TRB Conference on Rural and Tribal Transportation

Submit a proposal to contribute to a session at the TRB Conference on Rural and Tribal Transportation. The conference will be held July 19-21, 2027, in Westminster, CO. Bringing together representatives from federal, state, and local transportation agencies, Tribal agencies, rural and metropolitan planning organizations, public transit agencies, academia, and private industry, participants will explore the evolving opportunities and challenges shaping mobility and infrastructure in rural and Tribal communities.

This two-and-a-half-day conference will include workshops, plenary sessions, a poster session, and many lectern/panel sessions.

Submit abstracts that present original research, demonstrate innovative methods, share implementation experience with transferable lessons, identify unresolved challenges or future research needs, or describe practical experience that other agencies and organizations can apply.

Abstracts can address one or more of the following topics. Proposals can span multiple topic areas. Tribal topics will be woven into the entire fabric of the conference and are not a unique track.

Topics of interest include, but are not necessarily limited to:

► Design, Construction, and Maintenance

Presentations in this area might address:
Construction logistics in remote areas, challenges in managing and maintaining rural roads, innovations for monitoring and maintenance, low-cost culvert and bridge replacement, roundabouts, and other intersection treatments, low volume roads, multi-modal design, improving infrastructure resiliency.

► Safe and Responsive Systems

Presentations in this area might address:
Safe System application and safety plans in rural communities, crash response coordination and communication, emergency management and disaster recovery, low-cost safety countermeasures, safety culture.

► Mobility and Access

Presentations in this area might address:
Transit coordination, microtransit, shared mobility, intermodal connectivity, first/last mile connectivity, school transportation, planning, multi-modal transportation, land use.

► Transportation and Health

Presentations in this area might address:
Medical and non-emergency transportation needs, mobility barriers for older adults and people with disabilities, and role of transportation in health outcomes.

► Organizational Issues

Presentations in this area might address:
Interagency and intergovernmental collaboration, funding and investment strategies, public-private partnerships in rural transportation, workforce development, economic development, technology and innovations, communications, public engagement, policy, data-driven decision-making and data governance, use and adoption of AI.

► Cross-cutting Issues

Presentations in this area might address:
Land use (agricultural, residential, tourism, industrial, preservation), community collaboration, public lands and recreation.

► Other

Topics that have clear relevance and importance for advancing research and research needs around rural and Tribal transportation and are proposed in a presentation style that engages participants to work on solutions.

How to Submit an Abstract
Submit all abstracts by October 9, 2026 by 11:59 P.M.  Abstracts are no longer than 400 words and clearly convey the material that will be presented. Submitters will be asked to identify which conference topics of interest best align with their presentation topic. If the presentation topic aligns with multiple focus areas above, please prioritize a primary and secondary topic area.

Submitters will also be asked to indicate their preferred delivery format (poster, lectern/podium session, workshop presentation). Final designation of the format will be at the discretion of the conference planning committee.