Annual MassDOT Research Problem Statement Solicitation
The Commonwealth is a national leader in transportation research and practice. This research is driven by the needs and ideas to continually improve and transform the work we do at MassDOT and the MBTA. To participate you do not need to know the answers, just clearly define the problem that MassDOT needs to solve.
The Office of Transportation Planning Research Section opens problem statement submissions to all MassDOT and MBTA employees each spring. Submissions selected for research will be developed into research projects conducted by universities, laboratories, and firms across the Commonwealth and are overseen by the Research Section staff. Should the project be selected, the MassDOT/MBTA proponent will serve as the Project Champion. Working alongside the researchers and Research Section staff, they will ensure that the results of the research address the most pressing issues facing us as an agency and that the recommendations are readily implementable.
To submit a research project idea, please complete the MassDOT SPRII research problem statement submission form during the annual solicitation period. Please note that all project ideas must be submitted or endorsed in writing by at least one MassDOT or MBTA employee, who will assume a project champion’s responsibilities if the idea becomes a funded project.
A virtual Research Lunch and Learn webinar and three topic area virtual roundtables to connect our agency staff with academic researchers are planned prior to the project submission end date of May 15th. Information on these sessions is provided below.
- March 30 – 12:00-1:00pm - Research Lunch & Learn: MassDOT SPRII Research 101 (MassDOT and MBTA attendees only)
- April 5 – 2:00-3:30pm - Safety, Roadway Engineering, and Design
- April 7 – 10:00-11:30am - Active Transportation, Mobility, Policy and Planning, and Transit
- April 11 – 2:00-3:30pm - Asset Management, Materials and Maintenance, and Construction
To register for Lunch and Learn use the Research Program Lunch & Learn Registration form. Please register before March 29.
To register for a Rountable please use the Research Roundtable Registration form.
A meeting invitation will be sent to you prior to your registered event. For any questions, please email Michael Flanary of the Research Section.
If you would like to learn more about the MassDOT SPRII Research Process, please see the prerecorded informational video overview of the research process.
Additional Resources
Research Projects
The Research Section conducts an annual Research Problem Statement Solicitation. All MassDOT personnel, with support of their Division leadership, are encouraged to submit their research needs during the Solicitation. Research projects can range in duration from under year to several years, depending on the scope of work. When the next Solicitation is opened, an announcement will be made and the Research Section website will be updated with forms and instructions.
Literature Searches
Unlike full research projects, literature searches may be initiated at any point during the year, but are much more limited in scope. The literature search will include both academic sources and documents gathered from other state DOTs. Assuming there is sufficient published information, the literature search report will include:
- Approximately 15-20 sources
- An annotated bibliography
- A synthesis of the reviewed sources
You should allow around 3 weeks for the literature search report to be delivered. If only a bibliography of sources is needed (no annotation or synthesis), turnaround time could be faster. This should be noted on the form under “desired outcome”.
In order to request a literature search, please contact the Research Section at Planning.Research@dot.state.ma.us to receive a Literature Search Request Form
AASHTO Research Advisory Committee (RAC) Surveys
AASHTO RAC surveys are sent directly to other state DOTs and are designed to solicit information regarding best practices, policies, specifications, etc. You should allow around 3 weeks for the survey results. More information and the results of past surveys can be found on the RAC website.
In order to request an AASHTO RAC survey, please contact the Research Section at Planning.Research@dot.state.ma.us to receive an AASHTO RAC Survey Request Form.
Additional Research Resources
If you are interested in conducting your own transportation research, the following links may be helpful:
- Transport Research International Documentation (TRID): TRID is a comprehensive bibliographic database containing more than 1 million records of transportation research.
- Research in Progress (RiP): The RiP Database contains information on more than 13,000 current or recently completed federally-funded transportation research projects.
- National Transportation Library (NTL): NTL serves as a repository of materials from public, academic, and private organizations.
- U.S DOT Research HUB: U.S. DOT Research Hub is a searchable online database of USDOT-sponsored research, development, and technology project records.
- Volpe Technical Resource Center: The Volpe Technical Resource Center is the knowledge repository specific to all Volpe-authored reports, journal articles, and conference papers and presentations.
- Bureau of Transportation Statistics: BTS provides publications and national statistics on commercial aviation, multimodal freight activity, passenger transportation systems, and transportation economics.