Wayne State University

Aim Higher

Profile

Peter Savolainen

Photo for Peter Savolainen
Associate Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering
313-577-9950 (Phone)
Education

BSCE - 2002, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI

MSCE - 2004, Ph.D. - 2006, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN

Courses Taught
  • CE 4600: Transportation Engineering
  • CE 7080: Civil Engineering Research Methods
  • CE 7600: Highway Safety and Risk Management
  • CE 7630: Urban Transportation Planning
  • CE 7640: Economic Analysis of Transportation Systems 
Research Interests
  • Traffic Operations and Safety
  • Pedestrians, Bicyclists, and Motorcycles
  • Traveler Behavior and Transportation Survey Methods
  • Statistical and Econometric Methods of Data Analysis
Research Group

Transportation Research Group

Research Projects

  1. “Evaluation of Innovative Emergency Vehicle Alert System”, E-Light, LLC, $16,966, (PI), May 2007 – September 2007.
  2. “Education and Enforcement in Focus City Pedestrian Safety Efforts”, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), $488,680, (Co-PI [50%]), September 2007 – September 2010.
  3. “2008 Direct Observation Surveys of Safety Belt Use”, Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning (OHSP), $141,791, (Co-PI [50%]), October 2007 – September 2008.
  4. “Developing a Vehicle Infrastructure Integration (VII) Course”, United States Department of Transportation and Michigan Department of Transportation (Michigan-Ohio University Transportation Center), $18,000, (Co-PI [50%]), January 2008 – May 2009.
  5. “Investigation of Emergency Vehicle Crashes in the State of Michigan”, United States Department of Transportation (NEXTRANS University Transportation Center), $24,954, (PI), August 2008 – August 2009.
  6. “2009 Direct Observation Surveys of Safety Belt Use”, Michigan OHSP, $213,734, (Co-PI [50%]), October 2008 – September 2009.
  7. “2009 Direct Observation Surveys of Booster Seat Use”, Michigan OHSP, $81,555, (PI [50%]), October 2008 – September 2009.
  8. “2009 Direct Observation Surveys of Child Restraint Device Use and Misuse”, Michigan OHSP, $79,093, (Co-PI [50%]), October 2008 – September 2009.
  9. “Using Detector Data to Identify and Examine Crashes and Incidents on Freeways”, United States Department of Transportation (NEXTRANS University Transportation Center), $24,966, (PI), August 2009 – August 2010.
  10. “2010 Direct Observation Surveys of Safety Belt Use”, Michigan OHSP, $168,054, (Co-PI [50%]), October 2009 – September 2010.
  11. “2010 Direct Observation Surveys of Booster Seat Use”, Michigan OHSP, $68,449, (PI [50%]), October 2009 – September 2010.
  12. “Improving Driver's Ability to Safely and Effectively Use Roundabouts:  Educating the Public to Negotiate Roundabouts”, Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), $199,649 (PI [33%]), November 2009 – March 2011.
  13. “The Effect of Work Zone Drum Steady Burn Warning Lights on Motorist Safety”, MDOT, $200,000, (Co-PI [33%]), November 2010 – December 2011.
  14. “Impact of Non-Freeway Rumble Strips - Phase I”, MDOT, $262,830, (Co-PI [33%]), June 2010 – June 2012.
  15. “Examining Traffic Incident Impacts on Detroit Area Freeways”, United States Department of Transportation (NEXTRANS University Transportation Center), $25,000, (PI), August 2010 – August 2011.
  16. “Direct Observation of Child Restraint and Booster Seat Use”, Michigan OHSP, $128,891, (PI [50%]), October 2010 – September 2011.
  17. “Supplementary Funding for 2010 Direct Observation of Safety Belt Use Report Preparation”, Michigan OHSP, $9,140, (Co-PI [50%]), October 2010 – September 2011.
  18. “Safe Routes to School”, Michigan Fitness Foundation, $190,000 (Co-PI [33%]), October 2010 – September 2011.
  19. “Installation of Rectangular Rapid Flash Beacons at a Wayne State University Campus Location”, Detroit Department of Health and Wellness Promotion, $17,143, (PI), October 2010 to November 2010.
  20. “Evaluating the Appropriate Level of Service for Michigan Rest Areas and Welcome Centers Considering Safety and Economic Factors”, MDOT, $183,181, (Co-PI [33%]), May 2011 to April 2012.
  21. “Timing Issues for Traffic Signals Interconnected with Highway-Railroad Grade Crossings”, MDOT, $89,758, (Co-PI [33%]), August 2011 to July 2012.
  22. “Study of High Tension Cable Barrier on Michigan Roadways”, MDOT, $223,898, (PI [33%]), October 2011 to September 2014.
  23. “Transportation Reliability and Trip Satisfaction”, MDOT, $172,901, (Co-PI [33%]), October 2011 to September 2012.
  24. “Commercial Motor Vehicle Direct Observation Survey”, Michigan OHSP, $81,942, (Co-PI [33%]), August 2011 to September 2012.
  25. “Safe Routes to School: FY 2012”, Michigan Fitness Foundation, $188,263 (Co-PI [33%]), October 2011 – June 2012.
  26. “Work Zone Safety Grant”, Federal Highway Administration, $1,991,171 (Co-PI [30%]), October 2011 – September 2014.
  27. “Update of 2008 Strategic Highway Safety Plan”, Michigan OHSP, $60,000 (PI [33%]), October 2011 – September 2012.
  28. “Roadside Corridor Planning”, MDOT, $190,000 (Co-PI [25%]), June 2012 – June 2013.
  29. “GIS Database Assessment for the City of Wixom, Michigan”, City of Wixom, $208,000 (Co-PI [33%]), June 2012 – September 2016.
  30. “2012 Direct Observation Surveys of Safety Belt and Helmet Use”, Michigan OHSP, $180,000 (PI [50%]), October 2012 – September 2013.
  31. “Direct Observation Study for Child Restraint Devices and Booster Seats Use and Misuse Rates in Michigan”, Michigan OHSP, $114,000 (PI [50%]), October 2012 – September 2013.
  32. “Safe Routes to School: FY 2013”, Michigan Fitness Foundation, $60,000 (Co-PI [33%]), October 2012 – September 2013.
  33. “Evaluation of Non-Freeway Rumble Strips – Phase II”, Michigan Department of Transportation, $250,000 (Co-PI [33%]), March 2013 – September 2014.
  34. “Evaluating Differential and Non-Differential Freeway Truck and Bus Speed Limits”, Michigan Department of Transportation, $175,061 (PI [50%]), February 2013 – May 2014.
  35. “Balancing the Costs of Mobility Investments in Work Zones”, Michigan Department of Transportation, $250,000 (PI [33%]), May 2013 – May 2015.
  36. “Michigan Urban Trunkline Intersections Safety Performance Function (SPFs)”, Michigan Department of Transportation, $250,000 (PI [50%]), October 2013 – September 2015.
  37. “Michigan Urban Trunkline Segments Safety Performance Function (SPFs)”, Michigan Department of Transportation, $250,000 (PI [50%]), March 2014 – September 2015.
Publications
  1. Savolainen P. and A. Tarko, “Safety Impacts at Intersections on Curved Segments,” Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, No. 1908, Transportation Research Board of the National Academies, Washington, DC, 2005, pp. 130-140. [Pub Cited: 15 times]
  2. Savolainen P. and F. Mannering, “Probabilistic Models of Motorcyclists’ Injury Severities in Single- and Multi-Vehicle Crashes,” Accident Analysis and Prevention, Vol. 39, No. 5, pp. 955-963, 2007. [Pub Cited: 80 times]
  3. Savolainen P. and F. Mannering,  “Additional Evidence on the Effectiveness of Motorcycle Training and Motorcyclists’ Risk-Taking Behavior,” Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board No. 2031, Transportation Research Board of the National Academies, Washington, DC, 2007, pp. 52-58. [Pub Cited: 21 times]
  4. Savolainen P. and I. Ghosh, “Examination of Factors Affecting Driver Injury Severity in Michigan Single-Vehicle-Deer Crashes,” Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board No. 2078, Transportation Research Board of the National Academies, Washington, DC, 2008, pp. 17-25. [Pub Cited: 1 time]
  5. Schneider, W., Savolainen, P., and K. Zimmerman, “Examination of Driver Injury Severity Resulting from Single-Vehicle Crashes Along Horizontal Curves on Rural Two-Lane Highways”, Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board No. 2102, Transportation Research Board of the National Academies , Washington, DC, 2009, pp. 85-92. [Pub Cited: 4 times]
  6. Gates, T.J., Datta, T.K., Savolainen, P.T. and N. Buck,  “Evaluation of a Pedestrian Safety Educational Program for Elementary and Middle School Children”.  Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board No. 2140, Transportation Research Board of the National Academies, Washington, DC, 2009, pp. 120-127. [Pub Cited: 1 time]
  7. Savolainen, P.T., Datta, T.K., Ghosh, I., and T.J. Gates, “Effects of Dynamically Activated Emergency Vehicle Warning Sign on Driver Behavior at Urban Intersections”, Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board No. 2149, Transportation Research Board of the National Academies, Washington, D.C., 2010, pp. 77-83.
  8. Schneider, W.H., Savolainen, P.T., and D.N. Moore, “Examining Effects of Horizontal Curvature on Single-Vehicle Motorcycle Crashes Along Rural Two-Lane Highways”, Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board No. 2194, Transportation Research Board of the National Academies, Washington, D.C., 2010, pp. 91-98.
  9. Gates, T.J., Savolainen, P.T., Datta, T.K., and N. Buck, “Effect of Pedestrian Safety Retraining for Elementary and Middle School Students”, Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board No. 2198, Transportation Research Board of the National Academies, Washington, D.C., 2010, pp. 145-151.
  10. Moore, D.N., Schneider, W.H., Savolainen, P.T., and M. Farzaneh, “Mixed Logit Analysis of Bicyclist Injury Severity Resulting from Motor Vehicle Crashes at Intersection and Non-Intersection Locations”, Accident Analysis and Prevention, Vol. 43, No. 3, 2011, pp. 621-630. [Pub Cited: 7 times]
  11. Savolainen, P.T., Mannering, F.L., Lord, D., and M.A. Quddus, “The Statistical Analysis of Highway Crash-Injury Severities: A Review and Assessment of Methodological Alternatives”, Accident Analysis and Prevention, Vol. 43, No. 5, 2011, pp. 1666-1676. [Pub Cited: 14 times]
  12. Gates, T.J., Savolainen, P.T., Datta, T.K., and P. Nannapaneni, “Nighttime Luminance Comparison of Work Zone Channelizing Drums With and Without Steady Burn Warning Lights”, Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board No. 2258, Transportation Research Board of the National Academies, Washington, D.C., 2011, pp. 16-24.
  13. Gates, T.J., Savolainen, P.T., Datta, T.K., and P. Nannapaneni, “Evaluation of Driver Behavior Impacts Associated with the Use of Steady Burn Warning Lights on Channelizing Drums in Work Zones”, Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board No. 2258, Transportation Research Board of the National Academies, Washington, D.C., 2011, pp. 25-31.
  14. Schneider, W.H. and P.T. Savolainen, “Comparison of Severity of Motorcyclist Injury by Crash Types”, Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board No. 2265, Transportation Research Board of National Academies, Washington, D.C., 2011, pp. 70-80.
  15. Savolainen, P.T., Gates, T.J., and T.K. Datta, “Implementation of Targeted Pedestrian Traffic Enforcement Programs in an Urban Environment”, Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board No. 2265, Transportation Research Board of the National Academies, Washington, D.C., 2011, pp. 137-145.
  16. Schneider, W.H., Savolainen, P.T., Van Boxel, D. and R. Beverley, “Examination of Factors Determining Fault in Motorcycle-involved Crashes”, Accident Analysis and Prevention, Vol. 45, 2012, pp. 669-676.
  17. Ghosh, I., Savolainen, P.T., and T.J. Gates, “Examination of Factors Affecting Freeway Incident Clearance Times: A Comparison of the Generalized F Model and Several Alternative Nested Models”, Journal of Advanced Transportation, 2012, in press.
  18. Gates, T.J., Savolainen, P.T., Datta, T.K., Todd, R.G., and J.G. Morena, “Impacts of Centerline and Shoulder Rumble Strips on Driver Behavior and Traffic Operations”, Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, Transportation Research Board of the National Academies, Washington, D.C., 2012, in press.
  19. Savolainen, P.T., Gates, T.J., Todd, R.G., Datta, T.K., and J.G. Morena, “Assessing the Influence of Centerline Rumble Strips on Motor Vehicle Lateral Placement when Passing Bicyclists”, Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, Transportation Research Board of the National Academies, Washington, D.C., 2012, in press.
  20. Savolainen, P.T., Kawa, J., and T.J. Gates, “Examining Statewide Public Perceptions of Roundabouts through a Web-Based Survey”, Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, Transportation Research Board of the National Academies, Washington, D.C., 2012, in press.
  21. Gates, T.J., P.T. Savolainen, T.K. Datta, and R.G. Todd, “Economic Assessment of Public Rest Areas and Traveler Information Centers on Limited Access Freeways”, Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, 2013, accepted.
  22. Todd, R.G., T.J. Gates, and P.T. Savolainen, “Evaluating Traveler Preferences and Values for Public Rest Areas”, Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, 2013, accepted.
  23. McArthur, A., J.J. Kay, P.T. Savolainen, and T.J. Gates, “The Effects of Public Rest Areas on Fatigue-Related Crashes”, Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, 2013, accepted.
Professional Affiliations
  • American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
  • American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE)
  • Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)
  • Michigan Traffic Records Coordinating Committee (TRCC)
  • Transportation Research Board (TRB) Motorcycles and Mopeds Committee

 

Papers and Conferences
  1. Savolainen, P.T., Reddy, V., Santos, J.B., and T.K. Datta, “Evaluation of High Friction Pavement Surface Treatment”, Proceedings of the 88th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board, Washington, DC, 2009.
  2. Savolainen, P.T., McAvoy, D., Reddy, V., Santos, J.B., and T.K. Datta, “Evaluation of Motorist Awareness System”, Proceedings of the 88th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board, Washington, DC, 2009.
  3. McAvoy, D., Savolainen, P.T., Reddy, V., Santos, J.B., and T.K. Datta, “Evaluation of Temporary Removable Rumble Strips for Speed Reduction”, Proceedings of the 88th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board, Washington, DC, 2009.
  4. Savolainen, P.T. and T.K. Datta, “Evaluation of an Emergency Vehicle Alert System”, Proceedings of the 88th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board, Washington, DC, 2009.
  5. Savolainen, P.T., Datta, T.K., Gates, T.J., Ghosh, I., Dey, K., and T. Karra, “Assessment of Pilot Pedestrian Enforcement Programs in the City of Detroit”, Proceedings from the 89th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board, Washington, DC, 2010.
  6. Savolainen, P.T., Gates, T.J., and T.K. Datta, “Evaluation of the Effectiveness of a Comprehensive Pedestrian Safety Program in a Major City”, Proceedings from the 90th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board, Washington, D.C., 2011.
  7. Savolainen, P.T., Das, A., Gates, T.J., and T.K. Datta, “Cell Phone Use and Crash Patterns Among Michigan Drivers”, Proceedings from the 90th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board, Washington, D.C., 2011.
  8. Savolainen, P.T. and W.H. Schneider, “Factors Affecting the Severity of Injuries Sustained by Crash-Involved Child Passengers”, Proceedings from the 90th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board, Washington, D.C., 2011.
  9. Smaglik, E.J., Savolainen, P.T., Steele, R.C., and J.E. DiBiasi, “Delay Analysis of a Traffic Signal Phase Termination Algorithm Using Computer Simulation”, Proceedings from the 90th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board, Washington, D.C., 2011.
  10. Savolainen, P.T., Gates, T.J., Fawaz, A., Datta, T.K., and J.G. Morena, “Evaluation of Centerline Rumble Strip Impacts on Short-Term Pavement Performance”, 91st Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board, Washington, D.C., 2012.
  11. Savolainen, P.T., Kawa, J., and T.J. Gates, “A Review of Roundabout Public Information and Educational Programs and Materials”, 91st Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board, Washington, D.C., 2012.
  12. Ghosh, I. and P.T. Savolainen, “Analysis of Factors Affecting the Clearance Time of Freeway Incidents”, 91st Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board, Washington, D.C., 2012.
  13. Russo, B.J. and P.T. Savolainen, Examination of Factors Affecting Frequency and Severity of Crashes at Rail-Grade Crossings, 92nd Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board, 2013.
  14. Kay, J., P.T. Savolainen, and T.J. Gates, “An Evaluation of the Impacts of a Share the Road Sign on Driver Behavior Near Bicyclists”, Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, 2013.
Awards and Honors
  • Chi Epsilon, National Civil Engineering Honor Society, Inducted 2007
  • Outstanding Faculty Service Award, Wayne State University College of Engineering, 2008
  • Expert Panelist: Office of Behavioral Safety Research Strategic Planning Meeting, NHTSA, 2008
  • Expert Panelist: Approaches to the Assessment of Initial Entry Motorcycle Training, NHTSA, 2008
  • Excellence in Civil Engineering Education (ExCEEd) Fellow, American Society of Civil Engineers, 2008
  • Excellence in Civil Engineering Education (ExCEEd) II Fellow, American Society of Civil Engineers, 2009
  • Best Paper Award, TRB Committee on Operational Effects of Geometric Design, 2012

 

Accomplishments
  • April 30, 2012
    Peter Savolainen,  of Civil and Environmental Engineering, has received tenure.

In the News
  • Peter Savolainen was featured by several news outlets for the research he will be conducting on whether different freeway speed limits in Michigan for passenger vehicles and large trucks make roads safer. The study is funded by a one year, $175,000 grant from the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT). The study will be delivered to MDOT officials, who are expected to consider whether to increase Michigan's speed limit for large trucks and buses.

    CBS Detroit

    Detroit Free Press

    Fox Detroit

    Fox Lansing

    Land Line Mag

    Phys Org

    Traverse City Record-Eagle

    WJR AM


  • Peter Savolainen was featured on WDET's Craig Fahle Show, discussing issues related to distracted driving.


    Read Article