For the second consecutive year, the Highway Traffic Monitoring Committee (ACP70), chaired by Ioannis “Yianni” Tsapakis, assistant program manager and research scientist at the Texas A&M Transportation Institute, has been honored with the Blue Ribbon Award by the Transportation Research Board (TRB). This year, the committee earned recognition in the Research category for Identifying and Advancing Ideas for Research through the Development of Two e-Circulars Over Six Years and Collaboration with Multiple Committees and Organizations.
The first e-Circular brought together more than 50 members and produced 105 pages, including 12 chapters and 45 research ideas. Of these, 35 were converted into Research Needs Statements (RNSs), with more than 10 of them receiving funding. To develop these RNSs, the committee collaborated with over 20 TRB committees and subcommittees, several offices within the Federal Highway Administration and numerous state agencies.
Building on the success of the first e-Circular, the second version involved about 50 contributors — 13 chapter leaders and more than 35 reviewers. This effort culminated in a comprehensive 151-page document, proposing 45 new research ideas.
The Highway Traffic Monitoring Committee plays a crucial role in shaping the future of highway transportation by focusing on a broad range of monitoring technologies. These include traffic sensors, installation materials and techniques, signal processing algorithms and analysis and reporting techniques.
“This award is a testament to the hard work and dedication of everyone involved,” said Tsapakis. “The collaboration between our committee and various stakeholders has been crucial in identifying the most pressing research needs in highway traffic monitoring. It’s exciting to see these efforts translated into real-world impact through funded research that will help shape the future of transportation.”