Michael D. Fontaine, Ph.D., P.E.
Associate Director for Safety, Operations, and Traffic Engineering
Research Interests:
- Traffic operations
- Traffic engineering
- Highway safety analysis
- Intelligent transportation systems
- Traffic monitoring systems
- Work zone traffic control and safety
Education:
- Ph.D., Civil Engineering, University of Virginia
- M.S., Civil Engineering, University of Virginia
- B.S., Civil Engineering, University of Virginia
Registration:
- Registered Professional Engineer, Commonwealth of Virginia
Selected Memberships:
- TRB Standing Committee on Travel Data and Methods (AED17), Member (2025 - present)
- NCHRP project panel for Crash Modification Factors for Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Applications (NCHRP 17-140)
- TRB Urban Transportation Data and Information Systems Committee (AED20), member (2007 – 2025), Chair (2020-2025)
- Eastern Transportation Coalition Traffic Data Marketplace Validation Committee, Chair (2022-present)
- Texas A&M Transportation Institute Support for Urban Mobility Analyses Pooled Fund Study, Panel Member (2005-Present)
Selected Awards:
- Virginia Center for Transportation Innovation and Research Tilton E. Shelburne Award for National Leadership (2010)
- Wallace T. McKeel Award for Embodiment of the Spirit of Leadership through Dedication to the VTRC's Mission and People (2016)
- VDOT Commissioner’s Award for Outstanding Achievement in Innovation (2017, 2023)
- AASHTO “Sweet Sixteen” High Value Research Award for the project Impact of the I-77 Variable Speed Limit System on Speed and Crash Characteristics During Low Visibility Conditions (2022)
-
Best Technical Paper Award for “Development of a Performance Evaluation Application for the I-95 Variable Speed Limit System in VA ", (with Cho and Robartes), Southern District Institute of Transportation Engineer Annual Meeting 2023
Current Projects
Reports
-
Highway Safety Corridors: National Experiences and a Possible Framework for Virginia
Report No: 03-TAR12 -
Engineering and Technology Measures to Improve Large Truck Safety: State of the Practice in Virginia
Report No: 03-TAR13 -
Survey of Statewide Multimodal Transportation Planning Practices
Report No: 03-TAR9 -
Development of Left-turn Lane Guidelines for Signalized and Unsignalized Intersections
Report No: 04-R11 -
Improving the Effectiveness of Traffic Monitoring Based on Wireless Location Technology
Report No: 05-R17 -
Evaluation of the Late Merge Work Zone Traffic Control Strategy
Report No: 05-R6 -
Development and Evaluation of Virginia's Highway Safety Corridor Program
Report No: 06-R30 -
Evaluation of Truck Lane Restrictions in Virginia
Report No: 07-CR11 -
Probe Sampling Strategies for Traffic Monitoring Systems Based on Wireless Location Technology
Report No: 07-CR12 -
Synthesis of Benefits and Costs of Alternative Lane Marking Strategies
Report No: 09-R24 -
Evaluation of Truck Lane Restrictions in Virginia: Phase II
Report No: 10-R12 -
Work Zone Variable Speed Limit Systems: Effectiveness and System Design Issues
Report No: 10-R20 -
A Planning-Level Methodology for Identifying High-Crash Sections of Virginia’s Primary System
Report No: 11-R4 -
Planning for Active Traffic Management in Virginia: International Best Practices and Implementation Strategies
Report No: 13-R1 -
Considerations for the Development of Work Zone Mobility Performance Measures and Thresholds for Virginia Freeways
Report No: 14-R6 -
Evaluation of the Virginia Department of Transportation Adaptive Signal Control Technology Pilot Project
Report No: 15-R24 -
Work Zone Safety Performance Measures for Virginia
Report No: 16-R10 -
Investigation of Driver Speed Choice and Crash Characteristics During Low Visibility Events
Report No: 17-R4 -
Evaluation of the Impact of the I-66 Active Traffic Management System
Report No: 17-R5 -
Safety and Operations Guidance for Using Time-of-Day Protected-Permissive Left-Turn Phasing Using Flashing Yellow Arrows
Report No: 19-R10 -
Impacts of the I-77 Variable Speed Limit System on Speed and Crash Characteristics During Low Visibility Conditions
Report No: 19-R6 -
Evaluation of the Impact of the I-66 Active Traffic Management System: Phase II
Report No: 19-R7 -
Improving Freeway Crash Prediction Models Using Disaggregate Flow State Information
Report No: 20-R15 -
Methods to Analyze and Predict Interstate Travel Time Reliability
Report No: 22-R2 -
Operational and Safety Effects of the I–95 Variable Speed Limit System in Fredericksburg, Virginia
Report No: 25-R9 -
Guidelines for Preliminary Selection of the Optimum Interchange Type for a Specific Location
Report No: 99-R15
Team Membership
Last updated: August 7, 2025
