<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>Optimize Tradeoffs between Centerline Buffers, Lane Width, and Shoulders for Rural Undivided Highways</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2652072</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The research team will provide a practical framework for the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to choose between cross-sectional design alternatives to optimize operational and safety performance on rural two-lane undivided highways. This framework will incorporate variables such as traffic volume, heavy vehicle mix, speed, and access density. Texas and other states have increasingly used a narrow centerline buffer area, separated by longitudinal pavement markings, to introduce physical separation between approaching vehicles, producing operational and safety benefits on undivided roadways without widening to a traditional divided cross-section. However, providing centerline buffers require reduced lane or shoulder widths. Project 0-7035 “Examine Trade-Offs between Center Separation and Shoulder Width Allotment for a Given Roadway Width” studied this effect for four-lane roadways with positive results, but less is known about two-lane roadways; understanding the benefits of center separation, along with the effects of various lane and shoulder combinations, would be useful for making decisions on cross-sections for new and resurfaced two-lane roadway segments. The research team will collect and analyze data for two-lane highways with centerline buffers and compare their safety and operational performances with traditional two-lane undivided highways. Additionally, the research team will quantify differences in the performance of two-lane undivided highways compared to other cross-sectional designs. The research team will use observed data and simulation to achieve the project objectives.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 09 Jan 2026 16:29:38 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2652072</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Effects of Airplane Cabin Interiors on Egress I - updates based on NASEM review</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2625303</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This project is to support updates to publication DOT/FAA/AM-21/01, Effects of Airplane Cabin Interiors on Egress I: Assessment of Anthropometrics, Seat Pitch, and Seat Width on Egress based on feedback received from NASEM peer review.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 13 Nov 2025 09:26:34 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2625303</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Impact Evaluation for Obstacles within Barrier's Working Width


</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2558421</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Barriers deform and deflect when struck by vehicles, so designers provide a clear area behind the barriers to accommodate this movement. The dimensions of this expected deflection zone, referred to as the working width, are typically determined through computer modeling and crash testing under the American Association of State and Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH) impact conditions. The working width represents the maximum lateral penetration of either the MASH test vehicle or the barrier beyond the front face of the barrier.

In practice, however, most real-world impacts are less severe than MASH impact conditions and do not require the full working width to shield natural or man-made obstacles behind barriers. Furthermore, site constraints often make it impractical to relocate obstacles outside the working width. Developing a method to measure the potential for impacts with obstacles within a barrier’s working width could help state departments of transportation (DOTs) save both time and project costs.

Research is needed to develop a tool that quantifies the potential of impact(s) with a roadside obstacle based on placement of the obstacle within the working width of the barrier. Such a tool would consider impact conditions, barrier deflection behavior, and obstacle placement within the working width. Characteristics such as obstacle type, barrier length, and average annual daily traffic (AADT) are beyond the scope of this research effort.

The objective of this research is to develop a tool to measure the potential for impacts with obstacles located within a barrier’s working width based on various impact conditions.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 26 May 2025 21:48:15 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2558421</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Effectiveness and Guidance of Aggressive Rehabilitation of Gravel Roads</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2508946</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Maintenance of Iowa's unpaved road system is a major issue to Iowa's local agencies and the general public.  Part of this maintenance is the major rehabilitation or regrading of these roads once the roads become too wide caused from heavy traffic loading. Methods to do this vary across the state due to soil types, available manpower and equipment, and even public opinion.  It is widely known that proper width and shape is essential to the drainage of and long term performance of a gravel road.  This idea would summarize the best practices for this type of activity based upon Iowa's different areas and try to quantify the gain in performance of gravel roads that are narrowed back to their original design width and have proper crown.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 11 Feb 2025 18:50:09 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2508946</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Effect of Bridge Width on Crashes in Nebraska</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2387176</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Bridges and bridge approaches sometimes are changed to accommodate increased traffic volume, lane expansion, maintaining adequate clearance, non-motorized accommodation, or for construction and maintenance cost optimization. Such changes may alter the relationship between bridge and approach widths and may impact the safety of the travelling public. The Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) “Bridge Office Policies and Procedures,” initially published in January 2000 and revised in December 2016, serves as the reference and design guideline for NDOT bridge engineers, designers, detailers, and consultants working with the NDOT bridge office. However, NDOT staff lacks comprehensive guidelines regarding the impact of bridge and approach widths on crash frequencies and severities. A comprehensive research-based study is required to determine how bridge widths should be designed in relation to approach widths, while considering crash prevention and ensuring motorists have unrestricted mobility between bridge lanes.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 04 Jun 2024 12:42:19 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2387176</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>
National Investigation of the Environmental, Safety and Livability Impacts of Travel Lane Width: Evidence from 10 American Cities</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2331768</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This project is one of the most comprehensive efforts to date to address a long overdue built environmental and transportation challenge to health: unnecessarily wide travel lanes that are designed to accommodate fast and convenient driving. There has been a constant competition for space in roadways’ right-of-way. In most American cities, the automobile is the winner of this competition, making it a challenge to find space for bike lanes and sidewalks. One of the easiest and most cost-efficient way to make space for cyclists and pedestrian is to narrow travel lanes and parking lanes to an optimal width. The main drawback is safety concerns. Are wider lanes safer? A recent study in seven US Cities by the PI found that narrower lanes do not have a higher number of crashes than their wider counterparts, after controlling for 21 functional and design street characteristics. This study builds on the earlier effort by (1) expanding sample to more than 1,500 street sections with three additional cities and measuring a comprehensive set of 21 micro-scale street design features for these streets; (2) quantifying the impact of narrow travel lane on traffic fatalities, pedestrian safety, and bicycle safety indicators; and (3) measuring the impact of narrow lane width on pedestrian volume and activities. Finally, from the national sample of ten cities, the PIs will select one lane width reduction project for further longitudinal analysis of traffic speed, roadway capacity (traffic volume), roadway safety (crash severity and frequency) and GHG emission impacts before and after the lane width reduction.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 01 Feb 2024 10:04:47 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2331768</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Safety Effectiveness of Inside Shoulder Widths on Freeways in Georgia</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2269991</link>
      <description><![CDATA[
This proposed project's primary goal is to comprehensively evaluate the relationship between inside shoulder widths and safety performance on Georgia freeways.
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 17 Oct 2023 12:08:11 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2269991</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>SPR-4853: Effective Shoulder Width on Rural Highway System Related to Roadway Departure Crashes</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2238833</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This study will evaluate the safety effect of shoulder width in rural areas under different road and traffic conditions to avoid unnecessary construction costs (too wide shoulders) and/or excessive road users costs (too narrow shoulder widths). Estimated Crash Modification Factors or Functions (CMFs) at three levels of crash severity will help develop a proper level of design depending on the road curvature and the character of the surrounding terrain. The average costs of offroad crashes under various traffic and road conditions will be estimated to be used in benefit-cost analyses.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 31 Aug 2023 16:43:43 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2238833</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>SPR-4730: Widening Reinforced Concrete Elements using Chemical Anchoring Systems (Post-installed Rebar Systems)</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2057910</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This project investigates the structural behavior of extended bridge slabs using post-installed rebar systems and aims to develop guidelines for the design and construction of widened bridge slabs using post-installed rebar systems.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Sun, 06 Nov 2022 16:08:09 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2057910</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Best Practices for MOT on Interstate Pavement Rehabilitation Projects</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2039846</link>
      <description><![CDATA[On interstate pavement rehab projects, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) often finds it challenging to maintain two lanes of traffic in each direction. The standard practice is to use a full-width shoulder as a thru lane while work is done on adjacent lanes. But difficulties arise when the shoulder is not wide enough to operate as a thru lane — particularly when the required depth for rehabilitation demands more lateral clearance for lanes under construction. Designers can also face maintenance of traffic (MOT) challenges at interchanges due to the widths of mainline bridges, lateral clearances of cross-road structures, and ramp lengths. Researchers will review ongoing and completed interstate rehab projects where KYTC found it challenging to maintain desired lane widths during construction and document negative impacts of MOT on completed facilities.  
The objective of this study is to develop best practices for MOT to help Project Managers mitigate risks on pavement rehab projects.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 12 Oct 2022 12:57:50 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2039846</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Testing of Cable Median Barrier in a Narrow Ditch</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1847748</link>
      <description><![CDATA[With its publication by AASHTO in October 2009, the Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH) has superseded NCHRP Report 350 as the recommended procedures for the safety performance evaluation of roadside features. The majority of longitudinal barrier crash tests are preformed on flat, level terrain. However, it is recognized that cable median barrier is commonly installed in a median ditch on sloped terrain. This practice accommodates the needed working width of the barrier and helps reduce the frequency of impacts. It is, therefore, desirable to test and evaluate cable median barriers in a ditch.    A question has arisen pertaining to what ditch configurations should be used to evaluate a cable median barrier that is designed to be placed anywhere in any ditch with 4H:1V slopes or flatter. The multitude of ditch configurations that exist in the field makes the selection of appropriate test conditions a challenge. Although a maximum slope is defined (e.g., 4H:1V), other variables include ditch width, shape, and degree of rounding of the hinge points.    Several crash tests have been conducted at the Midwest Roadside Safety Facility (MwRSF) at the University of Nebraska Lincoln (UNL) on a generic cable median barrier being designed for placement anywhere in a 4H:1V ditch. The testing was conducted in a relatively wide (42 ft) ditch and has included a barrier placed at the critical lateral offset on the foreslope and near the ditch bottom on the backslope.    Additional consideration is being given to the evaluation of cable barriers in a narrower (e.g., 30 ft) ditch. The narrower ditch width will result in vehicle interaction with the backslope during redirection.  This interaction may or may not cause the pickup truck to become unstable. There is a need to evaluate and compare performance related to both ditch widths to determine which is more critical for use in future testing.    It has also been observed in previous testing of cable median barriers on the backslope of a narrow ditch, that a passenger car has the propensity to steer up the backslope before impacting the barrier. This behavior can induce a yaw opposite the direction of desired redirection. It has been proposed to further evaluate this test condition through additional testing.  
The objective of this project is to conduct a full-scale crash test of a generic 4-cable median barrier in a narrow ditch with 4H:1V slopes – one on the ditch foreslope with a pickup truck, and one on the ditch backslope with a small car and develop and final matrix for updating and refining the MASH.  
Task 1. Conduct a Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH) Test 3-11 with a cable barrier placed on a 4H:1V ditch foreslope. (cancelled)   Amended Task 1. Develop cable median barrier test matrices using information from existing testing, simulation, and Delphi method approach.  
Task 2. Conduct a MASH Test 3-10 with a cable barrier placed on a $H:1V ditch backslope.   
Task 3. Submit a final report documenting the research approach and test results. ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 20 Apr 2021 10:18:49 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1847748</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Guidelines for Selecting Lane Widths on Urban and Suburban Arterials</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1673345</link>
      <description><![CDATA[In an era of multimodal design and expensive right-of-way, transportation agencies must make decisions on how to safely accommodate all users of the roadway system. One of the key decisions that affects roadway operation and safety is the selection of lane widths. Previous research projects have examined the relationship between lane width and safety on urban and suburban arterials. These studies showed inconsistent results on whether or not the use of lane widths narrower than 12 feet on urban and suburban arterials increased crash frequencies. Therefore, there is a need to provide guidelines for state departments of transportation (DOTs) on selecting the appropriate lane widths and understanding the safety impacts of lane width decisions.

The objective of this research was to develop guidelines for the selection of an appropriate lane width considering bike and parking lanes on urban and suburban arterials. The guidelines should incorporate the assessment of safety impacts of lane width in the decision-making process.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 17 Dec 2019 12:24:30 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1673345</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>SPR-4126: Implementation of LiDAR-Based Mobile Mapping System for Lane Width Evaluation and Reporting in Work Zones for INDOT Traffic Management</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1435599</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Maintaining lane width at a minimum of 10ft in work zones is essential for preventing unanticipated congestion in work zones. This project will focus on implementing a LiDAR Based Mobile Mapping system for lane width evaluation and reporting in work zones.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 23 Nov 2016 10:39:08 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1435599</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Transportation System Performance Measurement Using Existing Loop Infrastructure (102-FH2-005) SBIR Phase II
</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1370726</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Phase II: Utilize loop amplifier electronics to analyze duration of pulses from existing inductive loops at a higher frequency to identify unique vehicles and facilitate identification and reidentification of these vehicles as sample probes passing over sequential inductive loop sensors.
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 29 Sep 2015 15:51:44 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1370726</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Operational and Safety Considerations in Making Lane Width Decisions on Urban and Suburban Arterials</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1331125</link>
      <description><![CDATA[In an era of multimodal design and expensive right-of-way, agencies must make decisions on how to best accommodate users of the roadway system within limited budgets. One of the driving decisions is how wide the travel lanes should be while balancing these interests and operational and safety perspectives.
A few recent research projects have examined the relationship between lane width and safety on urban and suburban arterials. These studies found no general indication (with a few exceptions) that the use of lanes narrower than 12 feet increased crash frequencies. While the research provided excellent insight into lane width/safety relationships, it did not address speed, volume, transit, heavy vehicles, on- and off-street neighboring spaces (e.g., turn lane, bike lane, on-street parking, shoulder width, curb and gutter, another lane next to lane of interest, or the proximity of objects such as utility poles, trees, or street furniture on the roadside), bicycle and pedestrian use, and shared versus exclusive lane use. Therefore, additional research is needed to better answer these questions.
 
The objectives of this research were (1) to investigate the effects of urban and suburban arterial lane widths on operations and safety for all users, (2) produce guidelines for practitioners to determine lane configuration for reconstruction and new construction projects, and (3) propose appropriate revisions to the AASHTO Green Book.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 18 Nov 2014 01:00:43 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1331125</guid>
    </item>
  </channel>
</rss>