Transportation Engineering Research

Faculty in this area focus on:

• Autonomous Vehicles
• Connected vehicle-based traffic control
• Curbside management
• Electric vehicles
• Geometric design
• Human factors/driver behavior
• Infrastructure management
• Multimodal operations
• Shared mobility systems
• Speed management
• Traffic operations
• Transportation demand management
• Transportation network modeling
• Transportation policy
• Transportation safety
• Urban freight
• Urban mobility

Penn State transportation engineering faculty conduct a vigorous research program. More information about research contracts and grants, including project titles and principal investigators, is listed below. 

AI-enabled fiscally constrained life-cycle asset management for infrastructure systems (co-PIs: Guler and Gayah).  Center for Integrated Asset Management for Multi-model Transportation Infrastructure Systems, February 2020 – August 2021, $122,000.

An AI based data-driven approach to predict infrastructure condition from multi-sensory nondestructive evaluation data (PI: Guler). Institute for Computational and Data Sciences Seed Grant, May 2021 – May 2022, $24,975.

CAREER: Multi-scale models of urban congestion dynamics to support advanced congestion management strategies (PI: Gayah). National Science Foundation, May 2018 – April 2023, $500,000. 

Center for Integrated Asset Management for Multi-model Transportation Infrastructure Systems (PI:  Donnell; co-PI:  Rajabipour).  US Department of Transportation.  October 2018 – September 2024, $16,500,000 (excluding matching funds).

Collaborative research: Economic modeling and control methods for Next Generation carpool services (PI: Gayah). National Science Foundation, May 2021 – April 2024, $200,309.

Development of Crash Modification Factors program: Focus crash and facility type workshops (PI: Donnell, co-PI: Gayah). Federal Highway Administration via VHB, Inc., June 2021 – December 2021, $25,265. 

Interpretable machine learning methods for road crash frequency prediction (PI: Gayah, Madduri). Institute for Computational and Data Sciences Seed Grant, May 2021 – May 2022, $24,612.

Microsimulation of emergency evacuation of Bear Lake and Wild Basin in Rocky Mountain National Park (co-PI: Gayah), National Park Service, June 2020 – June 2021, $45,300. 

Optimization framework for infrastructure management considering traffic safety costs (PI: Guler, co-PI: Gayah).  Center for Integrated Asset Management for Multi-model Transportation Infrastructure Systems, June 2020 – December 2021, $95,000.

Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Performance Functions for the Highway Safety Manual (PI: Guler, co-PI: Gayah).  National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Project 17-84 via MRI Global, March 2017 – August 2021, $176,312.

Quantification of systemic risk factors for pedestrian safety on North Carolina roadways (PI: Gayah, co-PI: Guler). North Carolina Department of Transportation, August 2021 – November 2022, $166,328. 

Safe Integration of Autonomous Vehicles in Work Zones (PSU co-PIs: Gayah, Guler). US Department of Transportation via HNTB Corporation, January 2021 – December 2024, $1,479,408.

Safety Performance of Part-time Shoulder Use on Freeways (PI:  Donnell; co-PI:  Gayah). National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Project 17-89 via Kittelson & Associates.  July 2018 – July 2021, $45,000.

SMART Intersection multimodal safety countermeasure study (PI: Guler, co-PI: Gayah).  PennDOT via Kittleson & Associates, October 2020 – August 2021, $65,709.

Update of the Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets Guidance on Acceleration/Deceleration and Stopping Sight Distance Criteria (PI:  Donnell, co-PI: Guler).  National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Project 15-75 via Michigan State University, September 1, 2020 – March 2023, $125,000.