Vig Krishnamurthy: Project Portfolio (August 2012)

krishnamurthy

transportation planning, engineering and design

project portfolio

| Cambridge, MA | 02139, USA | 617-942-0686 | [email protected]

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With a background in urban planning and transportation science, my goal is to help integrate policy objectives for sustainable cities at the global scale, through the daily practice of transportation planning, engineering and design at the project scale.

My interests and experience are strongest in the areas of bicycle infrastructure, walkability, the role of land-use planning and urban design on travel behavior, multi-modal integration at public transit stations, and new metrics to support allocating space to efficient and sustainable travel modes.

Transportation systems should do more than just support movement in the city: through good design I aspire to help create transportation infrastructure that provides accessibility, enhances liveability, and creates memorable urban places.

This portfolio showcases my work at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and in the professional realm toward realizing these goals in cities in the United States and Asia. These samples represent my independent work, from start to finish, including graphics and layout.

vig krishnamurthy

mumbai skywalks 4

driven to congestion 8

mode shift 12

boston 2030 16

to kwa wan streetscape plan 18

mobility on demand 20

| Cambridge, MA | 02139, USA | 617-942-0686 | [email protected]

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This study provided an independent evaluation of the elevated pedestrian “skywalk” program to relieve congestion at train stations in Mumbai, India. My work involved developing and implementing a plan to collect pedestrian and traffic data, and displaying the results in a publication-ready report for EMBARQ. By using Level of Service concepts, GIS network analysis, and contrasting the importance of accessibility versus just mobility, I demonstrated how the skywalks have fallen short of their objectives and go under-utilized.

The complete 40-page report is available online: http://web.mit.edu/vig/Public/skywalk_nov2011_print.pdf

mumbai skywalksEMBARQ: The WRI Centre for Sustainable Transport in India— Summer 2010

data collection | analysis | communication

Pedestrian DensityDespite the construction of the skywalks at Bandra significant congestion persists at the station exits and pedestrian densities on the street remain very high. Usage of the skywalks even at peak times falls far below the flow projections used to justify and design the facilities.

walks has signi�cantly bene�ted a few while the majority still face congestion at the station exit. The observation results suggest that the skywalks have been over-built or are being under-used.

12 PEOPLE 4 PEOPLE

STATION EXIT SKYWALKPEAK

STREET SKYWALKOFF PEAK

2-3 PEOPLE 1-2 PEOPLE

12 PEOPLE 4 PEOPLE




LOS E 1.6m2/person LOS B 5m2/person

LOS A 7m2/person LOS A 10m2/person

When the highest observed �ows on the skywalks occurred (4650 people/hour on the eastern arm and 2800 on the western arm) space on the skywalk was su�cient to maintain low pedestrian density and achieve LOS A. In order for these skywalks to reach the low-

end of their target design density (LOS C), pedestrian use would need to increase by 25-65% at peak-times and by more than 200% during the o�-peak. Although low densities surely help make the experience of those using skywalks pleasant, the investment in sky-

Overconstructed?Although the skywalks are wider at the top than bottom their footprint in the street is not insigni�cant. Therefore, constructing footpaths equally wide as the skywalk plinth is an alternate approach that dedi-cates the same amount of scarce space in the street to pedestrians, but that incurs a fraction of the infrastructure and future mainte-nance costs. Based on pedestrian �ows observed on the skywalks, during o�-peak times pedestrian LOS A could still be achieved had such sidewalks been constructed instead of skywalks. In peak peri-ods the narrower sidewalks would perform slightly more poorly than the wider skywalks, however, this alternative would still achieve the desired target of LOS C to LOS D.

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Pedestrian DensityDespite the construction of the skywalks at Bandra significant congestion persists at the station exits and pedestrian densities on the street remain very high. Usage of the skywalks even at peak times falls far below the flow projections used to justify and design the facilities.

walks has signi�cantly bene�ted a few while the majority still face congestion at the station exit. The observation results suggest that the skywalks have been over-built or are being under-used.

12 PEOPLE 4 PEOPLE




12 PEOPLE 4 PEOPLE




LOS E 1.6m2/person LOS B 5m2/person

LOS A 7m2/person LOS A 10m2/person

When the highest observed �ows on the skywalks occurred (4650 people/hour on the eastern arm and 2800 on the western arm) space on the skywalk was su�cient to maintain low pedestrian density and achieve LOS A. In order for these skywalks to reach the low-

end of their target design density (LOS C), pedestrian use would need to increase by 25-65% at peak-times and by more than 200% during the o�-peak. Although low densities surely help make the experience of those using skywalks pleasant, the investment in sky-

Overconstructed?Although the skywalks are wider at the top than bottom their footprint in the street is not insigni�cant. Therefore, constructing footpaths equally wide as the skywalk plinth is an alternate approach that dedi-cates the same amount of scarce space in the street to pedestrians, but that incurs a fraction of the infrastructure and future mainte-nance costs. Based on pedestrian �ows observed on the skywalks, during o�-peak times pedestrian LOS A could still be achieved had such sidewalks been constructed instead of skywalks. In peak peri-ods the narrower sidewalks would perform slightly more poorly than the wider skywalks, however, this alternative would still achieve the desired target of LOS C to LOS D.

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comparison of LOS on street and on skywalk

This diagram shows one-minute contours of walking time away from the centre of Bandra Station that have been drawn using com-puter software. Each one-minute contour represents a 75m distance, which is based on an average walk-ing speed of 4.5km/hr.

The contours in the diagram (right) are based on taking the shortest path from Bandra Station to all places using the streets only.

!Ã

0 100 200 300 40050Meters

3 min

5 min7 min

3 min

9 min

4 min

6 min

4 min

6 min8 min

10 min

8 min

2 min 10 min

9 min

4 min

5 min

7 min

5 min

8 min

Sidewalking vs. SkywalkingThe skywalk system operates as a limited access network with only a few points of transfer to the wider street network. As a result, other than when traveling to/from destinations right along the sky-walk path, walking times using the skywalk are longer than via the most direct path on the ground. As a result, the accessibility to space within a 10-minute walking budget from the station is visibly quite a bit smaller when using the skywalks. The smaller reach of the skywalk network can explain in part why so many people still continue to access the station at street level.

Street & Sidewalk Network

!Ã Bandra Station

Æý Skywalk Access

Streets

1 minute

2 minutes

3 minutes

4 minutes

5 minutes

6 minutes

7 minutes

8 minutes

9 minutes

10 minutes

Suburban Railway

Skywalks

Rickshaw/Taxi Transfer

Bus Transfer !Ã Bandra Station

Æý Skywalk Access

Streets

3 minutes

4 minutes

5 minutes

6 minutes

7 minutes

8 minutes

9 minutes

10 minutes

Suburban Railway

Skywalks

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sample report page: GIS travel time analysis

3580

18801700

1430

930

4230

MID OVERBRIDGE

NORTH OVERBRIDGE

STATION

4730

20001090

3560

1910

880580

SKYWALK

SKYW

ALK

3830

2460

2350

630

TO WESTERN HIGHWAY

TO BKC

TO JAMA MASJID

TO LIBRARY

10301330

960

2870

120

COURTHOUSE

1560500

note: hourly �ows values are based on 10-15 minute interval counts

The majority of pedestrians entering and exiting the station

do not use the skywalk This diagram shows hourly pedestrian �ows on the skywalks and on the ground level (including walking in the road) in the vicinity of Bandra Station during the afternoon peak hour.�ow away from station1200 �ow toward station

1700

20

sample report page: pedestrian flow counts

LICENSEDVENDORS

LICENSEDVENDORS

AUTO RICKSHAW

AUTORICKSHAWBUS ONLY BUS ONLY

8.26.5’ 11.5 11.5 11.5 9.26.5 6.5

SIDEWALK SIDEWALK

Informal vending activity is al-lowed but regulated, and any new extensions onto new sidewalks are strictly prohibited. A compromise is reached between the dual role of the street as a ‘place to go to’ and a ‘space to go through.’’

Public transport and IPT are priori-tized as high capacity modes and are allocated dedicated lanes to reduce delays and make the most

-ing to the station. Static uses of space like vehicle parking are not allowed

The existing amount of space be-ing used formally for skywalk foun-dations and informally for walking in the street is consolidated in to well-maintained sidewalks

Alternate Vision A redesign that prioritizes putting people first

alternative street section at GN Road near Bandra Station

This design provides a similar allocation of space to pedestrians, vehicles and vendors as does the current skywalk scenario (left). However, safety, comfort, speed and capacity are all increased.

33right: proposed alternate street section of GN Road near Bandra Train Station

left: existing street section of GN Road near Bandra Train Station

WALKING IN STREET

WALKING IN STREET

SIDEW

ALK

SIDEWALK

OBSTRUCTED SIDEWALK

PARKING &VENDORS

PARKING & VENDORS

PARKING TRAFFIC TRAFFIC OBSTRUCTED SIDEWALK

5.96.5’ 4.9 9.8 5.9 9.8 9.83.6 4.9 2.6 9.2

Redesigning the Right of WayThe existing design has all the ingredients of a complete street, however the assembly is poor with many elements fragmented into slivers and priority for different modes poorly demarcated.

Existing Skywalks

current street section at GN Road near Bandra Station

Walking was observed to organically spread out in the road until pedestrian density reached a LOS C. Though this is a comfortable density and the target for the skywalks, the walking experience is dangerous since and the claim to being in the street tenuous.

Parking is of low economic value and is

demands for moving people in and out of a bustling station are so high.

Although vending activity con-

right of way, shopping provides a strong amenity value for pedestri-ans and increases the attractive-ness of walking by allowing people to combine getting from A to B with accomplishing personal tasks

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The current crisis of aging and ailing highway structures in the United States presents a momentous opportunity to reassess the need and purpose of such infrastructure. The nation faces a new type of infrastructure scenario to consider: the ‘de-build.’ There is interest, need and opportunity to reconceptualize these facilities both to improve the sustainability of the transportation system and to serve as a catalyst for neighborhood regeneration and revitalization.

In my thesis, the McGrath Highway in Somerville, MA is used as a case study to discuss how there is a serious risk that the potential to reconceptualize highways will be heavily impaired by a transportation and land use planning process still dominated by the tools, methods and assumptions, political biases, procedural shortcomings, and instilled human behaviors of the first highway-building era.

To avoid this risk, corridor reconceptualization need not be a confrontation between the automobile and prioritizing other values. Instead, this thesis demonstrates how considering mitigation actions for inevitable construction disruptions to motorists as well as undertaking basic remedies to rectify the deficiencies of highway designs for other users can be a strategy to rapidly establish more liveable streets as a new normal.

The suggested approach has attracted the attention of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, and strategies in the thesis are being considered for implementation as part of the state’s Accelerated Bridge Program work on McGrath Highway.

“driven to congestion”Master’s Thesis (MS, MCP) — Spring 2012Supervisor: Fred P Salvucci

policy analysis | applied research | implementation

CYCLE OF CONGESTION

build capacity

political will to build auto

infrastructuremore drivers

congestion

lock-in

reduced transit competitiveness

declining transit ridership

declining political will to improve transit

temporary congestion

relief

pressure to reduce

congestion

more powerful auto constituency

Automobile Use Transit UseUSER EQUILIBRIUM

UE’

SOCIALOPTIMUM

transit

road

improvetransit

TRANSIT INVESTMENT AS A TECHNOLOGICAL SOLUTION TO THE TRAGEDY OF EXPANDING THE CONCRETE COMMONS

“The initial growth of the car in the city may have been an unplanned and exogenous expression of consumer demand for motorized mobility. However, the initial growth story rapidly became a self-enforcing process through the impacts of the car and car-oriented philosophy on urban design, zoning, metropolitan decentralization, suburban development patterns, individual travel choice and the political will. But, this series of outcomes did not need to be necessarily so.

The growth of auto-mobility was more than preference accommodating; government intervention in the form of road building, alongside the failure to maintain transit or an alternative transforming opportunity, created lock-in and was preference-shaping. The political tragedy of expanding the “concrete commons” is that public transit as an alternative vision of more sustainable growth is overwhelmed by the majority status of the auto and its supporting interests.

The design impacts of roads and freeways on walkability, as well as the impact of an expanding and increasingly auto-oriented transportation system on individual decision-making, locked-in behavior and political intersts. This very lock-in helped generate political will to further expand the road system by creating worsening traffic conditions and also a large and agitated constituency who rely on the automobile as a necessity for accomplishing life activities.

To ahcieve change, strategies now need to focus on how short-term actions and managing the process of project implementation can help generate the political will necessary to begin reversing the congestion cycle by investing in transit and active transport.”

415 1453 49

415

450

h 587v/s = 0.17

hP 120

237

O

O

458

21 121P

h

h

341v/s = 0.2 h 341

h P

26 188 77

southboundW

estbound

northbound

McGrath Highway @

Washington St

Eastbound

critical movement

578

1502v/s =0.43

McGrath @ Washington StCritical Lane Analysis and

Potential Signal Timing

Signal timing analysis for potetnial re-design of the Washington St/ McGrath Highway intersection as an at-grade facility

Proposed re-design of intersection showing reclaimed space hatched in red

108 second cycle

McGrath @ Washington StChannelization Modifications and

Proposed Signal PhasingPHASE 2: Eastbound

33 secondsPHASE 2: Southbound / North

56 seconds

PHASE 2: Westbound30 seconds

108 second cycle




56 seconds


108 second cycle




56 seconds


!!!! ! !!"#$%!!"#$%&!!"#!!"#$#!%&!!""#$!%!!!! ! !"#$%"#&'(!!"#$!!"#$!!! ! !!!" ! !"#$#!%&!!!!!!!!"#$% ! ! !"# ! !!"#$!!"#$!

!!!!

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!"!#$!!"#$! !! ! !!

!! !!!!!

!!!!

!! !"#!!"#$%&!!

!!"##$!!"#$!!!"#!! !! !! !! ! !!!! ! green time Southbound = 52 seconds green time Westbound = 24 seconds green time Eastbound = 21 seconds !

Diagram showing how limited-access configuration of the McGrath highway concentrates traffic and inhibits neighborhood connectivity

STRAINED / OVERUSED MOVESeastbound left @ washington st

CONFUSED / UNDERUTILIZED MOVESeastbound left @ somerville ave via tunnel

Westbound from McGrath Northbound

STRAINED / OVERUSED MOVESnorthbound left @ washington st

UNAVAILABLE MOVEMENTSnorhtbound left @ somerville ave

Inner Belt & Sullivan Sqfrom the west

STRAINED / OVERUSED MOVESeastbound through @ washington st

CONFUSED / UNDERUTILIZED MOVESeastbound left @ somerville ave via tunnel(to washington st)

UNAVAILABLE MOVEMENTSeastbound through @ somerville ave to poplar st(accss to washington st via joy st & inner belt rd)

McGrath Corridor Traffic PatternsTraffic Concentration By Design

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In the mode shift studio I worked in collaboration with City of Boston bicycle planning staff and local bicycling stakeholders to propose a specific intervention for the city. This project focused on Summer St in Downtown Crossing, which lies as a missing link between the city’s 19th Century Olmstead Emerald Necklace park system and the Rose Kennedy Greenway of the 21st century.

Summer St (existing section) Summer St (short-term alternative)

mode shiftMIT Urban Systems Studio — Spring 2010Supervisor: Professor Eran Ben Joseph

11’ 5’ 12’ 3’ 12’ 8’ 12’12’ 22’ 22’ 9’

corridor planning | design | placemaking

Summer St (future vision)

we’re not just for hipsters...even this guy

all cyclists welcome!

vintage queen

you!

mountain man retro girl

Join the mailing list today! http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/duspedals Join a Ride, Suggest a Ride, Lead a Ride!

DUSPedals is your group to get geard up with people who want to ride bikes to explore urban spaces!

We focus on fun bike rides to interesting parts of the city, and often with a delicious food establishment at our destination.

contact: [email protected]

DOWNTOWN BOSTONSTREET TYPOLOGIES

THROUGH STREET 35ʼ

left: building on the momentum of the ModeShift studio, I started DUSPedals: a club at MIT to organize monthly bike rides to encourage a diversity of people to enjoy cycling in the city as a social and recreational activity.

right: before selecting Summer Street for further study and design, I conducted a typology study of downtown Boston streets to systematically understand their form, function, and potential to be retrofitted with better cycling and walking facilities.

DOWNTOWN BOSTONSUMMER STREET BICYCLE LANE DESIGN OPTIONS

EXISTING CONFIGURATION

- 2 WAY TRAFFIC- LOADING ZONES

OPTION 1BICYCLE LANES

- 2 WAY TRAFFIC- LOADING ZONES (LAY-BY) - 5ʼ BIKE LANES

OPTION 2AONE WAY WITH CYCLE TRACK

- 1 WAY TRAFFIC (EB)- 2 LOADING ZONES - 2 WAY BUFFERED CYCLE TRACK

OPTION 2BONE WAY WITH CYCLE TRACK

- 1 WAY TRAFFIC (EB)- 2 LOADING ZONES (EB AND WB)- 2 WAY BUFFERED CYCLE TRACK

OPTION 2CONE WAY WITH CYCLE TRACK

- 1 WAY TRAFFIC (EB)- 1 LOADING ZONE (EB)- 2 WAY BUFFERED CYCLE TRACK- ENHANCED STREETSCAPE

OPTION 4ONE WAY WITH LINEAR PARK

- 1 WAY TRAFFIC (EB)- 1 LOADING ZONE (EB)- 20ʼ WALK AND BIKE ʻWOONERFʼ

VIG KRISHNAMURTHY EUGENE LEE

1ʼ : 10 FEET

0 5 10 20 40

DOWNTOWN BOSTONSTREET MORPHOLOGY

STATE ST CONGRESS ST TREMONT ST WASHINGTON ST MILK ST FRANKLIN ST

1ʼ : 20 FEET

0 5 10 20 40

VIG KRISHNAMURTHY EUGENE LEE

right: initial development of cross section options for Summer Street in downtown Boston

*precedent image from WaterfrontToronto.ca

*precedent image from WaterfrontToronto.ca

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This independent project involved using GIS to develop two future 2030 land use scenarios for the greater Boston Region (transit oriented development & ‘greenbelt’), and then modeling their outcomes using TransCAD and CUBE software packages. Impacts on trip generation, trip distri-bution, mode choice and travel assignment were analyzed and visualized in comparison to the Boston MPO regional plan as a base case.

boston 2030Urban Transportation Modeling — Spring 2010Supervisor: Professor Mikel Murga

transport modeling | data analysis | GIS

left: visualization of trip distribution results of various scenarios

RATIO OF HBW TRIP PRODUCTIONS TO TRIP ATTRACTIONS

sample report page: traffic assignment results of TOD scenario

AM AssignmentVisualization of the AM traffic flows and V/C ratios shows patterns in level of service and traffic distribution that are very similar to those in Boston today: expressway links are the most heavily used; links into the core of Boston such as I-93 are the most congested ones in the AM; and, links connecting Route 128 with Lowell and Lawrence experience significant pressure as well.

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to kwa wan streetscape planMIT Hong Kong Planning Studio — Spring 2011Supervisor: Professor Tunney Lee

This ‘planning practicum’ involved working together with community stakeholders to develop a neighborhood streetscape plan to support the regeneration of the post-industrial To Kwa Wan neighborhood into a local artist hub. The work involved developing prototypical street sections, specific interventions around two new planned subway stations, and strategies to integrate with the planned-unit redevelopment (PUD) of the former Kai Tak airport immediately to the north of the site.

neighborhood scale | community engagement

CATTLE DEPOT TO WATERFRONTFROM KAI TAKFROM PEDESTRIAN MALLFROM FOOD STREETS FROM MTR

18m

14

ALONG MA TAU KOK ROAD: ENHANCING THE GATEWAYS TO CATTLE DEPOT

1. TAM KUNG ROAD

FUTURE POTENTIAL

EXISTING CONDITION 7

TAM KUNG ROAD


3

18m

15

PAK TAI STREETFUTURE POTENTIAL


2. PAK TAI STREETTO KAI TAK

TO METRO PARK

MTR

MTR

FERRY PIER

CATTLE DEPOT

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and re-envision the use of road space all over To -

ing on some key links can start to build a network that builds on the opportunity created by new MTR stations. Improvements on these initial links

arts hub and also make connections with the revi-talizing waterfront and Kai Tak. The paths shown will also draw pedestrians (and their wallets)

variety of ‘food streets,’ therefore supporting and enhancing the vitality of local business.

PROPOSAL: OPEN SPACE AND PEDESTRIAN CIRCULATION

proposed To Kwa Wan neighborhood pedestrian zone concept


18m

14

ALONG MA TAU KOK ROAD: ENHANCING THE GATEWAYS TO CATTLE DEPOT

1. TAM KUNG ROAD

FUTURE POTENTIAL


TAM KUNG ROAD

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mobility on demand MIT Planning Workshop — Fall 2009Supervisor: Professor William J Mitchell

As part of a team of student consultants to the developers of a planned 250-acre live-work movie studio in Massachusetts, I helped develop a plan for integrating future mobility on the site using prototype electric vehicles developed by the MIT Media Lab. The work involved estimating the demand for intra-site mobility, proposing a set of station locations for a one-way ‘mobility on demand’ concept, and suggesting the initial mix of GreenWheel bicycles, RoboScooters, and CityCars to be deployed at the stations.

site scale | future mobility

Station Locations

right: GIS network analysis of catchment areas for proposed station locations

above: Outline of the electric CityCar developed by MIT Media Lab

diagram of proposed station locations and shared vehcile mix

Vig Krishnamurthy: Project Portfolio (August 2012)

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