Each of HEP's five offices has a research coordinator that you can contact to discuss research planned or underway as part of HEP's research efforts. This page features information about each of these offices, their research priorities, and contact information for the research coordinators.
Please note that the Office of Human Environment's (HEPH's) Research and Financial Services Team administers research programs and financial support to HEP for research initiatives. The Team provides leadership, coordination, and support of research activities, and manages financial records for HEP's research programs. The Team also works toward improving outreach, communication, and partnerships between Federal, State, and local stakeholders in managing the research programs.
For more information, please contact HEP's Primary Research Coordinator: Patricia Cazenas (202)366-4085.
HEPH develops and implements programs and activities to improve the human environment through the advancement of programs which enrich human interaction with transportation systems.
The Office's efforts focus on advocating for the advancement of livability, administrating Federal systems, documenting the regional economic development impacts of highways, planning and implementing research, and managing human environment-related funding programs. The resulting research from the advocacy of these programs is expressed in the following areas:
These efforts are directed toward providing technical assistance and tools to both Federal and non-federal groups, to provide training and consultation on highway systems and complementary modes of transportation, and to ensure the Federally-supported transportation networks enhance the human environment.
Research Focus: HEPH's research focuses on planning and designing a highway system that offers minimum disruption and meets the environmental and economic needs of livable communities.
The Office is also coordinating all research initiatives for HEP, including the implementation of the second Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP2) research products and the Transportation Alternatives Program
Contact: Kevin Adderly (202)366-5006
HEPN develops and implements programs and activities to minimize the adverse impact of transportation on the natural environment.
Research focus: The Office identifies and carries out a comprehensive research program to address natural environmental issues related to transportation. These issues include air quality conformity and associated programs, highway noise, sustainability and climate change.
Several of the Office's major research efforts include:
Contact: Connie Hill Galloway, (804)775-3378.
HEPP develops and implements programs and activities that advance comprehensive international, interstate, State, metropolitan, rural, tribal, and multi-modal planning. The Office looks to undertake a comprehensive analysis and evaluation of the potential impact of transportation plans and programs, while addressing the aspirations and concerns of the public served by these plans and programs.
Research Focus: The Office's research efforts focus on improving the transportation planning process to ensure that entities undertake a comprehensive analysis and evaluation of the potential impact of transportation plans and programs, while addressing the aspirations and concerns of the society. HEPP's research supports the following emphasis areas:
These areas are used to support and provide better focus for a performance-based planning process; statewide, metropolitan, regional, and tribal planning; Statewide Long-Range Plans with performance metrics and targets; Statewide Transportation Improvement Plans; congestion reduction; and certification of the planning process for Transportation Management Areas.
Contact: Mark Sarmiento, (202)366-4828
HEPE develops and implements programs and activities that advance environmental stewardship and streamlining for FHWA-funded projects through the application of National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) principles and the NEPA process.
Research Focus: The Office's research efforts focus on improving the NEPA process, in order to ensure a balanced and streamlined approach to transportation decision-making that considers the potential impacts on human and natural resources, as well as the public's need for safe and efficient transportation improvements. Research topics include:
Under MAP-21, HEPE 's research centers on methods to better plan projects, reduce their overall impacts, and improve associated mitigation options. Methodologies and tools like Eco-Logical, mitigation banking and regional programmatic efforts are examples of the focus areas that HEPE will be emphasizing in the future.
Another research goal is to improve coordination and communication between the various State DOTs and their sister agencies, as well as the public, in order to ensure transparency and understanding of projects, and in the process create efficiencies in project review.
Contact: Felicia Alexandra (202)366-2851
HEPR develops and implements programs and activities to advance the fair and prudent acquisition and management of real property.
Research Focus: The Office's research efforts focus on encouraging local scale effectiveness and national scale relevance for the acquisition and management of highway real property interests; developing methodology, technology, and systems appropriate for right of way agencies; and advancing technological innovations for property management routines such as integrated database resources and internet access. This is particularly important for outdoor advertising control and access management concerns.
Under MAP-21, HEPR's research emphasizes:
Another effort is to examine and identify needed changes to the government wide rule on real property acquisition, the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970.
Contact: Arnold Feldman (202)366-2028
