TRB Executive Committee chair Leslie Richards and Seval Oz, Senior Advisory, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology, USDOT discussed personal and administrative visions of transportation. She emphasized the need to be thoughtful about the changes of moving to a more efficient, predictive, and maintenance-driven national system and her personal vision of frictionless transportation.

David Harkey of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the Highway Loss Data Institute (IIHS-HLDI) is the 2026 recipient of the Thomas B. Deen Distinguished Lectureship. He has dedicated his career to improving road safety, addressing issues affecting passenger vehicles, large trucks, pedestrians, and bicyclists. In this lecture, "Moving Road Safety Forward, Brought to You by the Letter C,” he covers IIHS' 30x30 initiative which aims to reduce U.S. road fatalities 30% by 2030. He explores concepts like crashworthiness, comprehensive approaches, countermeasures including traffic calming, cutting edge approaches, community solutions, and the contribution and commitment of today's transportation professionals.

Hosted by 2025 Executive Committee Chair Leslie Richards, the session includes the presentation of some of TRB's most prestigious awards, a keynote by Steven Bradbury, Deputy Secretary of Transportation, USDOT, a Fireside Chat between Richards and Seval Oz, Senior Advisory, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology, USDOT, and the introduction of new committee members and officers.

TRB Annual Meeting Award Winners are:

• Thomas B. Deen Distinguished Lectureship Award - David Harkey of IIHS-HLDI

• Roy W. Crum Award - Chris Hendrickson of Carnegie Mellons University

• Robert E. Skinner, Jr. Distinguished Transportation Research Management Award - Christopher P.L. Barkan of University of Illinois - Urbana Champaign

• Sharon D. Banks Award for Humanitarian Leadership in Transportation - Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti of HNTB
  W.N. Carey, Jr., Distinguished Service Award - Wayne Kittelson of Kittelson and Associates

By their nature, the largest transportation projects tend to receive the most public scrutiny—and can also generate the most excitement and inspiration. At this session, chief executives of state departments of transportation discussed the factors and decisions related to funding, risk management, and public relations that lead to a successful delivery of some of the most complex and expensive projects around the country.

Under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the nation’s state departments of transportation are delivering big and small projects to communities across the country that improve safety, keep the economy moving, and enhance quality of life. This session focused on building on the IIJA’s gain and get “back to basics” in the next surface transportation bill to prioritize formula funding, improve safety outcomes, and speed up project delivery.