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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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    <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>
      <url>https://rip.trb.org/Images/PageHeader-wTitle-RIP.jpg</url>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/</link>
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    <item>
      <title>The Effects of Complete Streets Policies and Projects on Local Business Development and Growth in California</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2696848</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This project aims to explore the effects of Complete Streets policies and projects on local business development in California. The project uses a mixed-methods research design and micro-level business databases to explore how Complete Streets influences job accessibility, business attraction, business survival rates, and the broader transformation of mixed land use surrounding Complete Streets project sites. It investigates the interplay between Complete Streets projects and local business dynamics, particularly focusing on the clustering or dispersion of businesses for the agglomeration economy. By comparing the range of Complete Streets policies adopted by different entities, such as state agencies, counties, Metropolitan Planning Organizations, and cities, within varying sociodemographic, environmental, economic, and physical contexts, the research assesses their influence on transportation improvement plans and economic development strategies. The primary objectives of the research comprise three major research tasks. First, it aims to evaluate how Complete Streets policies impact changes in travel demand and behavioral patterns, considering the allocation of various transport modes. Second, the research examines the effects of proximity to Complete Streets project sites on the growth and development of local businesses. Finally, the project seeks to understand the perspectives of transportation agencies and local governments regarding the urban environment modifications driven by Complete Streets initiatives, particularly their implications for local business growth and broader land use changes. By employing mixed methods, the research aims to provide comprehensive insights that inform policymakers, urban planners, and business owners of strategies to refine Complete Streets policies for better local business development.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 28 Apr 2026 11:07:56 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2696848</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>What Makes Complete Streets Projects Work?</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2690983</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This project will assess community reactions to complete streets projects that repurpose vehicular travel lanes or parking spaces for bicycle lanes, sidewalks or other pedestrian amenities, and/or transit-only or transit-priority lanes. The primary research goal is to better understand the decision-making processes – how and why cities have developed complete streets project proposals and engaged with stakeholders who may have competing interests and perspectives, such as local business owners, homeowner and community groups, bicycle and active transport groups, and public transportation agencies including Caltrans and relevant transit agencies. The project will explore whether and how stakeholder concerns overlap and align and where they do not, and how conflicts are addressed and resolved, when possible. The project will also explore whether stakeholder perspectives change over time (including after project completion). The primary research method will be to conduct case study research in a sample of communities which will vary by regional location and community type. The case studies will involve interviews of key stakeholders, a survey of local business owners, analysis of business revenue data, and document review. The findings will help planners and policymakers understand the political stakes and practical challenges involved in implementing complete streets projects, and how they can successfully be managed.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 09 Apr 2026 14:32:57 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2690983</guid>
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    <item>
      <title>Making CAV Deployments Compatible with Complete Streets Objectives for Safe and Efficient Operations - Phase III</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2639855</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This proposal is for the continuation of a multi-year effort initiated in the first year of the current Center for Connected and Automated Transportation (CCAT) program, Making CAV Deployments Compatible with Complete Streets Objectives for Safe and Efficient Operation.  Phase I was initiated in 2023 and Phase II in 2024.  The primary motivation is the safety, mobility and accessibility implications of potentially conflicting forces in the progressive deployment of CAV capabilities and intelligent mobility in urban city streets. As planners and engineers focus on the next generation of disruptive technologies through connectivity and automation, a counter movement is seeking accessible, walkable, sustainable neighborhoods with easier bike and micromobility access for all residents.  Overlayed on the urban fabric is increasing reliance on delivery vehicles of all sizes associated with on-demand eCommerce. The primary question motivating this research is how to design and operate complete streets that accommodate both the requirement of flow efficiency achievable through connectivity, automation and shared autonomous mobility services with the aspirations for access to micromobility and human-scale urban spaces. For the coming year, the main objectives include (1) Complete data analysis for the interactions especially for the under-represented user categories, especially bicycling and micromobility; (2) Extend the  simulation framework to consider various arrangements and hierarchies of shared road space; and (3) Develop design framework for allocating roadway space to the various user classes that recognizes the dual needs of safe and efficient flow on one hand, and access to micromobility in urban spaces on the other. ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 10 Dec 2025 16:12:36 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2639855</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Rural Transportation Innovation and Mobilities Equity (RTIME)</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2586797</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The Rural Transportation Innovation and Mobilities Equity (TIME) Project focuses on enhancing mobility and accessibility in the rural areas served by Western New Mexico University (WNMU) by addressing three interconnected areas: access to nature, innovative transportation solutions, and economic development. The first area emphasizes the creation of safe, multi-modal pathways that connect Silver City and surrounding communities to natural recreational sites, as well as linking the historic downtown to the WNMU campus through a Complete Streets framework. This initiative aims to incorporate best practices from national and global contexts. 
The second area of focus revolves around developing innovative transportation options that cater to a diverse population, including children, retirees, and individuals with disabilities. This involves creating active transportation infrastructure that provides safe and environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional vehicles. The project also aims to integrate these mobility solutions with regional economic and workforce development by introducing planning for technical certifications and degree programs at WNMU, tailored to meet local workforce needs.
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 13 Aug 2025 17:15:52 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2586797</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Speed Impacts on Complete Streets Elements, Phase II</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2487323</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Minnesota State University has recently completed related complete streets research that explored the effects of various roadway cross-sectional characteristics on driver speed selection in urban and suburban areas across Minnesota. This research resulted in a series of speed reduction factors (SRF) for various roadway cross-sectional elements and related guidance as to how those elements reduce speeds. However, some important questions remain. In particular, there is interest in understanding how driver speed selection varies when non-motorized users are present. There are also areas from the initial research that warrant further investigation, such as how driver behavior varies based on median dimensions, the presence of curb and gutter, and the degree of parking activity along a corridor. This study aims to address these gaps by investigating how these elements affect driver speed selection through a series of field studies at 16 sites throughout Minnesota. The results of this study will provide additional guidance that furthers efforts of the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) and local road agencies.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 18 Jul 2025 09:52:58 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2487323</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>How Complete are Your City’s Streets? Evaluating the Completeness of Urban Streets Using Big Data and Computer Vision</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2553162</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The main objectives of this project are: (1) development and validation of detection methods on the presence and width of individual elements of complete streets at street level, (2) development of a numeric index and typology to rate the completeness of streets, (3) curation of a publicly accessible database of various elements of complete street data in Atlanta metro; and (4) demonstration of how the rating/typology can be used to help users easily communicate and utilize the data in planning and policy decisions. Additionally, this project will provide an interactive map dashboard of non-residential urban streets in the Atlanta metropolitan region to visualize and communicate the data with the stakeholders. Understanding the current condition of complete street networks is an imperative first step in planning and policy interventions. The presence and the conditions of the eight elements of complete street segments, as reflected in the rating system, will offer critical information about which areas in the street network should be prioritized for complete street upgrades and what specific form these upgrades would entail. The knowledge of complete street elements will also help in assessing whether investing in complete street design and construction influence people’s mode choices towards more active mobility and transit. While there are numerous elements that form the concept of complete streets such as public transit facilities, pedestrian and bicyclist accommodations, traffic calming, and streetscaping, this project focuses on the elements that determine the allocation of street space, such as sidewalks, bike lanes, and street parking, and save other non-surface objects for future studies, such as signboards, walk signals, and other fixtures.

This project plans to collect data on both the presence of complete streets elements and their cross-sectional width where applicable. This detection uses aerial and street view images together as one input. The primary data source for image data will be Google Street View and Google Maps API. By validating the detected result through the comparison with the well-established data, this project will test the potential of the methodology as a low-cost alternative to the existing data collection system. All data will be collected at the street segment level. The relationship between complete streets and travel behavior outcomes in terms of urban vitality and public health will be demonstrated by using urban vitality data (e.g., daily median spend for each POI from Safegraph) and mobility pattern (foot traffic data from ADVAN Research). All data will be collected at the street segment level.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 15 May 2025 14:42:58 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2553162</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Making CAV Deployments Compatible with Complete Streets Objectives for Safe and Efficient Operation — Phase II</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2425224</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The primary question motivating this research effort is how to design and
operate complete streets that accommodate both the requirement of flow efficiency achievable through connectivity, automation and shared autonomous mobility services with the aspirations for equitable access to micromobility and human-scale urban spaces. The main objectives include (1) develop component models that comprise the multi-dimensional interactions taking place in a Complete Street environment with added CAVs; (2) obtain data on the more vulnerable (and under-represented) user categories, especially bicycling and micromobility; and (3) integrate components in simulation framework and perform initial prototype testing.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 05 Sep 2024 11:11:31 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2425224</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Roadside Feature Placement and Pedestrian Safety on Low and Intermediate Speed Roads</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2406776</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Existing research on the design of low- and intermediate-speed (35 mph and 40-45 mph posted speeds, respectively) urban roadsides does not provide adequate guidance to designers balancing complete streets design principles and roadside safety concerns. While Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) design guidance has grown more flexible and emphasizes the role of engineering judgment, designers need relevant, empirical models and evidence on which to base this judgment. The methodology used for this study will be particularly important. However, prior research methods do not answer the question of whether maintaining the recommended lateral offsets will significantly reduce fixed-object crashes or if errant vehicles will simply travel a few extra feet before meeting a fixed object. Nor does the guidance address the potential for trees and other roadside infrastructure to influence operating speed or other driver behavior.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 24 Jul 2024 09:43:24 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2406776</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Roadside Design for the Safety and Comfort of Nonmotorized and Micromobility Users</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2381724</link>
      <description><![CDATA[In 2022, there were 7,522 pedestrian deaths and 1,105 bicyclist deaths on U.S. roadways, the highest number of pedestrian deaths since 1981 and the highest number of bicyclist deaths since 1975, according to Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). In response to the rise in pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and agencies across the United States have adopted the Safe System approach. As part of this initiative, many agencies have implemented Complete Streets policies and legislation. As implementation continues, best practices for selecting, designing, implementing, and maintaining roadside features and facilities to accommodate nonmotorized and micromobility users are not broadly recognized under a variety of context. Practitioners are seeking guidance on the development of roadway features and facilities to better accommodate nonmotorized and micromobility users across a variety of context classifications, functional classifications, traffic speeds, and traffic volumes. Furthermore, roadside design guides have historically focused on cross-section elements between intersections, but many crashes involving nonmotorized and micromobility users occur at intersections and driveways. 

There is a need to develop a performance-based decision-making framework to select roadside features and facilities in various roadway contexts and provide insight on the effectiveness of new roadside features, facilities, and intersection treatments to address safety concerns of nonmotorized or micromobility users.

The objective of this research is to develop a performance-based guide to support state departments of transportation (DOTs) and other transportation agencies to select roadside features and facilities in various roadway contexts for the safety and comfort of nonmotorized and micromobility users. The guide will focus on quantitative and qualitative evaluations of the safety and comfort of nonmotorized and micromobility road users with considerations for implementation and maintenance of the roadside features and facilities.
 ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 21 May 2024 17:21:40 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2381724</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Updated Graphics and Report for “Urban Applications of Innovative Intersection Design”</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2362120</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Across North Carolina, communities are increasingly anxious to foster walkable mixed-use development at urban-level densities. This is partly because older suburban land uses adjacent to many NCDOT highways are languishing and communities see Complete Streets and Form-Based Codes as a means of rejuvenating economic development and creating the “great places” that they feel like they lack. It’s not
just “languishing suburban” aiming for walkable, urban densities – many greenfield locations are aiming for “urban town centers” right from the beginning, and still other locations already are fully urban, and need traffic management solutions that respect and enhance their multimodal appeal. NCDOT has a new Complete Streets policy, but the department is better-known for “Stroads” than for delivering projects that are viewed by stakeholders as walkable and livable, and thereby helping catalyze the “suburban to urban” transformation communities are seeking. This is not a critique of NCDOT – it is
the common reality all over America, and it is born out of the conundrum of highways pulling double duty, serving local economic access needs and attempting to manage high traffic levels over relatively long distances at the same time. If anything, NCDOT is to be commended for national leadership in aiming to discover how to deliver a different product to existing and aspiring urban activity centers.

This continuation effort from NCDOT RP 2021-22 aims to update visuals to be used in presentations for NCDOT when making cases for alternative designs in urban and suburban settings. It is well known that conveying these concepts to practitioners, municipal staff, or citizens is extremely challenging. Aerial and “street level” scenes of various alternative designs help convey the benefits to other modalities by freeing up right-of-way. In addition, other benefits such as revitalization can be more easily discussed once the scene is better understood.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 04 Apr 2024 10:07:32 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2362120</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>
National Investigation of the Environmental, Safety and Livability Impacts of Travel Lane Width: Evidence from 10 American Cities</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2331768</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This project is one of the most comprehensive efforts to date to address a long overdue built environmental and transportation challenge to health: unnecessarily wide travel lanes that are designed to accommodate fast and convenient driving. There has been a constant competition for space in roadways’ right-of-way. In most American cities, the automobile is the winner of this competition, making it a challenge to find space for bike lanes and sidewalks. One of the easiest and most cost-efficient way to make space for cyclists and pedestrian is to narrow travel lanes and parking lanes to an optimal width. The main drawback is safety concerns. Are wider lanes safer? A recent study in seven US Cities by the PI found that narrower lanes do not have a higher number of crashes than their wider counterparts, after controlling for 21 functional and design street characteristics. This study builds on the earlier effort by (1) expanding sample to more than 1,500 street sections with three additional cities and measuring a comprehensive set of 21 micro-scale street design features for these streets; (2) quantifying the impact of narrow travel lane on traffic fatalities, pedestrian safety, and bicycle safety indicators; and (3) measuring the impact of narrow lane width on pedestrian volume and activities. Finally, from the national sample of ten cities, the PIs will select one lane width reduction project for further longitudinal analysis of traffic speed, roadway capacity (traffic volume), roadway safety (crash severity and frequency) and GHG emission impacts before and after the lane width reduction.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 01 Feb 2024 10:04:47 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2331768</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Making CAV Deployments Compatible with Complete Streets Objectives for Safe and Efficient Operation — Phase I</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2326944</link>
      <description><![CDATA[As planners and engineers focus on the next generation of disruptive technologies through connectivity and automation, a counter movement is seeking equitable, walkable, sustainable neighborhoods with easier bike and micromobility access for all residents. Overlayed on the urban fabric is increasing reliance on delivery vehicles of all sizes associated with on-demand eCommerce. How can we design and operate complete streets that accommodate both the requirement of flow efficiency achievable through connectivity, automation and shared autonomous mobility services with the aspirations for equitable access to micromobility and human-scale urban spaces?
These seemingly conflicting trends have been proceeding on different tracks, resulting in a hodgepodge of ad hoc investments and measures that raise significant safety risk for all system users, especially to the more vulnerable ones (pedestrians and micromobility users). The objective of this effort is to examine the issues systematically, and develop responsive analysis and network simulation tools that allow rigorous investigation of different scenarios with both technological elements and human-centered perspectives. The outcome will be a methodological tool kit and its application to the formulation and analysis of various related scenarios and solutions.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Sun, 28 Jan 2024 13:14:37 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2326944</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Balancing Freight and Goods Delivery Needs in Designing Complete Streets</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2286620</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The Infrastructure and Investment Jobs Act (IIJA) introduced provisions that are important for both freight movement and implementation of Complete Streets policies. Per the IIJA, Complete Streets standards and policies “ensure the safe and adequate accommodation of all users of transportation systems, including pedestrians, bicyclists, public transportation users, children, individuals who are aging, individuals with disabilities, motorists, and freight vehicles” (Pub. L. 117-58, Section 11206(a), https://www.congress.gov/117/plaws/publ58/PLAW-117publ58.pdf). Complete Streets is at times considered synonymous with active transportation, which refers to human-powered activities such as walking, biking, or rolling. However, freight is explicitly referenced in the Federal Highway Administration’s Complete Streets description; state departments of transportation (DOTs) are required to allocate resources for activities related to Complete Streets, and freight must be considered concurrently.  

With the rise of e-commerce and smaller delivery vehicles, curbside goods delivery, bicycle and pedestrian needs, advancing technologies, and other factors, research is needed to identify knowledge gaps and explore how to integrate the needs of freight movement with the active transportation approaches of Complete Streets to create more efficient, comprehensive, resilient, and cohesive networks. 

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this research is to develop a guide to incorporate design and operational considerations for freight into Complete Streets strategies across land use topologies.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 06 Nov 2023 16:43:56 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2286620</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Addressing Multimodal Transportation Needs Through Complete Streets Implementation</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2244514</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Complete Streets support the safe mobility of all users, irrespective of transportation mode, age, or ability. Along with other state departments of transportation (DOTs), Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) has increasingly embraced a holistic, context-adapted approach to design so transportation facilities address the needs and safety of all users. In 2022, KYTC published its Complete Streets, Roads, and Highways Manual. And throughout 2023 the Cabinet is holding Complete Streets workshops across the state. With KYTC poised to deepen its commitment to Complete Streets, the agency will benefit from a robust scoring method that can be used to prioritize projects and determine if a project meets goals laid out in its Complete Streets Policy.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 14 Sep 2023 08:49:31 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2244514</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Synthesis of Information Related to Highway Practices. Topic 55-21. Funding for Maintenance of Complete Streets</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2190451</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The objective of this synthesis was to document state DOT practices related to the funding and maintenance of Complete Streets projects. 


]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 06 Jun 2023 16:43:06 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2190451</guid>
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