Transportation Research Board Holds 97th Annual Meeting

More than 13,000 people — including industry leaders, policymakers, administrators, and researchers from government, industry, and academia — are expected to gather for the Transportation Research Board’s 97th Annual Meeting. The event will be held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C., from Jan. 7-11, 2018, and will involve thousands of presentations at nearly 800 sessions and workshops covering all transportation modes.

Over 200 sessions will address the spotlight theme, “Transportation: Moving the Economy of the Future,” or one of three hot topics: resilience and sustainability, transportation and public health, and transformational technologies.

Panel sessions and special events include:

Sessions With U.S. Department of Transportation Officials

Encouraging Innovation
The current pace of innovation, industry convergence, and technological change holds the potential to transform the transportation sector. A panel of USDOT officials and industry leaders will discuss the next steps for the transportation sector.
Monday, Jan. 8, 10:15 a.m. to noon 

Using Data to Tackle Safety Problems
Recent innovations in data science have the potential to provide lifesaving insights. Analyzing “big data” can help bring transportation safety into the 21st century, adapting to the rapid pace of technological change. This session will focus on USDOT’s work in this area, as well as examples from agencies and industries that are successfully using data to improve safety.
Monday, Jan. 8, 1:30 p.m. to 3:15 p.m.                    

Investing in Infrastructure
USDOT envisions a world-class infrastructure system that enables fast, safe transport for people and freight. Officials from USDOT, relevant federal agencies, and other stakeholders will discuss how focusing on accountability, faster project delivery, smarter funding streams, and better leverage of state, local, and private investments will improve the nation’s transportation infrastructure.
Monday, Jan. 8, 3:45 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. 

Sessions With State Department of Transportation Officials

State CEO Roundtable: State DOTs Harnessing All Modes to Move Everybody and Everything

This session will include a wide-ranging discussion on the present and future of active transportation, and will highlight state efforts to improve the movement of freight. The panel will include Leslie Richards (PennDOT), Carlos Braceras (UDOT), Shawn Wilson, (LaDOT), Charles Zelle (MnDOT), and Jeff Marootian (DDOT).

Tuesday, Jan. 9, 10:15 a.m. to noon

State CEO Roundtable: State DOTs Generating and Leveraging Dollars to Underpin Investment

This session will examine recent state and local efforts to generate new revenues that enable both new investment and maintenance of existing assets. State DOT leaders will also discuss ways to further leverage revenues through use of creative financing tools. The panel will include John Schroer (TDOT), Patrick McKenna (MoDOT), Jennifer Cohan (DelDOT), Mike Patterson (ODOT), and Kyle Schneweis (NDOT).

Tuesday, Jan. 9, 1:30 p.m. to 3:15 p.m.

What’s Hot in State DOTs

Topics range from the use of roadside vegetation to save lives to streamlining project delivery and reducing costs by assuming more of the federal responsibility. This session will feature speakers from the Delaware, Iowa, Minnesota, Ohio, Utah, and Washington state DOTs.

Monday, Jan. 8, 1:30 p.m. to 3:15 p.m.

The annual meeting also will feature an exhibit hall with more than 300 exhibitors from government agencies, research organizations, and commercial businesses, showcasing their products and services.