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    <title>Research in Progress (RIP)</title>
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    <atom:link href="https://rip.trb.org/Record/RSS?s=PHNlYXJjaD48cGFyYW1zPjxwYXJhbSBuYW1lPSJzdWJqZWN0aWQiIHZhbHVlPSIxNzcyIiAvPjxwYXJhbSBuYW1lPSJkYXRlaW4iIHZhbHVlPSI3MzAiIC8+PHBhcmFtIG5hbWU9InN1YmplY3Rsb2dpYyIgdmFsdWU9Im9yIiAvPjxwYXJhbSBuYW1lPSJ0ZXJtc2xvZ2ljIiB2YWx1ZT0ib3IiIC8+PHBhcmFtIG5hbWU9ImxvY2F0aW9uIiB2YWx1ZT0iMTYiIC8+PC9wYXJhbXM+PGZpbHRlcnMgLz48cmFuZ2VzIC8+PHNvcnRzPjxzb3J0IGZpZWxkPSJwdWJsaXNoZWQiIG9yZGVyPSJkZXNjIiAvPjwvc29ydHM+PHBlcnNpc3RzPjxwZXJzaXN0IG5hbWU9InJhbmdldHlwZSIgdmFsdWU9InB1Ymxpc2hlZGRhdGUiIC8+PC9wZXJzaXN0cz48L3NlYXJjaD4=" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
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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>
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      <link>https://rip.trb.org/</link>
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    <item>
      <title>Large Language Model-Driven Crash Risk Analysis System for Rural and Tribal Roadways</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2731923</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Rural and tribal roadways in the United States experience disproportionately high crash incidents due to a combination of infrastructure challenges, limited resources, and incomplete crash reporting. Traditional statistical, machine learning (ML), and deep learning (DL) models have struggled to address these issues because they rely heavily on structured data, perform poorly with incomplete or imbalanced datasets, and often fail to leverage the rich information contained in crash narratives. Large language models (LLMs) offer an alternative by reframing crash risk analysis as a text reasoning problem, enabling the extraction of contextual insights from narratives, the imputation of missing or inconsistent fields, and the integration of structured and unstructured data into unified predictive frameworks. This proposal aims to develop an LLM-based crash risk analysis system utilizing North Carolina’s statewide police-reported crash data as a foundation, with the goal of enhancing the accuracy, interpretability, and robustness of rural crash risk assessment. The project will proceed through four main tasks: crash data enhancement and model adaptation, predictive model development, model validation, and the design of an implementation plan for real-time crash risk warnings in connected vehicle (CV) environments. ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 17 Jul 2026 16:08:51 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2731923</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Evaluate Traffic Control Devices Viable Use to Reduce Speeding Behavior at High-Low Speed Zone Locations in Michigan</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2731925</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Determine the effectiveness of various traffic control devices currently in use to reduce driver speeding behavior, when traveling from
a high-speed zone to low-speed zone. Site locations of interest in Michigan are where the speed limit is reduced due to a change in
roadway context, such as locations with increased pedestrian traffic, within school vicinity, and where bicycle traffic exist. Devices
proposed for study under this research project are signs of various sizes, dynamic signs, and experimental type devices.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 17 Jul 2026 14:50:37 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2731925</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title> Evaluate PVC Water Main Materials in Roadway Projects</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2731924</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Water main breaks within Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) R.O.W. pose significant risks to the Department and stakeholders, including complete road
closures, detours, as well as boil water advisories. MDOT is obligated to replace municipal water mains that are impacted by
Road and Bridge projects, typically at Project costs. The Department currently only specifies ductile iron water main (DIWM)
materials within the influence of its roadways. Rising costs of and supply issues with DIWM in recent years have caused
significant project delays. Municipalities are increasingly requesting the use of PVC water main materials within MDOT R.O.W.
to maintain material continuity of their facilities. Allowing use of alternative materials could reduce costs and/or delays to the
Department. MDOT needs data to address Municipal Engineers and Industry questions on the suitability of allowing PVC water
main on MDOT projects. Several factors must be evaluated in comparison to DIWM; the durability and expected design life,
historical leakage and breakage rates, cause of failures, the long-term safety of PVC water main materials on public health,
and life cycle costs. The research must provide data guidance and recommendations on the advantages and disadvantages of
PVC versus DIWM to allow consideration of a change to current policy.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 17 Jul 2026 14:29:12 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2731924</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Evaluation of Traffic Speed Deflectometer Data (TSD) for Potential Use in Michigan</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2731922</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The collection of continuous pavement deflection data is a technology that is starting to mature and is getting a lot of
attention from many state agencies around the country. The cost to obtain these data collection services can be significant.
The Michigan Department of Transportation (MI DOT) would like to explore whether there is a benefit in spending money on this type of data. Does it provide
sufficient structural information that can be useful in the scoping or design phases of upcoming projects? Does it provide
useful information in the evaluation of the performance of in-situ pavements? In what situations does it make sense to
gather this data? These are some of the questions that need to be answered so that a determination can be made on the
cost effectiveness of moving forward with this relatively new technology.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 17 Jul 2026 13:59:29 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2731922</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Enhanced Understanding of Concrete Pavement Performance</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2731921</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Michigan’s wet-freeze climate causes pavement durability issues such as freeze-thaw scaling, while salt exposures
significantly impact the long-term performance of Jointed Plain Concrete Pavements (JPCP). These environmental stressors
initiate joint staining and can progress to joint spalling, eventually lead to structural failures like shear cracking under traffic
loads. Structural inputs like slab thickness and modulus of rupture govern mechanical performance, while durability factors
influence how a JPCP pavement degrades over time. These material properties affect roughness and service life. In addition,
the University of Michigan (UofM) Center can provide specialized technical expertise and examinations related to further development of its pavement
design program, specifically as it relates to Pavement Mechanistic-Empirical Design (PMED).]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 17 Jul 2026 13:20:05 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2731921</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Enhanced Understanding of Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA)</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2731920</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) interest is to have the Michigan State University (MSU) Center provide specialized technical expertise and examinations related to further development of its pavement design program, specifically as it relates to Pavement Mechanistic-Empirical Design (PMED).]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 17 Jul 2026 13:08:30 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2731920</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Traffic Signal Pre-emption Effectiveness in Michigan</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2731919</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Current Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) policy allows signal pre-emption for emergency vehicles, but the emergency agency is responsible for paying
for the equipment required for implementation. However, MDOT still has costs associated with the operation and maintenance
of the system. It is unknown at this time how many of the emergency pre-emption implementations are working as designed.
Question- for existing systems that are operational, are the expected benefits being realized? As the complexity of traffic
signal technology continues to grow, the resources available to maintain the signal infrastructure are becoming more strained.
As such, it is important to ensure that the resources dedicated to implementing pre-emption are worthwhile and should be
prioritized over other competing needs. This project will investigate current state of pre-emption technologies and the various
practices underway in MI, as well as develop recommendations for the most effective and reliable systems to maximize the
return on investment with minimum disruptions to daily traffic operations. In addition to existing implementations, the
technology has developed to a point where more and more use cases are being considered for using signal pre-emption. In
cases where it is possible for multiple different use cases to exist along the same corridor, another question/unknown is- how
should the various pre-emption calls be prioritized?]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 17 Jul 2026 11:58:12 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2731919</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Connected and Automated Vehicle (CAV) Readiness Survey: Are MDOT Roads Machine Readable</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2731918</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Considering Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) Mission, Values, and Vision, with the evolving landscape of technologies within the connected and automated
vehicle (CAV) industry, there is a pressing need to investigate the requisite support from DOTs to enable seamless integration of
CAVs with infrastructure. As core sensors and systems defining these technologies become more established, understanding the
precise infrastructure requirements becomes paramount. Therefore, the research aims to address the question: "What specific
support and infrastructure enhancements are necessary from MDOT to facilitate effective detection and interaction of connected and
automated vehicles with the surrounding infrastructure?]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 17 Jul 2026 11:47:59 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2731918</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>High Load Hit Prevention</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2562331</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Many department owned bridges are impacted with over height vehicles every year, however, there are many bridges that
have been struck repeatedly. Bridges being repeatedly struck by over height vehicles leads to structural damage to
department infrastructure as well as impedance to the traveled roadway(s). This damage can cause immediate lane or road
closures while the damage is inspected and repaired, shortened service life of the structure, and potential bridge component or
structure replacement. In order to address this problem, the department seeks to identify methods to locate and inform over
height drivers prior to striking the structure in addition to detecting impacts. Not having these methods will allow over height
vehicles to continue to damage department structures and for damage to go unreported. Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) has interest in identifying
which method(s) of over height vehicle impact prevention is best suitable for structures susceptible to damage. The
department is expecting this research to yield the implementation of technology to reduce damage of bridges caused by over
height vehicles impacts. Additionally, Michigan has dozens of bridges located within navigable waterways and following the
collapse of the Francis Scott Key bridge in Baltimore, MDOT would like to evaluate the inherent risk of damage from vessel
allision at those bridges with substructure units within the waterway.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 17 Jul 2026 10:22:15 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2562331</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Guidelines and Best Practices for Determining the Life Cycle Cost of Various Superstructure Types</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2731917</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The selection of superstructure type during the study phase of a design project is currently made based on the estimated
construction cost and a subjective and inexact assessment of the life cycle cost of the structure. This method of selecting the
preferred alternative has led to the introduction of bias into the decision-making process and tends to lead to the selection of
concrete superstructures more often than steel superstructures. Rarely is this decision tied to objective data based on historic
maintenance records of similar superstructures and has never accounted for 
Michigan Department of Transportation's (MDOT’S) ability to extend the life of steel
superstructures by incorporating bolted and welded repairs, which are not possible on concrete superstructures. Disregarding
this information in the selection of a superstructure type increases the risk of not using the available bridge funding as
efficiently and effectively as possible.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 17 Jul 2026 10:05:08 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2731917</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Developing a Balanced Mix Design (BMD) Framework for Low-Volume Surface Mixtures</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2730683</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Full implementation of balanced mix design (BMD) for dense-graded non-polymer-modified maintenance surface mixtures was achieved by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) in 2024. Most of the mixtures used to develop the BMD criteria incorporated 30% RAP and PG 64S-22 binder, a common combination in Virginia. The criteria developed from these mixtures were based on desired performance characteristics for primary or high-volume secondary routes, which have greater traffic levels and typically thicker pavement structures than low-volume routes. However, as low-volume routes comprise over 90,000 lane-mi of VDOT-maintained roads, there is a need to develop performance criteria to address their specific needs.  
OBJECTIVE: The primary purpose of this study is to develop a BMD framework specifically designed for dense-graded non-polymer-modified asphalt surface mixtures applied to low-volume roads. The performance needs of low volume roads along with mixture properties and performance will be evaluated to determine initial BMD threshold values to ensure adequate mixture performance. Historical information for a variety of routes and mixtures will be assessed to determine common properties indicative of their performance. Benchmark testing will be performed for current mixtures used on low volume routes. Modelling of low-volume routes will be performed to evaluate mixture properties necessary for acceptable performance. A strategy for the adoption of BMD criteria for these mixtures will be developed.  
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 16 Jul 2026 07:52:26 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2730683</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>SPR-5133: Evaluation of In-CAB Virtual Sign Network on CMV Safety and Operations</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2727696</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Construction work zones often have reductions in lane widths, reductions in shoulder widths, soft shoulders, and uneven pavement profiles that can present challenges for Class 9 vehicles. Although roadside signs can be used, it is believed that targeted incab alerts can perhaps be more effective at alerting commercial drivers of these issues and improve safety.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 15 Jul 2026 11:42:05 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2727696</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>SPR-5132: Implementation of Proven CV Applications on the Local System LRS</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2727695</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Adapting Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) connected vehicle safety and mobility metrics onto the local road network will provide a more uniform mechanism for identifying and assessing the anticipated benefits of projects on the local road system.
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 15 Jul 2026 11:40:27 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2727695</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Artificial Intelligence for Pavement Condition Assessment from 2D/3D Surface Images</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2727389</link>
      <description><![CDATA[In phase I, the research team selected/annotated a library of two-dimensional/three-dimensional (2D/3D) pavement surface images in AASHTO standard and developed Artificial Intelligence (AI) Machine Learning (ML) models, using the established dataset. Phase I achieved a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 6, significantly below TRL 8 required for implementation. This gap was compounded by the lack of sufficient data for several pavement distress types and a new functional requirement requested by TxDOT to include distress segmentation to the scope of work. In phase II, the research team will prepare more pavement image data provided by TxDOT to achieve the needed diversity on all pavement distress types in the 2D/3D image data library. The research team will revisit the tasks of literature review and AI/ML model selection, revise and optimize the trained models to make improvements, and develop new models to more accurately detect/segment and quantify pavement distresses for TxDOT.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 10 Jul 2026 17:50:55 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2727389</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Leveraging Telematics Data for Enhanced Traffic Safety: Unveiling Crash-Prone Hotspots and Mitigating Incidents - Phase 2</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2727388</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Cutting-edge connected-vehicle (CV) telematics now stream billions of instantaneous speed, heading, and hard- maneuver records across Texas roadways—an untapped resource for proactive safety management. Phase I of Project 0-7200 capitalized on this opportunity by (1) surveying and vetting statewide CV data sources, (2) building rigorous preprocessing pipelines and a strategic data-archiving scheme with the Receiving Agency, (3) defining data-driven “near-crash” events, and (4) creating proof-of-concept analytics that locate and rank high-risk corridors. Two single-user prototype web tools—TTI’s near-crash explorer and UTA’s multi-criteria hotspot-ranking dashboard—proved the approach valid, with results aligning closely with the Crash Records Information System (CRIS). Phase II will transform those prototypes into a secure, cloud-based, multi-user platform capable of statewide, high-volume ingestion and real-time analytics—advancing the solution to TRL 8 (actual system completed and “TxDOT-pilot ready”). The research teams will, optimize the data-processing engine for scalability, integrate interactive visualizations with enterprise authentication, automate continuous data refresh and long-term archiving, and embed crash- prediction models that fuse telematics with CRIS and roadway inventory. The research teams will develop a decision-support tool that lets TxDOT’s districts quickly pinpoint emerging crash-prone hotspots and deploy targeted countermeasures.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 10 Jul 2026 17:07:46 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2727388</guid>
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