Author(s)

Jonathan S. Wood^1*, Ida van Schalkwyk²

¹Department of Civil, Construction & Environmental Engineering, Iowa State University, IA, USA.
²Washington Department of Transportation, WA, USA.

Reproducibility is a key aspect of the scientific method as it provides evidence for research claims. It is essential to promote openness, accessibility, and collaboration within the scientific community. This article aims to provide an introduction to best practices in reproducibility that are relevant to the transportation research community, to discuss issues and barriers to reproducibility, and to describe methods for addressing these issues. This article starts by discussing openness and transparency, then discusses several key best practices for reproducibility in transportation engineering, highlighting common methods and techniques, as well as the associated benefits. The paper concludes with a discussion of the key barriers to implementing reproducibility practices in transportation research and potential solutions. The barriers include existing culture and attitudes, data sensitivity, insufficient methodological detail, lack of code sharing, limited validation, additional time and research burden, and skill and knowledge gaps. Discussing each of these items provides an opportunity for the transportation research community to evolve to become one that embraces the openness and transparency of reproducibility.

Reproducibility, Openness, Transparency, Scientific Method, Responsible Research

Wood, J. and Schalkwyk, I. (2025) Reproducibility in Transportation Research: Importance, Best Practices, and Dealing with Protected and Sensitive Data. Journal of Transportation Technologies, 15, 179-202. doi: 10.4236/jtts.2025.151010.