FHWA R&T Now ~ September 2011~

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A news update of research, technology, and development from the U.S. Department of Transportation 

(USDOT), Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)

GENERAL/ADMINSTRATIVE

FHWA Prepares to Implement SHRP 2

Approximately 20 percent of the Second Strategic Highway Research Program’s (SHRP 2) more than 90 

projects are complete. The Transportation Research Board (TRB) will continue to manage the research 

program until 2015, governed by its extended cooperative agreement with the Federal Highway 

Administration (FHWA). In the meantime, recognizing the considerable linkage between SHRP 2 research 

products and FHWA program goals, FHWA staff members remain engaged in TRB’s early implementation 

activities (pilots, training, workshops, and webinars), as this will expedite the transfer of knowledge from 

the researchers to the deployment agents and practitioners.

Based on a preliminary assessment of all emerging SHRP 2 products, FHWA has targeted several products 

as immediate priorities for the Agency to lead deployment efforts in the coming months. FHWA is 

currently working with TRB and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials 

(AASHTO) to develop implementation plans for these products. The collaborative plans will establish 

deployment goals, strategies, costs, and measures. Further product assessments will take place as additional 

SHRP 2 projects near completion.

FHWA and partner organizations, TRB, AASHTO, and the National Highway Transportation Safety 

Administration (NHTSA), continue to work on a collaborative approach to SHRP 2 implementation. The 

organizations are preparing a strategic communications plan to brand and promote the overall benefits of 

the SHRP 2 program. This activity will be tied to individual outreach efforts for specific SHRP 2 products 

and technologies.

 

For more information, contact Ken Jacoby, 202-493-3186, ken.jacoby@dot.gov.

ADVANCED RESEARCH

Exploratory Advanced Research Program Initiates Two Studies in Foundational Research for New 

Approaches to a National Transportation Demand Model

FHWA’s Exploratory Advanced Research (EAR) Program entered into a contract with Battelle Memorial 

Institute to develop a futuristic design for a national long-distance travel survey. This design will push the 

boundaries of current sampling, data collection, and statistical weighting/estimation. FHWA also entered 

into a cooperative agreement with the Resource Systems Group, Inc, that will investigate using advanced 

agent-based modeling of long-distance travel behavior that is sensitive to policy variables and 

representative of the population, based on empirical evidence. 

Both awards resulted from an open solicitation scoped after coordination with the Federal Railroad 

Administration and Federal Aviation Administration. If successful, the two awards are anticipated to 

contribute toward developing a multimodal national transportation demand model that could provide public 

and private sector entities the capability to conduct multimodal analyses of national and multi-state regional 
travel and congestion, test the effectiveness of national policies, and provide a framework for system 

performance measurement. 

For more information about the national long-distance travel survey project, contact Patrick Zhang, 202-

366-1941, patrick.zhang@dot.gov. For more information about the agent-based microsimulation project, 

contact Brad Gudzinas, 202-366-5024, brad.gudzinas@dot.gov. For more information about the EAR 

Program, contact David Kuehn, 202-493-3414, david.kuehn@dot.gov.

FHWA and NSF Foster Collaboration to Advance Cyber-Physical Systems Research

FHWA is working with the National Science Foundation (NSF) to advance research on cyber-physical 

systems for highway transportation. On August 29, 2011, Michael F. Trentacoste, FHWA’s Associate 

Administrator for Research, Development, and Technology and Director of the Turner-Fairbank Highway 

Research Center (TFHRC), met with Farnam Jahanian, Assistant Director of NSF’s Computer and 

Information Science and Engineering Directorate, staff members, and other professionals to discuss areas 

of mutual interest. Cyber-physical systems research integrates the disciplines of engineering, computer 

science, and information science. At first, only a mechanical system controlled vehicle braking. Now 

vehicles are equipped with computer programming that can interact with the mechanical system to reduce 

skidding and improve stability. In the future, connected vehicles could communicate with other vehicles 

and the infrastructure interacting with braking and other control systems in ways that could dramatically 

reduce traffic deaths and injuries, improve mobility, and reduce energy use. FHWA, through the EAR 

Program, and NSF have already coordinated workshops for sharing results of ongoing research. The two 

agencies are currently looking at further opportunities, such as improving access to unique research test 

beds, enhancing the transfer of research results to industry, and increasing academic focus on national 

program needs. 

For more information, contact David Kuehn, 202-493-3414, david.kuehn@dot.gov.

EAR Program Participates in an NSF Study on Underground Geoengineering

To explore underground geoengineering for sustainable development, FHWA’s EAR Program has entered 

into an interagency agreement with NSF. This multiyear study will summarize current engineering 

knowledge related to underground development and identify research needs to capitalize on opportunities 

for enhancing urban sustainability through underground development. FHWA’s support and participation 

in the study will leverage NSF funds already committed to the study and ensure that the study adequately 

addresses transportation needs associated with underground geoengineering for sustainable development. 

More information regarding the NSF study is available at 

http://www8.nationalacademies.org/cp/projectview.aspx?key=49215.
INFRASTRUCTURE

Statistical Analysis of Performance of Recycled Hot Mix Asphalt Overlays in Flexible Pavement 

Rehabilitation

This document is a technical summary of FHWA’s report, Impact of Design Features on Pavement 

Response and Performance in Rehabilitated Flexible and Rigid Pavements (FHWA-HRT-10-066). The 

objective of this TechBrief is to provide a summary of statistical analysis results of data collected during 

the Long-Term Pavement Performance Program. The performance of recycled hot mix asphalt was 

compared to virgin mix in flexible pavement overlays.

For more information, contact Larry Wiser, 202-493-3079, larry.wiser@dot.gov.

The TechBrief is available online via

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/infrastructure/pavements/ltpp/11051/index.cfm

OPERATIONS

Connected Vehicle-Highway Research to Take the Road

FHWA’s TFHRC Office of Operations R&D is undertaking new research into how infrastructure can 

support mobility, safety, and environmental applications for travelers. As a foundational piece of this 

research, TFHRC is developing a new signal phase and timing interface definition and message set. This 

will enable mobile devices in vehicles or carried by travelers, including people with disabilities, to obtain 

accurate, real-time information about the traffic signals they encounter. This will allow the vehicles and 

traveler to take actions that will decrease travel times, decrease red-light running, and improve fuelefficiency. The first drafts of the new interface specification and message set have been completed and 

construction is scheduled to begin in early October to upgrade the Connected Vehicle-Highway Testbed 

(CVHT) with new signal control equipment. Field testing of this new interface will take place at the CVHT 

this winter.

For more information, contact Deborah Curtis, 202-493-3267, deborah.curtis@dot.gov.

SAFETY

Roadway Safety Data Partnership Capability Assessment

Have you scheduled your roadway data assessment yet? The Roadway Safety Data Partnership Capability

is designed to work with each State to help it understand its roadway data capabilities and to encourage 

States to identify goals to guide roadway data improvement efforts. In addition, the information gathered 

from the assessments will help FHWA identify national gaps and better focus its efforts to support state 

activities aimed at reaching roadway data goals. 

To learn more about the assessment or to schedule your State’s assessment, please contact Heather 

Rothenberg, 202-366-2193, heather.rothenberg2@dot.gov.

More information is also available online at http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/rsdp.
FHWA Issues Guidance on Fundamental Roadway Safety Data Collection

While many States are pursuing improvement in highway safety data analysis and the usage of analytical 

tools, many are asking what types of roadway data they should be collecting. FHWA’s Office of Safety and 

an assembled Expert Working Group ended a year and a half of analysis and deliberation on this issue 

when they issued guidance on August 1, 2011 that describes the 38 fundamental roadway and traffic data 

elements that States should be collecting for their Highway Safety Improvement Program analysis. This 

new guidance along with its Background Research Report and a market analysis of the cost of collecting 

these data can be found at http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/tools/data_tools/dcag.cfm

For more information, contact Mshadoni Smith, 202-366-7105, mshadoni.smith@dot.gov.

RECENT PERIODICALS

FOCUS Newsletter August 2011

The August issue includes: A Data-Driven Approach to Inspection: FHWA Introduces New Bridge Safety 

Initiative; Expanded FHWA Hydraulics laboratory to Conduct Major New Bridge Scour Studies; FOCUS 

on Training—Ready, Set, Go: FHWA’s Online Maintenance Training Series; New FHWA Tech Briefs 

Offer Information on Superpave Gyratory Compaction; Webinar to Present Expert Guidance on 

Controlling Concrete Cracking; Subscribe to NHI Training Updates; and Highway Technology Calendar.

The issue is available online via http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/focus/11aug/11aug00.cfm

For more information, contact Lisa Pope, lgpope@woodwardcom.com.

FOCUS Newsletter July 2011

The July issue includes: RAP: The State of the Practice; FHWA Offers New Guidance on Hollow Bar Soil 

Nails; Intelligent Compaction: One Giant Step Forward in Quality Control; Highway Technology Calendar; 

Pipe Installation, Inspection, and Quality: What You Need to Know; and Annual Report Provides a 

Snapshot of NHI.

The issue is available online via http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/focus/11jul/11jul00.cfm

For more information, contact Lisa Pope, lgpope@woodwardcom.com.

Public Roads—September/October 2011

This issue includes: What Does It Take to Change How We Do Business?; Modeling Transportation 

Systems: Past, Present, and Future; Fighting Congestion with Smarter Highways; The Atlanta BeltLine: A 

Green Future; Going on a Road Diet; and Wherefore Art Thou Aggregate Resources for Highways?

It is available online via http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/publicroads/11septoct/index.cfm

For more information, contact Paula Magoulas, paula.magoulas@dot.gov.
LTPP Newsletter--Summer 2011

This issue includes: FHWA, AASHTO, and States Reinforce Support for LTPP at the State Coordinators’ 

Meeting; New! LTPP Webinars; New Publications; and E* Computation of LTPP Sites.

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/ltppnews/11066.cfm

Innovator: Accelerating Innovation for the American Driving Experience—September/October 2011

This issue includes: Massachusetts “Fast 14” Project Replaces Bridges in One Summer; Q&A With Mal 

Kerley: Using Innovation to Keep Virginia Moving; Technology Partnerships Project to Test SolarPowered Traffic Signs; CM/GC Project Delivery Method Enhances Innovation; New Method to Permit 

Incremental Deck Replacement in New Hampshire; Reader Questions on Intelligent Asphalt Compaction 

Analyzer Answered; Quick Fix; and Calendar.

The issue is available online via http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/hfl/innovator/issue26.cfm

For more information, contact Kathleen Bergeron, kathleen.bergeron@dot.gov.

Links:

Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/research/

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

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

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