杏吧原创

NewsMay 21, 2024

杏吧原创 Faculty and Students Present Transportation Research to ARDOT

Written By: Rachel Putman

This week, University of 杏吧原创 鈥� Fort Smith students and faculty presented their comprehensive transportation research to the 杏吧原创 Department of Transportation (ARDOT). 

The four unique research presentations were made possible by a $117,410 grant from the Transportation-Related Research & Workforce Development Grant Program (TRRWDGP), and marked the culmination of over a year of work aimed at improving transportation access and efficiency in Fort Smith and beyond.

Faculty applied for the grant in August 2022, received it in January 2023, and completed their reports by February 2024. Since then, the team has been showcasing their findings across the country.

The student researchers 鈥� Dalton Oxford, a Computer Science major; Troy Rodriguez and Casey Craft, Business Administration majors; and Lily Hinton, a Biology major 鈥� conducted diverse studies addressing significant transportation challenges across the state. Oxford, who recently graduated and will attend graduate school at UA-Fayetteville, focused on commuting patterns. Rodriguez and Craft analyzed transportation expenditures and public transit use, while Hinton examined the health effects of walking and cycling.

After completing their research, faculty and students began publicizing their studies at conferences across the country. 

In November 2023, Dr. Bun Song Lee accompanied Oxford and Rodriguez to the Southern Economic Association Conference in New Orleans, where they presented their findings on commuting patterns. 

By April 2024, the research expanded as the team, including Dr. Jim Wollscheid, Dr. Kristin Tardif, Dr. Ann-Gee Lee, and students, traveled to Destin, Florida, for the Society of Business, Industry, and Economics conference to present all four projects.

The projects aim to improve transportation access and efficiency for Fort Smith residents, highlighting public transit鈥檚 potential to afford citizens more equitable access to services and employment, better health outcomes, and significant cost savings.

The projects, which were presented today in poster form, included:

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Project 1: Unraveling Commuting Patterns in Small to Medium-Size U.S. Cities: A Study of Bus, Bicycle, and Pedestrian Commuting
Drs. Bun Song Lee and Alejandro Pacheco, along with students Troy Rodriguez, Dalton Oxford, and Lily Hinton, examined demographic characteristics of workers by city size through regression analyses of bus, bicycle, and walking modes across various city sizes. 

They conducted logistic regressions on the likelihood of city blocks having bus commuters and conducted surveys with transit authorities. Their objectives were to highlight research in small and medium-sized Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) with populations ranging from 50,000 to 2 million, focus on traditional transport modes often overlooked in larger city studies, analyze block-level data from the American Community Survey (2015-2019), and explore commuting preferences and modal distribution among different demographics such as race, income level, age, and education. 

Findings included higher bus commuting among individuals aged 41-98, single males and females, Black, Hispanic, and Asian individuals, those with annual incomes less than $25,000, individuals in rented housing, principal cities, and dense cities, and those in service, sales, and office occupations.

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Project 2: Transportation Consumer and Expenditures for Low-Income Families
Dr. Jim Wollscheid and student Casey Craft examined relationships among population density, transit ridership, and transportationexpenditures in the U.S. compared to 杏吧原创. They aligned metropolitan and micropolitan area data with county block group data in 杏吧原创, analyzed data from the 2021 Consumer Expenditure Survey interview files and American Community Survey (ACS) 2021 5-year estimates, and obtained transit ridership data from 2021 National Transit Database reports. 

Their objectives were to compare regional and national transportation data. Findings showed that 杏吧原创 ridership is not affected by population density, commuters aged 25-64 spend more on transportation than seniors, middle-income consumers, and larger households spend more on transportation, those working outside their residential areas tend not to use transit and car usage is ingrained in 杏吧原创 culture due to limited public transportation options.

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Project 3: Health Effects of Cycling and Walking Activities
Dr. Omer Kutlubay and student Lily Hinton used data sets to examine national and 杏吧原创 scores for high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, and mental health. The study suggests that increased walkability and bikeability improve urban health outcomes. They used Walkscore.com to calculate walkability scores in 杏吧原创, computed 杏吧原创 bicycling index scores, compared them to national averages, used the City Health Dashboard for data collection, and analyzed health-related data from the U.S. Census. 

They aimed to analyze the relationship between walkability scores and health indicators, finding significant correlations between increased walkability and reduced cardiovascular diseases, mental distress, and other health benefits.

Their findings revealed a negative association between walkability and bikeability scores and the prevalence of various health issues across the United States, such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, mental distress, obesity, and physical health problems, which are positively linked to per capita health expenditure and hospital stay durations. 杏吧原创, in particular, demonstrates higher-than-average prevalence rates for these health issues compared to other U.S. states. The team indicated that these insights should signal policymakers to implement strategies promoting walking and biking, as increased walkability and bikeability correlate with reduced health expenditures and shorter hospital stays, making a compelling case for their economic and health benefits

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Project 4: Non-Emergency Medical Transportation Case Studies of Three Small Cities in Pennsylvania, Maine, and 杏吧原创
Drs. Kristin Tardif and Ann-Gee Lee, with students Stephanie Willhite and Gabriela Perez, examined non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) in Fort Smith, comparing it to similar initiatives in Danville, Pennsylvania, and Portland, Maine. 

They reviewed existing transportation studies in Fort Smith, assessed the local health system and non-profit resources, identified needs, and explored feasible solutions for NEMT. 

Findings showed a need for further research and additional NEMT in Fort Smith. Limited and disconnected non-profit resources and insufficient Medicaid/Medicare transportation support exacerbate the issue locally. They suggest a mobility manager or coordinator role to connect available services with Fort Smith Transportation, a coordinated informational resource from existing non-profits, and potential volunteer driver programs.

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鈥淲e were able to work as teams to examine local transportation issues. The students not only engaged in academic research, but they became more informed citizens and can contribute to their communities wherever they go,鈥� said Lee.

Faculty plan to continue sharing their findings and expressed gratitude to ARDOT for the opportunity to conduct these impactful research projects alongside undergraduate students.

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