Special Committee on Research and Innovation

AASHTO Liaison
Glenn Page, Associate Program Director, Project Delivery
gpage@aashto.org

Model Calendar for State Research Directors

This model calendar is intended to provide state DOT Research Directors with a guide to some of the significant events during the year related to liaison activities with AASHTO, the Transportation Research Board and the Federal Highway Administration. Most of the events are related to the role of the Research Director as member of the AASHTO Research Advisory Committee, TRB state representative, or FHWA SP&R state contact.

January

  • RAC/R&I meet during TRB Annual Meeting
  • NCHRP Synthesis of Practice topics due
  • TCRP Panel nominations due

February

  • NCHRP Ballots on new problem statements due
  • Obligation of NCHRP funding due (month may vary)

March

  • NCHRP summary of ballots distributed to R&I
  • Schedule and guidance for TRB annual state visits distributed
  • R&I meets to select new NCHRP projects
  • TRB Core program contributions due for states that contribute under Pooled Fund program option
  • TCRP Synthesis of Practice topics due
  • Nominations for new AASHTO TIG topics due
  • NCHRP Highway IDEA program proposals due March 1 (proposal reviews are twice a year)

April 

  • Preliminary NCHRP program announced

May 

  • NCHRP Synthesis of Practice topics selected
  • NCHRP panel member nominations due
  • TCRP Synthesis of Practice topics selected
  • Transit IDEA proposals due May 1 (proposal reviews are twice a year)

June

  • FHWA SP&R annual work plan due (month may vary depending on fiscal year calendar used by state)
  • TCRP problem statements due
  • TRB core program contributions due
  • State CEO ballot on NCHRP program due

July

  • AASHTO Research Advisory Committee national meeting (month may vary)
  • LTAP National Meeting (month may vary)

August

  • TRB Annual Meeting abstracts due Aug. 1
  • State report to FHWA on SP&R funded accomplishments due

September

  • AASHTO Annual Meeting (month may vary)
  • Rail Safety IDEA program proposals due Sept. 15
  • NCHRP Highway IDEA program proposals due September 1 (proposal reviews are twice a year)

October

  • NCHRP problem submittals due Oct. 15
  • TRB Annual Meeting preliminary announcement distributed
  • New TCRP Projects Selected

November

  • NCHRP Problem submitters’ responses to evaluations due
  • Transit IDEA program proposals due November 1 (proposal reviews are twice a year)

December

  • NCHRP Ballot on new projects distributed to R&I and RAC

Glossary of Abbreviations

AASHTO — American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials

CEO — Chief Executive Officer (of state Department of Transportation)

FHWA — U.S. Federal Highway Administration

LTAP — FHWA Local Transportation Assistance Program

NCHRP — National Cooperative Highway Research Program

RAC — AASHTO Research Advisory Committee

R&I — AASHTO Special Committee on Research and Innovation

SP&R — State Planning and Research Funds, a proportion of the Federal Aid funding

TCRP — Transit Cooperative Research Program

TIG — AASHTO Technology Implementation Group

TRB — Transportation Research Board