Overview

AASHTO RAC Region IV presents this transportation pool funded initiative to conduct strategic research and foster collaboration among member states.  

Its purpose is to pool the financial, professional, and academic resources of the region to develop improved methods of dealing with common problems in the planning, design, construction, maintenance, management and operation of transportation systems.  

The consortium will gather DOT research and innovation professionals, virtually or in-person, to prioritize transportation needs and allocate resources.  It will also address high priority transportation research topics of common interest to RAC IV states.  The lead state will manage contracted services and adhere to the consortium charter.

Benefits of the partnership include:

• Regional collaboration on common problems will allow participants to more effectively use its resources.
• Collaboration will provide an effective way to focus resources on the Region’s transportation research priorities.
• The program will provide an additional way to leverage research and technology transfer funding of the state DOTs.
• The program will provide a means to define, support and share technology of mutual interest.
• The program will provide a method for Peer Exchange support.
• The partnership will develop a longer-range plan of collaboration (strategic plan).
• A focused program will help promote interest in transportation related fields by researchers and students within the research institutions in the region.

The program is intended to supplement, not to replace, ongoing state, federal, and university research activities and other national programs such as the National Cooperative Highway Research Program. It is intended to reduce duplication of research and provide means for better communication of on-going research activities in the state research programs.

Address high priority transportation research topics of common interest and for which expertise exists in these states.

State DOTs will identify priority topics that they hold in common and for which expertise exists in the region. Potential focus areas can include:

• Research implementation
• Freight issues
• Highway infrastructure issues
• Environmental topics
• Transportation Funding 
• Transportation Equity
• Transportation Innovation

Initial startup costs will be $15,000 per member state per year for three years, focusing first on FFY 2024, 2025, and 2026. Member states may vote to extend this study for an additional three years.

Based on the strategic plan developed by the partnership members, additional contributions may be required by states for individual studies. Some larger studies or studies that may have expanded interest, may be funded through new pooled fund studies.

A waiver of the SPR state match was requested by UDOT from FHWA and was approved.