Excellence Awards Overview

For more than 45 years, the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) Transportation Pooled Fund (TPF) Program has enabled public and private entities to collaboratively conduct cutting-edge transportation research. Through the TPF Program, these entities can pool funds, resources, and expertise to develop innovative solutions at a lower cost and extend the reach and impact of their research.

The biennial TPF Excellence Awards further promotes research excellence and innovation by recognizing outstanding TPF studies. These awards highlight TPF studies that demonstrate meaningful collaboration and partnership to advance national transportation research priorities in the areas of safety, economic strength, equity, climate and sustainability, transformation and organizational excellence.

Administered through a partnership between FHWA and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials Research Advisory Committee, the TPF Excellence Awards will select two TPF studies, including at least one State department of transportation-led study.

Excellence Awards Resources
2024 TPF Excellence Awards Timeline

Spring 2023

The TPF Excellence Awards working group develops selection criteria.

Summer 2023

The TPF Excellence Awards markets and advertises the award program.

Fall 2023

The TPF Excellence Awards working group develops selection criteria.

Winter 2023

The TPF Excellence Awards markets and advertises the award program.

Spring 2024

The TPF Excellence Awards working group develops selection criteria.

Summer 2024

The TPF Excellence Awards markets and advertises the award program.

Excellence Awards Process
Award Nomination

Any TPF study that is completed and has posted a final report/deliverable by June 30, 2024 is eligible for a TPF Excellence Awards nomination.

Any participant in the TPF Program can nominate an eligible TPF study. The nominator is responsible for completing the nomination form (linked above) that summarizes the outstanding accomplishments of the entry and submitting via email to tpfexcellenceawards@dot.gov.Nominations will be collected in the fall of the first years of the biennial cycle.

Nominations for the 2024 TPF Excellence Awards cycle will be accepted August 8–September 12, 2023.

A panel of independent judges from various backgrounds will review and evaluate nominations based how well the TPF study achieved the following criteria:

  • Strong collaboration.
  • Improvements to the transportation industry.
  • Value added to and utilization and implementation by the transportation community.
  • Promotion of research and/or innovation.
  • Use of the project deliverables by multiple State partners.
  • Advancement of U.S. Department of Transportation strategic goals: safety, economic strength, equity, climate and sustainability, transformation, and organizational excellence.
2024 TPF Excellence Awards Winners

Check back to see which TPF studies were awarded the 2024 TPF Excellence Awards!


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