CREATING INCENTIVES FOR HIGHWAY INNOVATION: NEW REPORT FROM TRB--BUILDING MOMENTUM FOR CHANGE: CREATING A STRATEGIC FORUM FOR INNOVATION IN HIGHWAY INFRASTRUCTURE

The recommendation of a study initiated by the Transportation Research Board (TRB) could lead to greater innovation in highway goods and services. TRB Special Report 249, "Building Momentum for Change: Creating a Strategic Forum for Innovation in Highway Infrastructure", examines institutional barriers to and incentives for innovation. The study was funded by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), state highway agencies through the National Cooperative Highway Research Program, and eight private-sector organizations. The primary focus is on strengthening the market for private-sector technology development. In this article, Tom Menzies, senior program officer at TRB, briefly reviews Special Report 249 and concludes by pointing out that TRB, under the auspices of its FHWA-sponsored Research and Technology Coordinating Committee, has elected to demonstrate the forum concept.