TRANSPORTATION IS EVOLVING
Advances in new technologies, evolving social and environmental needs in our communities, and changes in the economic landscape mean the transportation industry is quickly changing. DKS's innovations help our clients make smart transportation planning and engineering decisions, and innovation is at the heart of what we do.
AI
Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming transportation planning and engineering, and DKS is at the forefront of this revolution. We are actively integrating AI into our work with clients, our industry contributions, and our internal practices.
Recent examples of our activities include:
- We are working with the Oregon Department of Transportation to gather multimodal transportation system data for 48 cities and counties in eight MPOs using AI-powered image analysis to convert high-resolution aerial imagery into high-precision GIS data.
- For the City Kirkland, WA, our team used AI-powered near-miss analysis to improve intersection safety in the community.
- We co-authored a comprehensive survey paper on Generative AI in transportation planning with Arizona State University and others.
- We are also sharing our insights at industry events such as the TRB Conference on Data and AI for Transportation Advancement, where we are sharing how we are integrating AI and data-driven solutions into our organization.
- Our AI Committee is a cross-functional team guiding responsible and strategic AI adoption across the company. We have developed custom GPTs to support our efforts in areas such as research, marketing, and document review. We also provide internal support to our team members with questions, ideas, and help with our AI tools such as ChatGPT and Perplexity.
Transit Signal Priority
Advances in new technology, such as cloud-based technology and AI, are changing the way transit signal priority is done. The objective of transit signal priority, or TSP, is to reduce transit delay and balance operations for all modes, improving travel time and schedule reliability along the transit corridor. In addition, TSP improves community equity, climate, and safety, while also reducing agency operating costs.
DKS is a leader in the planning and engineering of TSP systems, and is helping agencies such as:
- TriMet deploy its next generation cloud-based TSP systems
- LA Metro to advance it’s bus signal priority (BSP) systems
- And other innovations described in our TSP project information sheet
Safety Planning
Vision Zero, with its goal of zero fatalities on our transportation system, is the inspiration for our safety planning work. As leaders in transportation safety planning, we help agencies large and small with their planning programs, while also contributing to national safety research.
Recent examples of our safety planning work by our team of over 12 certified Road Safety Professionals (RSP) include:
- We partnered with the University of Washington, the City of Bellevue, WA, and others on the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) report Leveraging Artificial Intelligence and Big Data to Enhance Safety Analysis
- In cooperation with Washington State Traffic Safety Commission, we co-authored the 2024 Washington Target Zero Plan and recently wrote Target Zero: A New Foundation to Save Lives (pages 17-18) in APWA Washington’s 2024 Fall Magazine.
- We have built a library of innovative online safety data dashboards for storytelling
- We are presenting on near-miss video analytics for safety analysis as part of the TRB Webinar on Advances in Analysis and Visualization for Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A)
- And other innovations described in our safety planning project information sheet
Resilience Planning
Our communities thrive with resilient transportation systems capable of withstanding the impacts of natural disasters and climate change. The many hazards associated with climate change have already begun to aect the residents and infrastructure throughout our world, whether it be wildfires requiring evacuations and closing freeways, or sea level rise and flood events blocking roadways and ports in the low lying portions of this land. Resilience planning helps identify the adaptation projects necessary to protect the mobility, safety, and economic vitality of everyone who lives, works, and visits a community.
Recent examples of our work in resilience planning include:
- In cooperation with the El Dorado County Transportation Commission, the City of Placerville, El Dorado County, the El Dorado and Georgetown Resource Conservation District, Cal Fire and other first responders, we developed the Greater Placerville Wildfire Evacuation Preparedness, Community Safety, and Resiliency Study
- We led a panel at the 2024 APA California Conference on Striving for Fire Adapted Communities Through Evacuation Planning
- Along side the City of Ashland’s Emergency Management Coordinator, we were interviewed on Jefferson Public Radio, the NPR affiliate of Southern Oregon, on how cities can plan for evacuations before a disaster happens
- In a Special to The Sacramento Bee, we published an opinion on Fleeing from a wildfire is terrifying and can be deadly – now is the time to plan
VMT Planning
California Senate Bill 743, along with the guidance issued by the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR), shifted the focus of transportation impact analysis from delay-based metrics such as Level of Service (LOS) to Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) in order to allow Californians to drive less. Since this landmark bill took effect in 2020, we have assisted numerous agencies and development interests throughout the state with compliant VMT analyses pursuant to California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), as well as played a pivotable role in its evolution.
Recent examples of our innovative work in VMT related planning include:
- Lead author of the California Rural Counties Task Force Rural Induced Demand Study to evaluate how state guidance on induced travel demand affects rural highway projects.
- Our presentation at the Regional Leadership Conference hosted by the California Association of Councils of Governments (CALCOG) on the evolving role of Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) in transportation planning, policy, and sustainability.
- And other innovations described in our VMT project information sheet