Freeway Operations Student Research Neeeds Challenge

2024 Theme:  Next Generation Traffic Data and Operations Strategies

The purpose of the Freeway Operations Student Research Needs Challenge is to promote research ideas that can bring innovation in traffic management and the application of promising results to operational systems.  Additionally, this challenge helps to foster cooperation, coordination, and information dissemination between individuals and groups active in freeway traffic management and advanced technologies.

Each year, the student research needs challenge has the objectives of:

• Promoting innovation and stimulating ideas in the arena of implementing, operating, and maintaining traffic management systems and strategies including Intelligent Transportation Systems, and

• Enhancing the efficiency, safety, and environmental conditions on freeways and in freeway corridors. 

The Freeway Operations Student Research Needs Challenge submittals will help to encourage innovation and creative thought in the transportation community.  Contest participants will receive the opportunity to vet their research needs ideas in a public forum during the TRB Annual Meeting.  The top three winning submissions will be considered as potential research needs problem statements through the NCHRP problem statement process.

The TRB Freeway Operations Committee typically focuses its research agenda on the following topic areas:

• Traffic management;

• Connected and automated vehicles;

• Freeway systems and software;

• Integrated corridor management;

• Public/private collaboration;

• Infrastructure design impact on operations; and

• Other topics of note.

The committee recommends that submissions work to address challenges in one or more of these topic areas. 

SUBMISSION DEADLINE IS SEPTEMBER 1, 2023!!!