Special Report 260 recommended that the program address the following  four research goals:    safety—to prevent or reduce the severity of highway crashes through more  accurate knowledge of driver behavior and other crash factors; renewal—to develop a consistent and systematic approach to performing  highway rehabilitation that is rapid, causes minimum disruption, and  produces long-lived (durable) transportation facilities, such as roadways  and bridges;  reliability—to provide highway users with improved travel time reliability  (more consistent travel times between locations) by preventing and  reducing the impact of relatively unpredictable events, such as traffic  accidents, work zones, special events, and weather; and   capacity—to develop approaches and tools for systematically integrating  environmental, economic, and community requirements into the decision- making processes for planning and designing projects to increase highway  capacity. SHRP 2 Research Projects Were Selected Based on Expert Input and Program Funding and Time Frames

The SHRP 2 oversight committee funded research projects for the program  based on the recommendations of its TCCs, which considered the input of  other experts and factors such as available program funds and time  frames. The first  major modification occurred in 2006, when, as discussed, considerably  less funding and time were provided for the program’s completion than  had been assumed by the parties involved in the development of the  detailed research plans in 2003. The second major modification occurred  in 2008, when about $20 million in additional program funding became  available because of the passage of the SAFETEA-LU Technical  Corrections Act. On both occasions, the SHRP 2 oversight committee relied on the input of  experts to select projects for funding. The SHRP 2 Oversight Committee Allocated about $123 Million for 85 Projects: 63 Are Completed or Ongoing and 22 Are Planned

As of December 31, 2009, the SHRP 2 oversight committee had allocated  approximately $123 million (about 72 percent) of the roughly $171 million  available to fund projects related to highway safety, renewal, reliability,  and capacity. Of the 85 projects selected for funding, 11 were completed,  52 were ongoing, and 22 were expected to begin in the future. SHRP 2 staff  expect all of the projects will be completed by 2013. The outcomes of the  projects are expected to vary, ranging from the (1) production of data sets  and related analyses to (2) development of improved technologies,  procedures, guidelines, and techniques for advancing the goals of each of  the four research areas. Special Report 260 recommended different percentages of funding for  each of the four research areas, ranging from 15 percent to 40 percent of  available funding. As shown in table 4, the oversight committee closely  followed the relative funding distributions recommended in this report. Because of Funding and Time Constraints, 50 of the 106 Projects Identified in 2003 Were Eliminated Entirely, while Many of the Remaining 56 Projects Had Portions of Their Planned Research Eliminated

As a result of SHRP 2’s reprioritization process, 50 of the 106 projects  identified in 2003 were eliminated entirely, and many of the remaining 56  projects that either evolved into, or were merged with, one or more SHRP  2 projects had one or more aspects of their research eliminated from  funding. Thus, the  eliminated research typically was for, among other activities, (1)  translating research results into products (i.e., research applications), (2)  training and dissemination of the research findings (i.e., technology  transfer), and (3) providing technical support for implementing research  products and technologies and for demonstrating new technologies (i.e.,  research implementation). According to SHRP 2 staff, they are hopeful that other  researchers will develop projects for implementing some of SHRP 2’s  research after the program’s completion. DOT and TRB provided technical clarifications, which we  incorporated, as appropriate. Appendix I: Scope and Methodology

To address our three reporting objectives, we reviewed the legislative  requirements, goals, and objectives for the Second Strategic Highway  Research Program (SHRP 2), including the Transportation Equity Act for  the 21st Century; the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation  Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU); and the SAFETEA-LU  Technical Corrections Act of 2008. In addition, we reviewed and analyzed literature, studies, and reports  related to the research program. To address our third objective (i.e., determining what, if any, planned  research was eliminated from the program), we compared program  documentation related to the currently funded projects with the four  research areas identified in Special Report 260 and the projects identified  in the 2003 research plans. Table 6 provides information on the safety projects identified  in 2003 and how they were reprioritized for funding.
Why GAO Did This Study

The 2005 Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users authorized the Department of Transportation to establish a highway research program to address future challenges facing the U.S. highway system. In 2006, the Second Strategic Highway Research Program was established to conduct research in four areas--safety, renewal, reliability, and capacity. The Transportation Research Board manages this program in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration and others. The legislation also required GAO to review the program no later than 3 years after the first research contracts were awarded. This report provides information about the process for selecting the program's projects for funding, the projects' status, and what, if any, research was eliminated because of funding and time constraints. To address our objectives, GAO reviewed the program's authorizing legislation, analyzed studies and reports related to the program and its projects, and interviewed officials from relevant transportation agencies and organizations. GAO is not making recommendations in this report. The Department of Transportation and the Transportation Research Board reviewed a draft of this report and provided technical clarifications, which we incorporated, as appropriate.

What GAO Found

The program's oversight committee funded research projects based on the recommendations of its four technical coordinating committees of experts (one for each of the four research areas), which considered the input of other experts and factors, such as available program funds and time frames. Prior to the program's establishment, detailed research plans were developed by panels of experts in 2003 that identified 106 possible research projects. However, these research plans were significantly modified on two occasions--in 2006, when less funding and time were provided for completing the program than had been assumed in 2003, and in 2008, when about $20 million in additional program funding became available. On both occasions, the program's oversight committee relied on experts to prioritize and recommend projects for funding. As a result of this process, 56 of the 106 projects either evolved into, or were partially merged with, one or more of the currently funded projects, while 50 projects were eliminated entirely. As of December 31, 2009, the program's oversight committee had allocated about $123 million of the approximately $171 million available to fund 85 projects in the four research areas of highway safety (40 percent), renewal (26 percent), reliability (16 percent), and capacity (17 percent). These funding allocations closely followed the overall funding percentages recommended by the Transportation Research Board in 2001. Of the 85 funded projects, 11 were completed, 52 were ongoing, 22 were anticipated, and all of the projects were expected to be completed by 2013. The outcomes are expected to vary by research area, ranging from useful data sets and related analyses to improved technologies, guidelines, and techniques for advancing the goals of each research area. Among other outcomes, the program staff expects: (1) the safety research will produce the largest, most comprehensive database on driver behavior available to date and, thus, provide the foundation for significant improvements in highway safety; (2) the renewal research will produce a variety of tools and techniques to promote rapid and durable highway renewal; (3) the reliability research will develop methods to provide highway users with relatively more consistent travel times between locations; and (4) the capacity research will provide strategies for better decision making in highway planning processes to increase the capacity of U.S. highways. Because of funding and time constraints, 50 of the 106 research projects identified in 2003 were eliminated entirely from funding, while many of the remaining 56 projects had one or more portions of their planned research eliminated. Overall, most of the funded projects are for applied research, but many of the implementation-related activities identified in 2003 were eliminated. While activities to (1) translate research results into products, (2) train and disseminate research findings, and (3) provide technical support for implementing the research are often needed to widely implement research results, program staff are hopeful that other researchers will initiate some of the eliminated research activities after the program's completion.