Center for Transportation Research, University of Tennessee Knoxville

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Center for Transportation Research, University of Tennessee Knoxville

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CTR was created in 1970 to foster and facilitate interdisciplinary transportation research.

The Center for Transportation Research was created in 1970 to foster and facilitate interdisciplinary research, public service, and outreach in the field of transportation at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

10/20/2026

Deliveries are costing more and traffic is getting worse. Our researchers are looking into how a disorganized freight system may be the root cause.

Led by Oriana Calderon, alongside Usman Ahmed and Katherine Asmussen, with Graduate Research Assistant Manuela Córdoba-Misas, this project examines freight and land-use patterns across Tennessee's five major metropolitan areas.

By analyzing employment, population, and distance data, the team built an interactive framework showing planners exactly where warehouses, retailers, and delivery demand are too spread out, and where they're well-positioned.

Here in Knoxville, the findings showed something striking: shifting a modest share of warehouse activity closer to the city core could meaningfully cut the distance goods travel. That single change eased congestion downtown, improved delivery efficiency, and pointed toward lower shipping costs and emissions.

This project, funded through a Center for Freight Transportation for Efficient & Resilient Supply Chain grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation, gives city and regional planners an evidence-based tool for shaping land-use and infrastructure decisions that touch millions of residents across Tennessee's economic hubs. If used efficiently, this interactive framework allows for a new era of development in supply chain logistics through more informed decision-making and actionable insights.

10/19/2026

Upgrade your technical skills with the Traffic Signal Academy this fall and winter in-person in Nashville and Knoxville.

NASHVILLE
🔸 October 26, 2026 - MUTCD and Signalized Intersections - https://lnkd.in/eK7dfKgw
🔸 November 5, 2026 - Traffic Signal Installation and Maintenance - https://lnkd.in/e5qggQaM
🔸 November 10, 2026 – Signal Timing - https://lnkd.in/emaJMzAw
🔸 November 19, 2026 – Detection and Advanced Operations - https://lnkd.in/eF-R-C4k
🔸 November 23, 2026 – Traffic Signal Controller Programming - https://lnkd.in/e4VvB9CZ
🔸 December 8, 2026 – Traffic Signal Systems in Oversaturated Conditions - https://lnkd.in/ew-zFckd

KNOXVILLE
🔸 December 14, 2026 - MUTCD and Signalized Intersections - https://lnkd.in/emdU9zCt
🔸 December 15, 2026 – Signal Timing - https://lnkd.in/eRTsVBf7
🔸 December 16, 2026 – Detection and Advanced Operations - https://lnkd.in/eX-MTJT7
🔸 December 17, 2026 - Traffic Signal Installation and Maintenance - https://lnkd.in/eS6ck6Rj
🔸 December 18, 2026 – Traffic Signal Controller Programming - https://lnkd.in/eSWm7bVZ
🔸 December 21, 2026 – Traffic Signal Systems in Oversaturated Conditions - https://lnkd.in/eMpayMHA

10/13/2026

Why are pedestrians getting hit farther from home?

New research from CTR affiliated faculty member Chris Cherry and CTR postdoc Saurav Parajuli reveals that over a 15-year period, the average distance between a pedestrian’s home and crash location grew from 1.5 miles to more than 3.5 miles.

Crashes farther from home are strongly linked to higher-speed roads, mid-block crossings, and poor lighting. These findings indicate that rising risk stems from where people must travel to reach essential destinations, jobs, and transit, rather than changes in walking behavior alone.

By incorporating police narratives and residential distance data, this project provides transportation agencies with actionable insights to target infrastructure improvements, such as enhanced lighting, sidewalks, and safer crossings, where they are needed most.

Funded by the Center for Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety, with data support from the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security and the Tennessee Department of Health.

10/08/2026

A new report, Assessing Tennessee’s Transportation Needs and Long-term Sources of Funding, has been approved by the commission and is now available on our website:

https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/tacir/2026publications/2026_TransportationFunding.pdf

Public Chapter 438, Acts of 2025, directed the commission to study and prepare a report with recommendations for establishing sustainable funding sources to meet the state's long-term transportation infrastructure needs. The commission finds Tennessee’s transportation network is performing well in many ways, but continued growth is driving needs for additional long-term investment while increased fuel efficiency and rising construction costs are reducing the ability of existing revenue streams to provide enough funding to both maintain existing infrastructure and keep up with demand for improvements.

Without recommending or endorsing any specific scenario or combination of revenue sources, the commission's report provides analysis of several potential components for the state to consider when putting together a mixed funding strategy and finds that Tennessee would likely benefit from using debt to help finance the construction of strategically important projects that aren’t good candidates for public-private partnerships. To ensure continued state support for local transportation projects, the commission recommends that any increases to existing shared revenue sources continue to be shared in the same manner, and that a portion of any new revenue sources also be shared with local governments.

09/30/2026

We wanted to hear from community members about what downtown destinations they wish were served by bike parking, so we put out the Downtown Bike Parking Survey. We hope to use these crowd-sourced recommendations to continue to advocate for more and better bike parking at businesses, public spaces, and other choice destinations. By increasing the availability of bike parking, Bike Walk Knoxville is working to make Knoxville a better place to bike, and encourage riders of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds to engage with our downtown on two wheels.

https://forms.gle/jVY5qDXwrfpq6UGTA

09/24/2026

Work zone safety instructor Spence Meyers takes TTAP training to all corners of Tennessee and was in Johnson City this month with an onsite Flagger Workshop. Participants are required to pass a procedural test and a written test to receive their valid certification, demonstrating proficiency on important safety and regulatory requirements.

09/22/2026

Mark your calendars! Seat Check Saturday is September, 26th. Certified techs are ready to help make sure your car seat is installed correctly.
Find a fitting station near you at CarSeatSafety.Kids

09/08/2026

The Center for Transportation Research (CTR) at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville is seeking a Traffic Count Technician to support our statewide data collection efforts in partnership with the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT).

If you enjoy working independently, spending time outdoors, and playing a direct role in keeping Tennessee's transportation infrastructure moving forward, this might be the perfect fit.

What You’ll Do:
🔸 Field Data Collection
🔸 Quality Assurance
🔸 Equipment & Safety Maintenance
🔸 Team Collaboration

Key Details:
🔸 Location: Home-based anywhere in Tennessee (with a preference for candidates residing in Southern Middle Tennessee)
🔸 Travel: Daily travel required statewide with an assigned TDOT mobile vehicle workstation; overnight stays vary by region
🔸 Pay Grade: UT Market Range MR05

What We’re Looking For:
🔸 Required: High school diploma/GED + 2 years of full-time work experience. Valid driver's license, strong computer literacy, navigation skills, and the ability to perform active physical labor in all outdoor weather conditions.
🔸 Preferred: Associate degree in a STEM field, prior experience in traffic data collection or roadway operations, and familiarity with temporary traffic control safety protocols.

Know someone who would be a great fit? Share or tag them below!

Link to apply: ctr.utk.edu/open-positions

08/26/2026

Airton Kohls and Chris Cherry represent the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and CTR on the City of Knoxville - Government Vision Zero Committee.
Today’s organizational meeting kicked off efforts to update Knoxville’s Vision Zero Action Plan and work toward safer streets for everyone!

Learn more: https://knoxvilletn.gov/visionzero

Address

309 Conference Center Building, 600 Henley Street
Knoxville, TN
37996

Website

https://linktr.ee/utkctr

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