THE STRATEGIC HIGHWAY RESEARCH PROGRAM: AN INVESTMENT THAT HAS PAID OFF

In 1987, the U.S. Congress authorized the Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP)--a 5-year, applied research initiative--to develop and evaluate techniques and technologies to combat the deteriorating conditions of the nation's highways and to improve their performance, durability, safety, and efficiency. This article chronicles the program's development effort, cites specific product and process advancements resulting from SHRP, and examines their economic and safety benefits. The SHRP research phase identified innovative ways to build and maintain a more durable highway system. The second phase was the commitment by the Federal Highway Administration and its partners to refine many of the products, get them to the state and local highway agencies for practical testing under real-world road conditions, and provide the training, demonstration, and other resources necessary to implement the products. Ten years and more than 100 products after SHRP was initiated, the benefits of this partnership can be seen in longer lasting asphalt and cement concrete pavements, improved winter maintenance techniques, and work zones that are safer for both highway workers and motorists. The SHRP initiative demonstrated the importance of involving all transportation partners throughout the process from concept development through research to implementation. Comparing the economic benefits of SHRP products versus the costs of the program provides validation of the financial and technical rewards realized through these promising products and processes.

• Record URL:
  http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/publicroads/98marapr/shrp.cfm
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/1586080
• Corporate Authors:

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Halladay, M
• Publication Date: 1998-3

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Photos; References;
• Pagination: p. 11-17
• Serial:
  • Public Roads
  • Volume: 61
  • Issue Number: 5
  • Publisher: Federal Highway Administration
  • ISSN: 0033-3735
  • Serial URL: https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/publicroads/
• Publication flags:

  Open Access (libre)

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Asphalt pavements; Concrete; Cost effectiveness; Development; Pavement maintenance; Portland cement; Research; Research projects; Snow and ice control; State departments of transportation; Superpave; Technological innovations; Winter maintenance; Work zone safety
• Identifier Terms: Strategic Highway Research Program; U.S. Federal Highway Administration
• Uncontrolled Terms: Research and development; Research programs
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Design; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Operations and Traffic Management; Pavements; Research; I22: Design of Pavements, Railways and Guideways; I24: Design of Bridges and Retaining Walls; I61: Equipment and Maintenance Methods; I62: Winter Maintenance;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00750518
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Jun 22 1998 12:00AM