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    <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>
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    <item>
      <title>Assessing the Impacts of Safety-Focused Design Interventions on Arterial Roadways</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2677552</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Arterial roadways serve as critical connectors in urban transportation networks, yet their design often prioritizes vehicular mobility over safety. Despite the widespread application of safety-focused infrastructure interventions on local and collector streets, similar strategies are rarely implemented on arterials due to concerns over congestion, emergency response, and operational efficiency. However, these design choices have proven to result in unsafe conditions.

This project investigates how infrastructure design interventions can improve safety on arterial roadways while addressing operational and institutional constraints. The research follows a phased approach. First, it examines the historical, regulatory, and policy factors that have limited the adoption of safety-focused interventions on arterials, including the influence of fire codes and emergency response standards. Second, it assesses the real-world impacts of infrastructure changes on speeds, crashes, and emergency response metrics. Finally, it synthesizes findings to develop actionable recommendations and a decision-making framework for arterial design.

By providing an evidence-based understanding of how design choices affect safety, mobility, and community outcomes on arterial corridors, this study aims to inform infrastructure design practices.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 03 Mar 2026 20:07:45 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2677552</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Pavement Surface Properties Consortium Phase IV - Improving Safety and Saving Lives through Pavement Surface Optimization</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2672598</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Functional pavement considerations are fundamental to the performance and management of pavements. In addition to structural and durability requirements, an optimum pavement wearing surface should provide a combination of a good riding quality, adequate safety, and a low noise level. All these responses are highly influenced by the various components of the pavement surface texture. Previous phases of the program demonstrated that a collaborative research program can provide an accessible and efficient way for highway agencies and other organizations to conduct research on pavement surface properties. The collaboration helped the participating agencies explore new technologies, verify the operation and accuracy of the equipment currently used for evaluating pavement surface properties, and enhance the methodologies for developing and implementing proactive friction management programs.
OBJECTIVE: The mission of the Surface Properties Consortium has been to conduct applied research focused on enhancing the level of service provided by the roadway transportation system by optimizing pavement surface characteristics.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 19 Feb 2026 18:59:56 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2672598</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>LLM-Orchestrated Multi-Layer Digital Twin Network for Cyber-Resilient Traffic Management</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2663602</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Modern connected traffic systems are increasingly vulnerable to cyberattacks capable of propagating rapidly across networked infrastructure, inducing unsafe signal states, traffic congestion, and emergency response delays. Existing anomaly detection approaches including statistical thresholds, rule-based Automated Traffic Signal Performance Measures (ATSPM) and Signal Phase and Timing (SPaT) flags, and classical machine-learning methods such as Isolation Forest and one-class Support Vector Machines operate on limited data modalities and cannot capture cross-layer cyber-physical interactions or operator intent, leaving critical detection gaps in complex attack scenarios.
This project develops a distributed multi-layer digital twin (DT) network for urban traffic systems, enhanced by a large language model (LLM) for context-aware cyber anomaly detection. The framework mirrors physical traffic behavior, cyber infrastructure status, and operational decision processes across a corridor of 4–6 interconnected intersections, enabling early identification of unsafe and malicious events that threaten roadway safety. Each traffic unit is represented by coordinated Physical, Cyber, and Decision Layers: the Physical Layer models real-time mobility and safety conditions using ATSPM, SPaT/MAP data, and detector activity; the Cyber Layer mirrors controller firmware, communication telemetry, and roadside unit status; and the Decision Layer captures operator actions, timing plan updates, and agency-defined safety constraints. A customized transportation-aware LLM ingests both structured telemetry and unstructured logs to generate semantic feature embeddings that capture cross-layer and cross-node dependencies.
A hybrid neural anomaly detection engine integrates Temporal Convolutional Networks (TCNs) to learn evolving traffic and communication behaviors over time with Graph Neural Networks (GNNs) to capture spatial interactions and coordinated disruptions across interconnected intersections. This TCN–GNN architecture enables accurate recognition of both localized cyber intrusions and distributed corridor-level attacks. Detection performance is validated against controlled cyber-attack scenarios—including SPaT spoofing, firmware manipulation, and malicious timing-plan overrides—executed within the DT environment. Upon anomaly detection, the LLM generates actionable mitigation suggestions, such as isolating compromised controllers or reverting to safe fallback signal plans, which are evaluated within the digital twin to ensure that every recommendation supports operational safety, low latency, and service continuity.
The 12-month effort proceeds in two phases: development and calibration of the distributed multi-layer DTs with LLM integration for context modeling, followed by anomaly detection training, validation, and mitigation evaluation. Target performance metrics include detection accuracy of at least 90%, false-positive rates below 10%, decision-support latency improvements of at least 30%, and safety metric improvements of at least 20%. The project delivers a pilot-ready prototype, detailed deployment guidelines, and an open software repository to accelerate adoption by transportation agencies. 
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 03 Feb 2026 15:28:33 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2663602</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Assessment of hydroplaning potential in coastal regions using roadway characteristics and related datasets</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2663101</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Hydroplaning is a critical pavement safety concern that occurs when a layer of water builds up between the vehicle's tires and the pavement surface, leading to a loss of traction and vehicle control. It is a significant contributor to wet-weather crashes and thereby poses a serious challenge to highway safety, especially for coastal regions where rainfall is more abundant and more frequent. Hydroplaning risk assessment fundamentally depends on the integration of multiple diverse datasets that reflect the interaction among crash occurrences, pavement conditions, and vehicle dynamics. These data items are typically recorded in different datasets maintained by various owners or agencies, each with their unique collection methods and standards. This research will develop data-driven likelihood models based on a verification check of the reliability of the important data variables, and a fusion of the available history data from diverse data sources to assess hydroplaning risks for coastal highways. The proposed research will also develop recommendations to be considered for roadway design and construction in association with wet-weather accident reduction procedures for transportation agencies.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 29 Jan 2026 17:13:08 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2663101</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Role of emerging transportation technologies and safety initiatives in mitigating crashes in coastal communities</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2661744</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Coastal communities face heightened crash risks due to hazards such as hurricanes, flooding, and roadway degradation. Traditional safety countermeasures often fail to address these compounded risks, especially where evacuation routes are limited. This project will investigate how emerging transportation technologies (e.g., connected vehicle systems, advanced driver assistance systems, smart corridors) and safety initiatives (e.g., hazard-responsive traffic management, roadway design measures) can mitigate crash risks in coastal regions. Using literature review, geospatial screening of coastal corridors, and expert validation, the team will develop a prototype decision-support tool linking crash scenarios common in coastal environments with candidate technologies and initiatives. The outcome will provide agencies with a concise, practical framework to assess and prioritize safety solutions that improve infrastructure durability and resilience under coastal hazards.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 29 Jan 2026 16:13:26 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2661744</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Wildlife Fencing Effectiveness in Reducing Crashes in the Western US</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2655748</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Research from a recent past study with data only from Utah identified the benefit-cost for installing wildlife fencing. Wildlife fencing projects are currently justified and determined for potential safety funding using only crash history and assumptions of the crash reduction and benefit of installing wildlife fencing. An expanded-scope research project to include data from other western states (Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, and Nevada) will help quantify the reduction in crashes from installing wildlife fencing, providing a better comparison of safety benefit as compared to other safety projects and providing much better justification for when wildlife fencing installation is a worthy expenditure of safety funds, particularly federal funds that require a positive benefit-cost ratio.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 19 Jan 2026 08:33:19 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2655748</guid>
    </item>
    <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>Impact of Pavement and Weather Conditions on Traffic Speed at Sharp Horizontal Curves  </title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2646943</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Lane departure crashes on sharp horizontal curves are a major safety concern on both highways and freeways, accounting for a disproportionately high number of fatal and severe injury crashes. Research has shown that these crashes are often linked to speeds relative to curve geometry. While geometric design factors like curve radius and superelevation have been well studied, less attention has been given to how pavement and weather conditions influence traffic speed on these elements. Particularly, current safety models do not fully account for the effects of pavement surface conditions, such as friction, roughness, and texture, or adverse weather elements like precipitation, temperature drops, and reduced visibility. While the impact of factors like road curvature effects on traffic speed have been studied, current models often fail to integrate the complex interaction of pavement conditions and weather data in predicting traffic speeds. This results in inaccurate speed predictions, which can compromise safety and infrastructure planning. Without comprehensive, data-driven models, interventions such as speed limits, signage, or road maintenance are often poorly targeted, leading to higher risks of crashes, congestion, and inefficient resource allocation. The motivation for this project is to develop a predictive model that integrates pavement conditions, weather effects, and road geometry to estimate traffic speed at horizontal curves. This will provide safer roads by enabling better traffic management, targeted infrastructure improvements, and more efficient interventions. ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 05 Jan 2026 23:07:35 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2646943</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>High Friction Surface Treatment Decision-Making Criteria </title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2640691</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Between the years of 2019 and 2023, there were 203,662 run-off-road (ROR) crashes in Missouri resulting in 1,983 fatalities and 9,428 severe injuries. One safety countermeasure used by state departments of transportation (DOT) to address ROR crashes is called a high friction surface treatment (HFST). The goal of this research project is to provide the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) with criteria to help proactively identify locations for potential friction treatment applications. An ideal situation would be to calculate the minimum friction at a given curve location and have a list of friction treatment options (e.g., HFST, superelevation adjustments, curve realignment, and others). These criteria would be incorporated into MoDOT’s Engineering Policy Guide (EPG).]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 16 Dec 2025 09:20:39 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2640691</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Develop and Evaluate Long Median Barrier Gate to Assist with Emergency Response</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2636104</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Median barriers are commonly used to separate opposing lanes of traffic on divided highways and to separate managed lanes from general purpose lanes. Concrete Median Barriers (CMBs) are often preferred on urban freeways with narrow medians due to their minimal deflection and low maintenance. However, long, continuous runs of CMBs limit access of emergency and maintenance vehicles to the other side of a roadway or a managed lane. Implementation of crashworthy median barrier gates at these locations can maintain the desired level of median protection for motorists while offering improved cross-median access for emergency and/or maintenance vehicles. The current Texas Department of Transportation's (TxDOT) Barrier Gate (detailed on standard sheet BG-11) is 30-ft long and provides a clear opening of 27 ft between the mounting brackets. For this project, the research team will develop a longer median barrier gate to provide a greater clear opening for larger emergency vehicles and contraflow during evacuation operations. The research team will design the median barrier gate to operate without power and perform crash testing of the median barrier gate to verify compliance with the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH).]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 08 Dec 2025 09:44:38 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2636104</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Perform Assessment of TxDOT Safety Scoring Tools to Determine Effectiveness and Calibration</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2636039</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The research team will conduct a comprehensive assessment of the Texas Department of Transportation's (TxDOT) safety scoring tools by analyzing evaluation performance, identifying potential biases or limitations, and recommending improvements and adjustments to enhance their effectiveness. The research team will develop a guidance documentation that recommends refinement to existing tool methodologies and strengthen its ability to reduce roadway fatalities and serious injuries through more informed decision-making and targeted safety interventions.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 05 Dec 2025 14:14:27 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2636039</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Calibration and Implementation of Highway Safety Manual Bicyclist and Pedestrian Intersection Crash Prediction Models</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2635921</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The forthcoming 2nd Edition of the AASHTO Highway Safety Manual (HSM2) will introduce dedicated crash prediction models (CPMs) for pedestrian and bicyclist crashes at intersections, midblock crossings, and roadway segments.  The goal of this research is to calibrate the HSM2 pedestrian and bicyclist intersection CPMs using Virginia-specific data. The research outcomes will enhance the accuracy of nonmotorized crash predictions and support Virginia Department of Transportation's (VDOT’s) broader goals of data-driven planning, design decision-making, and funding prioritization for safety improvements. To achieve this goal, the research will (1) assemble a comprehensive dataset for selected representative intersections in Virginia, including crash history, exposure data, and roadway and roadside design features required by the HSM2 CPMs, (2) develop appropriate methods for estimating pedestrian and bicyclist exposure at intersections, considering available data sources, (3) develop a robust calibration methodology that accounts for the variability of contextual settings, exposure ranges, facility types and jurisdictions, etc., and (4) design a practical tool and accompanying guidance to help VDOT implement and maintain the calibrated pedestrian and bicyclist CPMs.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 04 Dec 2025 08:52:41 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2635921</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Synthesis of Information Related to Highway Practices. Topic 57-06. Integrating Safety into Development Reviews and Transportation Impact Practices</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2630481</link>
      <description><![CDATA[State departments of transportation (DOTs) are seeking multimodal opportunities to reduce fatalities and serious injuries by adopting goals and policies that incorporate safety measures at the planning stage and later during the design stage, especially during the access permitting process. The criteria for development reviews have historically been focused on the evaluation of traffic operations, with traffic delays and level of service as the primary metrics for identifying potential operational impacts. More recently, vehicle miles travelled has been considered as a different metric for assessing development impacts. 

Safety is also a consideration but may be addressed in a more qualitative manner. Some materials or metrics that agencies use for a quantitative safety assessment include crash modification factors, the Highway Safety Manual (HSM), research done subsequently to publication of the HSM, conflict analysis, and locally developed resources. As a result, there may be a wide range of how safety is reflected in a transportation agency’s development review process. The net effect may be that potential safety impacts of new development are not identified or addressed.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this synthesis is to document state DOTs’ development review and access permit processes, with an emphasis on how such processes might reflect or integrate safety considerations.

Information to be gathered includes (but is not limited to):

    Development review policies and procedures;
    Tools that state DOTs use and how the tools are integrated into the review process (e.g., potential safety-related tools can include crash modification factors, HSM, and intersection control evaluation);
    Mitigation or improvement strategies in use; and
    Lessons learned from the development review process.

Information will be gathered through a literature review, a survey of state DOTs, and follow-up interviews with selected DOTs for the development of case examples. Information gaps and suggestions for research to address those gaps will be identified.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 26 Nov 2025 18:20:05 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2630481</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>A Photogrammetry-based Method to Determine Chip Seal Aggregate Embedment: A Feasibility Study
</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2627511</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Chip seals have been the most frequently used preventive maintenance treatment on flexible pavements in the United States and overseas. Chip seals enhance transportation safety through 1) sealing small cracks, 2) reducing further oxidation of the pavement, 3) improving surface texture and skid resistance, 4) preserving and extending pavement life, and 5) providing color contrast and noise differences. Despite the growing number of chip seal projects in the U.S., many chip seal surface distresses such as aggregate loss, bleeding, and skid resistance still need to be solved, which are strongly related to aggregate embedment depth. Proper chip seal aggregate embedment should be evaluated as a critical factor when considering the design and construction of a chip seal project. In addition, road users are rapidly becoming less tolerant of travel delays caused by road works, so the research will benefit road users substantially by reducing the time involved in measuring the texture of existing surfaces. However, currently there is no reliable method to measure chip seal aggregate embedment quickly and accurately in the field. The objective of this study is to develop a photogrammetry-based method to rapidly determine the embedment depth of a uniformly placed chip seal of known aggregate gradation, easy to use, reasonably accurate, and inexpensive. The study will start with laboratory explorations with a photogrammetry-based method to measure the emulsion/binder application rate, final cover aggregate rate, and aggregate embedment. The effect of design factors (i.e., binder type, application rate, aggregate size, shape, and gradation) will be assessed as well. 
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 20 Nov 2025 16:29:52 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2627511</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Advancement of Gender Equity in Transportation Safety, Design, Development, and
Evaluation of Roadside Safety Hardware – Phase II
</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2627342</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 male crash test dummies, potentially overlooking the safety needs of a broader group of motorists, particularly female drivers and passengers. 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 female 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, especially females. The project’s significance lies in its potential to enhance highway safety measures by considering the specific needs and characteristics of female motorists.
Specifically, this proposal will (1) investigate the applicability of the current MASH impact safety requirements to female drivers and passengers, (2) identify potential shortcomings in the current criteria, (3) conduct preliminary computer simulations using both female and male dummies considering time and budget constraints, (4) provide recommendations for necessary adjustments, and (5) develop a future research plan to improve the inclusiveness and effectiveness of highway safety devices.
By focusing on these specific objectives, this project aims to significantly contribute to improving highway safety standards and creating a safer, and more inclusive transportation infrastructure for all road users.
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 19 Nov 2025 14:50:30 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2627342</guid>
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