In addition to mandated products (LRTP, TIP, CMP), the HRTPO staff conducts studies and prepares reports for various transportation issues in order to improve safety and mobility, and relieve congestion in the region. Several corridor and local planning studies are completed each year as part of the HRTPO Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP). These studies are typically requested by local municipal governments, the HRTPO Board, or the general public and are often considered critical transportation topics. Most studies contain data, analysis, and a set of recommendations that support the goals and objectives established within the Congestion Management Process (CMP) and the Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP). Many of these studies support one or more of the eight federal planning factors, which are required by Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) as part of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21). All studies are coordinated with the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), local municipalities, and other stakeholders and are made available for public review and input.

The lists below show the HRTPO special studies completed since 2007: 

Corridor Studies 

• Holland Road [Suffolk] Corridor Study (June 2008)
• North Main Street [Suffolk] Corridor Study (Dec. 2008)
• Bridge Road [Suffolk] Corridor Study (Oct. 2009)
• Nansemond Parkway [Suffolk] Corridor Study (Apr. 2010)
• Pruden Boulevard [Suffolk] Corridor Study (June 2010)
• Carolina Road [Suffolk] Corridor Study (July 2010)
• US Route 460 [Isle of Wight] Corridor Study (July 2011) 

Area Studies 

• Oyster Point [Newport News] Transportation Study (Apr. 2008)
• Coliseum Central [Hampton] Special Events Management Plan Study (Jan. 2010)
• James City/Williamsburg/York Comprehensive Transportation Study (Mar. 2012) 

River Crossings 

• Elizabeth River Crossings Study (June 2008)
• Jordan Bridge Closure Traffic Analysis (Sept. 2008) 

Tolling 

• Users of Existing Toll Facilities in Hampton Roads (Sept. 2012)
• Analyzing and Mitigating the Impact of Tolls at the Midtown and Downtown Tunnels (June 2015)
• Impact of HOT Operations (November 2019)

Bridges 

• Hampton Roads Regional Bridge Study (Nov. 2012)

Various

• Pavement Performance Measurement in Hampton Roads (July 2014)
• Mode Choices of Millennials (Sep. 2015)
• Identifying Promising Intersections for High-Congestion-Benefit/Low-Cost Improvements (Jan. 2016)
• Identifying Candidate Streets for Conversion from One-Way to Two-Way (October 2017)
• Moving the Economy (November 2017)
• Candidate Segments for Road Diets in Hampton Roads (July 2018)