THE FHWA R&T STORY 

Innovating the Future 

of Transportation

© 2015 USchools / iStock.

Contents

Introduction: Innovations for a Better Future .................................................................2

Addressing the Critical Needs of the Nation’s Current Highway System ....................4

Improving Safety Through Innovation................................................................................................4

Improving Operations Through Innovation .......................................................................................6

Improving Infrastructure Through Innovation ..................................................................................7

For More Information ..........................................................................................................................10

Accelerating Implementation of Technologies to Meet Future Highway 

Transportation Needs ...................................................................................................... 11

Technology Deployment Programs ....................................................................................................11

Innovation Engagement ......................................................................................................................14

For More Information ..........................................................................................................................17

Providing Clear Benefits to the Public............................................................................ 18

Safety Benefits .......................................................................................................................................18

Infrastructure Benefits .........................................................................................................................20

Evidence-Building for Policymaking..................................................................................................22

Workforce Partnerships .......................................................................................................................25

For More Information ..........................................................................................................................27

Conclusion......................................................................................................................... 28

References.......................................................................................................................... 28
2

THE FHWA R&T STORY

© metamorworks / AdobeStock.com.

Introduction: Innovations 

for a Better Future

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) champions 

research and technology (R&T) innovations to address the 

critical needs of the Nation’s highway system. The FHWA 

R&T Story presents innovations that ensure the safety of 

vulnerable pedestrians, evaluate concepts for connected 

and automated vehicles (CAVs), and develop better ways 

to test for pavement deterioration. These innovations can 

help renew the highway system, spur economic recovery, 

reduce inequities, and protect against the impact of future 

climate scenarios.

Every day, the U.S. highway system safely connects people 

and moves goods, sustaining the country’s economic 

capacity. This system is a dynamic and collaborative 

network involving transportation agencies at all levels of 

government and industry that form the leading edge of 

the country’s advancements in highway infrastructure. 

Investing in transportation is critical in securing America’s 

economic future.

To advance the transportation system, FHWA focuses on 

ensuring safety, stimulating economic growth, promoting 

equity, reducing climate impacts while incorporating 

sustainability, and leading technological transformation. 

FHWA is working to:

• Address the critical needs of the Nation’s current 

highway system by improving safety, operations, 

and infrastructure to foster sustainable, equitable 

economic recovery.

• Accelerate implementation of technologies to meet 

future highway needs by supporting States and other 

stakeholders to deliver transformative, cost-saving 

innovations with long-term benefits.

• Provide clear benefits to the public by highlighting 

the importance of innovation and its role in fostering 

equitable economic growth.
3

INNOVATING THE FUTURE OF TRANSPORTATION

FHWA’s Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center 

(TFHRC) plays a vital leadership role in developing and 

implementing coordinated highway R&T. TFHRC, a 

Federally owned and operated national research facility 

in McLean, VA, houses 15 laboratories, data centers, and 

support facilities. TFHRC conducts exploratory and applied 

research in the areas of safety, infrastructure, and operations. 

The laboratories provide a critical resource for advancing 

the body of knowledge created and developed by these 

multidisciplinary researchers and engineers.

FHWA advances research innovations that transportation 

agencies can use to maintain and improve the performance 

of their transportation systems, with a particular emphasis 

on proven innovations ready for implementation that will be 

more robust to future challenges than conventional options. 

This research helps States with their infrastructure projects 

while ensuring that the traveling public has multiple mobility 

options to access jobs, education, and other opportunities.

The projects described in the following pages show 

how FHWA advances innovations that strengthen the 

transportation system and advance technologies to meet 

future needs that deliver clear benefits to the traveling public.

TFHRC conducts innovative exploratory and applied research to improve the safety and resiliency of highways across the United States. 

The J. Sterling Jones Hydraulics Research Laboratory is one of 15 laboratories at TFHRC. 

Source: FHWA.

Key to Icons

Safety Transformation Climate 

Change

Economic 

Growth Equity
4

THE FHWA R&T STORY

FHWA programs help support repairs to roadways like this one damaged 

by extreme weather, allowing health facilities to obtain needed supplies and 

connecting people to economic opportunities and surrounding communities. 

© 2009 Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT).

Addressing the Critical Needs of the 

Nation’s Current Highway System

The U.S. public roads system is the Nation’s largest public 

infrastructure system. It consists of more than 4.1 million 

miles of roadways, more than 617,084 bridges and related 

structures, and a wide range of traffic control and safety 

systems.(1,2) It is the economic backbone that moves the 

vast majority of the Nation’s products and enables trade. 

The highway system powers businesses, connects workers 

to their jobs, and creates opportunities for historically 

marginalized communities. However, the economic growth 

made possible by the highway system has also fueled 

tremendous increases in the demands placed on it.

Beyond the growing demands on the highway system, the 

impacts of unprecedented events like pandemics, hurricanes, 

and wildfires may have lingering effects. The Nation’s 

highways are critical in the short term to mitigate these 

catastrophic events by ensuring healthcare facilities can 

obtain needed supplies and damaged roads and bridges can 

be repaired. In the long term, these highways will be vital 

to the country’s economic recovery by connecting people 

to opportunities they need safely and fairly. Thus, it will be 

crucial for transportation agencies at all levels of government 

to maintain and upgrade the highway system to facilitate a 

robust and equitable recovery.

Improving Safety Through Innovation

In 2019, motor vehicle traffic crashes resulted in 36,096 

deaths, and pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities accounted 

for more than 17 percent of all traffic fatalities that year.(3)

Between 2014 and 2018, the pedestrian fatality rate per 

100,000 population increased by 27 percent and grew even 

faster among Black people.(4) Roadway crashes injure another 

65,000 pedestrians and 48,000 bicyclists each year.(5)

Source: FHWA.
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INNOVATING THE FUTURE OF TRANSPORTATION

In recognition of the magnitude of this problem, 

FHWA has encouraged the development of innovative 

safety technologies and data analysis tools that enable 

transportation professionals to connect crash causes with 

effective solutions. These innovations include identifying 

problem areas for pedestrians and bicyclists, developing 

analysis tools that allow planners and engineers to better 

understand and target these problem areas, and evaluating 

countermeasures to reduce the number of crashes involving 

pedestrians and bicyclists. FHWA strives to cultivate safer 

roadways for some of the most vulnerable roadway users, 

from safer crosswalks and sidewalks to educational and 

safety initiatives.

Pedestrian Safety

A study conducted by FHWA entitled “Safety Evaluation 

of Protected Left-Turn Phasing and Leading Pedestrian 

Intervals on Pedestrian Safety” examined the effects of 

combining two innovative countermeasures that help protect 

pedestrians at intersections.(6) Protected left-turn phasing 

provides a separate traffic-signal phase for left-turning 

traffic where no pedestrian movement or vehicular traffic 

conflicts with the left turn.(7) Leading pedestrian intervals 

allow pedestrians to enter an intersection 3 to7 seconds 

before vehicles receive a green light.(8) Using state-of-theart analytical methods, the study developed statistically 

rigorous crash modification factors (CMFs) for protected 

left-turn phasing and leading pedestrian intervals.(6) FHWA 

partnered with various cities that had installed one or both 

of the countermeasures of interest. These cities included 

Chicago, IL; New York, NY; Charlotte, NC; and Toronto, ON. 

FHWA worked with staff in each city to obtain information 

on countermeasure installation; roadway and intersection 

characteristics; crash data, including pedestrian-specific 

crash data; vehicle- and pedestrian-volume data; and signaltiming data.

Another FHWA study relied on geospatial technologies to 

pinpoint areas of risk. “Identification and Prioritization of 

High Pedestrian Crash Locations/Areas” documented the 

methods used to identify and prioritize high pedestrian 

crash sites and the methods’ input data demands.(9)

 FHWA 

successfully worked with several cities and States to catalog 

the criteria needed to identify and rank high pedestrian 

crash locations. The collection of geographic coordinates 

(latitude and longitude) for crashes has resulted in extensive 

geographic information system platforms for displaying the 

locations and density of crashes on maps.

Original map: © Esri, HERE, Garmin, NGA, USGS. 

Modifications by the National Highway Traffic Safety 

Administration to show 2019 fatal crash locations.

Human Factors

Human factors research aims to improve understanding 

of road-user behavior and incorporate that knowledge into 

all FHWA strategies for improving safety and enhancing 

operations throughout the highway transportation system. 

Human factors research in automation seeks to understand 

how CAVs can be safely integrated into the Nation’s roadway 

systems by evaluating the human behaviors related to the 

deployment of cooperative automation.

FHWA conducts human factors research using driving 

simulators and other innovative tools to integrate CAV 

technology into the Nation’s roadway system. 

Source: FHWA.
6

THE FHWA R&T STORY

Cooperative adaptive cruise control (CACC) intends to 

increase traffic throughput by safely permitting shorter 

following distances between vehicles. Shorter following 

distances can help freight firms save money on fuel, which 

increases the efficiency of goods delivery and aids economic 

recovery. In 2018, the CACC Human Factors project entitled 

“Cooperative Adaptive Cruise Control Human Factors Study” 

involved a series of experiments that examined how CACC 

affected drivers’ workload, propensity to distraction, level 

of sensory stimulation, ability to avoid a crash, merging 

abilities, and trust in the system.(10)

Similarly, researchers working on the ongoing project 

“Human Factors Issues Related to Truck Platooning 

Operations” are studying the perceptions of truck platoons 

and visual indicators/signing related to truck platoons.(11)

This project is using a sign laboratory and driving simulator 

to investigate human factors issues associated with 

traveling near a truck platoon. The researchers are trying 

to understand the likely actions of people driving passenger 

cars in the presence of truck platoons.

Improving Operations Through Innovation

CAV Research

Rapidly emerging automated vehicle (AV) technology, if well 

deployed, can resolve current and future highway needs. AVs 

promise increased safety and greater performance through 

reduced congestion, expanded vehicular capacity, real-time 

route optimization, and fuel efficiency. FHWA has taken a 

national leadership role in the safe development, testing, and 

deployment of AV technology, including CAV research and 

cooperative driving automation (CDA).

The CARMASM Program is a research program designed to 

develop concepts for CDA. The concepts address everyday 

traffic situations and provide testing and evaluation of 

resulting applications. This work uses open-source software 

to encourage collaboration and participation among a 

community of engineers and researchers. In 2021, the 

CARMA team initiated testing of self-driving features 

to prepare for testing and validation of the cooperative 

driving use cases of basic travel, work zones, and 

incident management.

Through the Exploratory Advanced Research Program, FHWA analyzes how artificial intelligence and machine learning can advance 

communications between vehicles and infrastructure, ultimately improving the safety and efficiency of highway networks. 

Source: U.S. Department of Transportation.
7

INNOVATING THE FUTURE OF TRANSPORTATION

Exploratory Advanced Research

FHWA’s Exploratory Advanced Research (EAR) Program 

is studying the development of artificial intelligence (AI) 

and machine learning (ML) in transportation management 

systems through its work with universities and industry. 

This research includes automated traffic imagery analysis, 

incident detection, traffic control, and traffic signal timing. 

For example, the EAR Program selected Tufts University to 

conduct the Traffic Incident Detection and Analysis System 

study to utilize AI/ML advancements in computer vision 

techniques, known as ClearVision. The techniques enhance 

images with object detection and provide object tracking 

using neural networks, scenario detection algorithms, and 

a user interface to assist operators. The technology works 

with existing cameras and equipment, resulting in lower 

implementation costs. The project could improve image 

processing, enhance vehicle classification, and automatically 

identify anomalies to regular roadway performance through 

innovative AI-based use of existing roadside equipment.

Improving Infrastructure 

Through Innovation

Today’s aging highway system poses daunting challenges 

for transportation professionals, including a growing need 

for rehabilitating and rebuilding many highway segments 

that must continue to meet high travel demand due to 

increasing congestion, emerging safety problems, and 

worsening environmental impacts. Keeping bridges in a state 

of good repair is essential to operating the transportation 

system efficiently.

Innovative Pavement Research

TFHRC’s Concrete Laboratory staff conducts research in 

many areas related to concrete materials to develop better, 

more durable, cost-effective, and sustainable infrastructure. 

Researchers in the laboratory are developing guidelines to 

apply ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) to bridge 

preservation and repair to maintain and improve bridge 

conditions cost effectively. UHPC is a fiber-reinforced, 

cementitious composite material with mechanical and 

endurance properties that far exceed conventional concrete 

materials. Thus, UHPC enables more durable repairs and 

extended service life of existing highway bridges.

Researchers at the TFHRC Concrete Laboratory developed 

standards to help entities apply UHPC to their roadways, like 

these Vermont construction workers are doing. UHPC provides 

added resilience over traditional concrete. 

© 2016 Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans).

Through efforts in FHWA’s Office of Infrastructure, 

Research, and Development’s (R&D) laboratories and the 

EAR Program, researchers are evaluating the effectiveness 

of the next generation of supplementary cementitious 

materials (SCMs) in concrete. The project, “Towards Low 

Embodied Carbon Cement and Concrete in Transportation 

Projects,” takes a multidimensional approach to address 

the environmental impact of cement-based materials used 

in transportation infrastructure.(12)

 SCMs help reduce the 

use of carbon-intensive cement; for decades, SCMs have 

proven effective in enhancing the workability and durability 

of concrete. The Office of Infrastructure R&D is also 

collaborating with FHWA’s Sustainable Pavements Program, 

Mobile Concrete Technology Center, Resource Center, and 

other Federal partners to educate stakeholders on ways to 

reduce the greenhouse gases attributable to the cement and 

concrete used in their infrastructure.
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THE FHWA R&T STORY

TRANSFORMING THE WAY SOCIETY MOVES

Advances in technology are leading a wave of transportation transformations. FHWA’s EAR Program is studying 

the development of AI and ML technology in transportation management systems. AI in transportation 

encompasses a wide area of technology, from advanced driver assistance systems to predictive traffic modeling 

and control systems. The use of AI to digest and analyze large amounts of data provides broad public benefits, 

such as improving traffic flows, supporting human decisionmaking in a traffic management center, and 

performing real-time monitoring.

FHWA has also taken a national leadership role in the safe development, testing, and deployment of AV 

technology, including CAV research and CDA. Connected vehicles have the potential to transform the way 

Americans travel through the creation of a safe, interoperable wireless communications network—a system that 

includes cars, buses, trucks, trains, traffic signals, smartphones, and other connected devices. Connected and 

automated technologies—including broadband, zero-emissions technologies, and cybersecurity safeguards—are 

critical underpinnings to a 21st-century transportation system and will help ensure our system is safer, greener, 

smarter, and more equitable.

Better Pavement Testing

A relatively new procedure, T 365: Standard Method of 

Test for Quantifying Calcium Oxychloride Formation 

Potential of Cementitious Pastes Exposed to Deicing Salts, 

published by the American Association of State Highway 

and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) in 2020, quantifies 

the amount of pavement deterioration caused by calcium 

oxychlorides from deicing salts.(13) TFHRC’s Concrete 

Laboratory optimized the procedure for measuring calcium 

oxychloride by reducing the duration of testing. The 

reduction of the test duration can potentially drastically 

cut the test costs for practitioners and make this test more 

competitive with other available techniques. The T 365 

technology can help agencies better assess road conditions 

and conduct needed maintenance, functions that will 

be crucial as climate change may worsen the impacts of 

winter storms.

After a 10-year research effort, the FHWA Chemistry 

Laboratory has developed a new test method for determining 

alkali-silica reactivity (ASR) damages on concrete in the 

form of cracks. A reliable test method to determine an 

aggregate’s potential to form ASR gels in concrete has eluded 

the transportation industry since the first ASR test methods 

were proposed in 1947. Many test method variations have 

been employed over the years. Almost all rely on measuring 

the physical expansion of concrete or mortar specimens: 

none work particularly well. The Chemistry Laboratory 

has developed a new test method that relies exclusively on 

chemical measurements without concrete or mortar sample 

requirements; it accurately detects highly reactive and 

nonreactive coarse aggregates.

Nature-Based Solutions

More than 60,000 road miles in the United States are 

coastal highways, and these roads and bridges are 

vulnerable to tides, storm surges, waves, and sea-level 

rise. FHWA research has explored nature-based solutions 

for climate resilience. Nature-based solutions mimic 

characteristics of natural features and processes but are 

created by human design and engineering.(14) These solutions 

use natural materials and processes as an alternative to, or 

an enhancement of, traditional shoreline stabilization and 

infrastructure protection techniques and have numerous 

benefits. Not only do these solutions enhance resilience to 

flooding, wave action, and erosion, but they also facilitate 

natural ecosystem function, cost less than traditional 

shoreline armoring, adapt naturally to sea-level rise, and 

offer recreation and tourism benefits.
9

INNOVATING THE FUTURE OF TRANSPORTATION

FHWA’s research and guidance help entities with efforts such as restoring Fourmile Creek in Washington State to its natural floodplain. 

This project addresses potential environmental impacts expected from upcoming construction projects and reconnects waterways to 

help with flood control and expand habitat for native species, such as salmon. 

© 2020 WSDOT.

To facilitate nature-based solutions for coastal highway 

resilience, FHWA published an implementation guide to 

help transportation practitioners understand how and where 

to use nature-based solutions to improve the resilience 

of coastal roads and bridges.(15)

 This guide summarizes 

the potential flood-reduction benefits of these strategies 

and reviews the steps of the project delivery process. In 

particular, the guide describes how to consider naturebased solutions in the planning process, conduct a site 

assessment to determine whether nature-based solutions are 

appropriate, and incorporate key engineering, permitting, 

and monitoring strategies.(14)

Collaborations like the “Netherlands Binational 

Collaboration: Infrastructure Resilience-Nature-Based 

Solutions” have also addressed nature-based engineering 

solutions for infrastructure resilience.(12) Two State 

departments of transportation (DOTs) participate in this 

collaboration with the Netherlands. Washington State 

DOT (WSDOT) has demonstrated innovative stormwater 

and stream restoration approaches since 2019. North 

Carolina DOT has spearheaded multiple nature-based 

flood mitigation efforts, which are also of interest to 

the Netherlands.

BUILDING FOR A BETTER FUTURE WITH 

RESILIENT INFRASTRUCTURE

FHWA recognizes that climate variability and change pose threats to U.S. transportation systems. The range of 

impacts from these threats may include roadway deterioration, flooding, limited waterway access, and weakened 

structures. Severe conditions may reduce the life of capital assets and increase operational disruptions. Some 

consequences may require changes in the design, construction, and maintenance of infrastructure.

For example, applying UHPC in bridge preservation and repair and researching novel cementitious materials 

will help develop better, more durable, cost-effective, and sustainable infrastructure. In addition, to facilitate 

nature-based solutions for coastal highway resilience, FHWA publishes manuals and guidance designed to help 

transportation practitioners understand how and where nature-based solutions can be used to improve the 

resilience of coastal roads and bridges.
10

THE FHWA R&T STORY

For More Information

The following websites provide additional information and further highlight the FHWA activities discussed in this section.

Safety Evaluation of Protected Left-Turn Phasing and 

Leading Pedestrian Intervals on Pedestrian Safety:

https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/

research/safety/18044/index.cfm

https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/

research/safety/18059/index.cfm

https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/

research/safety/18060/index.cfm

Identification and Prioritization of High Pedestrian Crash 

Locations/Areas: 

https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/

research/safety/17107/index.cfm

Cooperative Adaptive Cruise Control Human Factors Study: 

https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/

research/safety/13045/13045.pdf

Human Factors Issues Related to 

Truck Platooning Operations: 

https://www.its.dot.gov/presentations/avs2019/

McHale_Truck_PlatooningAVS2019.pdf

CARMA:

https://highways.dot.gov/research/

operations/CARMA-products

EAR Program:

https://highways.dot.gov/research/researchprograms/exploratory-advanced-research/

exploratory-advanced-research-overview

AI/ML in Transportation Management Systems:

https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/

research/ear/18066/18066.pdf

UHPC:

https://highways.dot.gov/research/structures/ultra-highperformance-concrete/ultra-high-performance-concrete

T 365 Standard Method of Test Quantifying 

Calcium Oxychloride Amounts in Cement 

Pastes Exposed to Deicing Salts:

https://store.transportation.org/Item/

PublicationDetail?ID=4382

ASR:

https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/pavement/concrete/asr.cfm

Sustainable Pavement Systems:

https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/pavement/sustainability/

hif15002/hif15002.pdf

Implementation Guide: Nature-based Solutions for 

Coastal Highway Resilience: 

https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/sustainability/

resilience/ongoing_and_current_research/green_

infrastructure/implementation_guide/fhwahep19042.pdf
11

INNOVATING THE FUTURE OF TRANSPORTATION

Construction workers make progress on rehabilitating two bridges in Arizona. 

© 2019 Arizona DOT.

Accelerating Implementation 

of Technologies to Meet Future 

Highway Transportation Needs

FHWA works with State DOTs and local public agencies 

to accelerate the implementation of technologies that 

can meet future highway needs, including virtual public 

involvement and data-driven strategies for managing 

traffic incidents. Such innovations have the potential to 

transform transportation planning and operations. To 

further the deployment of innovative technologies, FHWA 

works with transportation agencies to understand their 

implementation needs and develop tests and tools to monitor 

highway operations. Accelerated deployment of proven, 

market-ready technologies and practices will improve 

safety, reduce environmental impacts, and increase access to 

economic opportunities.

Technology Deployment Programs

FHWA embraces a culture of innovation and actively 

supports and advances innovation across the entire breadth 

of the agency’s activities. FHWA has woven innovation into 

its business practices, from developing new technologies at 

its world-class TFHRC to the Office of Technical Services 

and Division Offices, which provide technical assistance to 

the States and local partners to deploy the innovations.

FHWA has numerous technology adoption programs that 

support the innovation pipeline, delivering cutting-edge as 

well as proven technologies. By institutionalizing technology 
12

THE FHWA R&T STORY

adoption programs, FHWA can adapt its support to the 

most impactful innovations at a given time and thus meet 

current and future highway transportation needs. The 

following sections highlight the success of four programs 

and demonstrate FHWA’s commitment to collaborating with 

State and local entities.

TECHNOLOGY DEPLOYMENT PROGRAMS 

Source: FHWA.

Every Day Counts

Every Day Counts (EDC) is a State-based technology 

transfer program that identifies and deploys proven 

technologies that accelerate project delivery, improve safety, 

and reduce congestion. Every 2 years, FHWA collaborates 

with State DOTs, local governments, Tribes, and other 

stakeholders to select innovations to champion. FHWA then 

works with these stakeholders to identify opportunities to 

implement these innovations according to States’ needs 

and establish performance goals. These innovations save 

agencies time, money, and resources, allowing them to 

deliver more projects and accelerate technology adoption.

EDC has completed five rounds of technology transfer and 

has advanced projects in all 50 States plus Puerto Rico. 

The sixth round of EDC (EDC-6), launched in 2021 and 

running through 2022, focuses on numerous innovative 

technologies and strategies, including e-Ticketing and digital 

as-builts (DABs), virtual public involvement, and Strategic 

Workforce Development.(16)

 Details on some of these 

technologies follow:

EDC innovations like e-Ticketing 

help construction workers streamline 

project delivery and reduce work 

crew exposure to vehicular traffic. 

Source: FHWA.

e-Ticketing and DABs 

provide construction 

crews and relevant 

stakeholders with a 

way to electronically 

produce and share 

materials, designs, and 

other project data, 

streamlining project 

delivery. The 

technologies offer other significant benefits as well. 

e-Ticketing and DABs improve safety by reducing work crew 

exposure during vehicular traffic, create time savings 

through reduced processing time and enhanced planning, 

and make project documentation and data collection more 

consistent and efficient.(16)

 These benefits can help agencies 

realize cost savings and shorten project timelines.

Virtual public involvement is an innovative form of 

public engagement that local and State agencies can 

use to improve transportation projects and build feedback 

loops between the public and policymakers, helping establish 

a common vision for transportation. Modern technology and 

communication allow agencies to use websites, social media 
13

INNOVATING THE FUTURE OF TRANSPORTATION

tools, and mobile applications to post information about their 

activities, reaching a wider audience at a lower cost than 

traditional public engagement methods. The public can then 

access online videos, podcasts, crowdsourced maps, and 

other interactive forums to receive information and provide 

input, sparking collaboration and ensuring the public’s 

opinions and needs are considered during project planning 

and development. This engagement also helps identify issues 

early in the project planning process, accelerating project 

delivery, and reducing the need to revisit decisions. Virtual 

public involvement was part of both EDC-5 and EDC-6, 

where FHWA encouraged new forms of public engagement, 

such as telephone town halls, online meetings, pop-up 

outreach, social meetings/meeting-in-a box kits, story maps, 

quick videos, crowdsourcing, survey tools, real-time polling 

tools, social media following, visualization, and working with 

bloggers.(17)

State Transportation Innovation Council

Through State Transportation Innovation Councils (STICs), 

FHWA puts transportation communities—including State, 

Federal, and local agencies; industry; academia; and other 

transportation professionals—in the driver’s seat to select 

innovations that best fit their unique program needs and 

then quickly deploy those innovations. The involvement of 

these communities can help States better identify and target 

innovations, especially when recovering from unprecedented 

events. The STIC program also provides funds up to 

$100,000 per State per fiscal year for deliverables, such 

as developing draft technical standards and guidelines. 

STICs benefit transportation programs within the State and 

establish a culture of innovation that promotes progressive 

practices and advanced technology deployment.

The Ohio DOT (ODOT) used STIC incentive funds to 

improve the environmental documentation process in Ohio, 

a key component of project development. ODOT developed 

guidance to enhance the quality of feasibility studies and 

alternative evaluation reports as well as streamline the 

process for producing these documents. The Maryland 

STIC launched an innovation subcommittee, facilitating 

technology transfer in the public and private sectors. 

Establishing this culture of innovation has catalyzed efforts 

at Maryland DOT (MDOT), including Project Green Light, 

in which employees pitched ideas in a friendly environment, 

and the Operations Innovation Showcase, where MDOT 

highlights innovations developed by State staff.

Accelerated Innovation Deployment 

Demonstration Program

The Accelerated Innovation Deployment Demonstration 

(AID Demo) program provides funding to State and local 

entities to offset risks associated with the initial deployment 

of innovation, leading to FHWA-State partnerships and 

accelerated project delivery. Additionally, funding recipients 

report on experiences and lessons learned from each 

innovation deployment, which are shared via the program 

website to assist technology transfer in other States and 

localities. AID Demo has already awarded $86.9 million 

in grant funding for projects that improve safety, mobility, 

project delivery, and other key areas.

For example, the AID 

Demo program helped 

the Oklahoma DOT 

install high-friction 

surface treatment 

(HFST) on curves at 

multiple locations in 

the Oklahoma City 

metropolitan area. 

HFST, highlighted in 

EDC-2, is an innovative 

approach to restoring 

and maintaining 

pavement friction in 

high-crash areas, allowing drivers to maintain vehicle control 

in wet and dry conditions.(18)

 Oklahoma DOT’s project was 

particularly innovative because it was installed using fully 

automated methods at sites with significantly higher traffic 

volume than previous HFST deployments. These fully 

automated deployments reduced disruptions experienced 

by the traveling public during installation. After an initial 

evaluation determined the deployments were successful, 

Oklahoma DOT created a program that systematically 

applies HFST to high-crash curves throughout the State.(19)

Thus, the AID Demo program not only helped Oklahoma 

DOT improve safety at multiple high-crash locations, 

but it catalyzed a program for future technology transfer, 

improving safety across the State.

FHWA’s AID program helps 

States implement innovative road 

technologies, like HFST. HFST 

allows drivers to maintain control 

in harsh weather conditions.

Source: FHWA.
14

THE FHWA R&T STORY

Advanced Transportation and 

Congestion Management 

Technologies Deployment

The Advanced Transportation and Congestion Management 

Technologies Deployment (ATCMTD) program provides 

grants to State and local DOTs to deploy advanced 

technologies rapidly. The program aims to reduce costs, 

increase return on investment, enhance transportation 

system operations, improve safety, increase data collection 

and dissemination, and accelerate the deployment of 

CAV technologies.

ATCMTD supports various projects and transportation 

modes across the Nation. Grantees have commenced 

projects relating to the safety and movement of vehicles, 

freight, pedestrians, and bicyclists.(20)

 The ATCMTD program 

demonstrates FHWA’s support for accelerating technology 

adoption and innovative practices affecting all modes of 

transportation using the Nation’s roadways. Furthermore, 

FHWA provides support to grantees beyond funding. The 

agency organizes early deployer cohort meetings to facilitate 

peer discussion and offer technical support, assists grantees 

with performance measurement, and creates annual reports 

detailing program highlights.

Innovation Engagement

FHWA engages State and local stakeholders to accelerate 

the implementation of innovative technologies. Engagement 

activities help FHWA understand the complex challenges 

State and local entities may face when deploying innovative 

technologies. Through FHWA’s support, entities complete 

projects more quickly and efficiently, improving the 

safety and performance of transportation systems across 

the Nation.

Small Business Innovation Research and 

Cooperative Research and Development 

Agreements

Supporting small businesses is one of the keys to the 

Nation’s economic recovery. FHWA’s Small Business 

Innovation Research (SBIR) Program encourages domestic 

small businesses to engage in research and development 

addressing high-priority research areas within U.S. DOT. 

SBIR focuses on technologies with high potential for 

commercialization that can be sold to States, localities, and 

other entities.

The SBIR program has invested $50 million in small 

businesses over the past 5 years, creating many success 

stories along the way.(21)

 One company developed a system 

alerting drivers to their surroundings when switching 

between an automated driving system and a human driver, 

which is a challenge to safely deploying AVs on highways.(22)

Another project detects damage in structural components 

with new infrared technologies, allowing for cost savings, 

safety improvements, and more accurate infrastructure 

assessments.(22)

RECYCLED PLASTIC MINI-ROUNDABOUTS 

AS A TRAFFIC CONTROL SOLUTION

Many States and localities have realized the benefits of roundabouts, but roundabout 

installation typically requires the closure of an intersection and involves cutting the 

pavement and filling it with reinforced concrete. To address these installation issues while 

achieving similar benefits, the SBIR program partnered with an engineering company to 

develop and design low-cost, easily installed mini-roundabouts. 

Made with recycled plastic, mini-roundabouts consist of precut 

boards that can be delivered onsite and installed fairly quickly 

without completely closing an intersection, reducing the 

impact on the traveling public.

FHWA’s SBIR Program has 

helped States and localities 

implement roundabouts using 

recycled materials and with 

minimal impacts on traffic.

Source: FHWA.
15

INNOVATING THE FUTURE OF TRANSPORTATION

CRADA AS A TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER TOOL

In addition to working with the private sector through SBIR grants, FHWA’s TFHRC engages in Cooperative 

Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs) with the private sector and academia to develop and 

commercialize new highway-related technologies. FHWA or industry can initiate CRADAs, allowing both sides to 

optimize their resources, exchange technical expertise in a protected environment, share intellectual property, 

and accelerate the commercialization of innovative technologies.

Data-Driven Strategies for Managing 

Disruptions from Non-Recurring Events

In November 2019, FHWA helped organize the Third 

Senior Executive Transportation and Public Safety Summit, 

which focused on the state of traffic incident management 

(TIM) practice, including recent innovative developments. 

The summit brought together 120 national leaders of 

transportation, law enforcement, emergency services, 

and other TIM-related disciplines to discuss supporting 

innovations and accelerating the adoption and expanding the 

use of best practices.(23)

FHWA organizes summits and issues guidance to assist with 

TIM practices across the country. Every minute a lane remains 

blocked can result in 4 to 10 minutes of traffic delay, making 

FHWA’s leadership in TIM critical in minimizing congestion.

© 2014 WSDOT.

In addition to bringing key TIM stakeholders together, 

FHWA developed a document entitled Process for 

Establishing, Implementing, and Institutionalizing a Traffic 

Incident Management Performance Measurement Program, 

which details an easy-to-apply process for local, regional, or 

State entities to establish a TIM program.(24)

 Furthermore, 

TIM is a part of EDC-6, aiming to support local TIM 

programs and integrate cutting-edge technology, tools, and 

training to improve incident management.(25)

Accelerated Implementation and 

Deployment of Pavement 

Technologies

FHWA’s Accelerated Implementation and Deployment 

of Pavement Technologies (AID-PT) program seeks 

to accelerate the adoption of innovative pavement 

technologies, focusing on advancing performance-related 

tests and specifications. The AID-PT program serves as the 

implementation and deployment mechanism for innovations 

coming out of FHWA’s pavement and materials research. A 

variety of activities are pursued under the program, ranging 

from webinars and YouTube videos to practical guide 

documents on pavement technologies.

One specific research area supported through the AID-PT 

program is performance-engineered pavements (PEP). 

This initiative incorporates long-term performance into the 

structural pavement design, mixture design, construction, 

and materials acceptance of the U.S. asphalt and concrete 

infrastructure. The primary goal of the PEP initiative is 

to increase the long-term durability and performance of 

pavement. This initiative also encourages agencies to identify 

the prevalent failure mechanisms within their network and 

assess the available performance tests to address the causes 

of premature deterioration.
16

THE FHWA R&T STORY

The PEP initiative increases pavement’s long-term durability and 

performance through innovative design, quality assurance, and 

performance-based acceptance.

Source: FHWA.

FHWA has also facilitated partnerships and outreach to 

State agencies through the Mobile Asphalt Technology 

Center (MATC) and the Mobile Concrete Technology 

Center (MCTC). These mobile technology centers have 

provided onsite, hands-on assistance to almost every State 

in the Nation. Test procedures that support PEP are one 

of many technology deployments that the centers have 

promoted. Other focuses include demonstrating available 

but underutilized concrete technologies and deploying 

technologies capable of measuring pavement materials’ 

uniformity in realtime.

FHWA deploys MCTCs like this one to provide hands-on 

assistance to States across the Nation, including performing 

demonstrations of available technologies.

Source: FHWA.

Preparing for Future Transportation Options

FHWA works with State and local agencies to support 

the development of tools and products for the testing, 

evaluation, and deployment of future transportation 

options on the Nation’s roadways. State and local agencies 

use analysis, modeling, and simulation (AMS) tools to 

evaluate operational improvements to their transportation 

systems. FHWA has already developed an AMS framework 

that identified the needs and gaps in current capabilities 

to support the evaluation of CAVs on roadways. This 

framework allows FHWA to support State and local agencies 

in developing interoperable data exchanges between vehicles, 

other road users, and infrastructure-based components.(26)

FHWA is also updating its Manual on Uniform Traffic 

Control Devices (MUTCD) to integrate CAVs safely into the 

current transportation network.(27,28)

FHWA is preparing for other innovative future 

transportation options, including multimodal shared 

mobility options such as ridesourcing, bikesharing, and 

scootersharing. Such options can better connect people to 

economic and educational opportunities. An example of 

FHWA’s leadership in integrating shared mobility was the 

development of a primer called Shared Mobility: Current 

Practices and Guiding Principles.

(29)

 The primer provides an 

overview of different shared mobility options being deployed 

across the Nation and sets the foundation for future work 

in the area.(29) Local, regional, and State entities that seek 

to deploy shared mobility or already have forms of shared 

mobility in their jurisdictions will find this overview useful.

FHWA provides resources to support multimodal deployments, 

including bikeshare and scootershare. Above, bicyclists in the 

Nation’s capital travel safely alongside vehicles.

© 2010 Kevin Kovaleski.
17

INNOVATING THE FUTURE OF TRANSPORTATION

For More Information

The following websites provide additional information and further highlight the FHWA activities discussed in this section.

EDC:

https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/innovation/everydaycounts/

Virtual public involvement: 

https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/innovation/everydaycounts/

edc_5/virtual_public_involvement.cfm

STICs:

https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/innovation/stic/

AID Demo:

https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/innovation/grants/

ATCMTD:

https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/fastact/

factsheets/advtranscongmgmtfs.cfm

SBIR Program:

https://highways.dot.gov/research/

opportunities-partnerships/opportunities/

small-business-innovation-research

CRADA:

https://highways.dot.gov/research/opportunitiespartnerships/opportunities/cooperativeresearch-development-agreement-crada

Data-Driven Strategies for Managing 

Disruptions from Non-Recurring Events:

https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/27120

Preparing for Future Transportation Options:

https://www.transportation.gov/av/3/preparingfuture-transportation-automated-vehicles-3

MATC:

https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/pavement/asphalt/trailer/

MCTC:

https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/Pavement/

concrete/trailer/index.cfm

Shared Mobility: Current Practices 

and Guiding Principles:

https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/

fhwahop16022/fhwahop16022.pdf

MUTCD:

https://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/

TIM Practice:

https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/eto_tim_pse/about/tim.htm

Performance Engineered Pavements:

https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/pavement/

materials/hif20005.pdf
18

THE FHWA R&T STORY

FHWA’s leadership on Complete Streets and multimodal systems helps people travel efficiently and 

safely, such as these pedestrians, bicyclists, transit riders, and drivers traveling in Washington, DC. 

© 2017 MWander.

Providing Clear Benefits to the Public

FHWA strives to ensure that the public benefits of 

transportation investment are realized as quickly and 

efficiently as possible. FHWA, working with State and 

local agencies, has significantly reduced injury crashes, 

demonstrated the benefits of improved pavement designs, 

and reduced the time needed for many projects to conduct 

environmental reviews. In addition, reimagining how our 

streets operate and whom they serve can spur more equitable 

economic growth. Throughout the innovation lifecycle, 

FHWA seeks to capture successes and lessons learned 

to build evidence that informs future policymaking and 

strengthens trust in research.

Safety Benefits

Safety is FHWA’s top priority, and FHWA works with its 

State, local, and private sector partners to deliver numerous 

safety programs and technologies. These programs and 

technologies impact safety in a variety of ways, and 

understanding the exact benefits of these strategies is crucial. 

To this end, FHWA established the “Evaluations of Low Cost 

Safety Improvements Pooled Fund Study” (ELCSI-PFS), a 

research program focused on developing reliable estimates 

of the effectiveness of various safety improvements.(30)

This effort is supported by 40 States, and the research 

methodology relies on before-and-after data to determine 

the efficacy.

Original map: © lesniewski / AdobeStock.com. Modifications by 

FHWA to show participation in the Evaluation of Low Cost Safety 

Improvements Pooled Fund Study.
19

INNOVATING THE FUTURE OF TRANSPORTATION

Each study under the ELCSI-PFS aims to provide a CMF 

and a benefit/cost analysis for the targeted safety strategy. A 

selection of findings from completed studies follows:

• Including pedestrian countdown signals reduced 

total crashes by 8 percent and rear-end crashes by 

12 percent.(31)

• Converting a conventional intersection to a restricted 

crossing U-turn generally reduced injury crashes by 

22 percent.(32)

• Adding profiled thermoplastic pavement markings 

reduced nighttime wet-road crashes by 9 percent.(33)

ELCSI-PFS has demonstrated clear benefits for a variety of 

low-cost safety strategies, and the research effort is ongoing. 

Such safety strategies facilitate the expanded safe movement 

of people and goods.

Source: FHWA.

Complete Streets

With its Complete Streets initiative, FHWA aims to make 

roads safe for all travelers, including pedestrians; bicyclists; 

car, truck, and bus drivers and passengers; and more. 

Research has shown that Complete Streets can reduce 

vehicle-related crashes, as well as pedestrian and bicyclist 

risk.(34)

 Complete Streets also promotes equity by protecting 

disadvantaged people who often travel via transit, on foot, 

or by bicycle. The initiative encourages active travel modes, 

which benefit the health of individuals, who are exercising 

while traveling, and the planet, by reducing vehicle 

exhaust emissions.

FHWA is initially focusing on improving the safety of 

arterials and making it easier for States and local agencies 

to build Complete Streets. FHWA will revise policies, 

provide technical assistance, and promote peer learning 

to help advance safety for all road users. In the long term, 

FHWA will seek to ensure that performance metrics are 

comprehensive in tracking safety for everyone, not just 

motor vehicles.

FHWA’s Bikeway Selection Guide helps practitioners implement 

bicycle infrastructure, such as protected bike lanes in Seattle. 

The guide includes tips on how to help advance equity 

throughout the deployment process.

© 2014 Seattle DOT.

FHWA can draw on multiple existing resources to help 

inform decisions on roadway design that consider roadway 

users beyond vehicles. FHWA’s Bikeway Selection Guide

provides two valuable resources for practitioners on this 

topic: Traffic Analysis and Intersection Considerations to 

Inform Bikeway Selection and On-Street Motor Vehicle 

Parking and the Bikeway Selection Process.

(35,36,37)

Traffic Analysis and Intersection Considerations to 

Inform Bikeway Selection features a section on equityfocused design principles to help agencies “prioritize 

accessibility, safety, and equity for all users” when designing 

intersections.(36) The companion guide—On-Street Motor 

Vehicle Parking and the Bikeway Selection Process—

encourages agencies to consider race, equity, and social 

justice in the planning and public policy discussion when 

considering bikeway type selection in the context of on-street 

parking. It outlines an eight-step process to help advance 

transportation equity by incorporating equity into all aspects 

of the transportation planning, design, and implementation 

process. The guide includes multiple case studies to 

demonstrate flexible solutions that accommodate all users.
20

THE FHWA R&T STORY

KEEPING EVERYONE SAFE

FHWA’s On-Street Motor Vehicle Parking and the Bikeway Selection Process includes a case study in which an 

agency in Portland, OR, wanted to implement a separated bike lane. However, this type of bikeway would have 

eliminated the on-street motor vehicle parking that was serving many Black-owned businesses along the street. 

The agency chose to implement a buffered bike lane to improve safety for bicyclists while maintaining access 

to the local businesses. This example highlights how street design can have broad equity implications and how 

FHWA resources seek to help local practitioners make safe and equitable decisions for their roadways.

An additional resource is FHWA’s report Accessible 

Shared Streets: Notable Practices and Considerations 

for Accommodating Pedestrians with Vision 

Disabilities.

(38)

 Complete Streets should meet the needs 

of all users, including those with disabilities. FHWA’s 

guide provides an overview of existing legal requirements, 

best practices on tactile walking surface indicators and 

detectable edges, ideas for addressing accessibility in 

planning and design, lessons learned from Complete Streets 

implementation, and a toolbox of strategies for designing 

Complete Streets. For this research effort, FHWA used 

an extensive stakeholder engagement process to ensure 

that researchers understood the needs of pedestrians with 

vision disabilities.

Curbside Management

FHWA is also advancing research on curbside management. 

Improper curbside management can slow the movement 

of people and goods, limit access, and reduce safety. 

Curb space must serve more than just cars—pedestrians, 

public transportation riders, freight and delivery drivers, 

transportation network service, and micromobility riders 

all should be considered in curbside management. Local 

planners must develop ways to manage all types of demand 

on their streets.

FHWA, in collaboration with the Institute of Transportation 

Engineers, has published a research report on curbside 

management to help communities manage their curb-space 

considerations. The report explores various solutions to 

optimize curb productivity while still maximizing safety.(39)

 At 

its core, curbside management is about improving mobility 

and safety for all through optimized curb-space use.

Infrastructure Benefits

FHWA research innovations seek to improve all aspects of 

highway infrastructure, from investing in the early stages 

of the construction process to improving the long-term 

performance of the country’s highway systems. For example, 

with highways continuing to face the risk of climate-related 

disasters, the Nation’s highway infrastructure must become 

more climate resilient over time. Numerous infrastructure 

research efforts have benefited both State DOTs and 

the public.

Structural Design of Pavement

For pavement structural design, FHWA activities seek to 

advance understanding and improvement of pavement 

lifecycle costs, as well as improve design methods for 

preservation, maintenance, and rehabilitation. One 

technology being studied is continuously reinforced concrete 

pavement (CRCP). CRCP is used by several highway 

agencies in the United States, typically for heavily trafficked 

roadways, and has become a pavement of choice for longlife performance. CRCP can potentially provide long-term 

“zero-maintenance” service life under heavy traffic load and 

challenging environmental conditions. FHWA’s TechBrief 

in this area (Continuously Reinforced Concrete Pavement 

Performance and Best Practices) offers guidance on 

optimizing several key design features of CRCP, including 

longitudinal steel content, simplified details for terminal 

ends, improved transverse construction joint detail, shoulder 

type, and concrete slab/base interface.(40)

When built correctly, CRCP experiences little degradation in 

ride quality over time, meaning maintenance costs are low. 

The low maintenance costs lead to an overall lower lifecycle 
21

INNOVATING THE FUTURE OF TRANSPORTATION

cost compared to alternatives, saving agencies money in the 

long run. CRCP also has a higher capacity for truck loading 

and traffic volumes, which can improve the transportation of 

goods and people across the country.(41)

Long-Term Infrastructure Performance

FHWA’s Long-Term Infrastructure Performance (LTIP) 

Programs seek to advance understanding of how and 

why highway pavements and bridges perform as they do. 

The program consists of two related efforts: pavement 

performance through the Long-Term Pavement Performance 

(LTPP) Program and bridge performance through the LongTerm Bridge Performance (LTBP) Program. Previously 

two independent research projects, the LTIP and LTBP 

were transitioned by FHWA into an integrated program to 

leverage synergies between them.

These programs, conducted in collaboration with the State 

DOT infrastructure owners, characterize and monitor inservice highway pavement test sections (LTPP) and bridges 

(LTBP). Such monitoring allows agencies to assemble the 

data needed to improve infrastructure design and advance 

the understanding of highway infrastructure performance 

necessary to manage transportation assets effectively.

Some of the specific outputs and activities of the LTPP and 

LTBP programs include:

• LTBP InfoBridgeTM, FHWA’s LTBP Program web 

portal, is a centralized gateway to performance data 

and information.(42) It provides an efficient interface 

with visualization capabilities enabling users to perform 

bridge analytics.

• “Transportation Pooled Fund Project TPF-5(283): The 

Influence of Vehicle Live Loads on Bridge Performance” 

seeks to quantify the influence of vehicular live 

loads—with particular emphasis on truckloads—on 

the long-term performance and durability of highway 

bridges.(43) Balancing the needs of the freight industry, 

which include being able to easily ship large quantities 

of goods across the country, with preserving bridge 

infrastructure for as long as possible is important.

• LTPP InfoPaveTM is a web portal that meets a primary 

objective of the LTPP Program by providing access to 

data and information on the performance of in-service 

pavement test sections in North America.(44) This 

information includes pavement roughness measures, 

deflection testing, skid information, and more.

FHWA’s LTBP Program provides critical data and performance measurements to preserve bridge infrastructure across the country. 

The Navajo Bridge, which crosses the Colorado River’s Marble Canyon in Arizona, is one of only two roadway crossings of the 

Grand Canyon. 

© 2012 Al_HikesAZ.
22

THE FHWA R&T STORY

These research efforts focus on improving infrastructure 

to work better for its users and deliver findings to 

relevant audiences.

Evidence-Building for Policymaking

FHWA accelerates delivery of highway projects, builds 

evidence to facilitate continuous learning and better 

decisionmaking, and conducts rigorous evaluations to 

improve future research and policy.

FHWA NEPA Assignment

In the fourth round of EDC (EDC-4), FHWA worked with 

State and other transportation agencies to understand 

the delays that occur during the National Environmental 

Policy Act (NEPA) process and develop tools to streamline 

environmental permitting.(45)

 State, local, and other 

agencies indicated various challenges in environmental 

permitting, including a lack of coordination with resource 

agencies involved in permitting and duplicative efforts 

that reduce efficiency. FHWA established the integrating 

NEPA and permitting approach to help agencies 

communicate better and conduct environmental permitting 

processes concurrently.

As part of this approach, FHWA originally developed an 

online collaboration tool called eNEPA. This tool has since 

been rebranded and improved. In early 2021, FHWA’s 

Office of Planning, Environment, and Realty released its 

Interagency NEPA and Permitting Collaboration Tool 

(INPCT), the improved version of eNEPA.(46,47)

 INPCT is 

designed to help NEPA practitioners efficiently manage the 

environmental review and permitting processes for all types 

of transportation projects.

The tool makes it easier for project managers, environmental 

planners, and resource/regulatory agency staff to exchange 

documents. They can also share comments in realtime, 

strengthening the interagency collaboration process. 

INPCT centralizes many elements of a NEPA review, which 

improves the management of the process as a whole. Users 

can track project and permitting schedules and critical 

milestones, send meeting invitations, manage documents, 

and even track mitigation commitments.

Data and Analysis

Through its research programs, FHWA produces several 

datasets and reports that various transportation practitioners 

rely on to make decisions. Without precise data about 

highway conditions, travel behaviors, traffic bottlenecks, and 

more, it would be difficult to make appropriately targeted 

decisions to achieve the greatest benefit for the public.

One such data product is the Freight Analysis Framework 

(FAF).(48) The FAF, produced through a partnership 

between the Bureau of Transportation Statistics and 

FHWA, integrates data from various sources to create a 

comprehensive understanding of freight movement among 

States and metropolitan areas by all modes of transportation. 

FAF incorporates data from agriculture, extraction, utilities, 

construction, services, and other sectors. Transportation 

practitioners can immediately download summary statistics 

from FAF, which provide information such as the weight/

value of shipments within, from, or to a State and the top five 

trade partners by weight or value for trade leaving a State.

FHWA’s FAF integrates various data sources to facilitate freight 

movement across the United States.

© 2012 Todd Lappin.

Furthermore, survey data on the public’s travel behaviors 

can supplement these types of travel statistics. Conducted 

by FHWA, the National Household Travel Survey (NHTS) 

is the authoritative source on the travel behavior of the 

American public.(49)

 The NHTS includes daily noncommercial 

travel by all modes, including the characteristics of the 

people traveling. It is the only source of national data that 

allows researchers to analyze patterns in personal and 

household travel.
23

INNOVATING THE FUTURE OF TRANSPORTATION

The NHTS collects data directly from a stratified random 

sample of U.S. households. NHTS survey questions cover 

a broad array of topics, including household mobility, 

energy consumption, travel of specific demographic groups, 

safety, and planning applications. For many States and 

metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), the NHTS is 

a critical data source. States and MPOs use NHTS data to 

develop, calibrate, or validate State and MPO travel-demand 

models. These models inform long-range transportation 

planning, and they support corridor-level, interchange, and 

transit infrastructure and planning projects. Beyond the 

transportation needs of States and MPOs, stakeholders in 

fields as diverse as public health, energy, environment, and 

survey methods and analysis use NHTS data.(50)

FHWA combines insights from the FAF, NHTS, and other 

sources to develop its biennial Conditions and Performance 

(C&P) report. The C&P report provides decisionmakers with 

an objective appraisal of the physical conditions, operational 

performances, and financing mechanisms of highways, 

bridges, and transit systems based on the current state of 

these systems and their projected future state under a set 

of alternative investment scenarios. The C&P report offers 

a comprehensive, data-driven background to support the 

development and analysis of legislative, budget, and program 

options for all levels of government.(51)

Another valuable data source produced by FHWA is the 

Naturalistic Driving Study (NDS) data.(52) The NDS data 

comes from the Second Strategic Highway Research Project 

and generates insights into driving behavior. The NDS 

provides information on what preceded both crashes and 

near-crash events, and it also identifies driver behavior in 

real-world driving conditions.

FHWA projects that will utilize NDS data include:

• “Investigating How Multimodal Environments Affect 

Multitasking Driving Behaviors”: This study will use 

NDS data to examine multitasking behaviors, meaning 

any activities not related to driving. The study will focus 

mainly on driver behavior in environments with large 

numbers of pedestrians and cyclists.

• “Incorporating the Impacts of Driver Distraction 

into Highway Design and Traffic Engineering”: This 

research aims to use the NDS data to analyze the 

impacts of driver 

distraction on 

perception-reaction 

time and deceleration 

rate. The results of the 

research will influence 

recommendations 

for relevant 

design parameters.

FHWA’s NDS analyzes the 

causes and impacts of driver 

distraction to reduce crashes 

and improve safety on roadways 

throughout the Nation.

Source: FHWA.

• “Freeway Guide 

Sign Performance 

at Complex Interchanges—Reducing Information 

Overload”: This study will identify performance-based 

guidelines for guide-sign design at complex freeway 

interchanges to reduce the difficulty of navigating 

complex interchanges.

NDS data provide valuable benefits to the public by giving 

researchers a better understanding of driver behavior. 

FHWA’s research in this area will lead to new guidance 

and strategies to minimize crashes and near-crash events, 

improving safety on roadways throughout the country.

Climate change data are also useful for infrastructure 

planning. The Coupled Model Intercomparison Project 

(CMIP) Climate Data Processing Tool’s purpose is to provide 

climate projections at a local level that will be relevant and 

useful for transportation planners.(53) Planners use these 

climate projections to understand what changes may be 

needed to ensure that transportation infrastructure and 

services will be resilient to future impacts of climate change. 

For example, the tool can provide the projected severity 

and frequency of extreme heat days for a given geographic 

location in 2050 and 2100. Having this type of information 

empowers transportation planners to make decisions that 

will ensure the longevity of transportation infrastructure. 

Without this type of data, it would be challenging for 

planners to predict what types of improvements would be 

necessary to maintain their transportation systems.

The Pathway to Advancing Novel Data Analytics (PANDA) 

is a new laboratory at TFHRC seeking to develop, test, 

and apply novel analytics. This effort will benefit the 
24

THE FHWA R&T STORY

public through improved data analysis. State and local 

decisionmakers frequently use data and analytics created 

by FHWA, and PANDA can potentially expand further the 

assistance FHWA can provide to local practitioners.

R&T Evaluation Program

FHWA initiated the R&T Evaluation Program in 2014 

to assess and communicate the benefits of FHWA’s R&T 

efforts and ensure that the organization is expending public 

resources efficiently and effectively. With the passing of 

the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 

2018, it is now essential that government agencies conduct 

evaluations to generate evidence for policymaking.(54) The 

R&T Evaluation Program was developed with support from 

the Transportation Research Board R&T Coordinating 

Committee.(55)

Since 2014, the R&T Evaluation Program has completed 17 

project evaluations, working with research program areas 

across FHWA. These evaluations have yielded numerous 

findings and recommendations of importance to FHWA, 

States, and other transportation stakeholders. For example, 

the R&T evaluation of FHWA’s roundabouts research found 

that FHWA’s investment in roundabouts research greatly 

increased awareness of the technology among States and 

agencies, influencing attitudes on how to use roundabouts 

as a safety countermeasure and leading to more adoptions 

of the technology. The evaluation estimated that the 

approximately 2,400 roundabouts installed in the United 

States between 1990 and 2014 helped prevent between 

38,000 and 53,000 injury crashes, resulting in total societal 

cost savings over that period of approximately $9 billion.(56)

Source: FHWA.

FHWA’s R&T evaluation of roundabouts informed practitioners of roundabouts’ safety benefits, leading to increased 

adoption. This roundabout in Vermont helps vehicles navigate safely through a complex intersection. 

© 2015 VTrans.
25

INNOVATING THE FUTURE OF TRANSPORTATION

STIMULATING ECONOMIC GROWTH

From workforce development to infrastructure improvements to data collection on freight movements, FHWA 

research touches on economic development goals in numerous ways:

• Reliable freight movement data provided by the FAF give State and local planners insight on what roads may 

need improvements to ensure freight moves unimpeded across the country.

• Innovative infrastructure research ensures that roads can safely carry truck traffic and help sustain 

economic growth.

• Curbside management increases the efficient movement of people and goods.

• Workforce development efforts help provide necessary jobs, benefiting both the workers and the travelers 

who rely on the construction that maintains the roads.

The movement of goods and people is vital to economic development. Well-maintained infrastructure is one of 

the many elements necessary to ensure that the United States will have sustained economic growth for many 

years to come.

With the Nation’s infrastructure increasingly in need of 

rapid renewal, States need to have the tools to assess the 

risks of rapid renewal—risks that may differ from those of 

conventional works. The R&T evaluation of FHWA’s work 

on managing risk in rapid-renewal projects found that 

FHWA support allowed States to expose more of their staff 

to rapid-renewal risk management tools and host their own 

risk-management training events. For States adopting rapidrenewal risk-management techniques, the evaluation found 

that those States saved significant amounts of time and 

money constructing their projects, ultimately resulting in less 

disruption for the traveling public.(57)

Workforce Partnerships

It would not be possible to deploy many of FHWA’s research 

initiatives without a strong construction workforce. The 

Highway Construction Workforce Partnership (HCWP) 

strives to increase the capacity and capability of the 

workforce by enhancing the number of individuals trained 

and hired in highway construction.(58) This initiative is also 

present in EDC-6 as Strategic Workforce Development. 

As part of the EDC-6 initiative, a toolkit was developed to 

provide resources and innovative strategies for organizations 

looking to fill construction jobs.

HCWP seeks to identify, train, and place workers into 

highway construction jobs. This program helps both the 

recruited workers as well as the Nation at large. Workers 

receive valuable construction jobs, and travelers across the 

country benefit from the construction efforts that are only 

possible with a large construction workforce. This program 

is vital to ensuring that the highway construction workforce 

will remain robust long into the future.

The Strategic Workforce Development initiative helps 

develop qualified and well-trained highway workers 

to meet labor needs for future highway construction 

projects.(59) FHWA conducted a 2-year pilot across 12 

locations, partnering with other government agencies and 

organizations to explore how industry representatives 

could collaborate with the public workforce system to 

improve their recruiting, training, and retaining of highway 

construction workers. The pilot led to a playbook titled 

Identify, Train, Place, which transforms lessons learned 

from the pilot into simple, repeatable “plays” that States 

and localities can use.(60)

 Additionally, FHWA launched a 

thorough outreach campaign called Roads to Your Future, 

which includes free customizable messaging and marketing 
26

THE FHWA R&T STORY

materials to recruit the next generation of highway 

construction workers.(58) Overall, the Strategic Workforce 

Development initiative helps employers hire qualified 

labor to implement new highway infrastructure while also 

improving American workers’ access to good jobs.(59)

As part of a plan to engage historically Black colleges 

and universities (HBCUs) in research, FHWA conducted 

outreach to inform HBCU faculty and students about the 

NRC (formerly the National Research Council) Research 

Associateship Program (RAP) at FHWA and promote 

access to research at TFHRC. FHWA aims to establish and 

strengthen relationships with HBCUs, leading to increased 

HBCU involvement with NRC RAP and enhanced HBCU 

awareness of other FHWA research programs. These 

efforts promote diversity and inclusion within NRC RAP 

and highlight HBCU-specific programs and expertise in 

transportation fields. FHWA has conducted informational 

interviews with faculty and staff at eight HBCUs—Hampton 

University, Howard University, Jackson State University, 

Morgan State University, North Carolina A&T State 

University, Prairie View A&M University, Tennessee State 

University, and Florida A&M University. FHWA has 

organized findings and created a list of action items to 

continue HBCU engagement.

FHWA’s HCWP and Strategic Workforce Development initiative helps train and develop highway workers to increase 

workforce capacity and capabilities. This effort is critical to meeting labor needs for current and future highway projects. 

© 2010 East Fork Bitterroot Road Recovery Act Project.
27

INNOVATING THE FUTURE OF TRANSPORTATION

For More Information

The following websites provide additional information and further highlight the FHWA activities discussed in this section.

ELCSI–PFS:

https://highways.dot.gov/research/safety/evaluationslow-cost-safety-improvements-pooled-fund-study/

evaluations-low-cost-safety-improvementspooled-fund-study-elcsi%E2%80%93pfs

Complete Streets:

https://www.transportation.gov/

mission/health/complete-streets

Pavements:

https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/pavement/

LTBP:

https://highways.dot.gov/research/longterm-infrastructure-performance/ltbp/

long-term-bridge-performance

LTPP:

https://highways.dot.gov/research/longterm-infrastructure-performance/ltpp/

long-term-pavement-performance

FHWA InfoMaterialsTM:

https://infopave.fhwa.dot.gov/InfoMaterials

FHWA InfoBridgeTM:

https://infobridge.fhwa.dot.gov/

Transportation Pooled Fund Project TPF-5(283):

https://highways.dot.gov/sites/fhwa.dot.gov/files/

docs/research/publications/multimedia/2516/

trb2014pooledfundupdate.pdf

FHWA NEPA Assignment:

https://www.environment.fhwa.dot.

gov/nepa/assignment.aspx

FAF:

https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/freight/freight_analysis/faf/

National Household Travel Survey:

https://nhts.ornl.gov/

C&P Report:

https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policy/23cpr/

R&T Evaluation Program:

https://highways.dot.gov/research/researchdevelopment/rt-performance-evaluation/rt-evaluation
28

THE FHWA R&T STORY

Conclusion

FHWA R&T innovations strive to ensure the traveling 

public’s safety, stimulate economic growth, promote 

equity, reduce climate impacts, and foster transformational 

technologies. From testing new countermeasures to 

protecting pedestrians to accelerating bridge construction on 

high-volume roads to developing policy recommendations 

from the NHTS, FHWA is engaged in numerous innovative 

activities that have a tangible impact on the safe, equitable 

movement of people and goods. Despite the challenges the 

country faces, FHWA’s spirit of innovation and collaboration 

with partners will ensure that the transportation system 

advances the Nation’s economic recovery and a better future 

for all.

FHWA’s leadership and formation of strategic partnerships help 

advance mobility and economic opportunity across the country. 

Above, workers construct Jeff Todd Way, a new connector 

road built through a collaborative effort between FHWA; the 

U.S. Army; the Virginia DOT; and Fairfax County, VA. 

© 2014 Jeff Todd Project Construction.

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Story: Innovating the Future of Transportation (Washington, DC: 2022) 

https://doi.org/10.21949/1521726.
Publication No. FHWA-HRT-22-035 

HRT-01/01-22(200)E

© 2015 USchools / iStock.