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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" />
    <description></description>
    <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>
    <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>Wildlife Fencing Effectiveness in Reducing Crashes in the Western US</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2655748</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Research from a recent past study with data only from Utah identified the benefit-cost for installing wildlife fencing. Wildlife fencing projects are currently justified and determined for potential safety funding using only crash history and assumptions of the crash reduction and benefit of installing wildlife fencing. An expanded-scope research project to include data from other western states (Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, and Nevada) will help quantify the reduction in crashes from installing wildlife fencing, providing a better comparison of safety benefit as compared to other safety projects and providing much better justification for when wildlife fencing installation is a worthy expenditure of safety funds, particularly federal funds that require a positive benefit-cost ratio.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 19 Jan 2026 08:33:19 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2655748</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Evaluating Method 2 Horizontal Curvature in Freeway Work Zones: Safety, Suitability, and Alternatives</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2608464</link>
      <description><![CDATA[In freeway design, Method 5 is the standard approach for determining horizontal curvature on high-speed highways, while Method 2 is intended for low-speed urban facilities where higher side friction values are acceptable. However, in Utah, Method 2 has been implemented in high-speed freeway work zones through Alternative Technical Concepts
(ATCs), most notably on the I-15 Technology Corridor project. Post-construction crash records revealed truck overturning incidents and other safety concerns, raising questions about the suitability of Method 2 in high-speed environments.

While Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) has already developed a five-year statewide database of work zones containing crash data (AASHTOWare Safety) and project details (Masterworks), this database does not distinguish between projects that used Method 2 horizontal curvature versus standard lane-shift tapers (Method 5). Without this distinction, UDOT lacks the ability to directly assess whether Method 2 increases crash severity, particularly for heavy vehicles, in comparison to established design practices. This gap in knowledge is critical given the safety implications for drivers and workers in high-speed freeway work zones, as well as the need to guide ATC approvals on future Design-Build projects.

This research is needed to provide UDOT with a data-driven evaluation of Method 2’s risks, safety impacts, and design suitability in freeway work zones. Findings will clarify whether Method 2 should remain an acceptable option and under what conditions it might be safely applied.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 13 Oct 2025 19:12:31 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2608464</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Investigating Residential Road Speeding by Leveraging Connected Vehicle Data</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2606405</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This research addresses speeding issues on residential roads that frequently result in crashes involving non-motorized road users by utilizing connected vehicle data to investigate speeding behaviors where traditional data collection is costly and time-intensive. The study leverages Wejo telematics data provided by Virginia Department of Transportation combined with crash data to analyze residential road speeding patterns in the Charlottesville area and Albemarle County. The methodology develops procedures to reduce large connected vehicle datasets by filtering residential roads through open street mapping, counting speeding events exceeding posted limits by 10-15 mph, and normalizing by total vehicle events. The research explores correlations between speeding frequencies and crashes involving pedestrians and cyclists on residential segments, recognizing that while crash correlations may be limited due to rare event nature, frequent speeding locations can support continuous monitoring and public awareness efforts. Analysis includes temporal patterns comparing day versus nighttime speeding, school zone hour violations, land use factors, and roadway design elements including curb parking, lane widths, and existing traffic calming interventions. The project addresses critical gaps in residential road speeding research by combining real-world vehicle telematics analysis with police-reported crash records to establish foundations for data-driven safety interventions.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 02 Oct 2025 15:10:16 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2606405</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Evaluate Emerging Transportation Technologies and Advancements in Engineering and Roadway Safety Efforts Impact on Crashes</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2606397</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Emerging technologies and advancements in transportation and engineering are becoming increasingly prevalent across the transportation spectrum. From advanced driving systems to the development of innovative corridors, and the use of 3D modeling for engineering, new technologies and tools are being implemented by the public and private sector with the goal of reducing crashes and saving lives. No analysis has been conducted to determine their safety effectiveness and what practical impact they may have in the future. The research team will develop a safety and policy framework to explore the correlations between the emerging technologies and engineering tools and purported reductions in fatalities and serious injuries. The research team will demonstrate how public agencies, like the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), can objectively assess the extent to which emerging technologies and tools will achieve desired safety outcomes.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 02 Oct 2025 09:41:56 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2606397</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Development of Crash Modification Factors/Functions for Bus Stops</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2601434</link>
      <description><![CDATA[​Public transit, including bus services, plays a crucial role in the United States by enhancing economic productivity and community livability. Deciding where to place a bus stop involves several key considerations to ensure safety, accessibility, and efficiency. Planners typically evaluate factors such as passenger safety, proximity to major trip generators, and accessibility for people with disabilities. They also consider traffic patterns, the availability of adequate curb space, and the potential impact on nearby
properties.

Historically, bus stops were easy to install and relocate due to minimal infrastructure requirements. However, as bus stops and systems (e.g., bus rapid transit or BRT) become more complex incorporating elements like shelters, seating, and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant features they have become more expensive and difficult to locate. This complexity increases the importance of understanding the safety, operational, accessibility, and other impacts of bus stop locations on a roadway network before installation. Despite this, there is relatively little information on how bus stops affect roadway safety performance. There is no established equation or set of factors to determine whether perceptions of safety impacts are supported by numerical data, nor how these factors interact. Additional elements contributing to increased crash rates at bus stops may often be overlooked during placement decisions.

In light of the above, the overall objective of this project is to develop a suite of Crash Modification Factors (CMFs) that quantify the impact of adding a bus stop on crash frequency in North Carolina. These CMFs will be derived from crash prediction models (CPMs) designed to predict the safety performance (i.e., annual crash frequency) at a given location as a function of roadway-specific and bus stop-specific features. The models will specifically focus on all crashes (and all fatal + injury crashes) that occur at
these locations, not only crashes involving a bus. The CPMs will be  developed using cross-sectional models in which the safety performance of sites with bus stops will be compared to sites without bus stops. The research team proposes to use the propensity scores-potential outcomes (PSPO) approach for this cross-sectional analysis. The PSPO approach mimics a randomized experiment when the placement of the treatment being studied (in this case, bus stops) is not random. This helps to balance between features in the treatment and non-treatment groups and results in more reliable estimates of the safety impact of the treatment. The team plans to include as many bus stop locations as possible, given the anticipated low average crash frequencies at these sites. It is anticipated that the CPMs will yield CMFs in the form of Crash Modification Functions that provide an estimate of the safety impacts of bus stop locations as a function of several design variables. Candidate variables that the research team intends to explore include: bus stop location relative to the intersection (i.e., far-side vs. near-side), distance from nearest major intersection, number of travel lanes, traffic volume, speed limit, functional classification,
presence of on-street parking, and presence of nearby pedestrian/bicycle facilities.

Anticipated research products include a final report documenting the process of developing the bus stop CMFs, the CMFs themselves, and accompanying interpretations. Additionally, the research will produce an implementation plan for the CMFs, describing their applicability, use, and potential limitations. The Page 3 of 31 research team will provide the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) with a final implementation plan detailing how to use and apply the research results. This plan will also address the level of confidence in the findings and identify data gaps and quality issues encountered during data collection. The research team will collaborate with NCDOT to identify necessary training resources, policies, and guidelines that need updating to incorporate the research results. Specific recommendations for updating these documents will be documented.​]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 18 Sep 2025 01:01:24 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2601434</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Evaluation of Signs at Highway-Rail Crossings</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2601423</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This project evaluates the safety impacts of replacing STOP signs with YIELD signs at highway–rail grade crossings. The study examines whether this transition has resulted in measurable reductions in crashes and near misses, while also analyzing key crossing characteristics—including traffic volume, train frequency, visibility, and roadway type—that may influence safety outcomes. Findings will be used to provide data-driven recommendations on whether to retain, modify, or reverse the signage change at specific locations, supporting evidence-based decisions for improving transportation safety.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 17 Sep 2025 16:18:51 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2601423</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Evaluation Of The Relationship Between Near Misses And Crash Outcomes At Intersections In Oregon</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2594039</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Over 44,000 crashes occurred on Oregon roads in 2022, 41% of which were at intersections, according to data from Oregon Department of Transportation's (ODOT’s) Crash Analysis and Reporting Unit data. Intersections are also discrete locations where design improvements can reduce crash rates while minimizing costs, when supported by relevant data. Crash analysis is a useful tool for characterizing the safety of a system, then refining the system’s design. However, assessing the safety of novel transportation designs or existing facilities using real crash data may not be feasible because of the long observational periods and low numbers of crashes, typically at least three years of before and after data, required to acquire statistically significant quantities of data. Significant advances have been made in the ability to characterize transportation system safety with tools such as the Highway Safety Manual (HSM) predictive methods, however these tools require that crash modification factors (CMFs) have been produced for the infrastructure treatments in question, and for those models to have been calibrated to local conditions.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 28 Aug 2025 18:18:57 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2594039</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Turn-on-Red Prohibitions for Dual Right-Turn Lanes</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2593920</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The project will examine right turn on red at signalized intersections where there are two right-turn lanes. Researchers will study the impacts of different right-turn-on-red configurations at various locations on safety performance and traffic level of service by analyzing crash and traffic data as well as observing travel behaviors at selected intersections. The researchers will develop recommendations for right-turn-on-red policies, helping transportation agencies to improve traffic safety and travel efficiency as well as ensure consistent practices across Illinois Department of Transportation districts.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 28 Aug 2025 09:56:04 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2593920</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>A New Method to Reduce Broadside Crashes at Signalized Intersections</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2592237</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The goal of this research project is to test the hypothesis that moving stop bars 45-50 feet back from the conflicting lanes of traffic will significantly reduce the number of broadside crashes. Potential benefits include a statewide reduction of broadside crashes as well as new statewide standards for placement of stop bars at signalized intersections.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 22 Aug 2025 15:17:50 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2592237</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Assessing Performance of the SR 29 Advanced Wildlife Warning System in Collier County</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2569150</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The primary objective is to determine if the newly installed wildlife detection and warning system provides a measurable reduction in wildlife-vehicle related crashes within the detection zone. Secondary objectives include evaluating: (1) the reliability of the advanced wildlife warning system (AWWS) in correctly detecting target wildlife species, and (2) the effectiveness of the AWWS in eliciting positive driver responses when alerted to a hazard in the roadway (increased awareness, vehicle speed reduction and advanced braking).]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 24 Jun 2025 12:43:20 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2569150</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Covid and Traffic Crashes/Impact on Safety Targets</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2562323</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The public health emergency due to COVID-19 in March of 2020 significantly changed driving patterns and behaviors.
Research is needed to assess how the pandemic has affected mobility patterns and impacted the number of road
fatalities. Travel was decreased for a period of time but speeds and fatalities increased. Determining the potential
explanations for these differences and understanding the characteristics of the drivers, the engagement in high risk
behaviors, and the continued impacts (current fatality estimates are still increasing) needed to be researched to better
understand these safety impacts and how Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) and other safety stakeholders may be able to address these underlying
issues with proactive countermeasures, policies, programs and future target setting.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 09 Jun 2025 07:59:41 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2562323</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Design and Safety Considerations of Center Line Barriers</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2558364</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Opposite-direction crashes, which involve a vehicle crossing into opposing lanes and impacting other vehicle(s) head on or in a sideswipe collision, account for more than 5,000 fatalities in the United States each year. These collisions most often occur on two-way, two-lane, high-speed rural roads, where opposing traffic is separated only by a center line pavement marking, sometimes supplemented with rumble strips. This type of roadway comprises approximately 69 percent of the national road network, totaling approximately 1.97 million miles.

NCHRP Research Report 995: Guidelines for Treatments to Mitigate Opposite Direction Crashes outlines several strategies for reducing opposite-direction collisions. Among them are center line buffer areas, which provide additional space between opposing traffic on undivided roads, and cable median barriers installed within the median of divided highways. For highways that do not have a median, a combined approach of installing barrier within a center line buffer area (hereafter referred to as center line barriers) may be effective. Only a limited number of existing sites in the United States have used this approach, and although these installations may not provide the full barrier deflection distance, a 2016 report titled Performance Evaluation of a Cable Median Barrier System on an Oregon Highway with a Narrow Median by Burns and Bell found this treatment effective in reducing opposite-direction crashes. 

Research is needed to evaluate the effects of center line barriers on roadway safety, operations, and maintenance. Additional study is also needed to investigate noteworthy practices and design considerations for implementing this treatment effectively.

The objective of this research is to identify risk factors for opposite-direction crashes and investigate the safety, operational, and maintenance effects of center line barriers on previously undivided roadways. The research results will be used to prepare a guide with noteworthy practices, including safety performance and design considerations.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 29 May 2025 13:19:57 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2558364</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Impacts of Turn Lanes on Speed and Crashes Involving Vulnerable Road Users in Urban Areas


</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2558380</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Turn lanes, one of the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA’s) proven safety countermeasures for motor vehicles, are recommended to reduce the risk of collisions involving vehicles turning left across opposing through traffic and rear-end collisions. However, a preliminary analysis of 2017–2024 crash data from Washington State indicated that pedestrian-involved fatal and serious injury crashes occurred more frequently at intersections with left turn lanes, and at intersections with both right and left turn lanes, compared to intersections with no turn lanes.

This raises important questions about how turn lanes influence intersection safety for all road users: What effect do turn lanes have on operating speeds at the intersection and along the broader corridor? How do turn lanes impact the risk of fatal and serious injury crashes for vulnerable road users (VRUs)?

While turn lanes may improve network efficiency and reduce vehicle conflicts, they may diminish a traffic calming feature that has a wider effect on vehicle operating speeds. Turn lanes also may influence VRUs’ conspicuity and predictability, increasing crossing distances, and creating additional vehicle–VRU conflict points through altered temporal and spatial separation between modes. Research is needed to quantify these effects, evaluate turn lanes (including their effects on crash exposure, likelihood, and severity), and provide actionable recommendations.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this research is to quantify impacts of turn lanes on vehicle operating speeds and VRU fatal and serious injury crashes in urban areas.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 28 May 2025 14:15:47 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2558380</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Traffic Speed Effects on Highway Safety Manual Crash Prediction Models




</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2558395</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Speed management and data-driven safety analysis are priority topics for the highway safety community. A key gap in the body of knowledge is limited understanding of traffic speed effects in the crash frequency and severity prediction models for most facility types. It is known that the severity of motor vehicle crashes increases with increasing traffic speed, and speed may influence crash frequency. However, speed is correlated with nearly every other factor in the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Highway Safety Manual (HSM) crash frequency and severity prediction methods. As a result, current prediction approaches do not seem to incorporate traffic speed effects well and may even show counterintuitive results.

Improving the consideration of traffic speed effects in the models may result in more realistic and insightful results. Given the correlation of traffic speed with other roadway and intersection features, innovative methods of quantifying speed effects in crash prediction methods in addition to regression modeling should be considered. Research is needed to find ways to incorporate traffic speed effects into HSM crash prediction models to make them more accurate and better suited toward developing designs based on the Safe System Approach.

The objective of the research is to develop implementable methods to incorporate the effects of traffic speeds on the prediction of crash frequency and severity. The proposed methods should be applicable to different roadway facility types, in a format compatible with HSM methods to support the work of state departments of transportation (DOTs) and other users of the manual.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 28 May 2025 10:16:59 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2558395</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Safety Impacts of Parent-Taught Driver Education</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2526796</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Driver education is essential for promoting safe driving practices, especially among teens, for whom motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death. This risk is often linked to developmental factors such as a tendency for risk-taking, peer influence, and limited driving experience. These characteristics necessitate driver education that not only imparts essential skills but also promotes safe driving behavior. This study seeks to evaluate the effectiveness and safety impact of Iowa’s Parent-Taught Driver Education (PDE) program. Since 2021, this program has allowed parents to fulfill driver education requirements for minors as an alternative to traditional driver education (TDE). With approximately 20% of Iowa minors participating in PDE, evaluating its outcomes relative to TDE in terms of safety and driving performance is crucial. The research team will use socio-demographic data, licensing records, crash data, and citations, to identify potential safety differences between PDE and TDE participants. Additionally, a voluntary survey and focus groups targeting PDE participants will offer insights into the program’s perceived strengths, challenges, and participant experiences. Advanced statistical techniques, including causal inference, spatial analysis, and text mining, will be employed to address the study objectives. The findings will contribute to roadway safety efforts and inform policy recommendations aimed at enhancing program implementation and safety for all road users.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Sat, 22 Mar 2025 17:36:48 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2526796</guid>
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