School bus safety, spaghetti junctions, equity in transportation, and upcoming events.





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Transportation Research Update
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Traffic and Safety

Increasing School Bus Stop-Arm Compliance [ [link removed] ]

School bus with stop arm extended

School bus stop-arm violations are an all-too-common occurrence nationwide. In Minnesota, data analysis indicates significant underreporting of these violations due to lengthy and inconsistent reporting and enforcement processes. This project examined current processes and recommended improvements to encourage higher rates of reporting and enforcement including developing consistent reporting standards and creating a statewide web-based centralized reporting portal to streamline state reporting and enforcement processes and aggregate violation data.



Policy and Planning

Mitigating the Negative Effects of Spaghetti Junctions [ [link removed] ]

Aerial view of spaghetti junction

Dense highway interchanges, commonly referred to as spaghetti junctions, have disproportionately impacted the neighborhoods adjacent to the infrastructure, resulting in local business decline, lower property values and a range of health and environmental harms. In recent years, transportation agencies have designed projects to mitigate these negative effects, such as building parks on top of roadways or within highway underpasses. Practices that enhance stakeholder engagement throughout a project are central to successful mitigation efforts. This study examines some of the projects and presents guidance that MnDOT may consider for increasing livability in these neighborhoods.



Advancing Equity in Capital Investment Decision-Making [ [link removed] ]

Woman in wheelchair getting on bus

Using effective strategies and best practices to incorporate equity in transportation investment planning and decision making can increase the benefits that underserved communities and Native nations receive from infrastructure development. A literature review, a statewide survey, and nine case studies reflecting diverse populations and practices served to identify current approaches and highlight best practices for incorporating equity. The results, including a community engagement toolkit, provide guidance to more effectively engage communities and solicit valuable feedback to identify needs and align transportation goals with improved equity in infrastructure development.



TRS: Culture Building and Behavior Change Strategies for VMT Reduction [ [link removed] ]

Photo shows E-ZPass lane on freeway

The detrimental impacts of climate change are scientifically documented and widely recognized, and the transportation sector is the number one source of carbon pollution in Minnesota and the US. In 2019, MnDOT issued a Pathways to Decarbonizing Transportation report, which led to convening a Sustainable Transportation Advisory Council (STAC). The STAC recommended adopting a statewide goal of reducing vehicle miles traveled (VMT) by 20% by 2050. This research project was initiated by MnDOT to identify factors and strategies that drive behavior and culture change to help inform communication, market research, and engagement efforts to advance the VMT reduction target. Recommendations include partnering with trusted community members and organizations to promote culture change, the use of positive marketing supported by agency policy and program initiatives and providing low-cost alternatives to encourage adoption of strategies that reduce VMT.



Environmental

Identifying Factors That Affect Stormwater Basin Performance [ [link removed] ]

Photo of stormwater ponds

Research has suggested a strategy to inspect stormwater basins more efficiently by limiting the number of potential inspection sites using a performance prediction model based on age. Basins at 28 sites were studied to determine the factors that indicate and predict maintenance needs. Data analyses examined the relationships of basin age with soil quality and/or composition and infiltration rates. Study results showed that age is a strong indicator of performance, with a notable drop-off in stormwater basin performance at approximately twelve years, and that silt content in the soil was the best predictor of infiltration rates and basin performance.



Materials and Construction

NRRA: Long-term Testing and Analysis on Asphalt Mix Rejuvenator Field Sections [ [link removed] ]

Crew Laying Asphalt

Asphalt rejuvenators, or recycling agents (RA), are used to incorporate higher amounts of Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) in Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) without detrimentally impacting the long-term performance of the pavement. The National Road Research Alliance (NRRA) Flexible Team constructed RA product field test sections and control sections with 40% RAP and 30% RAP as part of a mill and overlay project in northern Minnesota in August of 2019. The objective of this research project was to evaluate the effectiveness of seven RA products over time and evaluate their performance as compared to the control mixtures. The study showed that all RAs exhibit improved rheological properties in one-year field cores. However, the benefits of RA diminish with field aging, and after four years, some RAs show comparable properties with controls.



Upcoming Events

Transportation Research Board (TRB) 105th Annual Meeting, January 11-15, 2026, in Washington DC

If you’re at the TRB 105th Annual Meeting next month, stop by the State DOT Research: High-Value Project Winners Poster Session [ [link removed] ] to see the poster presentation for Complete Streets Speed Impacts [ [link removed] ], which received an AASHTO RAC High Value Research Award in the main High Value Research category. Principal Investigator Peter Savolainen, Michigan State University, will be on hand to present the project. Funded by MnDOT and the LRRB, this project explores the effects of various roadway cross-sectional characteristics on driver speed selection in urban and suburban areas across Minnesota." "

The Center for Transportation Studies (CTS) is hosting an in-person Minnesota Night at TRB [ [link removed] ] on Monday, January 12 from 5:30-7:30 PM EST. The event welcomes professionals, academics, and students with Minnesota ties to gather for an evening of networking.

Webinars & Conferences

* Safer Stops—A New System to Report School Bus Stop-Arm Violations [ [link removed] ], Center for Transportation Studies (CTS), December 10, 2025, 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM
* The Coffee Supply Chain—What Goes into Delivering Your Favorite Coffee to the Store Shelf [ [link removed] ], CTS, December 11, 2025, 12:00-1:00 PM
* TZD Traffic Safety Hotdish: Cannabis Education and Prevention Efforts in Traffic Safety | Minnesota Toward Zero Deaths [ [link removed] ], December 11, 2025, 1:00-2:15 PM
* Preparing Transportation Professionals for AI Integration [ [link removed] ], CTS, Monday, December 15, 2025, 12–1:30 PM
* Reaching Opportunities Through Transportation—New Results from the National Accessibility Evaluation [ [link removed] ], CTS, January 7, 2026, 12:00-1:00 PM

In-Person Symposium:

* 28th Annual Freight and Logistics Symposium: Freight, Facilities, and the Future [ [link removed] ] December 12, 2025, Minneapolis, MN, 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM CST (Sponsored by CTS in cooperation with MnDOT, Minnesota Freight Advisory Committee, Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals, and the Metropolitan Council)
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"If you need an ASL, or a foreign language interpreter, or documents in an alternative format please contact Janet Miller at 651-366-4720 (711 or 1-800-627-3529 for MN Relay). If you need any other reasonable accommodation to participate, please email your request to [email protected]."








 

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