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<b style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; background-color: ;"><span style="font-size:24.0pt; font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif">Call
For Research Ideas/Problem Statements</span></b><br>
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<i><span style="font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif">Do you have creative ideas or problems in your area where research can be leveraged to provide an answer or address a hot topic? If so, your input is needed by
<b><u>September 4, 2020</u></b>!!</span></i></p>
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<span style="font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif; color:black">TxDOT Research and Technology Implementation Division is seeking to select the needed, most valued, and innovative research ideas for its Fiscal Year 2022 Research Program. Ideas should
address significant transportation issues with the potential to result in solutions or favorable opportunities to the Department and state. Our research is to deliver implementable solutions that improve safety, quality of life, and efficiency and effectiveness
of our system.</span></p>
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<span style="font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif">Some of the current areas of focus or of interest include:</span></p>
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<span style="font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif">Future resiliency improvements of our system with respect to adverse weather and environment, and that complement other systems</span></li><li class="x_x_MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size:11pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; margin-left:.25in; mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3">
<span style="font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif">Engineering improvements that speed delivery without sacrificing safety or quality</span></li><li class="x_x_MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size:11pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; margin-left:.25in; mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3">
<span style="font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif">Improved traffic management system</span></li><li class="x_x_MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size:11pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; margin-left:.25in; mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3">
<span style="font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif">Predictive analytics of future transportation demands</span></li><li class="x_x_MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size:11pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; margin-left:.25in; mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3">
<span style="font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif">Physical innovations or changes needed to accommodate autonomous and connected vehicles on our system</span></li><li class="x_x_MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size:11pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; margin-left:.25in; mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3">
<span style="font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif">Applications of artificial intelligence to TxDOT operations</span></li><li class="x_x_MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size:11pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; margin-left:.25in; mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3">
<span style="font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif">Changing workforce skills and specialties needed with respect to transportation changes</span></li></ul>
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<span style="font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif">We are requesting input from all Department personnel in the Division, District<span style="color:#1F497D">,
</span>Area offices<span style="color:#1F497D"> </span>and from our external research partners.
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<span style="font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif">Please keep TxDOT goals in the forefront as you develop research needs. These goals should "drive" the research we do:</span></p>
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<span style="font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif">Deliver the Right Projects</span></li><li class="x_x_MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size:11pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; margin-left:.25in; mso-list:l2 level1 lfo6">
<span style="font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif">Foster Stewardship</span></li><li class="x_x_MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size:11pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; margin-left:.25in; mso-list:l2 level1 lfo6">
<span style="font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif">Preserve our Assets</span></li><li class="x_x_MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size:11pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; margin-left:.25in; mso-list:l2 level1 lfo6">
<span style="font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif">Focus on the Customer</span></li><li class="x_x_MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size:11pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; margin-left:.25in; mso-list:l2 level1 lfo6">
<span style="font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif">Optimize System Performance</span></li><li class="x_x_MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size:11pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; margin-left:.25in; mso-list:l2 level1 lfo6">
<span style="font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif">Promote Safety</span></li></ul>
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<b><span style="font-size:18.0pt; font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif">SUBMIT YOUR RESEARCH NEEDS</span></b></p>
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<span style="font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif">To submit a research idea or topic, please complete the
<a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/nam03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http*3A*2F*2Fwww.txdot.gov*2Ftxdoteforms*2FGetForm*3FformName*3D*2FProbStat.pdf*26appID*3D*2FRTI*26status*3D*2FreportError.jsp*26configFile*3DWFServletConfig.xml&data=02*7C01*7CRTIMAIN*40txdot.gov*7C3c2ed0df3d004bfdb1ed08d807de5b7a*7C39dba4765c094c6391dace7a3ab5224d*7C0*7C0*7C637267999035806061&sdata=gzBLElpqACPDm9iG4g1*2Ba1JHYHrgWqfM*2FszLctIVGsQ*3D&reserved=0__;JSUlJSUlJSUlJSUlJSUlJSUlJSUlJSUlJSUl!!LkSTlj0I!XaHRABZpeXXTOcjjjb_zK0iJGzTblqOWOTIywZP8SImLYvGddIh6_OOyPKkr3A1NH-iXVgc4$" target="_blank" title="Suggestion Form">
Research Problem Statement Form</a>. You should provide as much information as possible to avoid any misinterpretation of your idea, and do not let the form "intimidate" or discourage you from submitting. We can help you complete it if necessary.
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<span style="font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif">Additionally, submitting an idea does not mean that you are required to be involved with the research - we do not want this to discourage good ideas from reaching us. Those that submit ideas would,
however, be welcome to serve as a project advisor should the idea move forward as a research project.
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<span style="font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif">The Research Problem Statement Form has also been added to the Department's eForms system. You may prefer to use<a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/nam03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https*3A*2F*2Fwww.txdot.gov*2Ftxdoteforms*2FGetForm*3FformName*3D*2FProbStat.pdf*26appID*3D*2FRTI*26status*3D*2FreportError.jsp*26configFile*3DWFServletConfig.xml&data=02*7C01*7CRTIMAIN*40txdot.gov*7C3c2ed0df3d004bfdb1ed08d807de5b7a*7C39dba4765c094c6391dace7a3ab5224d*7C0*7C0*7C637267999035816009&sdata=fRMtT3EklyC3IBDZD4vWISTvJ*2B7YFR3GFdDu*2BwjsHaU*3D&reserved=0__;JSUlJSUlJSUlJSUlJSUlJSUlJSUlJSUlJSUl!!LkSTlj0I!XaHRABZpeXXTOcjjjb_zK0iJGzTblqOWOTIywZP8SImLYvGddIh6_OOyPKkr3A1NH-3eYcSR$" target="_blank" title="Form 2572">
Form ProbStat</a> to submit your suggestion.</span></p>
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<span style="font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif">TxDOT values your input. Please submit your problem statements or questions to
<a href="mailto:RTIMain@txdot.gov?subject=Research%20Problem%20Statement">RTIMain@txdot.gov</a> or call the RTI main line at (512) 416-4730 for further assistance.</span></p>
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Forms are to be submitted by<i><span style="font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif">
</span></i><b><u><span style="font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif">September 4, 2020</span></u></b><span style="font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif">.</span></p>
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<span style="font-size:14.0pt; font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif"> </span></p>
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<span style="font-size:12.0pt">Thank you,</span></p>
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<span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Brush Script MT"">Barbara Cisneros</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt">, CTCM</span></p>
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<span style="font-size:12.0pt">Research Technology Implementation Division</span></p>
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<span style="font-size:12.0pt">512-416-4741</span></p>
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<span style="font-size:12.0pt"><a href="mailto:Barbara.cisneros@txdot.gov">Barbara.cisneros@txdot.gov</a>
</span></p>
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