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Traditional transportation planning emphasized the direct economic benefits of transportation infrastructure. While there is a growing awareness of the environmental consequences, social impacts are frequently overlooked due to methodological complexities and political neglect. Although existing literature acknowledges the existence of transportation-related social exclusion, it primarily concentrates on quantifiable and immediate short-term social outcomes arising from improved accessibility and affordability, which facilitate place-to-place interactions and activities. There has been limited exploration of the more intricate and indirect societal impacts associated with transportation. This paper argues that new transportation infrastructure not only affects mobility and travel experiences but also has deeper social impacts on the sense of place. These effects may extend to broader benefits, including academic performance, by influencing place identity, attachment, and dependency, which in turn affect daily activities unrelated to travel. Our study focuses on a university student community (N = 323), a pivotal future workforce, and investigates how the introduction of a new metro line passing through the campus reduces commuting time, subsequently enhancing academic productivity. Employing structural equation modeling method, our analysis reveals that sense of place acts as a mediator between travel experience and student engagement under the influence of transportation mode choice. These findings may have broad applicability in identifying indirect social impacts of transportation infrastructure, thus providing insights for investment decisions. • Place-centered approach for assessing social impact of transport infrastructure. • Focus on a student community as non-working population but future workforce. • Investigate deeper/wider impact to/from sense of place on academic productivity. • Case study of a recent metro extension project, Shatin to Central Link, in Hong Kong. • Switching from bus to train enhances SoP and academic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The digital economy is regarded as the new economy in the 21st century, and transportation infrastructure is the key driving force of traditional economic growth. However, there are still fewer studies on both. In this paper, 41 cities in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region are studied from 2011 to 2020. Regression using the generalized spatial least squares method confirms the facilitating effect of transportation infrastructure on the digital economy. For every 1% rise in the construction level, the digital economy improves by 0.016. Among them, enhancing the attractiveness of the core industries of the digital economy for innovation, entrepreneurial activities, and investment is an important facilitating mechanism. Further, we find that transportation infrastructure's facilitating role is enhanced after crossing the threshold of digitalization. In addition, upgrading industrial structure (rationalization and advancement) strengthens this role. The above findings reveal the relationship between transportation infrastructure and the digital economy in China and provide a scientific basis for emerging economies to seek transportation planning policymaking and digital economy development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Constructing new roads and upgrading existing roads are two common approaches to address congestion caused by increasing traffic volumes. But they can also impact local communities if roads are built through neighborhoods or existing roads and intersections are widened and placed closer to nearby homes. In this paper, we estimate how local communities are impacted by these changes using data on housing prices near roads and roadway construction projects. We find that homes near major roads sell for less than homes further away, but that congestion-reducing road improvements only lead to small average increases in nearby home prices. Our results suggest that major roads in close proximity negatively impact housing prices by affecting neighborhood aesthetics, and this relationship is not contingent upon the level of traffic on the roads. Our results can help policymakers consider the external costs borne by local communities when conducting cost–benefit analyses of roadway expansions or improvements. • Homes near roadways face price penalty, regardless of traffic on the roadway. • Roadway construction increases home prices only slightly. • Co-located amenities likely mute effect of traffic on home prices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Railway Science & Engineering is the property of Journal of Railway Science & Engineering Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Local site characterization and regional tectonic environment are crucial when designing earthquake-resistant bridges. Insufficient understanding of these factors can lead to significant seismic damages and low resilience of bridge components. In this study, the seismic loss and resilience of bridges located in soft soil are examined based on proposed fragility functions at both the individual element and system levels. The effects of aging and construction quality are also taken into account to evaluate the seismic performance of bridges. The findings of this study revealed that bridges in soil class D are the most vulnerable in all seismic and structural integrity scenarios. Bridges with inadequate seismic design may not have the necessary flexibility to absorb and dissipate seismic energy. The findings of this study can also contribute to evaluating transportation network functionality and decision-making procedures within a designated framework for disaggregation in any earthquake scenario [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of South China University of Technology (Natural Science Edition) is the property of South China University of Technology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The increasing frequency and severity of climate variability poses substantial challenges to the sustainability and reliability of transportation infrastructure worldwide. Transportation systems, vital to economic and social activities, are highly vulnerable to extreme weather, sea-level rise, and temperature fluctuations, which can disrupt their structural integrity, operational efficiency, and maintenance needs. The aim of this study is to explore the scholarly landscape concerning the effects of climate variability on transportation systems, analyzing 23 years of scientific publications to assess research trends. Utilizing bibliometric methods, this analysis synthesizes data from numerous scientific publications to identify key trends, research hotspots, influential authors, and collaborative networks within this domain. This study highlights the growing acknowledgment of climate variability as a crucial factor affecting the design, maintenance, and operational resilience of transportation infrastructure. Key findings indicate a notable increase in research over the last decade, with a strong focus on the effects of extreme weather events, sea-level rise, and temperature changes. The analysis also shows a multidisciplinary approach, incorporating perspectives from civil engineering, environmental science, and policy studies. This comprehensive overview serves as a foundational resource for researchers and policymakers, aiming to enhance the adaptive capacity of transportation systems to climate variability through informed decision-making and strategic planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the spatial spillover effects of transportation infrastructure on regional economic growth, utilizing panel data from 31 provincial-level administrative divisions in China from 2003 to 2022. Using the spatial Durbin model (SDM) and three distinct spatial weight matrices—0–1 adjacency, spatial economic–geographical nested, and GDP-based economic distance matrices—this study comprehensively analyzes the multifaceted impacts of transportation infrastructure. The results show that transportation infrastructure significantly promotes economic growth in both local and neighboring regions across all spatial weight matrices. The total effect is most pronounced in geographically proximate regions, with a coefficient of 7.845 (p < 0.01). Regions with similar economic development levels also show strong collaborative effects, with a coefficient of 2.074 (p < 0.01), although the marginal effect of transportation infrastructure diminishes. Furthermore, adjustments in industrial structure and innovation inputs demonstrate a short-term inhibitory effect on economic growth, highlighting the need for synchronized development of transportation infrastructure alongside industrial and innovation policies. This study incorporates multi-dimensional spatial weight matrices to systematically reveal the direct and indirect impacts of transportation infrastructure on regional economies, providing essential empirical support for regional coordination and infrastructure investment policies. The findings offer valuable insights for infrastructure planning in other regions, particularly in formulating policies that promote cross-regional economic cooperation and optimize resource allocation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wildfires pose significant threats to communities, requiring robust pre-event planning for efficient evacuations. Transportation systems are crucial for these efforts, yet global research gaps persist, especially those related to transportation assets and transportation modes beyond privately owned automobiles. This study conducts a systematic review of four under-researched areas – infrastructure, modality, networks, and planning – to build a more comprehensive understanding of wildfire evacuations. Initial research is emerging in these domains, related to post-fire debris flows, air and transit evacuations, network analysis, and shelter planning. However, systematic analyses, evidence, and recommendations remain lacking. This includes wildfire's direct impact on transportation infrastructure, multi-modal evacuations, routing strategies, and community-driven evacuation plans. We underscore the need for empirical evacuation strategies to foster resilience for wildfire-threatened communities, offering valuable context-specific insights, identifying key actions, and highlighting ongoing research gaps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The spatiotemporal compression effect of China–Europe Railway Express (CR-Express) can reduce the flow costs of resources between China’s node cities. Additionally, it can break through the limitations of low-added-value marine products, significantly impacting the logistics industry efficiency. However, there are few literature verifying and analyzing its heterogeneity. This study explores the impact of CR-Express on the efficiency of logistics industry in node cities and analyzes the heterogeneity. Design/methodology/approach – First, this study uses panel data to measure the efficiency of node city logistics industry. Secondly, this study discusses the impact of the opening of CR-Express on the efficiency of logistics industry in node cities based on the multi-period differential model. Finally, according to the node city difference, the sample city experimental group is grouped for heterogeneity analysis. Findings – The results show that CR-Express can promote the urban logistics industry efficiency, with an average effect of 4.55%. According to the urban characteristics classification, the heterogeneity analysis shows that the efficiency improvement effect of logistics industry in inland cities is more obvious. The improvement effect of node cities and central cities in central and western China is stronger, especially in the sample of megacities and type I big cities. Compared with non-value chain industrial products, the CR-Express has significant promotion effects on the logistics efficiency of the cities where main goods are value chain products. Originality/value – Under the background of double cycle development, this paper can provide a scientific basis for the investment benefit evaluation of CR-Express construction and the follow-up route planning.

Transportation infrastructure is crucial to China’s economic growth because it substantially contributes to the holistic development of rural primary, secondary, and tertiary industries. This study innovatively examines transportation infrastructure and urbanization levels to explore, both theoretically and empirically, their relationship with the holistic development of primary, secondary, and tertiary industries in rural China, and the mediating role of urbanization on this relationship. We employed fixed-effects models, the entropy weight approach, mixed regression, and generalized method of moments to analyze the data of 30 provinces across China from 2013 to 2020. The results indicate that the construction of transportation infrastructure directly fosters the collective advancement of such industries in rural areas and that urbanization partially mediates the transportation infrastructure–rural industry integration relationship. However, the western region shows disparities in the integrated development of these sectors. Further analysis reveals that foreign investments amplify the positive influence of transportation infrastructure on rural industry integration. Essentially, the enhancement of rural transportation infrastructure, promotion of urbanization, implementation of strategic planning, and strengthening of support mechanisms are crucial aspects in the comprehensive development of rural industries and the achievement of rural revitalization in China.

This study aims to explore innovative adaptation strategies that can effectively mitigate the climate threats faced by transportation infrastructure in Lagos, Nigeria. The study highlights the urgent need for innovative approaches to address the challenges posed by climate change to transportation systems. By analyzing the current vulnerabilities and potential impacts of climate change on transportation infrastructure, the authors identify and propose four current challenges facing transportation infrastructure as a result of climate change. These threats include the impact of rising sea levels on coastal roads and bridges, the vulnerability of inland transportation systems to extreme weather events such as floods and heavy rainfall, the potential disruption of transportation networks as storms become more frequent and intense, and the implications of temperature changes on road surfaces and their structural integrity. The study also identified and proposed ten potential adaptation measures that can enhance the resilience of transportation systems in Lagos, Nigeria. The adaptive measures ranged from increasing the resilience of road networks through the implementation of proper drainage systems and slope stabilization measures to forming partnerships with private sector companies to promote sustainable practices and the development of green transportation initiatives. To facilitate these adaptive measures, the authors used them to develop various policy frameworks for transportation resilience in Lagos, Nigeria. These policy frameworks aimed to provide guidelines and regulations for the implementation of adaptive measures, ensuring their effective integration into the transportation system. The authors emphasized the importance of stakeholder engagement and public participation in decision-making processes to foster a sense of ownership and collective responsibility towards building resilient transportation systems. By adapting to these measures, Lagos, Nigeria, can enhance its ability to withstand and recover from transportation disruptions caused by various hazards, such as extreme weather events, infrastructure failures, or security threats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This systematic review, part funded by Network Rail Ltd (UK), considers the role of transportation corridors in habitat connectivity within temperate climates, through verge habitat, surrounding matrix, movement along and across the corridor, the wider landscape context and management practices. PICO terms were developed for the bibliographic search on 15/11/22 using Web of Science (all databases), yielding 168 studies for review. The risk of bias was minimised by excluding non-peer reviewed papers. Large and exotic taxa were excluded due to a focus on temperate zones, as were studies on invasive species and climate change where the primary focus was not ecological connectivity. Emergent themes were used to structure the paper. Results indicate that transportation corridors have significant potential for habitat connectivity, especially for generalist and open-specialist species, which favour early to mid-successional habitats. However, physiology is a key determinant in dispersal ability. Vegetation management should consider representative communities rather than individual species. Gaps exist in the range of taxa studied, understanding of seasonal variations and lifecycle stages supported in verges, survival factors such as predation and disease and changes to community structure. Rail environments are under-represented and there is limited knowledge on the relative impacts of vegetation management regimes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is causing a range of environmental impacts, including increased flood frequency and intensity, posing significant risks to human populations and transportation infrastructure. Assessing flood risk under climate change is critical, but it is challenging due to uncertainties associated with climate projections and the need to consider the interactions between different factors that influence flood risk. Geographic Information Systems (GISs) are powerful tools that can be used to assess flood risk under climate change by gathering and integrating a range of data types and sources to create detailed maps of flood-prone areas. The primary goal of this research is to create a comprehensive GIS-based flood risk map that includes various climate change scenarios derived from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) models. This goal will leverage the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) methodology to better understand the impacts of these climate change scenarios on the transportation network. Furthermore, this study aims to evaluate the existing flood risk map and assess the potential impacts of prospective climate scenarios on the levels of flood risk. The results showed that the northern and coastal regions of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are at higher risk of flooding, with the majority of the population living in these areas. The projections for future flood risk levels indicate that under the SSP245 scenario, flood risk levels will generally be low, but some areas in the northern and eastern regions of the UAE may still face high to very high flood risk levels due to extensive urbanization and low-lying coastal regions. Under the SSP585 scenario, flood risk levels are projected to be significantly higher, with a widespread distribution of very high and high flood risk levels across the study area, leading to severe damage to infrastructure, property, and human lives. The recent publication of the CMIP6 models marks a significant advancement, and according to the authors' knowledge, there have been no studies that have yet explored the application of CMIP6 scenarios. Consequently, the insights provided by this study are poised to be exceptionally beneficial to researchers globally, underscoring the urgent necessity for holistic sustainable flood risk management approaches for geography, planning, and development areas. These approaches should integrate both sustainable transportation infrastructure development and risk mitigation strategies to effectively address the anticipated impacts of flooding events within the study region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Road transport systems kill millions of animals on every inhabited continent each year, and thousands of human lives are lost. Odour repellents (ORE) are a WVC mitigation measure which have been extensively applied across central Europe to prevent or minimise the number of ungulate–vehicle collisions (UVCs). OREs aim to increase the vigilance of ungulates near roads and therefore change their behaviour in areas where vehicle collisions may occur. Despite many scientific papers on the topic of odour repellent effectiveness, a lack of behavioural studies means there is still little understanding of the mechanism of ORE functionality. OREs are applied as an area repellent, so their effectiveness is influenced by multiple factors, and constantly discussed by both academics and the lay public. This paper summarises the state of knowledge about application and effectiveness of odour repellents in road ecology, and suggests research questions to fill information gaps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Brazilian Journal of Law & International Relations / Relações Internacionais no Mundo is the property of Relacoes Internacionais no Mundo and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Transport infrastructure plays a crucial role in facilitating the high-quality development of new urbanization. Based on the provincial panel data of 31 provinces in China from 2013 to 2020, this study empirically analyzed the impact and mechanism of transportation infrastructure on the high-quality development of new urbanization from multiple perspectives. The results showed that transportation infrastructure can significantly promote the development of new urbanization, and the promoting effect was significantly positive in the eastern and western regions, while it was positive but not significant in the central region. Transportation infrastructure can promote the development of new urbanization by promoting industrial agglomeration. When the population density is lower than the corresponding threshold value, the transport infrastructure can significantly promote the development of new urbanization; when the population density is higher than the corresponding threshold value, the transport infrastructure will significantly hinder the development of new urbanization. Transport infrastructure has a significant positive spatial spillover effect on the development of new urbanization, and the positive spatial spillover effect has been significant in the eastern, central and western regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As climate change intensifies, urban transportation infrastructure faces unprecedented challenges from extreme weather events, such as floods. This study investigates the resilience and vulnerability of such infrastructure under extreme rainfall conditions in Changchun City. Utilizing Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Analysis (MCDM) and Geographic Information System (GIS) techniques, we comprehensively assess the physical, functional, and service vulnerabilities of the transportation network. Our analysis reveals that only 3.57% of the area is classified as highly resilient, demonstrating effective flood management capabilities. In contrast, a significant 61.73% of the area exhibits very low resilience, highlighting substantial vulnerabilities that could impact urban operations. Based on our findings, we propose specific strategies to enhance resilience, including optimizing drainage systems, upgrading infrastructure standards, implementing green infrastructure initiatives, and integrating disaster risk factors into urban planning. These strategies and insights provide valuable references for global cities facing similar climatic challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the dual regulation of government intervention and environmental constraints, user demand, low-carbon awareness, and the willingness of construction enterprise to reduce carbon emissions are crucial to the realization of low-carbon transportation infrastructure construction. Basing on prospect theory, this paper constructs an evolutionary game model for the government, construction enterprise, and user, explores the stabilization of the three-game players' strategy choices, and discusses the influence of key parameters on the behavior evolution of relevant players through simulation analysis. The results indicate that: the regulatory cost when the government adopts incentives or no incentives is an important factor affecting the strategy choice. The enhancement of incentives by the government can promote the construction of enterprise and the selection of low-carbon transportation infrastructure by user. However, when the benefit of government credibility outweighs the incremental cost of household subsidies, carbon subsidies, and regulation, the government changes its strategy and no longer adopts encouraging strategy. Improving benefits of build low-carbon transportation infrastructure reducing incremental costs, setting a ladder carbon tax rate, increasing carbon tax rate for traditional construction, and decreasing for low-carbon construction is an effective approach to stimulate enterprise to construct low-carbon transportation infrastructure. The user's choice of low-carbon transportation infrastructure strategy is positively correlated with the subsidy received and is less affected by environmental benefits. And the construction enterprise's strategy choice hasn't been influenced by user, which is related to the public service characteristics of transportation infrastructure.

Energy geography has not scrutinized the role of energy infrastructures and market design for decentralized energy production and local development. The paper addresses this research gap by looking at the emerging green‐hydrogen market in Germany. We argue, first, that the capacity and geography of infrastructures and associated bottlenecks determine how supply and demand can be matched at different scales. Second, market design and associated controversies over infrastructure bottlenecks are important for understanding the green‐hydrogen market and its geography and financing. Conceptually, we draw on the geography‐of‐markets literature. Empirically, we show how infrastructure bottlenecks and market design link the green‐hydrogen to the renewable‐electricity market. As long as the market design requires green‐hydrogen production in geographical and temporal correlation with renewable‐electricity generation, the geography of green‐hydrogen production follows the geography of renewable‐electricity generation. Moreover, bottlenecks in transportation infrastructures offer a window of opportunity for decentralized production and local development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The design-build (DB) delivery method is used to deliver increasingly complex transportation infrastructure projects associated with higher uncertainty. As such, allocating risks in the contract between the owner and design-builder becomes challenging and often leads to higher initial bids, increased contingency, or claims. Learnings from implementation worldwide have underlined the need for improving risk allocation in DB contracts. Most existing studies address risk allocation mechanisms to manage contingency at the contract level. Other studies have recognized the need for owners to adapt their processes to better allocate risks in DB contracts. This study explored the influential factors for risk assessment and allocation for complex DB infrastructure projects, addressing the opportunity to improve transportation owners' risk allocation processes before the design-builder is selected and the DB contract is awarded. Method: The objectives of this work were achieved by utilizing empirical data collected through 20 interviews with Texas Department of Transportation and private sector experts. The interview data were analyzed using inductive and axial coding. Inductive coding allowed themes to emerge without a pre-existing framework, identifying six influential factors and six pertinent risks on complex DB projects. Results: These factors include the (i) Quality of DB teams, (ii) Level of up-front investigation, (iii) Limitations on the timing of letting, (iv) Design optimization opportunities, (v) Project-specific requirements, and (vi) Relationships with third parties. Through axial coding, the interaction and frequency between the factors and risks were also examined. The coded interactions demonstrated how the identified factors influence allocation for six pertinent risks including right-of-way acquisition, stakeholder approval, site conditions, permits and third-party agreements, railroad interaction, and utility adjustments and coordination. Findings indicate that the evaluation of these interactions can shift the risk allocation from baseline norms established by an agency to correspond to project-specific needs. Contribution: In contributing to the infrastructure project management, this is the first study to examine the factors that influence risk allocation in complex DB projects and examine interactions with pertinent risks, setting the foundation for optimizing allocation based on project-specific needs. In practice, the findings presented in this study can guide owners in adapting their allocation practices, managing, and developing their strategic plan for delivering complex DB projects. The findings can also assist contractors in pricing risks more efficiently and increase competitive bidding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research investigates the crucial role of transportation infrastructure in influencing economic activity, thus employing advanced econometric methods including Moran's I index, LM, Hausman, and LR tests to ensure analytical accuracy and select the appropriate spatial model. Our findings reveal that freight volumes across road, waterway, and civil aviation significantly enhance economic activity by bolstering domestic trade, industrial production, and supply chains. Conversely, the impact of passenger turnover is comparatively minor, although it still contributes to labor mobility and urban accessibility. This study highlights the need for strategic investment in transportation infrastructure and efficient public transport systems to foster economic growth and sustainable development. We recommend that policymakers focus on optimizing transportation networks and integrating intelligent transport technologies to boost economic competitiveness and societal well-being. This analysis not only sheds light on the direct economic impacts of transportation but also underscores the broader social implications, thus advocating for a holistic approach to transportation planning and policymaking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the properties of sugarcane bagasse ash (SCBA) obtained from different production processes for use as partial replacement of cement: (1) minimally post-processed (MP) SCBA, obtained by sieving and grinding SCBA from Louisiana's sugarcane field production; (2) fully post-processed (FP) SCBA, obtained by sieving, further burning under controlled conditions at temperature T, and grinding field-produced SCBA, denoted as FP-T; and (3) laboratory-produced (LP) SCBA, obtained by controlled burning at temperature T of bagasse fibers and grinding of the obtained ashes, denoted as LP-T. The temperatures of burning, T, for FP-T and LP-T SCBA were varied between 450 and 650 °C at 50 °C intervals. The significance of this study is the valorization of agricultural waste for the production of low-carbon concrete for transportation applications in Louisiana, and other locations where SCBA are produced from a low-efficiency boiler in a sugar mill. A comprehensive characterization of the different SCBA materials was conducted, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM)-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), laser diffraction particle size analysis, Chapelle's test, strength activity index (SAI), loss on ignition (LOI), and moisture content. Experimental results showed that all LP-T and FP-T SCBAs met ASTM C618 chemical requirements and SAI requirements for Class N pozzolans. By contrast, MP SCBA did not meet these requirements, thus resulting in unsuitable SCM application. LP calcinated at 650 °C and FP calcinated at 450 °C exhibited the greatest SAI and SiO2 + Al2O3 + Fe2O3 among LP-T and FP-T SCBAs, respectively. Based on a combination of properties and production practicality considerations, FP calcinated at 450 °C was identified as the most promising SCM-grade SCBA for large-scale production in Louisiana, and was used to further evaluate the fresh and hardened properties of concrete incorporating SCBA at 10%, 20%, 30%, and 40% cement replacement by mass. A decrease in workability as well as 28- and 90-day compressive strength with the increase in SCBA content was observed. However, the relative strength gain from 28 to 90 days and the 90-day surface resistivity increased with increments in SCBA dosage. Characterization of cement-SCBA paste through XRD and SEM revealed portlandite consumption and densification of the cementitious matrix from 28 to 90 days, thus suggesting the pozzolanic activity of SCBA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study revealed the non-linear impact of the internet on the spatial structure of intracity employment and how transportation infrastructure moderates this non-linear impact. Using data from 22.47 million enterprises from the China Economic Census of 2004, 2008 and 2013, we found that (1) on average, the internet promotes urban employment agglomeration, but this agglomeration effect diminishes marginally as internet penetration increases; (2) the internet promotes the secondary sector to agglomerate first and then disperse, while it only has an agglomeration effect on the tertiary sector; and (3) improvements in the transportation infrastructure diminish the internet's agglomeration effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research utilizes the Long-Term Pavement Performance database, focusing on devel-oping a predictive model for flexible pavement performance in the Southern United States. Analyzing 367 pavement sections, this study investigates crucial factors influencing asphaltic concrete (AC) pavement deterioration, such as structural and material components, air voids, compaction density, temperature at laydown, traffic load, precipitation, and freeze–thaw cycles. The objective of this study is to develop a predictive machine learning model for AC pavement wheel path cracking (WpCrAr) and the age at which cracking initiates (WpCrAr) as performance indicators. This study thoroughly investigated three ensemble machine learning models, including random forest, extremely randomized trees (ETR), and extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost). It was observed that XGBoost, optimized using Bayesian methods, emerged as the most effective among the evaluated models, demonstrating good predictive accuracy, with an R2 of 0.79 for WpCrAr and 0.92 for AgeCrack and mean absolute errors of 1.07 and 0.74, respectively. The most important features influencing crack initiation and progression were identified, including equivalent single axle load (ESAL), pavement age, number of layers, precipitation, and freeze–thaw cycles. This paper also showed the impact of pavement material combinations for base and subgrade layers on the delay of crack initiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wildlife mortality due to collisions with vehicles (roadkill) is one of the predominant negative effects exerted by roads on many wildlife species. Reducing roadkill is therefore a major component of wildlife conservation. Roadkill is affected by various factors, including road attributes and traffic volume. It is theorized that the effect of traffic volume on roadkill probability should be unimodal. However, empirical evidence for this theory is lacking. Using a large‐scale roadkill database of 18 wildlife species in Israel, encompassing 2846 km of roads over 10 years, we explored the effects of traffic volume and road attributes (e.g., road lighting, verge vegetation) on roadkill probability with a multivariate generalized linear mixed model. A unimodal effect of traffic volume was identified for the striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena), whereas 5 species demonstrated a novel quadratic U‐shaped effect (e.g., golden jackal [Canis aureus]). Four species showed a negative linear effect (e.g., wild boar [Sus scrofa]). We also identified varying effects of road attributes on roadkill. For instance, road lighting and roadside trees decreased roadkill for several species, whereas bus stops and concrete guardrails led to increased roadkill. The theorized unimodal effect of traffic volume may only apply to large, agile species, and the U‐shaped effect could be related to intraspecies variability in traffic avoidance behavior. In general, we found that both high‐traffic and low‐traffic roads can pose a high mortality risk for wildlife. It is therefore important to monitor roadkill on low‐traffic roads and adapt road attributes to mitigate roadkill. Road design for effective roadkill mitigation includes reducing the use of concrete guardrails and median barriers where possible and avoiding dense bushes in verge landscaping. These measures are complemented by employing wildlife detection systems, driver warnings, and seasonal speed reduction measures on low‐traffic roads identified as roadkill hotspots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With Nnebisi Road acting as a case study, this study focuses on the investigation of traffic congestion on Asaba Road. The study aims to examine the relationship between vehicle volume and road capacity, enabling transportation authorities to assess congestion levels and make informed decisions to alleviate traffic issues. Peak traffic counts were conducted, revealing the highest traffic flow on specific road sections on different days. The Ibusa – Stadium junction saw the highest volume on Monday, reaching 3,056 vehicles, while Ibusa – Ofili- Ilukwu junction peaked at 3,128 vehicles, also on Monday, and Ibusa – Ogbeogonogo junction hit 3,151 vehicles on Tuesday. Speed performance index varied across junctions and days, generally exceeding 60%. For instance, Ibusa – Stadium Junction ranged from 69.57% to 71.82% from Monday to Friday, Ibusa – Ofili-Ilukwu junction showed values between 63.59% and 68.95%, and Ibusa – Ogbeogonogo Junction ranged from 61.57% to 70.11%. These findings suggest a better road traffic state with higher average speeds. Moreover, the volume to capacity ratio, indicates the level of congestion and delays experienced. The ratio values along the studied road sections ranged from 0.61 to 0.70. These ratios, along with the speed performance index, classify the level of service as class B, indicating moderate congestion and delays with slightly longer travel times, yet still acceptable to users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the importance of spatial proximity in research collaborations, focusing on China's transportation infrastructure advancements. Analyzing academic papers published by Chinese institutions over three decades, we find that collaboration probability is positively correlated with institutions' research output and negatively correlated with geographic distance. When considering other dimensions of proximity, administrative proximity and social network proximity exhibit the most substantial influence. Employing staggered difference-in-differences methods, we then establish causal inferences by investigating the effects of direct flight routes and high-speed rail (HSR) connections. Findings show that both modes of transportation contribute to enhanced academic collaborations. Specifically, the introduction of flight routes leads to an increase in collaborations of at least 10.66%, while the establishment of HSR connections results in an increase by at least 32.65%. Flight routes are advantageous for facilitating collaborations in medium to long distances, while HSR primarily benefits medium to short-distance collaborations. Efficient public transportation connections, by reducing travel time, can significantly enhance collaboration across broader spatial areas within the knowledge production sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adverse effects of thawing permafrost on transportation infrastructure in northern regions are exacerbated by climate change. To address this issue, remote sensing techniques can be employed to track deformations in these structures over time. This will allow us to identify regions that are most vulnerable to permafrost degradation, and implement climate adaptation strategies accordingly. The Sentinel-2 mission provides highly suitable data for multitemporal analysis due to its high temporal resolution and multispectral coverage. However, the geometrical misalignment of Sentinel-2 imagery presents a significant challenge for such analysis. In this study, we propose an automatic sub-pixel coregistration algorithm for satellite image time series, specifically focusing on estimating the deformation of linear infrastructure in northern Canada. Our approach involves utilizing a deep learning model to generate binary masks of roads, which are then used to match and align the images. We demonstrate the feasibility of achieving sub-pixel coregistration through road alignment on a small dataset of high-resolution Sentinel-2 images from the town of Gillam in northern Canada. This represents an initial step toward training a road deformation prediction model, which can ultimately contribute to improved infrastructure resilience and adaptation to changing climatic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Robust infrastructure is essential to enhance urban productivity and support urban development. • Transportation infrastructure enhances urban productivity by promoting economic agglomeration. • Information infrastructure promotes urban productivity through labor mobility and agglomeration effects. • The promotion effect on urban productivity in eastern regions and megacities is more obvious. • Transportation and information infrastructure have positive spatial spillover effects on urban productivity. Improving total factor productivity is an important driving force for achieving high-quality economic development. Based on the panel data of 256 cities in China from 2009 to 2019, this paper investigates the effect of transportation and information infrastructure on urban productivity. The results show that transportation and information infrastructure promote urban productivity, and the effect in eastern regions and megacities is more obvious. The mechanism analysis shows that transportation infrastructure enhances urban productivity by promoting economic agglomeration, and information infrastructure enhances urban productivity by promoting labor mobility, economic agglomeration, financial agglomeration and industrial agglomeration. The spatial spillover effect shows positive spatial autocorrelation of urban productivity. Transportation and information infrastructure have significant positive spatial spillover effects on urban productivity. China should continue to promote the construction of transportation infrastructure, strengthen investment in information infrastructure, and promote the joint construction, sharing, coordination and integration of transportation and information infrastructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study uses village and household matching information from the 2018 China Labor-force Dynamic Survey to analyze the impact of rural e-commerce on farmers' revenue. The outcomes of the baseline regression and robustness discussions show that rural e-commerce greatly improved farmers' revenue. After solving endogeneity problems in the model using rural clan power as the instrumental variable, the influence of e-commerce on farmers' revenue is still significantly positive. Further analysis suggests that rural e-commerce directly affects farmers' revenue by promoting farmers' market integration, and indirectly affects it by expanding affiliated industries that can promote employment growth. Furthermore, in the case of a higher level of transportation infrastructure development, the impact of rural e-commerce-affiliated industries on farmers' revenue will be greater. However, not all farmers receive the same benefits from e-commerce. Farmers with more human capital receive more benefits from e-commerce. Our results have important policy implications for developing countries that hope to grow farmers' revenue and rural development through e-commerce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The literature on women empowerment highlights a positive correlation between work and decision‐making power of women within families. On the contrary, the role of work opportunities in letting women achieve greater control over their lives, making them more independent is also well‐established. In this background, we explore the effect of women employment on different dimensions of women empowerment by using a nationally representative household survey data, the Indian Human Development Survey (IHDS‐II, 2011–12). As "empowerment" is unobservable, multi‐faceted and difficult to quantify, we model it by an index which aggregates the qualitative answers provided by a respondent. Due to the presence of an endogenous relation, we exploit sources of exogenous variations in employment through an instrumental variable (IV) setup. Following the literature, we identify IV as the level of transport infrastructure in the region where a woman resides. We find that the estimated coefficients are positive and statistically significant, remaining robust to changes in empowerment calculation. In the context of public initiatives aimed at improving female labour force participation and empowering women in India, our results show how policymakers can look beyond standard policies and take the help of transport‐related initiatives to improve employment and empowerment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Makassar Island is an island area in Baubau City, Southeast Sulawesi Province which is included in the Kokalukuna District. It consists of two villages, namely Liwuto Village and Sukanayo Village with a land area of 1.04 km2. In general, 70% of the livelihood of residents on Makassar Island is fishing, seaweed farming, pearl oysters, fish marketing businesses, and crossing services (sea taxis). As an island area, the movement of both goods and people within this region is closely related to the infrastructure of docks and highways. This study aims to analyze the influence of transportation infrastructure in improving the economy of the people on Makassar Island. The analysis methods used in this study are Likert analysis, correlation analysis and simple linear regression analysis. Based on the results of the analysis, it was found that transportation infrastructure has a strong relationship with the community's economy. Furthermore, the results of the study are presented in the form of a crosstab between each indicator of the transportation infrastructure variable (X) with the economic variable of the community (Y) on the island. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transportation infrastructure plays a crucial role in the free movement and rational allocation of resources. Utilizing provincial panel data from China spanning from 2000 to 2017, we employ a dynamic spatial Durbin model (DSDM) and a panel threshold model to analyze the impact of transportation infrastructure on resource misallocation. The findings are as follows: (1) Overall, transportation infrastructure serves to correct misallocations of capital and labor, exhibiting spatial effects; (2) Under the influence of spatial spillover effects, transportation infrastructure improves capital misallocation in neighboring regions, yet exacerbates labor misallocation; (3) The impact of transportation infrastructure on capital and labor misallocations shows regional heterogeneity; (4) Transportation infrastructure indirectly ameliorates resource misallocation through three pathways: opening up to external markets, urbanization, and industrial upgrading; (5) There is a threshold effect of transportation infrastructure on labor misallocation - it only improves labor misallocation when it reaches a certain scale.

The increasing frequency and severity of climate variability poses substantial challenges to the sustainability and reliability of transportation infrastructure worldwide. Transportation systems, vital to economic and social activities, are highly vulnerable to extreme weather, sea-level rise, and temperature fluctuations, which can disrupt their structural integrity, operational efficiency, and maintenance needs. The aim of this study is to explore the scholarly landscape concerning the effects of climate variability on transportation systems, analyzing 23 years of scientific publications to assess research trends. Utilizing bibliometric methods, this analysis synthesizes data from numerous scientific publications to identify key trends, research hotspots, influential authors, and collaborative networks within this domain. This study highlights the growing acknowledgment of climate variability as a crucial factor affecting the design, maintenance, and operational resilience of transportation infrastructure. Key findings indicate a notable increase in research over the last decade, with a strong focus on the effects of extreme weather events, sea-level rise, and temperature changes. The analysis also shows a multidisciplinary approach, incorporating perspectives from civil engineering, environmental science, and policy studies. This comprehensive overview serves as a foundational resource for researchers and policymakers, aiming to enhance the adaptive capacity of transportation systems to climate variability through informed decision-making and strategic planning.

"Common prosperity depends on development, and development comes first in transportation." Achieving common prosperity is the essential requirement for Chinese-style modernization under the construction of a sustainable transportation power country. Based on China's 30 provincial panel data from 2001 to 2021, this paper calculates the common prosperity index under modernization construction and uses the fixed-effect model and bootstrap mediation effect analysis method to examine the impact and promotion path of transportation infrastructure empowering common prosperity (mediating effect). The study found that transportation infrastructure has a significant enabling effect on common prosperity, and the higher the level of common prosperity, the stronger this effect. After a variety of robustness tests, the conclusion is still reliable. The specific path is that transportation infrastructure further strengthens its role in empowering common prosperity through the four intermediaries of economic growth, factor flow, industrial upgrading, and market expansion. Except for the complete intermediary effect of factor flow, the other intensity ratios are all at 65% or above. In addition, there is heterogeneity in the impact of transportation infrastructure on common prosperity, which is reflected in the significant effect in areas with large urban populations, eastern regions, and first-tier or former new first-tier cities. To this end, a quadrilateral orientation focusing on "economy, factors, industries, and markets" is proposed, with dense transportation networks and regional differentiation as the focus of sustainable transportation development, providing empirical support for promoting common prosperity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]