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    <title>Research in Progress (RIP)</title>
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    <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>
    <image>
      <title>Research in Progress (RIP)</title>
      <url>https://rip.trb.org/Images/PageHeader-wTitle-RIP.jpg</url>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/</link>
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    <item>
      <title>Real-Time Trip Support for Multimodal Travelers</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2166265</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This project aims to optimize riders' trips by adding a new feature (in-trip support/live updates) to the existing OpenTripPlanner (OTP), an open-source multimodal trip discovery and planning system trusted by major transit agencies nationwide. It will also make use of other existing open source technologies, including the General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS) and GTFS-real-time open data standards for transit schedule information and real-time updates for arrival/departure predictions and vehicle locations. The added new feature is expected to provide a complete, user-centric passenger experience by integrating trip planning, real-time updates, nearby stops and amenities, payment options, and other services. The OTP takes up open data, including static and real-time data for transit agencies, ride- hailing services, micromobility providers, bikeshare, and other first-/last-mile options. An OTP web app for desktops and mobile phones will be developed along with a kiosk UI optimized for touch screens and native OTP iOS and Android apps. The research team's recently developed module, OTP-personas, will provide account management by which customers will be able to save favorite trips and stops, set frequented destinations, and receive service alerts through SMS, email, or push notifications. 
The proposed enhancement to OTP will leverage datasets of current and archived conditions to simulate users' planned trips against actual trip conditions. A machine learning algorithm (Kalman Filter or similar) will be applied throughout the iterative comparison of planned and actual trips to determine how much an actual trip's conditions are deviating from the expected, scheduled trip conditions. This approach would give research team a confidence value for whether to give a user alternate directions/trip options. An appropriate confidence value would need to be determined to override a user's planned trip with an alternate, rerouted itinerary.
With the addition of in-trip support feature and dynamic rerouting OTP enhancement, transit riders will be given accurate information about vehicle locations and how that may affect their planned trip. Once a traveler plans a trip, the location of the transit vehicle will be constantly updated and refreshed using high-quality GTFS-real-time data. Based on current conditions, historic information, and machine learning simulations, trips are reoptimized if transit vehicles are running behind schedule or if riders may miss planned transfers. The reoptimized trip can then be communicated to riders in real time through push notifications, SMS, or email.
Because OTP is an open-source project, the new feature will be made available for agencies using OTP to implement at no additional cost. Since in-trip support and dynamic re-routing not only benefit transit users but also the transit agencies, ttis enhancement has the potential to provide affordable and valuable insight to transit agencies to inform planning and operations. By analyzing common routes that are behind schedule or prevalent transfers missed by users, transit agencies have insight into operational deficiencies. Agencies can leverage data to modify schedules, synchronize transfers, plan for network redesign, and prioritize capital investments that improve transit reliability in problem areas. In the future, transit agencies could use in-trip support data to make real-time operation decisions.
The current version of General Bikeshare Feed Specification (GBFS) &ndash; v2.3 allows shared mobility providers to provide information about how long a vehicle can be reserved. This information could allow future extensions of this project to allow for in- trip support and dynamic rerouting that includes shared mobility vehicles, allowing OTP to recognize when a rider could reserve a shared vehicle to ensure its availability in the near future.
This project has been terminated due to the PI leaving the proposing organization.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 01 May 2023 18:06:35 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2166265</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Transportation Management Centers Pooled Fund Study Phase II</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1891336</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Transportation management centers (TMCs) are critical resources that offer agencies the potential to improve the safety and mobility of travel on the surface transportation system. TMCs have also been deployed or are being enhanced to assist agencies in fulfilling the ever-increasing transportation needs of travelers (e.g., travel times), service providers (e.g., transit, emergency services), other agencies, and the public (e.g., incidents). TMCs are comprised of a complex, integrated blend of hardware, software, operational strategies, processes, and people performing a range of functions and actions. TMCs typically consist of multiple subsystems, which may include functionality such as ramp metering, traffic signal control, dynamic message signs, data, software, and communication. The deployment, integration, operation, management, and maintenance required to ensure the operation of traffic management systems (TMSs), TMCs, and subsystems is very complex as the supporting technologies continue to evolve. 


OBJECTIVES: The objectives of the Traffic Management Centers (TMC) Pooled Fund Study (PFS) is to assemble regional, state, and local transportation management agencies and FHWA to: (1) identify key issues and challenges agencies are facing with their traffic management systems (TMSs) or centers (TMCs); (2) suggest approaches to addressing identified issues; (3) initiate and monitor projects intended to address identified issues; (4) develop technical resources and disseminate results; (5) provide leadership and coordinate with others on TMC interests; and (6) promote and facilitate sharing information on TMC issues nationally.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 11 Nov 2021 08:15:29 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1891336</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Assessment of Innovative and Automated Freight Systems and Development of Evaluation Tools, Phase III</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1715629</link>
      <description><![CDATA[In research project 0-6837 (Phase I), the research team conducted a comprehensive review of innovative and automated freight strategies and technologies (S/T) used worldwide.  The research team initially identified a total of 57 different S/T from this review.  In consultation with TxDOT, the research team selected nine S/T areas, that could improve future freight distribution in Texas, to advance to research project 0-6837-01 (Phase II).  In Phase II, the research team conducted an analysis which used the Systematic Technology Reconnaissance, Evaluation, and Adoption Methodology (STREAM) process from National Cooperative Highway Research Program Report 750, Volume 3, to evaluate each S/T’s effectiveness. In Project 0-6837-03 (Phase III), the research team will evaluate innovative strategic freight operational changes and technology applications recommended by TxDOT at the conclusion of Phase II to ensure continued timely flow of commercial freight through the Texas transportation system.  Phase III was planned to consist of seven distinctive project activities based upon the results of Phases I & II of the project.  The activities advanced for Phase III research were selected by TxDOT and address four of the nine freight S/T areas that were examined during Phase II.  The selected S/T areas are: (1) Port Area Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), (2) Separation of Trucks from Automobiles/Truck-Only Infrastructure, (3) Truck Parking Information 4) Border Advanced Traveler Information. Multiple Port Area ITS-related activities were chosen while the other three S/T areas produced one activity each. 
Phase III examines freight traffic changes near seaports after ITS equipment implementation, communication of rail blockages at a port entrance to approaching trucks, modeling of truck-only lane impacts within a major freight corridor, truck parking-related sensing and communication at existing TxDOT rest areas, and border crossing enhancement through coordinated information exchange.  Each Phase III activity has independent utility and furthers implementation goals of the Texas Freight Mobility Plan (TFMP).]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 24 Jun 2020 09:42:02 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1715629</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Impact of Road Information Assistive Systems on Pedestrian Crossing Safety</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1705304</link>
      <description><![CDATA[National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) (2019) reported that road-related fatalities in the United States (US) decreased in 2018 by 2.4% when compared with 2017. Nonetheless, pedestrian fatalities increased by 3.4% in the same period, reaching 6,283 deaths, the highest number since 1990. Similarly, pedestrian fatalities in urban areas have increased by 69% since 2009. Fatal crashes caused 3,267 deaths in Puerto Rico during the 2009-2018 period, out of which 31% were pedestrians. One of the riskier roadway situations for pedestrians is uncontrolled crossings at midblock or unsignalized intersections. Studies have found that crashes at uncontrolled crossings are related to the crossing conflicts, excessive vehicle speeds, inadequate conspicuity/visibility, drivers not yielding to pedestrians, and insufficient separation from traffic. In addition, the use of handheld multimedia devices is growing exponentially, with approximately 1.2 devices for every person in the US alone. The popularity of these devices has resulted in distracted road users. However, these handheld multimedia devices can be used to provide information to a pedestrian in a connected environment. The proper development and future implementation of connected technology, such as vehicle-to-pedestrian (V2P) and pedestrian-to-infrastructure (P2I), has a high potential for improving safety. These technologies can be used to inform users of existing road conditions, available services, and unexpected events in the highway network. Vulnerable road users could potentially benefit from receiving real-time information to assist them in making properly informed decisions. The objective of this research is to study the impact of Road Information Assistive Systems (RIAS) on the ability of a pedestrian to cross the roadway. This project will use Virtual Reality equipment to study the effect on pedestrians’ decisions in roadway crossing maneuvers when having an active RIAS in a simulated smartphone or tablet. The intent is to simulate as if the pedestrian is operating in a P2I environment, and the connected device is giving information about the road and traffic conditions to assist the pedestrian in making the crossing maneuver safely. The study will analyze the performance of at-risk and vulnerable pedestrian populations, such as older adults and persons with functional diversity.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 07 May 2020 12:47:29 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1705304</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Analyzing Various Data Sources and Evaluating Effectiveness of Providing Travel Time for Non-Freeways
</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1528378</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) is placing an emphasis on Transportation Systems Management and Operations (TSMO) as they strive to find innovative ways to fulfill their mission to enhance capacity and improve safety. ODOT's current critical success factors already reflect this emphasis by addressing Travel Time Performance. ODOT provides travel time information to the motoring public utilizing various technologies such as Dynamic Message Signs, Destination Dynamic Message Signs, Highway Advisory Radios and the OHGO (mobile application) platform. To date, these efforts have been focused on Ohio freeway routes.
Currently ODOT is looking for a method to provide effective travel time information on our non-freeway system. As part of this project it is anticipated that the researcher evaluate ODOT's current technologies, processes, data sources, and traveler information systems in order to identify opportunities for improvement.
The overall goal of the project is to provide non-freeway motorists with accurate travel time information early enough that the driver has an opportunity to select the most efficient route. Objectives of this project include:
(1) Increase safety; 
(2) Reduce unexpected delay, 
(3) Reduce secondary crashes; 
(4) Enhance capacity; 
(5) Increase awareness of traffic conditions; and 
(6) Reduce distraction driving.
                    ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 27 Jul 2018 15:18:50 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1528378</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Dynamic Transit Trip Planner (DTTP) (Interactive Transit Station Information System [ITSIS])</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1441782</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Although public transit is an important means of transportation for many American travelers, it is still largely underutilized. Encouraging greater transit use is seen as part of the integrated solution to the congestion problem in metropolitan areas and has been a major objective for transportation innovations such as Integrated Corridor Management (ICM). The real-time transit traveler information system (TTIS) has been one of the key innovations to enhance the user experience and encouraging mode shifts. Effective TTIS solutions have already been implemented worldwide and are providing essential core travel information to users, empowering them to make better transportation choices. While this information is typically still provided to travelers using dynamic messaging signs (DMS) at fixed locations, recently, it is becoming more common for it to be made available through the internet (website) and personal mobile devices (e.g., smart phones) with enhanced connectivity applications installed on them (FTA, 2011). In some cases, real-time information is simply “pushed” to interested individual users without the need for significant user input. However, this project looks at moving to a more robust interactive system there exist several technical gaps in the current implementation of TTIS that must be overcome.  These can generally be grouped into three major categories.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 04 Jan 2017 10:52:19 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1441782</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Aurora Program</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1377923</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The Aurora Program is a consortium of public road agencies focused on collaborative research, evaluation, and deployment of advanced technologies for detailed road weather monitoring and forecasting. Members seek to implement advanced road weather information systems (RWIS) that fully integrate state-of-the-art roadway and weather forecasting technologies with coordinated, multi-agency weather monitoring infrastructures. Aurora's research projects are designed to improve the efficiency of highway maintenance operations and distribute effective real-time information to travelers. Its initiatives are expected to result in technological advancement and improvement of existing RWIS, significantly reducing the adverse impacts of inclement weather on mobility.  Six primary goals are to: (1) improve dissemination of road weather information to transportation providers and end users, ultimately increasing safety by reducing potential weather-related incidents and improving transportation safety, reliability, and mobility in both urban and rural areas; (2) improve the efficiency of maintenance operations; (3) aid in the development of technologies that seamlessly integrate to facilitate the formation of partnerships between maintenance and operations and facilitate the dissemination of road weather information; (4) develop initiatives that assist public agencies in deploying RWIS technologies and methodologies; (5) encourage greater cooperation and information exchange between transportation agencies and the other agencies and groups; and (6) support development of expanded uses of RWIS technologies.  Defined areas of interest on which to focus its research program are: Decision Support Systems, Meso-scale Modeling, standards and Architecture; Small-scale Modeling and Analysis, Information Dissemination Technologies; Equipment Evaluations, Road Condition Monitoring; Innovative weather-related Data Collection and Dissemination Instrumentation and Methodologies.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 22 Dec 2015 10:28:01 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1377923</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Enhancing TSM&amp;O Strategies Through User Cost Analysis and Life Cycle Assessment</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1363412</link>
      <description><![CDATA[One of the primary objectives of Transportation Systems Management and Operation (TSM&amp;O) strategies is to optimize the capacity of existing transportation infrastructure by reducing congestion. Over the past decades, agencies and researchers investigated the use of various strategies such as deployment of advanced traveler information systems, ramp metering, surveillance through closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras, and synchronized signals to achieve this objective. Life cycle cost analysis (LCCA) of various alternative strategies has received particular attention to identify the strategy with the lowest cost. However, increasing concerns over the impacts of transportation systems on nearby communities as well as the environment are urging decision makers to consider the environmental impacts of various TSM&amp;O strategies in addition to user costs. Vehicle emissions are affected by various factors such as vehicle's speed, idling time, and acceleration, which in turn depend on the traffic activities of other vehicles and level of congestion. Changes in highway capacity and pavement condition have an impact on the level of user costs incurred by commuters. There is a lack of decision support systems that would allow decision makers to simultaneously compare environmental, social and economic impacts of TSM&amp;O strategies over their life cycle. The aim of this study is to address this gap in research.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 30 Jul 2015 01:01:14 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1363412</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Northwest Passage Phase III</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1354931</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The North/West Passage Corridor encompasses the states along I-90/I-94 from Wisconsin to Washington. The states within the North/West Passage Corridor are predominately rural and face similar transportation issues related to traffic management, traveler information, and commercial vehicle operations. Within the corridor states, there are numerous systems for collecting, processing, and integrating traveler and road maintenance information. At present, this information is not readily shared across state borders. Recognizing the value of coordinated, cross-border collaboration for Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) deployment to address these issues, the states formed the Transportation Pooled Fund (TPF-5(093) in 2003. Building on several projects recommended in the ITS Integrated Corridor Strategic Plan for North/West Passage, Work Plan 4 presents a series of projects targeted for completion in 2008-2009. The projects continue to integrate traveler information systems and coordinate maintenance operations across state borders.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 22 May 2015 01:02:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1354931</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>An Analysis Framework for Determining the Best Location of VMS's in a Transportation Network Using DTA</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1239046</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The location of Variable Message Signs (VMS) has not been adequately addressed by the research community, yet it is a standard practice among state and local transportation agencies. The past few years have witnessed a new trend - mainly in Asian countries (e.g. Beijing, Shanghai, Singapore) - in the use of VMSs to provide traffic flow information in full/partial light emitting diodes (LED) displays. Unlike in the US, where VMSs are primarily installed to provide information on freeway/tollway traffic flow conditions, the new trend is to also provide traffic flow conditions throughout the City including the arterial system. The use of VMS may be viewed as an interim traveler information solution until the majority of vehicles are equipped with in-vehicle navigation and traveler information services in real time and/or smartphones with applications on real-time traffic flow information - the latter is expected to be available faster than any other solutions. Regardless of the use of smartphones and in-vehicle navigation/information devices to obtain real-time traffic flow information, it is expected that VMSs will still play a role for the next 10 to 20 years, and departments of transportation (DOTs) will continue to install them to provide this traveler information service to their customers. Given the financial difficulties that the transportation sector is now facing and is expected to face in the future, it makes it extremely important to select the optimal number and location of VMSs in order to satisfy the travelers' and transportation agencies' objective(s) while minimizing cost. The cost for installing a VMS sign can vary from $100K to $1M, excluding the operational cost. Installing such a system throughout a metropolitan area may require more than 100 VMS signs for a cost that can range from 10 to 100 million dollars. It is a significant budget item for any transportation agency to be allocated to traveler information services and traffic operations. The question that is often being asked by transportation agencies prior to the installation of a VMS signs is: What would be the impact of this VMS on traffic flow improvement on a year by year basis? The second question is, How much will it cost to install and operate? The third question then is, How much budget should we allocate to have the best improvement in the performance of the transportation network or selected Origin-Destination (OD) pairs by installing several VMSs throughout our network? And finally, What are the costs and benefits of VMSs for all travelers or for specific OD pairs?]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 30 Jan 2013 01:00:36 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1239046</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Traffic Management of Heavy Vehicles in Work Zones</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1236638</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Work zones have become the rule rather than the exception on highways today. Work zones are a major contributor to the delay experienced by motorists. Compounding this issue of work zones and delay are the increasing traffic volumes on our roadways. Data show that truck travel in the United States is increasing at a much faster rate than the overall vehicle travel (total VMT) and this growth trend is expected to continue. Therefore, designing any effective traffic management strategies should explicitly consider truck drivers and their response to such systems. Intelligent transportation systems (ITS) such as advanced traveler information systems (ATIS) can be used to effectively manage the demand and available capacity in work zones and mitigate the mobility impacts of work zones. However, designing effective ATIS systems requires an understanding of drivers' perception and understanding of the provided information, their decision-making and consequent reaction. None of the studies focused on vehicle type, specifically trucks and how the ATIS affected their diversion. This proposal presents a plan to address the issues of truck drivers' responses to real-time travel information, their willingness to take alternate routes, and the factors that affect their choice in order to design effective truck traffic management systems.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 03 Jan 2013 15:50:24 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1236638</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Drivers' Asynchronous Day-to-Day Route Choices with Information Provision</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1236307</link>
      <description><![CDATA[With the diffusion of information and communication technologies into the transportation sector, more traffic information will be available to drivers. In an advanced traveler information system, interactions among road networks, drivers, and traffic information could impact safety, efficiency, environmental, and other characteristics of the overall transportation system. In this project, we propose a new modeling framework to systematically study how information provision would impact drivers' day-to-day route choice decisions. In this framework, individual drivers have heterogeneous decision intervals and how drivers respond to different information provision schemes. With simulations and theoretical investigations, we will study stability and efficiency of the overall transportation system under different demand levels, information provision schemes, and distribution of drivers' decision intervals. This project could lead to more insights on impacts of information provision on drivers' behaviors in transportation networks. Through this project, we will develop a set of theoretical, simulation, and experimental tools for studying drivers' route choice behaviors. The developed tools and gained insights could be helpful for understanding how such new technologies as inter-vehicle communications can help reduce congestion and emissions through proper route guidance.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 03 Jan 2013 15:44:45 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1236307</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Day-Sim-TRANSIMS Integrated Model Enhancement</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1232038</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The objective of this task order is to establish methods for integrating advanced disaggregate transportation demand and supply models for the purposes of advancing modeling, community understanding, and to use the existing DaySim-TRANSIMS integrated model system operating in Sacramento.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 03 Jan 2013 14:30:48 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1232038</guid>
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