2/15/25 – Green Light

Anshum p -

These past two weeks marked the start of my senior research project and internship at Y2K Engineering, a company specializing in traffic analysis and transportation engineering. At Y2K, we conduct Traffic Impact Studies (TIS) to assess how new development projects will affect traffic flow in the surrounding areas. Our work helps private developers manage the movement of vehicles, ensuring smoother circulation on their development sites and minimizing congestion in the surrounding neighborhoods.

My days at Y2K begin with an 8:00 AM start, followed by a team meeting at 8:30 where everyone shares progress updates on their respective projects. I’m learning how to assist with Traffic Impact Studies by analyzing traffic data and helping prepare reports that include recommendations on managing traffic flow for upcoming development projects. During the first few weeks, I’ve been getting up to speed with new software tools such as QGIS (Geographic Information Systems) and Power BI. These tools will allow me to analyze and visualize traffic data to better understand how changes in development impact local roadways.

While I am gaining valuable experience working on TIS projects for Y2K, I’m also starting off on my research project, which focuses on analyzing traffic congestion and safety risks on Sky Harbor Boulevard in Phoenix. Using crash data from the Arizona Department of Transportation, I am identifying patterns in traffic accidents to pinpoint high-risk zones and better understand the root causes of frequent collisions and delays.

Managing Enterprise Data with ArcGIS Server at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport

An aerial view of Sky Harbor Airport ( the thin red lines going through the terminals are the roadways I am focusing on )

This week, I focused mainly on compiling data into my spreadsheets. The crash data I’m working with reveals trends over several years. For example, from 2014 to 2022, the number of crashes steadily increased, reaching 206 incidents in 2021. However, the crash amount has decreased the past two years, suggesting I need to look at any new changes that may explain the drop. ( The table is pictured below)

table
                                      Table 1

 

I’m excited to continue this work and see how the analysis can lead to practical solutions to improve safety and traffic management in this critical part of Phoenix’s transportation network.

 

 

Worked Cited:

[1] Table 1: Arizona Department of Transportation

 

 

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Comments:

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    rowena_rahman
    Hey Anshum! Glad to hear you're getting into the groove of things and setting yourself up for success. Based off your background research/personal experience do you have a gauge of what areas in Sky Harbor have the most incidents?
    February 20, 2025 at 1:37 pm - Reply
    anshum_p
    Hi! Based off what I have so far, I would say the eastbound part of Sky Harbor Boulevard, North of Terminal 3 and 4, has had the most incidents in the past decade.
    February 23, 2025 at 5:00 pm - Reply
    siddarth_p
    Hello Anshum! It's fascinating to see how crash trends have changed over the years. Have you identified any specific factors—like infrastructure improvements or policy changes—that might explain the recent decline in incidents?
    February 27, 2025 at 11:32 am - Reply
    anshum_p
    Hello Sid! As of now I can't pinpoint a specific factor but it's definitely something I'll look into.
    March 2, 2025 at 4:52 pm - Reply

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