Overview of Research and Technology (R&T)

The existing highway R&T environment is comprised of multiple programs, including the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) R&T Program, State highway agency R&T programs, the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP), University Transportation Center programs, the Intelligent Transportation Systems Program, and other nonprofit and 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.

FHWA is in a unique leadership positionto 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.

The leadership role of FHWA does not exempt the Agency from working collaboratively with its partners. In today’s customer-driven atmosphere, there is an even greater responsibility to work with partners to define the direction of and develop the roadmaps needed to achieve results, especially because many partners will be implementing the technologies and innovations. The FHWA’s leadership role includes conducting, sponsoring, sustaining, and guiding highway research; 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.