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    <title>Transport Research International Documentation (TRID)</title>
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    <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>
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      <title>Yeager Airport Runway Extension: Tallest Known 1H:1V Slope in U.S.</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2191989</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Yeager Airport was constructed atop mountainous terrain near Charleston, WV in the 1940's. Construction consisted of excavating 7 hilltops and filling surrounding valleys to create a flat site for the runways. Due to this dramatic terrain, development to meet FAA safety regulations was extremely difficult, and some concessions were allowed. However, the airport recently needed to extend Runway 5 approximately 150 meters (500 feet) in order to meet current FAA safety regulations. Bridges, walls and reinforced slopes were evaluated as options to extend the runway. The geosynthetic reinforced slope option provided the most economical alternative; plus, the "green" faced system allowed for a more aesthetically pleasing alternative to blend into the surrounding green hills. The reinforced structure is a 1H:1V (45 degree) geosynthetic reinforced steepened slope, 74 meters (242 feet) high. This is the tallest geosynthetic reinforced green faced 1H:1V slope constructed in the United States.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 23 Mar 2026 15:24:24 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2191989</guid>
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      <title>Utility of Improving Nonmotorized Volume Forecasts for Bike Infrastructure</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2681257</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) lacks clarity on several foundational questions for bicycle and pedestrian demand forecasting: (1) the accuracy of the current forecasting method(s), (2) the full range of decisions that would benefit from more precise demand estimates, (3) the availability and reliability of existing bicycle and pedestrian count data, and (4) whether a more advanced forecasting method could be effectively adapted for Virginia. Given these four unknowns and the anticipated large expense of a Virginia-specific model, it is unclear whether VDOT should spend substantial time and resources creating a better approach for estimating nonmotorized demand. Through a literature review, survey and potentially follow-up interviews, assessment of alternative methods, evaluation of existing count data, and data analysis to evaluate the utility of improving forecasts, this research will determine if VDOT should develop a better method or continue the current approach.  ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 17 Mar 2026 09:48:42 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2681257</guid>
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      <title>Halifax County Road Orders 1752-1767</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2678100</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The road history projects undertaken by the Virginia Transportation Research Council establish the feasibility of studies of early road networks and their use in the environmental review process. These projects, by gathering and publishing the early road orders of the vast parent counties and other significant areas, also lay the foundation for additional research by local groups over a broad area of Virginia. This volume marks the 32nd entry in the Historic Roads of Virginia series, initiated in 1973 by the Virginia Highway & Transportation Research Council (subsequently the Virginia Transportation Research Council). Halifax County Road Orders 1752-1767 furthers the coverage of the early southern Virginia transportation records begun in the previously published Brunswick County Road Orders 1732-1749, Lunenburg County Road Orders 1746-1764, and Amelia County Road Orders 1735- 1753. This volume covers the period of Halifax County’s greatest extent, from its creation from Lunenburg County in 1752 until its division to create Pittsylvania County in 1767. By the mid-18th century, Halifax County contained important east-west and north-south transportation routes. The county’s early transportation records provide important information relating to transportation connections with not only neighboring counties and other counties farther to the north, east, and west in Virginia, but also with North Carolina (which is located immediately to the south of Halifax County). This publication will have particular application to the cultural resource research relating to transportation projects in this area of southern Virginia. This information will eliminate the need for further research into the early Halifax County road order records of 1752-1767. If questions arise about early roads once a Virginia Department of Transportation road improvement project is already underway, or nearly underway, primary historical research of this nature can take 6 to 12 months to complete. Therefore, this volume can be a source of potentially significant cost savings for the Virginia Department of Transportation, including the avoided costs of project delays and avoided consultant costs for cultural resource studies should questions arise.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Sat, 07 Mar 2026 16:04:41 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2678100</guid>
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      <title>Intersection Safety Performance Function Calibration for Project Planning and Design</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2678099</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This study calibrated the predictive models for conventional intersections in the Highway Safety Manual (HSM) second edition draft to account for local conditions in Virginia. The calibration ensures that predictions made with the HSM safety performance functions accurately reflect the crash experience, driver population, and environmental characteristics of the state. Crash, traffic, and geometric data were collected for 1,326 intersections across Virginia, representing minor road stop-controlled, all-way stop-controlled, and signal-controlled configurations on rural two-lane, rural multilane, and urban or suburban arterial highways. The study followed HSM-recommended procedures to estimate calibration factors and dispersion parameters for the conventional intersection site-type safety performance functions in the HSM second edition draft. Constant calibration factors provided a good fit for total crashes, with 20 of 21 site types meeting HSM acceptance criteria, but they did not perform as well for fatal and injury crashes. Calibration functions offered a superior fit for those crash types, with 14 of 19 site types achieving percent cumulative residual deviations within 5%. It is recommended that the Virginia Department of Transportation Traffic Operations Division use the constant calibration factors in Table 11 for total crashes and the calibration functions in Table 12 for fatal and injury crashes and incorporate these results into the Traffic Operations and Safety Analysis Manual to ensure consistent statewide application.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Sat, 07 Mar 2026 16:04:41 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2678099</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Utilizing Drone Technology for Pavement Surface Condition Evaluation at Truck Weigh Stations: A Case Study from the State of Virginia</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2675891</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Pavement management systems (PMS) are essential for optimizing maintenance budgets and scheduling effective treatments for pavement networks. Traditionally, PMS rely on manual pavement distress data collection, a process that is both costly and time-consuming. This study explores the use of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), commonly known as drones, as an alternative for collecting pavement surface distress data. The study focused on 13 truck weigh stations managed by the Virginia Department of Transportation and the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles in the U.S. A drone was utilized to capture detailed images of pavement sections, which were then analyzed using an artificial intelligence model to generate pavement surface evaluation and rating (PASER) scores. These drone-derived PASER scores were compared with those obtained through traditional manual inspections. The results demonstrate that the PASER values from drone imagery and manual surveys align closely, with statistical analyses showing no significant differences overall. However, discrepancies were noted for Portland cement concrete sections, where the drone technology analysis method missed certain distresses such as joint seal damage. This limitation highlights the need for improvements in drone imaging or additional technologies to fully capture and analyze all distress types. Moreover, challenges such as weather dependency, regulatory constraints, and site conditions must be addressed to optimize drone use in pavement management.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 02 Mar 2026 13:29:09 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2675891</guid>
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    <item>
      <title>Beyond the Data: A Holistic Approach to Serving Communities</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2663653</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This article explores how blending qualitative and quantitative data can transform transportation decision making, drawing from two case studies: a countywide roundabout prioritization effort in Ohio and a statewide vulnerable road user (VRU) active transportation analysis in West Virginia. Together, these examples demonstrate how transportation professionals can move beyond numbers to build infrastructure that is data-driven, people-centered, and built to last. In today’s transportation landscape, where public trust and funding constraints are constant challenges, integrating human narratives into technical processes is not optional—it is foundational. These projects demonstrate that data-driven methods can also be people-centered, transparent, and resilient. The lesson is clear: transportation professionals must move beyond the comfort of hard numbers and embrace the full spectrum of evidence to build infrastructure that communities trust and support.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 26 Feb 2026 09:22:45 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2663653</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Real-Time Anomaly Detection System for Signalized Intersections</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2673038</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Automated Traffic Signal Performance Metrices (ATSPMs) rely on high-resolution controller data to support signal operations and maintenance. While existing ATSPM Watchdog tools can identify certain detector malfunctions, they typically rely on static thresholds set across the entire system, limiting their ability to detect issues promptly and adapt to site-specific traffic patterns. This project develops and evaluates a statistical, spatiotemporal anomaly detection framework that leverages historical detector behavior and agreement among neighboring detectors to improve alert timeliness and accuracy. The research will characterize practitioner needs, define normal detector behavior, develop and test statistical detection and classification methods, and quantify benefits relative to static thresholds. Results will inform a roadmap for potential real-time implementation within Virginia Department of Transportation (DOT) systems.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 24 Feb 2026 10:25:57 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2673038</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>The Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel Parallel Crossing</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2235258</link>
      <description><![CDATA[By 1956, the Chesapeake Bay Ferry District and predecessor to the current Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel District, a political subdivision of the State of Virginia, operated the largest ferry system in the world. It was an 85-minute crossing of the mouth of Chesapeake Bay from the southern shore in the Norfolk-Virginia Beach area to the Eastern Shore of Virginia peninsula, with up to 90 one-way daily crossings. However, capacity could not keep up with increasing traffic demands. Consequently, Virginia gave legislative approval for the District to construct, maintain and operate a bridge and tunnel project. This would close the last gap along U.S. Route 13, one of the principal north-south highways between New England and Mid-Atlantic States and the southeastern sections of the country. Planning and design began almost immediately. Construction followed in late 1960 and was completed on April 15, 1964. The crossing was widely regarded as one of the world's modern engineering marvels, receiving many awards, including the Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement Award from the American Society of Civil Engineers. Total cost of studies, engineering and construction was approximately $200 million. The project was financed without tax money through revenue bonds. Tolls were used to pay the bond debt and cover operation and maintenance costs for the facility.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 24 Feb 2026 09:00:44 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2235258</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Feasibility of Hybrid Clean Energy Systems for Permanent Grid-Tied VDOT Infrastructure: Enhancing Resilience and Sustainability</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2562126</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This feasibility study examines the integration of hybrid clean energy systems for Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) assets, focusing on permanent, grid-tied infrastructure and facilities that experience power outages. The study aims to enhance the resilience and reliability of critical infrastructure while advancing Virginia’s sustainability goals. At the Suffolk Inspection Station, the proposed hybrid system comprises 615.4 kW of solar PV, 1,500 kW of wind generation, and 2,400 kWh of battery storage. This system is estimated to generate 6.4 GWh of electricity annually. The system is expected to deliver significant cost savings, reducing VDOT’s annual energy expenses by approximately $430,182, with a total installed cost of $4.2 million and a payback period of under 10 years. This scalable model reinforces VDOT’s commitment to sustainability and operational resilience, providing a pathway for future renewable energy deployments across its asset portfolio.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 20 Feb 2026 15:28:26 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2562126</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Improved VDOT Bioretention Media Specification</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2672501</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) uses bioretention as a stormwater control measure (SCM); however, the most recent special provision for VDOT bioretention soil media requires that testing the media’s infiltration rate use a unique mesocosm test method, outlined in VTM-134 (VDOT, 2025), which presents five challenges.  These are (1) inconsistency in how the media is placed and ultimately compacted in the test apparatus and therefore potential variability in the test results; (2) lack of labs willing to run the mesocosm test (only one in Virginia does this); (3) large amount of media required (40 5-gallon buckets of media and related materials); (4) lack of information proving this test is needed to procure successful bioretention soil media; and (5) a cost of $6,000 to run one test.  Due to these challenges, few media providers both try to meet the requirements and then succeed in doing so, which ultimately increases the overall project costs when bioretention is selected as the SCM.  A unique aspect of testing a media’s infiltration rate using the mesocosm test is consideration of how both de-icing salts and wet and dry cycles (to mimic rainfall patterns) impact a media’s infiltration rate. These unique aspects of the mesocosm test appear to be why it’s included in the current special provision. This study will recommend a specification for VDOT bioretention soil media that addresses the five challenges of the mesocosm test method to determine the media’s infiltration rate based on laboratory testing.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 19 Feb 2026 10:50:44 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2672501</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Bridge Deck Deterioration Prediction Using Principal Component Analysis for Feature-Set Modification</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2662717</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Bridge deck deterioration remains a major concern for owners because of its direct impact on road safety and usability. Existing deterioration models predict future conditions of the deck by linking deterioration to various factors (or features) identified through different engineering and statistical techniques. This led to a lack of a unified feature set, which mostly influences the deterioration of the bridge deck. Additionally, traditional deterioration models (e.g., linear regression) are unable to accurately predict the discretized values of the deck condition ratings, resulting in inaccuracies. For instance, a predicted value of 6.51 was approximated to be a condition rating of 7, which is inappropriate when using discrete data. This paper uniquely combines the bridge features identified in the literature and applies principal component analysis (PCA) to capture the relevant information in the feature set needed to predict the condition of the bridge deck. This case study analyzed 53,000 observations from 24,240 unique bridges in Maryland and Virginia, categorizing the bridges into five condition rating groups. Feedforward artificial neural network (ANN) models were developed using different combinations of principal components derived from the dataset. The performances of these models were compared to a base model that used 14 features collected from the literature. Analyses revealed that incorporating at least nine principal components resulted in a deterioration model with a prediction accuracy of 76%, surpassing the base model’s accuracy of 75%. The results demonstrate a lower prediction error compared to previous studies. Utilizing nine principal components reduces the feature-set’s dimensionality from 14 to nine, thereby minimizing the subjectivity associated with visual inspection data and enhancing model performance for bridge condition assessment.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 17 Feb 2026 10:30:24 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2662717</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Quantifying Sustainable Pavements in Virginia—FHWA Climate Challenge Study</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2669631</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This study supports Virginia’s efforts to participate in the Federal Highway Administration’s Climate Challenge Program. The research team developed and applied OpenLCA models to evaluate the effects of key pavement treatments, including asphalt overlays, balanced mix designs, cold in-place recycling, full-depth reclamation, and Portland cement concrete paving. The research incorporated detailed data from more than 25 projects across Virginia and selected out-of-state case studies, collected through site visits, contractor records, and direct equipment monitoring. All modeled systems included emissions related to life cycle assessment modules A1, material extraction and production; A2, transport to production plant; A3, mixture production; A4, transport to construction site; and A5, construction, with results normalized to kg CO₂-equivalent per lane-mile and presented as global warming potential (GWP). Because data for asphalt-based mixtures were more readily available, the work focused on these materials. The study evaluated more than 200 Environmental Product Declarations for asphalt mixtures based on data submitted by Virginia asphalt producers. Environmental Product Declarations were analyzed for A1 through A3 emissions and benchmarked against U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) national thresholds. When averaged by four mixture characteristics, most mixture GWP averages were lower than GSA’s national averages, with only one subset that did not meet the GSA’s “Best 20%” GWP criteria. Higher total material extraction and transport emissions (A1 and A2, respectively) were evident in specialty mixtures (e.g., polymer-modified mixtures and stone matrix asphalt). Emissions from material extraction and production (A1 and A3, respectively) typically dominated GWP values for asphalt projects studied. For both cold in-place recycling and full-depth reclamation projects, materials emissions (A1) accounted for most of A1 through A5 emissions—approximately 75% for cold in-place recycling and 97% for full-depth reclamation—primarily due to the high embodied carbon associated with cement production. As part of the study, the research team also delivered life cycle assessment training to Virginia Department of Transportation staff and produced a roadmap for integrating life cycle assessment and Environmental Product Declaration data into project planning, procurement, and asset management. The roadmap aligns with trends for regional and national climate targets and decarbonization strategies for low-carbon transportation materials. The study recommends that the Virginia Transportation Research Council host a concluding workshop to provide additional training resources and knowledge transfer to Virginia Department of Transportation staff.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Sat, 14 Feb 2026 19:11:43 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2669631</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Impact of Secondary Red Warning Lights on Incident Response Time – Phase 2 </title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2669547</link>
      <description><![CDATA[In 2023, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) gained approval to install flashing red secondary warning lights on certain incident management coordinator (IMC) and safety service patrol (SSP) vehicles over a 2-year transition period. Previously, only amber lights were permitted. Although this does not constitute full emergency vehicle permissions (such as the ability to violate red lights on traffic signals), the flashing red lights may encourage motorists to pull to the shoulder. This may improve VDOT’s incident response during congestion. As the Red Lights Pilot Program started in November 2025, this study aims is to evaluate the effects of IMC red secondary warning lights on incident response, with an emphasis on changes in incident response time and clearance time. The findings will help VDOT make informed decisions on incident management strategies and investment.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 12 Feb 2026 10:50:58 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2669547</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>A Framework for Identifying Roadway Characteristics Affecting Speeding-Related Crashes in Rural Areas</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2664363</link>
      <description><![CDATA[To address the challenges of consistent speed monitoring in rural areas, Speed Management Action Plans (SMAP) offer a structured approach for identifying and mitigating speeding concerns through data-driven prioritization, stakeholder collaboration, and targeted countermeasures. SMAPs serve as a central framework that supports speed management planning, integration with existing safety initiatives, and provides agencies with the tools to systematically collect data, analyze crash patterns, and implement effective countermeasures in high-risk locations.  This research introduces a practical, data-driven framework that uses statewide crash data to identify roadway characteristics commonly associated with speeding-related crashes. The framework was tested using Virginia’s 2022 crash dataset, enabling jurisdictions to target high-risk areas more efficiently, either by focusing data collection efforts or by proactively implementing countermeasures. In doing so, it supports rural communities in developing cost-effective, evidence-based strategies to improve roadway safety]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 09 Feb 2026 08:42:26 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2664363</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Emergency Management Strategies for Electric Vehicles</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2666591</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Electric vehicle fires present unique challenges for roadway incident management due to lithium-ion battery thermal runaway characteristics that can result in extended suppression durations, toxic emissions, and reignition risks. This study assessed the prevalence and operational impacts of electric vehicle fires through analysis of vehicle fire incident durations from 2016 to 2024, review of emergency response guidelines, and interviews with Virginia incident responders. Analysis revealed a statistically significant increase in long-duration vehicle fires between 2016 and 2019 and between 2022 and 2024, with fires exceeding 4 hours increasing by 42%. This shift is consistent with growing electric vehicle adoption and the extended cooling requirements documented for lithium-ion battery fires. Although Virginia has mandated electric vehicle safety training for firefighters, comparable requirements do not exist for transportation agency personnel or towing operators who play critical roles in incident management. The study recommends that the Virginia Department of Transportation develop protocols for protecting critical infrastructure during electric vehicle fires, encourage additional electric vehicle training and requirements for police- and county-maintained towing rotations, implement systematic tracking of electric vehicle incidents in operations centers, and evaluate emerging suppression technologies for strategic deployment.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Sat, 07 Feb 2026 12:17:08 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2666591</guid>
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