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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>Supplemental Traffic Count Pilot Project for Establishing a Statewide Count Program in Colorado</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2559639</link>
      <description><![CDATA[To design roadway infrastructure for comprehensive safety of all users, understanding exposure is essential. Current count and volume estimation methods primarily focus on vehicular traffic, leaving a gap in exposure data for other supplemental traffic modes. There is also a lack of guidance on supplemental traffic count programs for optimum coverage across regions. Partial guidance on counting programs is available from sources such as the Federal Highway Administration’s Traffic Monitoring Guide. However, all these documents describe the design of a full-scale supplemental traffic counting program as being dependent on and informed by small scale pilot programs. The proposed project will develop guidance for Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) to develop a statewide full scale supplemental traffic count program.

The objective of this study is to conduct a small-scale pilot supplemental counting program to test approaches identifying count location/distribution, technology use, and calculation of key statistics that would be available from a well-designed count program (such as crash/fatality rates). The outputs of this research effort would inform CDOT senior management and other practitioners when creating a detailed design and schedule for a full-scale supplemental traffic counting program. For researchers, this will provide a robust data driven framework for identifying supplemental traffic count locations. Furthermore, machine learning and statistical models for estimating and predicting supplemental traffic volumes using open source, readily available data will also be produced as part of this project.

In addition to the aforementioned goals of the project, during multiple preliminary meetings with the CDOT team, the research team identified an additional need—creating a training program for the contractors who will collect the supplemental traffic data in the field. It is understood that, like the established vehicular traffic count program, a mature supplemental count program will rely on contractors for the data. The project team deemed it necessary that any contractor selected to collect supplemental traffic data via bidding would have to take a mandatory standardized training program. The project thus now focuses on contractor training and sample data collection during the training, field data collection post-training for a set of sites with different location characteristics (rural/urban/arterial, etc.), and identifying permanent counter locations based on the data collected, factors identified in the literature, and other available data.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Sun, 01 Jun 2025 14:26:01 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2559639</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Advanced Mobility Impaired Travelers: Autonomous Wheelchair Pilot Deployment at the BWI Airport - Phase 3</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2525404</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Morgan State University’s autonomous wheelchair (AW) pilot program is designed to allow travelers with disabilities to comfortably navigate a busy transportation hub without the need for an attendant. To effectively implement and launch the autonomous wheelchair in a dynamic, real-world setting, researchers from Morgan State University are engaging in a phased series of testing and validation exercises at Baltimore/Washington International Airport to critically evaluate reliability and success. The autonomous wheelchair was created by modifying a conventional powered wheelchair with additional instruments that provide perception, navigation, and steering capabilities similar to technologies used in autonomous vehicles. Researchers installed cameras and LIDAR sensors for perception, and a general-purpose, single-board computer for processing.

The autonomous wheelchair is in its fourth iteration, representing a culmination of more than five years of research and development conducted by technicians from a variety of backgrounds. Currently, the wheelchair is designed only to operate on a guided path, which ensures reliability. A future iteration, which is currently in development, will be able to navigate the facility with or without the use of the guided path for maximum flexibility in deployment. The goal is to facilitate autonomous travel in large buildings such as airports, hospitals, museums, college campuses, and military bases. The pilot program started with one wheelchair and has expanded to three operational wheelchairs. During the early phases of testing, wheelchair passengers are limited to researchers only.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 17 Mar 2025 13:22:24 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2525404</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Anchorage Protected Bike Lane Pilot Study</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2512618</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This project documents and presents the results of a protected bike lane (PBL) pilot study conducted on two different Anchorage roads during the summers of 2023 and 2024. The pilots designed and installed one-way PBLs on both sides of Pine Street and McCarrey Street and a two-way PBL on the left side of 6th Avenue and A Street using temporary plastic flex-posts, rubber curb stops, traffic signs, striping, markings, and bike signals installed on a temporary basis. Public outreach measured cyclist and pedestrian comfort and public perception of different user groups, while traffic analysis quantified cycling usage, vehicle speed and travel time, and crash statistics. The study found that pilot protected bike lanes increased cyclist comfort and cyclist usage, resulted in minimal impact on traffic circulation, and identified common concerns from business owners and drivers for future projects. Moreover, the study demonstrated that pilot installations with lane conversions and temporary materials can be effectively implemented for use by the travelling public to investigate existing safety concerns, test out designs, and gather extensive public feedback.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:32:01 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2512618</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Comprehensive CAV Research, Working Group Support, and Pilot Studies
</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2397866</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This report reviews the developments in Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CAV) technologies across various Departments of Transportation (DOTs) and CAV pilot projects in the United States. The review identifies growing implementation of C-V2X communication technologies and fruitful collaboration between various DOTs, academia, and private sector partners. The report also reviews the  Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) CAVe-In-a-Box, a portable piece of equipment enabling rapid C-V2X deployment by integrating traffic signal controllers, roadside units (RSUs), V2X hubs (or another open-source application), onboard units (OBUs), and other devices. Several open-source tools are designed to support CAV deployment are also discussed. The report then describes the Autonomous Wheelchair (AW) project at Morgan State University, which strives to improve mobility for individuals with disabilities in complex surroundings like airports using sensors and cameras for autonomous navigation. The report concludes with a discussion of the next phases of the project, emphasizing future collaboration and raising awareness of other practical applications of CAV technologies.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 25 Jun 2024 11:23:25 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2397866</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Evaluating Alternative Fuels in Snowplow/Maintenance Vehicles and Identifying Barriers to Adoption</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2344949</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Five existing snow plow trucks from DSM (N) will be outfitted with Optimus Technology Vector B100 conversion kits.  Three new plow trucks will be outfitted with the same technology. The 8th truck will be assigned to the Ames Garage and will receive fuel from the City of Ames B100 tank from a similar project and tank.  The trucks will burn pure biodiesel or B100 for the majority of the time they are running which decreases the amount of petroleum used.

DSM (N) will use the trucks for the duration of the pilot project which is 2 years starting in November of 2019.  B100 will be consumed and fuel transaction data will be collected. The list below indicates the type of data and information that will be available to evaluate: GPH fuel consumed – fuel transaction data will be available, truck performance – engine data will be available, driver experience – interview drivers with scripted questions; vector system malfunctions – document anything that failed; tank / dispenser malfunctions– document anything that failed; calculated reductions in pollutants – could be calculated; # gallons of fossil fuel displaced – could be calculated; acres of soybeans processed into B100 – could be calculated; carbon emissions reduced – could be calculated; accuracy of fuel transaction data – timely delivery etc. – data will be available for review; DPF regeneration cycles reduced – can be measured against sister trucks; and DPF regeneration system maintenance costs reduced - can be measured against sister trucks.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 27 Feb 2024 17:27:49 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2344949</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Improving Roadway Debris Clearance for Coordinated Highways Action Response Team (CHART) Responders.</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2118355</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) Coordinated Highways Action Response Team (CHART) responders are responsible for clearance of debris on the roadway as they patrol routes. A pilot program implementing the use of a "Lane Blade" to assess the cost benefit of such device. It is MDOT SHA's expected deliverable to reduce time clearing debris while increasing safety of our CHART responders.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 14 Feb 2023 12:47:03 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2118355</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Safety Performance of Part-Time Shoulder Use on Freeways</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2118346</link>
      <description><![CDATA["Safety Performance of Part-Time Shoulder Use on Freeways,” was to develop models and other quantitative tools for practitioners to evaluate safety performance of freeways with part-time shoulder use (PTSU) (including Bus on Shoulder (BOS)). The research is complete; it produced models that predict (1) the frequency of fatal-and-injury (FI) crashes and (2) the frequency of property damage only (PDO) crashes. These models were applied to assess the overall effect of PTSU on total and severe crash frequency. Models are available for basic freeway segments, entrance speed-change lanes, and exit speed-change lanes. A severity distribution function (SDF) also was developed to predict the distribution of FI crashes among different severity levels. Each model includes variables that describe the traffic demand characteristics, geometric elements, and PTSU operational features. 
 
This continuation request will support pilot testing of the PTSU models developed in Project 17-89 by state DOTs that operate such facilities with the goal of determining whether additional resources are needed to support wider-scale implementation through HSM2. The pilot tests will provide material for one or more case studies that will help practitioners use the research products. In addition, review of the pilot states’ efforts will help identify any Highway Safety Manual (HSM)-related needs, such as text to be included with the models, text for other sections of the HSM to explain the relationship to other models, training materials, etc. Subject to the availability of data, the participating state DOTs will run the models to: (1) estimate FI and PDO crash frequencies, compare them to DOT experience, and evaluate whether the models are suitable in their present form for incorporation in HSM2; (2) evaluate differences in safety performance between right- and left-side PTSU; and (3) conduct a before-after study of freeways where PTSU was implemented during NCHRP Project 17-89.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 13 Feb 2023 15:34:52 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2118346</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Military Under 21 CMV Driver Pilot Program (FAST Act Section 5404, Phase III)</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2093177</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Section 5404 of the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act, 2015 (FAST Act) requires the Secretary of Transportation to establish a pilot program to study the feasibility, benefits, and safety impacts of allowing a "covered driver" to operate a CMV in interstate commerce. For the purposes of this pilot program, a "covered driver" is between the ages of 18 and 21, is a member or former member of the armed forces, and is qualified in a military occupational specialty to operate in a CMV or a similar vehicle.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 03 Jan 2023 13:53:37 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2093177</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Metrorail station pilot- test three different methods of reducing crime and improving public safety</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2071584</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) will receive funding to implement a pilot study to evaluate ways to reduce crime and improve safety in Metrorail stations. WMATA operates one of the nation's largest rail transit systems, which consists of 118 route miles and 91 passenger stations. This effort would focus on six Metrorail stations experiencing the highest crime rates in the transit system.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 28 Nov 2022 14:20:14 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2071584</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>SPR-2325: Implementation and Evaluation of Aira Access Pilot Run in Connecticut</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2003110</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The goal of this project is to implement Aira, one of the fastest-growing assistive technology options used for blind and low-vision (BLV) individuals, across the entire State of Connecticut, to be used for navigation, wayfinding, riding public transportation, and to ensure proper social distancing for BLV individuals. In this regard, the Connecticut Transportation Safety Research Center (CTSRC) at the University of Connecticut (UCONN) project team will be responsible for surveying BLV individuals to understand travel patterns and barriers faced by visually impaired individuals in Connecticut. The survey results can provide an overview of the needs and barriers faced by people who are blind or have low vision while using public transportation or conducting daily chores such as shopping for groceries, medicine, etc. Aira pilot service will then be implemented across Connecticut to assist BLV individuals. The Aira Corporation will be responsible for the pilot run of the Aira Services. The BLV participants for the pilot implementation will be selected from the Blind Registry maintained by the Bureau of Education and Services for the Blind (BESB) within the Connecticut Department of Aging and Disability Services (ADS) in Connecticut (Connecticut ADS-BESB). The final list of participants will be decided based on the agreement between Aira, UCONN, Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT), and Connecticut ADS-BESB. Multiple follow-up user surveys will be conducted to understand how the service provided by Aira can help BLV individuals in using public transportation and access to essential services. Aira also provides a real-time dashboard with qualitative and quantitative information regarding the service provided by Aira. An evaluation of the Aira provided real-time dashboard along with qualitative and quantitative data will be conducted by the CTSRC project team to generate performance matrices and to provide a summary of their services to the stakeholders.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 04 Aug 2022 01:22:05 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2003110</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Full Evaluation of a Low-Income Transit Fare Pilot Program in DC</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1878016</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Low-income households are the most likely to be burdened by the costs of using public transit, the most likely to forego using transit due to cost, and the least likely to have alternative travel options. The cost burden of transit has a number of possible negative effects on low-income Washingtonians, including inhibiting their ability to get and maintain employment, use social services, obtain healthcare, and complete educational programs. Preliminary results from a low-income fare pilot in Boston showed a 30% boost in transit use by low-income households, including trips for health-care/social services visits. In addition, a 2011 experiment in DC found that even small transit subsidies offered to the unemployed increased job search activity by 19%, especially among those living far from employment opportunities.
To learn whether and to what extent cost is a key barrier to transit equity, the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) is partnering with The Lab @ DC, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), the DC Department of Energy and the Environment (DOEE), and the World Bank to conduct a randomized evaluation of a fully and partially subsidized Metro transit program. WMATA will create a discounted fare product that could be added to a SmarTrip card for eligible low-income individuals. DOEE will enroll participants from public utility assistance programs that already verify income and distribute income-based benefits as part of their standard business process.
In the study, participants will be randomly assigned to one of three conditions: no transit subsidy, a partially subsidized fare, and a fully subsidized fare, i.e. free unlimited trips. The project will rely partly on administrative data, which will capture the high-level impacts on the number of trips taken, jobs applied to, job trainings completed, and employment status. ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 13 Sep 2021 14:50:15 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1878016</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>NCHRP Implementation Support Program. Implementing the Agency Capability Building Framework to Activate Organizational Change</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1868808</link>
      <description><![CDATA[State departments of transportation (DOTs) and other agencies regularly face practical and functional challenges that require specific organizational needs and capabilities. Such factors may include changes in legislative or regulatory mandates, a budget cut or revenue shortage, or new technology to deploy.

In 2019 NCHRP Project 20-24(95)A, "Ensuring Essential Capability for the Future Transportation Agency", produced the Agency Capability Building (ACB) portal and digital guidebook and associated website that can be found at https://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/nchrp/docs/NCHRP_20-24(95)_Final_Documents.pdf. The purpose of these products is to make information, tools, and resources available to agencies to efficiently and effectively address a specific agency need or challenge.

The ACB framework leads agency officials through a process to identify specific organizational needs through change forces, e.g., external factors and trends affecting a DOT. The ACB provides organizational and role-specific recommendations, tools, and other resources for executives, agency directors of human resources, communications, information technology, and other core agency functions, including but not limited to planning, design, and asset management.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this research was to facilitate the use of the ACB by transportation agencies. The  research team awarded this project developed communications materials and modules; and delivered presentations, webinars, training, and/or other structured opportunities to market and build awareness of the ACB products and facilitate their use by state DOTs.  While focused on state DOTs, the ACB and this implementation project may appeal to DOT partner agencies such as metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) and local transportation agencies seeking to improve executive functions.  
 
 The media and forums developed to encourage implementation were designed for a broad array of potential agency beneficiaries of the ACB, including but not necessarily limited to executives, managers, and senior practitioners. The proposers considered the unique time constraints, levels of authority and responsibility, availability of resources, and the various ways people learn and absorb information in the design and execution of the research plan. No changes were made to the ACB portal.
 
 ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 28 Jul 2021 11:59:04 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1868808</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>	A Comprehensive Evaluation of I-275 Bus-on-Shoulder (BOS) Pilot Project</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1867584</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The objectives of the research include: (1) Evaluate the effectiveness of bus-on-shoulder (BOS) operation, including driver experience, ease of accessing the shoulders, adequacy of shoulder width, frequency of encountering obstacles on shoulders and how quickly they were cleared, passenger car drivers’ reaction, BOS motorist violations, etc. (2) Evaluate transit route system performance changes, including BOS transit operations ridership, schedule reliability, safety (motorist, transit, law enforcement, passenger), frequency of use of BOS, and other indicators of transit level of service (LOS). (3) Evaluate the effectiveness of BOS installed in both the northbound and southbound directions at the 38th Avenue N and 54th Avenue N on-ramps. (4) Evaluate whether I-275 BOS project leads to traffic and safety impacts to I-275 project segment and parallel local streets due to spill-over of traffic from on-ramps of I-275 segment. (5) Provide recommendations that may improve the implementation and operation of BOS, such as training, marketing, structure modification, traffic operations and control, etc.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 23 Jul 2021 12:54:20 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1867584</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>SPR-4607: Full-scale Dynamic Wireless Power Transfer and Pilot Project Implementation</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1862992</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The objectives of this project are: (i) develop a better understanding of pavement/ dynamic wireless power transfer (DWPT) system interaction, including DWPT reaction to environment and traffic loads and pavement materials responses to operational DWPT; and (ii) support the design and installation of a 215 kW DWPT system pilot for heavy-duty vehicles on an existing INDOT roadway. The pilot project will help develop construction techniques and provide a real-world testbed for optimizing the pavement/DWPT system. 
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 02 Jul 2021 13:53:22 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1862992</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Develop an Innovative Self-Healing Concrete Technology for Bridge Deck Life Extension</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1855335</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The proposed research aims to conduct pilot study to develop a self-healing concrete technology that rapidly heal the cracks by use of microorganism fungi. Fungi is selected due to its capability to rapidly cover exposed surfaces of concrete cracks with its hyphae fiber. The recovery of mechanical properties will be achieved with fungi induced bio mineralization process, which glue the cracked surfaces together. Besides, the hydrophobic nature of the fungi fiber prevents water ingression and therefore mitigates the corrosion due to deicing salt. Fast and autogenous cracking healing of concrete will extend the service life of bridge decks and bring major cost and labor savings compared with conventional treatment procedures.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 28 May 2021 18:57:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1855335</guid>
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