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    <title>Research in Progress (RIP)</title>
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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>Advancing MASH Roadside Safety Design Standards (Year 4)</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2703690</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH) provides guidelines for crash testing and
evaluating highway safety features. However, these guidelines predominantly rely on research using 50th-percentile crash test dummies, potentially overlooking the safety needs of a broader group of motorists of various sizes and statures. This project aims to address this gap by investigating the suitability of the MASH impact safety requirements for a diverse range of motorists and recommending necessary adjustments. The proposed research will evaluate the existing criteria to identify potential shortcomings in
representing 5th-percentile and 95th-percentile drivers and passengers. By conducting thorough assessments and performance evaluations of highway safety standards, the project seeks to identify areas requiring adjustments to ensure the safety of all road users. The project’s significance lies in its potential to enhance highway safety measures by considering the specific needs and characteristics of all motorists.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 15 May 2026 14:30:53 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2703690</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Enhanced Risk Management for Surface Transportation Projects</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2702875</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Threats to develop transportation projects on-time and on-budget should first appear as project risks. Not properly identifying, evaluating, or responding to these risks can directly jeopardize the project’s success. The existing risk management guidance from Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) recommends practices that approach risk through a qualitative lens. The result is risk management practices among VDOT and locality project managers that vary widely. This initiative will create a Risk Library that quantifies risk in terms of impacts on project success, including budget impacts, schedule impacts, and realization of the project, along with strategies to reduce and mitigate risks at various stages in project development.  Project risks will be identified by an extensive literature review and stakeholder outreach. Risk quantitative characteristics will be vetted by industry experts and approved by VDOT Project Management Office (PMO). The result will be a new Risk Library that will empower project managers and their teams to be more effective and efficient, while positioning VDOT to pursue unprecedented consistency of risk governance and risk integration into the development of their Six Year Improvement Program (SYIP).]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 14 May 2026 11:07:42 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2702875</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Federal-Industry Waterway Governance Mapping</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2698370</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This project will produce the first comprehensive governance map of the U.S. inland waterway system, documenting how federal agencies, waterway commissions, port authorities, operators, industry associations, and advisory bodies exercise authority, coordinate responsibilities, and influence decisions across planning, operations, maintenance, and emergency response. While the inland waterway system depends on a complex interplay of federal ownership, federally authorized navigation channels, industry-operated vessels, federally maintained locks and dams, state commissions, port authorities, cooperative working groups, and advisory committees, there is currently no resource that synthesizes this institutional architecture into a clear, accessible structure. The research will analyze agency documentation, statutory authorities, standing committee structures, and operational guidance, complemented by targeted interviews with practitioners, to clarify how decisions flow through the system and how organizations interact across routine and non-routine conditions. The final product will provide a governance map and a narrative analysis that identifies gaps, redundancies, and friction points in the institutional landscape. This work will support planners, policymakers, and operators and offer a foundational understanding of how governance arrangements shape reliability, resilience, and system performance.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 01 May 2026 19:58:47 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2698370</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Zero- and Reduced-Fare Transit Policy and Post-Pandemic Recovery: A Multi-Agency Analysis of Ridership, Service Supply, and Access</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2697838</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Despite growing interest in fare reduction as a policy lever, rigorous comparative evidence on its effects, particularly in the post-pandemic context, remains limited. In Virginia some 40 transit agencies eliminated fares for some period of time during the COVID pandemic, leading the Department of Rail and Public Transportation to ask how fare reduction or fare elimination have affected ridership, operations, and access for system users. This research addresses that question by developing a structured analytical framework and applying it to a sample of transit agencies in which Virginia properties are heavily represented. Using longitudinal data spanning years before and after the pandemic “lockdown”, the research compares agencies that adopted zero- and reduced-fare policies or means-tested fare-free programs against matched fare-collecting agencies. The analysis addresses three interrelated outcomes: ridership recovery trajectories, changes in service supply and scheduled speeds and headways, and shifts in access to employment and key destinations. For a representative subset of agencies, the study also conducts a network-level analysis of access to employment using Remix, a transit planning and scheduling software tool, for a selected set of agencies that represent a range of system sizes. Findings are intended to provide evidence-based guidance for Virginia transit agencies and other stakeholders considering fare policy as a tool for ridership recovery and service quality and performance.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 30 Apr 2026 08:37:11 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2697838</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Cybersecurity Analysis to Support Secure Transportation Cyber-Physical Systems</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2696948</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This project is designed to strengthen transportation cybersecurity in an era where artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled and AI-enhanced cybercrime is increasingly capable of scaling deception, automation, and attack sophistication against cyber-physical systems. The project builds directly on the team’s prior legislative gap analysis and the development of TraCR AI, a retrieval-augmented large language model that helps transportation officials and policy makers identify applicable legal obligations and compare regulatory approaches across jurisdictions. The central technical contribution is the development and testing of a modular defensive wrapper for transportation-focused large language model (LLM) and retrieval augmented generation (RAG) tools, intended to detect and mitigate adversarial attacks that exploit legal reasoning systems and to support a testbed for LLM-targeted cybercrime scenarios. In parallel, the project includes legal and policy research that assesses gaps in US frameworks for addressing AI-enabled cybercrime and draws on international examples to inform best practices for governance, enforcement, and secure deployment. The overall objective is to produce deployable defenses and practitioner-facing guidance that improve trustworthiness in AI-assisted compliance and policy analysis for critical transportation infrastructure.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 29 Apr 2026 16:33:03 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2696948</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>The Effects of Complete Streets Policies and Projects on Local Business Development and Growth in California</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2696848</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This project aims to explore the effects of Complete Streets policies and projects on local business development in California. The project uses a mixed-methods research design and micro-level business databases to explore how Complete Streets influences job accessibility, business attraction, business survival rates, and the broader transformation of mixed land use surrounding Complete Streets project sites. It investigates the interplay between Complete Streets projects and local business dynamics, particularly focusing on the clustering or dispersion of businesses for the agglomeration economy. By comparing the range of Complete Streets policies adopted by different entities, such as state agencies, counties, Metropolitan Planning Organizations, and cities, within varying sociodemographic, environmental, economic, and physical contexts, the research assesses their influence on transportation improvement plans and economic development strategies. The primary objectives of the research comprise three major research tasks. First, it aims to evaluate how Complete Streets policies impact changes in travel demand and behavioral patterns, considering the allocation of various transport modes. Second, the research examines the effects of proximity to Complete Streets project sites on the growth and development of local businesses. Finally, the project seeks to understand the perspectives of transportation agencies and local governments regarding the urban environment modifications driven by Complete Streets initiatives, particularly their implications for local business growth and broader land use changes. By employing mixed methods, the research aims to provide comprehensive insights that inform policymakers, urban planners, and business owners of strategies to refine Complete Streets policies for better local business development.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 28 Apr 2026 11:07:56 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2696848</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Reducing empty miles of shared mobility on highway corridors</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2691661</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Smartphone-app-based technology has provided business opportunities to various demand-responsive urban transportation services, including e-hailing taxis, ride-pooling, and microtransit. These shared mobility services exhibit great potential for enhancing transportation services in rural communities. A common side effect, however, is a substantial portion of empty vehicle miles traveled (VMT) on highway corridors, which induces further congestion to highway traffic in peak hours. A quantitative analysis tool is necessary for planning agencies and policymakers to assess the impact of shared mobility on highway traffic. The researcher's recent work investigating ride-pooling systems serving uniformly distributed demands in a single community shows that their efficiency is highly sensitive to online matching schemes. This impact is expected to be even more significant in spatially imbalanced demand patterns, such as those between suburban/rural communities. This project will develop a traffic assignment model to allocate vehicular trips to corridor networks linking suburban and rural communities, which will assist policymakers in (1) understanding the relations between the spatial distribution of inter-community travel demands and excessive VMT; (2) identifying the most vulnerable corridors affected by shared mobility services; and (3) evaluating the potentials of various regulatory policies and public surcharges in reducing empty vehicle mileage. Ultimately, the analysis tool will enable planning agencies to explore practical measures to improve the accessibility of suburban and rural communities with shared mobility services.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Sun, 12 Apr 2026 23:16:30 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2691661</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>The San José's Mobility Credit Pilot: A Delayed Randomized Control Trial Evaluation</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2691659</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The San Jose Mobility Credit pilot (MCP) tests a new approach that allows individuals the freedom to travel when, where, and how they want to go. The pilot provides MCs that enable individuals to maximize travel while minimizing costs. Interest in these programs is growing throughout the U.S. The research team has experience evaluating similar programs in the U.S. The project will include a delayed longitudinal randomized control trial (RCT) to evaluate the MCP. The design of the 18-month MCP in-person participant recruitment, training, and support by the City of San Jose will support high participation and survey response rates. The study will be the first to use a delayed RCT design with a difference-in-differences (DID) statistical analysis to evaluate an MCP. In general, RCTs are rarely used to test the effectiveness of transportation projects and policies. The proposed study will evaluate the effects of the MCP, not only on individuals’ overall travel freedom, but also on transportation security (e.g., travel speed, time, and reliability), community participation (e.g., church, family, school, and volunteer activities), employment, education, and overall health (which could lead savings in health care costs). Few studies have evaluated the significance of transportation access interventions on these measures. The longer duration of the MCP may allow for a better assessment of evaluation measures. The MCP evaluation will be one of few studies that examine the causal effects (randomized control trial with difference-in-differences analysis) of a transportation intervention on multiple evaluation measures.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Sun, 12 Apr 2026 23:10:13 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2691659</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>What Makes Complete Streets Projects Work?</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2690983</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This project will assess community reactions to complete streets projects that repurpose vehicular travel lanes or parking spaces for bicycle lanes, sidewalks or other pedestrian amenities, and/or transit-only or transit-priority lanes. The primary research goal is to better understand the decision-making processes – how and why cities have developed complete streets project proposals and engaged with stakeholders who may have competing interests and perspectives, such as local business owners, homeowner and community groups, bicycle and active transport groups, and public transportation agencies including Caltrans and relevant transit agencies. The project will explore whether and how stakeholder concerns overlap and align and where they do not, and how conflicts are addressed and resolved, when possible. The project will also explore whether stakeholder perspectives change over time (including after project completion). The primary research method will be to conduct case study research in a sample of communities which will vary by regional location and community type. The case studies will involve interviews of key stakeholders, a survey of local business owners, analysis of business revenue data, and document review. The findings will help planners and policymakers understand the political stakes and practical challenges involved in implementing complete streets projects, and how they can successfully be managed.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 09 Apr 2026 14:32:57 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2690983</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Spatial Modeling to support Supply Chain Policymaking across Metropolitan Areas in
Tennessee</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2684214</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Efficient supply chains are critical for economic growth of metropolitan areas. Despite the strong logistics and manufacturing sectors in Tennessee, a comprehensive understanding of supply chain dynamics across its key Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) remains limited. This research aims to bridge this gap by applying supply chain metrics and advanced modeling techniques to measure centrality, spread, and dispersion of economic activities. The project will systematically map the logistical landscape in key MSAs of Tennessee, providing a data-driven foundation for identifying economic clustering patterns. This research will serve as a decision-support framework to assist policymakers, transportation agencies, and industry stakeholders in designing supply chain strategies. This research will enhance freight efficiency and resiliency, reduce congestion, and improve economic competitiveness.

A deeper understanding of the spatial organization of economic activity is essential to support data-driven planning and policy development (Holguin-Veras et al., 2021). Effectively mapping the spatial dynamics to inform practical decision-making remains a significant challenge. A comprehensive view of supply chain structure across Tennessee’s MSAs would enhance the state’s economic competitiveness and support better coordination of land use and freight infrastructure. This research addresses that need by estimating spatial metrics to identify economic poles and quantify supply chain dispersion. It integrates spatial analysis and supply chain modeling to examine the distribution of economic activity and supply chain echelons, using network-based distances, industry-specific demand functions, and freight-relevant dispersion metrics. Project insights will help planners to assess freight systems and improve urban logistics efficiency.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 25 Mar 2026 17:11:43 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2684214</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Leading Permitting Practices that Harmonize Enforcement of Divisible Load Permits across Jurisdictions</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2681239</link>
      <description><![CDATA[A February 2023 workshop with industry and state representatives identified challenges related to inconsistent interpretation and enforcement of divisible load requirements. Although 23 CFR 658.5 provides a definition of “divisible load,” both industry and state agencies report variation in how the definition is applied across states and, in some cases, within the same state.

Some states provide written guidance for operators and enforcement personnel, while others offer limited or no formal documentation. These differences can create operational challenges, including route adjustments, additional travel time, increased fuel use, parking constraints, and scheduling complications. Operators may also receive citations in one jurisdiction for loads that are permitted in another.

This scan will examine how divisible load requirements are interpreted and enforced across states, counties, metropolitan areas, municipalities, and other transportation agencies. It will document differences in practice, explore factors contributing to those differences, and incorporate input from industry partners regarding cross-jurisdictional challenges and potential solutions.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 17 Mar 2026 14:58:59 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2681239</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Container-on-Barge Market Demand </title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2673252</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This project will assess the market demand and policy levers that could expand container-on-barge (COB) services along the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers. The study will identify key shippers, high-potential commodities, infrastructure needs, and incentive mechanisms to make COB competitive with trucking and rail. This work directly supports the Missouri Department of Transportation's (MoDOT’s) freight, sustainability, and economic development goals, and aligns with the Missouri State Freight Plan and the U.S. Maritime Administration's (MARAD’s) America’s Marine Highway Program.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 24 Feb 2026 15:27:46 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2673252</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Strategic Approaches to Managing Emerging Transportation Infrastructure Assets Through Public-Private Partnership</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2658058</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Oklahoma is currently undergoing major transportation infrastructure network expansions statewide yet faces unique challenges especially in low population regions with insufficient travel demand and questions of economic viability. This project aims to develop a business case for the management of emerging transportation infrastructure assets for different regions in Oklahoma by analyzing best practices from other states, assessing the interdependence between infrastructure assets and travel demand, and evaluating innovative funding and partnership models. The project will focus on charging infrastructure for alternative fuel vehicles as the use case. The research will identify strategies to reduce long-term maintenance cost, increase technology adoption, and prioritize locations for infrastructure expansions based on short-range and long-term community needs and economic impacts. Key tasks include a (1) comprehensive literature review and policy benchmarking, (2) vulnerability, interdependency, and accessibility analysis, (3) key stakeholder engagement, (4) economic and technical feasibility analysis, (5) development of asset management strategies and implementable guidelines for Oklahoma DOT and its partners. The anticipated outcomes include actionable recommendations to support the long-term financial viability of transportation infrastructure asset management, promote access, and foster economic growth in different communities. Overall, the proposed research will analyze the economic feasibility of emerging transportation infrastructure asset management strategies through cost-benefit assessments and investment justifications, strengthening the case for federal and private funding. Its alignment with national priorities and ODOT’s goals ensures the findings are both timely and impactful. Based on the results, ODOT may need to revise Oklahoma’s Transportation Asset Management (2022-2031) and Long Range Transportation (2022-2031) plans to incorporate updated guidelines on financial viability, location priorities, and infrastructure life cycle management. Implementing these changes before future expansions will improve efficiency and ensure smoother project delivery. The results will directly contribute to the state’s mission of building a safer, more reliable, and efficient transportation system.  ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 23 Jan 2026 13:43:13 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2658058</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Shear Wave Velocity Measurements - Phase II</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2640695</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The objective of this project is to update and refine the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT)’s geotechnical seismic site investigation and analysis procedures in response to the release of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Guide Specifications for Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) Seismic Bridge Design, 3rd Edition. This will also include updates for geotechnical investigations procedures, analysis methods, and global stability procedures for retaining wall and embankment design in response to AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications, 10th Edition. The project will include an evaluation of available software programs that may assist in performing the required seismic analysis as it relates to transportation projects, including but not limited to bridges, culverts, retaining walls, and roadway embankments. The conclusions and results of the analysis will be incorporated into the existing Engineering Policy Guide (EPG). Additionally, at the conclusion of the project, MoDOT staff will be trained on the preferred methods of performing the updated seismic hazard analysis.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 16 Dec 2025 09:39:09 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2640695</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Research Strategic Plan</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2640692</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) Research wants to develop a Strategic Research and Process Improvement Plan. The plan will support MoDOT’s mission, values, and tangible results and improve the effectiveness of the program. ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 16 Dec 2025 09:23:27 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2640692</guid>
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