Advanced Methodologies in Dynamic Traffic Assignment Modeling of Managed Lanes

Managed lane strategies are innovative road operation schemes for addressing congestion problems. These strategies operate a lane (lanes) adjacent to a freeway that provides congestion-free trips to eligible users, such as transit or toll-payers. To ensure the successful implementation of managed lanes, the demand on these lanes need to be accurately estimated. Among different approaches for predicting this demand, the four-step demand forecasting process is most common. Managed lane demand is usually estimated at the assignment step. Therefore, the key to reliably estimating the demand is the utilization of effective assignment modeling processes. Managed lanes are particularly effective when the road is functioning at near-capacity. Therefore, capturing variations in demand and network attributes and performance is crucial for their modeling, monitoring and operation. As a result, traditional modeling approaches, such as those used in static traffic assignment of demand forecasting models, fail to correctly predict the managed lane demand and the associated system performance. The present study demonstrates the power of the more advanced modeling approach of dynamic traffic assignment (DTA), as well as the shortcomings of conventional approaches, when used to model managed lanes in congested environments. In addition, the study develops processes to support an effective utilization of DTA to model managed lane operations. Static and dynamic traffic assignments consist of demand, network, and route choice model components that need to be calibrated. These components interact with each other, and an iterative method for calibrating them is needed. In this study, an effective standalone framework that combines static demand estimation and dynamic traffic assignment has been developed to replicate real-world traffic conditions. With advances in traffic surveillance technologies collecting, archiving, and analyzing traffic data is becoming more accessible and affordable. The present study shows how data from multiple sources can be integrated, validated, and best used in different stages of modeling and calibration of managed lanes. Extensive and careful processing of demand, traffic, and toll data, as well as proper definition of performance measures, result in a calibrated and stable model, which closely replicates real-world congestion patterns, and can reasonably respond to perturbations in network and demand properties.

Scenario-based preparedness plan for floods

The increasing trend of disaster victims globally is posing a complex challenge for disaster management authorities. Moreover, to accomplish successful transition between preparedness and response, it is important to consider the different features inherent to each type of disaster. Floods are portrayed as one of the most frequent and harmful disasters, hence introducing the necessity to develop a tool for disaster preparedness to perform efficient and effective flood management. The purpose of the article is to introduce a method to simultaneously define the proper location of shelters and distribution centers, along with the allocation of prepositioned goods and distribution decisions required to satisfy flood victims. The tool combines the use of a raster geographical information system (GIS) and an optimization model. The GIS determines the flood hazard of the city areas aiming to assess the flood situation and to discard floodable facilities. Then, the multi-commodity multimodal optimization model is solved to obtain the Pareto frontier of two criteria: distance and cost. The methodology was applied to a case study in the flood of Villahermosa, Mexico, in 2007, and the results were compared to an optimized scenario of the guidelines followed by Mexican authorities, concluding that the value of the performance measures was improved using the developed method. Furthermore, the results exhibited the possibility to provide adequate care for people affected with less facilities than the current approach and the advantages of considering more than one distribution center for relief prepositioning.

Corporate reputation and the family business

Corporate reputation is a largely neglected topic in the family firm literature. That neglect is surprising because corporate reputation is found to be an important source of competitive advantage and can therefore be an explanatory factor for firm performance and behaviour. The purpose of this chapter is to contribute to the field of family business by demonstrating the potential of the reputation research in this field. The chapter first introduces the corporate reputation construct and how this construct and the related constructs of image and reputation capital are approached in the literature from different disciplines. The second part of the chapter provides a review of the current family business literature on this topic. Three approaches of corporate reputation have been identified: 1. Reputation of family firms as an assessment by stakeholders. 2. Reputation as a managerial goal to preserve socioemotional wealth. 3. Reputation as a communication goal or strategy of family firms. The discussion of the literature identifies major gaps in our knowledge and in our methodological orientation that represent opportunities for future research.

Annual Accountability Report for FY 1996/97

Each year the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources reports to the Office of State Budget that includes the agency's mission, goals and objectives to accomplish the mission, and performance measures regarding the goals and objectives.

Annual Accountability Report for FY 1998/99

Each year the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources reports to the Office of State Budget that includes the agency's mission, goals and objectives to accomplish the mission, and performance measures regarding the goals and objectives.

Fifty-Ninth Annual Report of the Public Service Commission of South Carolina 1936-37

Each year the South Carolina Public Service Commission reports to the Office of State Budget that includes the agency's mission, goals and objectives to accomplish the mission, and performance measures regarding the goals and objectives.

Sixty-First Annual Report of the Public Service Commission of South Carolina 1938-39

Each year the South Carolina Public Service Commission reports to the Office of State Budget that includes the agency's mission, goals and objectives to accomplish the mission, and performance measures regarding the goals and objectives.

Sixty-Second Annual Report of the Public Service Commission of South Carolina 1939-40

Each year the South Carolina Public Service Commission reports to the Office of State Budget that includes the agency's mission, goals and objectives to accomplish the mission, and performance measures regarding the goals and objectives.

Sixty-Third Annual Report of the Public Service Commission of South Carolina 1940-41

Each year the South Carolina Public Service Commission reports to the Office of State Budget that includes the agency's mission, goals and objectives to accomplish the mission, and performance measures regarding the goals and objectives.

Fiscal Year 2015-16 Accountability Report

South Carolina laws require that each state agency submit an annual accountability report to the Governor and General Assembly that contains the agency's or department's mission, objectives to accomplish the mission, and performance measures that show the degree to which objectives are being met.

Fiscal Year 2015-16 Accountability Report

The South Carolina Office of the Attorney General reports to the Office of State Budget its annual accountability report that includes a mission statement, program goals and objectives, and performance measures.

Fiscal Year 2015-16 Accountability Report

The South Carolina Administrative Law Court reports to the Office of State Budget its annual accountability report that includes the mission statement, program goals, objectives, performance measures, and outcomes of the agency.

Fiscal Year 2015-16 Accountability Report

Each year the South Carolina Conservation Bank sends a report to the Office of State Budget that includes the agency's mission, goals and objectives to accomplish the mission, and performance measures regarding the goals and objectives.

Fiscal Year 2015-16 Accountability Report

Each year the Commission on Prosecution Coordination reports to the Office of State Budget its annual accountability report that includes the mission, objectives, and performance measures.

Fiscal Year 2015-16 Accountability Report

The John de la Howe School annually presents an accountability report to the governor and General Assembly with descriptions and budget of each program, objectives, and performance measures.