In 1983, WSDOT, the University of Washington, and Washington State University formed a partnership that established TRAC. TRAC provides a link among the government, university researchers, and the private sector. For WSDOT, TRAC acts as a liaison, connecting those who need applied research with those at the universities best suited to conduct it.

WSDOT Links

Library Services
Research Reports

Areas of Research

Operations: Emergency management, finance, freight mobility, ITS/congestion, maintenance operations, NCHRP review, passenger rail, public-private partnerships, security, snow and ice removal, tolling, traffic operations.

Engineering: Construction, materials, pavement, geotechnical, water resources, design safety, geometrics, bridge engineering.

Multimodal: Air quality, aviation, bicycle/pedestrian, biology, environment, noise, public transportation, student studies, sustainability, Washington State Ferries, wildlife passage.

WSDOT Webinar Wednesdays

WSDOT’s Research & Library Services Office hosts Webinar Wednesdays, a series of bimonthly, one-hour webinars highlighting WSDOT research results. Each webinar showcases a research project whose results could eventually be implemented statewide or in other states. Since March 2017 this popular program has covered a wide range of transportation topics, from engineering to the environment, construction to conservation, and policy to preservation.
Access to previously recorded webinars

WSDOT Helpful Documents

Research Procedures

Research Procedures Manual (2023) (PDF)

Proposal Preparation

Research Contract Scope of Work Preparation Guide (2025) (MS Word file will download)

Research Project Evaluation

Research Evaluation Overview (MS Word)
Research Project Annual Evaluation Form (MS Word)
Research Project Final Evaluation Form (MS Word)

Report Production

WSDOT Research Report Guidelines (2025) (PDF)
Section 508 Accessibility Compliance Guide for TRAC Authors (PDF)