Foundation grants) and applied research (e.g., 

studies funded by State departments of transportation). Research may include improved understanding of phenomena that can accelerate 

or allow for new lines 

of applied research. 

An example is a project called “Increased 

Understanding of 

Driver Visibility 

Requirements,” in 

which investigators 

are developing a rational, theoretical framework for determining 

the quantity and quality of visual information 

needed by drivers to navigate the roadway 

safely and effectively. This work will assist in 

future safety research. 

In addition to sponsoring EAR projects that 

advance the development of highway infrastructure and operations, the EAR Program 

is committed to promoting cross-fertilization 

with other technical fields, furthering promising lines of research, and deepening vital research capacity. 

•	 Cross-fertilization. Research may include 

the application of scientific and technological 

discoveries in other fields to transportation. 

An example is a project entitled “Intelligent 

Multisensor Measurements to Enhance 

Vehicle Navigation and Safety Systems,” in 

which researchers are developing a robust and 

reliable vehicle-positioning system capable of 

providing accurate, high-update-rate, lanelevel measurements for future vehicle navigation and control. In this project, investigators 

are applying technology developed and tested 

in other industries, including aerospace, to improve highway safety. 

•	 Disseminating new findings. Each EAR 

project includes a transition plan for finding 

appropriate research followup activities through 

disseminating new findings and pursuing the 

potential for continued research. Where the findings suggest the value of further investigation, 

the EAR Program identifies appropriate activities 

to engage interested stakeholders who may want 

to continue the research. For example, when new 

technologies developed in a project are meeting 

anticipated objectives, there may be interest in 

applied research at FHWA or among State departments of transportation, Transportation 

Research Board cooperative research programs, 

or in private industry. Other research projects 

may lead to unexpected findings or clarification 

about questions and approaches, which could 

suggest continued investigation under the EAR 

Program. 

•	 Building capacity. The EAR Program also furnishes value by increasing the capacity of organizations and individuals to conduct research. For 

example, the EAR Program supports the National 

Research Council Research Associateship 

Program, which provides postdoctoral and senior scientists and engineers with opportunities 

to conduct research on projects that complement 

other EAR Program research. 

Getting Involved With 

the EAR Program

To take advantage of a broad variety of scientific and engineering discoveries, the EAR Program 

involves both traditional stakeholders (State department of transportation researchers, University Transportation 

Center researchers, and Transportation Research 

Board committee and panel members) and nontraditional stakeholders (investigators from private industry, related disciplines in academia, and 

research programs in other countries) throughout the research process. During fiscal year 2009, 

the EAR Program involved stakeholders throughout the following program activities:

•	 Identifying and scoping topics as part of over a 

dozen meetings and scanning trips.

•	 Reviewing proposals. More than 50 expert reviewers provided technical assessments of proposals. Most reviewers are from academic institutions 

and, in descending order, State and local departments of transportation, other Federal agencies, 

and the international community.

•	 Conducting research. Studies were conducted 

on 25 different topics, including work at 22 academic institutions, 9 private companies, 7 State 

and local agencies, and 4 Federal laboratories.

Learn More

For more information, see the EAR Program Web 

site at www.fhwa.dot.gov/advancedresearch. The 

site features information on research solicitations, 

updates on ongoing research, links to published 

materials, summaries of past EAR Program events, 

and details on upcoming events.

For additional information, contact David 

Kuehn at FHWA, 202-493-3414 (email: david.

kuehn@fhwa.dot.gov), or Terry Halkyard at 

FHWA, 202-493-3467 (email: terry.halkyard@

fhwa.dot.gov). 

Visit the EAR Program Web site at www.fhwa.dot.gov/advancedresearch.

Explorato

Advanced 

Research 

Program

Exploratory

 A dvanc e d

Re s e arch

 P rogram

EXPLORATORY ADVANCEDR E S E A R C H

Publication No. 

FHWA-HRT-10-032

HRTM-04/01-10(1M)E

EARP_InfoBroch.FINAL.indd 1 12/18/2009 11:53:47 AM
About the Federal Highway 

Administration’s Exploratory 

Advanced Research Program 

The Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient 

Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users 

(SAFETEA-LU) established an Exploratory 

Advanced Research (EAR) Program for transportation. SAFETEA-LU designated funding 

for longer term, higher risk, breakthrough 

research with the potential for dramatic longterm improvements to transportation systems—improvements in planning, building, 

renewing, and operating 

safe, congestion-free, 

and environmentally sound transportation facilities. 

The Federal Highway 

A d m i n i s t r a t i o n ’s 

(FHWA’s) EAR Program 

secures broad scientific participation and extensive coverage of advanced ideas and new 

technologies through three key processes:

technology to reach critical FHWA safety and 

mobility goals. This focus area includes development of theories and assessment of feasibility for 

systems that leapfrog current technological approaches. 

Nanoscale Research—Cuts across all functional areas and takes advantages of higher magnitudes of investment from other agencies in support of greater highway system resilience, 

improved safety and operations, and reduced environmental impacts. This 

focus area encompasses modeling 

and measuring phenomena 

to increase understanding 

of properties as well as applying scientific advances 

from other fields that are 

critical to improving the safety, reliability, and 

resilience of the highway system.

Human Behavior and Travel Choices—

Leverages research concepts from the social 

sciences, including psychology and economics, 

along with more traditional research for improving safety, reducing congestion, and improving 

the livability of the Nation’s communities.

New Technology and Advanced Policies for 

Energy and Resource Conservation—Cuts across 

infrastructure, operations, and societal and 

complex natural systems to support innovative 

methods for reducing highway industry costs 

and moving toward sustainability.

Information Sciences—Takes advantage of 

paradigm-shifting breakthroughs found across 

academia, government, and the private sector in 

the computer and information technology fields, 

including automation, data processing and management, computing, and electronic systems for 

communication, visualization, and control. 

Breakthrough Concepts in Materials Science—

Leverages new approaches in materials science 

to produce innovative highway materials and 

new system-monitoring sensors. The search is 

for materials that can enhance the functional-

•	 FHWA engages stakeholders in the EAR 

Program from evaluating potential research topics through communicating research results.

•	 FHWA identifies and scopes topics through 

extensive initial-stage investigation. The EAR 

Program has supported scanning trips and meetings involving more than 50 national and international experts to assure use of the most recent 

advances in science and engineering.

•	 FHWA uses expert panels to ensure the technical quality of sponsored research. The panels 

are composed of Federal, State, academic, and 

international scientific and engineering experts 

who are vetted to avoid conflicts of interest. The 

panels frequently include members from multiple 

disciplines to assure that cross applications and 

novel approaches to research are fully assessed.

EAR Program Focus Areas

The EAR Program funds research across a range 

of issues that are critical to the transportation 

industry:

Integrated Highway System Concepts—

Emphasizes the need to link highway infrastructure with future vehicle and personal mobile 

ity (including multifunctionality), constructability, sustainability, cost-effectiveness, and operations of highway infrastructure and for sensors 

that can improve highway safety, reliability, and 

resilience.

Technology for Assessing Performance—Seeks 

novel approaches and breakthrough technology 

that will revolutionize the use of performance 

management in the highway sector.

EAR Program Results 

The EAR Program strives to develop partnerships with the public and private sectors because 

the very nature of EAR is to apply ideas across 

traditional fields of research and stimulate new 

approaches to problem solving. Through four 

solicitations, the EAR Program has awarded 25 

projects involving both government and academic researchers. These projects represent the 

investment of $22.6 million in FHWA funds and 

leverage $12 million in matching funds.

The EAR Program bridges basic research (e.g., 

academic work funded by National Science 

About Exploratory Advanced 

Research

Exploratory advanced research focuses 

on long-term, high-risk research with a 

high payoff potential. It matches opportunities from discoveries in science and 

technology with the needs of specific 

industries. 

The uncertainties in the research approach and outcomes challenge organizations and researchers to be innovative 

problem-solvers, which can lead to new 

research techniques, instruments, and 

processes that can be applied to future 

high-risk and applied research projects.

International Collaboration

Access to international expertise is critical 

for the EAR Program. In some research areas, governments, industries, and universities in other parts of the world have developed important advances that could be 

applied to U.S. highway transportation. 

The FHWA EAR Program has engaged 

international experts by sponsoring scanning tours, convening forums, inviting expert reviewers, and offering postdoctoral 

research fellowships. FHWA expects to 

continue these ad hoc collaborations and to 

formalize longer term relationships.

Research Leading to 

Environmentally Sustainable 

Transportation

The EAR Program funds research that will 

help the transportation industry to reach 

sustainability goals, for example: 

•	Greatly Increased Use of Fly Ash in 

Hydraulic Cement Concrete for Pavement 

Layers and Transportation Structures

•	Innovative and Environmentally 

Beneficial Infrastructure Materials

•	Next Generation Energy Efficient 

Traffic Control Devices

•	New Technologies for Development 

of Renewable Energy in the Public 

Right-of-Way

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