At the end of September 2012, FEHRL concluded a Cooperative Agreement with Associate Member FHWA to provide an approved structure for proactive trans-Atlantic research cooperation. The Cooperative Agreement allows FHWA to collaborate with FEHRL to conduct research to seek innovative solutions to meet shared challenges. This collaboration will be carried out through workplans for multiple focus areas such as improving safety and security of road infrastructure and reducing lifecycle environmental impacts of road infrastructure through innovations in design, construction, operation, preservation and maintenance.

This Agreement incorporates the experience of the ERA-NET Road and the FHWA Pooled fund. The overall agreement is for a period of five years and envisages a 4 million USD programme.  The first approved work plan is for supporting the Models for rolling resistance In Road Infrastructure Asset Management systems (MIRIAM) project.

This Agreement enables partners to express interest and support jointly defined projects with a mixture of in-kind and financial contributions. The FEHRL Research Coordinators will now work to determine priorities with FHWA.

This Agreement has been drawn up to support the Memorandum of Cooperation signed between FEHRL and FHWA in July 2011.