Research Solicitation Awards - Research & Innovation

MnDOT and LRRB research funding awards FY2027

The Minnesota Department of Transportation Research Steering Committee and the Minnesota Local Road Research Board have announced funding awards for the FY2027 academic transportation research Request for Proposals (RFP).

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Primary Category	Need Statement	Proposal Title	Principal Investigator	University	Funding Program
Bridge and Structures	NS-751	Resistances and associated pile lengths of non-displacement piles using static analysis methods	Philippe Kalmogo	University of New Hampshire	RSC
	NS-752	Bridge approach roadway embankment improvements	Anand Puppala	Texas A&M University	Joint
	U-781	Refining ice loading for Minnesota bridges - Phase II continued data collection	Lauren Linderman	University of Minnesota	RSC
Environmental	KB25-01-1	Developing recommendations for the use of biochar in roadside green infrastructure	Emilie Snell-Rood	University of Minnesota	LRRB
	KB25-01-2	Effects of stormwater BMPs on water quality in surface effluent and groundwater during spring snowmelt	Meijun Cai	University of Minnesota	LRRB
	KB25-06-1	Utilizing public perceptions to inform successful roadside vegetation planning and management	Michael R. Barnes	University of Minnesota	LRRB
	NS-754	Development of inlet protection BMP phasing performance and implementation criteria for all stages of construction	Michael Perez	Auburn University	Joint
	NS-757	Characterization, functional longevity, and performance of natural textiles configured as sediment control retention materials	Michael Perez	Auburn University	RSC
Maintenance Operations	NS-753	Modernizing MnDOT's pavement deflection analysis method to accommodate both FWD and TSD data	Syed Haider	Michigan State University	RSC
	NS-768	Tools for improving visibility for snow plowing	David Veneziano	Iowa State University	LRRB
	NS-770	Assessing the chloride impacts on the pavement structure	Qingli Dai	Michigan Technological University	LRRB
Materials and Construction	KB25-05-1	Robust data driven condition monitoring of pavements based on temperature data	Ketson Roberto Maximiano dos Santos	University of Minnesota	LRRB
	NS-755	Review of field produced innovative asphalt concrete mixtures	Zhanping You	Michigan Technological University	RSC
	NS-756	Improved calibration process for pavement distress collection and automated processing used by MnDOT	Muhammed Kutay	Michigan State University	RSC
	NS-764	Improved seasonal load limits	Mingu Kang	University of St. Thomas	LRRB
	NS-766	Effect of using RAP on gravel roads	Jeramy Ashlock	Iowa State University	LRRB
	NS-767	Best practice for seal coating & pavement markings with rumble/mumble strips	Zhanping You	Michigan Technological University	LRRB
Multimodal	NS-760	Travel behavior of Minnesota's e-bike users	Kaitlyn Denten	University of Minnesota	LRRB
Policy and Planning	NS-758	Mapping heat vulnerability: A comparative rural-urban study of transportation impacts	Alireza Khani	University of Minnesota	RSC
Policy and Planning	NS-771	Best practices for using incentives vs. disincentives in contracting	Charles Gurganus	Texas A&M University	LRRB
Traffic and Safety	KB25-03-1	Analysis and risk management of motorcycle, bicycle, and pedestrian crashes in Minnesota	Curtis Craig	University of Minnesota	LRRB
	KB25-03-2	Situational awareness alerts for roadside bicycles and pedestrians	Raphael Stern	University of Minnesota	LRRB
	KB25-03-3	Creating a real-time road safety evaluation of collision risks based on traffic state estimation	Michael Levin	University of Minnesota	LRRB
	KB25-04-1	Portable tool for periodic evaluations of intersection signal timings	Rajesh Rajamani	University of Minnesota	LRRB
	NS-759	Effectiveness of stop bar pavement markings in advance of controlled crosswalks	Alyssa Ryan	Michigan State University	LRRB
	NS-765	Effectiveness of school zone speed limits as a traffic calming strategy	Peter Savolainen	Michigan State University	LRRB
	U-777	Img2Speed: Generative AI and multimodal machine learning for predicting operating speed distributions from roadway design and context	Seongjin Choi	University of Minnesota	RSC
	U-782	An analysis of crash data and safety trends in ATVs and UTVs in Minnesota	Natalie Villwock-Witte	Montana State University	Joint

Updated: February 2026