Webinar paints a picture of COVID-19 impacts
CTS convened a special webinar in June to shed light on the pandemic’s effects on transportation. U of M researchers and professionals from state and Twin Cities agencies presented findings and weighed in on the issues. Shashi Shekhar (Computer Science and Engineering) reported on mobility changes he calculated using smartphone data, and Alireza Khani shared early results from his study of virus transmission. See story below.
Learn more: “Traffic, transit data paint a picture of COVID-19 impacts,” CTS Catalyst, October 2020
Simulation calculates the risks of bus travel
Building on his previous research into pandemic transmission, Alireza Khani (Civil, Environmental, and Geo- Engineering, CEGE) developed a mathematical simulation that can analyze the relative risk of traveling on buses. Using multiple data sources, Khani calculates how long riders tend to stay on a bus and how many people they might encounter. This allows him to gauge the relative COVID-19 risk of a given route at a given time of day. The ongoing work, which includes collaboration with Metro Transit, is sponsored by the Office of the Vice President for Research COVID-19 Rapid Response Grants and CEGE.
Learn more: “Traffic, transit data paint a picture of COVID-19 impacts,” CTS Catalyst, October 2020
Other COVID-19 research
Several other researchers have pivoted to study the pandemic. Topics include the benefits and equity of telecommuting; impacts on roadway and transit funding; social isolation, especially of older adults; medical supply chains; modeling the spread of the virus in transportation networks; and social distancing and adherence. CTS will share results from this research as it becomes available, and the pandemic’s impacts will be an ongoing source of transportation data and research questions.
Learn more: “Transportation researchers tackle the pandemic,” CTS Catalyst, June 2020