Transportation policy fest in D.C.

[This post has been updated]

It's the transportation equivalent of Lollapalooza.

Ten thousand people with an interest in transportation -- from journalists to government officials and academics -- are descending on Washington this week for the annual meeting of the Transportation Research Board, a division of the nonprofit National Research Council.

The event, which is being spread out over three hotels -- the Marriott Wardman Park, the Omni Shoreham and the Hilton Washington -- will feature about 650 workshops flowing from the theme "Transportation, Livability and Economic Development in a Changing World." Sessions are scheduled through Thursday, Jan. 27.

Some highlights include:
-- A panel Monday on automated traffic enforcement with panelists from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Howard County Police Department and the National Coalition for Safer Roads.
-- A session Monday on pedestrian safety and ways to improve walkability.
-- Sessions on bicycling planning, policy and infrastructure.
-- A discussion Monday on transportation issues confronting major cities in the United States.
-- Leaders from the Department of Transportation are expected to discussion nationoal transportation funding, programs and policies in a session on Tuesday
-- Deborah A.P. Hersman, chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), will deliver an address during a luncheon on Wednesday.

Full information is available on the Transportation Research Board's Web site. Registration is available by day or for the entire meeting and the cost varies according to how much of it you plan to attend. We'll provide updates next week from some of the sessions.