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Research

Recent Developments

Listed below are recent developments pertinent to research from the past six months. If you would like to suggest a recent development on this topic, please submit a short description to AASHTO (including any pertinent links) on the Share Info with AASHTO form.

• TR News Publishes Retrospective of NCHRP 25-25 Research Program

  A retrospective of the National Cooperative Highway Research Program Project 25-25 is provided in an article published in the Transportation Research Board’s TR News publication. NCHRP Project 25-25, “Research for the AASHTO Committee on Environment and Sustain­ability” was initiated in 2003, by the American Association of State Highway and Transporta­tion Officials’ Special Committee on Research and Innovation (R&I, formerly the Standing Committee on Research), the governing body for the NCHRP. NCHRP 25-25 addressed environmental issues relevant to state departments of transportation and was directed by a rotating oversight panel of individuals from state DOTs with diverse expertise in environmental practice. The purpose of the project was to support agency efforts in environmental stewardship and compliance. NCHRP Project 25-25 supported 113 Tasks. To access the retrospective article, link here. (3-11-20) (TR News is copyright, National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; posted with permission of the Transportation Research Board.)

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• AASHTO TERI Database Proposals Due June 3, 2019

  The Center for Environmental Excellence by AASHTO has issued a call for research proposals for the Transportation and Environmental Research Ideas (TERI) database, a central storehouse for tracking and sharing new transportation and environmental research ideas. Suggestions for new ideas are welcome from practitioners across the transportation and environmental community. For more information link here. (4-26-19)

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• FHWA Provides Guidance on Assessing Technology Readiness

  The Federal Highway Administration has released a guidebook on conducting technology readiness level (TRL) assessments to evaluate a research project’s technological maturity and identify next steps in the research process. The guidebook offers background on the TRL scale, which helps determine how complete a technology was when it was tested and how representative the environment was for testing. The guide provides advice on preparing for and conducting a TRL Assessment. For more information, link to the report. (1-6-18)

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• ‘Snap Search’ Feature Provides Topical Search of TRB Research Activities

  The Transportation Research Board has issued a new “snap search” feature, which provides topic-specific summaries of research activities in 26 separate topics from TRB’s TRID database. The series will be updated annually and includes upcoming events, committee work, and recent reports. The list of topics includes connected and automated vehicles, environment and sustainability, pedestrian and bicycle activities, project delivery, and public transportation management. For more information, link to the series. (1-7-18)

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• Researchers Develop Wayfinding Technologies for Visually Impaired Individuals

  The Federal Highway Administration is supporting research on wayfinding technologies for visually impaired individuals. The research, funded through FHWA’s Exploratory Advanced Research Program, developed the Intelligent Situation Awareness and Navigation Aid (ISANA), a wearable technology to interpret the visual environment in real time using GPS-like voice guidance to assist the user. The technology will help visually impaired pedestrians navigate in large, unstructured environments. For more information, link to the announcement. (1-5-18)

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• TRB Enters into Memorandum of Understanding with the International Road Federation

  The Transportation Research Board has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the International Road Federation (IRF). The agreement provides a framework for sharing knowledge, improving implementation of innovative solutions, disseminating good practices, and conducting studies to create progress in the development and maintenance of more sustainable roads. The MOU was signed at the IRF’s World Road Meeting in New Dehli. For more information, link to the announcement. (11-27-17)

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• Universities Receive SHRP2 Education Connection Grants

  Five universities have been selected to receive grants under the second round of the Second Strategic Highway Program (SHRP2) Education Connection initiative. The Federal Highway Administration and AASHTO will provide more than $55,000 in cooperative agreements divided among the five recipients: Rowan University (Illinois); University of Arkansas – Fayetteville; California State University – Los Angeles; North Dakota State University – Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute; and University of Idaho. Each university will incorporate one or more SHRP2 products into its current transportation curriculum, including products from the renewal, capacity, and reliability focus areas. The capacity area includes a range of products related to environmental issues, including PlanWorks: Better Planning, Better Projects (C01). For more information, link to the announcement. (8-29-17)

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• AASHTO Extends to June 2 Call for Transportation and Environmental Research Ideas

  The Center for Environmental Excellence by AASHTO is accepting submissions to the Transportation and Environmental Research Ideas (TERI) database. Suggestions for new ideas are welcome from practitioners across the transportation and environmental community. Proposals are now being excepted until June 2, 2017. For more information, link to the call for research ideas. To submit ideas visit the TERI database. (3-16-17)

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• TRB Report Highlights 2016 State Partnership Visits Program

  Findings from the 2016 State Partnership Visits Program have been released in a new report by the Transportation Research Board. The program facilitates visits between TRB staff and state departments of transportation, university leaders and other stakeholders to identify current transportation issues. The report addresses institutional and cross-modal issues and state advancement within the public transportation and rail sectors. The report also highlights innovative techniques for highway design to produce economical and sustainable pavements and implementation of projects under the Strategic Highway Research Program. For more information, link to the report. (3-24-17)

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• FHWA Evaluates Research and Technology Activities

  The Federal Highway Administration has issued a report to evaluate ongoing and completed research and technology (R&T) activities. The report includes 16 evaluations conducted by the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center to ensure transparency, accessibility and responsiveness of R&T for stakeholders. The evaluations include qualitative data to trace the diffusion of R&T recommendations, track the adoption of those recommendations, and determine the impact of adoption. The report focuses on initial findings of six evaluations that address adaptive signal controls; the geosynthetic reinforced soil integrated bridge system; gusset plates; national household travel survey; roadside revegetation; and roundabouts. For more information, link to the report. (August 2016)

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• Newsletter Highlights Research from Mid-Atlantic Transportation Sustainability UTC

  The Mid-Atlantic Transportation Sustainability University Transportation Center was highlighted in the Sept. 2016 issue of the UTC Spotlight monthly newsletter. The center develops tools, processes and services in a collaborative environment to help solve transportation sustainability problems. Some of the center’s projects address the simultaneous removal of nitrogen and phosphorus from stormwater by zero valent iron and biochar in bioretention cells, a Light Detection and Ranging system for air quality, a decision support tool for nutrient credit exchange and network-wide impacts of eco-routing applications. For more information, link to the newsletter. (9-1-16)

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• AASHTO Extends Deadline for TERI Research Proposals

  Research proposals are being accepted until May 30, 2016, for the Transportation and Environmental Research Ideas (TERI) Database. TERI is a central storehouse for tracking and sharing new transportation and environmental research ideas. The Center for Environmental Excellence by AASHTO maintains TERI and keeps all content current. Suggestions for new ideas are welcome from practitioners across the transportation and environmental community. Proposal due date has been extended until May 30, 2016. For more information link to the call for proposals; to submit your ideas, visit TERI.

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• Strategic Plan, Research Roadmaps Completed for AASHTO Committee on the Environment and Sustainability

  A strategic plan and series of research roadmaps for AASHTO’s Committee on the Environmentand Sustainability has been completed under a project of the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP 25-25/Task 95). The plan includes high level goals and objectives for the full committee, as well as each of the four subcommittees. It also includes research roadmaps for each of the subcommittees and additional interest areas including: the Subcommittee on Air Quality, Climate Change, and Energy; Subcommittee on Communities and Cultural Concerns; Subcommittee on Environmental Process; Subcommittee on Natural Resources; as well as additional topics of Extreme Weather Events and Stormwater. For more information, link to the Strategic Plan. (8-31-15)

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• Florida DOT Studies Twenty-Four Hour Traffic Volume

  The Florida Department of Transportation has conducted a study of 24-hour traffic peaking characteristics and the relationship to off-hour levels of service. The variation of volume between peak hours, peak-shoulders and off-peak hours of service on both limited-access and arterial roads were examined in order to inform planning with regard to road usage, lane construction, speed limit decisions and other issues. The study found that severe congestion occurred less than 50 percent of the time in most facilities. Also, freeways and other limited-access highways saw severe congestion for four hours per day and moderate congestion for 10 hours, while arterial roads saw severe congestion for five hours and moderate levels for 11 hours. For the full report, link to Twenty-Four Hour Peaking Relationship to Level of Service and Other Measures of Effectiveness. (8-19-15)

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• FHWA Announces SHRP2 Round 6 Selections, Round 7 Products

  The Federal Highway Administration has announced the organizations that have been selected for implementation and technical assistance through the 6^th round of the Second Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP2). The organizations hail from 18 states and are carrying out projects for proof of concept and user incentives and as lead adopters, including utility investigation technologies, the Work Zone Impacts and Strategies Estimator Software and PlanWorks. In addition, the anticipated products for Round 7 include a focus on renewal through bridge design and construction materials and reliability work through data toolkits and planning models. The administration also has launched the “Milestones” newsletter highlighting specific achievements in the SHRP2 program for capacity, renewal, reliability and safety, such as the Traffic Incident Management Responder Training Program’s effort to trail all 1 million emergency responders in the country on incident response. For more information, link to projects announcement or Milestones newsletter. (8-12-15)

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• Research Center Releases Series of White Papers on Transportation Technology

  The University of Texas at Austin’s Center for Transportation Research has released three white papers addressing transportation technologies focusing on autonomous vehicles, connected vehicles, and cloud computing and crowdsourcing. The white papers examine current practices and uses for these technologies, ongoing research, specific innovations and future opportunities for implementation. Increased safety, transit efficiency, the flow of data between consumers and stakeholders, and encouraging increased use by the transit population are highlighted, as well as strategic implications in Texas for each area of technology. For the full series of white papers, link here. (6-1-15)

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• FHWA Announces Round 6 of SHRP2 Implementation Assistance Grants

  The sixth round of implementation assistance has been announced by the Federal Highway Administration for the Second Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP2). The program will provide funding and technical assistance for six products from SHRP2’s Renewal and Capacity focus areas, including the PlanWorks web resource, which supports collaborative decision making in transportation planning and project development. Applications are due by June 26. For more information, link here. (5-28-15)

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• APA Receives Grant For Regional Planning

  The American Planning Association has received $145,000 in grant funding from the Federal Highway Administration to implement a project assisting local governments and regional planning agencies in transportation planning that addresses regional issues. The project will be carried out in partnership with Georgia Tech’s Center for Quality Growth and Regional Development and will extend through late 2016. For more information, link here. (5-27-15)

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• FHWA and AASHTO Announce SHRP2 Implementation Assistance Program Round 5 Recipients

  The Federal Highway Administration and AASHTO have announced the recipients of implementation and technical assistance in Round 5 of the Second Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP2). The recipients come from 20 states and the District of Columbia, and include departments of transportation and various planning commissions. The assistance covers the 3D utility location data repository, performance specifications for rapid renewal, railroad-DOT mitigation strategies and the planning process bundle. For more information, link here. (3-27-15)

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• AASHTO Issues Call for Environmental Research Ideas

  Ideas for research on environment-related issues in transportation are being sought by the AASHTO Committee on the Environment and Sustainability for funding under the National Cooperative Highway Program, Project 25-25. The program funds quick-response research for the committee and must be completed in less than 15 months. Projects funded under the NCHRP 25-25 program are intended to develop analytical methods, decision-support tools, procedures, and techniques to assist state DOTs with environmental stewardship, program development, and project delivery. Ideas can be submitted through the AASHTO Transportation and Environmental Research Ideas Database (TERI). For more information, link to the Fact Sheet. (4-3-15)

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• TRB Study To Examine Vehicle to Infrastructure Deployment

  The Transportation Research Board is carrying out a National Cooperative Highway Research Program study addressing intelligent transportation system (ITS) technology decisions in light of the deployment of vehicle-to-infrastructure communications. The project will examine the processes of transportation agencies, connected vehicles and their place in existing and future infrastructure and the relationship between ITS technologies and connected vehicle use through engagement with stakeholders and pilot agencies. For more information on the project, link to http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=3922. (3-18-15)

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• DOT Releases Research Database

  The Department of Transportation has released a searchable database encompassing all recent research, development and technology products sponsored by the agency. The DOT Research Hub website will provide detailed access to various research portfolios, as well as references to reports and products. For more information and access to the database, link to http://www.trb.org/Main/Blurbs/172203.aspx. (3-2-15)

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• AASHTO Releases Report for 2014 SHRP2 Developments

  AASHTO has released a report summarizing the accomplishments and product implementation made under the Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP2) in 2014, including tools for assessment, road design and geotechnical solutions. The report offers a breakdown by state of products implemented and their methods of participation under the Implementation Assistance Program, as well as highlights of SHRP2 outreach that took place through the year. For the full report, link to http://shrp2.transportation.org/documents/home/SHRP2_Year_in_Review_2014_Brochure_VIEW.pdf. (2-20-15)

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