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Austin Office

Description

The Austin Office of TTI enhances the Institute's service to state and local sponsors by

  • conducting independent and collaborative research,
  • facilitating technology transfer,
  • providing direct support and liaison to the Texas Department of Transportation, and
  • promoting the benefits of transportation research in Central Texas.

The Austin Office provides TTI with a physical presence in the capital city—an office close to our largest sponsor, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), and the Texas Legislature. This office acts as a conduit for communication between TTI and TxDOT, as well as a "home port" for our researchers from other offices when they come into town for meetings.

The Austin Office performs both applied research and assistance with implementation of research findings through collaborative efforts with a variety of sponsors, including TxDOT and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Our research is oriented toward innovative approaches for the relief of urban traffic congestion, with special emphasis on managed lanes, HOV lanes, congestion pricing, and tolling initiatives. This includes the development of methodologies and tools to maximize congestion relief, enhance public acceptability, and support sustainable operations.

Products of this office's research include research reports, technical summary reports, handbooks, workshops, one-on-one technical assistance to sponsors, and outreach materials (e.g., brochures, fact sheets, and presentations).

The Agency Liaison Office is located in Austin, Texas. View a map to the office's location online.

Expertise

The researchers in this office are nationally known for their work in the areas of managed lanes development and operations, high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane design and enforcement, high-occupancy toll lanes, congestion pricing, and public outreach related to pricing and tolling. The Austin Office typically employs both graduate and undergraduate students from local educational institutions to assist with projects and to promote TTI's broader mission of developing tomorrow's transportation professionals.

Cooperative Relationships/Sponsors

Current sponsors include the following:

  • various divisions/districts within the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT),
  • the Washington State Department of Transportation,
  • the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) HOV Pooled Fund Study,
  • Greater Houston Partnership, and the City of Austin.

Our researchers have also completed work for the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) and the FHWA Value Pricing Pilot Program. In addition, this office is involved in a long-standing partnership with the Austin District of TxDOT and newly developed partnerships with the Tyler and El Paso Districts, supporting staff in these three offices with technical expertise in a variety of areas. For example, the Austin Office supports the Austin District by maintaining a web site for the Austin Managed Lanes Working Group, a multi-agency cooperative effort to plan for a regional HOV system.

In addition to the strong working relationship with our research sponsors, the Austin Office is known for its collaborative efforts using a wide range of TTI resources to serve sponsor needs. Most of the recent projects conducted out of the Austin Office have involved collaboration with a diverse range of TTI professionals, including researchers from the Transportation Operations Group, the Center for Tolling Research, the Center for Transportation Safety, Texas A&M joint faculty members, and a variety of TTI Communications staff including public affairs, graphics, and web and video development specialists.

For More Information

Ginger Goodin
Austin Office
Texas Transportation Institute
Texas A&M University System
1106 Clayton Lane, Suite 300E
Austin, TX 78723
ph. (512) 467-0946 · fax (512) 467-8971
g-goodin@tamu.edu

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