Overview of Research and Technology (R&T)

The existing highway R&T environment is highly decentralized and is comprised of multiple individual programs, including the FHWA R&T program, State highway agency R&T programs, the National Highway Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP), University Transportation Center (UTC) programs, Intelligent Transportation System Program, and many private sector programs. In addition, these programs involve ongoing collaboration with international organizations such as the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development, and the Federation of European Highway Research Laboratories (FEHRL).

FHWA is in a unique leadership position to identify and address issues of national significance that require high-risk, long-term, distinctive areas of research. In this role, FHWA plans to shape and execute a national research and innovation technology development, deployment, and training program that produces and delivers the solutions needed to meet current challenges; assesses future needs; and responds to those needs proactively and effectively.

FHWA’s leadership role does not exempt the Agency from working collaboratively with its partners. In today’s customer-driven atmosphere, it implies an even greater responsibility to work with partners in defining the direction of and developing the roadmaps needed to achieve results, especially because many partners will be implementing the technologies and innovations. FHWA’s leadership role includes conducting, sponsoring, sustaining, and guiding highway research; and working with partners and stakeholders in the highway community to develop long-term, high-risk innovative technologies that address issues of national significance; and coordinating with stakeholders to ensure that substantial research findings are put into practice nationally.