A Decision-Making Guide to Consider the Implementation of Progressive Public–Private Partnership | Guide/Manual
Economy, Organizational Management, Risk ManagementState transportation agencies increasingly face major projects whose scale, risk, and financing demands challenge conventional delivery models. Progressive P3 has emerged as an experimental response, combining long-term public–private partnership structures with progressive delivery mechanisms to manage uncertainty prior to final price commitment. This report examines Progressive P3 strategy and how it can be implemented in a manner that protects public value while sustaining private-sector investment.
Based on a review of literature, contractual analysis, and interviews with subject-matter experts, the report focuses on the operational mechanics of Progressive P3 delivery, including bonding, open-book price negotiation, the role of Independent Cost Estimators, risk balancing, and offramp governance. The findings indicate that Progressive P3 is best understood as a contractual tool to mitigate the design and construction risk of complex projects in advance of a concession period, rather than a wholesale redefinition of the P3 model. Progressive mechanisms can improve price realism and delivery stability but can also impose heightened demands on agency capacity and governance. The report concludes that Progressive P3 should be applied selectively, where both P3 financing logic and progressive risk-management benefits are clearly present.
Emerging Travel Behavior Insights From National Surveys and Count Data | Research Report
Economy, Mobility, System PerformanceThe early 21st century to the present is a pivotal era in the study of travel behavior and time use. This two-decade period has witnessed not only incremental adjustments but also transformative shifts in how individuals allocate their time across various activities and make travel-related decisions within their time and monetary constraints. These shifts are not isolated phenomena; they are deeply intertwined with broader, multidimensional changes driven by factors such as the widespread adoption of Internet and Communication Technologies (leading to innovations in mobility services and online substitutes for many in-person activities) and shifts in demographics and cultural norms. Overall, this period of change holds profound implications for transportation planning and policy development. This multi-stage project aims to navigate this complex terrain to shed light on the trends in time, travel, transit, telework, and treasure (T5) during this period. The project primarily utilizes data from the American Community Survey (ACS), the American Time Use Survey (ATUS), and the Consumer Expenditure Survey (CES), along with insights from field counts and travel estimates, to analyze these trends. Understanding these trends is crucial for effectively addressing current and future challenges and seizing opportunities in transportation management, economic resilience, and societal wellbeing.
Publisher: National Center for Understanding Future Travel Behavior and Demand
The Real Price of Going Electric: Benchmarking E-Bus Transition Costs in LAC | Case Study/Practice Example, Research Report
Asset Management, Economy, Emissions, Environment, Mobility, System PerformanceThis report benchmarks the costs of transitioning to electric bus (e-bus) fleets in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), drawing on data from 13 countries and 21 cities covering the period 2021–2025. It examines the full cost structure of e-bus deployment, including vehicle acquisition, charging infrastructure, and operating costs, and explains the substantial variation observed across markets. The findings show that e-bus costs are shaped by vehicle specifications, procurement scale, market maturity, and policy environments, with substantially greater price dispersion than conventional diesel buses. Charging infrastructure costs are highly sensitive to project scale, grid conditions, and depot location, highlighting the need for integrated transport and power sector planning. While e-buses offer clear operational advantages, these benefits depend on sound planning, competitive procurement, and coordinated policies. By improving transparency around key cost drivers, the report aims to support better decision-making and accelerate the sustainable scale-up of e-bus deployment in the region.
How to Prepare and Execute Performance Based Contracts for Road Asset Management | Guide/Manual
Asset Management, Resilience, SafetyThis guide provides a structured roadmap for agencies seeking to implement performance-based contracting (PBC) to support proactive road asset management. Drawing on decades of international experience, it outlines how to design, scale, and manage PBC programs—from pilot projects to network-wide applications—across varying levels of agency maturity.
Practitioners will find guidance on using PBC to improve asset condition, enhance safety and resilience outcomes, and shift from reactive maintenance to performance-driven service delivery. The document also includes diagnostic approaches and implementation strategies that help agencies align contracting practices with broader TAM and performance management objectives.
How to Prepare and Execute Performance Based Contracts for Road Asset Management – Interactive PDF For Basic PBC & Advanced Users | Guide/Manual
Asset Management, Organizational Management, PavementThe Guidelines How to Prepare and Execute Performance Based Contracts for Road Asset Management - Interactive PDF For Basic PBC & Advanced Users, offer a comprehensive tool to support the introduction of PBCs. Taking into consideration the wide range of sector maturity across regions, the Guidelines are organized into two workstreams—basic and advanced—so they can be easily adapted to a particular country’s or subregion’s level of preparedness. The present Guidance Note is intended to provide a roadmap for practitioners seeking to customize PBCs to local sector maturity.
Guide for Road Safety Assessments for Urban Railway Crossings and Stations | Guide/Manual
Accessibility, Asset Management, System PerformanceThis guide explains that safety is not just about the trains themselves, but also about how people get to and from stations . Problems often come from poor sidewalks, missing sign age, bad lighting, and busy roads near stations. Children, older adults, and people with disabilities are especially at risk. In some locations, crossings lack proper barriers or signals, increasing the chance of road crashes. Reliable data on crashes is also often missing, making it difficult to pinpoint where the greatest problems lie.
NCHRP Web-Only Document 448: Implementation of A Guide to Computation and Use of System-Level Valuation of Transportation Assets | Research Report
Asset ManagementThis document supports implementation of system-level transportation asset valuation, helping agencies translate asset inventories and condition data into meaningful measures of asset value. The resource provides case studies, worksheets, and outreach materials that demonstrate how agencies can apply asset valuation methods to support financial reporting, communicate infrastructure needs, and evaluate investment strategies.
Practitioners will gain practical guidance on using asset valuation to track system condition trends, demonstrate the impact of funding decisions, and strengthen transportation asset management (TAM) programs. The materials complement the AASHTO Asset Valuation Guide and include tools that help agencies integrate asset valuation concepts into planning, performance management, and investment decision-making.
NCHRP Synthesis 655: Funding for Maintenance of Complete Streets | Research Report
Asset ManagementThis synthesis examines how State DOTs fund, manage, and coordinate the maintenance of Complete Streets infrastructure, including bicycle, pedestrian, and other active transportation facilities. As agencies expand multimodal networks, the report highlights practical challenges such as equipment compatibility, staffing capacity, and ongoing maintenance funding.
Practitioners will find examples of maintenance policies, interagency cost-sharing agreements, and partnership models involving local and tribal governments. The report also identifies strategies for workforce training, equipment procurement, and operational coordination that can help agencies sustain Complete Streets investments over time.
Fatal Wrong-Way Crashes on Divided Highways: United States (2014-2023) | Research Report
Safety, System PerformanceWrong-way crashes are rare but often severe events. This brief serves as an update to previous Foundation work examining these crashes from 2010 to 2018. Using FARS data, updated wrong-way crash numbers are provided, previously cited risk factors were examined in relation to the more recent crash data, and potential new risk factors were explored.
Publisher: AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety
Quality Manual for Steel Bridge Fabrication | Guide/Manual
Asset Management, BridgeThe American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) and the American Welding Society (AWS) provide extensive guidance documents that govern the welding of steel bridge members; however, none of the documents provide guidance regarding the number of times a welding nonconformance can be repaired without penalty or rejection, leading to uncertainty in the fabrication industry and potentially costly member rejections. While a few studies have investigated the effects of multiple weld repairs, none have studied the effects of multiple repair welds on members and practices common in the steel bridge industry. As such, there is currently insufficient data to determine whether multiple repair welds affect the material properties or the fatigue life of welded joints on bridge members. The goal of the current study is to investigate the effects of multiple repair welds on complete joint penetration (CJP) butt-splice welds and suggest an appropriate limit to GDOT and the steel bridge industry on the number of repair welds that can be performed at a single location. To accomplish this goal, the current study is comprised of three main research thrusts: (a) gather existing industry data and knowledge on welding nonconformances and repairs through a literature review and survey, (b) generate novel experimental data through a suite of material characterization tests on CJP joints with up to five weld repairs, and (c) generate novel experimental data through large-scale fatigue life tests on CJP butt-splice joints with up to five weld repairs. The results of this research show that up to five weld repairs can be performed at a joint without significant changes to the material properties or fatigue life of the CJP joint. The significance of these findings is that the data suggest: (a) there are no mechanistic or fatigue life indications that a CJP butt splice joint with up to five weld repairs will perform significantly differently than a CJP joint with no repairs, and (b) the repaired joint should still meet all applicable strength and fatigue design requirements.
NCHRP Research Report 1149: Estimating Benefits of Closing Gaps in Active Transportation Networks: A Guide | Research Report
Accessibility, Equity, Mobility, System PerformanceNCHRP Research Report 1149: Estimating Benefits of Closing Gaps in Active Transportation Networks: A Guide provides practical methods for evaluating the benefits of projects that improve connectivity in walking, bicycling, and rolling networks. Active transportation systems—including trails, sidewalks, bike lanes, and connected roadways—play a critical role in supporting safe, convenient travel for both recreation and everyday trips, yet many communities face fragmented networks with significant gaps. This guide offers accessible analytical approaches that can be applied across diverse geographies and project types, using publicly available datasets and research-based multipliers. Designed for broad usability, the methods rely primarily on national-level data sources to help agencies consistently estimate economic, safety, health, and mobility benefits.
NCHRP Web-Only Document 426, which accompanies the report, documents the development of the guide and summarizes the full research effort behind the recommended methodologies.