Transportation Research Board Celebrates its Centennial

Nearly 14,000 people – including industry leaders, policymakers, administrators, and researchers from government, industry, and academia – will gather for the Transportation Research Board’s 99th Annual Meeting (you can still register at this link too) in Washington, D.C., from Jan. 12-16, 2020.

TRB is celebrating its centennial with the launch of a book chronicling the history of how the once-small group established in 1920 by the National Academy of Sciences grew to the nationally recognized organization it is today. In The Transportation Research Board, 1920–2020: Everyone Interested Is Invited, author Sarah Jo Peterson details the transportation milestones of the last 100 years and the role that TRB has played in shaping the current transportation landscape. The centennial celebration is the meeting’s spotlight theme.

The Chair’s Luncheon (Wednesday) draws an audience of 750 leaders in transportation from the public and private sectors throughout the United States and abroad. New Executive Committee members and officers and TRB’s most prestigious awards will be presented. U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao will offer the keynote and Sarah Jo Peterson will also address the luncheon.

Secretary Chao’s priorities for 2020 and the future include the U.S. DOT’s Rural Initiative, tax-incentivized Opportunity Zones, permitting reform, and railroad crossing safety and will be highlighted during a roundtable discussion, Infrastructure Policy in 2020 and Beyond (Monday). Participants can hear from additional U.S. Department of Transportation senior officials at the panel Laying a Foundation for Advanced Transportation Technology (Monday). Both U.S. and European Commission officials will be on hand to discuss three projects “twinned” in Preparing for Connected and Automated Vehicles: Results from EU – U.S. Research Collaboration (Tuesday).

State DOT officials play a prominent role in the meeting. A roundtable will examine methods addressing transportation-related deaths and injuries by raising public awareness, using technological advancements, and deploying innovative designs in Toward Zero Deaths: State DOTs Renewing Focus on a National Public Health Crisis (Tuesday). Women CEOs lead a discussion in the CEO Session: Equity’s Role in Transportation Decision Making (Wednesday).

In looking toward the future, several sessions will focus on autonomous vehicles and shared mobility. Shared Mobility and Traveler Choices (Monday) explores different perspectives on personal decisions. Furthering the conversation, Making Autonomous Vehicles Accessible for All (Monday) identifies and addresses potential barriers. Roadway assets like signs, markings, signals, and communications systems are studied in Impact of Connected/Autonomous Vehicles on Roadway Maintenance Operations (Tuesday).

An exhibit hall features more than 300 exhibitors from government agencies, research organizations, and commercial businesses showcasing their products and services.

Attendees can download the free annual meeting app to access information on the schedule of events, program participants, floor plans, exhibitors, and more. To download, search for “TRB 2020” in the iTunes App Store or Google Play. To follow online conversations about the annual meeting, use the hashtag #TRBAM and follow TRB on Twitter @NASEMTRB.