Collaboration
The Iowa DOT has a formal Transportation Research Collaboration Agreement with the University of Iowa, Iowa State University, University of Northern Iowa, and the Institute for Transportation (InTrans) at Iowa State. The purpose of the collaboration is to facilitate transportation research to benefit the State of Iowa. Collaboration meetings are held to bring new ideas to the table, review research needs, and explore the expertise and facilities available for research projects. The collaboration partners also look for new ways to serve the state through regional and national research collaboration.
Partnerships
American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)
AASHTO is a nonprofit, nonpartisan association representing highway and transportation departments in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. It represents all transportation modes including: air, highways, public transportation, active transportation, rail, and water. Its primary goal is to foster the development, operation, and maintenance of an integrated national transportation system.
Cooperative Research Programs
TRB Cooperative Research Programs organize nationwide panels of experts to provide guidance on technical aspects of current research priorities as selected by state DOTs.
Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)
FHWA provides stewardship over the construction, maintenance and preservation of the nation’s highways, bridges and tunnels. FHWA also conducts research and provides technical assistance to state and local agencies in an effort to improve safety, mobility, and livability, and to encourage innovation.
Technical Service Programs
AASHTO Technical Service Programs allow participating state DOTs access to the latest technologies and techniques to plan, design, build, maintain, and operate the highest quality transportation system.
Transportation Pooled Fund (TPF)
TPFs allow two or more state DOTs with a shared research goal can get all the benefits of the research results at a fraction of what it would cost individually. Iowa DOT is a nationally recognized leader in transportation research, participating in 60 active TPF studies and serving as the lead agency for 20 of these. Project results help Iowa DOT make better-informed decisions, conserve resources, and remain on the cutting edge of technological advancements.
Transportation Research Board (TRB)
TRB provides innovative, research-based solutions to improve transportation. TRB is a program unit of the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, a non-profit organization that provides independent, objective, and interdisciplinary solutions.
United States Department of Transportation (USDOT)
USDOT aims to ensure our nation has the safest, most efficient and modern transportation system in the world, which improves the quality of life for all American people and communities, from rural to urban, and increases the productivity and competitiveness of American workers and businesses.
University Transportation Centers (UTC)
UTCs promote university research, education, workforce development, and technology transfer as essential to the nation’s transportation system.