IAC covers many changing areas within transportation. The U.S. DOT and FHWA are continually revising their priorities and identifying new areas to address. IAC meets with transportation experts and government officials to provide the best information about these topics.

IAC has also arranged and facilitated meetings for high-level information exchanges on important transportation topics. IAC has arranged meetings with international officials—involving U.S. transportation experts, U.S. Federal government agency officials, and State government officials.

The following information is a summary of topics IAC has researched:

• Future of the Interstate System: As envisioned in conceptual drawings of the Trans-Texas Corridor (TTC), the future version of highways will likely be different from what we have today. A growing U.S. population, and broader freight movement demand, increase requirements for wider roadways and additional capacity. IAC has also conducted research on per-lane-mile construction costs of Interstate highways and bridges.
  
  
• New Corridors: Corridor by corridor, the U.S. transportation network is expanding. Two examples: the I-69 (NAFTA Super Highway) Corridor and the Alameda Corridor rail cargo expressway—which links Long Beach and Los Angeles to the transcontinental rail network.
  
  
• Intermodalism and Intermodal Connectors: In 1991, with the passage of ISTEA legislation, the U.S. entered the post-Interstate era and the beginning of “intermodal” development. Today’s developments are designed to link multiple modes of transportation, such as intercity rail with local buses and subways. And, interstate highways with major sea ports and airports.
  
  
• Congestion: Former DOT Secretary Norm Mineta said, in 2006, that Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) is up 300% since 1960, while lane miles are up just 12%. The population of the U.S. continues to rise—concentrating in urban, and coastal locations—but the number of new roadways is not keeping up with this demand. In 2006, the Department of Transportation announced the National Strategy to Reduce Congestion on America’s Transportation Network. Two additional areas of research involve the Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) Urban Mobility Study and the FHWA Freight Bottleneck reports. The FHWA plans to utilize tolling, and other methods, to increase, and maximize, throughput on existing roadways.
  
  
• Public Transportation: Title 3 of U.S. transportation reauthorization legislation (SAFETEA-LU) is dedicated to “Public Transportation”. And, 1/5th of all Highway Trust Fund revenues are dedicated to the “Mass Transit Fund”. In addition, traditional highway programs, such as the Surface Transportation Program (STP) and the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) program now include broad ability to transfer funds to transit projects. IAC analyzes programs such as SAFETEA-LU Sections 5307 and 5309 and other Federal Transit Administration (FTA) programs. Significant new construction of public transportation facilities has included the Hiawatha Light Rail Line and other projects.
  
  
• Safety: Reducing the number of fatalities on U.S. highways has been a significant cause of concern for the DOT and FHWA. The U.S. DOT has worked in conjunction with AASHTO to establish objectives and targets for lowering the fatality rate and injuries. AASHTO created the Strategic Highway Safety Plan. In recent years the FHWA has supported the development of countermeasures published in PEDSAFE. FHWA has also worked to identify Focus Cities and Focus States as well as create a Safe Routes to School Program. FHWA funds safety programs through the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) and the FHWA requires states to develop Strategic Highway Safety Plans.
  
  
• Environmental protection and stewardship: In many ways, the U.S. has been a leader in introducing environmental techniques to mitigate side effects of transportation construction. And, the U.S. is involved in innovative strategies such as the Green Highways Initiative. Environmental regulations also impact the project process. IAC research of these important issues involves internal expertise and our network of contacts.
  
  
• Context Sensitive Solutions (CSS) and Context Sensitive Design (CSD): This approach focuses on involving all stakeholders in the development of transportation facilities that fit the physical setting they are in by preserving scenic, aesthetic, historic, and environmental aspects while maintaining safety and mobility.
  
  
• Federal/State/Local Relationships: This research tracks changes in responsibility, control, project selection, and oversight. Areas of focus include the Federal-Aid program, FHWA, FHWA Division Offices, State DOTs, and the role of Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO’s). Over the last several decades there have been important changes in these relationships, especially since the passage of ISTEA in 1991. The nexus of control has changed in recently following the high costs of the Boston “Big Dig” construction project.