STUVA engineer Dirk Boenke receives doctorate

Category: About STUVA...

By: Stefanie posch

After successful examination on December 15, 2010, Dr.-Ing. Dirk Boenke has been awarded a doctorate in Engineering Sciences. In his dissertation entitled "New methods for assurance of mobility for senior citizens in road transport", he elaborated recommendations for action for the achievement at municipal level of transport planning meeting the needs of all generations.

The mobility of older citizens is steadily gaining in importance as a consequence of demographic, social and economic trends. It is therefore necessary to remember in the planning of transport infrastructures that aged persons are confronted more frequently than others with restrictions which impose limitations on their mobility. As they progress into old age, there is an ever greater probability that multiple physical problems will impair their mobility even further.

The law demands that the needs of all persons be taken into account in the utilisation of the road system. Legislation aimed at eliminating discrimination against disabled persons at both federal and state level, and the legislation derived from and influenced by it, requires easy and certain locatability, accessibility and usability of these facilities for all persons.

Analysis of the present situation, including more detailed reviews of current planning processes, indicated that the knowledge and experience necessary for the development and implementation of design solutions appropriate to all age groups are currently lacking in road-system planning and operation. Boenke structured his dissertation around relevant results obtained in the "Assurance of the mobility of older persons in road transport" research project, which was performed on behalf of the Eugen-Otto-Butz Foundation, of Hilden, and in which Boenke played an important role.

The topic of this dissertation is also one of the fields for which Boenke is responsible at STUVA. As the leader of a group within the "Transport and Environment" department, he works on the subjects of disabled-friendliness, mobility, and protection of the environment and the climate in local public transport. After completion of his studies at the Bergische University of Wuppertal, with prime emphasis on transport planning, Boenke initially worked in the field of transport planning and disabled-friendliness for the Planerbüro Südstadt consultancy in Cologne, subsequently returning to his alma mater as a scientific assistant in the department of Road Transport Planning and Technology. He joined STUVA in April, 2009, and is a member of German Road and Transportation Research Association (FGSV) Work Groups 2.5.3 "Disabled-friendly Transport Facilities" and 1.1.10 "Local Mobility" and is also active on the DIN "Basic principles for disabled-friendly design and accessibility" committee. In co-operation with the Bergische University of Wuppertal, he also conducts training provisions for inspectors for trunk roads, access roads and main roads through built-up areas. He provided support, as a responsible project manager, for "Sustainable local transport - Contributions by local passenger transport to environmental and climate protection", which was recently published as part of the "Blue Series" of books issued by the Association of German Transport Companies.

 

 

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