Iowa Highway Research Board
The IHRB is an advisory
board responsible for assisting the Iowa Counties, Iowa Cities and Iowa DOT in
the development and continuation of an effective program of research and
development in highway transportation. Board membership includes
representatives of Iowa's city and county government highway agencies, the Iowa
DOT, and Iowa's public universities.
IHRB was established in 1949 to provide guidance and oversight for the use of the primary, secondary, and municipal road research funds. Years later, the IHRB is still fulfilling that role, overseeing about 20 new projects each year involving transportation issues in Iowa. The value earned from this research is continually returned to Iowa taxpayers multifold through cost savings of innovations, improved safety, and the implementation of proactive technologies.
The Board is composed of 15 members:
- Seven engineers employed by Iowa counties.
- Two engineers employed by Iowa municipalities.
- The Chair of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at The University of Iowa and the Chair of the Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering at Iowa State University.
- Four Iowa DOT engineers, representing the DOT.
For each Board member, an alternate is also appointed to serve at the member’s request when the member is unable to attend.
RESEARCH IDEAS AND PROPOSALS
The IHRB encourages submission of research ideas that consider all aspects of transportation and related infrastructure through research, innovation, implementation, and technology transfer efforts. If you have an idea that may merit evaluation, please visit our Submit Ideas page.
The Iowa Highway Research Board will periodically publish requests for proposal (RFPs). Visit the Requests for Proposal page for more information and to sign up to receive notifications on new RFPs posted. Proposals submitted to the IHRB outside of these requested areas may be accepted on only a limited, case-by-case basis.
PROJECT EXAMPLES
Iowa has made strides in transportation research with IHRB funding. See our active IHRB projects.
IHRB MEETING INFORMATION
meetings / Agenda / Minutes
The IHRB generally holds meetings on the last Friday of every month; however, the board does not meet in January or August. The November and December meetings are combined, taking place in the same week as the Iowa County Engineer Association Conference (in the first part of December).