The Midwest Smart Work Zone Deployment Initiative (MwSWZDI) was initiated in 1999 as a Pooled Fund Study intended to coordinate and promote research related to safety and mobility in highway work zones. The Iowa DOT has been the lead state since 2004. The program is an ongoing cooperative effort between State Departments of Transportation, universities, and industry. Commercial products are provided by private vendors for evaluation, although this is not the only focus of contracted projects. State DOTs provide funds, prioritize products with respect to the anticipated benefits to their construction and maintenance activities, and cooperate with researchers to identify test sites and conduct the evaluations. Each year, the Board of Directors (BOD, a.k.a. Technical Advisory Committee, TAC) collect and/or create problem need statements. Subsequent requests for proposals are developed and distributed to potential researchers at research institutions in contributing states. Partner State DOTs review, discuss and rank the proposals. 

This program represents an on-going effort among cooperating states’ DOTs, the FHWA, universities, and industry to evaluate new products and conduct related research focused on the enhancement of safety and mobility in highway work zones. Over 100 studies and evaluations have been completed since the inception of the SWZDI.

Procedures for Project Selection, Award and Implementation:

1. Board of Director (BOD) members solicit and develop problem statements.
2. BOD prioritizes problem statements.
3. Program administrator prepares Request for Proposals and collects proposals from researchers in partnering states.
4. BOD prioritizes proposal topics.
5. BOD reviews, discusses, and prioritizes submitted proposals.
6. Proposal are scored and ordered based on priorities collected in item 5 and weighted values that are based on state partner commitments that year.
7. Annual work plan is prepared by the program administrator who also facilitates contracts between the selected researcher(s) and the Iowa DOT.
8. State DOTs form and lead the individual project TACs for projects awarded to a university or entity in their state (other members can request to serve on the TAC).
9. Projects are tracked quarterly.
10. Draft final reports are reviewed by the home state as well as by the BOD.
11. Final reports are posted to the program webpage and sent to national research report repositories.
12. Implementation and technical transfer opportunities are discussed by the BOD.

Research Implementation and Technology Transfer Benefits: The benefits from the SWZDI pooled fund include a wide variety of products including completed research reports, technical transfer documents, potential presentations and training, safety equipment evaluations, support toward other research, as well as development and/or implementation of research results in areas of mutual interest and benefit to pooled fund members and others in the industry.

Funding: SWZDI program activities are supported through income from member agencies (minimum of $25,000 per year for five years, totaling $125,000), although contributions above the minimum increases the voting power of the agency as project voting is weighted by contribution. This cycle of SWZDI will cover funding years FY2025 to FY2029.

New members: This pooled fund is always accepting new members. Please inquire with the Lead Study Contact noted above to join this effort.