TRB Annual MeetingTuesday, January 24, 2006

Session 505

FHWA Commitment and FHWA Commitment and Corporate Objectives for Corporate Objectives for

Advanced ResearchAdvanced Research

FHWA Mission

Enhanced Mobility through Innovation,Leadership, and Public Service

…and Roles• Leaders for National Mobility• Stewards for National Highway Programs• Innovators for a Better Future

Scope of FHWA Role in R&T• Conducting research • Supporting research by:

•State DOT’s •Universities•Private industry

• Stimulating development and innovation• Facilitating technology transfer and

deployment• Educating the transportation professional

of the future

• Safety• Infrastructure• Transportation System Management and

Operations• Planning/Environment/Real Estate

Services• Policy• Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS)

FHWA R&T Focus AreasR&T in FHWA covers the entire innovation process, including research, development, innovation deployment, education, and training.

R&T in FHWA covers the entire innovation process, including research, development, innovation deployment, education, and training.

A Strategic Approach

FHWA Commitment recognizes the need to focus on high-risk research with high payoff potential.

Corporate Master Plan forResearch and Deployment of Technology & Innovation

Advanced Research in Context

FHWA APPLIED

RESEARCH

BASIC RESEARCH

Exploratory Advanced Research

FHWA ADVANCED RESEARCH

PLAN

National Science Foundation

National & International Laboratories

Universities/Centers of Excellence

Nat. & Int’l Transportation

Institutes

Advanced Transportation Research at DOT, DOE, DOD, EPA, etc.

FHWA Mission Oriented

Advanced Research

Advanced Research defined:

“Research that involves and draws upon basic research results to provide a better understanding of phenomena and develop innovative solutions. Sometimes referred to as exploratory research in order to convey its more fundamental character, its broader objectives, and the greater uncertainty in expected outcomes compared to problem-solving research.”

• Southwest Research Institute developed a nondestructive inspection system using magnetostrictive sensing (MsS)

• “CableScan” is a commercially available service resulting from this study, which originated out of FHWA’s advanced research program.

Advanced research project leads to licensed technology

Authorized Funding for RT&E Programs

Note: ITS Deployment receives $122 million under SAFETEA-LU, but only in FY 2005.

Program FY-2005 FY-2006 FY-2007 FY-2008 FY-2009

Surface Transportation Research, Development and Deployment

$196.4M(+$42.6M)

$196.4M $196.4M $196.4M $196.4M

Training and Education $26.7M(+$7.2M)

$26.7M $26.7M $26.7M $26.7M

Bureau of Transportation Statistics

$27M(-$4.5M)

$27M $27M $27M $27M

University Transportation Research

$69.7M(+$44.8M)

$69.7M $69.7M $69.7M $69.7M

Intelligent Transportation

Systems Research

$110M(+$6.6M)

$110M $110M $110M $110M

Total $429.8M $429.8M $429.8M $429.8M $429.8M

SAFETEA-LU Funding for Exploratory Advanced

Research

$14 Million for each of fiscal years 2005 - 2009

SAFETEA-LU Program Guidelines

• Consistent with surface transportation research and technology strategic plan

• Address long-term, higher-risk research with potentially dramatic breakthroughs

• Strive to develop public and private partnerships

SAFETEA-LU Research Areas

A. Characterization of materials used in highway infrastructure.

B. Assessment of the effects of transportation decisions on human health.

C. Development of surrogate measures of safety.

D. Environmental research.

E. Data acquisition techniques for system condition and performance monitoring.

F. System performance data and information processing.

Where do we go from here?

SAFETEA-LUThink Tank

Recommendations

R&T Leadership Team & Roadmaps

RTCC Recommendatio

ns

Program Delivery

• UTC Program – Universities address identified Adv. Research focus areas

• NSF - $1.5M leveraged w/ $1.5M match (joint research, NSF-managed)

- Facilitate TFHRC/University partnerships (principal investigator with lab manager)

• TRB IDEA Program for AR