Innovation can be seen from many angles. For example, innovation can be defined as the technology transfer activities following completed research.  Simultaneously, innovation can be a tool used in the State of the Practice for one agency but has only been newly adopted in another agency. The iHUD brings both perspectives together for the benefit of awareness and consideration of using new tools to fix problems.  

The iHUD, a staff-level working committee of the Innovation and Research Council (IRC), supports strategic innovation deployment across Federal agencies. It Is responsible for communicating technologies which can expedite project delivery, decrease project costs, increase asset lifecycles, and improve customer experiences, to name a few focus areas. The iHUD emphasizes a grassroots approach for communication, idea collection and technology transfer amongst peers. It is a work zone where innovators from across the depth and breadth of FLH and its Partners convene to discuss, vet, and share successes, failures, and current happenings. A major role of the iHUD is to discern which innovations require higher decision making of the IRC for pursuit or investment.

iHUD Activities

Upcoming and active iHUD innovation deployment activities. For more information, email IRC-Research@dot.gov.

In Progress

• Bridge Curb/Railing and Approach Treatment for Extremely Low Volume Roads
• Utilizing Emerging Data-Collecting Bicycle Technology to Efficiently Conduct Trail Condition Assessments
• Bridge Curb/Railing and Approach Treatment for Extremely Low Volume Roads pocket guide and training
• Trail Condition Assessment Using Utilizing Emerging Data-Collecting Bicycle Technology to Efficiently Conduct Trail Condition Assessments workshop
• Using Crowdsourced Data for Improved Safety Hot Spot Analysis, workshop
• Nighttime Visibility, Safety and Dark Skies Context Sensitivities, pilot
• Integrating GHG Emission Reduction in Planning guide
• Enhancing the Use of Internally Cured Concrete webinar
• Integration of Environmental Product Declarations webinar

Innovation Resources

FHWA houses many outlets to learn about innovative tools, techniques, and products. See the Local Aid Support program website for more information, including monthly Innovation Exchange webinars. The FHWA Every Day Counts program is another source for practitioner-level assistance, including a search tool by technological product and State Departments of Transportation.

FLH s innovation program provides highlights technologies and resources for FLH and FLMAs to solve transportation problems, overcome challenges, and place new technologies into practice.