Each year, the Research Advisory Committee (RAC) of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) asks state departments of transportation to identify and document recently completed “high-value” research projects. Through the identifications, the 50 states, DC, and Puerto Rico engage in a friendly professional competition to determine the best high-value research based on region. Through this process, regions become familiar with that their counterparts consider high value. All winning projects are showcased through posters at the summer AASCHTO RAC meeting. The winners are also invited to show their posters at the annual TRB (Transportation Research board) meeting held in D.C. each January.


High Value Research Map

Montana has been recognized with the HVR award several times. Additionally, we have also received supplemental topic recognition for many projects.

High Value Research

MDT Wildlife Accommodation Process
Rockfall Hazard Classification and Mitigation System)
Guidelines for Chemically Stabilizing Problematic Soils
A Study of the Economic Effects of Reconfiguring Montana's Two-Lane Highways

Supplemental Topic Recognition

Concrete-Filled Steel Tube to Concrete Pile Cap Connections
Speed Limits Set Lower than Engineering Recommendations
Investigation of Prefabricated Steel Truss/Bridge Deck Systems
Effective Production Rate Estimation and Activity Sequencing Logics Using Daily Work Report Data: Phases 1 and 2
Testing Wildlife-Friendly Fencing Modifications to Manage Wildlife and Livestock Movements
Feasibility of Non-Proprietary Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) for Use in Highway Bridges in Montana
Effectiveness of Highway Safety Public Education at Montana DMV

Click column heading to sort High Value Research.

Award Topic Category Region Title State Department of Transportation
High Value Research Materials 1 Advanced Reinforced Concrete Materials for Transportation Infrastructure New Jersey
High Value Research Materials 1 Optimizing of MassDOT's High Performance Asphalt Overlay (HPOL) Mixtures Massachusetts
High Value Research Safety 1 Safety Evaluation of Alternatives for Installing Pedestrian Signals Under Side Street Green Operation Connecticut
High Value Research Safety 1 SMART Intersections Pennsylvania
High Value Research Administrative 2 A Framework for Quantitative Assessment of the Environmental, Social and Economic Benefits of TDOT Infrastructure Projects Tennessee
High Value Research Administrative 2 Best Practices in Project Scoping Kentucky
High Value Research Bridge 2 Florida Slab Beam Bridge with Ultra-High Performance Concrete Joint Connections -Full Scale Testing and Analysis of Results Florida
High Value Research Maintenance 2 Predicting Roadway Washout Locations During Extreme Rainfall Events North Carolina
High Value Research Geotechnical 3 Development of a Geotechnical Asset Management Collection and Rating Program Missouri
High Value Research Materials 3 Evaluating the Impact of Anti-Icing Solutions on Concrete Durability Wisconsin
High Value Research Traffic 3 Impacts to Traffic Behavior from Queue Warning Truck: Current Pilot Project Indiana
High Value Research Maintenance 3 Implementation of Lane Boundary Guidance System for Snowplow Operations Minnesota
High Value Research Environmental 4 Optimizing Wildlife Structure Size: A Meta-analysis of Literature to Determine Optimal Wildlife Crossing Structure Dimensions Colorado
High Value Research Environmental 4 Bees and Butterflies in Roadside Habitats: Identifying Patterns, Protecting Monarchs, and Informing Management Idaho
High Value Research Maintenance 4 Working with Autonomous Trucks to Improve Routine Maintenance Operations Texas
High Value Research Construction 4 Developing a Prototype System for Establishing Passing and No-Passing Zones of Two-Lane Highways Wyoming
Supplemental Category - Safety, Security, and Emergencies Safety 1 Traffic Safety Toolbox-Addressing Speeds Vermont
Supplemental Category - Safety, Security, and Emergencies Environment 1 Wildlife Vehicle Collisions Data Gathering and Best Management Practices New Hampshire
Supplemental Category - Safety, Security, and Emergencies Traffic 2 Cost Congestion Due to Incidents on Freeways Virginia
Supplemental Category - Safety, Security, and Emergencies Construction 3 Speed Enforcement in Work Zones and Synthesis on Cost-Benefit Assessment of Installing Speed Enforcement Cameras on INDOT Road Network Indiana
Supplemental Category - Safety, Security, and Emergencies Safety 3 Influence of Autonomous and Partially Autonomous Vehicles on Minnesota Roads Minnesota
Supplemental Category - Safety, Security, and Emergencies Safety 4 Identifying Communication Methods for Severely Intoxicated Drivers to Develop Effective Engineering Countermeasures for Wrong-Way Driving California
Supplemental Category - Safety, Security, and Emergencies Safety 4 Effectiveness of Highway Safety Public Education at Montana Motor Vehicle Registration Stations by Streaming a Variety of Safety Content Montana
Supplemental Category - Maintenance, Management, and Preservation Maintenance 1 Improving Roadway Debris Clearance for CHART Responders Maryland
Supplemental Category - Maintenance, Management, and Preservation Maintenance 1 Innovative Pothole Repair Materials and Techniques New Jersey
Supplemental Category - Maintenance, Management, and Preservation Bridge 2 Safe and Cost-Effective Reduction of Load Postings for South Carolina Bridges South Carolina
Supplemental Category - Maintenance, Management, and Preservation Bridge 3 Repair of Bridge Deck Fascias Michigan
Supplemental Category - Maintenance, Management, and Preservation Materials 3 Lab and Field Evaluation of Asphalt Mixtures with Ground Tire Rubber and Post-Consumer Plastic Missouri
Supplemental Category - Maintenance, Management, and Preservation Bridge 4 Experimental Validation of Repair Methods for Earthquake-Damaged Bridges Incorporating ITD’s Precast Pier System Idaho
Supplemental Category - Maintenance, Management, and Preservation Maintenance 4 WSDOT Maintenance Performance Measure Algorithms Washington