DCDC II is focused on developing, implementing, and studying an integrated decision-support process for environmental decision making based on social science principles. Through an integrated approach to research and education, DCDC will train a new generation of scientists who can work successfully at the boundaries of science and policy, and produce innovative solutions to society’s pressing environmental challenges. To accomplish these goals, DCDC II will build a dynamic bridge between ASU and local policy communities and seek global solutions for urban climate adaptation. This plan articulates DCDC’s vision and mission, describes key tasks and outlines a process of evaluation based on both standard and innovative metrics.

The Decision Center for a Desert City at Arizona State University is a collaborative research group established to theorize environmental decision making under uncertainty (DMUU) for urban water systems. One main concern for cities in the Colorado River Basin is the impact on water resources. The investigators will address the question: Given environmental and societal uncertainties, how can cities dependent on the Colorado River Basin develop transformational solutions to implement water sustainability transitions?

A comprehensive research program for the characterization of storm water runoff from an Arizona highway was conducted from January through December 2007. The study area covered a portion of the Loop 202 freeway west of Mesa Drive to a retention basin east of Lindsay Road in Mesa, Arizona. Storm water samples were collected from two storm water detention basins and a discharge point to the Salt River. The study was conducted by manually collecting storm water samples with passive automatic samplers and analyzing them for various roadway constituents. A primary objective of this research effort was to establish baseline values of constituents in ADOT highway runoff, aiding in the evaluation of related best management practices. A total of 16 storm water samples was collected from the research area between January 2007 and December 2007.

This project required the completion of Construction Data Forms for the Strategic Highway Research Program's (SHRP's) Specific Pavement Studies (SPS) Experiment Number 5, The Rehabilitation of Asphalt Concrete Pavements, and Experiment Number 6, The Rehabilitation of Jointed Portland Cement Concrete Pavements. In Arizona, the SPS-5 experiment construction was done in the eastbound travel lane of Interstate Highway 8, between mileposts 159 and 161 in southwestern Arizona. Eleven test sections were constructed for the experiment, with eight as set forth in SHRP guidelines. In addition, two additional sections were constructed, and one designated as the control section, for a grand total of eleven sections.

This project was undertaken to compare operational and safety characteristics of leading versus lagging protected left turn operation. The measures of effectiveness included field measured intersection delay with leading and with lagging left turns. Intersections in Pima County, Glendale, Tempe and Mesa, Arizona were studied with both leading and lagging operation. Intersection delay studies were also done with first car versus third car actuation of leading protected left turn phases. Signal progression was studied with leading, lagging and combination of leading and lagging left turns which provided the best progression. This evaluation was accomplished with an instrumented vehicle and travel time runs throughout a grid. Accident studies were conducted in Tucson, Pima County and Scottsdale, Arizona. These studies compared accident frequency before and after the conversion from leading to lagging left turns. A public opinion survey was conducted to obtain motorists' preference of leading or lagging left turns.