Transportation Research in the US and EU: Trends, Insights, and Key Focus Areas

Transportation infrastructure plays a critical role in economic growth and social connectivity, yet it faces significant challenges globally. This study examines transportation research trends in the United States (US) and European Union (EU), highlighting redundancies and areas requiring attention. The analysis, covering over 8,859 publications by US state departments of transportation from 2010 to 2023, identifies key focus areas, including construction/design, environment/water, policy planning and programming, pavement materials, geotechnical research, and safety. The findings reveal an emphasis on structural and geotechnical research, while areas such as environmental impact, sustainability, and social equity are underexplored. The study also explores the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused a 13% decline in research publications. However, a surge in 2023 signaled recovery and renewed interest in addressing pandemic-induced changes in transportation research. Comparative insights into the EU highlight shared challenges, including traffic congestion, safety, and the environmental impact of transportation, with both regions emphasizing sustainability and innovation to meet greenhouse gas reduction targets. A comparison of prominent challenges in the US and EU is also provided. It demonstrates significant similarities.