Transportation construction inspectors (CIs) have specific expertise in areas such as earthwork, structures, and pavement. CIs apply this expertise to ensure that construction work meets or exceeds the construction contract requirements. State departments of transportation are facing attrition in the CI workforce and losses in institutional knowledge among CIs as a result of retirements, agency downsizing, and fewer individuals pursuing construction inspection. The number of candidate CIs is projected to...

The Federal-Aid Highway Program (FAHP) represents one of the largest grant programs in the federal domestic budget and is a combination of individual categorical and discretionary grant programs. The TRB National Cooperative Highway Research Program's  NCHRP Research Report 1023: Federal Funding Flexibility: Use of Federal-Aid Highway Fund Transfers by State DOTs investigates recent experience with statutory features that allow recipients of formula grants to shift the authority to use federal funds...

State departments of transportation (DOTs) have various practices for ensuring information security, cybersecurity, and physical security, and for controlling permissions for interactive tools, which can make collaboration, information access, and knowledge sharing difficult. The TRB National Cooperative Highway Research Program's NCHRP Research Report 1034: Guidelines on Collaboration and Information Security for State DOTs presents guidelines for facilitating secure collaboration and information sharin...

The AASHTO Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH) is the latest in a series of documents that provide guidelines on testing and evaluating roadside safety features. The 2016 document represents a comprehensive update to crash-test and evaluation procedures to reflect changes in the vehicle fleet, operating conditions, and roadside safety knowledge and technology. The TRB National Cooperative Highway Research Program's NCHRP Research Report 1024: Evaluation of Bridge Rail Systems to Confirm AASHTO MA...

Connected vehicles (CVs), travelers using connected mobile devices, intelligent transportation system (ITS) devices, and traffic management systems sharing and using SAE J2735 basic safety messages (BSMs) and other CV messages have the potential to transform transportation systems management, traveler safety and mobility, and system productivity. The TRB National Cooperative Highway Research Program's NCHRP Research Report 997: Algorithms to Convert Basic Safety Messages into Traffic Measures is designed...

Accurate early construction cost estimates of projects are important in order for state departments of transportation (DOTs) to effectively fund and manage the overall construction program. When cost estimates at the scoping phase of a project closely match construction costs, available funding is properly allocated within the program. The TRB National Cooperative Highway Research Program's NCHRP Research Report 1025: Contingency Factors to Account for Risk in Early Construction Cost Estimates for Transp...

At many transportation agencies, context classification plays a significant role in the planning and design of roadway facilities. The purpose of context classification is to characterize roadways based on land-use data and define how users expect to move in and around an area. The TRB National Cooperative Highway Research Program's NCHRP Research Report 1022: Context Classification Application: A Guide presents a guide to assist state, regional, and local planners in identifying the appropriate context ...

Technology is changing the way people move and is reshaping mobility and society. The integration of transportation modes, real-time information, and instant communication and dispatch—possible with the click of a mouse or the touch of a smartphone app—is redefining mobility. The TRB National Cooperative Highway Research Program's NCHRP Research Report 1009: Shared Automated Vehicle Toolkit: Policies and Planning Considerations for Implementation provides resources that identify key stakeholders and part...

Implements of husbandry (IoH) are vehicles designed for agricultural purposes and exclusively used in the conduct of agricultural operations. The TRB National Cooperative Highway Research Program's NCHRP Research Report 1019: Quantifying the Effects of Implements of Husbandry on Pavements presents mechanistic-based procedures and rudimentary software for estimating the effects of IoH on flexible and rigid pavements. Supplemental to the report are NCHRP Web-Only Document 338: Quantifying the Effects of Im...

Pavement markings are the most common traffic control device (TCD) used to communicate roadway information to drivers. To be effective, they must convey information in all lighting and weather conditions. As a result, pavement markings on public roads contain retroreflective elements, such as glass beads, so that light from vehicle headlights is returned to the eye of the driver at night. The TRB National Cooperative Highway Research Program's NCHRP Research Report 1015: Performance Criteria for Retroref...