Transportation Engineering Exam 1 2026
Questions and Answers Graded A+
Significance of Transportation - Correct answer-It impacts every facet of our lives:
economic, social, recreational, cultural, military,
political, etc.
-The efficient and safe movement of people and goods is of paramount importance
to our quality of life
Goals for Transportation Engineers (2) - Correct answer-1)providing a high level
of service (LOS): minimize travel times and delays
2)providing a high level of safety
These goals are, unfortunately, usually what? - Correct answer-mutually exclusive-
e.g., higher speeds reduce travel time but may also decrease safety
Economic, Political (community-related impacts of projects), Environmental
(impact of projects on the environment) - Correct answer-Economic: the cost of
highway related projects, construction/maintenance
©COPYRIGHT 2025,ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 1
,Political: community-related impacts of projects
building a highway through the middle of a neighborhood
City council members disregarding advice of traffic engineer
Environmental: impact of projects on the environment measured in terms of air,
water, and noise impacts, and quality of life
In attempting to meet level of service and safety goals, transportation engineers
must deal with both ___________ and _____________ challenges - Correct
answer-technical, behavioral
US Highway Interstate System
the greatest Civil Engineering project of all time
built in the 1960s and early 1970s.
-one of the main reasons for project was for what? - Correct answer-national
defense
Focus has been shifting from new construction to: - Correct answer-Infrastructure
maintenance and rehabilitation,
Improvements in operational efficiency,
Various traffic-congestion relief measures,
©COPYRIGHT 2025,ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2
,Energy conservation,
Improved safety, and
Environmental mitigation.
__% of household income spent on vehicles - Correct answer-15
About __ million new vehicles sold in the US annually - Correct answer-16
Vehicle industry gets $___ billion in vehicle sales - Correct answer-400
__ million jobs related to vehicle production and maintenance. - Correct answer-5
over $___ billion spent annually on construction and maintenance of highways -
Correct answer-200
In US, highways are responsible for __% of petroleum consumption. - Correct
answer-60
Highways are responsible for __% of US greenhouse emissions - Correct answer-
25
For passenger travel, highways account for about __ percent of all passenger-miles
- Correct answer-90
Trucks account for nearly __ % of the value of all transported goods. - Correct
answer-80
©COPYRIGHT 2025,ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 3
, Transportation engineers need to be creative in their approaches, Why? (2) -
Correct answer-to encourage usage of alternative modes,
yet still give travelers reasonable departure time and destination options
In the last 50 years:
the percentage of trips taken in private vehicles has risen from slightly less than __
percent to over __ percent - Correct answer-70-90
Result: massive traffic congestion that is difficult to manage in larger urban areas
Highway safety involves what elements? - Correct answer-technical and behavioral
components
the complexities of the human/machine interface
Safety improvements - Correct answer-Highway design (such as more stringent
design guidelines, etc)
Vehicle occupant protection (safety belts, padded dashboards, collapsible steering
columns, driver- and passenger-side airbags, improved bumper design),
Vehicle technologies (anti-lock braking, traction control systems, electronic
stability control) and
New accident countermeasures (drunk driving, red-light running)
©COPYRIGHT 2025,ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 4
Questions and Answers Graded A+
Significance of Transportation - Correct answer-It impacts every facet of our lives:
economic, social, recreational, cultural, military,
political, etc.
-The efficient and safe movement of people and goods is of paramount importance
to our quality of life
Goals for Transportation Engineers (2) - Correct answer-1)providing a high level
of service (LOS): minimize travel times and delays
2)providing a high level of safety
These goals are, unfortunately, usually what? - Correct answer-mutually exclusive-
e.g., higher speeds reduce travel time but may also decrease safety
Economic, Political (community-related impacts of projects), Environmental
(impact of projects on the environment) - Correct answer-Economic: the cost of
highway related projects, construction/maintenance
©COPYRIGHT 2025,ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 1
,Political: community-related impacts of projects
building a highway through the middle of a neighborhood
City council members disregarding advice of traffic engineer
Environmental: impact of projects on the environment measured in terms of air,
water, and noise impacts, and quality of life
In attempting to meet level of service and safety goals, transportation engineers
must deal with both ___________ and _____________ challenges - Correct
answer-technical, behavioral
US Highway Interstate System
the greatest Civil Engineering project of all time
built in the 1960s and early 1970s.
-one of the main reasons for project was for what? - Correct answer-national
defense
Focus has been shifting from new construction to: - Correct answer-Infrastructure
maintenance and rehabilitation,
Improvements in operational efficiency,
Various traffic-congestion relief measures,
©COPYRIGHT 2025,ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2
,Energy conservation,
Improved safety, and
Environmental mitigation.
__% of household income spent on vehicles - Correct answer-15
About __ million new vehicles sold in the US annually - Correct answer-16
Vehicle industry gets $___ billion in vehicle sales - Correct answer-400
__ million jobs related to vehicle production and maintenance. - Correct answer-5
over $___ billion spent annually on construction and maintenance of highways -
Correct answer-200
In US, highways are responsible for __% of petroleum consumption. - Correct
answer-60
Highways are responsible for __% of US greenhouse emissions - Correct answer-
25
For passenger travel, highways account for about __ percent of all passenger-miles
- Correct answer-90
Trucks account for nearly __ % of the value of all transported goods. - Correct
answer-80
©COPYRIGHT 2025,ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 3
, Transportation engineers need to be creative in their approaches, Why? (2) -
Correct answer-to encourage usage of alternative modes,
yet still give travelers reasonable departure time and destination options
In the last 50 years:
the percentage of trips taken in private vehicles has risen from slightly less than __
percent to over __ percent - Correct answer-70-90
Result: massive traffic congestion that is difficult to manage in larger urban areas
Highway safety involves what elements? - Correct answer-technical and behavioral
components
the complexities of the human/machine interface
Safety improvements - Correct answer-Highway design (such as more stringent
design guidelines, etc)
Vehicle occupant protection (safety belts, padded dashboards, collapsible steering
columns, driver- and passenger-side airbags, improved bumper design),
Vehicle technologies (anti-lock braking, traction control systems, electronic
stability control) and
New accident countermeasures (drunk driving, red-light running)
©COPYRIGHT 2025,ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 4
