Need statements - RFP 2026 (FY2028)
The annual academic research solicitation is only available to qualified universities.
The need statement PDFs (NS) below are listed by research categories and include the project champion and advisor. Links to PDFs of the preliminary literature searches (LS) are included in the table. These were conducted by the MnDOT Library for the purposes of developing the research need statements and to avoid duplication of research. They are not a comprehensive literature search for the development of the project proposal.
| Category | Title | NS | LS | Champion | Advisor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bridges and Structures | Concrete crack detection and mapping using AI processing of high-resolution images | NS784 | LS784 | Sarah Sondag, Jennifer Randall |
Barb Fraley |
| Environmental | Protecting Minnesota Fish from Toxic Stormwater Runoff | NS783 | LS783 | Charles Bowman, Peter MacDonagh |
Dave Glyer |
| Materials & Construction | Evaluating Carbon Emissions of Portable and Permanent Asphalt Plants through Integrated Production and Transportation Impacts | NS785 | LS785 | Emil Bautista | Marcus Bekele |
| Comprehending Surface Gravel Testing to Identify the Optimal Gravel in Your Area | NS788 | LS788 | Mike Suska | Chad Kooistra | |
| Developing a Local Ride Specification for Low-Speed Paved Municipal Roadways | NS789 | LS789 | Jon Pratt | Jackie Jiran | |
| Multimodal | Complete Streets and Speed: Before/after study of urban reconstruction projects in Minnesota | NS773 | LS773 | Hannah Pritchard, Matt Upgren |
Chad Kooistra |
| How does active transportation planning and investment impact communities? | NS779 | LS779 | Will Wlizlo | Briah Carlson | |
| Evaluating use cases of cargo e-bikes in Minnesota | NS787 | LS787 | Lydia Anthony | Chad Kooistra | |
| Policy & Planning | AI-Powered Accessible Maps: A Statewide Solution for ADA Title II Compliance | NS774 | LS774 | Lindsey Savage, Jordan Brasher, Engdawork Kassaye |
Chad Kooistra |
| Vehicle Miles Travelled Impacts of Land Use Development Patterns | NS776 | LS776 | Maurice Roers | Barb Fraley | |
| Induced Travel Demand for Grade-Separated Interchanges | NS778 | LS778 | Maurice Roers | Barb Fraley | |
| The Economic Benefit of Transportation Asset Management | NS780 | LS780 | Mike Samuelson | Marcus Bekele | |
| Passenger Rail Mode Shift and Greenhouse Gas Reduction in Minnesota | NS786 | LS786 | Harrison Maxwell | Marcus Bekele | |
| Traffic & Safety | Assessing the relationship between speed differential and crashes | NS772 | LS772 | Maxwell Moreland | Briah Carlson |
| Pavement Speed Messages for Transition Zones and Horizontal Curves | NS781 | LS781 | Ethan Peterson | Briah Carlson |