Benjamin H. Cottrell, Jr., P.E.
Principal Research Scientist
Research Interests:
- Traffic Operations
- Work Zone Traffic Control
- Traffic Safety
Education:
- M.S., Civil Engineering, University of Virginia
- B.S., Civil Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Registrations:
- Registered Professional Engineer, Commonwealth of Virginia
Memberships:
- Institute of Transportation Engineers, Virginia Section
Awards:
- VTRC Wallace T. McKeel Award, 2017
- VTRC Jack H. Dillard Best Paper Award, "Systemic Evaluation of Wrong Way Driving Crashes and Countermeasures on Virginia’s Roads", (with E. Robartes and Hyun Cho), 2024
Current Projects
-
Use and Worker Perceptions of Wearable Lighted Apparel
Project No: 125841 -
Evaluating the Impact of Speed Safety Cameras in Interstate Work Zones
Project No: 125976 -
Evaluation of a Driver Alerting System for a Truck Mounted Attenuator
Project No: 123952
Reports
-
Evaluation of Adding Distance Information to Mainline Specific Service (Logo) Signs
Report No: 09-R17 -
Improving Night Work Zone Traffic Control
Report No: 00-R8 -
Determining the Effectiveness of Pavement Marking Materials
Report No: 01-R9 -
Evaluation of the Virginia Department of Transportation's Residential Traffic Calming Guide
Report No: 02-R15 -
Evaluation of Deer Warning Reflectors in Virginia
Report No: 03-TAR6 -
A Traffic Data Plan for Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Designs (2002 Pavement Design Guide)
Report No: 04-R3 -
Guidelines for Using Centerline Rumble Strips in Virginia
Report No: 05-R30 -
Guidelines for Developing Transportation Management Plans in Virginia
Report No: 05-R33 -
Pavement Marking Visibility Requirements During Wet Night Conditions
Report No: 07-CR7 -
Evaluation of the AutoFlagger in Virginia
Report No: 07-R12 -
Visibility of Steel Plates Used in Connection with Highway Repairs
Report No: 07-R16 -
Review of Operations in the Virginia Department of Transportation's Project Development Process
Report No: 07-R24 -
Evaluation of the Historic Triangle Wayfinding Sign System
Report No: 09-R12 -
Evaluation of Retroreflective Material on Stop Sign Posts in Virginia
Report No: 09-R23 -
Review of the Virginia Department of Transportation’s Truck Weight Data Plan for the Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide
Report No: 12-R4 -
Investigation of the Safety Effects of Edge and Centerline Markings on Narrow, Low-Volume Roads
Report No: 14-R3 -
Considerations for the Development of Work Zone Mobility Performance Measures and Thresholds for Virginia Freeways
Report No: 14-R6 -
A Benefit-Cost Analysis Tool for Assessing Guardrail Needs for Two-Lane Rural Roads in Virginia
Report No: 16-R5 -
Investigation of Truck Mounted Attenuator (TMA) Crashes in Work Zones in Virginia
Report No: 16-R7 -
Safety and Operations Guidance for Using Time-of-Day Protected-Permissive Left-Turn Phasing Using Flashing Yellow Arrows
Report No: 19-R10 -
Systemic Low-Cost Countermeasures for an Unsignalized Intersection Safety Improvement Plan for Virginia
Report No: 19-R5 -
Development of a Systemic Safety Improvement Plan for Two-Lane Rural Roads in Virginia
Report No: 21-R10 -
A Systemic Evaluation of Wrong Way Driving Crashes and Countermeasures on Virginia Roads
Report No: 25-R10 -
Evaluation of Post-Mounted Delineators and Curve Warning Message Markings Phase 1: Designing a Sampling Plan
Report No: 25-R20 -
Incident Management in Interstate Work Zones
Report No: 26-R13 -
Evaluation of Chevron Patterns for Use on Traffic Control Devices in Street and Highway Work Zones
Report No: 80-R32 -
The Development of Criteria for the Treatment of Right Turn Movements on Rural Roads
Report No: 81-R45 -
Comparative Analysis of Reflective Sheeting
Report No: 82-R22 -
Guidelines for the Design and Placement of Curb Ramps
Report No: 82-R46 -
Guidelines for Selecting Matching Techniques for Ride Sharing
Report No: 83-R18 -
Evaluation of Channelizing Devices for Work Zones: Type II Barricades and Chevron Panels
Report No: 83-R21 -
Benefits and Safety Impact of Night Work-Zone Activities
Report No: 85-R10 -
Guidelines for Exclusive/Permissive Left-turn Signal Phasing
Report No: 85-R19 -
Evaluation of Wide Edgelines on Two-lane Rural Roads
Report No: 85-R37 -
Innovative Routing and Scheduling Concepts for Transit Systems
Report No: 85-R4 -
Transit Operator Absenteeism
Report No: 86-R23 -
Field Evaluation of Highway Safety Hardware Maintenance Guidelines
Report No: 87-R17 -
Evaluation of Wide Edgelines on Two-lane Rural Roads
Report No: 87-R23 -
Evaluation of a Procedure for Reducing Vehicle-Tree Accidents
Report No: 87-R25 -
Evaluation of Site Plan Review Procedures
Report No: 88-R27 -
Temporary Asphalt Medians for Two-lane, Two-way Operation
Report No: 89-R24 -
Traffic Management Teams: A Description and Action Plan for Virginia
Report No: 89-TTR1 -
An Operating Guide for the Control of Residential Cut-through Traffic
Report No: 90-TAR3 -
Review of Paved Shoulders
Report No: 90-TAR7 -
Using the Traffic Monitoring Guide to Develop a Truck Weight Sampling Procedure for Use in Virginia: Final Report
Report No: 92-R17 -
Evaluation of Weigh-in-Motion Systems
Report No: 92-R8 -
Evaluation of the International Barrier Corporation's Mark VII Median Barrier
Report No: 93-R1 -
The Avoidance of Weigh Stations in Virginia by Overweight Trucks
Report No: 93-R2 -
Evaluation of a Movable Concrete Barrier System
Report No: 94-R10 -
Guidelines for the Use of No U-turn and No Left-turn Signs
Report No: 95-R5 -
Evaluation of the Use of Strobe Lights in the Red Lens of Traffic Signals
Report No: 95-TAR5 -
Using All-way Stop Control for Residential Traffic Management
Report No: 96-R17 -
Investigation of the Impact of Snow Removal Activities on Pavement Markings in Virginia
Report No: 96-R3 -
Evaluation of Pavement Markings for Improved Visibility During Wet Night Conditions
Report No: 96-R33 -
Evaluation of Urethane and Carbide-tipped Blades on Wheel-supported Snow Plows
Report No: 97-R10 -
Assessment of Advanced Warning Signs for Flagging Operations
Report No: 99-R20
Team Membership
Last updated: October 4, 2025
