As the transportation infrastructure matures, there are few new routes under development. Today, new construction projects typically focus on improving and optimizing the existing transportation network. The problems facing transportation officials today are more in the areas of infrastructure maintenance and system management. Special studies seeks solutions to these problems by fostering cooperative research efforts among transportation professionals from academia, the private sector, metropolitan planning organizations, and federal, state, and local government.
LTRC's special studies and planning group conducts in-house studies and coordinates contract research projects in traffic engineering, transportation planning, ITS, road safety, and environmental engineering. In addition, LTRC coordinates research projects dealing with subjects such as ports and waterways, economic development, environmental impact, and management. Special studies research also routinely includes in-house technical assistance studies to address problems identified by DOTD administrators.
Management Policy Analysis
As the transportation infrastructure matures, there are few new routes under development.
Today, new construction projects typically focus on improving and optimizing the existing transportation network. The problem facing transportation officials today are more and more in the areas on infrastructure maintenance and system management.
The Management/Policy Unit seeks solutions to these problems by fostering cooperative research efforts among transportation officials from academia, the private sector, metropolitan planning organizations, and federal, state, and local government. LTRC's Management/Policy Unit also coordinates contract research projects in ITS and environmental. In addition, the Management/Policy Unit coordinates research projects dealing with economic development, and management.
As part of LTRC's support of higher education, management/policy contract research projects support dozens of Louisiana's university graduate and undergraduate students. Graduate students working on projects in ITS and environmental perform research leading to their graduate theses. Undergraduate students gain invaluable exposure to the field of transportation research as they assist professors and graduate research scientists in collecting and analyzing data.