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    <title>Research in Progress (RIP)</title>
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    <atom:link href="https://rip.trb.org/Record/RSS?s=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" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
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    <language>en-us</language>
    <copyright>Copyright © 2026. National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.</copyright>
    <docs>http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss</docs>
    <managingEditor>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</managingEditor>
    <webMaster>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</webMaster>
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      <title>Research in Progress (RIP)</title>
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      <link>https://rip.trb.org/</link>
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    <item>
      <title>Modernizing Rockfall Assessment</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2698372</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Using targeted remote sensing and other advanced survey techniques, combined with data-driven analysis, this pilot study will evaluate how well these approaches can identify meaningful changes in slope conditions and determine whether rockfall material reaches the roadway or is effectively contained (e.g., within ditches). The results will help 
Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) improve the consistency of slope evaluation and prioritization of mitigation efforts, supporting more efficient use of maintenance resources, improved safety, and reduced traffic disruptions. The study will also provide insight into how repeated observations can be used to track changes in slope condition and performance over time, supporting long-term planning and asset management.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 01 May 2026 16:56:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2698372</guid>
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    <item>
      <title>Driver’s Education Accessibility and Instructor Certification Challenges – Disparities in the State</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2617578</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Young drivers are routinely overrepresented in traffic fatality data. For example, in 2023, young drivers made up 5.1 percent of all licensed drivers but accounted for 8.9 percent of drivers in fatal traffic crashes (USDOT National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2025). In recognizing this challenge and in an effort to reach Vision Zero, the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) has a goal to reduce young driver fatalities by “attain[ing] a five-year average rate of young driver involved fatality crashes of 29.5 by December 31, 2026” (Montana Department of Transportation, n.d.).
As an action item to help meet this goal, the MDT Highway Traffic Safety Section has been working with the Office of Public Instruction (OPI) to improve access for Tribal teens to driver’s education. However, in doing so, it was identified that not only do most Tribal communities not have driver’s education or certified instructors, but there are disparities across the entire statewide system. This is due to individual school districts determining how to implement driver’s education in their community, which impacts teens access to this training.
Therefore, this project is needed to identify the state of practice of driver’s education for each school district across the state and to identify needs (e.g., access for at-risk youth) and barriers (e.g., recruitment of driver’s education instructors). This will allow MDT and OPI to create a process for prioritizing which school districts to assist in any given year. ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 03 Nov 2025 15:52:47 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2617578</guid>
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    <item>
      <title>Peak Flow Regression Equations for Small Drainage Basins in Central and Eastern Montana</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2617192</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Accurate peak-flow rates are needed by the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) to properly size culverts and bridges on highway stream crossings. For stream crossings with drainage areas less than one square mile, one of the current methods available for estimating peak-flow rates is the set of Nallick peak-flow regression equations in the MDT hydraulics manual (MDT, 2022).

The Nallick regression equations as presented in MDT (2022) use drainage area, average annual precipitation, and 25-year 1-hour rainfall intensity to estimate peak streamflow for 2, 5, 10, 25, 50, and 100-year return intervals and are applicable to small drainage basins (less than 1 square mile) in the plains east of the Continental Divide. The equations were developed using data collected through 1988. Since 1988, more advanced methodologies have emerged for determining the three explanatory variables (drainage area, average annual precipitation, and 25-year 1-hour rainfall intensity) used in the equations. Furthermore, additional peak-flow data collected on small drainage basins and improved methods of peak-flow frequency analysis offer opportunities to improve the streamgage peak-flow frequency estimates used to develop the regression equations. Generalized least-squares (GLS) analysis and machine learning methods offer further potential to improve the mathematical development of the equations.

Records in the Transportation Research Board (TRB) database have emphasized the need for accurate peak-flow information to use in hydrologic modeling and infrastructure design. MDT and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) have been addressing this deficiency in peak-flow information by maintaining a crest-stage gage (CSG) network in Montana that has been collecting peak-flow data since 1955 (Sando, 2021). CSGs are simple streamgages that only record the peak stage between visits to the gage. This CSG system is especially important for collecting data in small drainage basins that are often overlooked by continuous streamflow gages. Part of the goal of the CSG network is to collect data for developing peak-flow regression equations at ungaged sites. Peak-flow variability in Montana generally increases as drainage area decreases (Sando, 2021). This variability emphasizes the need for updated regression equations that can effectively predict peak-flow rates in smaller drainage basins.

The work proposed in this project will produce updated regression equations to replace the Nallick peak-flow equations. Project tasks include camera monitoring on small streamgages, Lidar-derived basin delineations, calculation of basin characteristics, and peak-flow frequency analysis to supply the inputs needed for updated regression equations. The updated equations will be derived using generalized or weighted least squares methods and informed by exploratory machine learning analysis. By integrating advanced methods for estimating the explanatory variables and utilizing the extensive peak-flow data collected through the CSG network, this project has the potential to enhance the accuracy and reliability of peak-flow predictions for small drainage basins. Ultimately, this project aims to provide MDT with improved tools for infrastructure design, ensuring that stream crossings are appropriately sized to accommodate the peak-flows occurring in small drainage basins.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 03 Nov 2025 11:55:29 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2617192</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Watchful Electronics Eliminating Destructive Species</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2604569</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) is tasked with maintaining thousands of miles of roadways and associated rights-of-way (ROW) across diverse and often challenging terrain. Noxious weed infestations along these ROW pose significant threats, including compromising roadway integrity, competing with desirable vegetation, reducing land productivity, degrading habitat, and increasing long-term maintenance costs (Kuni, 2025). Managing these weeds effectively is crucial but is particularly difficult in areas that are hard-to-reach, steep, or hazardous, where traditional ground-based spraying methods are inefficient, unsafe, and cost-prohibitive. MDT requires innovative solutions to augment existing Integrated Weed Management (IWM) efforts, prioritizing crew safety and fiscal responsibility while effectively controlling infestations across large geographic regions. There is a specific need to accurately identify the location and species of weeds to enable targeted, rather than broadcast, treatment, thereby optimizing herbicide use and minimizing environmental impact.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 29 Sep 2025 17:07:22 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2604569</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Assessment of Embedded Box Culverts for Aquatic Organism Passage</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2551253</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) designs, operates, and maintains many of the transportation systems throughout Montana. When roads intersect rivers, streams, wetlands or other water features, MDT utilizes hydraulic structures, either bridges or culverts, to pass over them. And, in situations where the waterbody has aquatic organisms, such as fish or amphibians, MDT designs the structures to not only convey water, sediment, and woody debris through them, but also to provide connectivity for aquatic species. 

In some settings, MDT designs and constructs crossings using embedded box structures with a “two” layer approach. The bottom layer in this design consists of larger rock designed to be stable and an upper layer designed to match a river channels mobile sediment regime. The upper layer is often thought of as the “active” layer as it can move with natural sediment movements in the stream or river system. 

Some state and federal agencies that review MDT projects and issue permits for them, have expressed concern with the “two” layer approach and, specifically, the use of concrete box culverts instead of open-bottom arches or bridges, in some settings. MDT also wants to ensure their designs are functioning properly by providing river and stream continuity, aquatic organism passage, and a safe, resilient road infrastructure, but at the same time not overdesign them. 

Therefore, there is a need to assess how existing box culverts designed using the “two” layer approach are functioning in terms of maintaining their sediment beds while also providing aquatic organism passage.
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 12 May 2025 13:59:45 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2551253</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Determining the Testing, Limits and Elimination of CWD Prions in Composting Byproducts for MDT</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2478261</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) a transmissible disease affecting deer, poses significant challenges for deer population management, and safe disposal of deer carcasses. Composting animal carcasses is an environmentally friendly disposal method and is being successfully used in some areas of Montana for animals killed along the roadways. Yet concerns persist regarding the presence of infectious proteins or prions that cause CWD in the compost byproducts. These prions are notoriously resilient, withstanding standard composting temperatures and environmental degradation, thus raising questions
about their persistence and potential spreading through applications of compost byproducts.

Currently MDT cannot use the animal composting byproducts because the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) has expressed concern that it may spread CWD to uninfected animals. The composting byproduct is essentially topsoil, which MDT has plenty of uses if available for application along the roadside. Currently, it is simply stored at the composting site. If it can’t be used, it will have to be disposed in a landfill.

This proposal investigates the feasibility of using deer composting byproducts in transportation applications (e.g., soil stabilization, erosion control, or road construction and topsoil for vegetation along MDT's ROW) while assessing the associated risks of prion contamination. The study also considers the detection limits of prions in compost and defines thresholds for “prion-free” classification based on current detection technologies.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 16 Dec 2024 11:23:44 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2478261</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Identification and prioritization of road sections with a relatively high concentration of large wild mammal-vehicle collisions in Gallatin County, Montana, USA</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2437173</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The primary objective of this project is to identify and prioritize the road sections in Gallatin County that have a relatively high concentration of collisions involving large wild mammals. These road sections may then later be evaluated for potential future mitigation measures aimed at 1. Reducing collisions with large wild mammals, and 2. Providing safe passage across roads for large wild mammals, as well as other wildlife species in the area. We acquired the 3 datasets related to large wild mammal-vehicle collisions in Gallatin County: 1. Wildlife-vehicle crash data collected by law enforcement personnel, 2. Carcass removal data collected by road maintenance personnel; and 3. Grizzly bear road mortality data by the U.S. Geological Survey. The carcass removal data and grizzly bear road mortality data were merged into one carcass database. We conducted separate analyses for the crash data and the carcass data. We conducted two different types of analyses to identify and prioritize road sections with the highest number of wildlife-vehicle crashes and carcasses: 1. Kernel Density Estimation (KDE) analysis that identifies road sections with the highest concentration of collisions, and 2. Getis-Ord Gi* analysis identifies road sections that have statistically significant spatial clusters of collisions. There was great similarity between the hotspots identified through the Kernel Density Estimation analyses for 2008-2022 and 2018-2022 for both the crash and carcass removal data. The same was true for the Getis-Ord Gi* analyses. Especially sections of I-90 and US Hwy 191 between I-90 through Four Corners to the mouth of Gallatin Canyon had the highest concentration of wild animal crashes and large wild animal carcasses. Based on the Getis-Ord Gi* analyses, these road sections generally had concentrations of crashes and carcasses that were significantly higher than expected should the crashes and carcasses have been randomly distributed. In other words, these road sections do not only have the highest concentration of crashes and carcasses, but the identification of these road sections is not based on coincidence. These road sections have a concentration of crashes and carcasses that is beyond random.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 30 Sep 2024 13:38:34 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2437173</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Development of Non-Proprietary Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) Prestressed Bridge Girders</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2427399</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Bridge girders made of ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) allow for members with shallower depths to achieve longer spans as well as reduced substructure and grading costs while still achieving required under-bridge clearances. Additionally, bridge service lives are extended due to the reduced permeability and increased tensile strength of UHPC. This project focuses on identifying and eliminating barriers to the development and implementation of precast, prestressed concrete bridge girders in Minnesota and Wisconsin using non-proprietary UHPC made of local material resources.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 09 Sep 2024 10:15:19 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2427399</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Assessing the Impacts and Challenges of Truck Platooning on Highway Infrastructure in Montana</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2413944</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The Montana State Legislature is anticipated to introduce legislation regarding the use and regulation of truck platooning in Montana during the next legislative session in 2025. Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) Planning Division expects to be requested by the State Legislature to provide expert guidance on how the emerging technology of truck platooning will impact transportation infrastructure and systems in Montana. The rapid evolution of transportation technologies, including the emergence of truck platoons, across infrastructure, vehicles, and systems, indicates a future characterized by intelligent infrastructure, interconnected vehicles, and autonomous driving. Projections indicate a gradual yet significant adoption of automated driving systems, with forecasts suggesting that by 2050, autonomous vehicles and advanced transportation technologies could represent 50% of the US vehicle fleet. While implementing truck platooning provides several potential advantages benefiting surface transportation, the trucking industry, and overall economic growth, it also introduces a host of new challenges for MDT to navigate. These challenges primarily revolve around the uncertainty regarding how truck platooning will impact existing highway infrastructure and the traveling public. Consequently, this research project will proactively prepare MDT for this emerging technology by identifying the needs for efficient testing and deployment of truck platoons, and evaluating the anticipated challenges associated with its implementation.
This research project will help prepare MDT for the legislative session by identifying the requirements and limitations associated with operating truck platoons along with a thorough examination of the multifaceted impacts. The objectives of this research project include reviewing the current state-of-the-practice regarding national, state, and local regulatory frameworks and legislation pertaining to truck platooning. This analysis will serve to pinpoint infrastructure, traffic management policy, roadway design, and standardization needs essential for facilitating the deployment of truck platooning. The research objectives will identify how truck platoons could impact the operation and safety of the highway system. The goal of this research is to provide practical guidance for MDT decision-makers to respond to the State Legislature regarding inquiries on how truck platooning could impact Montana highways and the traveling public.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 06 Aug 2024 11:05:42 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2413944</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Strategies to Advance MDT as an Employer of Choice for Talent</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2413943</link>
      <description><![CDATA[State departments of transportation face a variety of challenges with recruitment and retention of staff. The transportation workforce is older than the national average with a significant portion of staff eligible to retire. New technologies and evolving agency mandates are also changing the nature of work and the type of skillsets required by personnel, intensifying competition with private industry for in-demand workers. Recruitment and retention challenges are exacerbated by tight labor markets in rural states like Montana. The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) will want to implement evidence-based strategies to successfully compete for qualified workers.

The proposed research will assist MDT in developing strategies to make the agency an employer of choice. The focus of the research will be in assessing three primary areas related to workforce development: 1. Characterize Leadership Motivation and Goals. How does MDT leadership formulate its workforce development goals and motivations and how are they communicated and operationalized through internal and external communications, policies, and practices? Are current approaches effective in achieving goals? The research will review agency communications, strategic plans, and other documentation in conjunction with staff interviews to identify existing attitudes, accountability measures, programs, and organizational structures in place to advance human resource goals as well as to identify challenges or barriers. 2. Workplace Culture Assessment. The project will develop and distribute a survey about workplace culture to MDT employees. The researchers will work with MDT Human Resources staff to ensure that the survey includes relevant demographic classifications and follows agency protocols. The survey will be augmented by in-depth interviews with staff from a variety of occupational groupings, career stages, and departments/divisions within the agency. The purpose of the climate assessment is to assess employee engagement and to identify any issues that exist about how employees perceive their workplace environment.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 06 Aug 2024 11:04:10 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2413943</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Remediation of Deicer Salt Contaminated Soils using Native Montana Plants</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2342033</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) uses deicing salts in winter operations to ensure roadways are safe and passable for the driving public. These same deicing salts, once in the environment, can accumulate in the soils, surface and ground water. One promising method to remediate soils and reduce the amount of deicing salts in surface and ground water, is the use of salt tolerant plants to remove the salt from the soils and shallow water sources. 

MDT conducted a preliminary literature search that found salt tolerant species may be used to aid in remediation of soils, surface and shallow ground water contamination from salts. While the bulk of the literature was related to agricultural saline contamination, a few research projects assessed the feasibility of using salt tolerant plant species for remediation of deicer contaminated soils. Greenhouse and laboratory results were promising, but the next step of finding significant results in field were limited to non-existent.

The proposed research effort will (1) identify potential native and non-native salt tolerant plant species that could be used for remediation of deicer contaminated soils in Montana, (2) conducted a systematic greenhouse study to determine ideal performing plant species and remediation rates, and (3) make recommendations on field trials locations and methods.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 19 Feb 2024 17:14:22 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2342033</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Patterns of Domestic Animal-Vehicle Collisions on Tribal Lands in Montana</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2232649</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Animal-vehicle collisions (AVCs) are a significant concern for motorist safety and pose a risk to both wildlife and domestic animals. This report analyzes spatial patterns of wildlife-vehicle collisions (WVCs) and domestic animal-vehicle collisions (DAVCs) on Montana’s tribal lands to identify high-risk areas and inform mitigation strategies. Data from the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) for large mammal carcasses (2008–2022) and reported crashes (2008–2020) were used to perform Kernel Density Estimation (KDE) and Getis-Ord Gi* (GOG) hotspot analyses for three tribal reservations with sufficient data: Blackfeet, Crow, and Flathead.

The KDE results show distinct spatial patterns for DAVCs and WVCs on each reservation, with DAVC hotspots concentrated near agricultural and grazing areas, while WVC hotspots were associated with natural habitats and wildlife corridors. The GOG analysis further revealed that DAVC hotspots tend to be more temporally stable, suggesting that collisions with domestic animals are influenced by consistent factors such as livestock access points and grazing practices. In contrast, WVC hotspots were more variable, likely driven by changes in wildlife movement patterns and seasonal behavior.

Overall, the findings indicate that the elevated rates of DAVCs on tribal lands, compared to non-tribal lands, are likely due to unique factors such as open range grazing practices and road infrastructure adjacent to grazing lands. This report emphasizes the need for targeted mitigation strategies on tribal roads, such as enhanced livestock fencing, road signage, and livestock underpasses in high-risk areas, to reduce collisions and improve safety for both motorists and animals. Understanding the distinct spatial and temporal patterns of DAVCs and WVCs is crucial for developing comprehensive mitigation approaches that enhance safety and connectivity on Montana’s tribal lands.
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 23 Aug 2023 16:26:20 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2232649</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Building Active Communities Technical Support '23-'24</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2221865</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The Montana Nutrition and Physical Activity (NAPA) Program’s Building Active Communities Initiative (BACI) was a project of the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services in cooperation with Montana State University’s Office of Rural Health. With in-depth, interactive training, mentoring and ongoing technical assistance, BACI supported community-led approaches to develop active and healthy communities.  The overarching goal of the Initiative was to provide communities the tools and technical assistance they need to develop policies, plans, and projects that support more safe, connected and walkable communities.  Western Transportation Institute's (WTI’s) Small Urban and Rural Livability Center provided funding support for several of BACI’s Action Institutes. This project will build on the momentum created by the Building Active Communities Initiative Program by extending WTI’s technical support efforts.

Many of the small rural communities that have participated over the years have an ongoing need for technical assistance. At the BACI Action Institutes, these communities gathered information and developed ideas for policies, programs and projects to implement in their communities. Many of these communities lack the technical knowledge to fully implement their ideas. WTI’s Small Urban, Rural, and Tribal Center on Mobility (SURTCOM) staff have been involved with the BACI program from the beginning and have long standing relationships with NAPA, DPHHS, MDT, and Department of Commerce staff that have also been involved with providing technical assistance to BACI Action Institute and the BACI communities. In addition, WTI’ SURTCOM staff have the expertise and experience in rural bicycle and pedestrian best practices and experience working with these communities through the Safe Routes to School program.  These factors combine to make WTI’s SURTCOM ideally positioned to provide the additional technical support that these communities need to bring the policies, programs, and projects to reality.
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 28 Jul 2023 13:07:52 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2221865</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Remote Observation over Time (Drone in a Box)</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2219444</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Montana's diverse terrain and weather create unique problems for 
Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) Maintenance crews. Hazardous areas need to be monitored to assess risks such as avalanche and rock-slide sites. MDT Maintenance and MDT Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Program would like to explore a portable, fully automated drone solution nicknamed ‘Drone in a Box’. This drone would monitor and or map hazardous sites remotely to reduce crew exposure and assess potential dangers to the traveling public. The Drone in a Box concept has been around for over a decade but only recently have we began seeing commercially available products. Most Drone in a Box solutions come with an untethered drone and operates remotely using a set of preprogrammed instructions telling the drone when to take-off, what flight path to follow, and when & where to land. Data collected during these operations is able to be accessed remotely, with the option to live stream the data in real-time. MDT Maintenance and MDT UAS Program management propose to deploy a Drone in a Box at one (or more) MDT locations where avalanche danger is common to monitor and map snow-pack over time.
This research would propose to answer the following questions: (1) Is a Drone in a Box solution a cost effective and safer alternative to having maintenance crews physically inspect those areas? (2) Can the Drone in a Box solution be a reliable tool to collect the actionable data MDT needs to make accurate decisions? (3) Can mapping snow pack with a Drone in a Box solution in avalanche prone area's help predict occurrences to better prepare for incidents? (4) Can a Drone in a Box solution be an effective asset in assessing flooding issues during spring runoff?]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 26 Jul 2023 13:14:18 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2219444</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Bringing Montana's History into the Future: Modernizing MDT's 
Interpretive Marker System</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2219442</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) currently administers 295 historic and geological interpretive markers along the state's primary and secondary roads and in rest areas on the Interstates. The markers have been an important part of the Montana transportation landscape since 1935. But, in the twenty-first century, new ways of providing that information to motorists is required. In addition to the printed medium, the marker texts can be displayed on interactive electronic maps on the MDT website. But there may be other methods available to get that information out and into the hands of people interested in the history and geology of Montana. One method may be a cell phone app for travelers to obtain the texts of the markers without stopping to read them. How that app would work is something to study. It would
also be critical to the study to determine how other states are handling this issue and whether their methods are successful - or not. There may be other methods to consider based on a study of the other states as well. The roadside historical and geological markers are a popular way of providing information to the traveling public. But as times change, it is important the historical/geological marker system change with it. This research project involves investigating how other states treat their roadside interpretive marker programs and the methods used to make them more accessible to the traveling public.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 26 Jul 2023 12:48:40 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2219442</guid>
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