2022 TRBAM: Reflections, Takeaways and Favorite Moments

Yige “Eagle” Tang, AICP, Senior Associate at The Goodman Corporation, recently presented her research on road diet impacts on multi-modal transportation at the 2022 Transportation Research Board (TRB) Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C. As the transportation profession enters 2022, Eagle shares her reflections on key meeting topics, favorite TRB moments, and advice for future attendees and exhibitors.

Read on for a summary Q&A – and discover the moment that sparked Eagle’s passion for planning and engineering in the first place.

Q: What were you most excited for by attending this year’s TRBAM? Was this your first time attending?

A: Presenting in person! Yes, this was my first TRB meeting, and this was also the first in-person meeting since COVID hit. Grateful for the chance to present my research in person because I enjoy interacting with people. I can better gauge attendee reactions, and presenting in-person also feels less formal to me.

For example, whenever I submit questions at large-scale virtual meetings and conferences, I always wonder if the typed version fully captures my curiosity, expressions, and intent. Face-to-face communication offers the chance to better explain, present, and illustrate my speaking points and questions.

*Research Poster: “Road Diet Safety Impacts on Multi-Modal Transportation”*

Q: Favorite moments?

A: My favorite moment was serving as an exhibitor and engaging with attendees, especially when they expressed interest in my research. I presented on “Road Diet Safety Impacts on Multi-Modal Transportation.” Road diets are a hot topic, and many cities are implementing them. Currently, there are only a few before-and-after studies analyzing the impact of roadway diets, and most studies do not specify non-motorized modes or capture crash severity.

I observed this gap and decided to address it. When presenting, I really enjoyed engaging in some very interesting conversations with planners, engineers, and bike and pedestrian advocates.

Q: What were some key takeaways from your experience in Washington, D.C.?

A: The focus of this year's TRB was definitely on equity. Some session conversations included:

Equitable implications of congestion pricing,
Impact assessments of transportation projects on underserved or overburdened communities facing systemic barriers, and
Analyzing transportation safety of senior and minority groups, utilizing GIS and other applications.

Another hot topic was pedestrian and bike safety. I was glad to see countless efforts – all varied in scope and scale – currently being implemented across the country. Specific topics included:

Improving biker’s visual attention,
Estimating bike and pedestrian volume by using COMPASS, and
Exploring case studies that translated safety research to real-world solutions, for example, impact evaluations of urban roads with speed limit reductions and systemic opportunities to improve older pedestrian safety practices.

“No matter how complex and data intensive our transportation research is today, we need to continue emphasizing practical applications of our findings for practitioners, advocates, stakeholders, and those who are most affected. Transportation research should be easily accessible and understandable for everyone. At the end of the day, research is ultimately leveraged for real-world application and use.”

Q: Any lessons learned, tips, and/or advice to future attendees/exhibitors thinking of joining future TRB Annual Meetings?

A: For future poster exhibitors – Size your posters between 2’x4’ to 4’x8’! Larger visibility will attract more traffic.

For TRB attendees – Plan ahead and stay close. Nearby hotels usually get booked pretty fast, so reserve lodging early! It is definitely worth staying nearby for ease of walkability. January in Washington, D.C. is usually cold, so be sure to bundle up!

Q: Where did your passion for planning and engineering stem from? What do you hope to achieve in the profession?

A: I was accepted into the urban planning master’s program at Texas A&M, and during my first year, I attended a community planning workshop focused on improving a Houston neighborhood. I learned about so many different community planning ideas and participated in multiple transportation planning discussions.

From there, I realized transportation is so intrinsically linked to community planning, and I just knew I wanted to be part of the process in whatever shape or form.

Community Partners & Texas A&M Urban Planning Master’s Program Students & Faculty

Q: How has TGC supported your professional growth and development?

TGC offers abundant space to grow and always encourages staff to take risks and expand their leadership capabilities and technical skillsets. I started as a transportation planner in 2017, and since then, have participated in a variety of projects and practice areas, such as community planning, urban design, performance-based planning, cost-benefit and spatial analyses, and more. In 2019, I went back to school and earned a master’s degree in civil engineering, and TGC supported me throughout the entire journey.

My focus area has now shifted from transportation planning to engineering, and combining the two disciplines, I bring a holistic approach and understanding to project scoping and development and overall project feasibility. I am more courageous, confident, and adept at thinking critically about projects from concept and development to construction implementation and project close-out.

- Eagle Tang

For additional information or questions, contact TGC to learn more about our services, our team, and our mission to connect capital to communities across Texas and beyond.

Joanne MaMarch 10, 2022