The Field

by Christine Colley, RLA, ASLA

The Transportation Research Board’s Standing Committee on Landscape and Environmental Design (AKD40) is seeking papers to be considered for publication and/or presentation at the 2023 TRB Annual Meeting. The theme of the Annual Meeting is Rejuvenation Out of Disruption: Envisioning a Transportation System for a Dynamic Future.

This Committee is concerned with design parameters that relate to protecting, conserving, restoring, and enhancing safe, sustainable, and livable transportation systems, facilities, and their associated environments. The Committee promotes research to advance design principles and practices that enhance:

1. safety and traveler experiences;
2. scenic, aesthetic, and visual quality;
3. harmonious integration of facilities within their natural, cultural, and social environments;
4. sustainable solutions and systems; and
5. the quality of life for transportation system users and surrounding communities.

The following categories were identified by the AKD40 Committee as being critical areas of research:

• Energy and Sustainability – design, policies, and practices to protect the planet.
• Policy needs related to the roadside environment and autonomous vehicle technology.
• Resilience and Security – preparing for floods, fires, storms, and sea level rise.
• Transformational technologies that will change how transportation environments could be retrofitted or rebuilt.
• Roadside design to serve growing and shifting populations.

The deadline for paper submissions is August 1, 2022.

Authors interested in submitting papers are advised to check TRB’s Paper Review webpage and read the Submission Requirements. Authors responding to this Call for Papers should submit full papers for peer review to the Transportation Research Board online.

When submitting, please indicate the Call for Papers title—Critical Research Needs for Landscape and Environmental Design Topics—if you want your paper to be associated with this call. Note that this will not affect your chances of acceptance.

Please note: it is critical that you check check TRB’s Paper Review webpage and read the Submission Requirements. Be careful with your paper submission—once submitted, they cannot be edited. If you are unsure, hit “Save and Submit Later” until your paper is ready for review.

Christine Colley, RLA, ASLA, is a Senior Landscape Architect at the New York State Department of Transportation, Committee Member of the TRB Standing Committee on Landscape and Environmental Design (AKD40) and is The Field editor for ASLA’s Transportation Professional Practice Network (PPN).