Transportation research
MnDOT research programs and offices
Research & Innovation
MnDOT's Office of Research & Innovation administers a variety of active research projects for MnDOT and the Local Road Research Board. If you have an idea for a new research project, start there.
Materials and Road Research
MnDOT's Office of Materials and Road Research works to advance the state of the practice of pavement design, construction and maintenance. MnDOT’s materials laboratory and the MnROAD research facility are part of this office.
MnROAD
MnROAD is MnDOT's unique, state-of-the-art cold regions pavement research facility.
Maintenance Research
MnDOT’s Office of Maintenance is involved in a number of operational research activities.
Traffic Engineering
MnDOT's Office of Traffic Engineering supports research directly related to its mission of increasing the safety of our roadways.
CAV-X
MnDOT's Office of Connected and Automated Vehicles is currently doing or has completed research on automated and connected vehicles that will help the agency prepare for future transportation needs in Minnesota.
Local research partners
Local Road Research Board
The LRRB funds transportation research of special interest to cities and counties, such as research on low-volume roads and rural safety issues. MnDOT administers their program.
Center for Transportation Studies
The University of Minnesota’s Center for Transportation Studies partners with local, state, national, and global transportation professionals, stakeholders, businesses, and leaders to move new ideas from research to reality.
Minnesota Traffic Observatory
The Minnesota Traffic Observatory at the University of Minnesota is a laboratory focusing on testing and evaluation of new transportation management and operational strategies and traveler information technologies.
National programs
Transportation Pooled Fund Program
The Transportation Pooled Fund Program allows federal, state, and local agencies and other organizations to combine resources to support transportation research studies.
National Road Research Alliance
The NRRA is a national partnership that sponsors research at the MnROAD test track.
Clear Roads
Clear Roads is a 36-member agency winter maintenance research pooled fund led by MnDOT.