About the Exploratory Advanced Research Program

General Information

The Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act–A Legacy for Users  (SAFETEA-LU) establishes an Exploratory Advanced Research (EAR) Program that addresses the need to conduct research different from that traditionally performed by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), that is, research focused on developing products that can be delivered to practitioners within 1 or 2 years. The exploratory advanced research program, in contrast, focuses specifically on longer term and higher risk breakthrough research with the potential for transformational improvements to plan, build, renew, and operate safe, congestion free, and environmentally sound transportation systems.  

Focus Areas

Focus areas provide direction on the research objectives of the EAR Program. A focus area is a defined topic area where breakthroughs are most needed, or where there is high potential for long-term, higher-risk research to lead to dramatic improvements.  

FHWA has and continues to work with partners in the research community to develop and modify focus areas for the EAR Program.  Current areas of interest include

• Next generation solutions for system operations and reducing congestion
• Next generation pedestrian and driver safety
• Next generation solutions to build, maintain and manage future highways and
• Predicting societal and complex natural systems

History

1991 - The Office of Advanced Research is established.  The Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) of 1991 (ISTEA Sec. 6001) establishes a long-term research project category specifying that 15 percent of research funds expended under the R&T [research and technology] program must be expended on long-term projects that are not likely to be completed within 10 years. The new program is to serve as FHWA’s eyes and ears for new technology development from within government and industry sources. 

1993 – With a budget of $3.7 million, twelve (12) research grants were awarded for the first time under this program.

1994 – With a budget of $5.6 million, eight additional grants were awarded, each for 12 months and valued at approximately $75,000.

1995 – Under Agency-wide restructuring, the Office of Advanced Research was incorporated as part of the Office of Safety and Traffic Operations Research and Development and worked with a budget of $2.8 million. 

1996 and 1997 – While still under ISTEA authority, the Office of Advanced Research continued with ongoing research efforts.

1998 to 2004 – New highway legislation did not include provisions for an advanced research program; however, FHWA continued to channel discretionary funding to support ongoing work. This amounted to less than $1 million per year.

2005 – The passage of SAFETEA-LU resurrected FHWA’s EAR Program, dedicating $14 million per year for exploratory advanced research.