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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>
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      <link>https://rip.trb.org/</link>
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    <item>
      <title>Administration of Highway and Transportation Agencies. Support for Development of AASHTO'S 2027-2032 Strategic Plan</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2692291</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO) and its state department of transportation (DOT) members look to the AASHTO Strategic Plan to guide the organization over a multiyear period to achieve its highest priorities. AASHTO's 2020–2026 Strategic Plan has successfully articulated AASHTO’s vision, mission, values, goals, and objectives, and consistently guided the work of each AASHTO council and committee through their annual action plans. The next Strategic Plan presents an opportunity to build on this success while strengthening its resonance with AASHTO’s full range of constituents, ultimately enhancing service to its members and the public.

The objective of this research is to provide planning and analytical support for the development of the AASHTO 2027-2032 Strategic Plan, including reviewing current vision, mission, values, goals, and objectives to determine what remains relevant and what should be updated or revised. 

This work will engage AASHTO members, staff, and external partners to gather input on potential updates and changes to the Strategic Plan. The project will help establish a clear and shared strategic direction for the work of AASHTO, including alignment with AASHTO council and committee work plans, while supporting staff in advancing AASHTO’s priorities. The research will consider opportunities to strengthen and sustain AASHTO’s member-volunteer model, which remains foundational to advancing state DOT priorities. In addition, the project will develop communication and performance-tracking tools to support implementation of the Strategic Plan.

The selected subcontractor will be expected to work closely with the AASHTO deputy director–chief policy officer, deputy director–chief of staff, and Strategic Plan Advisory Committee. The Advisory Committee will be composed of AASHTO’s elected officials and other state DOT chief executive officers (CEOs), non‑CEO state DOT leaders from AASHTO councils and committees, and AASHTO staff representatives.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 13 Apr 2026 16:41:46 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2692291</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Implementing an Advanced Open-Source Activity Based Travel Demand Model to Support Rural Transportation Planning and Policy Decisions: Phase 2 – Calibration</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2691726</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Travel demand models (TDMs) are used to support state and regional transportation planning and policy decisions. TDMs were originally developed to forecast passenger traffic volumes with the primary objective of identifying investments to reduce traffic congestion. Today, TDMs are used to support a much broader range of purposes, including multimodal and freight transportation planning, demand management strategies, forecasting transportation access outcomes, evaluating network resiliency to disasters, and modeling air quality and public health impacts. However, the aggregate, trip based TDMs used by most regional and state transportation agencies lack the fidelity and sensitivity to evaluate contemporary planning and policy decisions. Activity based travel demand models (ABMs) offer substantial improvements and their agent-based simulation platforms allow for integration with agent-based population growth and land use simulation tools, among others. Despite their advantages, the complexity of ABMs has constrained their adoption to all but the largest metropolitan areas, often with support from academic researchers. Smaller urban areas and rural states like Vermont could benefit substantially from adopting ABMs. The goal of this project is to continue current National Center for Sustainable Transportation (NCST)-funded work on implementing a statewide ABM in Vermont using the POLARIS modeling system developed by Argonne National Lab. The current project is focused on initial model setup and testing. This Phase 2 project will focus on calibration and validation. The expected outcome is a calibrated implementation of the POLARIS modeling system for the state of Vermont that can be used for the evaluation of statewide and regional transportation planning and policy decisions and to advance research on rural transportation challenges.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Sun, 12 Apr 2026 23:58:15 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2691726</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Continuous approximation models for rural transit network design</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2691671</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The purpose of this project is to discover new continuous approximation models for public transit network design, with a specific focus on rural areas where access to transit and coverage present significant challenges. Rural transit systems face unique constraints in connecting dispersed population centers while maintaining economic viability, which necessitates a modelling approach that addresses multiple competing objectives simultaneously. The continuous approximation paradigm is a quantitative method for solving logistics problems using a small set of parameters to model a complex system, which results in simple algebraic expressions that are easier to manage than (for example) large‐scale optimization models. As a further benefit, one often obtains insights from these simpler formulations that determine what affects the outcome most significantly. Although continuous approximation models have been used for over 60 years in logistics systems analysis, there has been very little research conducted on their application to problems in rural transit networks, likely due to their distinctive spatial characteristics and coverage requirements. Recent research demonstrates that limited flexibility yields disproportionate benefits in logistics systems. This project will combine tools from geospatial optimization, computational geometry, and geometric probability theory to formulate new models that will solve these problems. Furthermore, these models will identify which complementary infrastructure investments would most effectively increase transit availability and ridership in rural counties. The research outcomes include both theoretical advances in continuous approximation methodology and practical planning tools for rural transit agencies with limited computational resources.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Sun, 12 Apr 2026 23:45:58 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2691671</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>AAM-Enabled Intermodal Freight Strategies for Supply Chain Resilience and Efficiency</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2691666</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Ports and freight corridors are critical to the nation’s economy, yet recent disruptions have shown how vulnerable supply chains can be to congestion, weather events, and other unexpected shocks. While trucks and rail remain the backbone of freight movement, there is growing interest in whether emerging Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) and air-based technologies could help improve reliability and resilience for specific, time-sensitive freight needs. This project explores how new air mobility services could complement rather than replace existing port and landside freight systems. The research will examine how air-based freight services can be integrated into intermodal freight networks to support more resilient, efficient supply chains, particularly during disruptions. The study will focus on identifying freight use cases where air mobility may provide added value, such as time-critical deliveries, emergency response, or port operations affected by congestion or weather. The project will evaluate infrastructure needs, operational considerations, and decision-making factors relevant to transportation agencies and port authorities. The research will also examine planning and policy considerations to ensure that potential applications support safe and cost-effective transportation outcomes. Expected results include a practical framework for identifying when and where air mobility solutions may enhance freight system performance, guidance for integrating these services into existing transportation systems, and policy-relevant insights for public agencies. The findings will support transportation decision-makers in planning for resilient, efficient freight systems that meet current needs while remaining adaptable for the future.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Sun, 12 Apr 2026 23:32:25 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2691666</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Mid-America Freight Coalition (MAFC) Phase 5</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2683017</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The Mid-America Freight Coalition (MAFC) pooled fund began in 2006 to support collaboration, innovation, and development in freight planning, freight policy, and operations across the 10-state Mid America Association of State Transportation Officials (MAASTO) region (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin). The Coalition’s operations are founded and guided by the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by the Board of Directors of MAASTO and the University of Wisconsin (UW)-Madison.

The MAFC’s major emphasis areas support advances in multimodal freight planning practices, freight operations and technology, and freight policy, all in a collaborative framework. Importantly, the emphasis areas are determined by the participating state professionals. The work is completed in service to both the states and the region, as well as towards advancing national freight planning priorities throughout the MAASTO region. The projects and activities of the MAFC support critical linkages between freight movement and services, as well as economic and community development. The freight coordination of the MAASTO region can provide guidance and identify best practices at a national level relating to multistate coordination of freight activities and in support of goals within the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).

This solicitation is for the fifth iteration of the MAFC pooled fund. Previous iterations were TPF-5 (156), TPF-5 (293), TPF-5 (396), and TPF-5 (509).]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 19 Mar 2026 09:48:53 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2683017</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Successful Strategies to Integrate Digital Technologies to Achieve Data Interoperability Across the Lifecycle of Transportation Assets</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2681238</link>
      <description><![CDATA[State Departments of Transportation (DOTs) are adopting digital processes to improve project delivery and asset management. Federal initiatives such as the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) Everyday Counts (EDC) program—including EDC-4 and EDC-6—have supported these efforts.

The Advanced Digital Construction Management Systems (ADCMS) grant program (FY 2022–2024) provided funding for DOTs to implement and pilot digital approaches that connect data from planning through maintenance. These efforts aim to maintain accurate, consistent asset information throughout the asset lifecycle.

DOTs are at varying stages of implementation and use different tools and approaches, but share a common goal of improving data interoperability. A scan of current practices—including data workflows, system integration, and data repository management—would provide useful insights for agencies nationwide.

The scan is expected to identify key insights in areas such as: (1) digital technologies and lifecycle processes across the asset lifecycle; (2) integration with enterprise systems; (3) core data elements and IT requirements; (4) change management and workforce development; (5) data visualization and performance dashboards; (6) incentives and challenges related to technology adoption; and (7) implementation approaches and alignment with agency policies.

Findings will provide practical guidance for construction and maintenance staff, engineering managers, executive leaders, and other decision-makers. The scan will compare successful strategies, identify approaches that support efficient digital adoption, and promote consistent, high-quality data practices across projects and agencies.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 17 Mar 2026 14:44:18 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2681238</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Update to ACRP Report 25: Airport Passenger Terminal Planning and Design</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2681232</link>
      <description><![CDATA[ACRP Report 25: Airport Passenger Terminal Planning and Design, Volumes 1 and 2, comprises a guidebook, spreadsheet models, a user’s guide, and a CD-ROM. Since its publication in 2010, ACRP Report 25 has been the most downloaded ACRP publication.
 
Over the last 10 years, significant changes have occurred in global trends, technology, protocols, design, regulatory requirements, passenger behavior, and customer expectations, including, but not limited to, changes accelerated by economic drivers, public health, and industry trends.
 
ACRP and other organizations have subsequently published numerous terminal-related guidance and tools (many of which are accessible through ACRP WebResource 2: Airport Passenger Terminal Design Library) that are not referenced in ACRP Report 25. Also, the means by which airport industry practitioners access ACRP products has evolved (e.g., many practitioners no longer have access to CD readers). Research is therefore needed to update the guidebook and the products associated with ACRP Report 25 and to provide them in more user-friendly formats.
 
The objective of this research is to produce a concise, user-friendly update of ACRP Report 25, through the consolidation of Volumes 1 and 2, including the methodologies cited in those volumes. This research will cover the terminal area from the terminal frontage/terminal entry to the aircraft gate apron and return. This update will consider all types and sizes of airports and will reference ACRP WebResource 2: Airport Passenger Terminal Design Library.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 17 Mar 2026 14:37:38 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2681232</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Identifying and Developing the Core Capabilities of an Airport Emergency Management Program



</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2679053</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Airports must manage all-hazards events, which occur from time to time. Airports should be proactive in addressing the needs for the development and implementation of Emergency Management (EM) frameworks and core capabilities to build preparedness. As airports move toward the establishment or expansion of their EM initiatives, they should understand airport organizational designs of EM, training needs, guidelines, and requirements in the development, implementation, and sustainability of EM core capabilities. Airports should consider opportunities to explore lessons learned from airport case studies and examine interdependent industries and related disciplines with emerging risks to identify commonalities and variances. This project will assist airports in establishing and maintaining their EM programs through and standardized approach of continuous process improvement.

The objective of this research is to develop a guide of standardized core capabilities. The core capabilities should include EM-specific benchmarks tailored for the airport EM function for airport sponsors and its stakeholders to continuously evaluate the strengths and opportunities in the development or improvement of a comprehensive EM framework. 
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 10 Mar 2026 14:08:48 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2679053</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Data-Driven Tools for Transportation Efficiency and Community Health</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2677559</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Factors related to transportation and mobility of people and goods have an impact on communities. Atlanta’s twenty-five Neighborhood Planning Units (NPUs) play an important role in providing input to variety of issues and help shape transportation planning and prioritize development efforts in the city.  However, NPU’s often lack access to comprehensive, data-driven granular insights into transportation infrastructure, mobility and safety, and community impacts. This project will identify, inventory, and analyze available data to describe transportation efficiency, safety, and community issues and challenges in the city of Atlanta and present analytical results aimed to inform NPU leaders and promote effective understanding of transportation priorities at the local community level. The developed tools, rooted in geospatially driven analysis will empower NPU leaders to effectively advocate for local interest with city administrators and policymakers.  

In conjunction with viewing Atlanta holistically, this research aims to look closer and break down interconnected issues related to efficient mobility, safety, community health and derive detailed, localized strategies and metrics. By integrating transportation and other relevant datasets into a geospatial framework, this project will assist NPU leadership and stakeholders to prioritize and recommend targeted strategies to enhance mobility options and improve overall community well-being.   ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 05 Mar 2026 12:24:54 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2677559</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>State DOT Council for Strategic AI Adoption</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2678092</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The rapid advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies presents significant opportunities for enhancing transportation systems across the United States. However, the fragmented approach currently observed among state departments of transportation (DOTs) in AI adoption leads to duplicated efforts and missed opportunities for collaboration. Some agencies often face challenges in accessing the necessary resources and expertise to implement AI effectively. A unified effort through a transportation pooled fund (TPF) study can address these challenges by fostering collaboration, accelerating adoption, reducing risks, and ensuring access to AI resources. This TPF project aims to bring together state DOTs to share insights, practical application of AI implementation strategies, and best practices, thereby maximizing the benefits of AI in the transportation sector. The State DOT Council for Strategic AI Adoption will focus on the practical applicationof AI technologies in state-level transportation operations. While national efforts are addressing governance, standards, and policy frameworks. This TPF study will serve as a hands-on implementation network for state DOTs, ensuring they have the capacity, resources, and peer support to translate national AI strategies into operational deployments. 
OBJECTIVES: The study aims to achieve the following objectives: 1) AI meetings for state DOTs: Organize meetings and workshops to encourage dialogue and idea exchange among state DOTs. These convenings will serve as platforms for sharing experiences, discussing challenges, and collaborating on innovative solutions. 2) Strategies for AI adoption in transportation: Facilitate coordinated efforts among states to develop strategies for AI adoption in transportation. 3) Pilot projects: Support DOTs for the implementation of pilot projects that address common use cases across the transportation sector. These projects will act as testbeds for new AI applications, providing valuable insights and best practices that can be scaled across states. 4) Create shared resources: Develop shared resources such as data repositories and workforce training materials. These resources will standardize data collection and analysis and equip the workforce with the skills needed to manage AI technologies effectively.
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 04 Mar 2026 16:41:15 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2678092</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Identifying Gaps in Transit Infrastructure and Potential Solutions</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2677556</link>
      <description><![CDATA[A lack of access to transit stops (due to safety concerns, poor first and last mile connections, a lack of shelter to protect from weather elements while waiting, etc.) often presents a significant barrier to using transit services, even when the service itself is well designed. However, for most bus transit projects, the feasibility study at the project planning stage only focuses on a buffer zone of 250 feet around any bus stop, as mandated and required by National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Such feasibility studies suffer from two drawbacks: (i) because of the limited spatial extent, they fail to capture the infrastructure gaps that may prevent people from utilizing the services; and (ii) because of limited interaction with current and potential users of the system, they fail to identify user-focused solutions to these gaps. Thus, such feasibility studies may overestimate the potential ridership while also lacking support from the local communities. As Colorado DOT (CDOT) starts implementing its planned bus rapid transit (BRT) services along some of the most heavily traveled corridors within the Denver Metro area, it is important to understand the infrastructure gaps and identify potential solutions to deliver the most benefit possible from transit infrastructure dollars.

The aim of the proposed project is to identify how and what infrastructure gaps need to be considered before evaluating the success of a transit-related investment. It also aims to create a set of potential solutions for those gaps, through user input of preferences and cost considerations. The research team uses one of the five proposed bus rapid transit projects within Denver Metro area as case study for this proposed project, complementing CDOT's ongoing work towards the BRT projects. Federal Boulevard BRT, the proposed case study BRT, is planned along one of the most heavily used travel corridors in Denver. The objectives of the project are: (i) to understand the current infrastructure needs to facilitate transit use, such as a lack of bus stop infrastructure, safety concerns, first and last-mile connectivity issues, etc.; and (ii) to identify solutions that best address the needs of the current and potential users. The proposed project will address these objectives through targeted data collection using surveys and app-based travel diary for the BRT catchment area larger than the required feasibility study (using a half-mile buffer around the bus stops instead of 250 feet as done in the NEPA study).]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 04 Mar 2026 13:33:15 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2677556</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Advanced Transportation Optimization and Modeling (ATOM)</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2676009</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The U.S. transportation system is experiencing increasing complexity driven by evolving infrastructure, land-use patterns, travel demand, demographic shifts, and rapid advances in vehicle and mobility technologies. Emerging behaviors such as telecommuting, ridesharing, and micromobility, along with changing attitudes toward public transit and vehicle ownership, are reshaping how people and goods move across regions. To ensure that transportation investments remain efficient, resilient, and cost-effective, transportation agencies require advanced, data-driven tools to anticipate and evaluate the system-level impacts of these changes.  

This project develops an advanced transportation modeling and optimization pipeline in Austin, Texas, to evaluate the impacts of alternative strategies and technologies through scenario-based analysis. The system will be built around the Behavior, Energy, Autonomy, and Mobility (BEAM) model. BEAM is an open-source, agent-based regional transportation model that enables realistic simulation of travel behavior, mode choice, fuel consumption, and system performance, and associated community-level impacts under different “what-if” scenarios.  

By leveraging BEAM’s scalable, modular architecture, the project will address key limitations of conventional four-step and activity-based transportation models, providing a robust framework for testing strategies such as emerging technologies, infrastructure enhancements, and new mobility services before deployment. The pipeline will be developed and extended to assess additional impacts (via coupling to additional models) and therefore to serve as a decision-support tool for engineers, planners, and service providers, allowing them to evaluate performance outcomes and trade-offs across multiple metrics relevant to both economic productivity and community outcomes. Model calibration and validation of the Austin BEAM Core pipelines will utilize highly resolved local datasets on traffic flows, speeds, and network performance. These data will enable precise representation of real-world operating conditions in the Austin region and ensure the model’s reliability for planning and investment analysis.  

Scenario development will be coordinated with implementation partners regional stakeholders identified through a stakeholder mapping exercise. These scenarios will reflect practical policy and technology options under active consideration in Texas, ensuring alignment with state and regional priorities. The resulting pipeline will be structured for extensibility, allowing future integration with additional datasets and modeling components for use in other applications. Project outcomes will be shared broadly through technical reports, workshops, and data portals to facilitate adoption by other agencies, research institutions, and industry partners.  

Ultimately, this project supports goals of enhancing efficiency, safety, and reliability, while strengthening economic competitiveness and enabling informed, data-driven investment decisions. By combining open-source modeling innovation with public–private collaboration, the project will provide a replicable framework for modern, performance-based transportation system management.  

Moreover, the pipeline embraces and deploys advanced and transformative research: using an open-source, agent-based framework (BEAM) exceeds conventional planning methods. The stakeholder-co-development model (with public and industry partners) ensures that this research is not only theoretically innovative but also rooted in real-world deployment potential. This initiative empowers decision-makers to implement policies that enhance safety, the economy, and with various co-benefits to communities.  ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 03 Mar 2026 16:42:33 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2676009</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Update to ACRP Report 49: Collaborative Airport Capital Planning Handbook



</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2673006</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Since the 2011 publication of ACRP Report 49: Collaborative Airport Capital Planning Handbook, the airport industry experienced numerous changes. Airport capital planning, programs, and projects are dynamic and involve many elements, including phasing, financing, planning, design, and construction.  Since the 2011 publication of ACRP Report 49, capital planning modernizations have addressed the unpredictability of inflation; supply chain linkages; diversified financing challenges; appropriate delivery methods; new regulatory requirements; advanced technology changes; growing capital demands; and the evolving environmental, social, and governance (ESG) implications. 

Additional challenges to airport capital planning include varying perspectives and competing agendas across internal airport departments involved in the airport planning process (e.g., planning, engineering, and finance) and managing competing agendas of other stakeholders (e.g., consultants, airlines, and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)). 

The continual changes to technology since 2011 have inundated the industry with software solutions to enhance airport capital planning management whereby information can be tracked more efficiently. Potential implications of artificial intelligence (AI) may improve the capital planning processes. These technological advancements may have a defined process to best capture and communicate information used to administer the capital planning programs at airports, an important aspect of successfully maintaining the capital plan. 

Additional research is needed within airport capital planning.

The objective of this research is to update ACRP Report 49, outlining and describing a modernized collaborative capital improvement planning (CIP) process and implementation, and includes practices for the industry (e.g., tools and methodologies). 

This updated handbook will be developed for individuals at an airport who have a responsibility in the development, financing, management, or oversight of the airport CIP, or who have information required to maintain and ensure the CIP is current and up to date.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 23 Feb 2026 19:03:26 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2673006</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Customizing Transportation Services and Technologies Based on Rural Patient Healthcare Needs</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2667211</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The purpose of this project is to build on previous research to better understand the various linkages between specific comorbidities, lifestyle habits and targeted public transportation-related services and technologies. In addition, the project will demonstrate how these services and technologies can be adapted specifically for rural populations to secure better health outcomes. The primary research methods for this project will be as follows: 1) obtain literature about risk factors for specific comorbidities and lifestyle habits and how they interact with healthcare system access ; 2) use data from the University of Kentucky’s Healthcare’s Center for Clinical and Translational Studies and other Southeastern health systems to create a panel analysis of health outcomes based on University of Kentucky’s patient surveys, lifestyle habits, known comorbidities and diagnoses, and patient histories; 3) review materials as needed to determine best practices and synthesize findings for transportation-based support for specific medical conditions for rural residents; and 4) work with technology transfer programs and other stakeholders to develop a tool and/or outreach materials based on project findings for technology transfer professionals to improve transportation efficiency, technology and system innovation in trainings for transit and healthcare providers. The goal is to help both health and transportation providers to implement customizable healthcare mobility strategies based on their logistical capacity and patient needs.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 23 Feb 2026 14:19:44 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2667211</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Federal Transportation Funding Utilization by States and Strategies to Maximize Efficient and Effective Use</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2666776</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Federal requirements translate into higher project delivery costs compared to when state departments of transportation (DOT) use non-federal funds for projects. As a result, the share of federal versus non-federal investments of total national transportation investments may be less. To maximize federal funding impact and improve investment strategies among state DOTs and other recipients, an inventory and analysis of best practices is needed. This inventory would assist state DOTs with implementation of the next transportation reauthorization.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this research is to scan and analyze practices by state DOTs and partners that maximize the return on investment of federal transportation funds. Practices may include strategic program and project prioritization processes, aligning federal and state priorities for federal discretionary grants, or coordination efforts among states and partners through fund source swaps (federal for state) or other means to better align the use of federal funds.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 09 Feb 2026 20:44:35 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2666776</guid>
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