Behind every Iowa DOT research innovation is a real human being dedicated to helping ideas become reality. Here you can learn more about the Iowa DOT Research staff members and what makes them tick. 

Name: Peggi Knight, Director of Research & Analytics Bureau
Number of years in this role: 8 

What do you do in the Research & Analytics Bureau? 
Iowa DOT’s Research and Analytics Sections each operate independently without a lot of overlap in their daily work. With 13 staff members, my role as director is to break down barriers and provide whatever is needed to make sure things keep rolling.  

Have you always been drawn to research? What has your career path been like? 

I hold a bachelor’s degree in survey engineering and a master’s in civil engineering, both from Iowa State University. 

I started at Iowa DOT in 1988 as a transportation engineer; my first job was implementing GIS technology within the DOT. From there I became a manager in what is today called the Analytics Section, working with transportation data.

I then became Director of the Office of Public Transit, then Director of Transportation Data. I’ve been Director of the Research & Analytics Bureau since it was formed eight years ago.

What’s your favorite part of your work? 
I enjoy helping people continuously improve their work so that they can enjoy their job even more. I like to help my staff identify a vision for where they’d like to see their work transformed in the future, and then work with them to develop a plan to get there. 

What initiative on the horizon do you think will make a big impact for the Research & Analytics Bureau? 
Our new Ideas website provides the potential to have everything in one place – which will allow us to track and manage projects and develop performance measures. It’s great because when everything is all in one place you can follow the project’s progress and see how it’s meeting its goals. 

What do you like to do in your time off? 
I enjoy reading and spending time with my husband and two adult children, one of whom plays soccer for Grand View University and the other is a chemical engineer and lives in Texas.

World Bicycle Day, held each year on June 3, celebrates the many health and environmental benefits that bicycling can offer.

As the number of Iowa’s bicyclists continues to grow each year, research can help identify infrastructure improvements to make riding safer and more enjoyable for everyone. 

But research can be expensive. To find cutting-edge yet affordable solutions that enhance the bicycling experience while increasing safety, Iowa DOT collaborates with 13 other states through the Fostering Innovation in Pedestrian and Bicycle Transportation Pooled Fund Study.  By sharing the costs of research, each state stands to benefit from the findings with less financial investment than they would incur individually.  

Learn more about Iowa DOT Research’s commitment to non-motorized transportation on the Ideas site. 

National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, which takes place this year from September 10 - 26, is an annual reminder to thank the millions of professional drivers who transport the goods we rely on every day.  

While this special week helps highlight the important work that truckers do, Iowa DOT is committed to advancing truck driver safety and efficiency throughout the year. 

As a member of the Mid-America Freight Coalition (MAFC), Iowa DOT partners with nine other states – Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin – to identify common challenges and share the cost of researching effective solutions. These 10 states are all critical to the efficient and reliable movement of goods across the country as they are home to key interstates, inland waterways, the Great Lakes, rail lines, and air cargo facilities. By sharing technologies and best practices and cooperatively funding research, the MAFC supports planning, policy and operational activities that affect the entire nation.

Make sure to thank a truck driver for their tireless devotion to this important cause, and learn more about learn more about Iowa’s commitment to advancing freight research.

2020 was a busy year for us at Iowa DOT Research, and we’re proud to share highlights of our efforts in the new FY2020 Research At-A-Glance report. 

We worked on more than 200 transportation research projects throughout the year, reflecting our four key priorities: safety, mobility, sustainability, and technology. 

These projects provided us with a wealth of new information on a variety of topics. For example, we now have a better understanding of the relationship between travel speed and fatality rates, which will help us determine whether speed limits can be safely increased. We’re also developing a cutting-edge pavement formula that will improve our energy efficiency by using recycled tires instead of new materials. 

The At-A-Glance also outlines our process for gathering research ideas and developing our program through our new Research Ideas website and highlights our outreach and partnership efforts. 

Among other noteworthy statistics, the “By the Numbers” pages of the report show that we received 75 new ideas for research projects and that more than two-thirds of these have already moved on to the development stage! 

Interested in learning more about what Iowa DOT Research did in 2020, how we did it, and what’s next? Check out the full report!

With the new spring season comes another chance to share the next great transportation-related idea! When the new research cycle opens on March 1, submit your idea to give it the best chance to blossom into a fully developed proposal!   
 
The start of the new research cycle is the best time to submit, since ideas will spend more time in the discussion and evaluation phase. 
 
With more feedback and engagement, ideas become better and more likely to be selected for further development.   
 
Even if you don’t have a submission of your own, you can still help others improve their ideas by voting or adding your comments. Feedback is a critical part of helping every idea succeed, and comments and suggestions for ideas submitted during the spring cycle will be accepted until July 25, 2022.   
 
Our annual research calendar illustrates the year-long cycle, and the Ideas site is the best place to learn more and get involved in Iowa‘s transportation research process. Check it out and help ideas grow!

Do you have the next big idea in transportation research? Share it now to be considered before Iowa DOT’s Spring Research Cycle ends June 30th. 

Even if you don’t have a submission of your own, you can help others improve their ideas by voting or adding your comments.

Currently, ideas that were submitted in the Spring will be open for feedback until July 25, 2023. You can review, rate and comment on ideas in Open Feedback right now!

With three research cycles throughout the year, ideas are always in progress at Iowa DOT research. 
 
Check out the annual research calendar to see the year-round process and check the Ideas site often to find out what new ideas have been submitted and to provide your own!

Iowa DOT relies on applied research to solve the state’s most pressing problems and to identify, test, and pilot new products and process improvements. 

But with so many transportation-related avenues of inquiry, it is difficult and cost-prohibitive to explore every possibility.  

Pooled funds offer a smart solution: By working with other state departments of transportation (DOTs) interested in doing the same research, Iowa DOT can share the cost of a project—sometimes in the hundreds of thousands of dollars—without sacrificing any quality. 

Every participating agency can achieve the same results at a fraction of the cost and influence the direction and scope of the research. 

This means Iowa DOT is able to invest in more projects per year, getting significantly more value and insight from its research budget. 

Iowa DOT serves as lead agency for more pooled funds than any other state DOT in the nation, positioning Iowa as a nationally recognized leader in transportation-related research and bringing new and exciting innovations to Iowans in every part of the state. 

Learn more about Iowa DOT’s pooled funds.

Iowa DOT Research solicits transportation-related ideas throughout the year, during its spring, summer and fall research cycles. Eleven innovative ideas have so far been submitted since the fall cycle opened on November 1. 

Many of the submissions offer environmental solutions in line with Iowa DOT’s commitment to sustainable transportation, from using waste products like eggshells in construction materials to strategies that could limit the carbon emissions of newly built bridges. 
 
Read more about these and all of the recently submitted ideas on Iowa DOT’s Research Ideas site, and share your feedback to help these ideas become even better.  
 
Let us know what transportation-related issues are important to you! The fall cycle will accept ideas through February 28, 2022. 

Iowa DOT already leads the nation in working with 3-D virtual models to design the state’s bridges. Now the agency is taking the technology another step further.  

Because modifications often occur during construction, the model that was used to design the bridge can be outdated by the time it’s completed. On site revisions and updated specifications are hand-drawn on paper, which can be difficult and time-consuming to collect and integrate with the original digital design. This can pose an issue when it comes time to manage the bridge, as inspectors and maintenance workers may have a digital blueprint that doesn’t match the real structure.    

In a pilot project, Iowa DOT pushed the limitations of the proprietary design software it uses. Working with agency engineers and construction contractors, Iowa DOT incorporated changes from a recently completed bridge, updating the original design with the alterations made during construction. Links to supplementary information, such as photos and materials certifications, provide a holistic record of the completed bridge.  

With a better understanding of how the software needs to improve to keep up with modern needs, Iowa DOT is closer to achieving its goals for a fully digital design, construction, and asset-management process. 

Learn more about this project in Iowa DOT’s new research brief. 

Iowa DOT’s new Research Ideas website—a complement to our existing site—offers information on new and in-progress research in an easy-to-navigate format.

The new site allows keyword searches, as well as the ability to filter information according to an idea.  

We’re also excited to bring you more news and program highlights to help you better understand what it is we do and why we’re so passionate about it.

Here is some of what you’ll find here:  

Driven by you. We love great ideas, but getting a concept to go from “good” to “great” takes lots of input and development.

That’s why we encourage feedback and hope you’ll weigh in on proposed ideas—because when more opinions come together, the better the final result will be.

Go to our Ideas page to find out how you can help.

A transparent process. Ideas move through one stage at a time.

Learn more about how it works: from submission to discussion/evaluation to development, you can track the progress of any idea in the system and identify related projects in development.

More news and updates. We think what we do is pretty interesting, and we hope you will too.

Our regular news posts will help keep you informed and give us a chance to showcase the work we think you’ll be most excited about.

International Walk to School Month, held each year throughout the month of October, highlights the importance of safe and pedestrian-friendly communities all over the world.  

Improving safety and mobility for pedestrians – and all road users – are key to our mission at Iowa DOT Research. Recently we’ve invested in research to investigate how self-heating pavements can be installed at crosswalks and bus loading areas to melt ice and make walkways safer. In addition, our ongoing work with the Fostering Innovation in Pedestrian and Bicycle Transportation Pooled Fund Study has helped us develop and implement a variety of innovations that benefit non-motorists across the state. 

Learn more about Iowa DOT’s efforts to make our state more safe for pedestrians, and submit your research ideas to help us understand the transportation issues important to you. Our summer research cycle will be accepting ideas until October 31! 

From now until March 15, Iowa’s Statewide Transportation Innovation Council (STIC) will be collecting ideas for innovations and technologies eligible for STIC Incentive Funds. Unlike other types of funds that aim to advance research, STIC incentive funds must be used to accelerate the adoption of innovative techniques and technologies.  

Each federal fiscal year, Iowa may apply for up to $100,000 in STIC funding, and the Iowa DOT provides an additional $25,000 that is required as a state-funded match. Examples of projects that may be eligible for these funds include guidance and specification development, peer exchanges to help states share their knowledge, and other activities that help innovations become standard practice. For more information on eligible ideas, please visit the current campaign website.  

The Iowa Highway Research Board, which serves as Iowa’s STIC, will rank the STIC submissions in April. Selected ideas will then be submitted to FHWA for funding consideration.

For additional information, please visit FHWA's STIC Incentive Program Guidelines. 

In the months since the fall research cycle closed on March 1, Iowa DOT Research and a variety of practitioner and industry experts have been hard at work evaluating each submitted idea, whittling the list of submissions down from dozens to just those few that offer the most promising solutions and greatest impact for Iowans across the state.  

Next, Iowa DOT determines which program and source of funding would best apply to each project: the Iowa Highway Research Board (IHRB) provides money for research that benefits Iowa’s cities and counties; State Planning & Research (SPR) funds are the core federal program to support research; and federal State Transportation Innovation Council (STIC) funding helps state transportation agencies advance their transportation-related innovation initiatives. 

Each of these three programs then identifies their top choices to receive funding.  

At its June 4 meeting, the 15-member IHRB selected four ideas to advance to the next stage in Iowa’s research development process. (SPR and STIC funds are considered by their own, separate committees.) IHRB chose these four research ideas:
 

• Fly Ash Quality and Alternative Materials. Fly ash is a by-product of burning coal, which can be added to concrete to make it stronger and more durable. But as power plants transition from coal to more renewable energy sources, demand for fly ash exceeds supply. This project would investigate possible fly ash alternatives.
   
• Ultra High Performance Concrete (UHPC) to Repair Steel Bridge Girder Ends. Instead of cutting and removing parts of a steel bridge that are deteriorating, federal research has shown these costly repairs can be avoided by encasing the damaged areas in this highly durable concrete. Whether or not this a viable option for bridges in Iowa has not yet been well studied. 
   
• Effect of Vibration on Concrete Mixtures. Vibration is an important part of mixing concrete, as it helps to release air bubbles that could otherwise weaken the final structure. The proposed research would conduct a variety of tests to give practitioners a better understanding of how vibration affects different mixtures and how much is too much.
   
• Helical Pile Foundation Implementation for Bridge Structure. Helical piles are often used to stabilize foundations for commercial construction, but they have not been frequently applied to bridges. This research would examine the feasibility and develop specifications for use in bridge designs.

While these ideas have already come a long way since they were submitted, they still have a way to go before they become funded research projects. Each idea will need its own Project Champion and Project Development Group to provide guidance and help develop its scope. Then, a preliminary review of published research will show what advancements have already been made in these areas. For ideas that are still viable after all that, Requests for Proposals (RFPs) will be written and extended. 

Click here to be notified when new RFPs are posted. 

Have a research idea but haven’t had a chance to get in on the idea submission process? The summer cycle opened on July 1! 

A construction specification is just like a recipe: It spells out the types and quantities of ingredients and the steps that should be followed to make a great product every time.   

Asphalt pavements are made by measuring and combining a precise formulation of aggregates, binder, and additives to suit the road’s anticipated traffic volume and other considerations. This mixture is then placed on the roadway and methodically compacted with heavy equipment to smooth the surface and squeeze out the right amount of air.  

In 2016, an Iowa DOT research project investigating the necessary amount of compaction led to several changes to Iowa’s asphalt pavement specifications. The next phase of that project, which concluded in 2021, sought to verify that the updated specifications do indeed result in better-performing pavements. Evaluating three types of asphalt specimens that were made using the old specifications and comparing them with samples made with the new specifications, researchers found that the new specimens were more resistant to rutting, fatigue cracking, and low-temperature cracking. 

When built with the new specifications, Iowa’s roads will likely need less maintenance and repair – a win for taxpayers and all road users alike. 

Learn more about the project in Iowa DOT’s new research brief. 

Penetrating sealants show great promise for protecting concrete from the negative impacts of deicing salts.  

Many sealers are available on the market, each with different chemical compositions and performance attributes.  

The challenge for Iowa’s city and county engineers is selecting the appropriate sealer.  

Iowa DOT funded laboratory and field testing to better understand how to select the right sealant for each application and to determine the best way to evaluate the sealer’s effectiveness.  

As a result of this research, engineers have a better understanding of which types of sealers are formulated to address common durability problems.  

They also have a set of recommendations on the best tests for assessing key categories of sealers. Additional field testing is underway to assess the long-term impacts of sealers on concrete joints.  

Learn more about this project in Iowa DOT’s new research brief, and check out other Iowa DOT research efforts on the News & Publications page. 

Behind every Iowa DOT research innovation is a real human being dedicated to helping ideas become reality. Here you can learn more about the Iowa DOT Research staff members and what makes them tick. 

Name: Tammy Bailey, Research Administrative Assistant 
Number of years in this role: 7 
 
What do you do in the Research & Analytics Bureau?  
I provide support for the Research & Analytics Bureau, Process invoices for all Research Contracts, Coordinate all travel arrangements including airline tickets, hotel reservations, conference registration and ground transportation.  Prepare agendas, minutes and other items for the Iowa Highway Research Board. 
 
Have you always been drawn to research? What has your career path been like?  
I have worked with the State of Iowa for 34 years. I started with Iowa Beer & Liquor, I went to Iowa DOT in the accident department, then transferred to the Iowa Department of Human services with Foster Care recovery, then went back to the Iowa DOT with the Ames Drivers License Station and ended up in the Iowa DOT Research Department. 
 
What’s your favorite part of your work? 
The Research Team is one of the Best teams I have worked with, they are so knowledgeable and have explained and taught me so much about the process. Research is changing all the time so nothing is the same; there are always new and interesting projects.

What initiative on the horizon do you think will make a big impact for the research bureau?  
The Research team is always coming up with amazing tools to create new communication, like the new website, ideas.iowadot.gov. 

What do you like to do in your time off? 
I spend a lot of time with my family, I love camping, Hallmark movies, having sleepovers with my grandbabies, crafts, and I love to take short adventure trips.

Iowa’s unpaved roads are essential for keeping rural communities connected and agricultural products moving. National Farm Safety and Health Week – which will take place this year from September 18-24 – is the perfect time to highlight Iowa DOT Research’s efforts to increase the roads’ safety and durability. 

These roads are designed to have a thick aggregate top layer, but heavy equipment and extreme temperature fluctuations can break down the materials on the surface and cause potholes and other distresses to form prematurely.  

Engineers have long known that keeping the aggregates in place is key to longer-lasting roads, but finding a solution that’s both economical and environmentally friendly hasn’t been easy. 

Quarry fines—the small particles left after larger rocks and materials are removed from a quarry—are both cheap and plentiful.  

To learn whether adding these fines to the aggregates on a road’s surface would help the road last longer, researchers evaluated various fines and aggregates in the laboratory to find types that interlock well together and identify the ideal proportions of each for a successful mixture. The researchers then constructed seven test sections on unpaved roadways that experience heavy equipment traffic, using fines from five quarries across the state. Through a variety of durability tests and comparisons with two control sections, the team evaluated the fines’ impact on the performance of each section over several seasonal freeze-thaw cycles.  

The efforts showed that while all five types of fines worked well to keep the surface aggregates in place, local road managers will need to carefully consider a number of factors, including the costs to buy the materials and haul them to the jobsite, to determine if adding waste quarry fines makes sense for a specific project. 

Learn more about this project in the new research brief from Iowa DOT. 

Since September, Iowa DOT has launched seven new research projects to help advance transportation in the state. These initiatives include: 
 

• Sustainable Dust Suppressants for Gravel Roads - As vehicles and other heavy equipment travel along Iowa's gravel roads, the loose aggregates on the surface are often crushed and released into the air as fine particulates. Not only is less material left on the roads, but the airborne dust can lower drivers’ visibility and pose a serious health threat to road users and those living and working in the vicinity. This research, which will conclude in June 2025, aims to find a lower-cost and more environmentally friendly alternative to chemical stabilizers. Subscribe and receive project updates here.
   
• Connected Vehicle Technology for Road Weather Management - Existing road weather information systems collect data from various sources to help transportation agencies decide how, when, and where snowplows and other road maintenance resources are needed. Gaps in data coverage persist, however, and as the lead state of the Aurora pooled fund program Iowa DOT is working with other states to identify communication methods that effectively reach road users in real time. The research is expected to conclude in April 2024. Subscribe and receive project updates here.
   
• Crowdsourced road friction data - Keeping winter roads clear is resource intensive. In addition to costs for deicing materials, maintenance crews and equipment, state departments of transportation (DOTs) must have capabilities to deploy crews to the locations that need them the most. Road weather information systems, which measure actual road conditions, are expensive and provide limited spatial coverage. This research project, set to end in July 2024, will explore alternative sources for this valuable data. Subscribe and receive project updates here.

• Alerting Drivers to Adverse Road Conditions - Smartphones and onboard vehicle computers provide access to changing traffic patterns, road closures, and weather updates to help drivers make informed planning decisions. Iowa DOT envisions a high-tech system that could respond to a driver’s spoken request for this information, ensuring their focus remains on the road ahead. The research is expected to conclude in April 2025. Subscribe and receive project updates here.
   
• Winter Weather Road Condition Indices - State agencies protect travelers by providing up-to-date information on weather and road conditions. But climates vary significantly across the country, and there is currently no standardized guideline or index that connects these different state weather information systems. This gap raises concerns about driver safety and the response to weather events that affect multiple states. In this research, Iowa DOT will work with other state to investigate a uniform framework for indexing and communicating weather conditions to travelers. The project is expected to conclude in April 2025. Subscribe and receive project updates here.
   
• Assessing Roadway Safety Hardware - Safety hardware devices designed for use in roadways – such as barriers, breakaway signs, and crash cushions – undergo rigorous tests before they’re deployed on a roadway. Once on the road, collision and maintenance helps Iowa DOT assess the performance of these devices in real-world conditions. But data coming from a variety of sources, such as police and road maintenance crews, is often in different formats, making analysis challenging. This project, which is slated for completion in June 2024, will explore different data collection methods with the goal of developing a uniform process. Subscribe and receive project updates here.
   
• Improving Asset Management with Building Information Modeling - Transportation agencies generate volumes of data for designing, building, and maintaining transportation infrastructure. Iowa DOT leads the Building Information Modeling (BIM) for Infrastructure pooled fund, a multiyear effort that will develop recommended standards and processes for data exchange and digital workflows, geographic information systems applications, and asset inventories. The multiyear effort will develop recommended standards and processes for data exchange and digital workflows, geographic information systems applications, and asset inventories. The research is expected to conclude in December 2027. Subscribe and receive project updates here.
   

Want to get involved? Learn how Iowa DOT staff, industry stakeholders and members of the public can all help advance research in Iowa.  

And find out more about other Iowa DOT research efforts on the News & Publications page.