Multi-state research through the national  Transportation Pooled Fund (TPF) Program  has always been a significant value for MDOT. By pooling funds with other states, MDOT is able to solve shared problems at a fraction of the cost of going it alone. But the benefits of participating in pooled fund studies go far beyond cost savings.

More research, more topics. Investing in pooled fund studies helps MDOT stretch its research dollars to support a diverse array of functional areas throughout the agency. MDOT Research Administration has helped expand participation by reaching out to MDOT’s 30 research  focus area managers  about opportunities to join pooled fund projects in their areas.

Bright ideas from other states. Through serving on the technical advisory committees (TACs) of pooled fund studies, MDOT staff form connections with peers in other states that yield dividends for MDOT above and beyond each study’s original focus. From time-saving spreadsheet tools to more efficient workflow strategies, MDOT has benefited from this window into how other states do business.

MDOT has received tremendous payback from the small improvements that our staff have brought back home from pooled fund study meetings. Over time, these subtle improvements have really moved the needle; now we’re doing business differently.— André Clover, MDOT Research Program Manager

Knowledge continuity for new staff. As agencies across the country face the retirement of staff with decades of experience, pooled fund studies give new recruits the opportunity to engage with current professionals in their field while growing into a leadership role. At MDOT, serving on pooled fund TACs has helped ensure a smooth transition for newer staff members, providing a community of practice that remains accessible after their mentors at MDOT retire.

These benefits are just part of why MDOT invests in pooled fund research. In the last five years, MDOT has devoted an average of 17 percent of its research budget to pooled fund studies. Read more below about seven of the more than two dozen pooled fund studies that MDOT currently participates in:

• No Boundaries transportation maintenance innovations — Colorado lead state
• ENTERPRISE (Evaluating New TEchnologies for Roads PRogram Initiatives in Safety and Efficiency) — Michigan lead state
• Connected Vehicles — Virginia lead state
• Evaluation of 0.7-Inch-Diameter Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) Pretensioning Strands in Prestressed Beams — Michigan lead state
• Aurora road weather information systems — Iowa lead state
• Development of a Transportation System Simulation Manual (TSSM) — FHWA lead agency
• Low-Cost Safety Improvements — FHWA lead agency

Use the navigation bar at the top of this page to jump to any one of these seven pooled fund studies.

For more information about MDOT’s participation in pooled fund studies, please contact:

André Clover,  CloverA@Michigan.gov , 517-749-9001

Visit the  MDOT Research Administration website  for more details about MDOT’s research program.

MDOT hosted one of the group’s semiannual peer exchanges in Ann Arbor in 2016, which included a live demonstration of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) being studied for maintenance applications as well as a tour of the  Mcity  automated and connected vehicle testing facility.

The tour of Texas’ state fleet fabrication shop was excellent. The processes and tools Texas DOT uses to get consistent performance from their herbicide sprayers are a model for Michigan.— Todd Rowley, MDOT Transportation Maintenance Coordinator

Events like these give participants the opportunity to see practices firsthand and ask probing questions of frontline workers and managers. Site tours have taken MDOT staff across the country to get an up-close look at how other states tackle maintenance issues.

The peer-to-peer exchanges also feature guest presentations, member updates, innovation show-and-tell, and roundtable discussions on topics of high interest or immediate concern to No Boundaries members.

No Boundaries states work together and with national groups to identify the top national maintenance issues and prioritize associated technology transfer activities.

Partnerships and liaison relationships have been established with the Transportation Research Board, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, and the American Public Works Association.

Michigan and other No Boundaries members also work closely with state and local partners, such as Michigan’s Local Technical Assistance Program and State Transportation Innovation Council.

Through MDOT’s membership in No Boundaries, we learned about a method of accurately measuring stockpiled materials using an iPhone app. This led to a successful pilot project here in Michigan.— Tim Croze, MDOT Maintenance Services Manager

For more information about MDOT’s participation in No Boundaries, please contact:

Todd Rowley,  RowleyT@Michigan.gov , 517-322-3311

Tim Croze,  CrozeT@Michigan.gov , 517-322-3394

Tyler Weldon,  tyler.weldon@state.co.us , 303-512-5503 (lead state contact)

As a longtime leader in deployments of intelligent transportation systems (ITS), MDOT is a natural fit to serve as the lead state for  ENTERPRISE  (Evaluating New Technologies for Roads Program Initiatives in Safety and Efficiency), a long-running pooled fund dedicated to ITS advancements. ENTERPRISE currently has nine member agencies.

Created in 1991 when ITS technologies were early in their development, ENTERPRISE ( TPF-5(359) ) has been a consistent leader in the development and application of ITS innovations. The study’s goals are to:

• Facilitate rapid progress in the development and deployment of ITS technologies.

• Accelerate the systematic advancement of selected ITS projects.

Over its impressive 30-year history, ENTERPRISE has produced more than 80 research products advancing the highway operations strategies of member agencies.

Three recent ENTERPRISE projects that have been especially valuable for MDOT address active traffic management strategies, legacy ITS devices, and procurement practices for partnering with emerging technology providers.

MDOT has championed a number of ENTERPRISE projects, including the projects focused on evaluation of legacy ITS devices and procurement practices for ITS services. Both projects will help us make the most of our capital investments.— Elise Feldpausch, MDOT Connected Vehicle Specialist

Other recent high-value projects rounding out the range of ENTERPRISE solutions include:

• Using intersection conflict warning systems
• Maintaining travel times in construction zones
• Implementing visibility monitoring systems
• Assessing crash notification technology

The  projects page  on the ENTERPRISE website captures detailed information on all efforts, dating back to the inception of the program.

For more information about MDOT’s participation in the ENTERPRISE pooled fund, please contact:

Elise Feldpausch,  FeldpauschE1@Michigan.gov , 517-388-2371

Connected vehicle technology continues to hold the promise of fundamentally changing surface transportation. In a fully connected environment, vehicles and infrastructure will actively work together to communicate about roadway hazards, traffic backups and more, providing the potential for reduced congestion, safety improvements and improved traveler services.

The  Connected Vehicles  pooled fund provides a means for state DOTs to play a leading role in advancing connected vehicle systems. Building on work done over the past decade to provide a technical framework, the pooled fund – now in its second phase,  TPF-5(389)  – focuses on developing connected vehicle applications, including drafting deployment guidelines and identifying additional technical requirements. Virginia DOT serves as the pooled fund's lead state.

Home to the  Mcity  test facility, a planned  connected corridor  and additional  initiatives , Michigan has long been a national leader in envisioning and shaping the future of connected vehicles. This MDOT video shows one visualization of how connected vehicles could one day improve safety by letting nearby drivers know about a crash ahead:

In 2019, nearly one-third of fatal crashes in Michigan occurred at intersections. Connected vehicle technology could help prevent intersection crashes by sensing conflicts, such as red light violations. But realizing these benefits requires the ability to transmit precise, real-time location data to equipped vehicles in a secure, nationally consistent format. The  Connected Intersections Program  – a collaboration between the Connected Vehicles pooled fund study and the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute – is working to develop tools and test procedures to help make that happen.

The Connected Intersections Program is combining previous and current industry efforts to verify implementations of signal phasing and timing broadcasts at signalized intersections. This effort will provide guidelines for ensuring that deployments are compatible with a broad range of connected vehicles.  – Collin Castle, MDOT ITS Program Manager

For more information about MDOT’s participation in the Connected Vehicles pooled fund, please contact:

Collin Castle,  CastleC@Michigan.gov , 517-636-0715

Michael Fontaine,  Michael.Fontaine@VDOT.Virginia.gov , 434-293-1980 (lead state contact)

Carbon fiber reinforced polymer, or CFRP, is changing the way bridges are built. It can be braided into long strands of varying thickness and added to concrete structures to increase support and durability. Its strength is comparable to steel, which has traditionally been the go-to material for reinforcing concrete. But while steel is prone to rusting over time, CFRP is corrosion-resistant. This means that in a climate like Michigan's – with cycles of scorching-hot summers and frigid winters with rust-inducing deicing treatments – those structures reinforced with CFRP tend to last longer than those that are built with steel.

Joining efforts with three other states, Maine, North Carolina and Ohio, MDOT created  TPF-5(363)  in 2017 to study the capabilities and limitations of a new CFRP product, 0.7-inch-diameter strands. The study partners with the research team at Lawrence Technological University, which will embed the CFRP strands into concrete bridge beams, then subject the beams to a series of stress tests.

The project will follow MDOT's  similar research  investigating the abilities of 0.6-inch-diameter CFRP strands.

That groundbreaking study, which took place from 2013 to 2019, earned MDOT an  AASHTO Sweet 16 award in 2020 . To understand how 0.6-inch CFRP strands would perform over time in a variety of real-world scenarios, the same team at Lawrence Technological University added the strands to standard concrete bridge beams, then pushed those beams to their limits.

The new pooled fund study will build upon this previous work – and employ many of the same stress tests – using the newly developed 0.7-inch-diameter strands.

If, as expected, these new strands prove to be stronger than the previously studied strands, it could mean a revolution in bridge design.

With more strength per strand, MDOT engineers hope to need less of it to achieve a bridge's desired load requirements – leading eventually to lighter, stronger bridges that require less maintenance over time.

Our goal in Michigan has long been to design bridges with 100-year service lives. Now, CFRP gets us one step closer.— Matt Chynoweth, former MDOT Chief Bridge Engineer

For more information about MDOT’s participation in this pooled fund, please contact:

André Clover,  CloverA@Michigan.gov , 517-749-9001

Steve Kahl,  KahlS@Michigan.gov , 517-898-3428

The  Aurora  pooled fund unites transportation agencies and other stakeholders around a common goal of advancing weather-related monitoring, forecasting and communications.

Since its formation in 1996, Aurora has fostered partnerships and interstate collaboration, sponsoring dozens of research projects over the years and making strides in the ways technology, machinery, data collection and more can help agencies make better-informed highway maintenance decisions and safer roads for all travelers. Iowa DOT serves as Aurora's lead agency.

MDOT joined the group in 2008 and has been a steadfast partner in the years since, contributing both funds and foresight to help turn winter maintenance into a more scientific, strategic area.

The slideshow below highlights just a few of the notable  transportation advancements  that MDOT has supported during its tenure:

Like other Aurora members, MDOT contributes an annual investment of $25,000 – a relatively small sum given the benefits that come from shaping and sharing in millions of dollars' worth of cutting-edge RWIS research.

In addition to this tangible benefit, Aurora hosts meetings twice per year that provide a forum for members to share and discuss successful innovations and determine the agenda that will guide future research efforts.

Aurora has helped Michigan develop the relationships, knowledge and communications we need to keep up with rapidly evolving technology and ensure our roads remain safe for drivers across the state. — James Roath, MDOT Transportation Engineer

Full membership in Aurora is restricted to public-sector agencies, although other entities can be affiliated with the group at a lesser status. Aurora's roster currently stands at 56, consisting of:

• Full members. 19 state DOTs, identified in the map at left. Members can identify research projects to pursue and vote to allocate funds.
• Associate members. 17 nonprofits and organizations in higher education. This level permits meeting attendance and access to all research developed by Aurora.
• Friends of Aurora. 20 entities from the private sector and others in the transportation industry. Participation from this group is designed to increase dialogue between members and other technical experts.

For more information about MDOT’s participation in this pooled fund, please contact:

James Roath,  RoathJ1@Michigan.gov , 517-230-5361

Khyle Clute,  khyle.clute@iowadot.us , 515-239-1646 (lead state contact) 

Mathematical modeling has been a part of MDOT's traffic management program for decades. Integrating formulas with representative data, engineers and planners can get a sense of how different mitigation strategies can reduce roadway congestion or improve safety before actually putting a plan into action.

These days, high-tech simulation software helps MDOT consider more complex transportation networks.

But with different calculation strategies to choose from and periodic recalibration of the systems required, states around the country faced many of the same questions and challenges. To provide guidance and standardization, the  Traffic Analysis and Simulation pooled fund  is working to develop the first-ever  Transportation System Simulation Manual , or TSSM.

Led by FHWA with input from a team of stakeholders, the ambitious project will eventually consist of 13 chapters in three parts to guide agencies through the entire simulation process.

Once finalized, the TSSM will provide transportation agencies with the necessary guidance to use simulation to the fullest extent.

Traffic modeling is critical in making important decisions on the transportation network. This manual will help practitioners select the appropriate tools and guide them throughout the entire analysis process. — Jason Firman, MDOT Congestion and Reliability Manager

For more information about MDOT’s participation in this pooled fund, please contact:

Jason Firman,  FirmanJ@Michigan.gov , 517-636-7094

Rachel James,  rachel.james@dot.gov , 202-493-3205 (lead agency contact)

Of all the existing pooled funds,  TPF-5(317)  boasts the most members. Created to help transportation agencies evaluate cost-effective, safety-focused strategies, the FHWA-led study currently has 43 participating agencies – a testament to the need for high-impact solutions with relatively low price tags.

Chances are, most drivers won’t even notice the safety improvements advocated by this group – and that’s part of what makes these strategies so appealing. There are solutions for budgets of all sizes, and while many of the changes appear to be minor – such as adjusting a sign’s height, adding paint to a median or reflective tape to a sign post – they’ve been proven to reduce crashes.   

Several of the more prominent safety measures MDOT has discovered as a result of its involvement with this group include:

Members of the Evaluation of Low-Cost Safety Improvements pooled fund meet annually to give presentations and share their ideas. The get-togethers are popular events, where members showcase their state's innovations to like-minded peers who take the ideas back to their home states.

And while what constitutes a "low-cost innovation" isn't the same for everyone, for MDOT it's measured by how many people can be helped. When an innovation costs less to install, it can be implemented more widely at locations around the state.

This pooled fund study has been invaluable to both MDOT and the staff in the Safety Programs area. The annual meeting allows various staff members to learn about new and improved low-cost safety improvements and, more importantly, to network and learn from fellow DOTs and researchers.– Mark Bott, MDOT State Traffic and Safety Engineer

For more information about MDOT’s participation in this pooled fund, please contact:

Mark Bott,  BottM@Michigan.gov , 517-230-4973

Roya Amjadi,  roya.amjadi@fhwa.dot.gov , 202-493-3383 (lead agency contact)