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    <title>Research in Progress (RIP)</title>
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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>
    <image>
      <title>Research in Progress (RIP)</title>
      <url>https://rip.trb.org/Images/PageHeader-wTitle-RIP.jpg</url>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/</link>
    </image>
    <item>
      <title>Successful Applications of Alternative Delivery Methods by Highway Agencies to Accelerate Project Delivery</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2681234</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Recent studies indicate that alternative project delivery methods—particularly design-build (DB), progressive design-build (PDB), public-private partnerships (P3s), and progressive P3s—can accelerate project development and delivery. However, adoption across State DOTs remains uneven. Some agencies have strong internal capacity, established procurement practices, and enabling legal frameworks to use these approaches effectively, while others continue to rely primarily on design-bid-build. As a result, many agencies are not realizing the full potential benefits of accelerated delivery.

This scan will assess how leading states have implemented alternative delivery models, the policies and laws that enabled their use, and lessons that may be transferable to other DOTs seeking to shorten delivery timelines. Areas of examination include: (1) criteria agencies use to select delivery models for major projects; (2) the role of enabling legislation and institutional frameworks in shaping delivery options; (3) cost and schedule performance comparisons across DB, PDB, P3, and design-bid-build; (4) stakeholder management, institutional considerations, and public communication practices; (5) risk allocation and risk-sharing approaches between public and private partners; and (6) use of innovative financing to improve project viability when paired with alternative delivery.

The scan will also examine decision-making processes, including leadership evaluation of delivery options, the influence of institutional and technical considerations, accountability mechanisms, internal capability development, procurement practices, and the integration of lifecycle cost considerations. Barriers to broader adoption—such as limited authority, staffing constraints, and concerns regarding cost overruns and accountability—will also be documented.

This scan will identify lessons learned, best practices, and decision frameworks for implementing accelerated delivery models. It will document how selected agencies evaluate delivery options, structure procurements, build internal capacity, and engage stakeholders to support successful outcomes.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 17 Mar 2026 15:10:13 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2681234</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Strategic Approaches to Managing Emerging Transportation Infrastructure Assets Through Public-Private Partnership</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2658058</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Oklahoma is currently undergoing major transportation infrastructure network expansions statewide yet faces unique challenges especially in low population regions with insufficient travel demand and questions of economic viability. This project aims to develop a business case for the management of emerging transportation infrastructure assets for different regions in Oklahoma by analyzing best practices from other states, assessing the interdependence between infrastructure assets and travel demand, and evaluating innovative funding and partnership models. The project will focus on charging infrastructure for alternative fuel vehicles as the use case. The research will identify strategies to reduce long-term maintenance cost, increase technology adoption, and prioritize locations for infrastructure expansions based on short-range and long-term community needs and economic impacts. Key tasks include a (1) comprehensive literature review and policy benchmarking, (2) vulnerability, interdependency, and accessibility analysis, (3) key stakeholder engagement, (4) economic and technical feasibility analysis, (5) development of asset management strategies and implementable guidelines for Oklahoma DOT and its partners. The anticipated outcomes include actionable recommendations to support the long-term financial viability of transportation infrastructure asset management, promote access, and foster economic growth in different communities. Overall, the proposed research will analyze the economic feasibility of emerging transportation infrastructure asset management strategies through cost-benefit assessments and investment justifications, strengthening the case for federal and private funding. Its alignment with national priorities and ODOT’s goals ensures the findings are both timely and impactful. Based on the results, ODOT may need to revise Oklahoma’s Transportation Asset Management (2022-2031) and Long Range Transportation (2022-2031) plans to incorporate updated guidelines on financial viability, location priorities, and infrastructure life cycle management. Implementing these changes before future expansions will improve efficiency and ensure smoother project delivery. The results will directly contribute to the state’s mission of building a safer, more reliable, and efficient transportation system.  ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 23 Jan 2026 13:43:13 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2658058</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Synthesis of Information Related to Highway Practices. Topic 57-15. Institutionalizing Innovations and their Associated Skillset from Alternative Contracting Methods</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2630495</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Project delivery methods have evolved significantly in recent decades as public owners seek to accelerate schedules, reduce claims, encourage innovation, and incorporate life-cycle considerations. State departments of transportation (DOTs) increasingly use alternative contracting methods (ACMs), such as construction manager/general contractor (CM/GC), design–build (DB), progressive design–build (PDB), and public–private partnerships (P3). These approaches often require closer collaboration between designers and contractors, rely on performance specifications, and provide opportunities to pilot new practices such as 3D design and building information modeling. While some states have institutionalized these innovations, practices vary and are not widely shared. A synthesis is needed to document how ACMs have supported innovation in design and construction and to identify the staffing, skills, and training needed to implement such efforts.

The objective of this synthesis is to document state DOT practices on using CM/GC, DB, and PDB project delivery methods to inform future advances and innovative design and construction practices.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 25 Nov 2025 16:49:58 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2630495</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>A Guide for Developing Airport Cargo Handling and Warehouse Infrastructure Through Public-Private Partnerships</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2588322</link>
      <description><![CDATA[No abstract provided.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 12 Aug 2025 10:06:10 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2588322</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Revenue Opportunities from MDOT Fiber
Infrastructure
and Other Utility Types</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2562269</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Various state highway agencies permit telecommunications to be located longitudinally along freeway rights-of-way (ROW). 
Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is interested in a study of alternative sources of transportation revenues that could be phased in over time to replace
revenue lost as motor and diesel fuel decline become obsolete. MDOT focus would be on non-vehicle related revenue streams,
such as, leasing rights-of-way for Fiber Communications and/or other utility types, possibly private transportation facilities,
and/or public-private partnerships.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 06 Jun 2025 15:08:55 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2562269</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Strategies for Controlling Cost and Schedule Growth on Alternative Delivery Projects






</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2558415</link>
      <description><![CDATA[State departments of transportation (DOTs) and other transportation agencies across the United States increasingly use alternative project delivery methods (APDMs) to deliver transportation projects, rather than the traditional design-bid-build (DBB) approach. APDMs include design-build (DB), progressive design-build, construction manager/general contractor, and public-private partnerships. Several factors are driving this trend, including the need for project cost-certainty, expediting project delivery, identifying and mitigating risks earlier in the project lifecycle, and shifting risks to or sharing risks with the parties most capable of managing them. 

Previous studies have focused on comparing the cost and schedule performance of DBB and DB projects, rather than APDMs at-large, and these studies tended to rely on small sample sizes and opinion-based data. Research is needed to better understand how to control the cost and schedule of projects utilizing APDMs from project planning through design and construction. 

The objective of this research is to provide a guide for transportation agencies on strategies to identify and manage risks that have led to cost and schedule growth on projects delivered with APDMs. ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 27 May 2025 20:31:48 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2558415</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Aeromedical Information Sharing and Data Analysis Public Private Partnership – Phase 2</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2518972</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA’s) Office of Aerospace Medicine aims to collaborate with Part 121 operators by FY26 to modernize pilot medical certification policies through a Safety Management System framework. Currently, the FAA lacks evidence linking pilot medical hazards to proactive safety outcomes (degraded performance), relying instead on historical events like accidents or incapacitations. To address this, the Office sponsored a phase 1 feasibility study for a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) between FAA and industry to advance aeromedical safety. That study confirmed the viability and industry support for a focused PPP, the Aeromedical Certification Collaborative (ACC), and proposed a collaboration framework and an initial study. Phase 2 will operationalize this framework by conducting one or two ACC-defined studies and formalizing how the collaborative works together as needed to sustain this unique and impactful research partnership. ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 04 Mar 2025 14:56:30 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2518972</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Electrifying Vehicle Transportation: Issues and Challenges for Local Planning and Policymaking</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2459124</link>
      <description><![CDATA[In the United States and around the world, electric powered vehicles (EVs) are increasingly substituting for vehicles powered by internal combustion engines. Vehicle electrification is accelerating across vehicle categories including light and medium-duty vehicle categories and in public transit and school buses. There is broad agreement that it is crucial to systematically develop the charging infrastructure in unison with EV deployment. Yet this is a highly complex challenge involving different charging modalities (e.g. for personal vehicles, fleet vehicles, buses), numerous institutional actors (auto makers, private firms, utilities, and all levels of government) and evolving charging technologies in the United States. An efficient and inclusive transition to EVs will require energetic and durable coordination, planning and policy development as well as deeper levels of community engagement. Serious economic, technical and informational barriers must be addressed. The needed buildout of the charging infrastructure will require considerable investment and intensive collaboration between public sector organizations and private sector actors. Electric utilities will be critical players in the build out of the charging infrastructure. Recent large scale federal investments and supports will accelerate the scale up of the charging infrastructure, but how the key local institutions come together to leverage these funds will strongly shape outcomes.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 05 Dec 2024 18:22:05 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2459124</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Establishment of a Public-Private Transportation Data Exchange Center</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2414020</link>
      <description><![CDATA[State departments of transportation (DOTs) across the country are paying third-party vendors to provide traffic data from their own roadways. The data is costly, and the source of the data is not verifiable.  An entire industry is emerging that increasingly perceives DOTs as their primary financial source.  Currently a significant number of vehicles are equipped with sensors, cameras, and in some cases lidar technology, which have the capability to provide DOTs accurate information pertaining to vehicular movements on United States roadways. This information is currently retained by the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). If this information was shared with the departments of transportation, it could lead to a safer and more efficient system for their users.  Cooperative efforts by a consortium of State entities to facilitate this data exchange could yield substantial benefits for the DOT, the OEMs, but most importantly the people driving on the roadways. Historically, there has been a reluctance within the private sector to share information with government agencies.  The premise of this TPF study is to collaboratively look at the development of a data repository that could act as an impartial arbiter of data to ensure all personal identifying details are excluded. 

The goal of the project is to develop a secure computing, data analytics, and storage infrastructure with a data repository (data warehouse or data lake) that will collect all relevant vehicle data as well as other types of data (including environment data, weather data, among other sources) and share the data with DOTs for data analyses without any identifying information attached to improve transportation decision-making.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 07 Aug 2024 15:56:30 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2414020</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Transportation Infrastructure Electrification Certificate Program</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2381671</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The future of electrified transportation infrastructure operates at the nexus of several critical industries (such as Transportation, Building, Power/Energy, Information Technology, Data Science, and Economics) that have historically operated independently, and the ever-increasing overlap among them has little to no strategic coordination. A coherent understanding of these complex interactions is required to capture and harness convergence across these industries and scientific communities and to reshape forever the future. The Transportation Infrastructure Electrification Certificate Program will be a collaborative effort pulling domain experts from the aforementioned disciplines and to train graduate students by applying knowledge from across numerous domains to tackle one of the most significant social issues of our time, preparing them to adapt to an increasingly interdisciplinary world, as well as increasing awareness of the many system-level impacts issues permeating life in the U.S. and elsewhere.

The program’s vision is to create entirely new lines of thinking on how city, highway, electric grid infrastructures are designed, how vehicles and operators interact with those systems, and how to integrate private sector partners and public resources in the human interface of planning, economics, and policy.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 20 May 2024 14:47:40 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2381671</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>A Decision-Making Guide to Consider the Implementation of Progressive Public-Private Partnership (Progressive P3) for Delivering GDOT’s Major Projects
</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2342049</link>
      <description><![CDATA[
The primary objective of this research is to develop a decision-making guide to assist GDOT in considering, evaluating, and implementing progressive P3 as an alternative delivery tool for its major projects.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 20 Feb 2024 11:28:58 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2342049</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Best Practices for Structuring and Managing Statewide Resource-Tracking Databases</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2310562</link>
      <description><![CDATA[ADOT uses a Microsoft Access database to track a portfolio of  federally funded projects for ADOT, local public agencies, and statewide public-private partnerships. This database is used to track current and future projects’ lifecycles, histories, funding, allocations, apportionments, obligations, etc. Multiple groups across ADOT use this database to produce mission-critical reports used to track federal aid received by councils of governments (COGs) and metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) as well as to track and monitor federal aid sub-allocated to local governments.
Each year, ADOT works to address various problems with this database, such as the database becoming unresponsive, users losing access to it, and updating it to be compatible with newer versions of MS Office. With each of these issues comes the risk of data loss in a mission-critical database. In order to find a permanent solution, ADOT would like to investigate how other state departments of transportation are managing their own similar databases and to identify best practices for technology, policies, and staffing. ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 18 Dec 2023 17:24:53 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2310562</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Project Delivery (Design-Build) Guidance</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2310558</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Departments of Transportation (DOTs) across the country have traditionally used a Design-Bid-Build procurement method in building highways and other transportation infrastructure improvements. The Design-Bid-Build method is when the DOT—or a consultant hired by the DOT—designs the project, after which bids from contractors are solicited, and, finally, the project is awarded to a contractor to build that project. This process encourages competitiveness among bidders; however, it often requires a high expenditure of resources and time in the DOT’s project-design phase. Further, any innovation in construction or materials for a project must be identified, defined, and included in the contractor’s bid package, which restricts flexibility to develop additional innovations after award. 
The primary objectives of this research study are to seek data to inform ADOT on DB policies and procedures for future project-delivery and legislative efforts. This research will include information from other state DOTs on their PDB and/or DB efforts, state legislative authority, standing policies, contractual documents, etc. It will also include how PBD and/or DB is implemented in other states as well as any notable practices they use when utilizing these contracting methods. ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 18 Dec 2023 17:12:43 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2310558</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Determine Feasibility and Methodologies of Incorporating Third-Party Traffic Data into Transportation</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2056296</link>
      <description><![CDATA[With the increasing availability of third-party traffic and transportation data, there is a growing interest among government agencies to incorporate these into planning and operations. These data can also provide valuable input to many other applications, such as improving traffic safety by identifying hotspots for traffic accidents, reducing intersection congestion by enabling smart traffic control, and streamlining the visualization of traffic maps. In this project, the research team will synthesize various sources of third-party data and Texas Department of Transportation's (TxDOT's) current workflows in transportation planning, traffic management, and visualization capabilities that can benefit from their incorporation. Based on the evaluation of data source characteristics, historic usage, strengths and limitations, and possible context in TxDOT’s workflows, the research team will develop pathways for data integration including effective public-private partnerships. In addition to a research report, this project shall provide a data integration decision support system that recommends the most appropriate implementation strategy given input parameters and query type (data-, application-, or policy-driven). Using the information gathered, the research team will also design procedures for implementing proven technology (as determined through this research) that integrate third-party data sources within a range of TxDOT work environments.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 03 Nov 2022 16:17:26 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2056296</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Evaluations of FHWA Research &amp; Technology Program Projects. Evaluation of FHWA's Every Day Counts Program</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2018402</link>
      <description><![CDATA[CRP Special Release 5 presents an evaluation of FHWA’s Every Day Counts (EDC) Program. The report will be of interest to those responsible for identifying and deploying innovative technologies, systems, and processes in surface transportation. The report also addresses the broader topics of technology transfer, diffusion of innovation, and methods to quantify the value of research.

This report documents an evaluation of FHWA’s Every Day Counts (EDC) Program. FHWA started the EDC Program in 2009 as a state-centric initiative for identifying and deploying proven, but underutilized, innovations that can make U.S. surface transportation more adaptable, sustainable, equitable, and safer for all. By accelerating the adoption of the selected technologies and practices, the EDC Program seeks to promote an innovation-oriented culture in the surface transportation community that will ultimately facilitate and accelerate the diffusion of promising improvements in the future.

The EDC Program was assessed under the TRB-FHWA Program Evaluation (TFPE) effort. For Project TFPE-04, “Evaluation of FHWA’s Every Day Counts Program,” RTI International was tasked to evaluate the EDC Program’s strategic and operational management, the outcomes attributable to program activities, and the extent to which those outcomes supported progress on FHWA’s strategic goals. This report presents evidence regarding the efficiency, implementation, and effectiveness of the EDC Program in pursuing its goals. Also included are indicators of the outputs and outcomes generated by the program and the program’s contribution to broader impacts on the culture of innovation in the surface transportation community.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 06 Sep 2022 11:46:46 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2018402</guid>
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