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    <title>Research in Progress (RIP)</title>
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    <atom:link href="https://rip.trb.org/Record/RSS?s=PHNlYXJjaD48cGFyYW1zPjxwYXJhbSBuYW1lPSJzdWJqZWN0aWQiIHZhbHVlPSIxNzgwIiAvPjxwYXJhbSBuYW1lPSJkYXRlaW4iIHZhbHVlPSI3MzAiIC8+PHBhcmFtIG5hbWU9InN1YmplY3Rsb2dpYyIgdmFsdWU9Im9yIiAvPjxwYXJhbSBuYW1lPSJ0ZXJtc2xvZ2ljIiB2YWx1ZT0ib3IiIC8+PHBhcmFtIG5hbWU9ImxvY2F0aW9uIiB2YWx1ZT0iMTYiIC8+PC9wYXJhbXM+PGZpbHRlcnMgLz48cmFuZ2VzIC8+PHNvcnRzPjxzb3J0IGZpZWxkPSJwdWJsaXNoZWQiIG9yZGVyPSJkZXNjIiAvPjwvc29ydHM+PHBlcnNpc3RzPjxwZXJzaXN0IG5hbWU9InJhbmdldHlwZSIgdmFsdWU9InB1Ymxpc2hlZGRhdGUiIC8+PC9wZXJzaXN0cz48L3NlYXJjaD4=" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
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    <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>
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    <item>
      <title>Louisiana International Terminal and the Violet Community: A Development Study &amp; Project Implementation Support Framework</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2698371</link>
      <description><![CDATA[As the Port of New Orleans moves forward with $1.2 billion in investments for the development of the Louisiana International Terminal and associated road and rail improvements in St. Bernard Parish’s Violet community, this three-phase project engages transportation industry stakeholders and the Violet, Louisiana community to identify the need for education and workforce development, local infrastructure improvements and capital project opportunities to support future community and economic developments within the area. This research seeks to determine how to mitigate impacts and optimize community benefit whenever a new billion-dollar maritime project is constructed, using Violet as a case study.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 01 May 2026 20:01:36 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2698371</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Foundations in Energy Systems for Transportation Certificate</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2691662</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This project supports the transformation of transportation systems through changes in energy systems management by preparing a managerial workforce with knowledge in both energy systems management and transportation systems management. A transformed transport system will run on both existing and new energy systems. As a result, effective management of the transport system will depend upon a workforce that also has foundational knowledge in traditional and emerging energy systems. This includes knowledge of energy sources, basic economics, and the regulatory and policy environment that either supports or hinders development of those systems. This project plans to develop a certificate program that introduces case studies focused on planned or in-process energy systems case studies within public transit, supply chain logistics, personal vehicle traffic, and active transportation that draw from Center for International Trade and Transportation (CITT) expertise and guest speakers from industry leaders in its network. The certificate and corresponding curriculum development are informed by an assessment of workforce needs related to freight and transit sectors and related energy systems. The needs assessment includes both surveys and focus group meetings and will provide insights into workforce needs related to freight and transit sectors and related energy systems. Following the survey completion, the CITT team will organize focus groups to discuss the survey results and form the Curriculum Advisory Board. Concurrently, the CITT team, in conjunction with the Curriculum Advisory Board, will conduct outreach to form a pilot cohort for the first iteration of the certificate program. Module 1 of the program would provide a general overview of: energy systems foundations; including fuel types; infrastructure priorities; economic development; project lifecycle management; data needs; policy and regulatory requirements; and workforce development. Module 2 would provide modal focuses on freight and transit. For the capstone project, participants will work in groups to address a topic within the modal focus chosen in Module 2, which will be presented as the final step of the program.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Sun, 12 Apr 2026 23:19:42 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2691662</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Efficient Mobility for Rural Communities</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2683240</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Rural communities face unique transportation challenges due to low population density, dispersed destinations, and limited resources. Efficient mobility requires strategies that both optimize existing transit systems and embrace innovative service models. This project integrates two lines of research that can support efficient mobility and access to active modes and destinations in rural areas. The first focuses on right-sizing rural transit fleets and the second, on analyzing modal shifts from shared-use mobility services.  

On the vehicle procurement side, rural agencies must balance capital and operating costs, service quality, and reliability while meeting the capacity needs of their riders. When procuring vehicles, rural transit operators choose between transit buses, cutaways, vans, and minivans of various sizes. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages regarding capital costs, operating costs, performance, service quality, and ability to meet the needs of their users. This study builds upon previous research to develop spreadsheet-based user tools that can help rural agencies and state departments of transportation (DOTs) make these decisions. This research improves upon the decision tools developed in a previous study by incorporating new models for the capacity needs of rural transit. Previous decision tools provide guidance on the types and sizes of vehicles to procure but they lack the ability to estimate capacity needs for individual agencies. This study develops a vehicle procurement decision model that incorporates a more sophisticated capacity needs analysis. The result will be a tool that estimates capacity needs of an agency and provides guidance on the number, types, and sizes of vehicles that can best meet that capacity need while improving efficiency and meeting the unique needs of the transit agency.  

A second tool to be developed by the study is an optimization tool. The study will improve upon a previously developed optimization model by incorporating more detailed estimates for lifecycle costs of different types and sizes of vehicles. The study will consider transit buses, cutaways, vans, and minivans of different sizes and seating capacities and include more detailed analysis of the operating costs for each vehicle type and the overall lifecycle costs. This will be incorporated into an optimization model that will minimize total costs, including capital and operating costs, for an agency while meeting capacity needs and service requirements and considering the impact of the fleet configuration on service quality.  

At the same time, emerging technology-enabled shared-use services—such as ridesourcing, microtransit, bikesharing, and carsharing—are transforming mobility in rural areas. By analyzing National Household Travel Survey data and documenting real-world deployments, the study will evaluate adoption patterns, service models, and performance outcomes of rural shared-use systems. This analysis will identify factors contributing to the success or failure of shared-use mobility initiatives and provide actionable strategies for rural agencies and policymakers . ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 24 Mar 2026 14:22:18 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2683240</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Administration of Highway and Transportation Agencies. Understanding and Developing a Behavior-Based Safety Program for State DOT Employees</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2666774</link>
      <description><![CDATA[State departments of transportation (DOTs) are significantly affected by employee incidents that result in time away from work, limited work capability, and other negative outcomes due to poor employee decision-making. DOTs invest substantial resources in training, safety systems, and compliance, yet still encounter incidents caused by poor employee decisions. Workplace incidents can lead to injuries, financial loss, reputational damage, and legal implications. Despite having policies and procedures in place, the root cause of employee incidents often lies in the human factor—specifically, in employee decision-making and behavior under real- world conditions. This issue is typically the #1 concern raised at the annual North American Association of Transportation Safety & Health Officials (NAATSHO) conference. The recent partnership between the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) and NAATSHO provides a good opportunity to bring heightened focus to DOT employee behavioral contributions to safety outcomes through this research. Research is necessary due to rising incident rates despite controls, gaps in human behavior, the impact on performance and culture, and cost implications. 
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this project is to document state DOT programs and practices that promote safer workplace behavior and better safety decision making by DOT employees. Information to be gathered includes (but is not limited to): Cognitive, emotional, and situational factors that lead to poor decisions in the DOT workplace, as well as common decision-making errors; Interventions shown to improve workplace safety behavior and decision making (e.g., behavioral nudges, scenario-based training, redesign of work environments, decision support tools); The role of DOT leadership, incentives, communication, and peer behavior in having a positive influence on employee behavior and decision making. 

]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 09 Feb 2026 20:11:13 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2666774</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Visualizing Pilot Medical Risk for Executive Awareness</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2652034</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The Office of Aerospace Medicine (AAM) conducts quarterly safety assurance 
intelligence briefings to evaluate trends in pilot incapacitation, non-fatal accidents, and 
fatal aviation incidents. These briefings aim to assess the effectiveness of pilot medical 
oversight and identify medically related risk factors that may be overrepresented in 
safety events. However, despite access to rich data sources—including FAA’s Document 
Imaging Workflow System (DIWS), NTSB reports, toxicology findings, MarketScan health
data, and special issuance records—the presentation of these data has not effectively 
supported high-level decision-making. Traditional formats such as static charts and 
tabular reports fail to offer the clarity and cognitive immediacy needed by senior FAA 
leaders, limiting their ability to make timely, risk-informed decisions.

To address this challenge, AAM proposes adapting “patterns of life” data visualization 
techniques—originally developed in military and intelligence domains—to aviation 
medical oversight. These methods can dynamically represent high-dimensional, time and location-linked datasets, revealing hidden patterns, emerging risks, and operational 
outliers. The research will investigate which military- or commercially derived 
visualization approaches are most effective for depicting longitudinal trends in pilot 
medical risk, how to design these visuals for interpretability by non-technical executive 
audiences, and how best to contextualize comparative risk between pilot subgroups and 
the general population. It will also explore strategies for fusing disparate data streams 
into a unified dashboard—integrating sources such as DIWS, MarketScan, toxicology 
reports, NTSB findings, and AME characteristics—and examine the potential for 
embedded alerting mechanisms (e.g., risk thresholds, anomaly detection) to support 
proactive policy intervention.

Ultimately, this research seeks to transform how pilot medical risk is synthesized, 
communicated, and acted upon at the executive level. By enabling more intuitive and 
actionable insights, the visualization system will empower AAM’s Safety Council to better 
prioritize emerging threats, direct targeted oversight, and evolve the FAA’s approach 
from retrospective reporting toward predictive, data-informed safety management]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 09 Feb 2026 17:03:42 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2652034</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Development of an Aeromedical Safety Assurance System</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2652035</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The Office of Aerospace Medicine (AAM) must establish a safety assurance capability to comply with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) AVS Safety Management System (AVSSMS) requirements outlined in FAA Order VS 8000.367D. AAM currently lacks a systematic, evidence-based approach for monitoring whether medical risk mitigations, such as Special Issuance protocols, HIMS participation, and medication policies, are achieving their intended safety outcomes. Without a dedicated framework, AAM cannot fulfill its role in tracking the performance and effectiveness of medical safety risk controls across the National Airspace System (NAS), nor can it proactively detect shifts in risk level, emergent hazards, or unintended consequences of regulatory policy.

This research will define, develop, and validate a medical safety assurance framework tailored to AAM’s oversight responsibilities. The project will establish safety performance indicators, explore integration of aviation safety and medical certification data, and evaluate the application of advanced analytics (e.g., AI/ML) to monitor outcomes. Outputs will enable AAM to make informed, risk-prioritized decisions about oversight policy, improve cross-AVS coordination (e.g., with AVP), and enhance resilience to medical-related threats to operational safety.
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 09 Jan 2026 15:07:48 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2652035</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Synthesis of Information Related to Highway Practices. Topic  57-12. Practices for Incentivizing Contractor Performance for Progressive-Design-Build and Construction Manager/General Contractor Highway Projects
</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2630479</link>
      <description><![CDATA[State departments of transportation (DOTs) have developed a variety of approaches to incentivize contractors for progressive-design-build (PDB) and construction manager/general contractor (CM/GC) highway projects. Incentives for these procurement types encourage contractors to proactively address risks, innovate, and develop accurate estimates. Examples include financial incentives, collaborative workshops, early engagement, and public reporting. The goal is to ensure that contractors remain motivated to optimize the schedule and reduce costs, ultimately leading to successful project outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this synthesis is to document state DOT practices related to incentivizing contractor performance for PDB and CM/GC highway projects. The synthesis will encompass incentive and disincentive strategies used throughout the life of a project to enhance contractor performance.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 26 Nov 2025 18:32:12 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2630479</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Synthesis of Information Related to Highway Practices. Topic 57-07. Utility Coordination: Staffing, Organizational Structures, Training Programs, and Certifications
</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2630480</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Utility coordination is a process carried out by state departments of transportation (DOTs) during all project phases from concept through construction. This includes various tasks such as collecting utility information, coordinating with utility owners and project stakeholders, synthesizing utility information, identifying potential utility conflicts, and managing utility-related risks. With the degree of variability in state DOT organizational structures, utility coordination staffing varies across different DOTs. Additionally, some DOTs outsource utility coordination services to alleviate the workload on internal coordinators or for procuring specialized expertise for tasks such as utility investigations.

State DOT staff conducting utility coordination require information regarding state DOT–specific policies, procedures, and tools employed in utility coordination. These coordinators need an understanding of roles and responsibilities, utility engineering, the project delivery process, and utility accommodation and reimbursement practices. With ongoing changes and challenges in state DOT workforces, to ensure the readiness of staff and external service providers, many state DOTs have used training materials and certification requirements to support knowledge acquisition and retention. Some state DOTs have developed training materials for utility coordination practices that are intended for both internal staff and external professionals working with their DOTs. Also, external training courses or certification programs offer further opportunities for qualification and knowledge acquisition.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this synthesis is to document state DOT practices for utility coordination regarding staffing allocation, organizational structure, training programs, certification requirements, and to capture outsourcing practices related to utility coordination.
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 26 Nov 2025 18:25:39 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2630480</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Synthesis of Information Related to Highway Practices. Topic 57-11. Practices for Implementing Right-of-Way Engineering
</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2630478</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Right-of-way (ROW) engineering is a term describing tasks that address existing ROW conditions and proposed ROW needs during the project design process. It is also a designation for the teams that specifically perform this work. ROW engineering teams within state departments of transportation (DOTs) bridge the gap between real estate functions and engineering functions related to transportation projects. ROW engineering activities involve review and assessment of ROW and construction plans as well as coordination with those state DOT units that acquire ROW. Accomplishing these activities involves confirming ROW ownership, identifying existing property rights (e.g., underlying fee, easements, and agreements), validating adequacy and type of acquisitions, and assessing designs for constructability.
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this synthesis is to document state DOT practices for ROW engineering. ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 26 Nov 2025 16:08:29 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2630478</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Synthesis of Information Related to Highway Practices. Topic 57-10. Strategic Planning Practices</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2630490</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Many state departments of transportation (DOT) develop strategic plans. These strategic plans range from brief statements of mission, vision, and values to detailed documents that link these statements to operational and budgetary decisions across the agency. Unlike long-range transportation plans and other federally required planning documents, there are no formal requirements or guidance for state DOT strategic plans. The national transportation vision framework, adopted by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), from NCHRP Research Results Digest 404: Collective and Individual Actions to Envision and Realize the Next Era of America's Transportation Infrastructure: Phase 1, highlighted the importance of strategic planning to effect organizational change.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this synthesis is to document state DOT practice for agency-wide strategic plan development, adoption, and implementation. ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 26 Nov 2025 15:51:14 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2630490</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Synthesis of Information Related to Highway Practices. Topic 57-15. Institutionalizing Innovations and their Associated Skillset from Alternative Contracting Methods
</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2630495</link>
      <description><![CDATA[In recent years, the geosynthetic industry has introduced new products and techniques, intended to improve pavement performance and longevity. However, it is unclear how geosynthetic solutions (emerging and established) are being implemented in practice by state departments of transportation (state DOTs). A synthesis documenting current practices in the use of geosynthetics for pavement foundations can help state DOTs achieve durable pavement foundations and improve asset performance.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this synthesis is to document current state DOT practices for the use of geosynthetics (e.g., geotextiles, geogrids, geocells, and geocomposites) for pavement foundations. This synthesis will encompass practices throughout the planning, design, construction, and maintenance/rehabilitation stages.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 25 Nov 2025 16:49:58 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2630495</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Synthesis of Information Related to Highway Practices. Topic 57-14. Practices Related to Cost Estimating for Early Project Development Phases</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2630497</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Most state departments of transportation (DOTs) develop early-stage cost estimates during planning and programming phases to support budgeting, project selection, and funding requests. These early estimates are typically developed using conceptual or parametric methods due to preliminary project scope and limited information about design development. Despite their widespread use, state DOTs vary significantly in how they perform, manage, and document these estimates.

 A 2025 national survey of over 30 state DOTs revealed wide differences in estimating tools, methodologies (e.g., parametric, bid-based), adjustment techniques for inflation and scope changes, and communication of estimate uncertainty. Many agencies reported low confidence in their parametric estimates, highlighting a need for improved data, training, and standardization.

While recent research addresses model accuracy, construction cost indices, and stochastic estimation techniques, resources do not appear to document how state DOTs implement conceptual or parametric estimating practices. Understanding how these practices vary in data sources, staffing, estimation policies, and integration into decision-making is important for identifying potential gaps that could guide future research.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this synthesis is to document current state DOT practices for developing, managing, and applying cost estimates during early project development phases, including estimation methods, tools, data sources, staffing responsibilities, adjustment techniques, and integration of early estimates into programming and decision-making processes.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 25 Nov 2025 16:09:40 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2630497</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Year 2 Administrative Support
</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2628220</link>
      <description><![CDATA[No abstract provided.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 21 Nov 2025 14:29:02 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2628220</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Administrative Activities - University Transportation Centers Open Competition
</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2627810</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This grant will provide interested students with a chance to gain a better understanding of transportation, by supporting their attendance and participation in technical conferences related to transportation. This grant will also support technology transfer activities to support the overall Kansas University/Mid-America Transportation Center (KU MATC) award as well as administrative tasks.
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 21 Nov 2025 14:13:54 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2627810</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Legal Implications for Permitting Airport Service Providers</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2625810</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Airlines and other airport aeronautical tenants often contract with airport service providers, or third party contractors, for a variety of services that are integral to their operations, including ground handling (above and below the wing,) aircraft cabin cleaning, catering, etc. Many of these third party contractors do not have a direct contractual relationship with the airport operator, but serve one or more of the airport’s aeronautical tenants. Airport operators take varying approaches to addressing risk associated with the activities of these service providers, which can range from hands-off to complex permitting programs and everything in between. Whether the airport relies on agreements with the aeronautical tenants receiving the third-party services by issuing permits to third party contractors, imposing rules and regulations, etc., each approach poses different legal issues and potential liability.

OBJECTIVE: The report will discuss the different approaches for addressing risk to the airport operator when permitting airport aeronautical tenants to contract with airport service providers, and the legal implications related to indeminifciation, insurance rquirements, operating standards, and other approaches for managing risk. While the legal implications of permitting airport aeronautical tenants to contract with airport service providers, or third-party contractors, are multifaceted, and the report will focus on the relationship between the airport service proivder and the airport operator. The report should include examples  of the different approaches used in the industry, with sample language from contracts, permits, rules & regulations, etc.
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 20 Nov 2025 14:57:38 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2625810</guid>
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