A strong transportation network is essential for competing in the global marketplace in the past as it will be in the future. Yet as our infrastructure is aging, construction costs are rising and the public is demanding a higher level of service while revenues are on the decline, the challenge to provide synergistic research into materials, products process and service improvement as well as technological transfer is even greater. Furthermore the need for implementable solutions to preserve the current asset serves as investment into the future. The National Road Research Alliance (NRRA) much-needed for the conceptualization innovation selection, research and implementation. NRRA exists to: • Focus on Agency and Local transportation road owner research needs • Fund common agency and local research needs • Technology Transfer / Implementation of Results • Establish regional and national networks to exchange information, share ideas, and learn research results • Training

NRRA is seeking organizations to join the alliance. Benefits of membership include: • NRRA members support committees, meeting periodically throughout the year to determine priorities, develop strategies to address the priorities, and execute action plans. • Working collaboratively with industry, academia, and government agency representatives to define common road related research issues and establish joint research priorities, building on existing efforts such as FHWA’s PC Roadmap and HMA Roadmap. • Funding research though NRRA and exploring research funding opportunities that leverage funds across organizations but also fund research efforts within NRRA. • Receiving timely results on NRRA research projects through communication products that focus on lessons learned and implementation; • Assistance in putting research results into practice through technology transfer events. • Define and launch a bold and synergistic research program. Create research priorities that expand beyond a MnROAD focus and leverage the power of the group. These priorities should utilize diverse funding sources, engage and benefit all NRRA members, and be recognized nationally. • Implement research results on the ground, Implementation of transportation engineering and road research applications should be successful, visible, and include innovations that are also put into practice outside of the alliance. • Develop activities that enhance NRRA’s role as a dynamic forum for research interchange Activities should provide continuous learning opportunities that enable members to educate each other, as well as adapt to a changing world through easily accessible information and ongoing exchange.

The organizational structure will contain a governing, executive, associative, and academic board and is described below. The structure is designed around developing products for the road owners while getting the best feedback from industry and academia. The governing committee at this time will be made up of agencies that have provided the majority of the funding over the last 10 years. Between MnDOT and LRRB over 77% of the budget has been funded ($2.1 million of the $2.75 million/year). Financial decisions will be finalized by this group with technical input from the other groups. The following is the future resources that will be invested into the research at the MnROAD national full scale accelerated pavement test facility. This includes $2.5 million of 2018 construction funding that will be used to extend agencies contributions for construction. The executive committee sets the research objectives, goals and project selection. It is made up of agencies who participate in the pooled fund at the $150K/year level. These agencies funds can be used for either the test section construction (MnDOT match) or can be utilized to develop common research or implementation project selection. Regional and National focus can be developed with participation from this group. In the past other states SPR and FHWA funding amounted to 22% ($ .6 million/year of the 2.75 million/year) has been invested into MnROAD. To truly become a national facility this percentage needs to increase. The associate committee primary role is to be advisors and provide technical support. Their voice is vital to provide insight related to how investments (research and implementation) should be made so implementation is discussed throughout the process and will be wanted and accepted by industry. This group is made of members who provide $2,000/year to help provide administrative funding for the meetings that take place throughout the year. This group is the tie to each of their individual contacts, memberships, and associations. The academia committee provides both long term vision and technical support. NRRA will also support academia by providing research topics that are supported by MnROAD pavement data. NRRA may fund student workers, sabbaticals, and full research projects based on the needs of the committees. This group is made of members who provide $2,000/year to help provide administrative funding for the meetings that take place throughout the year.

NRRA is being developed off the successful Transportation Engineering and Road Research Alliance (TERRA) that was initially formed in 2004 by a task force of government, industry, and academic representatives. TERRA’s mission is to develop, sustain, and communicate a comprehensive program of research on pavement, materials, and related transportation engineering challenges, including issues related to cold climates. TERRA when initially developed did not intend to fund research and financially support research being done at MnROAD but now it has become apparent in order for MnROAD to become truly a “national” cold regions full scale accelerated pavement testing facility a national funding mechanism is required for the future of MnROAD and its related research efforts. Supporters also wanting a mechanism that is flexible and allows the pooled fund to partner with other national efforts focusing on research that can be implemented by road users. One example would be the current partnership with the National Center Asphalt Technologies (NCAT). Currently this partnership is using Alabama as the lead state but any extensions are expected to be done as a part of this proposed pooled fund effort in the future. MnDOT needs a pooled fund to allow for these types of partnerships. Agencies involved with the past TERRA organization (Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota Local Road Research Board (LRRB) support the new pooled fund and it’s also supported by a 2014 National Peer Exchange (http://www.dot.state.mn.us/research/PeerExchange/index.html) which 9 state/provincial governments (including current many TERRA states), Minnesota Local Road Research Board, and FHWA. In 2015, TERRA members discussed and agreed with the needed changes to TERRA and support the future NRRA to best support the current membership to continue to engage a breadth of perspectives to address today’s transportation engineering challenges.