Site-Directed Research and Development FY 2022 Annual Review Meeting September 27 and 28, 2022
Introductory presentation and schedule for SDRD FY22 Annual Meeting
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗
SEARCH · Engineering Papers
Results for “2022”
Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.
Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.
Out of the blue: volcanic SO e2 emissions during the 2021–2022 eruptions of Hunga Tonga – Hunga Ha'apai (Tonga)
Most volcanism on Earth is submarine, but volcanic gas emissions by submarine eruptions are rarely observed and hence largely unquantified. On January 15, 2022 a submarine eruption of Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai (HTHH) volcano (Tonga) generated an explosion of historic magnitude, and was preceded by ≈1 month of Surtseyan eruptive activity and two precursory explosive eruptions. We present an analysis of ultraviolet (UV) satellite measurements of volcanic sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ) between December 2021 and the climactic January 15, 2022 eruption, comprising an unprecedented record of Surtseyan eruptive emissions. UV measurements from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) on NASA’s Aura satellite, the Ozone Mapping and Profiler Suite (OMPS) on Suomi-NPP, the Tropospheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) on ESA’s Sentinel-5P, and the Earth Polychromatic Imaging Camera (EPIC) aboard the Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) are combined to yield a consistent multi-sensor record of eruptive degassing. We estimate SO 2 emissions during the eruption’s key phases: the initial December 19, 2021 eruption (≈0.01 Tg SO 2 ); continuous SO 2 emissions from December 20, 2021 – early January 2022 (≈0.12 Tg SO 2 ); the January 13, 2022 stratospheric eruption (0.06 Tg SO 2 ); and the paroxysmal January 15, 2022 eruption (≈0.4-0.5 Tg SO 2 ); yielding a total SO 2 emission of ≈0.60.7 Tg SO 2 for the eruptive episode. We interpret the vigorous SO 2 emissions observed prior to the January 2022 eruptions, which were significantly higher than measured in the 2009 and 2014 HTHH eruptions, as strong evidence for a rejuvenated magmatic system. High cadence DSCOVR/EPIC SO 2 imagery permits the first UV-based analysis of umbrella cloud spreading and volume flux in the January 13, 2022 eruption, and also tracks early dispersion of the stratospheric SO 2 cloud injected on January 15. The ≈0.4-0.5 Tg SO 2 discharged by the paroxysmal January 15, 2022 HTHH eruption is low relative to other eruptions of similar magnitude, and a review of other submarine eruptions in the satellite era indicates that modest SO 2 yields may be characteristic of submarine volcanism, with the emissions and atmospheric impacts likely dominated by water vapor. The origin of the low SO 2 loading awaits further investigation but scrubbing of SO 2 in the water-rich eruption plumes and rapid conversion to sulfate aerosol are plausible, given the exceptional water emission by the January 15, 2022 HTHH eruption.
Volcanoes↗
Hanford Site Rare Plant Monitoring Report for Calendar Year 2022
Rare plants are monitored on the Hanford Site as distribution and abundance data of current and historic rare plant populations are necessary to make well-informed environmental and ecological resource management decisions. The Central Hanford Rare Plant Management Plan (DOE/RL-2021-35) guides rare plant monitoring methodology in the context of resource management at the Hanford Site. In 2022, a rare plant monitoring effort occurred on the portion of the Hanford Site (referred to herein as Central Hanford) managed by the U.S. Department of Energy, Richland Operations Office (DOE-RL; Figure 1). The goal of this effort was to revisit known occurrences of upland rare plant populations on Central Hanford to improve baseline information on locations of rare plant populations on the Hanford Site. Rare upland plants were thoroughly surveyed in 2021 but unusually low precipitation that year limited germination of many upland annual plants. Surveys in 2022 focused on rare upland annual species after the Hanford Site received higher than average spring precipitation that was expected to increase germination. Rainfall from April 2022 to June 2022 was 76% higher than average; however, these months were also colder than average. Winter rainfall from January 2022 to March 2022 was 84% lower than average. The high spring precipitation in 2022 appears to have triggered the germination of some populations of rare upland annuals but the dry winter and cold spring may have inhibited others. Population stability, viability, and threats were evaluated and will be used to inform future management of rare plant species.
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
2022 Annual Site Environment Report, Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
This report provides the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the public with information on the level of radioactive and non-radioactive pollutants (if any) that are added to the environment as a result of Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory’s (PPPL) operations. This report fulfills the annual public reporting requirements of DOE Order 231.1B. The results of PPPL’s 2022 environmental surveillance and monitoring program are presented and discussed. The report also summarizes environmental initiatives, assessments, and community involvement programs that were undertaken in 2022. PPPL’s on-site operations started to be restored in 2022, following curtailments in 2020 and 2021 for the global coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. PPPL has engaged in fusion energy research since 1951 and at its current locations since 1958. The Laboratory’s mission is to develop the scientific knowledge and advanced engineering to enable fusion to power the U.S. and the world, and to develop the understanding of plasmas from the nano- to the astrophysical scale. PPPL’s primary experiment, the National Spherical Torus Experiment-Upgrade (NSTX-U) is a collaboration among national laboratories, universities, and national and international research institutions and is a major element in the US Fusion Energy Sciences Program. Its design tests the physics principles of spherical torus (ST) plasmas, playing an important role in the development of smaller, more economical fusion reactors. Due to previous operational issues, NSTX-U did not operate in 2022. PPPL is engaged in a project to replace key NSTX-U components and systems to enable the operation of this international magnetic fusion user facility. In 2022, PPPL’s radiological environmental monitoring program measured tritium in the air at onsite sampling stations. Using highly sensitive air monitors, PPPL is capable of detecting small changes in the ambient levels of tritium. The operation of monitors located on D-site is used to demonstrate compliance with the National Emission Standard for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAPs) regulations. Also included in PPPL’s radiological environmental monitoring program, are water monitoring – ground, surface, and waste waters. PPPL’s radiological monitoring program characterized the background levels of tritium in the environment and those data are presented in this report. Ground water monitoring continued under New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s (NJDEP) Site Remediation Program regulations. PPPL monitored for non-radiological contaminants, mainly volatile organic compounds (components of common degreasing solvents). In 2022, PPPL complied with permit limits for surface water and sanitary wastewater discharges. PPPL was honored with an award for EPEAT-certified electronics purchasing from the Global Electronics Council.
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
2022 Swainson Hawk Summary Report
This summary report, prepared by Condor Country Consulting Inc. (CCCI), covers all construction monitoring of the Swainson’s hawk (Buteo swainsoni, SWHA) nest that occurred from April 2022 to July 2022 at the Sandia National Laboratories, California (SNL/CA). SNL/CA personnel first observed the SWHA pair near the pine tree along East Avenue that contained last year’s nest on April 19th, 2022. SWHA are a threatened species in the state of California and require a quarter-mile non-disturbance buffer. SNL/CA received approval from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) to continue work within the buffer area with a biological monitor on site to observe the SWHA for construction related disturbances. Monitoring began on April 20th, 2022 and concluded on July 1st, 2022.
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗
Wet Waste Hydrothermal Liquefaction and Biocrude Upgrading to Hydrocarbon Fuels: 2022 State of Technology
Data from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory’s (PNNL) conversion hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) program for wet waste was used to update the pathway techno-economic analysis (TEA) for the fiscal year 2022 State of Technology (2022 SOT). Figure S.1 shows the modeled minimum fuel selling price (MFSP) for the 2022 SOT, along with the previous years’ SOTs (Snowden-Swan et al. 2020, 2021, 2022). These costs are for a HTL plant scale of 110 dry ton/day sludge feed and a larger centralized upgrading plant scale of 38 million gallons/year biocrude feed, commensurate with the design case. All costs were updated to 2020 dollars. Corresponding cost breakdowns and technical parameters for each case are given in Appendix B. In previous years’ analyses options with and without ammonia (NH 3 ) stripping treatment of the HTL aqueous phase recycle stream were included in the analysis to account for cases with direct recycle of untreated HTL aqueous phase back to the wastewater treatment plant. In the FY21 SOT assessment however, system boundaries for the analysis were adjusted to reflect separate ownership/operatorship for the HTL plant and with that, nutrient surcharge fees associated with disposal of the aqueous phase wastewater to a municipal sewer system were incorporated to provide an improved accounting of true disposal costs for a standalone plant. With these changes, there is no significant cost difference between the case including ammonia removal and the case excluding ammonia removal and therefore the “no NH3 removal” options will not be included in the 2022 and future SOTs.
09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
IX Cell Wall Research Conference 2022 (IXCWRC): Cell wall research for new fundamental discoveries and applications in plant biology
This application is for securing funds to offset the registration fees and lodging costs for US-based early career investigators (ERCs) to participate to the IX Cell Wall Research Conference 2022 (IXCWRC 2022): Cell wall research for new fundamental discoveries and applications in plant biology. The conference will be held in East Lansing, Michigan on June 13-17, 2022. The conference will focus on the plant cell wall. Plant cells are encapsulated by the cell wall, a dynamic structure that protects them, enables them to interface with the external environment and supports the growth of the entire organism. There is a growing interest in understanding the complex processes necessary to build and deconstruct the plant cell wall. A better understanding of how the cell wall is synthesized during plant growth and in response to the environment, and how it is deconstructed for a broad variety of applications can inform and improve biotechnological processes for increasing biomass yield and improving industrial processes for the recovery of valuable, sustainable polymers. Acquiring such knowledge requires the exchange of new ideas and results as well as the development and application of new technologies. The IXCWRC 2022 aims to reach this goal by providing an opportunity for an open forum to discuss new ideas and theories and develop collaborations for scientists across the globe in a diverse and supportive environment. A distinction of the IXCWRC 2022 from all the preceding plant cell wall conferences will be its focus on the training and inclusion of the next generation of scientists, the ERCs. The overall goal of this application is to broaden the participation of ERCs with a focus on underrepresented communities. The specific goal of this application is to secure support for registration and lodging for US-based ERCs to attend the conference. Priority will be given to ERCs from underrepresented communities in science. We expect that support from DOE will allow the development of an exciting and innovative program to discuss the latest scientific advances in cell wall biology research, advance the next generation of plant cell wall researchers and foster the foundations of an inclusive community in science.
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
Proceedings of the Maritime Risk Symposium 2022
The Maritime Risk Symposium (MRS) is an annual event focused on risks involving the global maritime transportation system (MTS) and has been hosted by a variety of universities and national laboratories. MRS 2022 was sponsored by the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) and the Transportation Research Board of the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine. Argonne National Laboratory (Argonne) hosted MRS 2022 as a hybrid event, November 15–17, 2022, at the Argonne campus in Lemont, IL. The MRS 2022 agenda is presented in Section 11 of the proceedings. A total of 162 people participated in MRS 2022 with 115 in person and 47 virtual.
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
2022 LANL Radionuclide Air Emissions Report (Rev. 2)
This report describes the emissions of airborne radionuclides from operations at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) for calendar year 2022 and the resulting off-site dose from these emissions. This document fulfills the requirements established by the National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants in 40 CFR 61, Subpart H – Emissions of Radionuclides other than Radon from Department of Energy Facilities, commonly referred to as the Radionuclide NESHAP or Rad-NESHAP. Compliance with this regulation and preparation of this document is the responsibility of LANL’s Rad NESHAP compliance program, which is part of the Environmental Protection and Compliance (EPC) Division. The information in this report is required under the Clean Air Act and is being submitted to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Headquarters and EPA Region 6. The highest effective dose equivalent (EDE) to an off-site member of the public was calculated using procedures specified by the EPA and described in this report. LANL’s EDE was 0.45 for 2022. The annual limit is 10 millirem per year, established by the EPA in 40 CFR 61 Subpart H. All measured air emissions are modeled to a single location, known as the Maximally Exposed Individual (MEI). During calendar year 2022, LANL continuously monitored radionuclide emissions at 27 “major” release points, or stacks. The Laboratory estimates emissions from an additional 34 “minor” release points using radionuclide usage source terms in lieu of stack monitoring. Also, LANL uses an EPA approved network of air samplers around the Laboratory perimeter to monitor ambient airborne levels of radionuclides. To provide data for dispersion modeling and dose assessment, LANL maintains and operates several meteorological monitoring towers. From these various systems, a comprehensive evaluation is conducted to calculate the MEI dose for the Laboratory. The MEI can be any member of the public at any off-site location where there is a residence, school, business, or office. In 2022, this MEI location was a business at 95 Entrada Drive, located in the eastern end of Los Alamos town site. The primary contributors to the off-site dose at this location are the ambient air data at that location combined with radioactive gas emissions from the LANSCE facility and the collected potential emissions from unmonitored (minor) sources. Overall, the MEI dose in 2022 is similar to that which has been observed in recent years, and it remains well below the EPA’s 10 millirem per year limit. Doses reported to the EPA for the past 10 years are shown in Table E1.
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
Observation of the Radiation Environment and Solar Energetic Particle Events in Mars Orbit in May 2018- June 2022
Epithermal Neutron Detector (FREND). Here we present results from measurements of the charged particle fluxes, dose rates and estimation of dose equivalent rates at ExoMars TGO Mars science orbit, provided by Liulin-MO from May 2018 to June 2022. The period of measurements covers the declining and minimum phases of the solar activity in 24th solar cycle and the rising phase of the 25th cycle. Compared are the radiation values of the galactic cosmic rays (GCR) obtained during the different phases of the solar activity. The highest values of the dose rate and flux from GCR are registered from March to August 2020. At the minimum of 24th and transition to 25th solar cycle the dose rate from GCR is 15.9 ± 1.6 µGy h−1, particle flux is 3.3 ± 0.17 cm−2 s−1, dose equivalent rate is 72.3 ± 14.4 µSv h−1. Since September 2020 the dose rate and flux of GCR decrease. Particular attention is drawn to the observation of the solar energetic particle (SEP) events in July, September and October 2021, February and March 2022 as well as their effects on the radiation environment on TGO during the corresponding periods. The SEP event during15–19 February 2022 is the most powerful event observed in our data. The SEP dose during this event is 13.8 ± 1.4 mGy (in Si), the SEP dose equivalent is 21.9 ± 4.4 mSv. SEP events recorded in Mars orbit are related to coronal mass ejections (CME) observed by SOHO and STEREO A coronagraphs. Compared are the time profiles of the count rates measured by Liulin-MO, the neutron detectors of FREND and neutron detectors of the High Energy Neutron Detector (HEND) aboard Mars Odyssey during 15–19 February 2022 event. The data obtained is important for the knowledge of the radiation environment around Mars, regarding future manned and robotic flights to the planet. The data for SEP events in Mars orbit during July 2021-March 2022 contribute to the details on the solar activity at a time when Mars is on the opposite side of the Sun from Earth.
Jordanka Semkova↗
Radiative Forcing From the 2014–2022 Volcanic and Wildfire Injections
Abstract Volcanic and wildfire events between 2014 and 2022 injected ∼3.2 Tg of sulfur dioxide and 0.8 Tg of smoke aerosols into the stratosphere. With injections at higher altitudes and lower latitudes, the simulated stratospheric lifetime of the 2014–2022 injections is about 50% longer than the volcanic 2005–2013 injections. The simulated global mean effective radiative forcing (ERF) of 2014–2022 is −0.18 W m −2 , ∼40% of the ERF of the period of 1991–1999 with a large‐magnitude volcanic eruption (Pinatubo). Our climate model suggests that the stratospheric smoke aerosols generate ∼60% more negative ERF than volcanic sulfate per unit aerosol optical depth. Studies that fail to account for the different radiative properties of wildfire smoke relative to volcanic sulfate will likely underestimate the negative stratospheric forcings. Our analysis suggests that stratospheric injections offset 20% of the increase in global mean surface temperature between 2014–2022 and 1999–2002.
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
A dataset of recorded electricity outages by United States county 2014–2022
In this Data Descriptor, we present county-level electricity outage estimates at 15-minute intervals from 2014 to 2022. By 2022 92% of customers in the 50 US States, Washington DC, and Puerto Rico are represented. These data have been produced by the Environment for Analysis of Geo-Located Energy Information (EAGLE-I TM ), a geographic information system and data visualization platform created at Oak Ridge National Laboratory to map the population experiencing electricity outages every 15 minutes at the county level. Although these data do not cover every US customer, they represent the most comprehensive outage information ever compiled for the United States. The rate of coverage increases through time between 2014 and 2022. We present a quantitative Data Quality Index for these data for the years 2018–2022 to demonstrate temporal changes in customer coverage rates by FEMA region and indicators of data collection gaps or other errors.
24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
Evaluation of the 2022 West Nile virus forecasting challenge, USA
Abstract Background West Nile virus (WNV) is the most common cause of mosquito-borne disease in the continental USA, with an average of ~1200 severe, neuroinvasive cases reported annually from 2005 to 2021 (range 386–2873). Despite this burden, efforts to forecast WNV disease to inform public health measures to reduce disease incidence have had limited success. Here, we analyze forecasts submitted to the 2022 WNV Forecasting Challenge, a follow-up to the 2020 WNV Forecasting Challenge. Methods Forecasting teams submitted probabilistic forecasts of annual West Nile virus neuroinvasive disease (WNND) cases for each county in the continental USA for the 2022 WNV season. We assessed the skill of team-specific forecasts, baseline forecasts, and an ensemble created from team-specific forecasts. We then characterized the impact of model characteristics and county-specific contextual factors (e.g., population) on forecast skill. Results Ensemble forecasts for 2022 anticipated a season at or below median long-term WNND incidence for nearly all (> 99%) counties. More counties reported higher case numbers than anticipated by the ensemble forecast median, but national caseload (826) was well below the 10-year median (1386). Forecast skill was highest for the ensemble forecast, though the historical negative binomial baseline model and several team-submitted forecasts had similar forecast skill. Forecasts utilizing regression-based frameworks tended to have more skill than those that did not and models using climate, mosquito surveillance, demographic, or avian data had less skill than those that did not, potentially due to overfitting. County-contextual analysis showed strong relationships with the number of years that WNND had been reported and permutation entropy (historical variability). Evaluations based on weighted interval score and logarithmic scoring metrics produced similar results. Conclusions The relative success of the ensemble forecast, the best forecast for 2022, suggests potential gains in community ability to forecast WNV, an improvement from the 2020 Challenge. Similar to the previous challenge, however, our results indicate that skill was still limited with general underprediction despite a relative low incidence year. Potential opportunities for improvement include refining mechanistic approaches, integrating additional data sources, and considering different approaches for areas with and without previous cases. Graphical Abstract
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
2019 and 2022 Twin Cities Travel Behavior Inventory Surveys
# 2019 and 2022 Twin Cities Travel Behavior Inventory Surveys To help local and regional planning agencies understand shifting demographics and travel patterns, surveys were conducted in Minnesota’s greater Twin Cities region in 2019 and 2022. Survey results aided the Metropolitan Council in proposing practical transportation investments, preparing competitive grant applications, and prioritizing improvements to best fit regional needs. ## Data Collection Agency RSG conducted the surveys for the Metropolitan Council. ## Survey Methodology These mixed-mode surveys focused on bus, rail, car, micromobility, ride-hailing, and walking. Designed as household travel surveys, they were carried out in English, Spanish, Karen, Oromo, Somali, and Hmong during two timeframes: Oct. 1, 2018—Sept. 30, 2019 and June 22, 2021—Feb. 5, 2022. Participants accessed the surveys using a smartphone-based app, website, or call center. A questionnaire captured data about demographics, daily travel activities, and typical transportation patterns to inform model updates and gain information about emerging behavioral changes such as electric vehicle adoption and teleworking frequency. It also addressed the impacts of COVID-19 on participants’ typical travel behavior. ## Survey Records, Data, and Documentation Survey records include a total of 31,251 participants—16,152 participants from 7,837 households during the 2019 survey and 15,099 participants from 7,952 households during the 2022 survey.
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
2022 National Household Travel Survey - Oahu Add-On
# 2022 National Household Travel Survey – Oahu Add-On The Oahu add-on survey supplements the 2022 National Household Travel Survey (NHTS) with additional household samples and detailed travel behavior for an assigned travel day. ## Data Collection Agency The Federal Highway Administration conducted the NHTS and corresponding add-on surveys. ## Survey Methodology The 2022 NHTS, which covered assigned travel dates from January 2022 to January 2023, collected data on the demographic and socioeconomic composition of households as well as detailed information on travel behavior nationwide. State transportation departments and metropolitan planning agencies—like the Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization—had the opportunity to purchase extra household samples as part of the NHTS add-on program. These additional samples, along with national samples collected in the add-on areas, are compiled for use in transportation planning, forecasting, and research. ## Survey Records, Data, and Documentation Survey records include 7,397 participants from 3,170 households in Oahu, Hawaii, as well as detailed information on the travel behavior of each household for a designated 24-hour period. The survey logged over 14,868 trips totaling 165,000 vehicle miles traveled.
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
2019 and 2022 Twin Cities Travel Behavior Inventory Surveys
# 2019 and 2022 Twin Cities Travel Behavior Inventory Surveys To help local and regional planning agencies understand shifting demographics and travel patterns, surveys were conducted in Minnesota’s greater Twin Cities region in 2019 and 2022. Survey results aided the Metropolitan Council in proposing practical transportation investments, preparing competitive grant applications, and prioritizing improvements to best fit regional needs. ## Data Collection Agency RSG conducted the surveys for the Metropolitan Council. ## Survey Methodology These mixed-mode surveys focused on bus, rail, car, micromobility, ride-hailing, and walking. Designed as household travel surveys, they were carried out in English, Spanish, Karen, Oromo, Somali, and Hmong during two timeframes: Oct. 1, 2018—Sept. 30, 2019 and June 22, 2021—Feb. 5, 2022. Participants accessed the surveys using a smartphone-based app, website, or call center. A questionnaire captured data about demographics, daily travel activities, and typical transportation patterns to inform model updates and gain information about emerging behavioral changes such as electric vehicle adoption and teleworking frequency. It also addressed the impacts of COVID-19 on participants’ typical travel behavior. ## Survey Records, Data, and Documentation Survey records include a total of 31,251 participants—16,152 participants from 7,837 households during the 2019 survey and 15,099 participants from 7,952 households during the 2022 survey.
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
2022 National Household Travel Survey - Oahu Add-On
# 2022 National Household Travel Survey – Oahu Add-On The Oahu add-on survey supplements the 2022 National Household Travel Survey (NHTS) with additional household samples and detailed travel behavior for an assigned travel day. ## Data Collection Agency The Federal Highway Administration conducted the NHTS and corresponding add-on surveys. ## Survey Methodology The 2022 NHTS, which covered assigned travel dates from January 2022 to January 2023, collected data on the demographic and socioeconomic composition of households as well as detailed information on travel behavior nationwide. State transportation departments and metropolitan planning agencies—like the Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization—had the opportunity to purchase extra household samples as part of the NHTS add-on program. These additional samples, along with national samples collected in the add-on areas, are compiled for use in transportation planning, forecasting, and research. ## Survey Records, Data, and Documentation Survey records include 7,397 participants from 3,170 households in Oahu, Hawaii, as well as detailed information on the travel behavior of each household for a designated 24-hour period. The survey logged over 14,868 trips totaling 165,000 vehicle miles traveled.
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
2019 and 2022 Twin Cities Travel Behavior Inventory Surveys
# 2019 and 2022 Twin Cities Travel Behavior Inventory Surveys To help local and regional planning agencies understand shifting demographics and travel patterns, surveys were conducted in Minnesota’s greater Twin Cities region in 2019 and 2022. Survey results aided the Metropolitan Council in proposing practical transportation investments, preparing competitive grant applications, and prioritizing improvements to best fit regional needs. ## Data Collection Agency RSG conducted the surveys for the Metropolitan Council. ## Survey Methodology These mixed-mode surveys focused on bus, rail, car, micromobility, ride-hailing, and walking. Designed as household travel surveys, they were carried out in English, Spanish, Karen, Oromo, Somali, and Hmong during two timeframes: Oct. 1, 2018—Sept. 30, 2019 and June 22, 2021—Feb. 5, 2022. Participants accessed the surveys using a smartphone-based app, website, or call center. A questionnaire captured data about demographics, daily travel activities, and typical transportation patterns to inform model updates and gain information about emerging behavioral changes such as electric vehicle adoption and teleworking frequency. It also addressed the impacts of COVID-19 on participants’ typical travel behavior. ## Survey Records, Data, and Documentation Survey records include a total of 31,251 participants—16,152 participants from 7,837 households during the 2019 survey and 15,099 participants from 7,952 households during the 2022 survey.
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗