The FAST Act calls for the National Academies’ Transportation Research Board (TRB) to conduct “... a study on the actions needed to upgrade and restore the Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways to its role as a premier system that meets the growing and shifting demands of the 21st century.”
The Interstate highway system comprises only 1.2 percent roadway line-miles of the country's public road system, but it handles nearly 25 percent of the total vehicle miles traveled annually and almost 40 percent of the nation's total truck traffic. With a network that has changed little since its inception, the aging interstate highway system serves more traffic than the entire U.S. road network served when the system was authorized in 1956.
The TRB study will be conducted by a committee of the National Academies with balanced expertise in transportation issues. In support of the future interstate study, the joint venture of Cambridge Systematics and WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff will conduct case study analysis and modeling to explore the impact of changing travel and technology trends, and their implications for the future of the interstate highway system. The study will also draw from information provided by the highway industry, including highway owners, operators and users of the system, associations, private-sector stakeholders, and academia, among others. The study is expected to be completed in late 2018.
About WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff
WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff, one of the world's leading engineering and professional services consulting firms, provides services designed to transform the built environment and restore the natural one. The firm’s expertise ranges from environmental remediation and urban planning, to engineering iconic buildings and designing sustainable transport networks, to developing the energy sources of the future and enabling new ways of extracting essential resources. Approximately 36,500 employees, including engineers, technicians, scientists, planners, surveyors, program and construction management professionals, as well as various environmental experts, work for this dynamic organization in more than 500 offices across 40 countries worldwide. wsp-pb.com/usa
About Cambridge Systematics, Inc.
Cambridge Systematics specializes in transportation and is a recognized leader in the development of innovative policy and planning solutions, objective analysis and technology applications. It is committed to making transportation better for future generations. The firm this year celebrates 45 years of leveraging technology and ingenuity to advance the world of transportation through deep expertise and effective partnerships. It builds cutting-edge yet practical solutions that make a meaningful difference in every community it touches. Based in Massachusetts, the firm has twelve offices across the U.S. www.camsys.com