems, urban
streets as well as parking facilities.

 Important aspects of highway engineering include

overall planning of routes, financing, environmental
impact evaluation, and value engineering to compare
alternatives.
Introduction
Traffic engineering
 Traffic engineering involves planning for the
volumes of traffic to be handled, the methods to
accommodate these flows, the lighting and signing of
highways, and general layout.
 Older techniques include signs, signals, markings,
and tolling.
 Newer technologies involve intelligent transportation
systems, including advanced traveler information
systems (such as variable message signs), advanced
traffic control systems (such as ramp meters), and
vehicle infrastructure integration.
Introduction
Transportation Engineering
 Transportation engineering is a sub-discipline of
civil engineering which deals with the application of
technology and scientific principles to the planning,
functional design, operation and management of
facilities for any mode of transportation in order to
provide the safe, rapid, comfortable, convenient,
economical, and environmentally compatible
movement of people and goods (transport).

 Transportation system involves, waterways,

railroads, highway and air, etc.
Introduction
 Transportationis essential for a nation's
development and growth.
 In both the public and private sectors,
opportunities for engineering careers in
transportation are exciting and rewarding.
 Elements are constantly being added to the
world’s highway, rail, airport, and mass transit
systems, and new techniques are being applied for
operating and maintaining the systems safely and
economically.
 Many organizations and agencies exist to plan,
design, build, operate, and maintain the nation's
transportation system.
Introduction
 For as long as the human race has existed,
transportation has played a significant role
by facilitating
 trade,
 commerce,
 conquest, and
 social interaction,

while consuming a considerable portion of

time and resources.
Introduction
 The primary need for transportation has
been economic, involving
 personal travel in search of food or work,
 travel for the exchange of goods and
commodities,
 exploration ,
 personal fulfillment, and
 the improvement of a society or a nation.
Introduction
 The movements of people and goods, which is
the basis of transportation, always has been
undertaken to accomplish those basic objectives
or tasks that require transfer from one location to
another.
 For example,
 a farmer must transport produce to market
 a doctor must see a patient in the office or in the
hospital
 a salesman must visit clients located throughout a
territory
 Every day, millions of people leave their homes and
travel to a workplace-be it a factory, office, classroom,
or distant city.
Importance of Transportation

 Tapping natural resources and markets and

maintaining a competitive edge over other
regions and nations are linked closely to the
quality of the transportation system.

 The speed, cost, and capacity of available

transportation have a significant impact on the
economic vitality of an area and the ability to
make maximum use of its natural resources.
Importance of Transportation
 Examination of most developed and industrialized
societies indicates that they have been noted for
high-quality transportation systems and services.

 Nations with well-developed maritime systems

(such as the British Empire in the 1900s) once
ruled vast colonies located around the globe.

 In more modern times, countries with advanced

transportation systems—such as in the United
States, Canada, Asia, and Europe—are leaders in
industry and commerce.
Importance of Transportation
 Without the ability to transport manufactured
goods and raw materials and without technical
know-how, a country is unable to maximize the
comparative advantage it may have in the
form of natural or human resources.

 Countries that lack an abundance of natural

resources rely heavily on transportation in
order to import raw materials and export
manufactured products.
Importance of Transportation
Transportation and Economic Growth
 Good transportation will not assure success in the
marketplace, as the availability of transportation is
a necessary but insufficient condition for economic
growth.

 However, the absence of supportive transportation

services will serve to limit or hinder the potential
for a nation or region to achieve its economic
potential.
Importance of Transportation
Transportation and Economic Growth
 Thus, if a society expects to develop and grow, it
must have a strong internal transportation system
consisting of good roads, rail systems, as well as
excellent linkages to the rest of the world by sea
and air.
 Thus, transportation demand is a byproduct
derived from the needs and desires of people to
travel or to transfer their goods from one place to
another. It is a necessary condition for human
interaction and economic competitiveness.
Importance of Transportation
Transportation and Economic Growth
 The availability of transportation facilities can
strongly influence the growth and development of
a region or nation.

 Good transportation permits the specialization of

industry or commerce, reduces costs for raw
materials or manufactured goods, and increases
competition between regions, thus resulting in
reduced prices and greater choices for the
consumer.
Importance of Transportation
Transportation and Economic Growth
 Transportation is also a necessary element of
government services, such as delivering mail,
defense, and assisting territories.

 Throughout history, transportation systems (such

as those that existed in the Roman Empire and
those that now exist in the United States) were
developed and built to ensure economic
development and efficient mobilization in the
event of national emergencies.
Importance of Transportation
Social Costs and Benefits of Transportation
 The improvement of a region’s economic position by
virtue of improved transportation does not come
without costs.
 Building vast transportation systems requires
enormous resources of energy, material, and land.
 In major cities, transportation can consume as much
as half of all the land area.
 An aerial view of any major metropolis will reveal
vast acreage used for railroad terminals, airports,
parking lots, and freeways.
Importance of Transportation
Social Costs and Benefits of Transportation
 Transportation has other negative effects as well.
Travel is not without danger; every mode of
transportation brings to mind some major
disaster—be it
 the sinking of the Titanic,
 the explosion of the zeppelin Hindenburg,
 the infrequent but dramatic passenger air
crashes, and highway accidents that each year
claim about 40,000 lives in the United States.
Importance of Transportation
Social Costs and Benefits of Transportation
 In addition, transportation can create noise, spoil the
natural beauty of an area, change the environment,
pollute air and water, and consume energy
resources.
 Society has indicated a willingness to accept some
risk and changes to the natural environment in order
to gain the advantages that result from constructing
new transportation systems.
 A major task for the modern transportation engineer
is to balance society’s need for fast and efficient
transportation with the costs involved.
Importance of Transportation
Social Costs and Benefits of Transportation
 Thus, the most efficient and cost-effective
system is created, while assuring that the
environment is not compromised or destroyed.
 In carrying out this task, the transportation
engineer must work closely with the public and
elected officials and needs to be aware of
modern engineering practices to ensure that the
highest quality transportation systems are built
consistent with available funds and accepted
social policy.
Importance of Transportation

Transportation in the United States

 Is transportation very important? Why should
you study the subject?

 How transportation impacts people's daily

lives?

 Amount of land consumed for transportation

facilities, can exceed 50% of the land area.
Importance of Transportation

Transportation in the United States

 Bureau of Transportation Statistics of the U.S.
 Approximately 18% of US. household
expenditure is related to transportation.
 Transportation accounts for about 28% of total
energy consumption.
 Almost 100% of the energy utilized for
propelling transport vehicles is derived from
petroleum resources.
Importance of Transportation
Transportation in the United States
 Over 50% of all petroleum products consumed
in the United States are for transportation
purposes.
 Over 80% of eligible drivers are licensed to
operate a motor vehicle.
 Each person in the Unites States travels an
average of 19,300 km each year.
 Over 10% of the work force is employed in a
transportation-related activity.
Importance of Transportation
Transportation in the United States
 There are almost 6.5 million km of paved
roadway, of which 1,213,400 km are used
for intercity travel and 75,300 km are
interstate highways.

 There are approximately 225,800 km of

freight railroads, 5300 public use airports,
41 ,850 km of navigable channels, and
577,700 km of oil and gas pipelines.
Importance of Transportation
Disadvantages of Transportation
 Requires high cost.

 Requires enormous resources of energy,

material, and land.

 Consume as much as half of all the land area.

 Major disaster.

 Risk and changes to the natural environment.

Transportation Employment
 The career opportunities in transportation that
engineering students have are exciting.
 In the past, transportation engineers planned
and built the nation’s railroads, highways,
mass transit systems, airports, and pipelines.
 In the coming decades, additional system
elements will be required as will efforts toward
maintaining and operating in a safe and
economical manner the vast system that is
already in place.
Transportation Employment
 New systems, such as magnetically levitated
high-speed trains or Intelligent Transportation
Systems (ITS), will also challenge the
transportation engineer in the future.

 The specialties in transportation engineering

are planning, design, construction, traffic
management and operations, and
maintenance.
Transportation Employment
 Planning involves the selection of projects for
design and construction;
 design involves the specification of all features
of the transportation project;
 construction involves all aspects of the
building process;
 traffic management and operations involves
studies to improve capacity and safety;
 and maintenance involves all work necessary
to ensure that the highway system is kept in
proper working order.
Transportation Employment

Figure 1.6 The Profession of Transportation Engineering

Transportation History
 The history of transportation illustrates that the
way people move is affected by technology,
cost, and demand.

 The past 200 years have seen the

development of several modes of
transportation:
 waterways,
 railroads,
 highway, and
 air.
Transportation History
Transportation History
 Each mode has been dominant during one period
of time; several have been replaced or have lost
market share when a new mode emerged that
provided a higher level of service at a competitive
price.
Transportation History
Key Milestones in Transportation History
 1794 - First toll road
 1825 - Erie Canal is completed
 1830 - First railroad
 1838 - Steam ship on Atlantic ocean
 1866 - Bicycles introduced in US
 1888 - Electric streetcar
 1903 - First airplane
 1914 – Panama canal
 1961 – Manned spaceflight
Transportation History
Roads and Civilization
 The wheel was invented in 5000 BC years.
 This made necessary the construction of special
hard surfaces of roads.
 Ancient roads were built to suit the old mode of
transportation (horses, donkeys and carts). Motor
vehicles used these roads and in many cases they
were not very suitable.
 Roads improve communication and hence
civilisation.
 The prosperity of a nation is bound up with the state
of its roads.
Transportation History
History of Car
 In 1769, the very first self-propelled road vehicle was a military tractor
invented by French engineer and mechanic, Nicolas Joseph Cugnot.
 Cugnot used a steam engine to power his vehicle,
 Speed (2.5 mile/h)
 The vehicle had to stop every ten to fifteen minutes to build up steam
power.
Transportation History
History of Car (continued)
 In 1771, Cugnot drove one of his road vehicles into a stone wall, making
Cugnot the first person to get into a motor vehicle accident.
 This was the beginning of bad luck for the inventor.
 After one of Cugnot's patrons died and the other was injured, the money for
Cugnot's road vehicle experiments ended.
 Between 1832 and 1839 Robert Anderson of Scotland invented the first
electric car. Electric cars used rechargeable batteries that powered a small
electric motor.
 The vehicles were heavy, slow, expensive, and needed to stop for
recharging
Transportation History
History of Car (continued)
 Around 1885s, the Early Gasoline-Powered Cars was invented which was
better than the electric and steam engine cars
Transportation History
Growth of the number of motor vehicles in Britain
Year No. of Reg. 1 car for….. % of increase
vehicles people (average/year)
1903 17,000 2249.2
1909 144,000 292.2 124.5%
1951 4,190,000 12.0 66.9%
1961 8,989,000 5.9 11.5%
1971 14,030,000 4.0 5.6%
1981 19,346,700 2.9 3.8%
1991 24,511,000 2.3 2.7%
1993 24,826,000 2.3 0.6%
1994 25,231,000 2.3 1.6%
1995 25,369,000 2.3 0.5%
1996 26,302,000 2.2 3.7%
1997 26,974,000 2.2 2.6%
1998 27,538,412 2.1 2.1%
1999 28,367,000 2.1 3.0%
2000 28,897,000 2.0 1.9%
2001 29,747,130 2.0 2.9%
2002 30,557,000 1.9 2.7%
2003 31,207,360 1.9 2.1%
2004 32,258,854 1.9 3.4%
2005 32,897,000 1.8 2.0%
Transportation History
Growth of the number of Year Gaza Strip West Bank
motor vehicles In No. of Reg. % of No. of Reg. % of
vehicles increase vehicles increase
Palestine 1970 3,350 4,893
1980 13,587 305.6% 24,257 395.7%
In 1997 there was 1 car 1985 22,938 68.8% 49,316 103.3%
for every 21 people in 1987 24,865 8.4% 59,576 20.8%
1988 24,367 -2.0%
Gaza Strip. Based on a 1989 23,008 -5.6%
population of 963,026. 1990 24,214 5.2% 70,774
1991 24,290 0.3% 76,076 7.5%
1992 24,892 2.5% 86,896 14.2%
In 2004 there was 1 car 1993 26,974 8.4% 96,506 11.1%
for every 25 people in 1994 32,467 20.4% 108,402 12.3%
1995 43,809 34.9% 93,566 -13.7%
Gaza Strip. Based on a 1996 43,802 0.0% 105,572 12.8%
population of 1337236. 1997 46,433 6.0% 113,980 8.0%
1998 46,588 0.3%
1999 47,976 3.0%
2000 49227 2.6%
2001 50030 1.6%
2002 50833 1.6%
2003 51976 2.2%
2004 53097 2.2%
Transportation History
Growth of the number of motor vehicles in Palestine

No. of Regestered vehicles In Gaza Strip

60,000

50,000

40,000
Vehicles

30,000

20,000

10,000

0
1 98 2

1 98 4
1 97 0

1 97 2

1 97 4

1 97 8

1 98 0

1 98 6

1 98 8

1 99 0

1 99 2

1 99 4

1 99 6

1 99 8

2 00 0

2 00 2

2 00 4
1 976

Year
End of Chapter 1
 Homework # 1
Q1. Keep a diary of all trips you make for a period of three
to five days. Record the purpose of each trip, how you
traveled, the approximate distance traveled, and the trip
time. What conclusions can you draw from the data?

Q2. A state has a population of 17 million people and an

average ownership of 1.5 cars per person, each driven an
average of 10,000 mi/year and at 20 mi/gal of gasoline
(mpg). Officials estimate that an additional $75 million per
year in revenue will be required to improve the state’s
highway system, and they have proposed an increase in
the gasoline tax to meet this need. Determine the required
tax in cents per gallon.