FHWA R&T Now ~May 2009~

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A news update of research, development and innovation delivery from the U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Federal Highway Administration 

GENERAL/ADMINSTRATIVE 

-Debra Elston Presents at MODOT’s 2009 Research ForumDebra Elston, FHWA’s Director of Corporate Research, Technology and Innovation Management was 

honored to present at the Missouri Department of Transportation’s 2009 Research Forum, “Setting a 

Course for the Future.” Debra’s presentation addressed the value of research, the Federal role, program 

improvements and funding levels. 

http://www.modot.mo.gov/services/OR/ResearchForum.htm

ADVANCED RESEARCH 

-FHWA Exploratory Advanced Research Solicits ProposalsThe FHWA Exploratory Advanced Research (EAR) Program solicits proposals through a Broad Agency 

Announcement on 12 topics in four focus areas: 

Nanoscale research; 

Concepts for integrated highway safety and systems operations; 

New technologies and advanced policies for energy and resource conservation systems; and, 

Macro, mega and national scale modeling systems. 

Proposals are due June 24, 2009, with awards anticipated through fall. The EAR Program plans to award 

around $11.6 million to proposals responding to the solicitation. For more information, please contact: 

terry.halkyard@.dot.gov 202-493-3467 

david.kuehn@dot.gov 202-493-3414

-FHWA Hosts Nano-Scale Research WorkshopOn March 5-6, FHWA hosted a workshop to identify interests and capabilities for nanoscale research that 

can be applied to highway industry subject matters. The workshop connected technical experts from 

University Transportation Centers, federal laboratories, and other sources who are conducting relevant 

nanoscale research. The information and thoughts shared at this meeting will shape the scope of FHWA 

investment in nanoscale research through an open solicitation, interagency agreement, or other appropriate 

mechanisms. For more information, contact: 

david.kuehn@dot.gov 202-493-3414

-FHWA Exploratory Advanced Research Program Partners with SCOR on Strategic ResearchThe FHWA Exploratory Advanced Research (EAR) Program will solicit and fund research for one of the 

topics identified for NCHRP 20-83, Long-Range Strategic Issues Facing the Transportation Industry. The 

American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials' Standing Committee on Research 

(SCOR) approved solicitation of five topics and funding two additional topics in FY 2010 as part of a new 

Long-Range Strategic Issues project. To accelerate the research, FHWA offered to fund one additional 
project, “Multi-Modal Connectivity Options for a Future Seamless Transportation System.” Researchers 

for the project will study the range of possible multi- and inter-modal connectivity options, looking 30 to 

50 years ahead and focusing on optimizing different forms of system capacity, improving reliability, and 

creating a seamless, safe transportation system. The EAR Program is soliciting proposals on the topic from 

all sources and is seeking candidates to serve on an expert panel to provide technical oversight of the 

project similar to panels formed for the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP). For 

more information, contact:

david.kuehn@dot.gov 202-493-3414

INFRASTRUCTURE 

-ENR Top 25 Newsmaker for 2008- 

Mike Adams, Research Geotechnical Engineer at TFHRC was selected by Engineering News Record 

(ENR) to highlight as one of their Top 25 Newsmakers for 2008. Mike is known for his dedicated 

promotion of geosynthetic reinforced soil (GRS) technology used for building efficient and cost effective 

bridge substructure components, which has been an integral part of FHWA’s Bridge of the Future initiative. 

The ENR article is online at: 

http://enr.construction.com/people/awards/2009/0107.asp

-Long-Term Bridge Performance ProgramThe Long-Term Bridge Performance (LTBP) program team has conducted “Focus Group” meetings with 8 

state DOT offices to discuss performance and maintenance issues that the states encounter on a regular 

basis; 5 additional state meetings have been scheduled. Not surprisingly, some of the key issues the states 

have identified include: bridge deck performance and corrosion concerns, bridge deck joint performance, 

bearing performance, and scour and scour countermeasures issues. From this, a preliminary set of program 

data requirements and bridge performance metrics has been developed. The next phase of work is initiation 

of a pilot program to assess data collection protocols and guidelines for the LTBP visual inspections, bridge 

instrumentation, and NDE. Two bridges have been selected for the pilot program to test and validate these 

protocols and guidelines for implementation (one each in VA and UT). Other states to be included are 

likely to run through 2011. For information on the LTBP program see the LTBP program Web site at: 

http://www.tfhrc.gov/ltbp/

For information on the pilot program, contact: 

john.penrod@dot.gov 202-493-3051 

-Long-Term Pavement Performance Computed Parameter: Frost PenetrationThis report will be of interest to highway agency engineers as well as researchers who will use the LTPP 

frost penetration data to improve pavement design and analysis procedures. 

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/pavement/ltpp/pubs/08057/

larry.wiser@dot.gov 202-493-3079 

-Long-Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) Manual for Profile Measurements and Processing- 
This manual describes operational procedures to be followed when measuring longitudinal pavement 

profiles for the LTPP program. 

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/pavement/ltpp/pubs/08056/index.cfm

aramis.lopez@dot.gov 202-493-3145

SAFETY 

-Ver. 2 of Surrogate Safety Assessment Model (SSAM) Available – Free DownloadSSAM conducts conflict analysis and performs statistical analysis of vehicle trajectory data output from 

common microscopic traffic simulation models. The software computes a number of surrogate measures of 

safety for each conflict that is identified in the trajectory data and then computes summaries (mean, max, 

etc.) of each surrogate measure. This approach yields crash frequency predictions for hypothetical designs 

and control alternatives, and is applicable to facilities where traditional, volume-base crash-prediction 

models have not been established. Contact Clayton Chen, FHWA HRDS Project Manager at: 

http://www.itssiemens.com/research/ssam/ 

SSAM Software User Manual: http://www.tfhrc.gov/safety/pubs/08050/index.htm

 

SSAM Final Report: http://www.tfhrc.gov/safety/pubs/08051/index.htm

clayton.chen@dot.gov 202-493-3054 

-FHWA Senior Mobility Initiatives/UpdatesThe FHWA senior mobility program centers on providing highway engineers and transportation specialists 

with older road user guidelines. Since 1998 we have provided the transportation community with these 

guidelines in the “Highway Design Handbook for Older Drivers and Pedestrians”. This Handbook defines 

the physical changes of and cognitive changes in older drivers and pedestrians and recommends roadway 

designs and strategies which will accommodate these aging drivers and pedestrians. This Handbook, now 

in its third reiteration, will include reference to the most current traffic control standards, and best practices 

practiced around the country. Release of this updated Handbook will be in 2010 following publication of 

the new MUTCD. Also, the FHWA provides States with training on how to understand and apply these 

guidelines through classes provided by the Resource Center. These workshops can be requested by the 

States and are provided free of charge. For more information on the “Highway Design Handbook for Older 

Drivers and Pedestrians”, contact: 

dick.schaffer@dot.gov 202-366-2176 

For more information on requesting a workshop to learn more about the Handbook, contact: 

gene.amparano@dot.gov 816-329-3909 

-Techbrief: Traffic Calming on Main Roads Through Rural CommunitiesThis TechBrief summarizes an evaluation of the effects on speed of low-cost, traffic-calming treatments on 

main rural highways passing through small, rural communities in Iowa. 

http://www.tfhrc.gov/safety/pubs/08067/index.htm
ray.krammes@fhwa.gov 202-493-3312 

edward.sheldahl@dot.gov 202-366-2193 

-The National Surface Transportation Safety Center for Excellence (NSTSCE) 2008 Annual ReportThe annual report from the National Surface Transportation Safety Center for Excellence (NSTSCE) is 

provided for your information. The Center develops and disseminates advanced transportation safety 

techniques and innovations. The Center's mission is to use state-of-the-art facilities, including the Virginia 

Smart Road, to conduct the necessary research to improve driver safety in both rural and urban 

communities. 

NSTSCE Annual Reports - links for the pdf files are after the "About NSTSCE" section 

http://www.vtti.vt.edu/stsce.html

-SafetyAnalyst Brochure updateSafetyAnalyst is a set of software tools under development to help State and local highway agencies 

advance their programming of site-specific safety improvements. 

http://www.tfhrc.gov/safety/pubs/safetyanalystbroch/index.htm

OPERATIONS 

-Follow-On to Advanced Modeling and Simulation WorkshopOn May 27th, the Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center (TFHRC) will host a follow-on to the 

Advanced Modeling and Simulation Workshop that was held here in December 2008. This workshop will 

help define research agendas for the four topics selected in December: Data -Warehousing 

Databases/Availability; How do we get models to work together?; Traveler Behavior; and, External 

Factors/Non-Recurring Conditions. Operations R&D staff will be liaisons to each of these groups along 

with a co-chair from other FHWA offices with a vested interest in the topic. This will ensure collaboration 

as we scope and execute a research plan. Dale Thompson, Travel Management Team, Office of Operations 

R&D is the lead for this workshop. Proceedings will be made available after the symposium. 

dale.thompson@dot.gov 202-493-3420 

-Second FHWA/UTC/RITA Conference on Traffic ManagementOn May 13-14, the Office of Operations R&D hosted a second meeting of its University Transportation 

Center (UTC) partners at TFHRC. There were over 60 people in attendance at the meeting representing 23 

universities, other Federal offices, and included world leaders in traffic management research, program 

managers from the ITS Joint Program Office, FHWA's Offices of Operations, Environment and Planning, 

Federal Highway Lands, and Safety R&D. Four main topics were discussed at the meeting: New control 

algorithms and hardware; Simulation and modeling; Use of traffic data; and, Vehicle-Highway Cooperative 

Systems. Participants established a baseline understanding of current Operations R&D activities and 

possible new directions in these technical areas. For more information contact: 

deborah.curtis@dot.gov 202-493-3267
ENVIRONMENT 

-GIS-Bicycle/Pedestrian Peer ExchangeOn May 11th & 12th, 2009, HEP’s Office of Interstate and Border Planning sponsored a peer exchange 

hosted by the Miami-Dade County MPO in Miami, Florida. Planned in conjunction with Gabe Rousseau in 

the Office of Natural Environment, the exchange brought together professionals representing Michigan 

DOT, New Jersey DOT, Two-Rivers-Ottauquechee Regional Commission, Martin MPO, Broward County 

Department of Environmental Protection and Growth, the city of Miami, and the Seattle DOT. Participants 

shared lessons and challenges in using GIS to accomplish various bicycle/pedestrian transportation 

objectives. A summary report of the exchange will be available by the end of June on the FHWA GIS in 

Transportation Web site (http://gis.fhwa.dot.gov). For more information contact: 

mark.sarmiento@dot.gov 202-366-4828 

RECENT PERIODICALS 

-FOCUS Newsletter – April 2009- 

This issue includes: Swimming with the Fishes: Recycled Concrete Finds New Life Supporting 

Maryland’s Marine Habitat; Improving Bridge Safety and Reliability with LRFR; FHWA Introduces 

Quality Assurance Specification Course; Achieving Better Pavement Design with WIM Technologies: 

FHWA Workshop Offers Step-by-Step Guide; and, Highway Technology Calendar. 

http://www.tfhrc.gov/focus/apr09/index.htm

lgpope@woodward.com

-Public Roads – March/April 2009- 

This issue includes: 1. Revisiting the TEA-21 Reauthorization: Extensions and Delays. 2. Building 

Lightly on the Land. 3. Maximizing Transportation Investments: Collaborative Fraud Prevention and 

Outreach. 4. Congestion Pricing With Lane Reconfigurations to Add Highway Capacity. 5. Low-Cost 

Safety Improvements for Horizontal Curves. 6. Designing Excellence. 

http://www.tfhrc.gov/pubrds/09mar/index.htm

martha.soneira@dot.gov

-Safety Compass Newsletter – January/February/March 2009- 

This issue includes: President Obama Marks Historic Transportation Investment, Including Safety 

Strategies In The Recovery Act Delivery, Missouri’s Smooth Roads Initiative Improves Roadway Safety, 

Tennessee is implementing a Ramp Queue Program, Montana Highway Patrol has created a six-person 

roving unit to patrol Montana’s high-enforcement corridors, Roadway Safety Foundation Awards

Technical Assistance to Educate Public about Lifesaving Benefits of Roadway Safety Features, 

Pennsylvania’s Local Safe Roads Communities and Walkable Communities Programs, Safety on the 

Centerline - Nevada Department of Transportation is installing rumble strips in the center of over 1,300 

miles of two-lane rural State roadways, New Jersey Department of Transportation’s Division of Traffic 

Engineering and Safety’s Plan4Safety - a free web-based application available to all state, county, and 

local safety professionals involved in engineering, enforcement, and education., Reductions in Highway-
Rail Grade Crossing Crashes: Increase in Pedestrian Incidents Brings New Challenges, HSIP 23 CFR Part 

924 – Revised Regulation, Florida Web-based Safety Program Tracking Tool, Iowa’s High-Crash Curve 

Database, FHWA Safety Office Concludes Successful 6-Year Study on Deployment of Pedestrian 

Countermeasures in Three Cities: Las Vegas, San Francisco and Miami. 

http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/newsletter/safetycompass/safetycompass.htm 

janet.ewing@dot.gov 

-Transportation and Climate Change Newsletter – April 2009- 

This issue includes: FHWA Launches New Climate Change Website; Secretary LaHood Testifies on 

Climate Change Legislation; EPA Proposes Endangerment Finding for Greenhouse Gases; EPA Proposes 

First National Reporting on Greenhouse Gas Emissions; Center for Clean Air Policy Releases “A 

Pragmatic Approach to Regulating Greenhouse Gases Under the Clean Air Act (CAA)”; Conference 

Proceedings Released on Integrating U.S. Climate, Energy, and Transportation Policy; Asset Management 

and Adaptation to Climate Change Webinar Presentations Available; California Adopts Low Carbon Fuel 

Standard; Michigan Climate Action Council Releases Final Plan; Southern Transportation and Air Quality 

Summit, August 25-27; DOE Funding Available for Transportation Projects that Conserve Energy; 2009 

Transportation, Planning, Land Use and Air Quality Conference to Focus on Climate Change; and, 

Transportation Research Board Starts a New Climate Change Website. 

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/hep/climatechange/newsletter/ccnews0409.htm

-Innovator–Accelerating Innovation for the American Driving Experience-April/May 2009- 

This issue includes: Q&A With Sandra Larson: Working in an Innovative Culture; Innovations Highlight 

Missouri Project; Utah Project Results Show Innovation Benefits; Web Conference Centers on 

Performance Contracting; Labs Test System to Automate Aggregate Analysis; ARTBA Honors 

Technology Partnerships Project; and, Calendar.

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/hfl/innovator/issue12.cfm

-Centered on Service- May 2009- 

This issue includes: The FHWA and NEPA, 40 Years Later; Civil Rights Team Highlights Promising 

Practices; STAQS 2009-Jacksonville, FL; COP on Historic Bridges; PDS Update: National Title 

VI/Nondiscrimination Forum; Precast Concrete Pavement Systems PDS; New Course Helps Public 

Involvement Practitioners; New NHI Offerings; Transportation Partnership Programs News: LTAP/TTAP 

Activities; Office of Technical Services Brings Together RC, NHI, and TPP Staffs; and RC Staff Honored 

for Commitment to Excellence. 

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/resourcecenter/success/cosvol5iss2.pdf

Links: 

Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center: www.tfhrc.gov 

Resource Center: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/resourcecenter/ 

National Highway Institute: http://www.nhi.fhwa.dot.gov/home.aspx

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