$500,000* FY 92
$1,000,000*/year FY 93 to 97 [* NCHRP--25%, FHWA--75%]
$1,125,000**/year FY 98 to 99 [**NCHRP--33%, FHWA--67%]
$1,000,000/year FY 00 to 05
$1,250,000 FY 06
$1,000,000 FY 07
$1,250,000/year FY 08 - FY 17
The Ideas Deserving Exploratory Analysis (IDEA) program explores the feasibility of unproven technical concepts, novel applications of proven concepts, or advances that have not yet been tried or tested for application in transportation practice. The IDEA program focuses on high-payoff concepts, products, systems, tools, or techniques that accelerate the development and deployment of advanced technologies, methods, or processes for highway and intermodal transportation systems.
An IDEA investigation will, in general, have one or more of the following characteristics:
· A credible yet unproven technical concept that may require a high-risk investigation to prove its feasibility but that offers the potential for significant payoff to practice.
· A proven concept or novel application or advance in technologies, methods, or non-transportation
applications such as processes developed for defense or industrial uses that have not yet been tried, tested, or used in highway transportation systems.
· Testing of new, advanced, or emerging products that may significantly improve competitiveness in surface and intermodal freight and passenger transportation.
· Concepts or products that promote international cooperation in advancing highway technologies and systems.
