International Partnerships

The U.S. Department of Transportation/Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) engages in cooperative efforts with foreign governments to leverage resources and further the goals of the research and technology (R&T) program. This includes promoting U.S. R&T objectives through participation in international organizations. FHWA fosters cooperation on international R&T activities with our U.S. partners, including the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials and the National Cooperative Highway Research Program.

One major method that offers collaborative opportunities and information sharing on issues of global proportion, mutual research areas of interest, and technology transfer of innovations is the FHWA International Technology Scanning Program. Through the program, U.S. transportation experts can access and evaluate foreign technologies and innovations, which could significantly benefit highway transportation systems in the United States. This program enables advanced technology to be adapted and put into practice much more efficiently without spending scarce research funds to recreate advances already developed by other countries. Partners include:

Forum of European National Highway Research Laboratories (FEHRL)

Formed in 1989, FEHRL is a registered international association with a permanent secretariat based in Brussels and governed by the directors of each of the national institutes. It provides a coordinated structure for the interests of the 30 national research and technical centers from the member states in the European Union, the European Free Trade Association countries and the rest of Europe. FEHRL is engaged in road engineering research topics including safety, materials, environmental issues, telematics, and economic evaluation. Research is provided by the national institutes and makes use of the wide range of test facilities available to them. The Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center is collaborating with the EC and FEHRL to conduct research. [Read more about the collaboration]

National Highway Research Council of Canada

The National Highway Research Council of Canada is the Canadian Government's research and development organization. The council is comprised of more than 20 institutes and national programs, spanning a wide variety of disciplines and offering a broad array of services. The council is located in every Canadian province

Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development's Road and Transport Research Program (OECD/RTR)

The OECD brings together the governments of countries committed to democracy and the market economy from around the world. The organization provides a setting where governments compare policy experiences, seek answers to common problems, identify good practice and coordinate domestic and international policies. The Road Transport Research (RTR) Program, enables member countries to explore issues in transportation and intermodal linkages in a broad economic, social and institutional context.

French Ministry of Transportation (INRETS)

INRETS is the French Ministry of Transportation. The organization was created in 1985 as a state financed organization accountable to both the ministry responsible for research and the ministry responsible for transportation. The organization mostly is involved with surface transportation, particularly safety, transportation systems, reliability and sustainability, and transportation and the environment.

European Commission (EC)

The European Commission represents the general interest of the European Union (EU) and is the driving force in proposing legislation (to Parliament and the Council), administering and implementing EU policies, enforcing EU law (jointly with the Court of Justice,) and negotiating in the international arena. The Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center is collaborating with the EC and FEHRL to conduct research. [Read more about the collaboration]

European Conference of Transport Research Institutes (ECTRI)

ECTRI is an international non-profit organization founded in 2003 with members from 27 transportation research institutes or universities in 20 European countries. ECTRI's aim is to help build the "European Research Area" (ERA) in transportation by cooperation in thematic and process oriented working groups, task forces, seminars, and conferences.

World Road Association (PIARC)

PIARC is a non-political and non-profit making association. It was granted consultative status to the Economic and Social Council of United Nations in 1970, and its mission is to be a leading international forum for analysis and discussion of the full spectrum of transportation issues, related to roads and road transportation. They also identify, develop and disseminate best practices; provide better access to international information; and develop and promote efficient tools for decisionmaking.