Section 2: National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP)
Overview
The National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP)
was created in 1962 as a means to conduct research in acute problem
areas that affect highway planning, design, construction, operation,
and maintenance nationwide. The state departments of transportation
are the sole sponsors of the NCHRP. Support is voluntary and funds are
drawn from each state’s Federal-Aid Highway apportionment of State
Planning and Research (SPR) funds, in an amount equal to 5½ percent
of the total SPR apportionment.
For a complete description of NCHRP program development, and
listings of NCHRP projects and publications, visit TRB’s web site
at
and
navigate to Cooperative Research Programs. Or visit the NCHRP site
directly at
.
NCHRP Panel Membership
A panel of individuals representing state departments of transportation,
the Federal Highway Administration, universities, and private trade
associations is selected to manage each NCHRP project. The panel
prepares the scope of work, reviews proposals, selects the organization
to do the research, monitors progress on the project, and reviews
final reports.
Many TxDOT professionals serve on NCHRP panels. RTI coordinates
the nomination process for panel members between NCHRP and TxDOT.