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Transportation Planning in Non-Metropolitan/Rural Areas 2026

  • June 9th, 2026

Before the 1960s, rural communities had little influence over transportation planning, despite substantial state and federal investment in rural infrastructure. Over time, federal policy emphasized greater rural participation, encouraging state departments of transportation (DOTs) to adopt planning approaches in nonmetropolitan areas that engaged communities and local officials. Early efforts focused on consultation with rural officials […]

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Coordination of Highway Safety Improvement Program and Highway Safety Office Activities 2026

  • June 9th, 2026

The Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) and the State Highway Safety Program are federal initiatives designed to improve highway safety and reduce fatal and serious injuries on the nation’s roadways. HSIPs are typically administered by state departments of transportation (DOTs) and may be structured differently across states. The State Highway Safety Program is managed by […]

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Transitioning from Reactive Planning to a Fast Loop

  • June 9th, 2026

At present, highway safety planning depends on fragmented, lagging data, forcing SHSOs to rely on information that is two or more years old. This leaves them planning “half-blind,” unable to address current roadway risks or assess intervention effectiveness within the three-year THSP cycle. Telematics Risk Analysis can help SHSOs shift to a proactive planning cycle. […]

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Tariffs, Global Value Chains, and the Incidence of Protection: Evidence from US Automobiles

  • May 22nd, 2026

In many modern industries, firms compete in differentiated-product markets while relying on complex global value chains for intermediate inputs. In such settings, trade policies such as tariffs on vehicles and parts operate not only through consumer substitution and firm pricing, but also through firms’ cost structures and sourcing decisions. We develop a structural model of […]

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Implementing Machine Learning at State Departments of Transportation: A Guide 2024

  • May 22nd, 2026

Within the last two decades, Machine Learning (ML), the main subfield of Artificial Intelligence (AI), has gained significant momentum across all sectors, driven by a confluence of factors: exponential growth in data generation, advancements in data storage and computing, and innovations in algorithmic techniques. Most notably and recently, the proliferation of deep learning (DL) methods […]

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Artificial Intelligence Opportunities for State and Local DOTs: A Research Roadmap 2024

  • May 22nd, 2026

Artificial intelligence (AI) has revolutionized various areas in departments of transportation (DOTs), such as traffic management and optimization. Through predictive analytics and real-time data processing, AI systems show promise in alleviating congestion, reducing travel times, and enhancing overall safety by alerting drivers to potential hazards. AI-driven simulations are also used for testing and improving transportation […]

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Slow Down, Move Over Laws: National Survey of Drivers’ Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors, 2025

  • May 20th, 2026

More than 2,100 people were struck and killed while stranded or working on the roadside in 2019–2023. Included among them were drivers and passengers who exited disabled vehicles, as well as roadside assistance providers, law enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency medical services providers, and “Good Samaritans” attempting to help them. Slow Down, Move Over (SDMO) laws […]

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DOT Should Develop and Implement a Lessons Learned Plan

  • May 20th, 2026

The Department of Transportation (DOT) Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) grants program funds demonstration projects that use advanced transportation technologies, such as autonomous vehicles and drones. In the first 3 years of the program, DOT received 1,073 applications from a variety of community sizes, entity types, and technology areas. As of September 2025, DOT […]

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