Nebraska Department of Transportation, Texas Department of Transportation and Wyoming Department of Transportation, in collaboration with the Western Transportation Research Consortium (WTRC), hosted a peer exchange on May 20-22, 2025, in Austin, Texas.
The event focused on three themes:
- Measuring Research Success: In this first session, attendees shared useful and meaningful ways to measure the success of a research project, and examples of measurement or calculation frameworks and processes their agency considers.
- Pooled Fund Management: Attendees provided examples of successes and best practices for both leading and participating in pooled fund studies, strategies they have used to overcome obstacles, and current program challenges.
- Regional Research: In the last session, participants addressed challenges and best practices for working together as part of a research consortium comprised of states in the same geographic region of the United States. This discussion complemented business and planning discussions for the Western Transportation Research Consortium (WTRC).
Based on presentations and group discussions, participants shared what they saw as the strengths, challenges, and opportunities for the host agencies in the areas discussed, and takeaways for their home agencies.