Author: Megan Tsai

Two culverts, one made from all-new plastic and another made from mostly recycled plastic, were installed at the same Minnesota test site for a direct-comparison field test. Photo provided by the University of Minnesota.

Turning plastic into pipes: Could recycled plastics be used under Minnesota roads?

Environment

Megan Tsai • December 1, 2025

UMN researchers tested recycled-plastic pipes under a Minnesota highway — finding they held up like new plastic while cutting costs and environmental impact.

The Mississippi River as seen from the High Bridge in St. Paul. Streets.mn file photo by Ed Steinhauer.

Turning Local Wood Waste Into a Powerful Tool for Cleaner Water

Megan Tsai • November 5, 2025

UMD researchers are working on a new biomass product — biochar — to beef up roadside bioswales and absorb pollutants before they reach lakes and rivers.

People on bicycles on the Sam Morgan Trail near the Upper Landing housing development along the Mississippi River just upriver from downtown Saint Paul.

Beyond Traffic: Transportation as a Social Construct

Megan Tsai • September 12, 2025

Researchers propose a three-tier framework—individual, community, systemic—to reframe urban transport as a social construct influencing equity, culture, power, and future mobility.

Photo by Mark (ibikempls) through a Creative Commons license on Flickr.

‘Big Data’ Helps Count Bike and Pedestrian Traffic in Minnesota

Megan Tsai • December 9, 2024

A new visualization tool is helping MnDOT estimate bicycle and pedestrian traffic in the Twin Cities. Next up: the entire state!