HIGHWAY RESEARCH: Systematic Selection and Evaluation Processes Needed for Research Program

Throughout the past decade, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has received hundreds of millions of dollars for its surface transportation research and technology program. For example, in 1998 the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century, which authorized the Department of Transportation's (DOT) transportation programs for highways, highway safety, and transit for the 6-year period of 1998 through 2003, included over $447 million for fiscal year 2002 for FHWA's transportation research and technology efforts. These efforts included programs for surface transportation research, technology deployment, intelligent transportation systems, training and education, university transportation research, and the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. In addition to providing funding, this authorization required DOT to establish a strategic focus for its surface transportation research and technology program. As it considers reauthorizing this program, Congress will be making decisions on the future characteristics of the program and the level of resources it should receive.