FYI-- Zanette Doyle at NADO just sent out this reminder, and I am passing it along, in case you haven't seen it before, or forgot about it.  This is to provide IDEAs for projects in the priority areas identified on the FHWA website.  Projects that are approved in STEP require 50% non-federal match, which can include in-kind labor.

FHWA Asks for Input on Planning Research Priorities

The Federal Highway Administration is accepting comments on research priorities for its Surface Transportation Environment and Planning (STEP) Cooperative Research Program for Fiscal Year 2010. Projects completed under the STEP program work to improve understanding of the complex relationship between surface transportation, planning and the environment. Suggested projects and research topics may relate to a variety of different areas of planning, including State/Local/Tribal Capacity Building, Interstate Planning (including economic development research), Public Involvement, Freight Planning, and Safety Planning, as well as environment and real estate-related issues. Feedback must be submitted by December 3 using the forms available for each issue area at http://knowledge.fhwa.dot.gov/cops/step.nsf/home/ .

Elaine  Murakami