<rss version="2.0" xmlns:atom="https://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">
  <channel>
    <title>Research in Progress (RIP)</title>
    <link>https://rip.trb.org/</link>
    <atom:link href="https://rip.trb.org/common/TRIS Suite/feeds/RSS.aspx?s=PHNlYXJjaD48cGFyYW1zPjxwYXJhbSBuYW1lPSJzdWJqZWN0aWQiIHZhbHVlPSIxODA3IiAvPjxwYXJhbSBuYW1lPSJkYXRlaW4iIHZhbHVlPSI3MzAiIC8%2BPHBhcmFtIG5hbWU9InN1YmplY3Rsb2dpYyIgdmFsdWU9Im9yIiAvPjxwYXJhbSBuYW1lPSJ0ZXJtc2xvZ2ljIiB2YWx1ZT0ib3IiIC8%2BPHBhcmFtIG5hbWU9ImxvY2F0aW9uIiB2YWx1ZT0iMTYiIC8%2BPC9wYXJhbXM%2BPGZpbHRlcnMgLz48cmFuZ2VzIC8%2BPHNvcnRzPjxzb3J0IGZpZWxkPSJwdWJsaXNoZWQiIG9yZGVyPSJkZXNjIiAvPjwvc29ydHM%2BPHBlcnNpc3RzPjxwZXJzaXN0IG5hbWU9InJhbmdldHlwZSIgdmFsdWU9InB1Ymxpc2hlZGRhdGUiIC8%2BPC9wZXJzaXN0cz48L3NlYXJjaD4%3D" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
    <description></description>
    <language>en-us</language>
    <copyright>Copyright © 2026. National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.</copyright>
    <docs>http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss</docs>
    <managingEditor>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</managingEditor>
    <webMaster>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</webMaster>
    <image>
      <title>Research in Progress (RIP)</title>
      <url>https://rip.trb.org/Images/PageHeader-wTitle-RIP.jpg</url>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/</link>
    </image>
    <item>
      <title>Fare-Free Futures: The Diffusion of Youth Fare-Free Transit Programs in the U.S.</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2784731</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Youth and student populations represent a critical but underexamined segment for long-term public transit ridership growth in the United States. In response, transit agencies have started offering free or reduced fare programs for youth as a strategy to increase ridership and reduce transportation costs. However, there is currently no comprehensive, national-level understanding of how and why these programs are being adopted, nor what organizational and structural factors enable or constrain their implementation. This project evaluates the adoption and diffusion of youth fare-free programs across U.S. transit agencies. The research team will identify agencies across rural, suburban, and urban areas, determine their program status, and distribute surveys to a stratified sample to examine factors such as funding, staffing capacity, political support, and institutional readiness. The research team will analyze these data to understand what enables or constrains adoption across stages of implementation. The expected results include a clearer understanding of adoption patterns, key drivers and barriers, and conditions that support program success. Findings will inform transit agencies and policymakers by supporting more consistent evaluation practices and guiding future policy and funding strategies. More broadly, this project will support efforts to improve system performance, increase ridership, and expand access to transportation for youth.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 01 Oct 2026 13:28:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2784731</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Best Practices for Structuring and Managing Statewide Resource-Tracking Databases</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2780222</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) is working to modernize its financial tracking systems to improve transparency, compliance, and efficiency in managing federally funded transportation projects. Existing tools, including the Resource Administration database and related systems, operate independently, and require extensive manual data entry, limiting real-time financial coordination.
This study evaluated federal requirements, reviewed ADOT’s current financial management processes, and examined practices from peer state departments of transportation. The research identified best practices in system integration, governance, and automation, and also developed a three-phase framework, covering preparation, procurement, and implementation to guide modernization. The recommendations provide ADOT with a practical roadmap for developing a unified, data-driven resource-tracking system that supports efficient decision-making and regulatory compliance.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 18 Sep 2026 13:15:33 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2780222</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Local Tax on Dyed Fuels: Possible Revenue and Implementation Strategies</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2689755</link>
      <description><![CDATA[In rural areas throughout the U.S., in addition to standard gasoline and diesel fuel, “dyed fuel” is also available for purchase. This type of fuel, which is typically 28 to 98 cents less expensive per gallon, is not taxed because it is supposed to be used only for vehicles that do not use the local road systems. However, many of these vehicles, such as farm and construction equipment used in areas (e.g. liquid manure spreaders, grain carts, feed trucks, combine harvesters, excavators, etc.…) are much heavier than the average personal vehicle, and often use secondary roads for moving such equipment. These vehicles damage the many rural paved and unpaved roads. As such, those who maintain these roads systems do not have sufficient financial resources to repair these ongoing damages due to this lack of income from taxes. There is therefore an opportunity to consider methods of applying a local fee structure on the use of dyed fuel, to help to recuperate the cost of maintaining secondary road systems. This research will focus on assessing, first, the current state of this challenge, including a literature review and survey of the use of dyed fuels. Next, interviews of stakeholders will seek to identify the state of the challenges associated with dyed fuel use and to assess the support and/or resistance to establishing an additional mechanism to recuperate funds. It will then propose possible methods to address this challenge, supported by financial and policy analysis on the impact of each. 

The idea for this proposal originated directly from county engineers, specifically personnel in Iowa drove the development of the initial idea of this proposed effort, which was further strongly supported by Arizona DOT personnel. These individuals are responsible for maintaining local transportation infrastructure. These conversations made it clear that especially rural counties have significant infrastructure maintenance costs that in many cases are greater than the available funds. The proposed work is specifically designed to evaluate the scope of these challenges, and work with stakeholders to identify solutions. The Iowa Highway Research Board has already voted to provide a full one-to-one match in support of this proposed effort. They have expressed clear support and enthusiasm for the project, noting that counties across Iowa—and likely many other states—stand to benefit from a structured evaluation of needs and practical mechanisms that work toward implementation pathways. This underscores strong confidence in potential impacts.  ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 10 Sep 2026 09:18:44 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2689755</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>ACRP Insight Event: General Aviation Financial Sustainability</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2772549</link>
      <description><![CDATA[General aviation (GA) airports continue to face challenges in achieving long-term financial sustainability while addressing infrastructure, operational, and facility needs. Although recent federal funding has provided significant investment in airports, many projects important to GA airports are not eligible for Airport Improvement Program funding, and smaller airports often rely on fuel flowage fees, hangar rents, land leases, and limited local government support. Financial sustainability remains a key issue as airports explore current and future revenue opportunities, funding strategies, and partnerships. 
The objective of this project is to conduct up to three regional ACRP Insight Event workshops that bring together airport practitioners, stakeholders, and subject matter experts to explore and evaluate current and potential financial models and revenue strategies for general aviation airports. The workshops will address topics identified by the project panel, promote regional participation beyond a single meeting in Washington, D.C., and identify future research needs and problem statements for committee consideration. The project will produce a Transportation Insights publication, a post-event technical report, and at least two problem statements for potential future ACRP research.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 02 Sep 2026 16:48:14 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2772549</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Best Practices for Airport Administrative Cost Allocation</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2772551</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Airport managers operating within larger governmental organizations often face challenges in documenting and reviewing administrative costs charged by parent organizations or other governmental entities. These costs may include legal services, procurement, human resources, finance, and other shared services. Airports organized under authorities, municipalities, counties, and other governmental structures also encounter challenges in allocating direct and indirect costs, documenting cost allocation practices, supporting cost recovery, auditing administrative charges, and understanding airport revenue diversion considerations. Research is needed to identify and document effective practices for allocating, reviewing, and supporting administrative costs and shared-service charges across different airport governance structures.

The objective of this research is to develop a guidebook describing industry practices for airport administrative cost allocation. The research should address direct and indirect charges, methods for allocating administrative and shared-service costs, auditing of shared services, documentation supporting cost recovery, and relevant airport revenue diversion considerations. The research should also include examples of current airport practices, where appropriate, to provide airport managers with a practical resource for discussing administrative charges and cost allocation methodologies with governing organizations.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 02 Sep 2026 16:40:02 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2772551</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Synthesis of Information Related to Transit Practices. Topic SG-22. Inter-Jurisdictional Approaches to Cost Sharing for Regional Transit Services</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2772555</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Preliminary Scope
 
Background
Many transit agencies provide regional transit services that extend across municipal, county, and/or state boundaries. These services often rely on financial contributions from multiple funding partners, including local and state governments, metropolitan planning organizations, human services agencies, healthcare organizations, tribal governments, educational institutions, and other public or private entities.
Establishing transparent cost-sharing arrangements is essential to sustaining regional transit service. Transit agencies use a variety of approaches to allocate costs among funding partners, including service-based measures (e.g., revenue miles or hours), ridership, passenger origins and destinations, population served, geographic coverage, and other measures of service benefit. Cost-sharing methodologies also support regional decision-making by informing investment priorities, evaluating return on investment, assessing the distribution of costs and benefits, and supporting funding initiatives.
Although cost allocation has been examined in previous research, including TCRP Research Report 144: Sharing the Costs of Human Services Transportation (2011), changing travel patterns, expanding regional mobility needs, evolving funding partnerships, and advances in transit data and analytics have created new approaches to allocating costs and demonstrating the value of regional transit investments. A synthesis is needed to document current practices and lessons learned across the transit industry.
Objective
The objective of this synthesis is to document current approaches used by public transportation agencies to allocate and share the costs of regional transit services among multiple funding partners. The synthesis should identify the range of cost-sharing methodologies, governance structures, supporting data, and implementation practices used to establish and maintain regional funding partnerships.
Information to Be Gathered
At a minimum, the synthesis should gather information on:

Policies, agreements, and governance structures used to establish and administer inter-jurisdictional cost-sharing arrangements.

Types of funding partners participating in cost-sharing agreements, including governmental, nonprofit, healthcare, educational, tribal, and private-sector organizations.

Cost allocation methodologies and the metrics used to distribute operating and capital costs.

Data sources, analytical tools, and technologies used to support cost allocation and financial reporting.

Practices for evaluating return on investment and the distribution of costs and benefits among funding partners.

Approaches for communicating cost-sharing methodologies to governing boards, funding partners, elected officials, and the public.

Challenges associated with establishing, maintaining, and updating cost-sharing agreements, along with strategies agencies have used to address those challenges.


Tasks
Information shall be gathered through:

Literature review

Survey of public transportation agencies, with follow-up interviews as appropriate

Case examples illustrating a range of regional cost-sharing approaches

]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 01 Sep 2026 17:10:44 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2772555</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Peak Pricing for Runway and Gate Capacity Management</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2772556</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Growing demand for air travel and increasing schedule peaking are placing sustained pressure on runway and gate capacity at major U.S. airports. At many facilities, peak-period demand, rather than total daily activity, is the primary driver of operational inefficiency and capital expansion needs. Existing airport rate-setting frameworks are primarily designed for cost recovery and generally do not provide incentives for airlines to shift operations outside peak periods or optimize gate utilization. While differentiated landing charges, time-of-day pricing, and gate utilization fees have been used internationally, their applicability within the United States is uncertain because of federal grant assurances, revenue-use requirements, anti-discrimination standards, and airline use and lease agreements.

The objective of this research is to develop a comprehensive report on congestion pricing mechanisms applicable to runway and gate capacity management at U.S. airports. The research will evaluate pricing mechanisms used at selected international airports, assess their regulatory permissibility under U.S. law and policy, examine potential impacts on airline behavior and airport operations, identify alternative approaches to managing peak demand, and provide practical implementation guidance and decision-support tools for airport sponsors considering airside congestion pricing strategies.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 01 Sep 2026 11:59:04 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2772556</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Evaluation of Asphalt Rejuvenators on Asphalt Mixtures with High RAP</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2768413</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) has examined whether increasing the amount of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) in surface mixtures can lower costs. One downside of higher RAP content is that the use of aged binder negatively affects cracking resistance. While asphalt rejuvenators may restore binder properties and improve the durability of high-content RAP mixtures, Kentucky has limited field experience applying them on state-maintained routes. As such, KYTC lacks sufficient performance data to determine if rejuvenated surface mixtures with high RAP content exhibit long-term performance similar to conventional surface mixtures.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 26 Aug 2026 17:04:22 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2768413</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Improving Transparency and Accountability in Consultant Fee Proposals</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2768412</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Fee proposals list the number of hours consultants intend to have personnel work on a project and their associated fees. These proposals document contract negotiations with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC). Although personnel assignments documented in a signed contract should accurately reflect the consultant’s anticipated division of labor, post-project audits have routinely documented instances of negotiated hours (and costs) diverging significantly from what personnel actually logged. Usually this takes the form of low-level staff (e.g., EITs, technicians) with modest hourly cost rates working more hours than were negotiated, while more experienced and expensive personnel (e.g., project engineers, highway designers) tally fewer hours. Left unchecked, this dynamic imposes financial risks on the Cabinet and sets precedents that will reverberate through future contract negotiations. Long-tenured KYTC staff have the experience and insights required to minimize these organizational risks, but impending retirements will leave behind tremendous knowledge gaps that could weaken the agency’s ability to hold consultants accountable.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 26 Aug 2026 17:04:22 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2768412</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Communicating the Benefits of a Maintenance Budget Overhaul to Legislators: The Shock Factor of Inaction</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2768406</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Budget overruns can force the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) to delay routine maintenance like guardrail repair, pothole patching, and mowing, particularly if the agency has to dedicate more funding than expected to winter and emergency responses. Although deferred maintenance does not immediately take assets out of service, repeated delays degrade infrastructure condition. How delays affect user safety is not well understood, easily quantified, nor grasped by the public. Identifying preservation needs, calculating maintenance returns on investment, and developing objective measures that can underpin maintenance budget allocations will all help to close these knowledge gaps. However, they must be complemented by the use of proven communications strategies that vividly convey to legislators and the public the long-term risks and costs of deferring routine maintenance.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 26 Aug 2026 17:04:19 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2768406</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Impact of Flooding on Pavement Drawdown Structures</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2767321</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Upon completion, this study will provide Iowa counties and the Iowa Department of Transportation (Iowa DOT) with a robust framework to assess and manage flood risks across Iowa's transportation infrastructure used as drawdown structures, offering several key benefits: enhanced flood risk management, cost savings, improved resilience, and strategic planning tools.
The framework will enable precise evaluations of infrastructure (drawdown structures) vulnerability, allowing Iowa Counties and Iowa DOT to prioritize maintenance and allocate resources efficiently. By predicting the loss of service life under various flood scenarios,Iowa counties and Iowa DOT can implement targeted countermeasures, reducing emergency repairs.
The ability to predict and mitigate flood-induced damage will result in cost savings, extend infrastructure service life, and minimize maintenance costs. The study’s focus on practical, cost-effective solutions will help optimize counties investments and enhance network resilience.
Adopting recommended countermeasures will improve infrastructure’s capacity to withstand increasingly frequent and severe floods, safeguarding roads while ensuring public safety and reliability.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 24 Aug 2026 13:11:53 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2767321</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Beyond Ridership: Measuring the Performance of Twin Cities Public Transit Systems</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2761612</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Traditionally, measuring the success of a public transit investment has fallen heavily on a few metrics. These are, for example, (i) utilization metrics including the actual number of riders versus forecasted numbers (total and per hour) and occupancy of facilities that support transit services such as park and rides; (ii) cost-effectiveness, including subsidies per passenger; and (iii) service reliability, such as excess waiting time, on-time performance, and safety. There is an opportunity to incorporate additional performance metrics that provide a more comprehensive and well-rounded understanding of the impacts of transit investments for policymakers and the public. Expanding beyond traditional measures allows for a more holistic evaluation of transit investments across multiple dimensions.

Leveraging the project team’s expertise through projects such as Freeway Corridor Economic Impacts and Access Across America, this project aims to develop a suite of metrics to assist local policymakers in communicating the performance and local value of public transit investment beyond ridership numbers. These metrics can be applied at the project level to assess individual investments and at the system level.

Incorporating accessibility, land use, and economic impacts in addition to traditional metrics would create a more robust and transparent measurement framework, and enable better informed decision-making. Additionally, this research will examine which of these measures are most appropriate for communicating outcomes to different audiences, including policymakers and the public. Findings from this research will be synthesized and presented in a final report.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 17 Aug 2026 10:53:27 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2761612</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Assessment of Establishing an NDOT Aeronautics Division and Identification of Sustainable Funding Mechanisms</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2739295</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) current aviation program provides an important foundation through statewide aviation planning, airport system coordination, safety inspections, and administration of the Nevada State Airport System Plan. At the same time, many aviation and aerospace-related responsibilities are distributed across multiple organizations, including NDOT, the Nevada Governor's Office of Economic Development (GOED), federal agencies, airport authorities, and local governments. 
This distributed structure reflects Nevada’s historical approach to aviation and aerospace development. NDOT has primarily supported planning, inspections, and coordination, while GOED has historically administered air service development activities, supported airline recruitment, coordinated route development initiatives, and advanced aviation and aerospace-related economic development. As aviation technologies, rural airport needs, military operations, unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) testing, and advanced air mobility (AAM) opportunities continue to evolve, Nevada must determine how these responsibilities should be organized, coordinated, funded, and implemented to support statewide transportation and economic development objectives. 
A key question facing Nevada is how aviation and aerospace responsibilities should be organized among NDOT, GOED, federal agencies, airport authorities, local governments, and other stakeholders to best support the state’s transportation, economic development, innovation, and long-term aviation objectives. Effective statewide aviation programs require clear governance structures, defined authority boundaries, reliable coordination mechanisms, sustainable funding, and organizational capacity. These elements have not yet been comprehensively evaluated within Nevada’s current institutional, statutory, and funding environment.
OBJECTIVE: The primary objective of this project is to provide NDOT with a comprehensive, evidence-based assessment of organizational, operational, governance, and funding approaches that can support Nevada's current and future aviation responsibilities. The assessment will evaluate a range of implementation options, including the potential establishment of an Aeronautics Division, while identifying sustainable funding strategies and practical pathways for long-term aviation, UAS, and emerging aviation program development. The research will equip NDOT leadership and policymakers with actionable information needed to evaluate organizational, operational, financial, and governance considerations associated with assuming expanded aeronautics responsibilities within the state of Nevada.
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 30 Jul 2026 12:30:56 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2739295</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Strategies for Addressing Funding Challenges in Transportation Asset Management</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2712184</link>
      <description><![CDATA[State and local transportation agencies face growing challenges in maintaining assets due to funding uncertainties, rising costs, and increasing system demands. Fuel taxes have historically provided stable funding, but declining revenues have made it harder to sustain long-term investment and asset management plans. Alternative funding mechanisms such as tolling and user-based charges may help but are often difficult to implement and insufficient to close funding gaps.  

As transportation agencies work to preserve system performance and deliver projects under constrained budgets, there is a growing need for strategies that address both short-term funding uncertainty and long-term financial sustainability. Previous research has examined the impacts of funding instability on transportation planning and project delivery, but additional guidance is needed to help agencies identify effective financial and asset management strategies. 

The objective of this research is to identify best practices and innovative strategies for addressing funding challenges in transportation asset management. The research will evaluate case studies and develop guidance to help transportation agencies manage funding uncertainties, prioritize investments, and support long-term system preservation.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 2026 16:04:26 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2712184</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Innovative Approaches to Maintenance Funding for Active Transportation Infrastructure on State Highways Research</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2712169</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Currently, no substantial detailed advice or research exists in the leading national work on active transportation maintenance or active transportation policy on innovative maintenance funding strategies. More robust resources do exist for capital expenditures and new projects. Current funding maintenance recommendations generally do not go beyond mentioning that consistent funding is good and having a plan is good. Good public policy requires more detailed thought and specific guidance, which are especially critical during the planning and scoping phases to build maintainability in from project initiation.

Research is needed to address this gap and build from recently completed maintenance research. A comprehensive list, an analysis of funding sources and their constraints, and a cost-to-benefits comparison will provide the necessary groundwork for an informed assessment of innovative research strategies and enable good case studies to be identified. Focusing on ongoing maintenance needs, guidance for planning and scoping phases, and guidance on how active transportation maintenance fits into the larger transportation context would help ensure that these strategies work for current maintenance teams and result in better new projects coming into maintenance obligations.

The objective of this research is to identify innovative funding strategies for active transportation facility maintenance on state highways. Appropriately maintained facilities provide road safety, economic development, and land value benefits that could be factored into strategies. The research will address how these strategies align with ongoing maintenance needs for these facilities and provide guidance on maintenance in the planning and scoping of projects.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 2026 12:38:59 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2712169</guid>
    </item>
  </channel>
</rss>