<rss version="2.0" xmlns:atom="https://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">
  <channel>
    <title>Transport Research International Documentation (TRID)</title>
    <link>https://trid.trb.org/</link>
    <atom:link href="https://trid.trb.org/Record/RSS?s=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" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
    <description></description>
    <language>en-us</language>
    <copyright>Copyright © 2026. National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.</copyright>
    <docs>http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss</docs>
    <managingEditor>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</managingEditor>
    <webMaster>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</webMaster>
    <image>
      <title>Transport Research International Documentation (TRID)</title>
      <url>https://trid.trb.org/Images/PageHeader-wTitle.jpg</url>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/</link>
    </image>
    <item>
      <title>Desert highways and shelterbelts enhance Xinjiang ground-jay habitat expansion and connectivity</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2697516</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Road construction influences wildlife habitats across diverse ecosystems, including arid regions, through habitat fragmentation. We examined the effects of the Taklimakan Desert Highway (TDH) and Taklimakan Desert Highway Shelterbelt (TDHS), a vegetated roadside corridor, on the habitat of the Xinjiang ground-jay, an endemic species of the Taklimakan Desert. We used Species Distribution Models and Equivalent Connectivity Area analyses to compare habitat suitability and connectivity between 1985–2004 (pre-construction) and 2005–2024 (post-construction). Suitable habitat of ground-jay increased by 53,065 km² (20.25%) during the latter period, driven by the expansion of 120,788 km² into the desert hinterland that compensated for a loss of 67,695 km² at habitat edges. This study reveals that TDH and TDHS can serve as ecological corridors and habitats for the Xinjiang ground-jay and suggests long-term monitoring to balance road construction and conservation efforts.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 05 May 2026 09:26:41 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2697516</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Identifying Road Segments that Bisect Predicted Movement Corridors for Small Priority Species in Virginia</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2696023</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The Virginia General Assembly passed legislation in 2020 requiring the preparation of the Virginia Wildlife Corridor Action Plan. It directed the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources in collaboration with the Virginia Department of Transportation, the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, and the Virginia Department of Forestry to identify wildlife corridors, identify areas with a high risk of wildlife-vehicle collisions, and recommend wildlife crossing projects intended to promote driver safety and wildlife connectivity. The first version of the Wildlife Corridor Action Plan was released in 2023 and listed several “recommendations for future actions” for its next iteration. Four of these future actions include (1) identifying at-risk terrestrial species, aquatic species, and other species of interest whose corridor needs are not sufficiently addressed by the Wildlife Biodiversity Resilience Corridors; (2) identifying important habitat corridors for these species; (3) identifying Wildlife Crossing Concern Areas (e.g., high-risk road segments) for these at-risk species; and (4) identifying and analyzing non-road human barriers (e.g., land uses) affecting corridor connectivity for the Wildlife Biodiversity Resilience Corridors. The purpose of this study was to advance the objectives of the legislated Wildlife Corridor Action Plan by developing species-specific road risk models and identifying road segments that pose a high risk to small priority species. To identify high-risk road segments, the authors collaborated with 29 species experts to develop maps of “landscape resistance” for 12 state species on the Species of Greatest Conservation Need list. These maps represent how different landscape features are expected to affect species movement—by increasing mortality risk, influencing movement speed, acting as physical barriers, or causing behavioral avoidance. Species-specific connectivity analyses were used to generate maps of predicted movement intensity for each species and to identify areas where roads were expected to cause the greatest reductions in movement. The 12 priority species considered in this analysis varied widely in distribution, resulting in large differences in the spatial extent and configuration of predicted movement corridors. The Mabee’s salamander was unique in having compact movement zones predicted around a small number of extant source populations. For this species, a focused set of priority road segments was identified that may be suitable for site-level assessment and mitigation—such as improving existing culvert passability or adding targeted small-animal passages. Several species, including the bog turtle, wood turtle, diamondback terrapin, mud snake, rainbow snake, and fisher, had much broader but regionally concentrated movement corridors that intersected a modest number of important roads. The prioritization of road segments for these species reflects both proximity to key source habitats and road characteristics associated with high resistance to movement (e.g., high traffic volume and greater road width). For several wide-ranging species (spotted skunk, Alleghany woodrat, spotted turtle, and box turtle), predicted corridors were diffuse and covered large portions of the state. Mitigation efforts for such species should likely focus on roadway design standards (e.g., use of fencing or curbing to funnel animals to existing structures and ensuring underpasses are compatible with small-animal use) rather than prioritizing individual crossing sites. This project provides connectivity map outputs for all 12 priority species as geographic information system raster data. It develops a consistent, repeatable workflow for assessing road impacts and connectivity across multiple taxa in Virginia.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 28 Apr 2026 12:18:04 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2696023</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Vessel Noise, Ecological Costs, and Sustainable Pathways for China's Blue Economy</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2691573</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Rapid expansion of maritime transport, offshore engineering, and coastal industrialization has positioned China's blue economy as a central pillar of national economic growth, yet it has simultaneously intensified underwater vessel noise as a pervasive and largely unpriced environmental externality. This study provides an integrated assessment of vessel-generated underwater noise, its ecological costs, and sustainable mitigation pathways within the context of China's blue economy development. Drawing on acoustic propagation theory, vessel traffic density analysis, and ecosystem-based impact assessment, the study synthesizes how chronic and acute noise exposures affect marine mammals, fish, and benthic communities through behavioral disruption, habitat displacement, impaired communication, and reduced reproductive success. Ecological costs are conceptualized using an extended ecosystem services framework that links noise-induced biological impacts to losses in fisheries productivity, biodiversity resilience, and coastal socio-economic welfare. Building on this analysis, the paper evaluates a portfolio of sustainable pathways, including quiet ship design, speed optimization, spatial planning of shipping lanes, seasonal traffic management, and market-based instruments such as green port incentives and differentiated harbor fees. The findings highlight that integrating underwater noise governance into marine spatial planning and blue finance mechanisms can significantly reduce ecological risks while maintaining the economic competitiveness of China's maritime sectors. By framing vessel noise as a measurable environmental cost rather than an unavoidable byproduct of growth, this study contributes a policy-relevant pathway for aligning marine ecological protection with the long-term sustainability objectives of China's blue economy.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 27 Apr 2026 15:01:13 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2691573</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Noise barriers with periodic arrays of non-uniform resonant cavities: Tailored design for low-frequency noise from heavy-duty highway traffic</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2694850</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The negative impact of low-to-mid frequency noise induced by heavy-duty traffic on roadside wildlife populations and ecological environments has long been insufficiently addressed. Conventional upright noise barriers often exhibit limited efficacy in mitigating such noise due to constraints in structural dimensions and economic costs. To address this challenge, this study proposes and experimentally validates a novel periodic array noise barrier composed of multiple non-uniform resonant cavities, aimed at directionally suppressing traffic noise through bandgap tuning mechanisms. Combining theoretical analysis with numerical simulations, this study elucidates the regulatory laws of resonator geometry, unit rotation angles, and lattice configurations on bandgap formation mechanisms and bandwidth characteristics, successfully achieving a precise alignment between the engineered bandgaps and the characteristic spectrum of traffic noise. High agreement between numerical predictions and scale-model measurements in a semi-anechoic chamber confirms the intrinsic correlation between insertion loss profiles and bandgap distributions. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed design achieves a significant noise reduction exceeding 8-12 dB within the ultra-wideband range of 500-2000 Hz. This study not only provides an effective solution for controlling low-to-mid frequency traffic noise but also demonstrates broad application prospects in roadside wildlife conservation and microclimate regulation, owing to its superior structural permeability to air and light.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 27 Apr 2026 14:58:14 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2694850</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Collaborative tools to optimise linear infrastructure vegetation for regional habitat connectivity</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2693437</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Linear transport infrastructure often fragments habitats, limiting species dispersal, yet vegetation along transport corridors can act as critical connectivity pathways in heavily modified landscapes. This study presents a novel, asset-orientated methodology to map habitat connectivity “hotspots” along railway corridors, integrating structural and functional connectivity analyses with high-resolution vegetation and woodland data. The approach segments rail lines into 10 m sections, applies patch-based and circuit-theory models, and extracts connectivity metrics into rail polygons to identify priority areas for ecological intervention and potential wildlife-vehicle collision mitigation. Applied to the West Midlands, UK, the method reveals railway verges contributing significantly to regional woodland connectivity, supporting evidence-based vegetation management and regional nature recovery planning. By reframing transport corridors as facilitators rather than barriers, this scalable, proof-of-concept framework enables multiple stakeholder decision making, aligns with biodiversity and sustainability goals, and provides actionable spatial data for both transport infrastructure managers and regional authorities.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 20 Apr 2026 09:25:29 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2693437</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Achieving Multi-Purpose Roadside Vegetation: Reducing Weed Invasion and Fire Risk while Enhancing Pollinator Habitat</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2693716</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Roadside vegetation management efforts often target a single desirable outcome; however, we often have multiple management goals for restoration. Theoretically, multiple goals can be achieved by establishing native vegetation, but the efficacy of methods used to establish native plant communities are largely unclear. The overall objective of this research is to identify roadside restoration methods that simultaneously reduce weed invasion and fire risk, and enhance pollinator habitat. We hypothesized that combining plant management methods to establish native vegetation would meet these goals. To investigate our hypothesis, we implemented a nested experimental design comprising three experiments. The first experiment assessed restoration practices using mowing and seeding treatments. The second and third experiments assessed restoration practices using soil amendment treatments. We did not find treatment combinations that simultaneously met all of our restoration goals. However, in experiment 1, we found positive effects of seeding a forb-dominant seed mix on native plant establishment, including increasing native forb diversity, meeting the overall goal to increase pollinator habitat. Mowing had mixed results, benefiting both native forbs and introduced plants. In experiment 2, we found that additions of the microbial amendment in conjunction with the micronutrient fertilizer tended to positively affect native grass establishment, while simultaneously suppressing introduced forbs. In experiment 3, we found trends that the microbial amendment had positive effects on native plant establishment, and that the wool pellet fertilizer also reduced fire fuel loading. Overall, our results suggest that select vegetation management methods can be used, and for the greatest return on investment, we recommend that restoration practitioners apply forb-dominant seed mixes at the standard seeding rate, along with soil amendments.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 17 Apr 2026 08:55:48 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2693716</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Scientific Anatomy of the Impact of Canal Istanbul on the Marmara Sea</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2651487</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Canal Istanbul, a highly debated megaproject, is presented as a solution to alleviate traffic congestion, enhance urban development, and improve economic activity in Istanbul, Turkey. However, this study critically examines the environmental consequences of the project, focusing particularly on its irreversible effects on the city's ecosystem and water resources. The research evaluates key aspects, including the pollution load from Istanbul's treated wastewater discharged into the Marmara Sea, the destruction of vital water sources, Sazlıdere and Terkos Dams, and the significant risks of salinization caused by the Canal’s construction. Moreover, the dredging operations and the disposal of excavation soil are scrutinized, highlighting the potential destruction of marine ecosystems and contamination of water bodies. The projected population explosion and its implications for water scarcity, waste generation, and urban infrastructure further exacerbate the long-term sustainability challenges for Istanbul. The findings indicate that the Canal Istanbul project may pose notable environmental challenges, potentially affecting the city’s ecosystem and long-term ecological balance. These results highlight the importance of a thorough reassessment of the project's environmental implications to help safeguard the city’s natural resources and water security.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 31 Mar 2026 10:13:16 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2651487</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Review of the eco-geomorphological impacts of vessel-generated wakes</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2682342</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Vessel-generated wakes are an increasingly important source of physical and ecological disturbance in marine and freshwater environments, yet their impacts remain unevenly characterized and even contested across systems. This review synthesizes field, laboratory, and modeling studies to assess how wakes influence sediment resuspension, shoreline erosion, turbidity, nutrient and contaminant fluxes, aquatic habitats, and risks to infrastructure and navigation safety. The framework of this review is designed to help reconcile contrasting conclusions across rivers, lakes, estuaries, and coastal systems, and highlights eco-geomorphological feedbacks, particularly where wake-induced vegetation loss reduces wave attenuation, increases sediment mobility, and promotes irreversible shoreline retreat. Despite extensive documentation of local wake effects, critical gaps remain in determining cumulative impacts, dose–response relationships, and thresholds beyond which wake activity drives persistent geomorphic and ecological change rather than transient disturbance. Addressing these gaps will require coordinated, standardized studies that integrate physical forcing with ecological response across a range of environmental settings. Collectively, this review provides a unifying framework for interpreting wake impacts and outlines priorities for developing evidence-based management strategies in both marine and freshwater environments. Key contributions of this synthesis include that wake impacts are highly context dependent due to differences in local topo bathymetry, vessel speed and operating style, and further distinguishes between different situations where: wake energy is an additive source to sheltered or confined systems, or contributes to cumulative energy in open, high-fetch environments. In addition to synthesizing existing research, this review identifies priority knowledge gaps and outlines a coordinated future research direction to guide researchers, practitioners, and managers toward more consistent and actionable assessment of vessel wake impacts.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 26 Mar 2026 09:05:15 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2682342</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Effectiveness of Wildlife Fencing at Reducing Crashes</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2675022</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Wildlife-vehicle collisions (WVCs) pose serious risks to motorist safety and contribute significantly to wildlife mortality. Wildlife fencing serves as a proven countermeasure to mitigate WVCs while promoting habitat connectivity. This study evaluates the safety effectiveness of wildlife fencing installed across Utah from 2011 to 2023, using traffic volume, herd size, migration patterns, and urban/rural context as explanatory variables. A total of 54 (138 miles) treated sites and 90 (583 miles) matched control sites were analyzed using safety performance functions and empirical Bayes methods. Results indicate a crash modification factor (CMF) of 0.25 for total wildlife-related crashes equating to a 75% reduction. CMFs for fatal/injury crashes and property damage-only (PDO) crashes were 0.15 and 0.26, respectively, demonstrating reductions of 85% and 74%. The CMF for total WVCs in only migration areas was 0.13, indicating a greater reduction compared to all sites taken together. It was seen that wildlife fencing creates a greater reduction in WVCs in migration areas of about 87% in these sensitive zones compared to other areas. Low standard errors and narrow 95% confidence intervals reinforce the statistical reliability of the results. Overall, the data strongly supports wildlife fencing as a highly effective safety countermeasure with consistent impact across all crash scenarios in this study. Findings support continued investment in targeted safety interventions across migration corridors. Economic analysis yielded a benefit-cost ratio of approximately 2.0 (at a 3% discount rate), confirming that wildlife fencing is a highly effective and cost- efficient strategy for improving roadway safety and supporting wildlife conservation.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 02 Mar 2026 11:20:22 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2675022</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Road and eco-corridor conflict mitigation through multi-species wildlife crossings around national park</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2659436</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Road network expansion is a key factor driving fragmentation of wildlife habitats and threatening the biodiversity of national parks. Ecological corridors identification and wildlife crossing site selection based on MaxEnt and MCR model are an innovative pathway to coordinate the conflict. Taking Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park and its circle road as a case, 145 ecological habitat sources of terrestrial, arboreal and amphibious reptile animals were identified, 298 ecological corridors were simulated using Linkage Mapper, and 585 conflict points between road and ecological corridor are identified with verification. Based on distance thresholds and species-specific behaviors, 274 wildlife crossing sites of terrestrial, arboreal and amphibian crossing were laid out along road with 1.7 km spacing, and 4 kind of wildlife crossing were designed according to animal habits. This study provides a theoretical framework for the combination of transportation network with ecological protection with wildlife crossings to improve the biodiversity of nature reserves.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 26 Feb 2026 11:55:24 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2659436</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Habitat Credit Program for Pollinators/Monarchs</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2672006</link>
      <description><![CDATA[We examined daylight and paired non-daylight sites at 12 locations in central Pennsylvania to determine if daylighting had secondary benefits to native plants and pollinators. Daylight sites had significantly more species of native flowering forbs and shrubs than non-daylight sites. However, daylight sites also harbored significantly more species of non-native plants and noxious weeds. Pollinator assessment scores did not differ significantly between daylight and non-daylight sites. Pollinator habitat would be improved in daylight sites by controlling for non-native plants following daylight activity. In addition, pollinator habitat would be improved by considering other habitat components needed by pollinators such as wintering habitat and nesting habitat. Overall, we feel that with additional management, daylighting can provide benefits to pollinators where it is implemented in Pennsylvania. In particular, these benefits were most apparent along secondary rural roads.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 25 Feb 2026 16:28:05 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2672006</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Distinct Ecology Patterns of Bacterial Generalists and Specialists Provide Fresh Insights into the Management of Ship Ballast Sediments</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2672668</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Microbial communities normally consist of generalists and specialists. Ship ballast tank is a special ecological system containing abundant bacteria, yet the mechanisms that shape the diversity patterns of generalists and specialists therein remain poorly understood. Here, the taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity, environmental adaptation and assembly processes of generalists and specialists were systematically examined in ballast sediments. Our results showed generalists were more widely distributed but their richness and variations were significantly lower than those of specialists. Firmicutes and Proteobacteria dominated the bacterial composition of generalists and specialists, respectively. Moreover, complex co-occurrence network was contributed by specialists and it played a more important role in the biodiversity maintenance of ballast sediments. Generalists had broader adaptation to the majority of environmental properties than the specialists, particularly for heavy metals. Stochastic processes, especially "undominated" and dispersal limitation dominated the community assembly of generalists and specialists, respectively. Furthermore, the influence of deterministic processes was higher on the assembly of specialists as compared to generalists. Besides, SO₄ could mediate the balance between stochastic and deterministic processes in the assembly of both generalists and specialists. Importantly, stochastic dispersal or sulfate-mediated deterministic selection occurring in these communities can pose invasion risks through ship transport. Overall, our study provides fresh views into the bacterial community and its ecological processes in ballast sediments, and offers targeted insights into its management.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 23 Feb 2026 11:23:57 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2672668</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Deterring Bats from Transportation Infrastructure: Methods and Results</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2666818</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Bat species in North America face many challenges including habitat loss and degradation, mortality at wind turbines, and disease (especially white-nose syndrome [WNS]). As U.S. bat populations decline, transportation structures such as bridges and culverts offer important opportunities for conservation. Across the U.S., Departments of Transportation (DOTs) manage hundreds of thousands of structures, inadvertently providing habitat for millions of bats. While most structures contain common species such as big brown (Eptesicus fuscus), Yuma (Myotis yumanensis) and Brazilian free-tailed (Tadarida brasiliensis) bats, some harbor rare species including the following federally endangered species: Indiana (Myotis sodalis), gray (M. grisescens), and northern long-eared (M. septentrionalis) bats, and a species proposed for listing, the tricolored bat (Perimyotis subflavus). The conservation value of transportation structures is well-established, but little-known outside of biologists working with DOTs. DOTs regularly remove bats from structures including bridges and culverts either 1) because bats pose a health or safety hazard to people or 2) to protect bats while a structure is repaired or demolished. Current studies highlight two approaches for DOTs to remove bats from structures. Exclusion refers to physically blocking access to structures or portions of structures via techniques such as applying filler materials. Alternatively, deterrents such as acoustic, light, or wind devices to discourage bat use of structures are also under consideration. Thus, DOTs require implementation of practices to either permanently or temporarily exclude bats from structures. However, detailed data regarding cost and efficacy of various exclusion/deterrent protocols are currently lacking. National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Project 25-63 facilitates current exclusion/deterrent protocol identification and evaluation through literature review, controlled field studies, and development of a guide to standardize DOT protocols including tools facilitating implementation of recommendations. This document describes the development of the project and the research undertaken.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Sat, 14 Feb 2026 19:11:44 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2666818</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Strategies for Deterring Bats from Transportation Infrastructure</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2666718</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This report presents a guide to select and implement methods to temporarily deter and/or exclude bats from transportation structures ahead of and during construction and maintenance activities. The guide describes methods that are both sensitive to the biological needs of bats and effective for a range of geographical locations, project types, and site conditions. The guide was developed following a series of field evaluations, with a focus on nonlethal ultrasonic acoustic devices used alone and in combination with other methods. The findings of this research effort will prove useful to staff at state departments of transportation (DOTs) in balancing efficient project delivery with the need for responsible bat population stewardship.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Sat, 07 Feb 2026 12:17:08 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2666718</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Slope Restoration on Urban Freeways</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2663104</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Improving the diversity of roadside plantings can provide an array of benefits including improved aesthetics, improved driver safety, and increased biodiversity. However, establishing landscape plants along roadsides can often be difficult due to a variety of soil related and other environmental factors. In an earlier trial, researchers from Michigan State University conducted a large-scale field planting along Interstate 696 in the Detroit metro area in order to identify site preparation practices and identify plant materials that were suited for roadside conditions. From the initial phase of this project MSU researchers determined that compost addition was important to aid in the establishment of landscape plants both from the perspective of improved survival as well as improved plant growth. MSU personnel also identified plant species that were well suited for highway plantings based on initial survival and growth. Here we report the continuation of this project focusing on characterizing the highway roadside environment and examining long-term (years 3-6) responses of the plant materials based on their cover and survival. We found that shrubs generally performed better along the roadside environment than herbaceous perennials or grasses. Shrubs that survived well and provided excellent cover included Diervilla, Physocarpus, contoneaster, and Cornus. Herbaceous perennials that provided excellent cover were Amsonia and hemerocallis. An examination of weather data from weather stations established along the Interstate roadside indicated that air temperatures were 3 to 4°F higher along the roadside compared to regional temperatures. There was little difference in ambient temperatures between north-facing and south-facing slopes along the freeway.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 05 Feb 2026 09:18:37 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2663104</guid>
    </item>
  </channel>
</rss>