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Transportation Research Update

MnDOT Awards Funding to New Research

MnDOT and the Minnesota Local Road Research Board have funded 21 new research projects and are seeking Technical Advisory Panel members to help guide the research. With 83 proposals received, this year's RFP was a competitive process. To receive updates on any of the funded projects, select "subscribe" on the project webpage.

Environmental

• Species From Feces: A New Tool to Identify Bats in Culverts and on Bridges
• Investigating Real Storms and the Impact of Potential Climate Change Adaptations
• Assessing Effectiveness of Pond Sediment Removal for Phosphorus Management in Stormwater Ponds

Maintenance Operations

• Cost Benefit Analysis for Sustainable Energy Building Upgrades at Safety Rest Areas and Travel Information Centers
• Amount of Bituminous Surface Lost Each Year
• Alternative Deicer Performance Characterization: Know Before the Snow

Materials & Construction

• Quantify the Benefits of Using Geotextiles and Geogrids to Improve the Performance of Unbound Pavement Layers
• Vulnerability Assessments of Critical Slope Areas Using Advanced Monitoring Techniques
• Impact of Asphalt Lift Thickness on Pavement Density and Durability
• Long-term Field Performance Evaluation of Chip Seals

Multimodal

• Comparative Analysis of Grade-Separated Pedestrian Infrastructure and At-grade Treatments

Policy & Planning

• Analyzing Truck Size and Weight Impacts on Vehicle Miles Traveled
• Transitioning to EV Fleets: Best Practices and a Decision Tool
• Best Practice for Oversized/Overweight Vehicles
• Use of MNCORS to Support AV Operations in Rural Minnesota

Traffic & Safety

• Roadside Feature Placement and Pedestrian Safety on Low and Intermediate Speed Roads
• Speed Impacts from Roundabouts and Other Traffic Control Devices
• Effect of Centerlines on Prevailing Traffic Speeds of Low-speed, Two-lane, Two-way Roads in Urban Contexts
• Roundabouts, J-turns, etc. - Understanding Their Economic Impacts
• User Understanding of Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon Operation
• Rural Intersection Enhancement and Driver Behavior Study

Interested in serving on a technical advisory panel?

Panel mem­bers play an essential role in the success of a research project by guiding the work and reviewing deliverables. Reach out to [email protected] for more information. 

Academic Research Solicitation

Each spring, the MnDOT Research Steering Committee and the Minnesota Local Road Research Board solicit research ideas from transportation practitioners and later request proposals from universities. In December, the research governing boards meet to hear these proposals and select projects for funding. 

Have an idea for MnDOT's next funding cycle?

Ideas are due April 1. Visit IdeaScale to submit your idea.

^{MnDOT invites and encourages participation by all. If you need an ASL, a foreign language interpreter, or other reasonable accommodation, or need documents in an alternative format (such as braille or large print), please email your request to Janet Miller at [email protected] or call 651-366-4720.}