University of Washington

While a researcher in the College of Forest Resources (now the School of Environment and Forest Sciences within the College of the Environment) I collaborated with Dr. Kathleen Wolf on an urban forestry project exploring context-sensitive design and how trees can be part of the built environment.  One element studied the benefits and hazards of trees in the urban forest along roadways.  Using comparative statistics and nonlinear multivariate regression analysis,  I designed a quantitative study evaluating the factors influencing the outcomes of traffic accidents involving automobile collisions with trees.  These findings suggest opportunities for incorporating trees in the roadside environment that capture their ecological and place-making benefits while reducing the risks they pose.  Our findings were published in the Journal of Arboriculture and I presented them at the 84th annual meeting of the Transportation Research Board.

Urban Trees and Traffic Safety:  Considering U.S. Roadside Policy and Crash Data, Journal of Arboriculture

Trees and Roadside Safety in U.S. Urban Settings, Transportation Research Board, proceedings of the 84th annual meeting.