VHB has once again demonstrated its commitment to advancing the field of transportation at the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) Annual Meeting and Exhibit 2024 from July 21 to 24. Our team took an active role at the event, participating in impactful sessions—including leading an equity training alongside the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)—and proudly bringing home prestigious awards.
Enhancing Mobility and Accessibility Through Improved Transit Services
The session titled "Enhancing Mobility and Accessibility through Improved Transit Services" captivated attendees with its forward-thinking approach to transit systems. VHB's Amir Rizavi, Michael DeGaspari, and Mariano Carciofolo presented the groundbreaking tool, TOAST (Transit Operations and Simulation Tool), a planning-level tool that can be used to determine headways and frequencies and can optimize efficiency by incorporating transit signal priority-based on actual traffic signal timing and real-time speed data. TOAST requires substantially less time and budget than microsimulation models to provide the parameters needed for planning-level assessments.
Reimagining Transportation for a Reliable and Sustainable Future
In the "Reimagining Transportation for a Reliable and Sustainable Transportation Future" session, VHB’s Skye Levin outlined current projects with their strategies to address aging transportation assets for a resilient future. This session explored the power of innovation and smart technologies in creating sustainable transportation systems. Participants gained insights into decision-making tools and best practices for building resilience in transportation infrastructure projects, while lessons learned from various transportation agencies provided guidance for future initiatives.
VHB's Recognition at the ITE Annual Meeting and Exhibit
VHB's influence in the transportation engineering community was further acknowledged through two significant awards.
First, in collaboration with the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), VHB won the 2024 ITE Transportation Achievement Award in Safety. This accolade recognizes the development of the CLEAR (Crash Location Engineering Analysis and Reporting) web application, which has significantly advanced transportation safety and set a new industry standard. CLEAR operationalizes New York's Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP) by identifying priority investigation locations, performing diagnostic assessments, and developing targeted safety improvements. Earlier this year, VHB and NYSDOT also won ITE’s Northeastern District Transportation Achievement Award for the same tool.
Additionally, the Southeastern New England Section of ITE, led by VHB’s Kayla Northup and Rachel Dooley, received the 2024 International Section Momentum Award. The section's tireless work establishing a new board, forming committees, successful event planning, and creating scholarship awards demonstrates its strong foundation and momentum.
These achievements reflect VHB's unwavering commitment to improving transportation systems and the quality of life for communities.
We extend our gratitude to ITE and our collaborators for their support and recognition.
Learn about VHB’s transportation solutions today.