VTRC Home About VTRC Staff Ben.Cottrell

Benjamin H. Cottrell, Jr., P.E.

Associate 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

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
Incident Management in Complex Work Zones
Project No: 126017
Evaluation of a Driver Alerting System for a Truck Mounted Attenuator
Project No: 123952
Evaluation of Post Mounted Delineators and Curve Warning Message Markings
Project No: 124130
Factors Influencing Pedestrian Decisions to Cross Mid-Block and Potential Countermeasures
Project No: 120980
A Systemic Evaluation of Wrong Way Driving Crashes and Countermeasures on VDOT Roadways
Project No: 121990

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
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
Evaluation of a Video Image Detection System
Report No: 94-R22
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

Benjamin H. Cottrell, Jr., P.E.

Ben.Cottrell@VDOT.Virginia.gov

(434) 293-1932

Team Membership

Safety, Operations, and Traffic Engineering

Last updated: July 11, 2024