ALDOT, AUTRI hosts peer exchange with Southeast region state DOT research leaders
Published: May 2, 2025 10:00 AM
By Dustin Duncan
The Alabama Department of Transportation and the Auburn University Transportation Research Institute (AUTRI) recently hosted state DOT research leaders from across the Southeast during the three-day Southeast Transportation Consortium (STC) Peer Exchange.
ALDOT served as the lead agency for the exchange, held at the The Hotel at Auburn University and Dixon Conference Center.
Peer exchange meetings were initiated by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) to bring together research coordinators within specific regions to share information, highlight best practices and discuss common challenges related to transportation. Eleven DOT research directors from the southeast region participated in the meeting.
ALDOT State Research and Development Engineer Kidada Dixon, who is also an Auburn Engineering graduate, ’99 civil engineering, said the STC peer exchange was a success thanks to all participants and AUTRI’s Local Transportation Assistance Program.
“The Peer Exchange meeting was informative and enlightening, which fostered an engaging, open and fluid discussion,” Dixon said. “Great ideas were generated with the intention to incorporate many aspects into each of the Region 2 respective research programs. I look forward to future Region 2, STC and Peer Exchange meetings.”
Laurence Rilett, AUTRI director and Ginn Distinguished Professor at Auburn, said ALDOT’s leadership in organizing the conference and bringing together transportation research professionals from around the region was extremely valuable.
“A number of attendees told me that this was the best peer-exchange they had attended which speaks highly of the leadership team at the Alabama DOT,” Rilett said. “We were honored to bring this important meeting to Auburn University.”
Established in 2021, the Auburn University Transportation Research Institute provides a unified presence and strategic direction for promoting the renowned transportation-related research conducted within the academic departments and research centers in the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering.
For more information about AUTRI, visit eng.auburn.edu/autri.
Media Contact: , dzd0065@auburn.edu, 334-844-2326
Research Directors from more than 10 state departments of transportation agencies throughout the southeastern U.S. attended the peer exchange.
