<rss version="2.0" xmlns:atom="https://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">
  <channel>
    <title>Research in Progress (RIP)</title>
    <link>https://rip.trb.org/</link>
    <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>
    </image>
    <item>
      <title>A Framework for Integrated Quality of Service Evaluation using Operational and Safety Considerations</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2703926</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This project addresses a critical gap in transportation decision-making by examining the relationships among safety and operational performance measures that State DOTs typically use for planning, design, and operations. While agencies rely on different metrics depending on application, such as crash-based measures for safety projects and travel time reliability or delay for congestion management, there is limited guidance on how these measures interact or how they should be jointly considered when evaluating alternatives. Using multi-source data from State DOTs and third-party providers along major corridors in Region VII, the project will quantify correlations, trade-offs, and synergies among key performance measures and develop a practical, multi-objective evaluation framework tailored to common DOT applications. The resulting framework and guidance will enable agencies to conduct more consistent, transparent, and context-sensitive evaluations that better balance safety and operational objectives.
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 21 May 2026 22:41:30 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2703926</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Investigating the Critical Success Factors for Technology Adoption in Transportation Safety Systems</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2703924</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The United States continues to face challenges in maintaining safe and efficient transportation networks, as roadway crashes remain a leading cause of death and economic loss. Although considerable advancements have been made in vehicle and roadway safety, emerging technologies remain underutilized in practice. This limited adoption highlights a critical need to better understand the factors that influence the successful implementation of transportation safety technologies. This research addresses this gap by identifying the critical success factors and barriers affecting the adoption of digital transportation safety technologies in the U.S. The study adopts a multi-stage approach consisting of a literature review, an expert survey, and network analysis to identify key adoption factors and their interrelationships. The expected outcomes include the development of a structured framework of adoption factors and practical implementation guidelines to support transportation agencies in deploying digital safety technologies more effectively. By facilitating the transition from technological development to real-world implementation, the research supports safer and more resilient transportation networks.
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 20 May 2026 09:18:35 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2703924</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Exploring the Relationships Among Perceived Safety, Perceived Accessibility, and Travel Behavior</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2702636</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Accessibility, the potential to reach various opportunities that are spatially dispersed, is an important concept in transportation that has garnered an extensive amount of research. The methods of measurement of accessibility are numerous, and there has been no consensus on a singular best practice. Typical methods of measuring accessibility do not take into account individual differences. Perceived accessibility measures offer another approach to understanding individual differences inaccessibility. This project will contribute to perceived accessibility literature by conducting a study in the United States (U.S.) context in the state of California, as there have not been many studies conducted in the U.S. First, semi-structured interviews with adults residing in the Sacramento Area Council of Government (SACOG) region will be conducted. Next, a cross-sectional survey will be conducted using a sample of SACOG region residents. It is important to understand how perceptions of safety and accessibility may influence mode choice and ability to access economic opportunities.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 14 May 2026 16:47:22 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2702636</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Artificial Intelligence (AI) Applications to Enhance Transportation Safety</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2563983</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This research effort aims to explore the applications of artificial intelligence (AI) in improving transportation safety from a regional standpoint. The specific objectives include: 1. Identify, explore, and document the existing and upcoming applications of AI in improving safety at both macro- and micro-levels. 2. Identify the opportunities and risks of AI applications in traffic safety. 3. Identify the existing traditional and non-traditional datasets that could be used to develop AI applications to enhance traffic safety. 4. Develop several diverse use cases to demonstrate the feasibility of AI applications in mitigating traffic crashes and improving safety]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 16 Jun 2025 09:54:17 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2563983</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Support for AASHTO Committees and Councils. Development of Modern Active Transportation Research Roadmap</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2348474</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Developed through NCHRP Project 20-123(02), AASHTO Council on Active Transportation Research Roadmap (2021) highlighted the critical need for targeted research for the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials’ (AASHTO) Council on Active Transportation (CAT) on key concerns in active transportation safety, policy, and data development.

Recent significant changes in the transportation industry offer new challenges and opportunities, such as increased attention to safety, new legislation, funding sources, and updated guides and standards (the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), Public Right-of-Way Accessibility Guidelines (PROWAG), and the upcoming Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities). Furthermore, new technologies, innovative safety treatments, and micromobility solutions have introduced new complexities and possibilities. 

Research is needed to assist state departments of transportation (DOTs) to discover research gaps, set priorities, and modernize the active transportation research roadmap to better align with the evolving landscape in active transportation.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the project is to develop a modern active transportation research roadmap (hereafter referred to as the “Research Roadmap”) to identify, support, monitor, disseminate, foster, and implement research that can help state DOTs address pressing needs in active transportation and reflect current priorities and advancements in the field.

This Research Roadmap should help transportation agencies incorporate active transportation as an essential component of the transportation system. The successful outcome of the Research Roadmap will be a record of research and analysis that brings active transportation to a level of parity with other modes of transportation. Research topics will identify factors that are barriers to achieving parity for active transportation.

When the needs in this Research Roadmap are fully addressed, research results and findings will support plans, policies, funding, projects, and life-cycle maintenance of transportation networks that deliver the substantial and varied benefits of active transportation.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 08 Mar 2024 09:46:06 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2348474</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Safety and Public Health Impacts of Microtransit Services</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2325388</link>
      <description><![CDATA["Safety and Public Health Impacts of Microtransit Services" is a research initiative that seeks to understand the broader implications of on-demand microtransit services on community safety and public health. Given the rapid emergence of these services, especially in suburban and rural areas of Massachusetts, the project is designed to investigate two main aspects: the reduction in road safety risks for transit passengers and the effects of induced microtransit trips on public health. The research is divided into two parts. The first part quantifies the change in safety risk for microtransit passengers who switch from walking, bicycling, or using fixed-route transit. This involves analyzing microtransit trip records and pedestrian crash data to understand roadway characteristics and associated risks. The second part examines the public health impact of new access afforded by microtransit, especially in terms of employment, education, medical care, healthy food, and social activities. The research will leverage data from the Berkshire Regional Transit Authority’s microtransit service and potentially other operators, employing methods such as survey analysis, mathematical modeling, and pedestrian crash risk analysis. The project is collaborative and interdisciplinary, involving the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT), microtransit operators, and students from various disciplines. The findings will be shared with MassDOT and microtransit operators to guide funding and operational decisions, and disseminated through academic publications and conferences.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 19 Jan 2024 10:28:43 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2325388</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Improving Livability: Identifying Operational and Access Barriers to Active Transportation in Connecticut Communities</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2321727</link>
      <description><![CDATA["Improving Livability" is a comprehensive research initiative focused on identifying and addressing disparities in walking and biking conditions across Connecticut communities. The project is motivated by rising pedestrian and cyclist fatalities, often tied to historical development patterns and uneven infrastructure investment. This research will include a literature review and data analysis to examine differences in transportation safety related to factors such as race, ethnicity, and income. It will assess variations in access to safe infrastructure for active transportation and develop methods to evaluate safety outcomes, accounting for both reported and underreported incidents.

The project includes two phases: the first involves gathering and preparing data using crash records, U.S. Census demographic information, and land use data; the second phase, proposed for Year 2, will develop econometric models to identify key influences on pedestrian and cyclist safety and create a risk index to highlight high-risk areas in Connecticut. The project will provide practical insights for planners and other stakeholders, including toolkits and strategies to improve mobility and safety. Graduate research assistants will support the work, gaining experience while contributing to the project’s overall goal of making active transportation safer and more reliable for all communities.
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 16 Jan 2024 12:18:09 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2321727</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Incorporating Large Language Models (LLMs) into Transportation Safety Analytics</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2321641</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This project pioneers the integration of Large Language Models (LLMs) into transportation safety analytics to advance equity and improve data accessibility. Leveraging the Connecticut Crash Data Repository (CTCDR), the research team developed a novel system that enables users—regardless of technical background—to perform complex crash data analysis and generate visual reports using natural language queries. This LLM-powered interface streamlines data retrieval, reduces the need for specialized training, and facilitates the identification of safety disparities impacting vulnerable road users and underserved populations. By automating data cleaning, classification, and visualization, the system offers a cost-effective and scalable solution for state Departments of Transportation and policymakers seeking to meet federal safety and equity goals. The project demonstrates the transformative potential of AI in democratizing access to transportation data and shaping more informed safety interventions.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 12 Jan 2024 10:46:26 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2321641</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Administration of Highway and Transportation Agencies. Collective and Individual Actions to Envision and Realize the Next Era of America’s Transportation Infrastructure—Phase 2</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2067949</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The creation of the Interstate Highway System ushered in a new era of transportation, economic development, and social change in the nation’s history. The aim of the Interstate System was focused and succinctly stated: "…to connect principal metropolitan areas, cities, and industrial centers, serve national defense, and connect with Canada and Mexico," and this statement became foundational to the culture and missions of the state departments of transportation (DOTs). These agencies have evolved in response to changes in the nature of the work, from planning to construction to operation and maintenance of increasingly mature networks. While notable gaps remain and funding for maintenance and updating is a perpetual challenge, observers suggest the goals and objectives of the Interstate era have largely been achieved. Today, social, economic, and technology trends place the nation at the cusp of a new era for transportation, one engaging new technologies, interactions among transportation modes, interdependence of private and public interests, and a broadening range of partners and stakeholders in our transportation system’s performance. State DOTs are called upon to help define and realize a vision of this next era and how that vision may be realized. 
State DOTs and the public face challenging questions and choices. For example: How can the transportation system be designed and operated to make meaningful progress toward Vision Zero? How can the shift away from reliance on fossil fuels be accelerated?  How can the transportation system provide access to health care, education, jobs, and high-quality and affordable housing for asset-limited, income-constrained, employed households? How can transportation contribute to stable neighborhoods and communities? How will new technologies and new transportation services support system performance improvements? How can the transportation system support technological changes in communications and mobility? How can the condition and performance of our transportation system contribute to sustained prosperity by efficiently moving people and goods?
While each state DOT must address such questions, individual agencies also must harmonize perspectives and strategies with others: the nation’s transportation networks do not end at political borders and many of the challenges can only be addressed through collaboration with partners and stakeholders.  
Phase 1 of the project explored the factors and trends likely to characterize the next era of transportation. Through outreach and engagement with state DOT leadership, partners, and thought leaders from other industries, a vision for the next era of transportation was developed. The vision is a community-centered transportation system—focused on connecting communities, moving people and goods, and meeting customer needs at all scales, from local to global—delivered as a partnership between state DOTs and other public, private, and civic sector partners. The vision includes six aspirational goals describing how the system should function: Safe and secure; Accessible and affordable; Seamless and reliable; Healthy and thriving; Clean and sustainable; and Agile and resilient.  
In October 2022, the AASHTO Board of Directors unanimously adopted the vision and aspirational goals, further resolving that state DOTs should work toward implementation of the shared vision through individual actions that are appropriate for the context of each state. Several bold ideas that support one or more of the aspirational goals were identified in Phase 1 of the project. Research is needed to further refine these ideas, articulate specific opportunities and actions needed to implement them, and directly engage with state DOT leadership to initiate implementation. 
The objectives of this project were to explore and articulate specific actions that can be taken by state DOTs both collectively and individually to establish and realize a transformative vision of the next era of America’s transportation infrastructure, by: Describing the social, technological, and economic trends and evolution of community values, problems, and priorities now and in coming years that are likely to influence the role of transportation in local, regional, and national prosperity and wellbeing; Articulating a set of evocative state DOT ambitions and goals that, if pursued, would respond to evolutionary trends and shape an agency’s culture and mission to maintain and enhance transportation’s contribution to prosperity and well-being; Presenting a visionary narrative and supporting insights, projections, and aspirational ideas to inform state DOT leadership; and Providing resources and tools that state DOT leaders can use to tailor their own efforts to shape their agency’s culture and mission and craft meaningful and motivating targets, achievements, objectives, and narratives or vision statements to communicate with stakeholders.
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 22 Nov 2022 22:37:24 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2067949</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Rapid Safety Assessment Tool for Non-Conventional Roadway Designs and Emerging Technologies: Innovative Artificial Intelligence Application </title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1877735</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Traditional safety assessment methodologies are profoundly dependent on reactive crash data. The Highway Safety Manual (HSM) approach recommends 3-5 worth of crash data before and after the implementation of safety countermeasures. Waiting for such a long period of time might not be feasible to address safety issues at various roadway facilities. Furthermore, with the advent of emerging transportation technologies, rapid safety assessment tools will be required. This research provided a proof-of-concept for the development of a proactive road safety assessment framework which could be utilized for a rapid evaluation of problematic intersections, non-conventional designs, newly adopted countermeasures, as well as emerging transportation technologies. The framework is based on leveraging advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine vision to identify Surrogate Measures of Safety (SMoS) in near real-time from video cameras installed at intersections. The study established a relationship between the types of crashes and their contributing factors utilizing SMoS. Video analytics used machine vision and object detection algorithms to identify motion paths and trajectories for different road users. From estimated users’ trajectories for vehicles and pedestrians, near crashes, known as traffic conflicts, were extracted by identifying critical thresholds for the SMoS such as Time-To-Collision (TTC), Post-encroachment Time (PET), and Deceleration Rate to Avoid a Crash (DRAC). Based on the SMoS identified, and the dominating conflict patterns, safety countermeasures could be recommended. The developed methodology of this study is a first step to cost-effectively assist transportation agencies evaluating hazardous locations and safety countermeasures without the need to wait for traditional crash data.
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 09 Sep 2021 17:14:08 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1877735</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Expanding Mobility Options for All: Optimizing and Extending the Biking Infrastructure to Generate Complete Street Networks in Atlanta</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1756014</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The Complete Streets policy aims to transform streets to accommodate multiple modes of travel, including the active modes, such as walking and biking. The objective is to make streets safe and convenient for all persons, including children, the elderly, and the disabled. The proposed project will develop complete multimodal networks to identify potential complete streets using the bike network as a connective thread. It emphasizes the accessibility of all destinations by various modes of travel and recognizes that not all streets need to be “complete'' to provide safe and convenient access to most destinations for all persons, regardless of age and ability. The goal is to find optimal strategies for connecting isolated cycling infrastructure to form complete networks that improve active mobility and public transit ridership. By aligning the bike network with transit and activity locations, we develop an approach for completing multimodal networks and identify streets that are best suited to become “complete streets."

The objective of this study is to develop and implement an algorithm that would iteratively combine existing fragmented bike lanes, current and future transit hubs, and unmet demand for biking infrastructure into one integrated network. The criteria applied to connect the network fragments, and other significant locations mentioned above include transit access, activity location density, proximity to residential and commercial land uses, biking stress, street right-of-way and design, and terrain. The study will estimate the unmet demand for biking infrastructure and identify unserved locations by considering equity, need, and future transportation hubs. Also, street redesigns to accommodate bike lanes and transform rights-of-way to complete streets will be analyzed and validated with a high-fidelity microsimulation model using PTV VISSIM. The microsimulation process will generate 3D animation models for communication and dissemination. Finally, the current and potential streets that can be considered “complete" are identified and included in a mobility plan.
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Sat, 05 Dec 2020 18:38:44 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1756014</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Low Cost 3-D LIDAR Development for Transportation</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1741270</link>
      <description><![CDATA[As evident when reviewing past and current research projects supported by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), mobile light detection and ranging (LIDAR) technology offers a significant opportunity to increase transportation safety and efficiency. Unfortunately, these projects typically rely on expensive commercial hardware that prevents widespread usage and potentially mitigates LIDAR’s overall benefits. Previous efforts within the PI’s laboratory resulted in the construction of an inexpensive LIDAR system ($300) that was able to capture up to 700k data points for a respectively accurate point cloud; hence, setting the stage for extensive implementation. However, data collection took too long for effective usage. As a result, this project will build on this past research by increasing the sampling and data collection rate while enhancing connectivity and improving the post-processing of the point cloud information. Dissimilar places on campus will be captured (e.g., intersections and parking lots) using the system to understand how well it can identify street signs, potholes, pedestrians, etc. Overall, this will ensure that a low-cost and mobile LIDAR system will be suited for transportation-based safety outcomes.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 25 Sep 2020 15:12:15 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1741270</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Mobility, Access, and Safety</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1683686</link>
      <description><![CDATA[VOLPE will provide HEPH with research and the development of innovations in the financing, development, and implementation of multimodal transportation projects that improve connectivity, accessibility, safety, and convenience for all users.  The project will reduce the number, rate, and consequences of multimodal transportation-related crashes, serious injuries, and fatalities among transportation users.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 10 Feb 2020 12:57:23 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1683686</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Moving Research into Practice. Implementation of NCHRP Research Report 893: The Oregon DOT Statewide Pedestrian and Bicycle Plan </title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1640416</link>
      <description><![CDATA[NCHRP Research Report 893 Systemic Pedestrian Safety Analysis describes a safety analysis method for (1) conducting systemic safety analyses for pedestrians using analytical techniques to identify pedestrian activities (including behavior), roadway features, and other contextual risk factors (e.g., land use) associated with pedestrian crashes; (2) identifying appropriate and cost-effective systemic pedestrian safety improvements to address their associated risk factors; and (3) enabling transportation agencies to prioritize candidate locations for selected safety improvements based on risk.
 
The Oregon Department of Transportation (DOT) used the methodology developed in NCHRP Research Report 893 (available at http://www.trb.org/Publications/Blurbs/178087.aspx ) to develop a statewide plan for pedestrian and bicycle safety. The results of this analysis will be used by the state’s Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) to prioritize projects to improve safety for pedestrians and bicycles. ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 22 Jul 2019 20:35:11 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1640416</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Unmanned Aircraft Systems Impact on Operational Efficiency and Connectivity</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1578498</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Description: The overarching goal of this research project is to help launch an effective unmanned aircraft system (UAS) program at the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT). The research team has already assisted with the development of the SCDOT UAS Policy Statement, and shadowed a bridge inspection team in SCDOT’s District Seven. The team will be providing logistical information to SCDOT about how other state DOTs have set up their programs. It will also conducted experiments testing a state-of-the-practice UAS in collaboration with a SCDOT bridge inspection team. The experiments will evaluate how a UAS can reduce bridge inspection time and cost by providing additional tools to inspectors. This will reduce the cost of design with more current as-built/as-is documentation, and ultimately make our infrastructure safer and better prepared for natural disasters. 
Intellectual Merit: This study will help enable a UAS to provide real-time infrastructure assessment in a fraction of the time it takes using traditional methods during natural disasters.
Broader Impacts: This project will help increase connectivity for field-to-office information flow, improving the safety of our bridge infrastructure and reducing the cost of maintaining it.
Technology Transfer Plan: This project will be jointly funded by the SCDOT, ensuring an immediate transfer of technology for field application. The findings will be documented in a report submitted to the SCDOT as well as articles submitted for publication in peer-reviewed journals and conference proceedings. ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 11 Jan 2019 15:36:24 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1578498</guid>
    </item>
  </channel>
</rss>