Committee Research

The Committee's goal is to engage a diverse mix of researchers, transportation agency staff, and industry leaders to identify critical research questions, develop research agendas, issue calls for papers, and pursue avenues for advancing research projects. The research activities for this committee are coordinated by Edgar Kraus (Research Engineer, Texas A&M Transportation Institute).

The current research ideas being considered by the Committee include:

TSMO/IT procurement guidance
Asset management data governance
Guidance on system implementation
User-Friendly Data Collection in the Field
Collecting pixelated imagery to identify Assets in the field
Digital Equity

TRB Research Needs Statements (RNS)

An important function of the Transportation Research Board (TRB) is to stimulate research that addresses concerns, issues, or problems facing the transportation community. In support of this function, the TRB Technical Activities Division standing committees identify, develop, and disseminate research need statements (RNS) for use by practitioners, researchers, and others. In many cases, Research Needs Statements developed by the Committee will be entered into the TRB RNS database.

National Highway Cooperative Research Program (NCHRP)

NCHRP Problem Statements and Domestic Scan proposals are typically multi-year undertakings. Synthesis Topics are less involved, however since they are due at the start of the year, planning should start in the prior year. Successful Synthesis Topics may also lead to future Problem Statement or Domestic Scan proposals. The general timeline for NCHRP related research activities is shown in the following graphic:

Problem statements are due November 1st, Evaluation and Program formulation occurs between November and April. Synthesis topics are due mid-February. Program approval is between April and July. Panel formation is June through August. Proposal process is August through November. Research contractor selection is typically between October and February. Research phase typically begins in March or April.

Additional information about NCHRP, including key dates, is available from the NCHRP website.

TRB Webinar Series

The TRB webinar series provides an effective tool to advance research needs development and peer exchange activities outside of the Annual Meeting. TRB Webinar proposals are accepted three times per year:

Mid-March
Mid-July
Mid-November