EM - Advancing Methods to Evaluate Greenhouse Gas Emissions During Transportation Decision Making and Performance Management
State DOTs have access to a growing number of tools that may allow them to evaluate GHG emissions impacts. However, research is needed to understand how such tools can best be incorporated into transportation decision making processes and what additional tools may be necessary.
Existing tools for transportation GHG strategy analysis have not been developed with transportation programming and project prioritization in mind. The available tools are either designed for strategic level evaluation of policies (e.g., EERPAT, VisionEval) or project-level evaluation using data more detailed than is typically available during planning and programming (e.g., FHWA CMAQ Emissions Calculator Toolkit, California Life-Cycle Benefit/Cost Analysis Model or Cal-B/C). Other common tools for transportation evaluation, including statewide and regional travel demand models and emission factor models such as MOVES, are limited in their ability to evaluate GHG reduction strategies and typically require substantial modification and/or combination with other tools and methods.
The objective of this research is to advance the practice of incorporating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions evaluation into transportation decision making and performance management. In particular, this will be accomplished by identifying and building upon the state of the practice for state departments of transportation (DOTs) with regard to accounting for transportation related GHG emissions during planning, project prioritization, and performance management. State DOTs have access to certain tools that allow for estimation and evaluation of transportation emissions, but additional tools and methods are needed to inform decision making and align with state and federal GHG emission-reduction goals.
The following research tasks will support the main objective:
Task 1: Review literature and conduct targeted outreach to state DOTs to identify existing methods and tools used to evaluate potential GHG outcomes during transportation decision making processes. For each specific policy making process, describe how available tools, data and information support decision making within that context.
Task 2: Analyze the results of the review/survey to identify gaps where existing tools are not adequate to inform transportation decision making.
Task 3: Develop an analytical basis to fill identified gaps and propose specific additional tools, analytical methods and other information that would be needed to meet the needs of state DOT more fully, aiming to account for the GHG performance of transportation projects during planning, project prioritization and performance management activities
10. PROBLEM STATEMENT AUTHOR(s): For each author, provide their name, affiliation, email address and phone.
James Bradbury, Georgetown Climate Center, [email protected], (202) 557-6267
Ryan Levandowski, Georgetown Climate Center, [email protected], (802) 558-3566
Kelly Travelbee, Michigan DOT, [email protected], (517) 898-4875
Deanna Belden, Minnesota DOT, [email protected], (651) 366-3734
The objective of this research is to advance the practice of incorporating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions evaluation into …
Background/Description
State DOTs have access to a growing number of tools that may allow them to evaluate GHG emissions impacts. However, research is needed to understand how such tools can best be incorporated into transportation decision making processes and what additional tools may be necessary.
Existing tools for transportation GHG strategy analysis have not been developed with transportation programming and project prioritization in mind. The available tools are either designed for strategic level evaluation of policies (e.g., EERPAT, VisionEval) or project-level evaluation using data more detailed than is typically available during planning and programming (e.g., FHWA CMAQ Emissions Calculator Toolkit, California Life-Cycle Benefit/Cost Analysis Model or Cal-B/C). Other common tools for transportation evaluation, including statewide and regional travel demand models and emission factor models such as MOVES, are limited in their ability to evaluate GHG reduction strategies and typically require substantial modification and/or combination with other tools and methods.
Objectives
The objective of this research is to advance the practice of incorporating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions evaluation into transportation decision making and performance management. In particular, this will be accomplished by identifying and building upon the state of the practice for state departments of transportation (DOTs) with regard to accounting for transportation related GHG emissions during planning, project prioritization, and performance management. State DOTs have access to certain tools that allow for estimation and evaluation of transportation emissions, but additional tools and methods are needed to inform decision making and align with state and federal GHG emission-reduction goals.
The following research tasks will support the main objective:
Task 1: Review literature and conduct targeted outreach to state DOTs to identify existing methods and tools used to evaluate potential GHG outcomes during transportation decision making processes. For each specific policy making process, describe how available tools, data and information support decision making within that context.
Task 2: Analyze the results of the review/survey to identify gaps where existing tools are not adequate to inform transportation decision making.
Task 3: Develop an analytical basis to fill identified gaps and propose specific additional tools, analytical methods and other information that would be needed to meet the needs of state DOT more fully, aiming to account for the GHG performance of transportation projects during planning, project prioritization and performance management activities
State DOTs have access to a growing number of tools that may allow them to evaluate GHG emissions impacts. However, research is needed to understand how such tools can best be incorporated into transportation decision making processes and what additional tools may be necessary.
Existing tools for transportation GHG strategy analysis have not been developed with transportation programming and project prioritization in mind. The available tools are either designed for strategic level evaluation of policies (e.g., EERPAT, VisionEval) or project-level evaluation using data more detailed than is typically available during planning and programming (e.g., FHWA CMAQ Emissions Calculator Toolkit, California Life-Cycle Benefit/Cost Analysis Model or Cal-B/C). Other common tools for transportation evaluation, including statewide and regional travel demand models and emission factor models such as MOVES, are limited in their ability to evaluate GHG reduction strategies and typically require substantial modification and/or combination with other tools and methods.
Literature Search Summary
Existing literature describing transportation GHG evaluation tools and their application for planning and programming includes:
● NCHRP WebResource 1, Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions: A Guide for State DOTs (2022).
● Oregon Department of Transportation (2018), Oregon Greenhouse Gas Modeling and Analysis Tools.
● FHWA, Handbook for Estimating Transportation Greenhouse Gases for Integration into the Planning Process (2013).
● NCHRP Web-Only Document 152, Assessing Mechanisms for Integrating Transportation-Related Greenhouse Gas Reduction Objectives into Transportation Decision Making (2010).
Additional literature addresses consideration of air quality issues in programming, with lessons that could potentially applied to GHG consideration:
● Rowangould, G., Nadafianshahamabadi, R., & Poorfakhraei, A. (2018). Programming Flexible Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Program Funds: Best Practices for State DOTs. Transportation Research Record, 2672(51), 99–108.
Other relevant research in progress includes:
● NCHRP Project 20-05, Topic 54-21, Synthesis of Information Related to Highway Practices: Practices in the Transportation Planning Process to Address Climate Resilience and GHG Emission Quantification and Reduction.
● NCHRP 08-154, Guidance for Agencies to Incorporate Uncertainty into Long-Range Transportation Planning.
● NCHRP Project 25-70, Developing a Framework for Evaluation of Decarbonization Outcomes.
Objectives
The objective of this research is to advance the practice of incorporating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions evaluation into transportation decision making and performance management. In particular, this will be accomplished by identifying and building upon the state of the practice for state departments of transportation (DOTs) with regard to accounting for transportation related GHG emissions during planning, project prioritization, and performance management. State DOTs have access to certain tools that allow for estimation and evaluation of transportation emissions, but additional tools and methods are needed to inform decision making and align with state and federal GHG emission-reduction goals.
The following research tasks will support the main objective:
Task 1: Review literature and conduct targeted outreach to state DOTs to identify existing methods and tools used to evaluate potential GHG outcomes during transportation decision making processes. For each specific policy making process, describe how available tools, data and information support decision making within that context.
Task 2: Analyze the results of the review/survey to identify gaps where existing tools are not adequate to inform transportation decision making.
Task 3: Develop an analytical basis to fill identified gaps and propose specific additional tools, analytical methods and other information that would be needed to meet the needs of state DOT more fully, aiming to account for the GHG performance of transportation projects during planning, project prioritization and performance management activities
Urgency and Potential Benefits
Transportation is the largest source of GHG emissions in most U.S. states. As states seek to achieve emissions reductions from the transportation sector, either on their own or to comply with federal regulations, it will be necessary for state DOTs to evaluate the GHG emissions impacts of investment decisions and align future projects and plans with GHG targets. Widely available reliable tools to evaluate GHG emissions will be needed at various stages of state DOT transportation decision making processes, from long-range planning to performance evaluation.
New federal and state requirements increasingly tie GHG evaluation to transportation decision making. The Carbon Reduction Program, established under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (December 2021), requires state DOTs and MPOs to develop carbon reduction strategies to support the reduction of transportation emissions. FHWA’s proposed GHG Transportation Performance Management measure would require state DOTs and MPOs to establish and meet declining targets for transportation emissions on the National Highway System. In addition, a growing number of states (including Colorado and Minnesota) have adopted planning standards that require DOTs and MPOs to evaluate the GHG impacts of transportation projects.
Implementation Considerations
State DOT staff, especially those responsible for planning, project prioritization, and performance evaluation, will be engaged to identify current practices and opportunities to incorporate GHG evaluation tools and methods into transportation decision making. DOTs may need to work with partners to inform the development of additional tools based on gaps identified through this research.
There are several other AASHTO and TRB committees interested in greenhouse gas emissions that would likely support this project, including:
• AASHTO:
o Committee on Performance Based Management (CPBM) Task Force on Emerging Performance Measures - Deanna Belden, Minnesota DOT and Kelly Travelbee, Michigan DOT, Co-Chairs
o Committee on Environment and Sustainability
o Committee on Planning
• TRB:
o Performance Management (AJE20) - Michael Grant, Chair
o Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas Mitigation (AMS10)
o Transportation Planning Policy and Processes (AEP10)
o Transportation Planning Analysis and Application (AEP15)
o Environmental Analysis and Ecology (AEP70)
a. Communication and Implementation Funding: [to be completed]
b. Communication and Implementation Period: [to be completed]
Notes and Considerations
10. PROBLEM STATEMENT AUTHOR(s): For each author, provide their name, affiliation, email address and phone.
James Bradbury, Georgetown Climate Center, [email protected], (202) 557-6267
Ryan Levandowski, Georgetown Climate Center, [email protected], (802) 558-3566
Kelly Travelbee, Michigan DOT, [email protected], (517) 898-4875
Deanna Belden, Minnesota DOT, [email protected], (651) 366-3734
EM - Advancing Methods to Evaluate Greenhouse Gas Emissions During Transportation Decision Making and Performance Management
Funding
$300,000
Research Period
24 months
Description
Please provide a brief description of the project.
Literature Search Summary
Existing literature describing transportation GHG evaluation tools and their application for planning and programming includes:
● NCHRP WebResource 1, Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions: A Guide for State DOTs (2022).
● Oregon Department of Transportation (2018), Oregon Greenhouse Gas Modeling and Analysis Tools.
● FHWA, Handbook for Estimating Transportation Greenhouse Gases for Integration into the Planning Process (2013).
● NCHRP Web-Only Document 152, Assessing Mechanisms for Integrating Transportation-Related Greenhouse Gas Reduction Objectives into Transportation Decision Making (2010).
Additional literature addresses consideration of air quality issues in programming, with lessons that could potentially applied to GHG consideration:
● Rowangould, G., Nadafianshahamabadi, R., & Poorfakhraei, A. (2018). Programming Flexible Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Program Funds: Best Practices for State DOTs. Transportation Research Record, 2672(51), 99–108.
Other relevant research in progress includes:
● NCHRP Project 20-05, Topic 54-21, Synthesis of Information Related to Highway Practices: Practices in the Transportation Planning Process to Address Climate Resilience and GHG Emission Quantification and Reduction.
● NCHRP 08-154, Guidance for Agencies to Incorporate Uncertainty into Long-Range Transportation Planning.
● NCHRP Project 25-70, Developing a Framework for Evaluation of Decarbonization Outcomes.
Objectives
The objective of this research is to advance the practice of incorporating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions evaluation into transportation decision making and performance management. In particular, this will be accomplished by identifying and building upon the state of the practice for state departments of transportation (DOTs) with regard to accounting for transportation related GHG emissions during planning, project prioritization, and performance management. State DOTs have access to certain tools that allow for estimation and evaluation of transportation emissions, but additional tools and methods are needed to inform decision making and align with state and federal GHG emission-reduction goals.
The following research tasks will support the main objective:
Task 1: Review literature and conduct targeted outreach to state DOTs to identify existing methods and tools used to evaluate potential GHG outcomes during transportation decision making processes. For each specific policy making process, describe how available tools, data and information support decision making within that context.
Task 2: Analyze the results of the review/survey to identify gaps where existing tools are not adequate to inform transportation decision making.
Task 3: Develop an analytical basis to fill identified gaps and propose specific additional tools, analytical methods and other information that would be needed to meet the needs of state DOT more fully, aiming to account for the GHG performance of transportation projects during planning, project prioritization and performance management activities
Urgency and Potential Benefits
Transportation is the largest source of GHG emissions in most U.S. states. As states seek to achieve emissions reductions from the transportation sector, either on their own or to comply with federal regulations, it will be necessary for state DOTs to evaluate the GHG emissions impacts of investment decisions and align future projects and plans with GHG targets. Widely available reliable tools to evaluate GHG emissions will be needed at various stages of state DOT transportation decision making processes, from long-range planning to performance evaluation.
New federal and state requirements increasingly tie GHG evaluation to transportation decision making. The Carbon Reduction Program, established under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (December 2021), requires state DOTs and MPOs to develop carbon reduction strategies to support the reduction of transportation emissions. FHWA’s proposed GHG Transportation Performance Management measure would require state DOTs and MPOs to establish and meet declining targets for transportation emissions on the National Highway System. In addition, a growing number of states (including Colorado and Minnesota) have adopted planning standards that require DOTs and MPOs to evaluate the GHG impacts of transportation projects.
Implementation Considerations
State DOT staff, especially those responsible for planning, project prioritization, and performance evaluation, will be engaged to identify current practices and opportunities to incorporate GHG evaluation tools and methods into transportation decision making. DOTs may need to work with partners to inform the development of additional tools based on gaps identified through this research.
There are several other AASHTO and TRB committees interested in greenhouse gas emissions that would likely support this project, including:
• AASHTO:
o Committee on Performance Based Management (CPBM) Task Force on Emerging Performance Measures - Deanna Belden, Minnesota DOT and Kelly Travelbee, Michigan DOT, Co-Chairs
o Committee on Environment and Sustainability
o Committee on Planning
• TRB:
o Performance Management (AJE20) - Michael Grant, Chair
o Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas Mitigation (AMS10)
o Transportation Planning Policy and Processes (AEP10)
o Transportation Planning Analysis and Application (AEP15)
o Environmental Analysis and Ecology (AEP70)
a. Communication and Implementation Funding: [to be completed]
b. Communication and Implementation Period: [to be completed]
Author(s)
Others Supporting Problem Statement
Please add at least one supporting organization.
Potential Panel Members
Please add at least one potential panel member.
Person Submitting Statement
Please add information about the person submitting the statement.
Notes
10. PROBLEM STATEMENT AUTHOR(s): For each author, provide their name, affiliation, email address and phone.
James Bradbury, Georgetown Climate Center, [email protected], (202) 557-6267
Ryan Levandowski, Georgetown Climate Center, [email protected], (802) 558-3566
Kelly Travelbee, Michigan DOT, [email protected], (517) 898-4875
Deanna Belden, Minnesota DOT, [email protected], (651) 366-3734
Ready to submit this statement? Generate a PDF for submittal here.
EM - Implementing Effective Resilience Performance Management
The perennial question remains: what is an effective performance measure for transportation resilience in a community, state, or other jurisdiction? Progress toward good answers has been underway for several years, though desultory and usually off-target. The need for this research was further reinforced during the December 2022 AASHTO conference in Providence and the January 2023 TRB annual meeting, which included a handful of workshops and sessions that broached this subject. From the perspective of high-quality performance management practice, effective measures of resilience have been elusive. Our colleagues are very good at measuring resilience for specific infrastructure, an organization, or a supply chain, but not for community mobility. This research will tease out how best to really measure it, from a state-of-the-art performance management perspective, not just the easy but low-value event or activity tallies. Consider an agency or community investing in preparedness work, infrastructure hardening, or implementing a policy shift – what is the most effective, objective, outcome-based evidence for whether the jurisdiction is now more resilient than it was a year ago? There are some seeds of ideas, but the same questions are shared by multiple agencies, PIARC, AASHTO committees, TRB committees, and surely others.
This research seeks to disentangle attempts to date and clarify what it means to have an effective, outcome-based, high-level performance management approach to resilience. Toward this end there are three essential parts:
1. Confirming definitions. For example, is resilience an inverse of vulnerability? Or an inverse of just sensitivity and adaptive capacity (e.g., per the Vulnerability Assessment Scoring Tool [VAST])? If resilience is infinite, is exposure irrelevant? Consistent with the VAAF, is there consensus on the definitions for risk, criticality, consequence, and other essential terms?
2. Community mobility, or mobility and destination access across a jurisdiction of any size, for all users and modes. This is distinct from infrastructure-focused resilience for a specific asset, e.g., a bridge. For a community subject to natural or human-caused disasters, how can they know whether they are more or less resilient? Is there a role for the broader 4R concept of Robustness – Redundancy – Resourcefulness – Rapidity?
3. Effective performance measures. Pin down for the resilience community what that means. Agency leaders need the most relevant, feasible, and quantifiable evidence of improved resilience that is outcome-based and trackable over time. These are not the abundance of output or activity metrics already in play, nor project-specific evaluations.
In addition to developed guidance, this project will pilot the implementation of a high-quality resilience performance measure into existing performance management frameworks for up to five agencies. Not only states, but MPOs, e.g. Los Angeles and San Diego have promising initiatives already developed.
This research seeks to disentangle attempts to date and clarify what it means to have an effective, outcome-based, high-le…
Background/Description
The perennial question remains: what is an effective performance measure for transportation resilience in a community, state, or other jurisdiction? Progress toward good answers has been underway for several years, though desultory and usually off-target. The need for this research was further reinforced during the December 2022 AASHTO conference in Providence and the January 2023 TRB annual meeting, which included a handful of workshops and sessions that broached this subject. From the perspective of high-quality performance management practice, effective measures of resilience have been elusive. Our colleagues are very good at measuring resilience for specific infrastructure, an organization, or a supply chain, but not for community mobility. This research will tease out how best to really measure it, from a state-of-the-art performance management perspective, not just the easy but low-value event or activity tallies. Consider an agency or community investing in preparedness work, infrastructure hardening, or implementing a policy shift – what is the most effective, objective, outcome-based evidence for whether the jurisdiction is now more resilient than it was a year ago? There are some seeds of ideas, but the same questions are shared by multiple agencies, PIARC, AASHTO committees, TRB committees, and surely others.
Objectives
This research seeks to disentangle attempts to date and clarify what it means to have an effective, outcome-based, high-level performance management approach to resilience. Toward this end there are three essential parts:
1. Confirming definitions. For example, is resilience an inverse of vulnerability? Or an inverse of just sensitivity and adaptive capacity (e.g., per the Vulnerability Assessment Scoring Tool [VAST])? If resilience is infinite, is exposure irrelevant? Consistent with the VAAF, is there consensus on the definitions for risk, criticality, consequence, and other essential terms?
2. Community mobility, or mobility and destination access across a jurisdiction of any size, for all users and modes. This is distinct from infrastructure-focused resilience for a specific asset, e.g., a bridge. For a community subject to natural or human-caused disasters, how can they know whether they are more or less resilient? Is there a role for the broader 4R concept of Robustness – Redundancy – Resourcefulness – Rapidity?
3. Effective performance measures. Pin down for the resilience community what that means. Agency leaders need the most relevant, feasible, and quantifiable evidence of improved resilience that is outcome-based and trackable over time. These are not the abundance of output or activity metrics already in play, nor project-specific evaluations.
In addition to developed guidance, this project will pilot the implementation of a high-quality resilience performance measure into existing performance management frameworks for up to five agencies. Not only states, but MPOs, e.g. Los Angeles and San Diego have promising initiatives already developed.
The perennial question remains: what is an effective performance measure for transportation resilience in a community, state, or other jurisdiction? Progress toward good answers has been underway for several years, though desultory and usually off-target. The need for this research was further reinforced during the December 2022 AASHTO conference in Providence and the January 2023 TRB annual meeting, which included a handful of workshops and sessions that broached this subject. From the perspective of high-quality performance management practice, effective measures of resilience have been elusive. Our colleagues are very good at measuring resilience for specific infrastructure, an organization, or a supply chain, but not for community mobility. This research will tease out how best to really measure it, from a state-of-the-art performance management perspective, not just the easy but low-value event or activity tallies. Consider an agency or community investing in preparedness work, infrastructure hardening, or implementing a policy shift – what is the most effective, objective, outcome-based evidence for whether the jurisdiction is now more resilient than it was a year ago? There are some seeds of ideas, but the same questions are shared by multiple agencies, PIARC, AASHTO committees, TRB committees, and surely others.
Literature Search Summary
While there are several published resources referring to resilience performance, there remains a gap in effective performance measurement that this proposed research seeks to close.
Disaster Resilience Framework Workshop, 2015, San Diego. The workshop notes (unpublished) includes a section about Community Resilience Metrics.
Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation Framework (VAAF), 2017, FHWA HOP (link). An important go-to guide for anybody working on transportation resilience.
Integrating Resilience into the Transportation Planning Process, White Paper on Literature Review Findings, 2018, FHWA HOP (link). A good resource for background and context, including a history of Federal rules on resilience. This document correctly places performance measure formulation after goals but before solutions.
Investing in Transportation Resilience: A Framework for Informed Choices, 2021, NAS/TRB (link). This also included a Committee on Transportation Resilience Metrics. The document includes some relevant points but is generally of limited value for performance management given its focus on project-specific evaluations and benefit-cost analysis.
Mainstreaming System Resilience Concepts into Transportation Agencies: A Guide, 2021, NAS/TRB (link). Follows on a 2018 resilience summit in Denver. A wealth of information about resilience, but measurement appears limited to project-specific risk reduction.
Developing Transportation System Climate Resilience Performance Measures, 2022, Minnesota DOT (link). A survey showed most states do not have resilience performance measures. Those that do are not outcome-based.
A Perspective on Quantifying Resilience: Combining Community and Infrastructure Capitals, 2023, Gerges et al (link).
Measuring Impacts and Performance of State DOT Resilience Efforts, 2022-2024, NCHRP 23-26, underway (link). Potentially valuable for this proposed research, but measures are not defined until after solutions and appear to focus only on monitoring project effects.
Transportation Asset Risk and Resilience, 2023-2026, NCHRP 23-32, pending/underway (link). A relatively large effort to generate new guidance, which may or may not include performance.
There are many laws, rules, references, and guidance documents going back many years, and right up to the current PROTECT Program guidance. The Further Consolidated Appropriations Act (2020), H.R.1865, calls on the “Secretary of Transportation to enter into an agreement with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to conduct a study through the Transportation Research Board on effective ways to measure the resilience of transportation systems and services to natural disasters, natural hazards, and other potential disruptions.”
Be wary of two tangents in literature: those focused solely on infrastructure and others about operational/organizational resilience, which are mostly unhelpful and distracting. Apart from published guidance, this research project will include a scan of select agencies to gather evidence and examples
Objectives
This research seeks to disentangle attempts to date and clarify what it means to have an effective, outcome-based, high-level performance management approach to resilience. Toward this end there are three essential parts:
1. Confirming definitions. For example, is resilience an inverse of vulnerability? Or an inverse of just sensitivity and adaptive capacity (e.g., per the Vulnerability Assessment Scoring Tool [VAST])? If resilience is infinite, is exposure irrelevant? Consistent with the VAAF, is there consensus on the definitions for risk, criticality, consequence, and other essential terms?
2. Community mobility, or mobility and destination access across a jurisdiction of any size, for all users and modes. This is distinct from infrastructure-focused resilience for a specific asset, e.g., a bridge. For a community subject to natural or human-caused disasters, how can they know whether they are more or less resilient? Is there a role for the broader 4R concept of Robustness – Redundancy – Resourcefulness – Rapidity?
3. Effective performance measures. Pin down for the resilience community what that means. Agency leaders need the most relevant, feasible, and quantifiable evidence of improved resilience that is outcome-based and trackable over time. These are not the abundance of output or activity metrics already in play, nor project-specific evaluations.
In addition to developed guidance, this project will pilot the implementation of a high-quality resilience performance measure into existing performance management frameworks for up to five agencies. Not only states, but MPOs, e.g. Los Angeles and San Diego have promising initiatives already developed.
Urgency and Potential Benefits
Transportation resilience has grown in importance and this gap in practice needs to be addressed.
This research should be completed in parallel with the NCHRP 23-32 Risk & Resilience guidance development to be able to inform those products.
[to be expanded]
Implementation Considerations
This research would primarily be used by transportation agencies and others responsible for implementing resilience performance measures and management systems. Recently completed NCHRP Project 23-09 established a framework and research roadmap for assessing risk to agency assets and the traveling public from extreme weather, climate change, and other threats and hazards. Follow-on NCHRP Project 23-32 Asset Risk & Resilience will develop the technical resource in three phases, including planning, execution, and final product development. As described above, this research should be conducted along a parallel and complementary timeline. Critical implementation elements include a communication plan to ensure awareness of the research products and TRB, FHWA, and AASHTO webinars to share the findings.
A subsequent phase of this research funded through NCHRP 20-44 may be helpful to disseminate the research findings more broadly and develop case studies showing the use of the research guidance. There are several other AASHTO and TRB committees interested in resiliency that would likely support this project, including:
AASHTO
Committee on Performance Based Management (CPBM) Task Force on Emerging Performance Measures - Deanna Belden, Minnesota DOT and Kelly Travelbee, Michigan DOT, Co-Chairs
CPBM Subcommittee on Risk Management
Committee on Transportation System Security and Resilience (CTSSR)
Committee on Planning
Highways and Streets Council
TRB
Strategic Management (AJE10) - Steve Woelfel, Massachusetts DOT, Chair
Performance Management (AJE20) - Michael Grant, Chair
Asset Management (AJE30)
Risk Management (ATO40)
Critical Infrastructure Protection (AMR10)
Extreme Weather and Climate Change Adaptation (AMR50)
Transportation Planning Policy and Process (AEP10)
a. Communication and Implementation Funding: [to be completed]
b. Communication and Implementation Period: [to be completed]
EM - Implementing Effective Resilience Performance Management
Funding
$300,000
Research Period
24 months
Description
Please provide a brief description of the project.
Literature Search Summary
While there are several published resources referring to resilience performance, there remains a gap in effective performance measurement that this proposed research seeks to close.
Disaster Resilience Framework Workshop, 2015, San Diego. The workshop notes (unpublished) includes a section about Community Resilience Metrics.
Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation Framework (VAAF), 2017, FHWA HOP (link). An important go-to guide for anybody working on transportation resilience.
Integrating Resilience into the Transportation Planning Process, White Paper on Literature Review Findings, 2018, FHWA HOP (link). A good resource for background and context, including a history of Federal rules on resilience. This document correctly places performance measure formulation after goals but before solutions.
Investing in Transportation Resilience: A Framework for Informed Choices, 2021, NAS/TRB (link). This also included a Committee on Transportation Resilience Metrics. The document includes some relevant points but is generally of limited value for performance management given its focus on project-specific evaluations and benefit-cost analysis.
Mainstreaming System Resilience Concepts into Transportation Agencies: A Guide, 2021, NAS/TRB (link). Follows on a 2018 resilience summit in Denver. A wealth of information about resilience, but measurement appears limited to project-specific risk reduction.
Developing Transportation System Climate Resilience Performance Measures, 2022, Minnesota DOT (link). A survey showed most states do not have resilience performance measures. Those that do are not outcome-based.
A Perspective on Quantifying Resilience: Combining Community and Infrastructure Capitals, 2023, Gerges et al (link).
Measuring Impacts and Performance of State DOT Resilience Efforts, 2022-2024, NCHRP 23-26, underway (link). Potentially valuable for this proposed research, but measures are not defined until after solutions and appear to focus only on monitoring project effects.
Transportation Asset Risk and Resilience, 2023-2026, NCHRP 23-32, pending/underway (link). A relatively large effort to generate new guidance, which may or may not include performance.
There are many laws, rules, references, and guidance documents going back many years, and right up to the current PROTECT Program guidance. The Further Consolidated Appropriations Act (2020), H.R.1865, calls on the “Secretary of Transportation to enter into an agreement with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to conduct a study through the Transportation Research Board on effective ways to measure the resilience of transportation systems and services to natural disasters, natural hazards, and other potential disruptions.”
Be wary of two tangents in literature: those focused solely on infrastructure and others about operational/organizational resilience, which are mostly unhelpful and distracting. Apart from published guidance, this research project will include a scan of select agencies to gather evidence and examples
Objectives
This research seeks to disentangle attempts to date and clarify what it means to have an effective, outcome-based, high-level performance management approach to resilience. Toward this end there are three essential parts:
1. Confirming definitions. For example, is resilience an inverse of vulnerability? Or an inverse of just sensitivity and adaptive capacity (e.g., per the Vulnerability Assessment Scoring Tool [VAST])? If resilience is infinite, is exposure irrelevant? Consistent with the VAAF, is there consensus on the definitions for risk, criticality, consequence, and other essential terms?
2. Community mobility, or mobility and destination access across a jurisdiction of any size, for all users and modes. This is distinct from infrastructure-focused resilience for a specific asset, e.g., a bridge. For a community subject to natural or human-caused disasters, how can they know whether they are more or less resilient? Is there a role for the broader 4R concept of Robustness – Redundancy – Resourcefulness – Rapidity?
3. Effective performance measures. Pin down for the resilience community what that means. Agency leaders need the most relevant, feasible, and quantifiable evidence of improved resilience that is outcome-based and trackable over time. These are not the abundance of output or activity metrics already in play, nor project-specific evaluations.
In addition to developed guidance, this project will pilot the implementation of a high-quality resilience performance measure into existing performance management frameworks for up to five agencies. Not only states, but MPOs, e.g. Los Angeles and San Diego have promising initiatives already developed.
Urgency and Potential Benefits
Transportation resilience has grown in importance and this gap in practice needs to be addressed.
This research should be completed in parallel with the NCHRP 23-32 Risk & Resilience guidance development to be able to inform those products.
[to be expanded]
Implementation Considerations
This research would primarily be used by transportation agencies and others responsible for implementing resilience performance measures and management systems. Recently completed NCHRP Project 23-09 established a framework and research roadmap for assessing risk to agency assets and the traveling public from extreme weather, climate change, and other threats and hazards. Follow-on NCHRP Project 23-32 Asset Risk & Resilience will develop the technical resource in three phases, including planning, execution, and final product development. As described above, this research should be conducted along a parallel and complementary timeline. Critical implementation elements include a communication plan to ensure awareness of the research products and TRB, FHWA, and AASHTO webinars to share the findings.
A subsequent phase of this research funded through NCHRP 20-44 may be helpful to disseminate the research findings more broadly and develop case studies showing the use of the research guidance. There are several other AASHTO and TRB committees interested in resiliency that would likely support this project, including:
AASHTO
Committee on Performance Based Management (CPBM) Task Force on Emerging Performance Measures - Deanna Belden, Minnesota DOT and Kelly Travelbee, Michigan DOT, Co-Chairs
CPBM Subcommittee on Risk Management
Committee on Transportation System Security and Resilience (CTSSR)
Committee on Planning
Highways and Streets Council
TRB
Strategic Management (AJE10) - Steve Woelfel, Massachusetts DOT, Chair
Performance Management (AJE20) - Michael Grant, Chair
Asset Management (AJE30)
Risk Management (ATO40)
Critical Infrastructure Protection (AMR10)
Extreme Weather and Climate Change Adaptation (AMR50)
Transportation Planning Policy and Process (AEP10)
a. Communication and Implementation Funding: [to be completed]
b. Communication and Implementation Period: [to be completed]
Please add information about the person submitting the statement.
Notes
Ready to submit this statement? Generate a PDF for submittal here.
EM - Understanding, Creating and Measuring Public Value; lessons learned from public agencies
In contrast to business providing shareholder value through a monetary exchange of products and services to individual clients or customers for their individual consumption, the public sector operates from a monetary public entrustment to provide goods and services for collective consumption. This public investment obligates the public sector to understand the values and aspirations of the served community and be efficient and effective in managing their resources and create public value.
In 1995, Mark Moore developed a public value strategic triangle[1]:
Legitimacy and Support (e.g., law, regulation, policy, resource allocation, community attitude)
Public Value (e.g., trust, legitimacy, service quality, equity, accessibility).
The term “public value” describes the value of contribution to served communities and broader society. In other words, transportation services provide benefit to the direct recipients (i.e., users of the system) and adds value to the public sphere. It represents agency-public consensus of principles and benefits and pertains to both the content of service and how it is delivered. When instituted as an organizing principle, public value creation guides administrative policy and management decisions with an aim to increase the value of societal and community benefit. Transportation administration and managers define and solve problems from a value perspective when deploying public assets. Evaluating management decisions through a public value lens promotes a deeper understanding and action to achieve traditional outcomes and value-based performance expectations.
A 2023 World Road Association (PIARC) technical reported titled Measuring Customer Experience and Public Value Creation for Transport Administrators is an important work focused on understanding how transportation administrations are measuring efficiency and effectiveness of customer experience and public valuation creation with greater emphasis on the customer experience component. There remains an essential need to further develop a framework for the creation and measurement of the public value that considers and emphasizes societal contribution in decision-making. The PIARC research was constrained to the evaluation of existing work by transport administrations and agencies. There are non-transportation public sectors with mature frameworks for creating and measuring public value for which transportation administrations can learn from, adapt and adopt as best practice.
[1] Moore, Michael. Creating Public Value, Strategic Management in Government. Harvard University Press, 1995.
To further understand, create and measure the public value of transportation services and contributions to community and societal goals, there are two proposed objectives for this research project.
Identify non-transportation public agencies that have demonstrated proficiency in capturing and measuring public value data and are using it for policy decision-making.
Using both transportation agencies identified in previous research (reference Sections 4 and 5) as well as non-transportation public agencies identified in Objective 1, review, synthesize, and document public value creation programs, frameworks and noteworthy practices in the following areas that are scalable and can be applied at transportation public agencies. The areas represent the dimensions of public value as describe in Faulkner’s and Kaufman’s research on Avoiding Theoretical Stagnation: A Systematic Review and Framework for Measuring Public Value.[1]
Outcome achievement--The extent to which the public body is improving publicly valued outcomes across a wide variety of areas. This can include social, economic, environmental and cultural outcomes.
Trust and legitimacy--The extent to which the organization and its activities are trusted and perceived to be legitimate by the public and key stakeholders.
Service delivery quality--The extent to which services are delivered in a high‐quality manner that is considerate of users’ needs. These will be maximized when service users are satisfied, and when they perceive the services to be accessible, convenient and responsive to their needs.
Efficiency--The extent to which the organization is achieving maximal public value benefit with minimal resources. (It is expected to be high when the benefits provided by an organization are perceived to outweigh the costs, when unnecessary bureaucracy is avoided, and when an organization is perceived to offer value for money.)
[1] Nicholas Faulkner and Stefan Kaufman. Avoiding Theoretical Stagnation: A System Review and Framework for Measuring Public Value, Australian Journal of Public Administration, 2017.
To further understand, create and measure the public value of transportation services and contributions to community and s…
Background/Description
In contrast to business providing shareholder value through a monetary exchange of products and services to individual clients or customers for their individual consumption, the public sector operates from a monetary public entrustment to provide goods and services for collective consumption. This public investment obligates the public sector to understand the values and aspirations of the served community and be efficient and effective in managing their resources and create public value.
In 1995, Mark Moore developed a public value strategic triangle[1]:
Legitimacy and Support (e.g., law, regulation, policy, resource allocation, community attitude)
Public Value (e.g., trust, legitimacy, service quality, equity, accessibility).
The term “public value” describes the value of contribution to served communities and broader society. In other words, transportation services provide benefit to the direct recipients (i.e., users of the system) and adds value to the public sphere. It represents agency-public consensus of principles and benefits and pertains to both the content of service and how it is delivered. When instituted as an organizing principle, public value creation guides administrative policy and management decisions with an aim to increase the value of societal and community benefit. Transportation administration and managers define and solve problems from a value perspective when deploying public assets. Evaluating management decisions through a public value lens promotes a deeper understanding and action to achieve traditional outcomes and value-based performance expectations.
A 2023 World Road Association (PIARC) technical reported titled Measuring Customer Experience and Public Value Creation for Transport Administrators is an important work focused on understanding how transportation administrations are measuring efficiency and effectiveness of customer experience and public valuation creation with greater emphasis on the customer experience component. There remains an essential need to further develop a framework for the creation and measurement of the public value that considers and emphasizes societal contribution in decision-making. The PIARC research was constrained to the evaluation of existing work by transport administrations and agencies. There are non-transportation public sectors with mature frameworks for creating and measuring public value for which transportation administrations can learn from, adapt and adopt as best practice.
[1] Moore, Michael. Creating Public Value, Strategic Management in Government. Harvard University Press, 1995.
Objectives
To further understand, create and measure the public value of transportation services and contributions to community and societal goals, there are two proposed objectives for this research project.
Identify non-transportation public agencies that have demonstrated proficiency in capturing and measuring public value data and are using it for policy decision-making.
Using both transportation agencies identified in previous research (reference Sections 4 and 5) as well as non-transportation public agencies identified in Objective 1, review, synthesize, and document public value creation programs, frameworks and noteworthy practices in the following areas that are scalable and can be applied at transportation public agencies. The areas represent the dimensions of public value as describe in Faulkner’s and Kaufman’s research on Avoiding Theoretical Stagnation: A Systematic Review and Framework for Measuring Public Value.[1]
Outcome achievement--The extent to which the public body is improving publicly valued outcomes across a wide variety of areas. This can include social, economic, environmental and cultural outcomes.
Trust and legitimacy--The extent to which the organization and its activities are trusted and perceived to be legitimate by the public and key stakeholders.
Service delivery quality--The extent to which services are delivered in a high‐quality manner that is considerate of users’ needs. These will be maximized when service users are satisfied, and when they perceive the services to be accessible, convenient and responsive to their needs.
Efficiency--The extent to which the organization is achieving maximal public value benefit with minimal resources. (It is expected to be high when the benefits provided by an organization are perceived to outweigh the costs, when unnecessary bureaucracy is avoided, and when an organization is perceived to offer value for money.)
[1] Nicholas Faulkner and Stefan Kaufman. Avoiding Theoretical Stagnation: A System Review and Framework for Measuring Public Value, Australian Journal of Public Administration, 2017.
In contrast to business providing shareholder value through a monetary exchange of products and services to individual clients or customers for their individual consumption, the public sector operates from a monetary public entrustment to provide goods and services for collective consumption. This public investment obligates the public sector to understand the values and aspirations of the served community and be efficient and effective in managing their resources and create public value.
In 1995, Mark Moore developed a public value strategic triangle[1]:
Legitimacy and Support (e.g., law, regulation, policy, resource allocation, community attitude)
Public Value (e.g., trust, legitimacy, service quality, equity, accessibility).
The term “public value” describes the value of contribution to served communities and broader society. In other words, transportation services provide benefit to the direct recipients (i.e., users of the system) and adds value to the public sphere. It represents agency-public consensus of principles and benefits and pertains to both the content of service and how it is delivered. When instituted as an organizing principle, public value creation guides administrative policy and management decisions with an aim to increase the value of societal and community benefit. Transportation administration and managers define and solve problems from a value perspective when deploying public assets. Evaluating management decisions through a public value lens promotes a deeper understanding and action to achieve traditional outcomes and value-based performance expectations.
A 2023 World Road Association (PIARC) technical reported titled Measuring Customer Experience and Public Value Creation for Transport Administrators is an important work focused on understanding how transportation administrations are measuring efficiency and effectiveness of customer experience and public valuation creation with greater emphasis on the customer experience component. There remains an essential need to further develop a framework for the creation and measurement of the public value that considers and emphasizes societal contribution in decision-making. The PIARC research was constrained to the evaluation of existing work by transport administrations and agencies. There are non-transportation public sectors with mature frameworks for creating and measuring public value for which transportation administrations can learn from, adapt and adopt as best practice.
[1] Moore, Michael. Creating Public Value, Strategic Management in Government. Harvard University Press, 1995.
Literature Search Summary
Administration of Highway and Transportation Agencies. Role and Value of Transportation for U.S. Industries and Sectors, NCHRP 20-24(089) RIP https://rip.trb.org/view/1339727
Faulkner, Nicholas and Kaufman, Stefan. Avoiding Theoretical Stagnation: A System Review and Framework for Measuring Public Value, Australian Journal of Public Administration, 2017.
Objectives
To further understand, create and measure the public value of transportation services and contributions to community and societal goals, there are two proposed objectives for this research project.
Identify non-transportation public agencies that have demonstrated proficiency in capturing and measuring public value data and are using it for policy decision-making.
Using both transportation agencies identified in previous research (reference Sections 4 and 5) as well as non-transportation public agencies identified in Objective 1, review, synthesize, and document public value creation programs, frameworks and noteworthy practices in the following areas that are scalable and can be applied at transportation public agencies. The areas represent the dimensions of public value as describe in Faulkner’s and Kaufman’s research on Avoiding Theoretical Stagnation: A Systematic Review and Framework for Measuring Public Value.[1]
Outcome achievement--The extent to which the public body is improving publicly valued outcomes across a wide variety of areas. This can include social, economic, environmental and cultural outcomes.
Trust and legitimacy--The extent to which the organization and its activities are trusted and perceived to be legitimate by the public and key stakeholders.
Service delivery quality--The extent to which services are delivered in a high‐quality manner that is considerate of users’ needs. These will be maximized when service users are satisfied, and when they perceive the services to be accessible, convenient and responsive to their needs.
Efficiency--The extent to which the organization is achieving maximal public value benefit with minimal resources. (It is expected to be high when the benefits provided by an organization are perceived to outweigh the costs, when unnecessary bureaucracy is avoided, and when an organization is perceived to offer value for money.)
[1] Nicholas Faulkner and Stefan Kaufman. Avoiding Theoretical Stagnation: A System Review and Framework for Measuring Public Value, Australian Journal of Public Administration, 2017.
Urgency and Potential Benefits
Without a comprehensive understanding of community needs and priorities, transportation agencies face significant risk in meeting community goals and expected levels of service. These risks could lead to ineffective decisions, inefficient use of funds, and erosion of public confidence. Transitioning to integrated thinking and promoting a holistic view at program delivery and “public value” strategies supports public value creation, contribution to community goals and societal benefit, and accountability to the public trust.
Implementation Considerations
The research would be beneficial to transportation administrations and professionals at any level of government as well as transportation organization partners and stakeholders who all have a vested interest in creating public value and measuring value contribution toward community and societal goals.
EM - Understanding, Creating and Measuring Public Value; lessons learned from public agencies
Funding
$300,000
Research Period
24 months
Description
Please provide a brief description of the project.
Literature Search Summary
Administration of Highway and Transportation Agencies. Role and Value of Transportation for U.S. Industries and Sectors, NCHRP 20-24(089) RIP https://rip.trb.org/view/1339727
Faulkner, Nicholas and Kaufman, Stefan. Avoiding Theoretical Stagnation: A System Review and Framework for Measuring Public Value, Australian Journal of Public Administration, 2017.
Objectives
To further understand, create and measure the public value of transportation services and contributions to community and societal goals, there are two proposed objectives for this research project.
Identify non-transportation public agencies that have demonstrated proficiency in capturing and measuring public value data and are using it for policy decision-making.
Using both transportation agencies identified in previous research (reference Sections 4 and 5) as well as non-transportation public agencies identified in Objective 1, review, synthesize, and document public value creation programs, frameworks and noteworthy practices in the following areas that are scalable and can be applied at transportation public agencies. The areas represent the dimensions of public value as describe in Faulkner’s and Kaufman’s research on Avoiding Theoretical Stagnation: A Systematic Review and Framework for Measuring Public Value.[1]
Outcome achievement--The extent to which the public body is improving publicly valued outcomes across a wide variety of areas. This can include social, economic, environmental and cultural outcomes.
Trust and legitimacy--The extent to which the organization and its activities are trusted and perceived to be legitimate by the public and key stakeholders.
Service delivery quality--The extent to which services are delivered in a high‐quality manner that is considerate of users’ needs. These will be maximized when service users are satisfied, and when they perceive the services to be accessible, convenient and responsive to their needs.
Efficiency--The extent to which the organization is achieving maximal public value benefit with minimal resources. (It is expected to be high when the benefits provided by an organization are perceived to outweigh the costs, when unnecessary bureaucracy is avoided, and when an organization is perceived to offer value for money.)
[1] Nicholas Faulkner and Stefan Kaufman. Avoiding Theoretical Stagnation: A System Review and Framework for Measuring Public Value, Australian Journal of Public Administration, 2017.
Urgency and Potential Benefits
Without a comprehensive understanding of community needs and priorities, transportation agencies face significant risk in meeting community goals and expected levels of service. These risks could lead to ineffective decisions, inefficient use of funds, and erosion of public confidence. Transitioning to integrated thinking and promoting a holistic view at program delivery and “public value” strategies supports public value creation, contribution to community goals and societal benefit, and accountability to the public trust.
Implementation Considerations
The research would be beneficial to transportation administrations and professionals at any level of government as well as transportation organization partners and stakeholders who all have a vested interest in creating public value and measuring value contribution toward community and societal goals.
Please add information about the person submitting the statement.
Notes
Ready to submit this statement? Generate a PDF for submittal here.
ERM - Incorporating uncertainty into forecasting, target-setting, and monitoring
Incorporating uncertainty into forecasting, target-setting, and monitoring - low /high matrix - inflation, funding,
performance, modeling uncertainty envelope (synthesis/peer exchange in lieu of research project?) (Risk as a
band of uncertainty v. a number) - Charles Pilson
There was a recent research idea on how to visualize/communicate uncertainty. Maybe a TAM conference
idea?
The RMS also has "ERM - Improving Risk Visualization and Communication Internally and Externally"
in the candidate pool. Not sure if that's related to the idea of communicating uncertainty? - Matt Haubrich
Incorporating uncertainty into forecasting, target-setting, and monitoring - low /high matrix - inflation, funding,
…
Objectives
Incorporating uncertainty into forecasting, target-setting, and monitoring - low /high matrix - inflation, funding,
performance, modeling uncertainty envelope (synthesis/peer exchange in lieu of research project?) (Risk as a
band of uncertainty v. a number) - Charles Pilson
There was a recent research idea on how to visualize/communicate uncertainty. Maybe a TAM conference
idea?
The RMS also has "ERM - Improving Risk Visualization and Communication Internally and Externally"
in the candidate pool. Not sure if that's related to the idea of communicating uncertainty? - Matt Haubrich
ERM - Incorporating uncertainty into forecasting, target-setting, and monitoring
Champions
This candidate currently has no champions
Estimated Timeframe: Funding: $0
Objectives
Incorporating uncertainty into forecasting, target-setting, and monitoring - low /high matrix - inflation, funding,
performance, modeling uncertainty envelope (synthesis/peer exchange in lieu of research project?) (Risk as a
band of uncertainty v. a number) - Charles Pilson
There was a recent research idea on how to visualize/communicate uncertainty. Maybe a TAM conference
idea?
The RMS also has "ERM - Improving Risk Visualization and Communication Internally and Externally"
in the candidate pool. Not sure if that's related to the idea of communicating uncertainty? - Matt Haubrich
ERM - Incorporating uncertainty into forecasting, target-setting, and monitoring
Funding
Please provide a funding amount.
Research Period
Please provide a research period.
Description
Please provide a brief description of the project.
Literature Search Summary
Please provide a literature summary for the project.
Objectives
Incorporating uncertainty into forecasting, target-setting, and monitoring - low /high matrix - inflation, funding,
performance, modeling uncertainty envelope (synthesis/peer exchange in lieu of research project?) (Risk as a
band of uncertainty v. a number) - Charles Pilson
There was a recent research idea on how to visualize/communicate uncertainty. Maybe a TAM conference
idea?
The RMS also has "ERM - Improving Risk Visualization and Communication Internally and Externally"
in the candidate pool. Not sure if that's related to the idea of communicating uncertainty? - Matt Haubrich
Urgency and Potential Benefits
Please describe the urgency and potential benefits of the project.
Implementation Considerations
Please provide implementation considerations for the project.
Author(s)
Please add at least one champion.
Others Supporting Problem Statement
Please add at least one supporting organization.
Potential Panel Members
Please add at least one potential panel member.
Person Submitting Statement
Please add information about the person submitting the statement.
Notes
Ready to submit this statement? Generate a PDF for submittal here.
OM - Evaluation of process improvement techniques
- Organizational strategies for improvement
- Innovation challenges
- Thinking outside the LSS, Lean methodologies
- Office of competition at the federal level - mechanism exists at the - - - federal level
- Crowdsourcing improvement efforts
- Organizational strategies for improvement
- Innovation challenges
- Thinking outside the LSS, Lean methodolo…
Objectives
- Organizational strategies for improvement
- Innovation challenges
- Thinking outside the LSS, Lean methodologies
- Office of competition at the federal level - mechanism exists at the - - - federal level
- Crowdsourcing improvement efforts
- Organizational strategies for improvement
- Innovation challenges
- Thinking outside the LSS, Lean methodologies
- Office of competition at the federal level - mechanism exists at the - - - federal level
- Crowdsourcing improvement efforts
Please provide a brief description of the project.
Literature Search Summary
Please provide a literature summary for the project.
Objectives
- Organizational strategies for improvement
- Innovation challenges
- Thinking outside the LSS, Lean methodologies
- Office of competition at the federal level - mechanism exists at the - - - federal level
- Crowdsourcing improvement efforts
Urgency and Potential Benefits
Please describe the urgency and potential benefits of the project.
Implementation Considerations
Please provide implementation considerations for the project.
Author(s)
Please add at least one champion.
Others Supporting Problem Statement
Please add at least one supporting organization.
Potential Panel Members
Please add at least one potential panel member.
Person Submitting Statement
Please add information about the person submitting the statement.
Notes
Ready to submit this statement? Generate a PDF for submittal here.
OM - Vision for transportation/Moonshots
Potential benefit if you can align political and departmental alignment
Always need to balance top-down and bottom-up, operationalization of it
**Involvement of those doing the work is critical to long-term success - what are the contributing factors to make large-scale efforts successful?
https://sites.google.com/state.co.us/process-improvement/tools-resources/cascades-how-to-create-a-movement-that-drives-transformational-change
How do you build a movement in transportation
Customer-, Environment- centric momentum for organizational change - What are the key components needed to make process?
Related organizational changes needed to make it happen?
Dave - Brene Brown - “Clarity is Kindness” in all that we do, find tools that help break down barriers.
Ties in with KM, OM, Risk, etc.
Potential benefit if you can align political and departmental alignment
Always need to balance top-down and bottom-u…
Objectives
Potential benefit if you can align political and departmental alignment
Always need to balance top-down and bottom-up, operationalization of it
**Involvement of those doing the work is critical to long-term success - what are the contributing factors to make large-scale efforts successful?
https://sites.google.com/state.co.us/process-improvement/tools-resources/cascades-how-to-create-a-movement-that-drives-transformational-change
How do you build a movement in transportation
Customer-, Environment- centric momentum for organizational change - What are the key components needed to make process?
Related organizational changes needed to make it happen?
Dave - Brene Brown - “Clarity is Kindness” in all that we do, find tools that help break down barriers.
Ties in with KM, OM, Risk, etc.
Potential benefit if you can align political and departmental alignment
Always need to balance top-down and bottom-up, operationalization of it
**Involvement of those doing the work is critical to long-term success - what are the contributing factors to make large-scale efforts successful?
https://sites.google.com/state.co.us/process-improvement/tools-resources/cascades-how-to-create-a-movement-that-drives-transformational-change
How do you build a movement in transportation
Customer-, Environment- centric momentum for organizational change - What are the key components needed to make process?
Related organizational changes needed to make it happen?
Dave - Brene Brown - “Clarity is Kindness” in all that we do, find tools that help break down barriers.
Ties in with KM, OM, Risk, etc.
Please provide a brief description of the project.
Literature Search Summary
Please provide a literature summary for the project.
Objectives
Potential benefit if you can align political and departmental alignment
Always need to balance top-down and bottom-up, operationalization of it
**Involvement of those doing the work is critical to long-term success - what are the contributing factors to make large-scale efforts successful?
https://sites.google.com/state.co.us/process-improvement/tools-resources/cascades-how-to-create-a-movement-that-drives-transformational-change
How do you build a movement in transportation
Customer-, Environment- centric momentum for organizational change - What are the key components needed to make process?
Related organizational changes needed to make it happen?
Dave - Brene Brown - “Clarity is Kindness” in all that we do, find tools that help break down barriers.
Ties in with KM, OM, Risk, etc.
Urgency and Potential Benefits
Please describe the urgency and potential benefits of the project.
Implementation Considerations
Please provide implementation considerations for the project.
Author(s)
Please add at least one champion.
Others Supporting Problem Statement
Please add at least one supporting organization.
Potential Panel Members
Please add at least one potential panel member.
Person Submitting Statement
Please add information about the person submitting the statement.
Notes
Ready to submit this statement? Generate a PDF for submittal here.
SMET - Accessing, assessing, analyzing and applying quality, non-motorized (pedestrian and bike) and transit data for planning and operational needs
please add clarifying details and topic title suggestions)
More cross-modal (other than vehicle) data; specifically: pedestrian, bicycle and certain transit data is needed for various applications and needs including Complete Streets, We need more and better quality, verified data for transit, bikes, peds, and non-car users.
Includes examining options for data availability, quality, validity, analytics.
Stephanie Dock, Daniel Hulker, and Daniela Bremmer were interested in further defining/developing this research concept and invited other CPBM and subcommittee members to join.
Potential partnership with Eastern Corridor Coalition's-data group (working on methodologies for assessing and standardizing cross-modal non-vehicular data)?
please add clarifying details and topic title suggestions)
More cross-modal (other than vehicle) data; specifically:…
Objectives
please add clarifying details and topic title suggestions)
More cross-modal (other than vehicle) data; specifically: pedestrian, bicycle and certain transit data is needed for various applications and needs including Complete Streets, We need more and better quality, verified data for transit, bikes, peds, and non-car users.
Includes examining options for data availability, quality, validity, analytics.
Stephanie Dock, Daniel Hulker, and Daniela Bremmer were interested in further defining/developing this research concept and invited other CPBM and subcommittee members to join.
Potential partnership with Eastern Corridor Coalition's-data group (working on methodologies for assessing and standardizing cross-modal non-vehicular data)?
SMET - Accessing, assessing, analyzing and applying quality, non-motorized (pedestrian and bike) and transit data for planning and operational needs
Champions
This candidate currently has no champions
Estimated Timeframe: Funding: $0
Objectives
please add clarifying details and topic title suggestions)
More cross-modal (other than vehicle) data; specifically: pedestrian, bicycle and certain transit data is needed for various applications and needs including Complete Streets, We need more and better quality, verified data for transit, bikes, peds, and non-car users.
Includes examining options for data availability, quality, validity, analytics.
Stephanie Dock, Daniel Hulker, and Daniela Bremmer were interested in further defining/developing this research concept and invited other CPBM and subcommittee members to join.
Potential partnership with Eastern Corridor Coalition's-data group (working on methodologies for assessing and standardizing cross-modal non-vehicular data)?
SMET - Accessing, assessing, analyzing and applying quality, non-motorized (pedestrian and bike) and transit data for planning and operational needs
Funding
Please provide a funding amount.
Research Period
Please provide a research period.
Description
Please provide a brief description of the project.
Literature Search Summary
Please provide a literature summary for the project.
Objectives
please add clarifying details and topic title suggestions)
More cross-modal (other than vehicle) data; specifically: pedestrian, bicycle and certain transit data is needed for various applications and needs including Complete Streets, We need more and better quality, verified data for transit, bikes, peds, and non-car users.
Includes examining options for data availability, quality, validity, analytics.
Stephanie Dock, Daniel Hulker, and Daniela Bremmer were interested in further defining/developing this research concept and invited other CPBM and subcommittee members to join.
Potential partnership with Eastern Corridor Coalition's-data group (working on methodologies for assessing and standardizing cross-modal non-vehicular data)?
Urgency and Potential Benefits
Please describe the urgency and potential benefits of the project.
Implementation Considerations
Please provide implementation considerations for the project.
Author(s)
Please add at least one champion.
Others Supporting Problem Statement
Please add at least one supporting organization.
Potential Panel Members
Please add at least one potential panel member.
Person Submitting Statement
Please add information about the person submitting the statement.
Notes
Ready to submit this statement? Generate a PDF for submittal here.
SMET - Assessing the impacts of technology deployments and pilots on system performance, including operational efficiency and safety
(please add clarifying details and topic title suggestions)
Many states and local jurisdictions have deployed some level of automated technologies , such as low speed shuttles, and or have partnered with private agencies or research institutions to do so
Little performance or other information is available in a consolidated and organized fashion about the results of these pilots, test cases and or deployments
Policy makers have become guarded about investing in pilots and similar deployments, especially given the recent disillusionment with technology potentials such as AVs, CVs and CAVs and want to understand what benefits and results have been achieved.
Challenges may include the availability of data, data agreements (which often preclude external data sharing) and or lack of sufficient data in cases of short term pilots.
What kind of data is available, can be analyzed and summarized into a consolidated report to understand 1. what pilot shave been conducted (over past x/3 years? ) and 2. What is the performance of these pilots and or deployments in terms of safety and system efficiency and operation? (Similar interest exists in understanding equity impacts but those would be even harder to quantify and are not included , unless data is available).
Potential partnership with Eastern Corridor Coalition
(please add clarifying details and topic title suggestions)
Many states and local jurisdictions have deployed some l…
Objectives
(please add clarifying details and topic title suggestions)
Many states and local jurisdictions have deployed some level of automated technologies , such as low speed shuttles, and or have partnered with private agencies or research institutions to do so
Little performance or other information is available in a consolidated and organized fashion about the results of these pilots, test cases and or deployments
Policy makers have become guarded about investing in pilots and similar deployments, especially given the recent disillusionment with technology potentials such as AVs, CVs and CAVs and want to understand what benefits and results have been achieved.
Challenges may include the availability of data, data agreements (which often preclude external data sharing) and or lack of sufficient data in cases of short term pilots.
What kind of data is available, can be analyzed and summarized into a consolidated report to understand 1. what pilot shave been conducted (over past x/3 years? ) and 2. What is the performance of these pilots and or deployments in terms of safety and system efficiency and operation? (Similar interest exists in understanding equity impacts but those would be even harder to quantify and are not included , unless data is available).
Potential partnership with Eastern Corridor Coalition
SMET - Assessing the impacts of technology deployments and pilots on system performance, including operational efficiency and safety
Champions
This candidate currently has no champions
Estimated Timeframe: Funding: $0
Objectives
(please add clarifying details and topic title suggestions)
Many states and local jurisdictions have deployed some level of automated technologies , such as low speed shuttles, and or have partnered with private agencies or research institutions to do so
Little performance or other information is available in a consolidated and organized fashion about the results of these pilots, test cases and or deployments
Policy makers have become guarded about investing in pilots and similar deployments, especially given the recent disillusionment with technology potentials such as AVs, CVs and CAVs and want to understand what benefits and results have been achieved.
Challenges may include the availability of data, data agreements (which often preclude external data sharing) and or lack of sufficient data in cases of short term pilots.
What kind of data is available, can be analyzed and summarized into a consolidated report to understand 1. what pilot shave been conducted (over past x/3 years? ) and 2. What is the performance of these pilots and or deployments in terms of safety and system efficiency and operation? (Similar interest exists in understanding equity impacts but those would be even harder to quantify and are not included , unless data is available).
Potential partnership with Eastern Corridor Coalition
SMET - Assessing the impacts of technology deployments and pilots on system performance, including operational efficiency and safety
Funding
Please provide a funding amount.
Research Period
Please provide a research period.
Description
Please provide a brief description of the project.
Literature Search Summary
Please provide a literature summary for the project.
Objectives
(please add clarifying details and topic title suggestions)
Many states and local jurisdictions have deployed some level of automated technologies , such as low speed shuttles, and or have partnered with private agencies or research institutions to do so
Little performance or other information is available in a consolidated and organized fashion about the results of these pilots, test cases and or deployments
Policy makers have become guarded about investing in pilots and similar deployments, especially given the recent disillusionment with technology potentials such as AVs, CVs and CAVs and want to understand what benefits and results have been achieved.
Challenges may include the availability of data, data agreements (which often preclude external data sharing) and or lack of sufficient data in cases of short term pilots.
What kind of data is available, can be analyzed and summarized into a consolidated report to understand 1. what pilot shave been conducted (over past x/3 years? ) and 2. What is the performance of these pilots and or deployments in terms of safety and system efficiency and operation? (Similar interest exists in understanding equity impacts but those would be even harder to quantify and are not included , unless data is available).
Potential partnership with Eastern Corridor Coalition
Urgency and Potential Benefits
Please describe the urgency and potential benefits of the project.
Implementation Considerations
Please provide implementation considerations for the project.
Author(s)
Please add at least one champion.
Others Supporting Problem Statement
Please add at least one supporting organization.
Potential Panel Members
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Person Submitting Statement
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Notes
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TAM - (Synthesis) Examples of the integration of TAM/TPM/ERM
Brief Description
Maybe an implementation project for Report 985 (Integrating Effective Transportation Performance, Risk, and Asset Management Practices)
Champion
Chris Whipple (UDOT)
Team
Spencer Wagner (DCDOT)
Please add information about the person submitting the statement.
Notes
Ready to submit this statement? Generate a PDF for submittal here.
TAM - Impacts of Heavy EVs and Hybrid Vehicles on Transportation Asset Management
As the United States moves toward a fleet comprised of more EV and hybrid vehicles, important questions impacting the design and management of critical assets must be considered in future practice and policy making. For instance:
Are heavier EV’s and hybrid vehicles deteriorating our bridges, pavements, and other assets before the end of their design/service lives due to their heavy loads?
Will the live load increases to bridges and axle weight distribution from heavier EVs and hybrids impact asset lifecycle needs and level of service performance?
Are new design standards needed for the engineering design of transit and freight roadways and bridges to reflect the increased live load changes?
How is the accelerated rate of deterioration impacting asset lifecycle needs?
Answering these questions is critical as the types of vehicles using state and local transportation facilities transition to the next generation of vehicles.
Since asset management (AM) is a business process and decision-making framework using economic and engineering modeling over an extended time horizon, it can help inform many aspects of designing and planning for and implementing the expected service levels of roadways and structures to support adoption of next-generation vehicles. Developing guidance that reflects changes associated with EV and hybrid vehicles will lead to updated design models, more reflective deterioration rates, and improved planning for the preservation, improvement, and operation of road and bridge assets while protecting them from shorter lifecycles.
Single occupancy vehicles, while a major cause for congestion, do not appear to provide measurable impacts to load weighting. Therefore, the next-generation vehicles considered under this study will include a comprehensive mix, including transit, garbage trucks, and freight. For bridge analysis, this research would evaluate existing data and account for the battery weight to develop a design load model for gross vehicle weight. Pavement analysis utilizes equivalent single axle load (ESAL) ratings.
The figure linked below, provided by the City of Seattle, illustrates the tremendous load impacts that buses and trucks have on pavements and bridges:
1,500 cars to equal the damage of the typical 18-wheeler on a Washington State Highway
2,500 cars to equal the damage of the average empty bus
5,000 cars to equal the damage of the average full bus
8,000 cars to equal the damage of an average full 60’ Articulated Hybrid
WSDOT, in its pavement design guide, advises that the average 18-wheel, double unit truck on a state highway has a total ESAL factor of 1.00 to 1.35 on average, a figure reached through their different studies of truck weights (at weigh stations, etc.). As the picture shows, the design loading is significantly lower than those being applied by buses, especially those with heavy batteries.
Transit buses have a federal exemption from axle weight limits that dates to the ISTEA transportation legislation in the early 1990s. Buses have gotten increasingly heavy over the last two decades with new equipment like hybrid powertrains, yet the number of axles remains the same because of the exemption. Furthermore, transit agencies are often not the owners of the roadways and bridges so they may not consider infrastructure conditions and design into their decision making.
The average bus empty is more damaging than the typical truck on a state highway. Add passengers, the exponential relationship between axle weight and fatigue, and the damage factor per bus increases to almost six times for the heavy articulated hybrids.
The figure hints at why agencies are struggling to maintain roads and bridges. As the transportation system is expected to carry heavier vehicles than they were designed for, it is critical to update design models and develop new deterioration factors to be used in asset lifecycle planning.
In addition to design and maintenance issues, the study will also consider environmental and social impacts and potential risks associated with next-generation vehicles. The inclusion of these factors enables asset management cross-asset trade-offs to be evaluated in terms of both positive and negative impacts. A comprehensive, triple bottom line study will pull from existing sustainability and economic lifecycle cost analyses on EVs and infrastructure construction along with societal factors such as increases in travel time from driving on deteriorated infrastructure assets.
The objective of this study is to develop a guidebook with suggestions for updating asset management models used in pavement and bridge design and preservation. The guide will be developed from research to determine:
The impacts of EVs and hybrid vehicles on typical pavement and bridge (component and element) deterioration rates and their potential impact on lifecycle planning strategies.
Environmental and societal impacts associated with the use of EVs and hybrid vehicles to support a triple-bottom line analysis and cross-asset tradeoff assessments.
Suggested modifications to pavement and bridge load models used in design activities.
The feasibility of establishing battery weight limits, increased road user fees, or other strategies for addressing asset management impacts.
The guidebook will be supported by case studies from a variety of agencies (state and local, urban, and rural) illustrating the potential impact the resulting deterioration rates would have on pavement and bridge designs, maintenance strategies, and lifecycle costs.
The objective of this study is to develop a guidebook with suggestions for updating asset management models used in paveme…
Background/Description
As the United States moves toward a fleet comprised of more EV and hybrid vehicles, important questions impacting the design and management of critical assets must be considered in future practice and policy making. For instance:
Are heavier EV’s and hybrid vehicles deteriorating our bridges, pavements, and other assets before the end of their design/service lives due to their heavy loads?
Will the live load increases to bridges and axle weight distribution from heavier EVs and hybrids impact asset lifecycle needs and level of service performance?
Are new design standards needed for the engineering design of transit and freight roadways and bridges to reflect the increased live load changes?
How is the accelerated rate of deterioration impacting asset lifecycle needs?
Answering these questions is critical as the types of vehicles using state and local transportation facilities transition to the next generation of vehicles.
Since asset management (AM) is a business process and decision-making framework using economic and engineering modeling over an extended time horizon, it can help inform many aspects of designing and planning for and implementing the expected service levels of roadways and structures to support adoption of next-generation vehicles. Developing guidance that reflects changes associated with EV and hybrid vehicles will lead to updated design models, more reflective deterioration rates, and improved planning for the preservation, improvement, and operation of road and bridge assets while protecting them from shorter lifecycles.
Single occupancy vehicles, while a major cause for congestion, do not appear to provide measurable impacts to load weighting. Therefore, the next-generation vehicles considered under this study will include a comprehensive mix, including transit, garbage trucks, and freight. For bridge analysis, this research would evaluate existing data and account for the battery weight to develop a design load model for gross vehicle weight. Pavement analysis utilizes equivalent single axle load (ESAL) ratings.
The figure linked below, provided by the City of Seattle, illustrates the tremendous load impacts that buses and trucks have on pavements and bridges:
1,500 cars to equal the damage of the typical 18-wheeler on a Washington State Highway
2,500 cars to equal the damage of the average empty bus
5,000 cars to equal the damage of the average full bus
8,000 cars to equal the damage of an average full 60’ Articulated Hybrid
WSDOT, in its pavement design guide, advises that the average 18-wheel, double unit truck on a state highway has a total ESAL factor of 1.00 to 1.35 on average, a figure reached through their different studies of truck weights (at weigh stations, etc.). As the picture shows, the design loading is significantly lower than those being applied by buses, especially those with heavy batteries.
Transit buses have a federal exemption from axle weight limits that dates to the ISTEA transportation legislation in the early 1990s. Buses have gotten increasingly heavy over the last two decades with new equipment like hybrid powertrains, yet the number of axles remains the same because of the exemption. Furthermore, transit agencies are often not the owners of the roadways and bridges so they may not consider infrastructure conditions and design into their decision making.
The average bus empty is more damaging than the typical truck on a state highway. Add passengers, the exponential relationship between axle weight and fatigue, and the damage factor per bus increases to almost six times for the heavy articulated hybrids.
The figure hints at why agencies are struggling to maintain roads and bridges. As the transportation system is expected to carry heavier vehicles than they were designed for, it is critical to update design models and develop new deterioration factors to be used in asset lifecycle planning.
In addition to design and maintenance issues, the study will also consider environmental and social impacts and potential risks associated with next-generation vehicles. The inclusion of these factors enables asset management cross-asset trade-offs to be evaluated in terms of both positive and negative impacts. A comprehensive, triple bottom line study will pull from existing sustainability and economic lifecycle cost analyses on EVs and infrastructure construction along with societal factors such as increases in travel time from driving on deteriorated infrastructure assets.
Objectives
The objective of this study is to develop a guidebook with suggestions for updating asset management models used in pavement and bridge design and preservation. The guide will be developed from research to determine:
The impacts of EVs and hybrid vehicles on typical pavement and bridge (component and element) deterioration rates and their potential impact on lifecycle planning strategies.
Environmental and societal impacts associated with the use of EVs and hybrid vehicles to support a triple-bottom line analysis and cross-asset tradeoff assessments.
Suggested modifications to pavement and bridge load models used in design activities.
The feasibility of establishing battery weight limits, increased road user fees, or other strategies for addressing asset management impacts.
The guidebook will be supported by case studies from a variety of agencies (state and local, urban, and rural) illustrating the potential impact the resulting deterioration rates would have on pavement and bridge designs, maintenance strategies, and lifecycle costs.
As the United States moves toward a fleet comprised of more EV and hybrid vehicles, important questions impacting the design and management of critical assets must be considered in future practice and policy making. For instance:
Are heavier EV’s and hybrid vehicles deteriorating our bridges, pavements, and other assets before the end of their design/service lives due to their heavy loads?
Will the live load increases to bridges and axle weight distribution from heavier EVs and hybrids impact asset lifecycle needs and level of service performance?
Are new design standards needed for the engineering design of transit and freight roadways and bridges to reflect the increased live load changes?
How is the accelerated rate of deterioration impacting asset lifecycle needs?
Answering these questions is critical as the types of vehicles using state and local transportation facilities transition to the next generation of vehicles.
Since asset management (AM) is a business process and decision-making framework using economic and engineering modeling over an extended time horizon, it can help inform many aspects of designing and planning for and implementing the expected service levels of roadways and structures to support adoption of next-generation vehicles. Developing guidance that reflects changes associated with EV and hybrid vehicles will lead to updated design models, more reflective deterioration rates, and improved planning for the preservation, improvement, and operation of road and bridge assets while protecting them from shorter lifecycles.
Single occupancy vehicles, while a major cause for congestion, do not appear to provide measurable impacts to load weighting. Therefore, the next-generation vehicles considered under this study will include a comprehensive mix, including transit, garbage trucks, and freight. For bridge analysis, this research would evaluate existing data and account for the battery weight to develop a design load model for gross vehicle weight. Pavement analysis utilizes equivalent single axle load (ESAL) ratings.
The figure linked below, provided by the City of Seattle, illustrates the tremendous load impacts that buses and trucks have on pavements and bridges:
1,500 cars to equal the damage of the typical 18-wheeler on a Washington State Highway
2,500 cars to equal the damage of the average empty bus
5,000 cars to equal the damage of the average full bus
8,000 cars to equal the damage of an average full 60’ Articulated Hybrid
WSDOT, in its pavement design guide, advises that the average 18-wheel, double unit truck on a state highway has a total ESAL factor of 1.00 to 1.35 on average, a figure reached through their different studies of truck weights (at weigh stations, etc.). As the picture shows, the design loading is significantly lower than those being applied by buses, especially those with heavy batteries.
Transit buses have a federal exemption from axle weight limits that dates to the ISTEA transportation legislation in the early 1990s. Buses have gotten increasingly heavy over the last two decades with new equipment like hybrid powertrains, yet the number of axles remains the same because of the exemption. Furthermore, transit agencies are often not the owners of the roadways and bridges so they may not consider infrastructure conditions and design into their decision making.
The average bus empty is more damaging than the typical truck on a state highway. Add passengers, the exponential relationship between axle weight and fatigue, and the damage factor per bus increases to almost six times for the heavy articulated hybrids.
The figure hints at why agencies are struggling to maintain roads and bridges. As the transportation system is expected to carry heavier vehicles than they were designed for, it is critical to update design models and develop new deterioration factors to be used in asset lifecycle planning.
In addition to design and maintenance issues, the study will also consider environmental and social impacts and potential risks associated with next-generation vehicles. The inclusion of these factors enables asset management cross-asset trade-offs to be evaluated in terms of both positive and negative impacts. A comprehensive, triple bottom line study will pull from existing sustainability and economic lifecycle cost analyses on EVs and infrastructure construction along with societal factors such as increases in travel time from driving on deteriorated infrastructure assets.
Literature Search Summary
ISO 15686-5:2017: Buildings and constructed assets — Service life planning — Part 5: Life-cycle costing
The objective of this study is to develop a guidebook with suggestions for updating asset management models used in pavement and bridge design and preservation. The guide will be developed from research to determine:
The impacts of EVs and hybrid vehicles on typical pavement and bridge (component and element) deterioration rates and their potential impact on lifecycle planning strategies.
Environmental and societal impacts associated with the use of EVs and hybrid vehicles to support a triple-bottom line analysis and cross-asset tradeoff assessments.
Suggested modifications to pavement and bridge load models used in design activities.
The feasibility of establishing battery weight limits, increased road user fees, or other strategies for addressing asset management impacts.
The guidebook will be supported by case studies from a variety of agencies (state and local, urban, and rural) illustrating the potential impact the resulting deterioration rates would have on pavement and bridge designs, maintenance strategies, and lifecycle costs.
Urgency and Potential Benefits
This project would benefit the entire bridge and pavement community by helping them to prepare for future EV and hybrid applications. Having quantifiable AM models that predict accelerated deterioration rate, will help to inform design considerations, transit and freight routes, future funding needs, and support conversations between DOTs and Transit agencies for future service level planning.
Implementation Considerations
The report would benefit from case studies for each pavement and bridge category including local, state, and county agencies representing high and low volume roads / bridges along with rural and urban settings.
The objective of this study is to develop a guidebook with suggestions for updating asset management models used in pavement and bridge design and preservation. The guide will be developed from research to determine:
The impacts of EVs and hybrid vehicles on typical pavement and bridge (component and element) deterioration rates and their potential impact on lifecycle planning strategies.
Environmental and societal impacts associated with the use of EVs and hybrid vehicles to support a triple-bottom line analysis and cross-asset tradeoff assessments.
Suggested modifications to pavement and bridge load models used in design activities.
The feasibility of establishing battery weight limits, increased road user fees, or other strategies for addressing asset management impacts.
The guidebook will be supported by case studies from a variety of agencies (state and local, urban, and rural) illustrating the potential impact the resulting deterioration rates would have on pavement and bridge designs, maintenance strategies, and lifecycle costs.
Urgency and Potential Benefits
This project would benefit the entire bridge and pavement community by helping them to prepare for future EV and hybrid applications. Having quantifiable AM models that predict accelerated deterioration rate, will help to inform design considerations, transit and freight routes, future funding needs, and support conversations between DOTs and Transit agencies for future service level planning.
Implementation Considerations
The report would benefit from case studies for each pavement and bridge category including local, state, and county agencies representing high and low volume roads / bridges along with rural and urban settings.
Please add information about the person submitting the statement.
Notes
Ready to submit this statement? Generate a PDF for submittal here.
TAM - Scoping Study to Identify Curriculum Development Needs for Workforce Development in Transportation Asset Management (for NCHRP 20-123)
- Looking at current practice and examples from states like NM. Utah looking beyond engineering disciplines. Multidisciplinary teams. What do agencies need from TAM professionals? Competencies for asset management. Mapping needs (TAM Guide may have needs) to core skills.
- (Not sure if we limit to just Univ - we talked about other options)
Champion
Shannon McGrath
Team
Susan Lime (Culvery Asset Management Program - CAMP), NM DOT
Chris Whipple, UDOT
Baris Salman
Alma Mujanovic
Basak Bektas
- Looking at current practice and examples from states like NM. Utah looking beyond engineering disciplines. Multidiscip…
Objectives
- Looking at current practice and examples from states like NM. Utah looking beyond engineering disciplines. Multidisciplinary teams. What do agencies need from TAM professionals? Competencies for asset management. Mapping needs (TAM Guide may have needs) to core skills.
- (Not sure if we limit to just Univ - we talked about other options)
Champion
Shannon McGrath
Team
Susan Lime (Culvery Asset Management Program - CAMP), NM DOT
Chris Whipple, UDOT
Baris Salman
Alma Mujanovic
Basak Bektas
- Looking at current practice and examples from states like NM. Utah looking beyond engineering disciplines. Multidisciplinary teams. What do agencies need from TAM professionals? Competencies for asset management. Mapping needs (TAM Guide may have needs) to core skills.
- (Not sure if we limit to just Univ - we talked about other options)
Champion
Shannon McGrath
Team
Susan Lime (Culvery Asset Management Program - CAMP), NM DOT
Chris Whipple, UDOT
Baris Salman
Alma Mujanovic
Basak Bektas
Implementation Considerations
Task Description
Task 1: Identify required and desired competencies and skills to successfully develop and implement TAM
Survey of TAM professionals on the competencies and skills needed to successfully develop and implement TAM
Synthesis of competencies and skills needed in TAM professionals
Convene a peer exchange/workshop to solicit targeted input from public sector, private sector, and academic sector TAM practitioners.
Task 2: Examine existing curriculum and accreditation programs in TAM
Review existing curriculum in TAM offered at higher education institutions at both the undergraduate and graduate level.
Review accreditation programs offered by non-academic organizations
Synthesis of existing curriculum and programs in TAM
Task 3: Conduct a Gap Analysis
Identify gaps between competencies and skills needed for TAM and existing curriculum and accreditation programs.
Task 4: Develop Recommendations
Summarize findings from previous tasks (1 through 3).
Recommend strategies for addressing the gaps identified in Task 3.
Present findings and recommendations in a final report.
Prepare a Research Problem Statement(s) to develop the recommendations.
7. Confirm YES to the following:
YES The task will contribute to the development of research problem statements
YES The task provides widespread benefits for AASHTO member states
YES The task will be 18 months or less
YES The budget is less than $250K
YES This is the most feasible funding source for this task
TAM - Scoping Study to Identify Curriculum Development Needs for Workforce Development in Transportation Asset Management (for NCHRP 20-123)
Funding
$225,000
Research Period
12 months
Description
2. Please provide a brief description (1-2 paragraphs) of the scope of the task/activity sought by the committee or council. Please include the task objectives and anticipated deliverables.
Aging transportation infrastructure, increasing demands, budget limitations, and new regulations are placing increasing levels of pressure on transportation asset management professionals. TAM professionals are expected to possess technical knowledge and soft skills to be able to lead their agency’s implementation efforts. These skills and knowledge areas include, but are not limited to, data collection, filtering, and analysis; visualization; multi-criteria decision making; optimization; communication; and leadership. Unfortunately, academic programs offered by universities are falling short of providing asset management professionals with the necessary knowledge and skills in their formative years. Asset management is a multidisciplinary field that involves aspects of multiple disciplines (e.g., engineering, finance, planning, etc.). Because of its multidisciplinary nature, asset management does not necessarily fit into traditional university programs that are often structured in domain-specific disciplines. Due to the limited offerings at educational institutions, a substantial number of transportation professionals are ill-prepared to take on responsibilities expected from a TAM professional and struggle with acquiring these skills on-the-spot while balancing the demands placed on them due to their day-to-day duties. Non-academic organizations have developed educational and professional development opportunities in asset management to address this demand, but these offerings are often not targeted to applications in transportation and can be viewed as expensive, time-consuming alternatives that only offer partial solutions to specific gaps in knowledge.
There is an urgent need to determine the competencies and skills expected from TAM professionals and identify needs for the development of new curriculum and/or new accreditation programs for workforce development in transportation asset management. In order to develop such curricula, extensive research needs to be conducted to specifically identify educational needs by examining the gap between required competencies and available offerings. This project will identify these gaps and recommend specific curriculum and/or accreditation programs needed for workforce development in transportation asset management. This project is the first step needed to improve our TAM professionals’ capabilities and capacity in improving the performance of our transportation assets and maximizing the benefits of asset management decision-making.
This scoping study will explore the need to develop new curriculum and/or accreditation programs for workforce development in transportation asset management. The study is structured along four tasks. First, the study will identify the competencies and skills transportation asset managers need to successfully develop and implement TAM. Second, a comprehensive review of existing programs offered by universities and non-academic organizations will be conducted. Third, a gap analysis will be performed to identify gaps between currently available offerings and the desired competencies. Finally, the study will summarize these gaps and recommend needs for the development of new curriculum and/or accreditation programs for workforce development in TAM. If the recommendation is made to develop new curricula and/or accreditation programs, then an NCHPR problem statement will be prepared that can be submitted for funding consideration by AASHTO.
It is anticipated that this scoping study would be part of a three-phase research project if the recommendation is to develop new curricula for workforce development in transportation asset management:
Phase I (this proposal): Scoping Study to identify curriculum development needs for workforce development in Transportation Asset Management.
Phase II: Development of new curriculum and/or accreditation programs for workforce development in transportation asset management.
Phase III: Implementation of TAM workforce development program.
Literature Search Summary
Please provide a literature summary for the project.
Objectives
- Looking at current practice and examples from states like NM. Utah looking beyond engineering disciplines. Multidisciplinary teams. What do agencies need from TAM professionals? Competencies for asset management. Mapping needs (TAM Guide may have needs) to core skills.
- (Not sure if we limit to just Univ - we talked about other options)
Champion
Shannon McGrath
Team
Susan Lime (Culvery Asset Management Program - CAMP), NM DOT
Chris Whipple, UDOT
Baris Salman
Alma Mujanovic
Basak Bektas
Urgency and Potential Benefits
Please describe the urgency and potential benefits of the project.
Implementation Considerations
Task Description
Task 1: Identify required and desired competencies and skills to successfully develop and implement TAM
Survey of TAM professionals on the competencies and skills needed to successfully develop and implement TAM
Synthesis of competencies and skills needed in TAM professionals
Convene a peer exchange/workshop to solicit targeted input from public sector, private sector, and academic sector TAM practitioners.
Task 2: Examine existing curriculum and accreditation programs in TAM
Review existing curriculum in TAM offered at higher education institutions at both the undergraduate and graduate level.
Review accreditation programs offered by non-academic organizations
Synthesis of existing curriculum and programs in TAM
Task 3: Conduct a Gap Analysis
Identify gaps between competencies and skills needed for TAM and existing curriculum and accreditation programs.
Task 4: Develop Recommendations
Summarize findings from previous tasks (1 through 3).
Recommend strategies for addressing the gaps identified in Task 3.
Present findings and recommendations in a final report.
Prepare a Research Problem Statement(s) to develop the recommendations.
7. Confirm YES to the following:
YES The task will contribute to the development of research problem statements
YES The task provides widespread benefits for AASHTO member states
YES The task will be 18 months or less
YES The budget is less than $250K
YES This is the most feasible funding source for this task
Please add information about the person submitting the statement.
Notes
Ready to submit this statement? Generate a PDF for submittal here.
TAM - Synthesis of the Development and Use of Treatment Unit Costs in Asset Management Systems
One of the key inputs to transportation asset management systems is the unit cost of each treatment. Costs associated with improving an asset consist of three components:
• Direct treatment costs: Cost of the treatment itself. This component includes just the pay items required to complete the treatment, such as the hot-mix asphalt (HMA) in a HMA overlay, or the concrete and reinforcement needed to construct a replacement concrete pavement.
• Direct project costs: Costs incurred as part of the construction project. These costs include traffic control, mobilization, ancillary features such as traffic signals and guardrail, etc.
• Indirect costs: Costs in advance of the project. This component includes Phase I studies, Phase II plan development, as well as any environmental investigations that may be needed. Also included in this component are utility relocations and land acquisition, and possibly costs associated with railroads.
The accuracy of the unit cost data is imperative to accurately managing a transportation system. If the costs are underestimated, the agency will program more work than can be accomplished. Anticipated conditions over time will be overstated as a result. This synthesis seeks to determine how transportation agencies are quantifying the direct and indirect treatment costs associated with improving assets, and the corresponding impact on their capital program as a whole.
The objective of this research is to determine how transportation agencies are quantifying the direct and indirect treatment costs associated with improving assets as an input to their asset management systems, and the corresponding impact on their capital program as a whole.
Information to be gathered includes (but is not limited to):
• The components of an asset improvement project included in the budgets used in the asset management system, such as the construction project itself, preliminary engineering, land acquisition, etc.
• The source of treatment cost data, such as contract lettings, final design estimates, programming estimates, etc.
• The frequency of updating the treatment costs in the asset management system.
Proposed Research Activities: Information will be collected through a review of the 52 state agencies’ 2022/2023 Transportation Asset Management Plans, a survey of DOTs and other transportation agencies, and follow-up interviews with selected agencies for more detailed information. Information gaps and suggestions for research to address those gaps will be identified.
Susan Lime
KEYWORDS/TERMS – treatment unit costs, asset management systems, direct costs, indirect costs, program costs
The objective of this research is to determine how transportation agencies are quantifying the direct and indirect treatme…
Background/Description
One of the key inputs to transportation asset management systems is the unit cost of each treatment. Costs associated with improving an asset consist of three components:
• Direct treatment costs: Cost of the treatment itself. This component includes just the pay items required to complete the treatment, such as the hot-mix asphalt (HMA) in a HMA overlay, or the concrete and reinforcement needed to construct a replacement concrete pavement.
• Direct project costs: Costs incurred as part of the construction project. These costs include traffic control, mobilization, ancillary features such as traffic signals and guardrail, etc.
• Indirect costs: Costs in advance of the project. This component includes Phase I studies, Phase II plan development, as well as any environmental investigations that may be needed. Also included in this component are utility relocations and land acquisition, and possibly costs associated with railroads.
The accuracy of the unit cost data is imperative to accurately managing a transportation system. If the costs are underestimated, the agency will program more work than can be accomplished. Anticipated conditions over time will be overstated as a result. This synthesis seeks to determine how transportation agencies are quantifying the direct and indirect treatment costs associated with improving assets, and the corresponding impact on their capital program as a whole.
Objectives
The objective of this research is to determine how transportation agencies are quantifying the direct and indirect treatment costs associated with improving assets as an input to their asset management systems, and the corresponding impact on their capital program as a whole.
Information to be gathered includes (but is not limited to):
• The components of an asset improvement project included in the budgets used in the asset management system, such as the construction project itself, preliminary engineering, land acquisition, etc.
• The source of treatment cost data, such as contract lettings, final design estimates, programming estimates, etc.
• The frequency of updating the treatment costs in the asset management system.
Proposed Research Activities: Information will be collected through a review of the 52 state agencies’ 2022/2023 Transportation Asset Management Plans, a survey of DOTs and other transportation agencies, and follow-up interviews with selected agencies for more detailed information. Information gaps and suggestions for research to address those gaps will be identified.
Susan Lime
One of the key inputs to transportation asset management systems is the unit cost of each treatment. Costs associated with improving an asset consist of three components:
• Direct treatment costs: Cost of the treatment itself. This component includes just the pay items required to complete the treatment, such as the hot-mix asphalt (HMA) in a HMA overlay, or the concrete and reinforcement needed to construct a replacement concrete pavement.
• Direct project costs: Costs incurred as part of the construction project. These costs include traffic control, mobilization, ancillary features such as traffic signals and guardrail, etc.
• Indirect costs: Costs in advance of the project. This component includes Phase I studies, Phase II plan development, as well as any environmental investigations that may be needed. Also included in this component are utility relocations and land acquisition, and possibly costs associated with railroads.
The accuracy of the unit cost data is imperative to accurately managing a transportation system. If the costs are underestimated, the agency will program more work than can be accomplished. Anticipated conditions over time will be overstated as a result. This synthesis seeks to determine how transportation agencies are quantifying the direct and indirect treatment costs associated with improving assets, and the corresponding impact on their capital program as a whole.
Literature Search Summary
Synthesis of Information Related to Highway Practices. Topic 54-22, Practices for Capturing Costs of Maintenance Operations in Maintenance Management Systems (Transportation Research Board), is similar but focuses on the maintenance side of asset management, particularly maintenance performed by the transportation agencies themselves.
Incorporating Cost Uncertainty and Path Dependence into Treatment Selection for Pavement Networks (Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies, Volume 110, pp 40-55), begins at the next step after treatment unit costs have been developed and looks at the effect of uncertainty in cost on the cost-effectiveness of pavement network planning.
NCHRP Report 545, Analytical Tools for Asset Management, notes that a translation process is required to develop unit costs that are usable by most management systems. The proposed synthesis will be an important step toward closing that gap.
NCHRP 02-26, Implementation of Life-Cycle Planning Analysis in a Transportation Asset Management Framework, acknowledges the importance of treatment unit costs as an input to life-cycle planning, but does not go into detail on the development of the treatment costs themselves.
Objectives
The objective of this research is to determine how transportation agencies are quantifying the direct and indirect treatment costs associated with improving assets as an input to their asset management systems, and the corresponding impact on their capital program as a whole.
Information to be gathered includes (but is not limited to):
• The components of an asset improvement project included in the budgets used in the asset management system, such as the construction project itself, preliminary engineering, land acquisition, etc.
• The source of treatment cost data, such as contract lettings, final design estimates, programming estimates, etc.
• The frequency of updating the treatment costs in the asset management system.
Proposed Research Activities: Information will be collected through a review of the 52 state agencies’ 2022/2023 Transportation Asset Management Plans, a survey of DOTs and other transportation agencies, and follow-up interviews with selected agencies for more detailed information. Information gaps and suggestions for research to address those gaps will be identified.
Susan Lime
Urgency and Potential Benefits
Very little detailed information on best practices related to treatment costs used in asset management systems exists, as noted below in the literature search summary. Yet the accuracy of treatment costs is of paramount importance in programming the proper amount of work that can be accomplished within given budgets and therefore in predicting asset performance into the future. The potential benefits of the research include agencies learning more accurate means of determining treatment unit costs, as well as identifying additional research needs to improve best practices nationwide.
Implementation Considerations
The asset management engineer and others in an asset management section will be responsible for using the research results. Anyone involved in configuring the inputs to the asset management system, particularly with an eye toward getting the best possible outcomes, would be interested in the results of this research. The implementation would likely involve an improvement to existing processes rather than creating new processes.
a. Communication and Implementation Funding:
b. Communication and Implementation Period:
Notes and Considerations
KEYWORDS/TERMS – treatment unit costs, asset management systems, direct costs, indirect costs, program costs
TAM - Synthesis of the Development and Use of Treatment Unit Costs in Asset Management Systems
Funding
$45,000
Research Period
9 months
Description
Please provide a brief description of the project.
Literature Search Summary
Synthesis of Information Related to Highway Practices. Topic 54-22, Practices for Capturing Costs of Maintenance Operations in Maintenance Management Systems (Transportation Research Board), is similar but focuses on the maintenance side of asset management, particularly maintenance performed by the transportation agencies themselves.
Incorporating Cost Uncertainty and Path Dependence into Treatment Selection for Pavement Networks (Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies, Volume 110, pp 40-55), begins at the next step after treatment unit costs have been developed and looks at the effect of uncertainty in cost on the cost-effectiveness of pavement network planning.
NCHRP Report 545, Analytical Tools for Asset Management, notes that a translation process is required to develop unit costs that are usable by most management systems. The proposed synthesis will be an important step toward closing that gap.
NCHRP 02-26, Implementation of Life-Cycle Planning Analysis in a Transportation Asset Management Framework, acknowledges the importance of treatment unit costs as an input to life-cycle planning, but does not go into detail on the development of the treatment costs themselves.
Objectives
The objective of this research is to determine how transportation agencies are quantifying the direct and indirect treatment costs associated with improving assets as an input to their asset management systems, and the corresponding impact on their capital program as a whole.
Information to be gathered includes (but is not limited to):
• The components of an asset improvement project included in the budgets used in the asset management system, such as the construction project itself, preliminary engineering, land acquisition, etc.
• The source of treatment cost data, such as contract lettings, final design estimates, programming estimates, etc.
• The frequency of updating the treatment costs in the asset management system.
Proposed Research Activities: Information will be collected through a review of the 52 state agencies’ 2022/2023 Transportation Asset Management Plans, a survey of DOTs and other transportation agencies, and follow-up interviews with selected agencies for more detailed information. Information gaps and suggestions for research to address those gaps will be identified.
Susan Lime
Urgency and Potential Benefits
Very little detailed information on best practices related to treatment costs used in asset management systems exists, as noted below in the literature search summary. Yet the accuracy of treatment costs is of paramount importance in programming the proper amount of work that can be accomplished within given budgets and therefore in predicting asset performance into the future. The potential benefits of the research include agencies learning more accurate means of determining treatment unit costs, as well as identifying additional research needs to improve best practices nationwide.
Implementation Considerations
The asset management engineer and others in an asset management section will be responsible for using the research results. Anyone involved in configuring the inputs to the asset management system, particularly with an eye toward getting the best possible outcomes, would be interested in the results of this research. The implementation would likely involve an improvement to existing processes rather than creating new processes.
a. Communication and Implementation Funding:
b. Communication and Implementation Period:
You can use the following e-mail template to gather feedback about the current set of Problem Statements.
There are a number of Research Problem Statements currently being considered for approval in the TAM Portal Research Management System. We’d love your input to help us choose the Statements that should move on to the next approval step.
You can review the set of Problem Statements currently under consideration here: https://www.tam-portal.com/rms-milestone-1/. Click the Comments link on a Problem Statement to leave your feedback.
The object of this research is to develop an easy-to-use guide for evaluating the effectiveness of transportation visualiz…
Objectives
The object of this research is to develop an easy-to-use guide for evaluating the effectiveness of transportation visualizations that state DOTs can use to improve communication and decision-making. With this guide, state DOTs will have the tools to hone their message, manage the data overload that occurs in visualizations and impact travel behavior with effective visual data increasing safety, security and mobility.
The suggested tasks for this research are:
1) Research the essential components of what makes a visualization effective. Build off NCHRP 226 and 20-24(93)B(02). Evaluate the visualization techniques and practices documented in NCHRP Synthesis 52-16.
2) Create a guidebook that clearly communicates how to approach a new visualization and guide its creation.
3) Evaluate how to gain feedback on the effectiveness of a visualization in communicating information and influencing behavior, and also facilitates decision making. This could build off practices currently used for public service announcements (PSA).
4) Identify or develop noteworthy practices for evaluating the effectiveness of a visualization.
5) Create a Guidebook that provides state DOTs with options for evaluating the effectiveness of a visualization.
6) Integrate the two elements – creation and evaluation – into a guide that demonstrates the feedback loop of continuous improvement enabled by joining these two functions.
7) Establish an online case study website that showcases exceptional and innovative visualizations. This could include a category for the use of emerging data and emerging analytic capacity so state DOTs could maintain currency in innovative practices. The website would be updated by the TRB AED80 Visualization in Transportation Committee yearly by acknowledging award winning entries.
A Guide for Creating Effective Visualizations
Estimated Timeframe: 24 months Funding: $375000
Background
A visualization can be “effective” in several ways: providing information, informing policy and decision making, and influencing behavior. There is little guidance on how to systematically evaluate a visualization’s effectiveness by either of these measures. This problem affects both transportation professionals and the traveling public – including movers of freight.
Even with clear visualizations providing insight – sophisticated “nuggets of truth” from vast amounts of information and solutions to vexing problems, there may be viewers who do not comprehend or respond. Developing a means to evaluate the effectiveness of visualizations deployed internally and externally would significantly enhance their value.
This research addresses this problem by: evaluating the effectiveness of noteworthy practices currently being pioneered by state DOTs that were documented, but not assessed, in previous NCHRP projects; addressing the new tools that have proliferated, such as Tableau, R, Infogram; and ultimately developing an easy-to-use guide to creating effective visualizations.
Objectives
The object of this research is to develop an easy-to-use guide for evaluating the effectiveness of transportation visualizations that state DOTs can use to improve communication and decision-making. With this guide, state DOTs will have the tools to hone their message, manage the data overload that occurs in visualizations and impact travel behavior with effective visual data increasing safety, security and mobility.
The suggested tasks for this research are:
1) Research the essential components of what makes a visualization effective. Build off NCHRP 226 and 20-24(93)B(02). Evaluate the visualization techniques and practices documented in NCHRP Synthesis 52-16.
2) Create a guidebook that clearly communicates how to approach a new visualization and guide its creation.
3) Evaluate how to gain feedback on the effectiveness of a visualization in communicating information and influencing behavior, and also facilitates decision making. This could build off practices currently used for public service announcements (PSA).
4) Identify or develop noteworthy practices for evaluating the effectiveness of a visualization.
5) Create a Guidebook that provides state DOTs with options for evaluating the effectiveness of a visualization.
6) Integrate the two elements – creation and evaluation – into a guide that demonstrates the feedback loop of continuous improvement enabled by joining these two functions.
7) Establish an online case study website that showcases exceptional and innovative visualizations. This could include a category for the use of emerging data and emerging analytic capacity so state DOTs could maintain currency in innovative practices. The website would be updated by the TRB AED80 Visualization in Transportation Committee yearly by acknowledging award winning entries.
Proposed Research Activities
Effective data visualization has the power to dramatically improve the safety and efficiency of the transportation system. Previous research demonstrates that state DOTs have invested considerable time and expertise in developing visualizations for performance measures and need to communicate results effectively.
This guide would build on and evolve prior work by developing clear guidance on how to create effective visualizations and how to evaluate their effectiveness. It will enable states to focus and capitalize upon the investment, time and expertise they are currently deploying. It will provide a roadmap to the states who are in the early development of their visualization efforts and will provide an opportunity for well-established programs to expand their efforts by evaluating the effectiveness of their visualizations.
Addressing the creation and evaluation of effective visualizations together creates a feedback loop that enables and promotes continuous improvement.
Notes and Considerations
Transportation planners and practitioners responsible for analyzing and communicating data through visualization have a great need for this research. This guide has a built-in audience of the users of both previous research efforts and the Transportation Asset Management (TAM) portal. Additionally, the guide would lend itself to promotion through the committees of the TRB data section, particularly AED80; and the AASHTO Committee structure, particularly CDMA (Data), COP (Planning), CPBM (Performance), and TAM (Asset management).
The objective of this research is to prepare an authoritative analysis and assessment of the national performance manageme…
Objectives
The objective of this research is to prepare an authoritative analysis and assessment of the national performance management data and, based upon the analysis and assessment, to provide recommendations on future capacity building activities and possible new performance measures. There are three sub-objectives focused on:
Analysis of the national performance management data for the three performance measurement areas (safety, assets, and system performance) will be conducted to better understand trends, target setting approaches, and target achievement by state DOTs; and
Assessment of the performance management data that provides a comprehensive and compelling story on the results of the performance management provisions.
Identification of future capacity building needs and performance measures.
Analysis and Assessment of the National Performance Management Data
Estimated Timeframe: 18 months Funding: $550000
Background
MAP-21 and the FAST Act laid the groundwork for a comprehensive national-level performance management framework. The first four-year reporting period began on January 1, 2018 and ends on December 31, 2021 and will result in the first complete set of consistent national-level performance management data. This will result in a unique opportunity to conduct the first analysis and assessment of this unique data set as well as combined with other data sets to tell a more complete and consistent state DOT performance management story.
Objectives
The objective of this research is to prepare an authoritative analysis and assessment of the national performance management data and, based upon the analysis and assessment, to provide recommendations on future capacity building activities and possible new performance measures. There are three sub-objectives focused on:
Analysis of the national performance management data for the three performance measurement areas (safety, assets, and system performance) will be conducted to better understand trends, target setting approaches, and target achievement by state DOTs; and
Assessment of the performance management data that provides a comprehensive and compelling story on the results of the performance management provisions.
Identification of future capacity building needs and performance measures.
Proposed Research Activities
The results of this research are important and significant. This will be the first time that researchers will be able to use a complete set of the national-level performance management data to conduct a detailed and comprehensive analysis of the performance management program. This will research will serve as an authoritative and independent assessment of the data that can be used to tell the story of the state DOT and be used to inform transportation policy decisions in the future.
The objective of this research is to produce guidance on how DOTs can improve the use of DEI and other related indicators …
Objectives
The objective of this research is to produce guidance on how DOTs can improve the use of DEI and other related indicators in TAM investment decision making processes.
Tasks will include:
• Compile DEI and other related indicators for use in TAM decision-making
• Develop a framework for applying DEI and other related indicators in TAM decision-making processes, including:
o analysis activities to forecast impact
o scenario planning including identifying alternate investment options with an equity lens
o investment tradeoff decision-making
o community engagement activities including increasing the involvement of underserved communities.
• Develop additional quantitative and qualitative performance measures for asset management and planning that consider DEI and other factors in transportation investment decisions
• Produce a summary of challenges, inherent inequities, and obstacles in asset management and planning activities in order to help transportation add value to underserved communities
• Develop guidance for transportation agencies to use the DEI and other related indicators to balance competing strategic objectives related to asset performance, safety, mobility, and DEI.
EDI (Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) and Other Indicators to Improve TAM Impact and Outcomes
Estimated Timeframe: 24 months Funding: $500000
Background
Investments in roadways have historically been focused on safety, mobility, and system preservation considerations. As our understanding of the impacts of roadway decisions mature, other factors such as socio-economic impact, sustainability, accountability, transparency, integrity, and innovation are increasing in importance by State Departments of Transportation (DOTs). Recently, strategic initiatives related to DEI are growing in importance and need to be considered in transportation investment planning. Advancing the understanding of DEI and other related indicators can help DOTs improve the impact of TAM investment decisions, especially to underserved communities.
Objectives
The objective of this research is to produce guidance on how DOTs can improve the use of DEI and other related indicators in TAM investment decision making processes.
Tasks will include:
• Compile DEI and other related indicators for use in TAM decision-making
• Develop a framework for applying DEI and other related indicators in TAM decision-making processes, including:
o analysis activities to forecast impact
o scenario planning including identifying alternate investment options with an equity lens
o investment tradeoff decision-making
o community engagement activities including increasing the involvement of underserved communities.
• Develop additional quantitative and qualitative performance measures for asset management and planning that consider DEI and other factors in transportation investment decisions
• Produce a summary of challenges, inherent inequities, and obstacles in asset management and planning activities in order to help transportation add value to underserved communities
• Develop guidance for transportation agencies to use the DEI and other related indicators to balance competing strategic objectives related to asset performance, safety, mobility, and DEI.
Notes and Considerations
• Transportation agency chief engineers, planning directors, asset managers, and transportation performance management leads will use the research products to improve their decision impact.
• The research will provide guidance on specific application and/or calculable modifications to existing tools and methods that transportation agencies can follow to make the changes needed for research implementation.
• The AASHTO Committee on Performance-Based Planning, the AASHTO TAM Portal, TRB Standing Committee on Transportation Asset Management (AJE30), TRB Standing Committee on Performance Management (AJE20) will support the research implementation.
• TRB presentations and webinars are will be required for research implementation.
• Workshops, peer exchanges, pilot testing, verification and validation of research results are possible implementation actions.
Note: Title formerly "Socio-Economic Indicators in TAM Processes"
See: FHWA TAM Expert Task Group summary of this topic and potential R&I-sponsored research effort addressing equity
Note: Some TAM processes do include related socio-economic indicators, including NPV, ROI, IRR, FYRR and also social indicators such as population influenced, percentage of tax revenue utilized, revenue sources and the implied equity considerations (including racial and social equity). It is suggested to examine the indicators utilized in different states, and whether the socio-economic indicators are part of the decision making process.
Transportation owners and operators are responsible for the transportation system and the delivery of a range of services …
Objectives
Transportation owners and operators are responsible for the transportation system and the delivery of a range of services and functions through the management of that system. There are inherent risks involved with the management of these systems, notwithstanding aging infrastructure, and fiscally constrained resources. Many agencies are moving toward performance-based resource allocation while simultaneously recognizing risks that may undermine their strategic goals. As these risks affect every component of a highway system to a greater or lesser extent, accurately accounting for and addressing these risks within a highway agency’s enterprise-wide management program is the goal which currently lacks analysis tools.
Investing in risk and resilience strategies and enhanced recovery to reduce or eliminate the impact of external events is also paramount to ensure a thriving, viable transportation system. Risk management requires the identification and assessment of potential threats and hazards, asset vulnerabilities from applicable threats, an evaluation of potential mitigation actions to reduce risk, a clear and easy to implement process to prioritize mitigation activities, and investment that aligns with agency strategic and performance goals. Asset management and more recently performance management, has been an ongoing focus of many research efforts. However, guidance for analytical risk assessment methods to support risk-based asset management processes is lagging. Risk assessment processes, methods, and tools are needed to integrate risk management into asset and performance management systems. In addition, an understanding of the relationship between risks and system resilience is lacking.
Basics needed:
• Adopted definitions
• Standard framework for quantitative risk based on expected financial losses to agency and traveling public
• Establishment of performance metrics for risk and resilience
• Suggested risk tolerance and resilience performance targets that agencies can customize
• Methods to incorporate climate projections into decision making
• Methods to analyze both deterministic and probabilistic input data (500-yr flood versus climate scenarios)
Future research can expand threats analyzed; assets analyzed; climate projections; life cycle cost; remaining life consideration of assets; environmental impacts, etc.
Development of the AASHTO Highway Asset Risk & Resilience Manual: Phase 1
Estimated Timeframe: 36 months Funding: $3500000
Background
The US experienced 308 weather and climate related disasters since 1980 exceeding $2.085 trillion in physical losses and the loss of 14,492 lives. Between 1980-2020 the average number of billion- dollar events per year was 7.1, that number ballooned to 16.2 billion-dollar events per year on average between 2016-2020 (adjusted for Consumer Price Index). The most billion- dollar weather and climate related disasters occurred in 2020, with 22 billion-dollar events totaling $246.7 billion in losses and 553 deaths. As of September 2021, the current year is looking to break the record set in 2020 having experienced 18 billion-dollar events to date (Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters: Overview | National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) (noaa.gov) ). In addition, the recently published TRB Consensus Study on Resilience Metrics notes that 6 of the world’s 10 most costly natural disasters in 2020 occurred in the United States (TRB Resilience Metrics Consensus Study, 2021). With this level of impact on the nation’s infrastructure, transportation agencies need consistent methods to support decision making to address stressors such as extreme weather and climate change in planning, design, maintenance, and operations.
The TRB Resilience Metrics Consensus Study 2021 calls for the establishment of standard methods of analysis to support benefit-cost assessment to allow agencies to understand the “buy-down” of risk from capital and maintenance investments. In addition, the study calls on Congress to consider requiring that all federal funding candidate projects that involve long-lived assets requirement undergo well defined resilience assessments that account for changing risks of natural hazards and environmental conditions stemming from climate change. The proposed project will allow AASHTO and TRB to develop industry adopted standard methods of quantitative analysis in lieu of federally developed methods.
Proposed Program of Projects
A concerted level of commitment from AASHTO and TRB is needed to develop a single manual to serve as the “go-to” for quantitative analysis of financial risk to agency assets and the traveling public from extreme weather and climate change. Like the Highway Capacity Manual and the Highway Safety Manual, a single resource is needed to ensure consistent methods of analysis between projects and agencies, and to ensure adoption of robust quantitative methods to support benefit-cost analysis and decision making. A single manual will allow state, MPO, federal agencies to compare project investments on a level playing field – same models, same assumptions, same thresholds of performance. A single manual will also support the instruction of how to address extreme weather and climate change in planning and engineering curriculum at Universities ensuring future Transportation Professionals are equipped with the skills needed to support the adoption of such methods into practice. Finally, a single manual will allow the incorporation of extreme weather and climate change considerations in Professional Engineering examinations to further institutionalize these concepts in future design and decision making.
This program will establish a series of individual research projects to support the development of a Highway Resilience Manual born out of NCHRP 23-09, Scoping Study to Develop the Basis for a Highway Standard to Conduct an All-Hazards Risk and Resilience Analysis and NCHRP 20-123(04) Development of a Risk Management Strategic Plan and Research Roadmap. Similar to other NCHRP research programs such as NCHRP 20-102, Impacts of Connected Vehicles and Automated Vehicles on State and Local Transportation Agencies, this is a long-term research program that will result in an industry “standard” for all-hazards risk and resilience analysis for use in design, maintenance, and planning decision-making. In addition, the program of projects will address required data sources and work to field test the Highway Risk and Resilience Manual with a range of agencies as described in the following three phased approach and in the draft Research Roadmap:
Phase I: Development of Highway Risk and Resilience Manual. An anticipated 3-year phase consisting of multiple projects and costing approximately $3,500,000. Year 1 estimated to cost $1,500,000 with years 2 and 3 estimated at $1,000,000 each. There would be multiple projects under this phase including five projects identified through NCHRP 23-09:
Establish quantitative assessment methodology for top priority threats and assets (e.g., culverts and flooding)
Develop historical data capture process quantitative analysis methods
Establish performance metrics and thresholds for resilience and risk tolerance; provide guidance on reducing risk and improving resilience
Phase II: Implementation of Highway Risk and Resilience Manual. A 2-year, $2,000,000 program that would implement/apply the Highway Risk and Resilience Manual to 8-10 transportation agencies. A few potential projects in Phase II are outlined here:
Create internal and external agency communication and collaboration practices to incorporate Highway Risk and Resilience Manual in decision making
Develop capacity building plan to identify institutional and educational needs to incorporate Highway Risk and Resilience Manual into practice
Pilot test Highway Risk and Resilience Manual
Identify institutional organizational and procedural (IOP) changes and implementation strategies for the successful adoption of Highway Risk and Resilience Manual
Phase III: Development of Tools and Resources to Support the Highway Risk and Resilience Manual. A 2-year $1,500,000 effort to create automated, geospatial models that transportation agencies could use to implement the Highway Risk and Resilience Manual across networks or the transportation system.
Develop stand alone, open source computer script that can work within a GIS environment to automate Highway Risk and Resilience Manual calculations across multiple assets and threats in a geo-spatial setting
Develop spreadsheet-based tools to automate Highway Risk and Resilience Manual calculations across multiple assets and threats in a spreadsheet application
Selecting Performance Metrics for Evaluating Effectiveness of Risk Mitigation o Incorporating Risk Management into Maintenance Practice
Developing New Performance Metrics for Risk Management
Assessing the Impact of Common Risks on Federal Reporting Metrics
Objectives
Transportation owners and operators are responsible for the transportation system and the delivery of a range of services and functions through the management of that system. There are inherent risks involved with the management of these systems, notwithstanding aging infrastructure, and fiscally constrained resources. Many agencies are moving toward performance-based resource allocation while simultaneously recognizing risks that may undermine their strategic goals. As these risks affect every component of a highway system to a greater or lesser extent, accurately accounting for and addressing these risks within a highway agency’s enterprise-wide management program is the goal which currently lacks analysis tools.
Investing in risk and resilience strategies and enhanced recovery to reduce or eliminate the impact of external events is also paramount to ensure a thriving, viable transportation system. Risk management requires the identification and assessment of potential threats and hazards, asset vulnerabilities from applicable threats, an evaluation of potential mitigation actions to reduce risk, a clear and easy to implement process to prioritize mitigation activities, and investment that aligns with agency strategic and performance goals. Asset management and more recently performance management, has been an ongoing focus of many research efforts. However, guidance for analytical risk assessment methods to support risk-based asset management processes is lagging. Risk assessment processes, methods, and tools are needed to integrate risk management into asset and performance management systems. In addition, an understanding of the relationship between risks and system resilience is lacking.
Basics needed:
• Adopted definitions
• Standard framework for quantitative risk based on expected financial losses to agency and traveling public
• Establishment of performance metrics for risk and resilience
• Suggested risk tolerance and resilience performance targets that agencies can customize
• Methods to incorporate climate projections into decision making
• Methods to analyze both deterministic and probabilistic input data (500-yr flood versus climate scenarios)
Future research can expand threats analyzed; assets analyzed; climate projections; life cycle cost; remaining life consideration of assets; environmental impacts, etc.
The objectives of this research are to (1) estimate the current and future effect of dynamic CAV technologies on roadway a…
Objectives
The objectives of this research are to (1) estimate the current and future effect of dynamic CAV technologies on roadway and TSMO asset maintenance programs; (2) develop guidance on existing and proposed measureable standards associated with roadway and TSMO asset maintenance for preventive, reactive, and emerging maintenance needs; and (3) identify the associated resource and workforce development needs.
Determining the Impact of Connected and Automated Vehicle Technology on State DOT Maintenance Programs
Estimated Timeframe: Funding: $450000
Background
Connected and Automated Vehicle (CAV) technology is progressing rapidly. Numerous research and deployment initiatives are underway as the transportation industry continues to examine how roadway assets such as traffic control signs, markings, signals, guardrail, computing systems, communications infrastructure and systems, and other permanent and temporary ancillary devices can be designed or enhanced to facilitate CAV operations. With the diffusion of CAV technologies, effects on state transportation agency maintenance programs—which have constrained budgets and workforces—need to be examined to ensure that transportation agencies are prepared for the challenges of CAV implementation while maintaining the existing roadway system and its ancillary roadway assets at an acceptable level of service. Research is needed to (1) explore the effect of CAV technologies on roadway and Transportation Systems Management and Operations (TSMO) asset maintenance programs, and (2) develop guidance on measureable standards and resource implications.
Objectives
The objectives of this research are to (1) estimate the current and future effect of dynamic CAV technologies on roadway and TSMO asset maintenance programs; (2) develop guidance on existing and proposed measureable standards associated with roadway and TSMO asset maintenance for preventive, reactive, and emerging maintenance needs; and (3) identify the associated resource and workforce development needs.
The objective of this research is to develop a “playbook” with standards, specifications, and process flows to help ai…
Objectives
The objective of this research is to develop a “playbook” with standards, specifications, and process flows to help airport operators with the accurate and timely delivery of new and replacement asset information/meta data to key airport stakeholders responsible for tracking and maintaining airport assets.
Asset Information Handover Guidelines: From Planning and Construction to O&M
Estimated Timeframe: Funding: $300000
Background
Many airport operators have challenges when transitioning asset data from the planning, design, and construction stages to the operations and maintenance stage. These challenges include issues with timeliness, conformity, completeness, and accuracy. Such issues may lead to poorly informed operations and maintenance planning decisions, resulting in significant financial and functional impacts to operations and maintenance departments. There are a number of technology-based platforms to assist in the efficient and accurate transfer of asset data (e.g., geographic information systems, computerized maintenance management systems, building information modeling), yet many airports need guidelines for mapping not only the transition process, but for involving key departments and stakeholders through the entire process, from procurement to commissioning.
Objectives
The objective of this research is to develop a “playbook” with standards, specifications, and process flows to help airport operators with the accurate and timely delivery of new and replacement asset information/meta data to key airport stakeholders responsible for tracking and maintaining airport assets.
With the original project being completed in early 2020, the project panel has focused on both implementation of TAM Guide…
Objectives
With the original project being completed in early 2020, the project panel has focused on both implementation of TAM Guide III and determining additional needs to make the TAM Guide III better based on the original literature research and review. An extensive literature search was conducted as a part of the original NCHRP project phase one work and the results generally incorporated and addressed in the new TAM Guide III; however, because of funding limitations, not all of the desired changes, updates, and enhancements could be addressed. Based on those limitations, the objective of this research is to provide further enhancements and content to the TAM Guide III.
Further Enhancements and Content for the AASHTO Transportation Asset Management Guide
Estimated Timeframe: 18 months Funding: $450000
Background
Over the past two decades, asset management practice in transportation asset management (TAM) has been progressing with guidance produced from NCHRP Project 20-24(11), Asset Management Guidance for Transportation Agencies, initiated in 1999 and completed in 2002; NCHRP Project 08-69, Supplement to the AASHTO Transportation Asset Management Guide: Volume 2—A Focus on Implementation (TAM Guide II), initiated in 2008 and completed in 2010; and the current project NCHRP Project 08-109(01), Updating the AASHTO Transportation Asset Management Guide—A Focus on Implementation (TAM Guide III). TAM is an area of great importance to state departments of transportation (DOT) and other transportation agencies. As defined in the transportation legislation Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21), TAM is a “strategic and systematic process of operating, maintaining, and improving physical assets… that will achieve and sustain a desired state of good repair over the life cycle of the assets at minimum practicable cost.” In recent years interest in TAM has intensified in part due to the asset and performance management requirements introduced in MAP-21.
NCHRP Project 08-109, resulting in TAM Guide III, has developed an updated and new version of the existing AASHTO TAM Guide II using a new framework for asset management that has been adapted from the one developed by the UK-based Institute of Asset Management. This project was initiated to improve the existing guide’s effectiveness and thereby advance the practices of public-agency TAM. The research has been conducted in two phases, with the first phase focused on assessing the effectiveness of the current guide and developing a strategy for improving the guide’s effectiveness and presenting the guide in a form well suited to future updating. The second phase focused on developing the new print version of the TAM Guide III, as well as producing a TAM Guide III Digital Guide that will be added to AASHTO’s TAM Portal (http://tam.transportation.org).
Objectives
With the original project being completed in early 2020, the project panel has focused on both implementation of TAM Guide III and determining additional needs to make the TAM Guide III better based on the original literature research and review. An extensive literature search was conducted as a part of the original NCHRP project phase one work and the results generally incorporated and addressed in the new TAM Guide III; however, because of funding limitations, not all of the desired changes, updates, and enhancements could be addressed. Based on those limitations, the objective of this research is to provide further enhancements and content to the TAM Guide III.
Based on these changing conditions, the objective of this research is to investigate the needs and benefits from incorpora…
Objectives
Based on these changing conditions, the objective of this research is to investigate the needs and benefits from incorporating TSMO assets in TAMPs. The study will develop a guide for state DOTs to facilitate the inclusion of TSMO in TAMP without disrupting the established and on-going planning process.
Guide to the Integration of Transportation Systems Management and Operations (TSMO) into Transportation Asset Management
Since the early adoptions of transportation asset management (TAM) practices, and performance rule-making association with the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, state agencies have been encouraged to add assets beyond pavements and bridges in their risk-based transportation asset management plans (TAMPs). With rapidly growing advancements and uses of technology in transportation system and management operations (TSMO), new assets are becoming widespread critical components of the network such as communications and security technology, sensors, cameras, and other intelligent transportation system (ITS) infrastructure technologies.
TAMPs cross multiple functions (e.g., planning, engineering, maintenance, operation, finance and procurement) entailing the management and inclusion of all the components required to achieve the TAMP goal, which is maintaining and improving physical assets with a focus on engineering and economic analysis based upon quality information. Typically, transportation agencies focus on the benefits of deploying new technologies when installed and implemented in the exploration stage. However, moving forward to an exploitation phase, agencies need to start considering the long-term management of these technologies to maintain their good operational state.
In addition to managing the condition of TSMO assets, TAM decisions to other assets will have an impact on the operations of the network, such as traffic flows, that depend on traffic management and operations. The timing of the traffic management installation could span from the 20 minutes necessary to “make safe” a pothole in a live travel lane, to the multi-year management of lanes through a construction zone. Delivery of the TAMP is therefore dependent on safe, planned, and dependable access to the transportation infrastructure. Several agencies have realized the need to link TAM and TSMO from the early stages of developing their TAMP; however, establishing the connection was challenging and hard to achieve in most cases. Currently, Ohio DOT is in the process of connecting TSMO and TAM as reported in their TAMP. Additionally, Caltrans has been including their transportation management system (TMS) technology assets into the TAMP.
Objectives
Based on these changing conditions, the objective of this research is to investigate the needs and benefits from incorporating TSMO assets in TAMPs. The study will develop a guide for state DOTs to facilitate the inclusion of TSMO in TAMP without disrupting the established and on-going planning process.
The objectives of this research are to develop guidance promoting the use of performance-based management strategies in ma…
Objectives
The objectives of this research are to develop guidance promoting the use of performance-based management strategies in maintenance and to present the resulting information in a format that is easily accessible to the maintenance community.
Guidance on Using Performance-Based Management Approaches for Maintenance
Estimated Timeframe: 24 months Funding: $500000
Objectives
The objectives of this research are to develop guidance promoting the use of performance-based management strategies in maintenance and to present the resulting information in a format that is easily accessible to the maintenance community.
Start date: September 2020 End date: February 2022
The objective of this research is to develop a guide for state DOTs and other transportation agencies on incorporating mai…
Objectives
The objective of this research is to develop a guide for state DOTs and other transportation agencies on incorporating maintenance costs in a risk-based TAMP, including but not limited to the following:
1. A detailed presentation of procedures for identifying, collecting, and managing required data;
2. Using life-cycle planning tools and techniques to demonstrate financial requirements and cost-effectiveness of maintenance activities and preservation programs and the potential change in costs and liabilities associated with deferring these actions;
3. Formulating strategies that identify how to invest available funds over the next 10 years (as required by the TAMP) using life-cycle and benefit-cost analyses (and other applicable tools and techniques) to measure tradeoffs between capital and maintenance activities in alternative investment scenarios; and
4. Designing components of a financial plan showing anticipated revenues and planned investments in capital and maintenance costs for the next 10 years.
Background
The Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) established a performance-based Federal-Aid Highway Program that includes a requirement for state departments of transportation (DOTs) and metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), and other transportation planning agencies to develop and regularly update a risk-based Transportation Asset Management Plan (TAMP). The TAMP is designed to identify investment and management strategies to improve or preserve asset conditions as well as the performance of the National Highway System (NHS). Although only pavements and bridges on the NHS are required to be included in the TAMP, states are encouraged to include additional assets. At a minimum, the TAMP should include the following:
A summary of NHS pavement and bridge assets, including a description of conditions;
Asset management objectives and performance measures;
Identification of any performance gaps;
A life-cycle cost and risk management analysis; and
A 10-year financial plan and corresponding investment strategies.
While most states are able to capture past and planned expenditures on capital projects, states are finding it challenging to incorporate maintenance costs into their TAMP.
The absence of maintenance cost data in a TAMP must be addressed to capture the full amount of investments being made by states in the transportation system. This issue is especially important as state transportation agencies increase their attention to system preservation, placing greater emphasis on preventive maintenance.
A Guide for Incorporating Maintenance Costs into a Transportation Asset Management Plan
Timeframe: 18 months Project Funding: $350000
Background
The Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) established a performance-based Federal-Aid Highway Program that includes a requirement for state departments of transportation (DOTs) and metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), and other transportation planning agencies to develop and regularly update a risk-based Transportation Asset Management Plan (TAMP). The TAMP is designed to identify investment and management strategies to improve or preserve asset conditions as well as the performance of the National Highway System (NHS). Although only pavements and bridges on the NHS are required to be included in the TAMP, states are encouraged to include additional assets. At a minimum, the TAMP should include the following:
A summary of NHS pavement and bridge assets, including a description of conditions;
Asset management objectives and performance measures;
Identification of any performance gaps;
A life-cycle cost and risk management analysis; and
A 10-year financial plan and corresponding investment strategies.
While most states are able to capture past and planned expenditures on capital projects, states are finding it challenging to incorporate maintenance costs into their TAMP.
The absence of maintenance cost data in a TAMP must be addressed to capture the full amount of investments being made by states in the transportation system. This issue is especially important as state transportation agencies increase their attention to system preservation, placing greater emphasis on preventive maintenance.
Objectives
The objective of this research is to develop a guide for state DOTs and other transportation agencies on incorporating maintenance costs in a risk-based TAMP, including but not limited to the following:
1. A detailed presentation of procedures for identifying, collecting, and managing required data;
2. Using life-cycle planning tools and techniques to demonstrate financial requirements and cost-effectiveness of maintenance activities and preservation programs and the potential change in costs and liabilities associated with deferring these actions;
3. Formulating strategies that identify how to invest available funds over the next 10 years (as required by the TAMP) using life-cycle and benefit-cost analyses (and other applicable tools and techniques) to measure tradeoffs between capital and maintenance activities in alternative investment scenarios; and
4. Designing components of a financial plan showing anticipated revenues and planned investments in capital and maintenance costs for the next 10 years.
Proposed Research Activities
The research plan should (1) include a kick-off web conference to review the amplified work plan with the NCHRP project panel, convened within 1 month of the contract’s execution; (2) address how the proposer intends to satisfy the project objective; (3) be divided logically into (at least) two phases encompassing specific detailed tasks for each phase that are necessary to fulfill the research objectives, including appropriate milestones and interim deliverables; and (4) incorporate opportunities for the project panel to review, comment on, and approve milestone deliverables. It should also include a review of other related studies in general and NCHRP research studies in particular.
In response to the objective, the research plan should
• Identify and review previous and ongoing NCHRP studies and other research indicative of the state-of-the-art with respect to defining, calculating, and incorporating maintenance costs in asset management plans;
• Review a diverse sample of existing TAMPs and summarize the extent to which maintenance costs are incorporated into the life cycle-cost analysis, risk and uncertainty analysis, and benefit-cost, financial planning and investment strategies; and identify key gaps in how maintenance costs are considered in a TAMP;
• Determine adequacy of available maintenance cost data to support the needs in each TAMP content area and identify what information is needed as a function of asset categories; and
• Develop guidelines to better account for past and planned maintenance costs as states develop their TAMP;
o Consider agencies at various levels of maturity in terms of their maintenance management practices in the guidelines and address special requirements necessary to incorporate assets in addition to pavements and bridges in the TAMP; and
o Consider how to address the impact on future maintenance cost increases from assets brought to the transportation system as a function of new capital improvements.
Phase I
At a minimum, work in Phase I will include the following steps:
1. Review of existing experience and conditions affecting inclusion of maintenance costs in TAMP;
2. Identify the types of assets that will be considered in the analysis in addition to pavement and bridges;
3. With assistance from the NCHRP panel, identify potential DOTs and other transportation agencies as subjects of a set of case studies for developing procedures for, and benefits from, the inclusion of maintenance costs in the TAMP;
4. Carry out the case studies and gather information from selected agencies to identify and evaluate data requirements, availability, opportunities, and constraints; and
5. Create a preliminary framework for the guide to be refined in Phase II, for incorporating maintenance costs in TAMPs, comprising a basic structure identifying tools, techniques, and procedures.
The work accomplished in Phase I will be documented in an interim report that describes the preliminary steps necessary to analyze and understand the process and requirements for incorporating maintenance costs in TAMPs. The NCHRP project panel will meet with the research team at the end of Phase I to review the interim report. NCHRP approval of the interim report is required before proceeding with Phase II.
Phase II
Building on the framework presented in Phase I and input from the NCHRP panel following the interim review, the research team will follow up with the agencies that previously participated in the case studies to refine and expand that preliminary framework, creating a guide for state DOTs and other transportation agencies on how to develop the resources and procedures for incorporating maintenance costs in TAMPs. At a minimum, this guide will include the following:
1. Procedures for identifying, collecting, and managing required data;
2. How to use life-cycle planning tools and techniques to demonstrate financial requirements and cost-effectiveness of maintenance activities and preservation programs and the potential change in costs and liabilities associated with deferring these actions;
3. Strategies that identify how to invest available funds over the next 10 years (as required by the TAMP) using life-cycle and benefit-cost analyses (and other applicable tools and techniques) to measure tradeoffs between capital and maintenance activities in alternative investment scenarios; and
4. Components of a financial plan showing anticipated revenues and planned investments in capital and maintenance costs for the next 10 years.
Final deliverables of Phase II will include at a minimum:
• A detailed guide for state DOTs and other transportation agencies on requirements for incorporating maintenance costs in TAMPs, defining critical steps necessary to acquire resources and necessary data, and to implement new procedures;
• A contractor’s final report that documents the entire research effort. This report should also include recommendations for additional validation in diverse settings, research on applicable procedures, data collection, analytical methods, and tools;
• A stand-alone executive summary that outlines the findings and recommendations;
• Communication material aimed at state DOTs and other transportation agencies that explains the benefits of using the guide and the potential return on investment in expanding the TAMP to include maintenance costs; and
• A stand-alone technical memorandum entitled, “Implementation of Research Findings and Products” (See Special Note B).
The research plan should build in appropriate checkpoints with the NCHRP project panel including, at a minimum, (1) a kick-off teleconference meeting to be held within 1 month of the contract’s execution date; (2) the face-to-face interim deliverable review meeting to be held at the end of Phase I; and (3) at least two additional web-enabled teleconferences tied to NCHRP review and approval of any other interim deliverables as deemed appropriate.
The objective of this research is to provide a scoping study for a transportation framework for all-hazards risk and resil…
Objectives
The objective of this research is to provide a scoping study for a transportation framework for all-hazards risk and resilience analysis of transportation assets. The scoping study must accomplish the following objectives:
1. Develop a comprehensive and consistent set of risk- and resilience-related terminology for transportation agency use; and
2. Provide a research roadmap for developing a framework for a quantitative all-hazards risk and resilience analysis of transportation assets, with its associated tools, and guidance on its application.
Accomplishment of the project objective(s) will require at least the following four tasks.
Background
Risk-informed asset management and an understanding of system resilience are two relatively new concepts within the transportation industry. Transportation agencies often use all-hazards risk and resilience analyses to make decisions about enhancing system resilience. The Federal Emergency Management Administration defines "all-hazards" as “Natural, technological, or human-caused incidents that warrant action to protect life, property, environment, and public health or safety…” (https://training.fema.gov/programs/emischool/el361toolkit/glossary.htm). To conduct all-hazards risk and resiliency analyses for transportation assets, a transportation agency must:
• Know assets’ locations and their criticality for service delivery;
• Understand potential natural and man-made threats and associated likelihoods affecting assets;
• Be able to quantify the potential consequences from applicable threats to assets while adequately addressing the considerable uncertainty in those consequences; and
• Understand the link between risk and resilience.
In 2006, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers published Risk Analysis and Management for Critical Infrastructure Protection (RAMCAP), an all-hazards approach to critical infrastructure risk assessment. The initial document focused on terrorist activities but has since expanded into analysis of natural hazards such as extreme weather, seismic events, and changing environmental conditions, given the increased activity from such threats in recent years. RAMCAP identifies transportation as a critical sector, along with industries such as banking, oil/gas, electricity, water/wastewater, and nuclear energy. To date, several industries, including the water/wastewater sector, have developed an industry-specific standard for risk assessment. By demonstrating an active approach to risk assessment and management developed and approved by professionals within the water/wastewater sector, those agencies have seen improvements in bond ratings and reductions in insurance premiums. While RAMCAP provides a generic approach to critical infrastructure risk assessment, it does not provide specific information on asset performance under applicable threats for any one critical sector.
Through pilot studies, state departments of transportation (DOTs) have applied RAMCAP and similar guidance to risk and resilience analysis in their states. FHWA’s Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation Framework (FHWA-HEP-18-020), for example, is guidance based on significant pilot studies in a large number of states. Four key lessons from the state DOT pilot studies include:
1. Though some research studies have been published on transportation asset performance under physical threats, this information is scattered across many published articles dating back to the 1960s and has not been compiled in a user-friendly format.
2. State agencies see the need for a common language for risk and resilience practitioners to facilitate adoption and implementation of consistent and effective risk management and resilience practices.
3. A simple industry framework is needed to support compilation of information for risk-based analysis of transportation assets, to reduce the burden on state DOTs and metropolitan planning organizations by clarifying the bases for quantifying annual risk and ensuring system resilience:
• Threat probabilities by type of hazard and by geographic location;
• Asset vulnerability to each applicable threat, appropriately considering asset resilience; and
• Quantitative anticipated consequences from each applicable threat to each asset, appropriately considering the significant uncertainties in those consequences.
4. Agencies prefer not to be constrained by proprietary solutions for all-hazards risk and resilience analyses but have the flexibility to implement open-source, repeatable methodologies. Inputs for these analyses should be derived from data readily available to agencies or other users.
The AASHTO Committee on Transportation System Security and Resilience and the Subcommittees on Risk Management and Asset Management have, collectively, identified the need for a transportation-specific framework that responsible agencies can use in conducting their own all-hazards risk and resilience analyses to facilitate enterprise-wide transportation decision-making. Research is needed to develop this framework and provide guidance on its use.
Scoping Study to Develop the Basis for a Highway Standard to Conduct an All-Hazards Risk and Resilience Analysis
Timeframe: 18 months Project Funding: $250000
Background
Risk-informed asset management and an understanding of system resilience are two relatively new concepts within the transportation industry. Transportation agencies often use all-hazards risk and resilience analyses to make decisions about enhancing system resilience. The Federal Emergency Management Administration defines "all-hazards" as “Natural, technological, or human-caused incidents that warrant action to protect life, property, environment, and public health or safety…” (https://training.fema.gov/programs/emischool/el361toolkit/glossary.htm). To conduct all-hazards risk and resiliency analyses for transportation assets, a transportation agency must:
• Know assets’ locations and their criticality for service delivery;
• Understand potential natural and man-made threats and associated likelihoods affecting assets;
• Be able to quantify the potential consequences from applicable threats to assets while adequately addressing the considerable uncertainty in those consequences; and
• Understand the link between risk and resilience.
In 2006, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers published Risk Analysis and Management for Critical Infrastructure Protection (RAMCAP), an all-hazards approach to critical infrastructure risk assessment. The initial document focused on terrorist activities but has since expanded into analysis of natural hazards such as extreme weather, seismic events, and changing environmental conditions, given the increased activity from such threats in recent years. RAMCAP identifies transportation as a critical sector, along with industries such as banking, oil/gas, electricity, water/wastewater, and nuclear energy. To date, several industries, including the water/wastewater sector, have developed an industry-specific standard for risk assessment. By demonstrating an active approach to risk assessment and management developed and approved by professionals within the water/wastewater sector, those agencies have seen improvements in bond ratings and reductions in insurance premiums. While RAMCAP provides a generic approach to critical infrastructure risk assessment, it does not provide specific information on asset performance under applicable threats for any one critical sector.
Through pilot studies, state departments of transportation (DOTs) have applied RAMCAP and similar guidance to risk and resilience analysis in their states. FHWA’s Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation Framework (FHWA-HEP-18-020), for example, is guidance based on significant pilot studies in a large number of states. Four key lessons from the state DOT pilot studies include:
1. Though some research studies have been published on transportation asset performance under physical threats, this information is scattered across many published articles dating back to the 1960s and has not been compiled in a user-friendly format.
2. State agencies see the need for a common language for risk and resilience practitioners to facilitate adoption and implementation of consistent and effective risk management and resilience practices.
3. A simple industry framework is needed to support compilation of information for risk-based analysis of transportation assets, to reduce the burden on state DOTs and metropolitan planning organizations by clarifying the bases for quantifying annual risk and ensuring system resilience:
• Threat probabilities by type of hazard and by geographic location;
• Asset vulnerability to each applicable threat, appropriately considering asset resilience; and
• Quantitative anticipated consequences from each applicable threat to each asset, appropriately considering the significant uncertainties in those consequences.
4. Agencies prefer not to be constrained by proprietary solutions for all-hazards risk and resilience analyses but have the flexibility to implement open-source, repeatable methodologies. Inputs for these analyses should be derived from data readily available to agencies or other users.
The AASHTO Committee on Transportation System Security and Resilience and the Subcommittees on Risk Management and Asset Management have, collectively, identified the need for a transportation-specific framework that responsible agencies can use in conducting their own all-hazards risk and resilience analyses to facilitate enterprise-wide transportation decision-making. Research is needed to develop this framework and provide guidance on its use.
Objectives
The objective of this research is to provide a scoping study for a transportation framework for all-hazards risk and resilience analysis of transportation assets. The scoping study must accomplish the following objectives:
1. Develop a comprehensive and consistent set of risk- and resilience-related terminology for transportation agency use; and
2. Provide a research roadmap for developing a framework for a quantitative all-hazards risk and resilience analysis of transportation assets, with its associated tools, and guidance on its application.
Accomplishment of the project objective(s) will require at least the following four tasks.
Proposed Research Activities
Task 1. Conduct preliminary work for roadmap development. Some preliminary work must be conducted before guidance on roadmap development can be sought (see Task 2) and the roadmap can be designed (see Task 3). This groundwork has two parts, which shall be done concurrently.
Task 1a. Develop a risk- and resilience-related glossary of terms. Transportation agencies may use this glossary as a common reference for future research on this topic. To develop the glossary, the terminology presented in NCHRP_Synthesis_527: Resilience in Transportation Planning, Engineering, Management, Policy, and Administration, should be reviewed, with the prospect of making the terminology more broadly actionable. At minimum, the following items should be considered for the glossary development:
Nature and extent of risk faced by state DOTs, including ways of characterizing risk both qualitatively and quantitatively;
Terminology adopted by risk standards organizations;
Risk and resilience terminology already in use in the transportation industry; and
Terminology already adopted and standardized within technical disciplines that support the transportation industry.
Where it is not feasible to propose a single characterization or definition, the glossary will enable translation across disciplines, and it shall include a quick reference matrix or table to help users understand how terms are used in different contexts or guidance.
Task 1b. Conduct a state-of-practice review. This review will summarize current, leading practices, including but not limited to the following:
Identifying critical transportation assets;
Estimating vulnerability to various threats or hazards;
Assessing consequences from damage and loss of functionality;
Developing recovery strategies to enable assessment of risk and system resilience, including RAMCAP and other relevant work; and
Incorporating cybersecurity and other emerging threats associated with evolution of transportation technology.
NCHRP must approve the glossary of terms (Task 1a) and state-of-practice review (Task 1b) products before work on Task 2 may begin.
Task 2. Engage the transportation industry for roadmap development guidance. To obtain broad industry input on roadmap development, the research team should explore, at a minimum, the following engagement options:
Relevant AASHTO and other industry meetings, including those of the Committee on Transportation System Security and Resilience (CTSSR) and the Subcommittees on Risk Management and Asset Management; and
Conducting a webinar for AASHTO committee and subcommittee members and other interested parties presenting an executive-level summary and forum to discuss pertinent frameworks and how they relate to the proposed effort for transportation.
Task 2 shall include the following milestones:
Submittal of a technical memorandum summarizing results from Tasks 1 and 2.
Presentation of the memorandum at an interim meeting with the project panel in Washington, D.C. The memorandum shall include multiple proposed approaches for designing the roadmap.
Approval of the memorandum by NCHRP before proceeding with Task 3.
Task 3. Design research roadmap and develop research problem statements.
Task 3a. Design research roadmap to develop the quantitative all-hazards framework. The roadmap design should recognize that the framework would ultimately include associated tools and application guidance.
Outline work groups composed of AASHTO committee members and possibly non-AASHTO experts who will guide and validate the roadmap; and
Conduct invitational, multi-day workshop for up to 20 key personnel to validate the roadmap, preferably in conjunction with another AASHTO meeting.
Task 3b. Develop associated problem statement(s) for research supporting the roadmap. The research problem statement(s) will focus on developing the framework and its associated tools and application guidance. NCHRP will provide a template for the problem statement(s).
The Task 3 products will include (1) a validated roadmap document that includes the findings of Tasks 1-2; and (2) research problem statements. NCHRP approval of both of these products is required before their use in Task 4.
Task 4. Final report preparation. The roadmap document developed and validated in Tasks 1-3 shall be combined with the research problem statement(s) developed in Task 3 to constitute the final project report.
The objective of this research is to develop resources for state DOTs and other transportation organizations to help them …
Objectives
The objective of this research is to develop resources for state DOTs and other transportation organizations to help them explain the value of investing in resilience throughout the life cycle of planning, engineering, design, operations, construction, and maintenance activities.
The resources should provide tools for state DOTs to (1) build the business case for investing in resilience strategies and (2) develop communication strategies to make the public and stakeholders aware of the importance of resilience as part of the state DOT's overall mission. This project should consider the diversity of resiliency issues among state DOTs and agencies.
Accomplishment of the project objective will require at least the following tasks.
Background
Significant research has been conducted on many different aspects of system resilience and security, but research is lacking on the topics of (1) how state transportation officials can make a business case for investing in resilience strategies and (2) resilience-oriented communications strategies. Communications strategies are central to successful balloting of state and local funding initiatives. This project is focused on both the "hard" technical business cases and the arguably "harder" communications strategies applicable to the general public as well as governors, legislators, staff and leadership at state departments of transportation (DOTs), and regional transportation planning organizations.
The 2015 Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act (Pub. L. No. 114-94) included several requirements for transportation agencies that reflected an increasing concern for system and operational resilience and security. For example, statewide and metropolitan transportation planning processes were to consider projects/strategies to improve the resilience and reliability of the transportation system. It continued all prior National Highway Performance Program (NHPP) eligibilities and added (among four new eligible categories) one for projects to reduce the risk of failure of critical NHS infrastructure (defined to mean a facility, the incapacity or failure of which would have a debilitating impact in certain specified areas). The FAST Act keeps in place a resilience provision introduced in the 2012 Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21), which required state DOTs to develop risk-based asset management plans.
State DOTs are addressing resilience issues in concert with local and regional organizations, including governments, planning organizations, non-profits, and the business community. In order to identify effective business case and communications strategies for state DOT resilience efforts, it is key to acknowledge the different demographics, infrastructure, and resource capabilities of each state DOT and agency, as well as the differing resilience opportunities and challenges they face. In addition, some state DOTs and local and regional transportation agencies have begun and achieved robust resilience activities. It is apparent that system resilience is becoming an ever more important concern for transportation officials at all levels of government.
Business Case and Communications Strategies for State DOT Resilience Efforts
Timeframe: Project Funding: $349618
Background
Significant research has been conducted on many different aspects of system resilience and security, but research is lacking on the topics of (1) how state transportation officials can make a business case for investing in resilience strategies and (2) resilience-oriented communications strategies. Communications strategies are central to successful balloting of state and local funding initiatives. This project is focused on both the "hard" technical business cases and the arguably "harder" communications strategies applicable to the general public as well as governors, legislators, staff and leadership at state departments of transportation (DOTs), and regional transportation planning organizations.
The 2015 Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act (Pub. L. No. 114-94) included several requirements for transportation agencies that reflected an increasing concern for system and operational resilience and security. For example, statewide and metropolitan transportation planning processes were to consider projects/strategies to improve the resilience and reliability of the transportation system. It continued all prior National Highway Performance Program (NHPP) eligibilities and added (among four new eligible categories) one for projects to reduce the risk of failure of critical NHS infrastructure (defined to mean a facility, the incapacity or failure of which would have a debilitating impact in certain specified areas). The FAST Act keeps in place a resilience provision introduced in the 2012 Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21), which required state DOTs to develop risk-based asset management plans.
State DOTs are addressing resilience issues in concert with local and regional organizations, including governments, planning organizations, non-profits, and the business community. In order to identify effective business case and communications strategies for state DOT resilience efforts, it is key to acknowledge the different demographics, infrastructure, and resource capabilities of each state DOT and agency, as well as the differing resilience opportunities and challenges they face. In addition, some state DOTs and local and regional transportation agencies have begun and achieved robust resilience activities. It is apparent that system resilience is becoming an ever more important concern for transportation officials at all levels of government.
Objectives
The objective of this research is to develop resources for state DOTs and other transportation organizations to help them explain the value of investing in resilience throughout the life cycle of planning, engineering, design, operations, construction, and maintenance activities.
The resources should provide tools for state DOTs to (1) build the business case for investing in resilience strategies and (2) develop communication strategies to make the public and stakeholders aware of the importance of resilience as part of the state DOT's overall mission. This project should consider the diversity of resiliency issues among state DOTs and agencies.
Accomplishment of the project objective will require at least the following tasks.
Proposed Research Activities
Phase I
Task 1. Literature review. Review relevant practice, performance data, research findings, and other information related to (a) building a business case for resilience and (b) resilience communications strategies. Include a broad spectrum of industries and resources; legal and regulatory justifications; social and economic losses associated with disruptions; international and other levels of cross-border planning. See Special Note F.
Task 2. Employing quantitative and/or qualitative research methods, review current resilience business case examples and communications strategies. Measuring performance of communications efforts—especially as it relates to public and internal agency support for resilience initiatives—is of particular interest. Include common obstacles and how they are overcome. Ensure that a full range of diverse disruptions is represented, and at least includes those caused by various shocks and stressors, such as natural, societal, technological, and human-caused. Include unpublished information such as after action reports from state DOTs.
Note: If proposed, survey/interview instruments and sampling plans shall be submitted for NCHRP review and approval prior to use.
Task 3. Based on what was learned in Task 1 and Task 2, develop a revised work plan to support the development of project deliverables in Phase II (i.e., case studies and tools).
Task 4. Prepare an interim report on the findings and conclusions of Tasks 1 through 3. The interim report should include draft tables of contents for products that will be developed in Phase II and detailed plans for Task 5 and Task 6. The research plan shall provide a 2-month period for review and approval of the interim report. An interim meeting of the project panel to discuss the interim report with the research agency will be required.
Note: For budget purposes, to allow for the possibility of an in-person meeting, assume NCHRP will be responsible for the cost of panel member travel and will provide the meeting facility. The interim meeting may be held virtually or in a blended in-person/remote format. For the interim meeting, provide a PowerPoint presentation suitable, upon revision, for posting on the NCHRP project web page. The research agency shall not begin work on the remaining tasks without NCHRP approval.
Phase II
Task 5. Based on the approved Phase II work plan, prepare no fewer than 6 diverse case studies of how agencies have (a) developed business cases for resilience and (b) planned and executed communication strategies for resilience programs. Case studies should cover communications tailored for various internal and external stakeholders such as
• Governors
• Legislators
• Policymakers
• Local communities
• General public
• State DOT leadership
• State DOT staff
• Regional transportation planning organizations such as Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) and Rural Planning Organizations (RPOs)
Task 6. Prepare tools for state DOTs and other transportation organizations to explain the value of investing in resilience throughout the life cycle of a DOT’s planning, engineering, design, operations, construction, and maintenance activities. The tools should support agencies as they (1) build the business case for investing in resilience strategies and (2) develop communication strategies to make the public and stakeholders aware of the importance of resilience as part of a state DOT’s mission. Also prepare a final report documenting the research and a 2-page executive summary.
Tools for use by the primary audiences should include (a) “resilience communications plan in-a-box”; (b) “business case in-a-box”; and (c) Task 5 case studies.
The objective of this synthesis is to document the various technologies used by DOTs to inspect highway infrastructure dur…
Objectives
The objective of this synthesis is to document the various technologies used by DOTs to inspect highway infrastructure during construction and maintenance of assets.
Information to be gathered includes (but is not limited to):
• The technologies used for inspection of new and existing highway infrastructure assets (e.g., geospatial technologies, mobile software applications, nondestructive evaluation, remote sensing and monitoring);
• The different methods used to assess the viability, efficiencies, and return on investment (ROI) of inspection technologies;
• How information from these assessments is being used (e.g., for construction project management, to allocate resources, to determine condition of the asset).
Background
Highway infrastructure inspection is critical in any transportation system because it ensures conformance with plans, specifications, and material requirements over the lifecycle of the asset. Historically, state departments of transportation (DOTs) have employed on-site workforces to execute infrastructure inspection using traditional inspection methods. With the latest technological advancements, the inspection landscape has been rapidly changing through incorporation of technologies such as Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), embedded and remote sensors, intelligent machines, mobile devices, and new software applications. These technologies can potentially satisfy the need for cost-effective and efficient inspection and monitoring of highway infrastructure (e.g. roadways, bridges, drainage systems, signage).
Highway Infrastructure Inspection Practices for the Digital Age
Timeframe: 9 months Project Funding: $45000
Background
Highway infrastructure inspection is critical in any transportation system because it ensures conformance with plans, specifications, and material requirements over the lifecycle of the asset. Historically, state departments of transportation (DOTs) have employed on-site workforces to execute infrastructure inspection using traditional inspection methods. With the latest technological advancements, the inspection landscape has been rapidly changing through incorporation of technologies such as Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), embedded and remote sensors, intelligent machines, mobile devices, and new software applications. These technologies can potentially satisfy the need for cost-effective and efficient inspection and monitoring of highway infrastructure (e.g. roadways, bridges, drainage systems, signage).
Objectives
The objective of this synthesis is to document the various technologies used by DOTs to inspect highway infrastructure during construction and maintenance of assets.
Information to be gathered includes (but is not limited to):
• The technologies used for inspection of new and existing highway infrastructure assets (e.g., geospatial technologies, mobile software applications, nondestructive evaluation, remote sensing and monitoring);
• The different methods used to assess the viability, efficiencies, and return on investment (ROI) of inspection technologies;
• How information from these assessments is being used (e.g., for construction project management, to allocate resources, to determine condition of the asset).
Proposed Research Activities
Information will be collected through literature, a survey of DOTs, and follow-up interviews with selected agencies for the development of case examples. Information gaps and suggestions for research to address those gaps will be identified.
Information Sources (Partial):
• Chase, S., Edwards, M. (2011). “Developing a Tele-Robotic Platform for Bridge Inspection.” Virginia Transportation Research Council and Mid-Atlantic University Transportation Centers Program.
• FHWA research on the use of RFID tags to track paving materials (https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/infrastructure/pavements/14061/index.c fm)
• Heymsfield, E., and Kuss, M. L. (2014). “Implementing Gigapixel Technology to Highway Bridge Inspections.” Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities, 10.1061/(ASCE)CF.1943-5509.0000561, 04014074.
• Gibb, S. P. (2018). “Non-destructive Evaluation Sensor Data Processing and Fusion for Automated Inspection of Civil Infrastructure.” MS Thesis.
• La, H. M., Gucunski, N., Dana, K., and Kee, S. (2017). “Development of an Autonomous Bridge Deck Inspection Robotic System.” Journal of Field Robotics, 34(8), 1489–1504. Retrieved from https://onlinelibrary. wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/rob.21725, https://doi.org/10.1002/rob. 21725.
• Mulder, G. (2015). “e-Construction,” Iowa Department of Transportation, Presentation on May 27, 2015.
• NCHRP Project 22-33: Multi-State In-Service Performance Evaluations of Roadside Safety Hardware (Research in progress)
• NCHRP Synthesis 545: Electronic Ticketing of Materials for Construction Management
• NCHRP Synthesis 548: Development and Use of As-Builts Plans by State DOTS
• NCHRP Synthesis 20-05/Topic 51-01: Practices for Construction-Ready Digital Terrain Models (Current Synthesis)
• Effective Use of Geospatial Tools in Highway Construction (Publication No. FHWA HIF10-089, October, 2019)
• NCHRP Project 20-68A, Scan 17-01: Successful Approaches for the Use of Unmanned Arial Systems by Surface Transportation Agencies.
The objective of this synthesis is to document current state DOT practice and experience regarding collecting and ensuring…
Objectives
The objective of this synthesis is to document current state DOT practice and experience regarding collecting and ensuring the accuracy of element level data. The synthesis will also examine how DOTs are using the data from inspection reports.
Information to be gathered includes (but is not limited to):
• Practices for collecting element level data (e.g., collection software, nondestructive evaluation methods);
• Practices and methods for ensuring the accuracy of the data collected;
• DOT business processes that use element level data (e.g., project scoping, maintenance, bridge asset management modeling and analyses, performance measurement and reporting); and
• Aspects of DOT bridge management systems that use element level data (e.g., deterioration models, action types, action costs, decision rules, performance indices).
Background
State departments of transportation (DOTs) have been transitioning to using element inspection data for documenting bridge conditions since 2014. This condition assessment methodology offers a significant opportunity to improve the timing, cost efficiency, and accuracy of bridge maintenance, rehabilitations, and replacement decisions. However, there is no standard guidance on achieving those benefits. Bridge management platforms such as AASHTOWare BrM can combine these data with other inputs to forecast future conditions and recommend optimal plans for a portfolio of bridges.
Anecdotal evidence suggests that state DOTs that receive the inspection reports are taking numerous approaches to using the data. Many DOTs rely on general condition ratings reported to the National Bridge Inventory for bridge maintenance and investment decisions. Still others have begun to incorporate the element level data into those decisions.
Using Bridge Element Data in Asset Management Decision Making
Timeframe: 9 months Project Funding: $45000
Background
State departments of transportation (DOTs) have been transitioning to using element inspection data for documenting bridge conditions since 2014. This condition assessment methodology offers a significant opportunity to improve the timing, cost efficiency, and accuracy of bridge maintenance, rehabilitations, and replacement decisions. However, there is no standard guidance on achieving those benefits. Bridge management platforms such as AASHTOWare BrM can combine these data with other inputs to forecast future conditions and recommend optimal plans for a portfolio of bridges.
Anecdotal evidence suggests that state DOTs that receive the inspection reports are taking numerous approaches to using the data. Many DOTs rely on general condition ratings reported to the National Bridge Inventory for bridge maintenance and investment decisions. Still others have begun to incorporate the element level data into those decisions.
Objectives
The objective of this synthesis is to document current state DOT practice and experience regarding collecting and ensuring the accuracy of element level data. The synthesis will also examine how DOTs are using the data from inspection reports.
Information to be gathered includes (but is not limited to):
• Practices for collecting element level data (e.g., collection software, nondestructive evaluation methods);
• Practices and methods for ensuring the accuracy of the data collected;
• DOT business processes that use element level data (e.g., project scoping, maintenance, bridge asset management modeling and analyses, performance measurement and reporting); and
• Aspects of DOT bridge management systems that use element level data (e.g., deterioration models, action types, action costs, decision rules, performance indices).
Proposed Research Activities
Information will be collected through literature review, a survey of DOTs, and follow-up interviews with selected agencies for the development of case examples. Information gaps and suggestions for research to address those gaps will be identified.
Information Sources (Partial):
• NCHRP Scan Team Report for Scan 07-05, Best Practices in Bridge Management Decision-Making (2009). (http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/nchrp/docs/NCHRP20-68A_07-05.pdf
• Utah DOT, Bridge Management Manual (2017). https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Qnl3isRKugZl9kyCFS11GCIPiVfKQNFF/view
• NCHRP Web-Only Document 259, Guidelines to Improve the Quality of Element-Level Bridge Inspection (2019). http://www.trb.org/Main/Blurbs/178842.aspx
• Joint Transportation Research Program FHWA/IN/JTRP-2016/13, Element Level Bridge Inspection: Benefits and Use of Data for Bridge Management. https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/jtrp/1606/
• AASHTO Technical Services Program, Bridge Preservation BMS Working Group survey
Bridge Preservation BMS Working Group:
https://tsp2bridge.pavementpreservation.org/national-working-groups/#Bridge%20Preservation%20BMS%20Working%20Group
AASHTO Technical Services Program: https://tsp2bridge.pavementpreservation.org/
The objective of this research is to develop a guide for the formulation of long-range plans and budgets for replacement o…
Objectives
The objective of this research is to develop a guide for the formulation of long-range plans and budgets for replacement of highway operations equipment. The guide shall include processes and tools for consideration in making investment decisions. For the purpose of this research, long-range is defined as 20-25 years.
Background
State highway agency equipment fleet assets are vital to the delivery of agency programs, projects, and services. These fleets represent a significant capital investment and require recurring maintenance, operational expenditures, and timely replacement to achieve the desired level of performance, reliability, and economy. A variety of practices have been used by state departments of transportation (state DOTs) agencies for making investment decisions for highway operation equipment. However, there is no widely accepted process for determining the long-range needs and budgets.
There is a need to identify current practices, review relevant information, and develop rational processes that will provide state DOTs a realistic means for making investment decisions. A guide for formulating the long-range plans for replacement needs and budgets of highway operations equipment can then be prepared to facilitate use of these processes. Such a guide will help highway equipment managers and administrators in making decisions regarding replacement needs and budgets. NCHRP Research Report 879: Optimal Replacement Cycles of Highway Operations Equipment (http://www.trb.org/Publications/Blurbs/177263.aspx) contains guidance on the processes and tools that should be considered in making decisions regarding the optimal replacement cycles of on- and off-road highway operations equipment used by state DOTs; these can be useful for this research.
Recent work completed under NCHRP Project 13-06, “Guide for the Formulation of Long-Range Plans for Replacement Needs and Budget of Highway Operations Equipment” (http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/nchrp/docs/NCHRP13-06_RevisedInterimReport.pdf), provided a review of some of the issues related to the formulation of long-range plans and budgets for replacement of highway operations equipment and proposed a preliminary research plan for developing related guidance (see Special Note B). However, additional research is needed to further define and address the issues associated with the formulation of long-range plans and budgets for replacement of highway operations equipment and develop the needed guidance.
Guide for the Formulation of Long-Range Plans and Budgets for Replacement of Highway Operations Equipment
Timeframe: Project Funding: $324998
Background
State highway agency equipment fleet assets are vital to the delivery of agency programs, projects, and services. These fleets represent a significant capital investment and require recurring maintenance, operational expenditures, and timely replacement to achieve the desired level of performance, reliability, and economy. A variety of practices have been used by state departments of transportation (state DOTs) agencies for making investment decisions for highway operation equipment. However, there is no widely accepted process for determining the long-range needs and budgets.
There is a need to identify current practices, review relevant information, and develop rational processes that will provide state DOTs a realistic means for making investment decisions. A guide for formulating the long-range plans for replacement needs and budgets of highway operations equipment can then be prepared to facilitate use of these processes. Such a guide will help highway equipment managers and administrators in making decisions regarding replacement needs and budgets. NCHRP Research Report 879: Optimal Replacement Cycles of Highway Operations Equipment (http://www.trb.org/Publications/Blurbs/177263.aspx) contains guidance on the processes and tools that should be considered in making decisions regarding the optimal replacement cycles of on- and off-road highway operations equipment used by state DOTs; these can be useful for this research.
Recent work completed under NCHRP Project 13-06, “Guide for the Formulation of Long-Range Plans for Replacement Needs and Budget of Highway Operations Equipment” (http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/nchrp/docs/NCHRP13-06_RevisedInterimReport.pdf), provided a review of some of the issues related to the formulation of long-range plans and budgets for replacement of highway operations equipment and proposed a preliminary research plan for developing related guidance (see Special Note B). However, additional research is needed to further define and address the issues associated with the formulation of long-range plans and budgets for replacement of highway operations equipment and develop the needed guidance.
Objectives
The objective of this research is to develop a guide for the formulation of long-range plans and budgets for replacement of highway operations equipment. The guide shall include processes and tools for consideration in making investment decisions. For the purpose of this research, long-range is defined as 20-25 years.
Proposed Research Activities
Accomplishment of the project objective will require at least the following phases.
Phase I—Planning: Prepare and submit, no later than 4 months after the contract award, Interim Report 1 that documents (1) the factors contributing to the formulation of long-range plans for replacement needs and budgets of highway operations equipment, and the practices and processes that merit further consideration or improvement in this research, and discuss their deficiencies; (2) an assessment of the relevance of the identified factors to the formulation of long-range plans for replacement needs and budgets of highway operations equipment, and the factors that should be used in the processes for formulating such plans; (3) a proposed research plan, to be executed in Phase II, to (a) develop rational processes and tools, based on computational models for formulating long-range plans and budgets for replacement of highway operations equipment; (b) present case examples to illustrate use of the proposed processes and tools; and (c) develop a detailed outline of the guide.
Phase II—Development of Processes, Tools, and Illustrative Examples: Execute the plan approved in Phase I. Based on the results of this work, prepare and submit Interim Report 2 that (1) documents proposed processes and tools for formulating long-range plans and budgets for replacement needs of highway operations equipment; (2) presents case examples or hypothetical scenarios to (a) illustrate use of the proposed processes and tools for all equipment classes and (b) show how these processes and tools may be used for making specific replacement and investment decisions; and (3) presents a detailed outline of the guide.
Phase III—Development of Guide and Tools: Prepare the guide for formulating long-range plans and budgets for replacement of highway operations equipment, associated tool, and a user manual to facilitate use of the guide and tool.
Phase IV—Final Deliverables: Prepare and submit, no later than 18 months after the contract award, draft final deliverables. Deliverables will include (1) a research report documenting the work performed in the project and used to develop the guide and associated tool; (2) the guide for formulating long-range plans for replacement needs and budgets of highway operations equipment; (3) user manual for the guide and tool; (4) illustrative examples; and (5) the tool in an electronic format.
The objectives of this research are to (1) develop guidelines for the applications of RFID and wireless technologies for h…
Objectives
The objectives of this research are to (1) develop guidelines for the applications of RFID and wireless technologies for highway construction and infrastructure asset management and (2) plan and conduct a workshop to introduce the proposed guidelines to an audience of DOT staff and other stakeholders. At the minimum, the research shall include readiness assessment of RFID and wireless technologies for different applications and implementation requirements.
Background
Advancement in sensing and transmitting technologies such as radio-frequency identification (RFID), barcodes, e-ticketing, global positioning systems, and other associated technologies has significantly improved wireless transmission. Projects where such devices were used reported beneficial outcomes through improved resource and quality management. The wireless transmission technology enables sensing, counting, measuring, documenting, identifying, locating, tracking, and transmitting information in real time. These features can significantly improve construction project and infrastructure asset management. However, the beneficial outcomes have not attracted the highway construction industry to adopt it to its fullest potential
There are significant gaps between the capability of existing wireless transmission technologies and their implementation. Therefore, there is a need to provide guidelines for state departments of transportation (DOTs) to select the appropriate technology for a specific application for highway construction and infrastructure asset management
Guidelines for Applications of RFID and Wireless Technologies in Highway Construction and Asset Management
Timeframe: 30 months Project Funding: $370000
Background
Advancement in sensing and transmitting technologies such as radio-frequency identification (RFID), barcodes, e-ticketing, global positioning systems, and other associated technologies has significantly improved wireless transmission. Projects where such devices were used reported beneficial outcomes through improved resource and quality management. The wireless transmission technology enables sensing, counting, measuring, documenting, identifying, locating, tracking, and transmitting information in real time. These features can significantly improve construction project and infrastructure asset management. However, the beneficial outcomes have not attracted the highway construction industry to adopt it to its fullest potential
There are significant gaps between the capability of existing wireless transmission technologies and their implementation. Therefore, there is a need to provide guidelines for state departments of transportation (DOTs) to select the appropriate technology for a specific application for highway construction and infrastructure asset management
Objectives
The objectives of this research are to (1) develop guidelines for the applications of RFID and wireless technologies for highway construction and infrastructure asset management and (2) plan and conduct a workshop to introduce the proposed guidelines to an audience of DOT staff and other stakeholders. At the minimum, the research shall include readiness assessment of RFID and wireless technologies for different applications and implementation requirements.
Proposed Research Activities
PHASE I—Planning
Task 1. Conduct a literature review of relevant research and current state of practice related to RFID and wireless technologies for highway construction and infrastructure asset management. The review shall include published and unpublished research conducted through the NCHRP; FHWA; and other national, international, state, and pooled-fund sponsored research.
Task 2. Conduct a survey of DOTs to identify RFID and wireless technologies currently used for highway construction and infrastructure asset management. Collect data needed to achieve the research objective with consideration of the maturity of applications of RFID and wireless technologies. The survey shall be reviewed and approved by NCHRP before distribution.
Task 3. Synthesize the results of Tasks 1 and 2 to identify the knowledge gaps for the applications of RFID and wireless technologies. These gaps should be addressed in this research or in the recommended future research as budget permits.
Task 4. Propose a methodology for readiness assessment of RFID and wireless technologies for highway construction and infrastructure asset management to be fully developed in Phase II.
At a minimum, the methodology shall address the following:
Identify potential applications of RFID and wireless technologies (e.g., material tracking, construction managements, asset inventory tags, quality monitoring, and work zone safety);
Identify the advantages and disadvantages of RFID and wireless technologies for each application;
Evaluate the readiness of the identified technologies to be implemented by DOTs; and
Identify the requirements for implementing the technologies including IT infrastructure and security, organization structure and workflow, and training.
Task 5. Propose a preliminary outline for the guidelines based on the proposed methodology.
Task 6. Prepare Interim Report No. 1 that documents Tasks 1 through 5 and provides an updated work plan for the remainder of the research. This report must be submitted to NCHRP no later than 4 months after contract execution. The updated work plan must describe the process and rationale for the work proposed for Phases II though IV.
Note: Following a 1-month review of Interim Report No. 1 by the NCHRP, the research team will be required to meet in person with the NCHRP project panel to discuss the interim report. Work on Phases II though IV of the project will not begin until authorized by the NCHRP. Phase I shall be limited to $40,000.
PHASE II—Methodology Development
Task 7. Develop the methodology according to the approved Interim Report No.1.
Task 8. Develop examples to demonstrate the developed methodology. The selection of the examples should include at a minimum the identified technologies and applications in Phase I.
Task 9. Provide a detailed description of every chapter and section of the proposed guidelines and complete a sample chapter of the proposed guidelines selected by NCHRP. This chapter should be publication-ready.
Task 10. Prepare Interim Report No. 2 that documents the results of Tasks 7 through 9 and provides an updated work plan for the remainder of the project. This report is due no later than 8 months after approval of Phase I. The updated plan must describe the work proposed for Phases III and IV.
Note: Following a 1-month review of Interim Report No. 2 by the NCHRP, the research team will be required to meet in person with the NCHRP project panel to discuss the interim report, if necessary. Work on Phases III and IV of the project will not begin until authorized by the NCHRP. Phase II shall be limited to $100,000.
PHASE III—Guidelines Development
Task 11. Develop the guidelines according to the approved Interim Report No. 2.
Task 12. After NCHRP approval of the draft guidelines, plan and conduct workshop with 20 representatives of owners and other stakeholders to review the draft guidelines and implementation plan. Revise the draft guidebook according to the outcomes of the workshop. The invited representatives shall be approved by NCHRP.
Note: The costs for the workshop, including invitational travel for 20 attendees, should be included in the detailed budget for the research. For the purpose of estimating these costs, assume that the workshop will be held at the Beckman Center in Irvine, CA. NCHRP will cover costs associated with hosting the workshop at the Beckman Center as well as NCHRP panel member travel.
Task 13. Prepare Interim Report No. 3 that documents the results of Tasks 11 and 12 no later than 9 months after approval of Phase II. The updated work plan must describe the work proposed for Phase IV.
Note: Following a 1-month review of Interim Report No. 3 by the NCHRP, the research team will be required to meet in person with the NCHRP project panel to discuss the interim report, if necessary. Work on Phase IV of the project will not begin until authorized by the NCHRP. Phase III shall be limited to $180,000.
PHASE IV—Final Products
Task 14. Revise the draft guidelines considering the NCHRP’s review comments.
Task 15. Prepare final deliverables including: (1) the guidelines for the applications of RFID and wireless technologies for highway construction and infrastructure asset management, (2) a final report that documents the entire research effort, and (3) a stand-alone technical memorandum titled “Implementation of Research Findings and Products.” See Special Note D for additional information.
The objective of this research is to provide transportation agencies with practical guidance, recommendations, and success…
Objectives
The objective of this research is to provide transportation agencies with practical guidance, recommendations, and successful implementation practices for
1. Integrating performance, risk, and asset management at transportation agencies;
2. Identifying, evaluating, and selecting appropriate management frameworks; and
3. Recruiting, training, and retaining human capital to support asset management and related functions.
Background
The AASHTO Subcommittee on Asset Management is seeking to implement the recently completed Transportation Asset Management Research Roadmap (TAM Research Roadmap), developed under the NCHRP 08-36 quick response research program. The TAM Research Roadmap was developed in cooperation with AASHTO, TRB, USDOT, and other industry partners. It includes a multi-year research agenda to improve the overall implementation of transportation asset management at state, regional, and local transportation agencies. The purpose of the TAM Research Roadmap is to enable the TAM community to identify, propose, and implement TAM research projects necessary to improve the understanding of TAM and allow projects to be funded through various research programs including NCHRP, USDOT funding sources, and other sources.
The practice of performance, risk, and asset management has evolved over many years. MAP-21 and the recently passed FAST Act, associated rules, and guidance have clarified the federal asset management requirements. Beyond federal requirements, broader research and practice in the areas of transportation performance, risk, and asset management initiated by state DOTs and other public and private entities have added to the availability of tools, methods, and strategies. Yet, practitioners continue to struggle with integration and implementation of research findings and regulatory requirements. This state of the practice, coupled with a detailed gap analysis, was the focus of the TAM Research Roadmap. To address identified gaps, additional research is needed to implement effective transportation management practices and identify human capital needs at state DOTs, regional organizations, and local agencies. The research proposed in this study was identified within the Research Roadmap and is designed to fill gaps in several high-priority areas.
Integrating Effective Transportation Performance, Risk, and Asset Management Practices
Timeframe: 30 months Project Funding: $666617
Background
The AASHTO Subcommittee on Asset Management is seeking to implement the recently completed Transportation Asset Management Research Roadmap (TAM Research Roadmap), developed under the NCHRP 08-36 quick response research program. The TAM Research Roadmap was developed in cooperation with AASHTO, TRB, USDOT, and other industry partners. It includes a multi-year research agenda to improve the overall implementation of transportation asset management at state, regional, and local transportation agencies. The purpose of the TAM Research Roadmap is to enable the TAM community to identify, propose, and implement TAM research projects necessary to improve the understanding of TAM and allow projects to be funded through various research programs including NCHRP, USDOT funding sources, and other sources.
The practice of performance, risk, and asset management has evolved over many years. MAP-21 and the recently passed FAST Act, associated rules, and guidance have clarified the federal asset management requirements. Beyond federal requirements, broader research and practice in the areas of transportation performance, risk, and asset management initiated by state DOTs and other public and private entities have added to the availability of tools, methods, and strategies. Yet, practitioners continue to struggle with integration and implementation of research findings and regulatory requirements. This state of the practice, coupled with a detailed gap analysis, was the focus of the TAM Research Roadmap. To address identified gaps, additional research is needed to implement effective transportation management practices and identify human capital needs at state DOTs, regional organizations, and local agencies. The research proposed in this study was identified within the Research Roadmap and is designed to fill gaps in several high-priority areas.
Objectives
The objective of this research is to provide transportation agencies with practical guidance, recommendations, and successful implementation practices for
1. Integrating performance, risk, and asset management at transportation agencies;
2. Identifying, evaluating, and selecting appropriate management frameworks; and
3. Recruiting, training, and retaining human capital to support asset management and related functions.
Proposed Research Activities
The Research Plan should present a proposed scope of work for all three components of the objective, divided into two phases, with discrete tasks for each phase. Phase I will comprise approximately 50% of the research effort, covering all initial tasks and preliminary results sufficient to indicate a realistic direction for the overall study. Phase I will culminate in an Interim Report that will present the results of the initial components of the research, including a detailed, annotated outline or description of the deliverables, and an updated work plan for completion of all deliverables in Phase ll. A face-to-face interim meeting with the NCHRP panel will be scheduled at the conclusion of Phase I to discuss and approve the Interim Report. Work on Phase ll tasks will not begin until the updated work plan is approved by NCHRP. The project schedule will include 1 month for NCHRP review and approval of the Interim Report.
The research plan should include but not be limited to the following:
1. A kick-off teleconference meeting of the research team and the NCHRP project panel, to be held within 1 month of the contract’s execution date;
2. A literature review that identifies and summarizes key products of previous research;
3. The aforementioned Interim Report which presents the products of Phase I, including a preliminary detailed, annotated outline and description of expected deliverables;
4. Final version of the deliverables that fulfills the project objective, including a separate report documenting the conduct of the research; and
5. A PowerPoint or similar presentation describing the project background, objective, research method, findings, and conclusions.
Notes and Considerations
To meet the study objective, the research plan should address the three components outlined below.
I. Successful Practices for Integrating Performance Management, Risk Management, and Asset Management at Transportation Agencies
Federal transportation legislation requires performance, risk, and asset management to influence agency planning and programming priorities. Agencies are advancing on performance management, and making strides on asset management; however, the role of risk management remains unclear to many. Currently, many resources on these topics exist but are not linked. In addition, states are required to follow relevant federal regulations affecting transportation asset management, including recently issued rules under MAP-21 that address preparation and implementation of risk-based asset management plans.
The purpose of this component is to develop resources for state transportation agencies to facilitate integration and optimization of performance, risk, and asset management in combination to improve the effectiveness of transportation agencies. These resources will enable decision makers to economically use these three management approaches to enhance achievement of strategic goals, organizational objectives, and performance targets. These resources should be useful at all levels of the enterprise, from the strategic and tactical to the operational levels, and apply to all major program areas.
The output of this component of the research will be a set of successful practices that integrate performance, risk, and asset management to improve overall outcomes, demonstrating how these practices have been implemented not only with respect to highway transportation but also as applied to other modes. It will summarize successful practices applicable to transportation systems in general, documenting experience applicable from international agencies as well as from other modes, including transit, aviation, marine, and rail— both public and private.
II. Using Case Studies to Identify, Evaluate, and Select Management Frameworks for Implementation by Transportation Agencies
Several standard frameworks for asset, performance and quality management have been developed which have the potential to improve management procedures used by U.S. transportation agencies. These include, but are not limited to, frameworks for managing assets, such as International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standard 55000; and other frameworks for performance and quality management such as Balanced Scorecard, Triple Bottom Line, Six Sigma, Total Quality Management, and ISO standard 9001. By adapting and applying relevant aspects of these various frameworks, transportation agencies have the potential to leverage the knowledge and experience built across a wide array of different organizations to manage transportation assets more effectively, better tie asset performance to agency goals and objectives, and deliver better results more efficiently.
At its core, transportation asset management shares many of the basic concepts of these management frameworks, as exemplified through its emphasis on concepts such as making investment decisions based on quality data and on continuous process improvement. Further, the AASHTO Transportation Asset Management Guide: A Focus on Implementation provides a brief discussion relating several of the most common frameworks to transportation asset management; however, the available high-level guidance is of limited use for agencies seeking to fully integrate asset management practices into their evolving management framework. Moreover, transportation agencies face a number of specific challenges and requirements not addressed in the guidance for implementing the standard frameworks–as most were initially developed for the private sector. Consequently, agency leaders are left in a situation in which they are highly familiar with the underlying concepts needed for improving how their agencies are managed, but lack specific procedures and tools needed to implement some of the best-established approaches.
Under this component of the study, research is needed to establish how transportation agencies can best implement emerging management frameworks that successfully integrate asset management into agency decision making. This research will generate case studies of how agencies have incorporated asset management via the implementation of relevant management processes. The research will also evaluate the case studies to determine effective procedures for implementation. As a result, these case studies will help transportation agencies leverage existing resources by improving management approaches, thereby improving transportation asset management outcomes in general.
III. How to Recruit, Train, and Retain Human Capital to Support Asset Management and Related Functions
As a multidisciplinary, holistic practice, TAM applies a different approach to managing transportation infrastructure investments. Implementation of TAM enables agencies to share processes, data, and management systems across traditional discipline stovepipes. Additionally, TAM brings with it new expectations, new fields of expertise, and emerging technologies.
Agencies have customarily been organized and staffed around specific technical skills, such as engineering, data collection and analysis, planning, budget, and accounting. Successful implementation of TAM, however, requires effective coordination across internal organizational boundaries encompassing multiple disciplines. Thus, innovations in TAM are leading to changes in organizational structure at transportation agencies, requiring employees to have different skill sets than in the past. Consequently, these new skill sets translate into a need for employees trained accordingly. As agencies continue their implementation of TAM principles, they face the difficult task of recruiting, training, and maintaining TAM human capital.
The focus of the third component of the study is to provide agencies with a description of human capital skills needed to implement key aspects of TAM. These skills include, but are not necessarily limited to, economic analysis, life-cycle planning, risk management, data integration, modeling, performance management, target setting, and multiple objective decision analysis. The product of this component will assist agencies in identifying those critical skills required and provide guidance on effective implementation of TAM, including an emphasis on coordination.
The objective of this research is to develop a guidebook presenting principles, organizational strategies, governance mech…
Objectives
The objective of this research is to develop a guidebook presenting principles, organizational strategies, governance mechanisms, and practical examples for improving management of the processes for collecting data, developing useful information, and providing that information for decision making about management of the transportation system assets. The guidebook should assist practitioners addressing at least the following topics:
• Conducting agency self-assessments of information management practices (for example, a maturity model and leading-practices descriptions), using existing tools and techniques to the extent these are available;
• Exploring transferrable data and information management practices from a variety of sources—DOTs and others not necessarily restricted to domestic transportation agencies—that have demonstrated effective asset management;
• Considering how to incorporate evolving technologies and state-of-the-art management practices, for example by providing agencies with management scenarios and exemplary data models;
• Establishing organizational structure, personnel capabilities requirements, outsourcing policies and practices, and governance policies and procedures to support effective provision of asset management information;
• Assessing options for staff development, outsourcing, and other strategies for ensuring the agency has appropriate capability and capacity for asset information management; and
• Developing a management roadmap for implementing unified, enterprise-wide governance of asset data and information, from initial project development through transportation asset and performance management.
Background
State departments of transportation (DOTs) and other transportation agencies produce, exchange, manage, and use substantial quantities of data and information for project development and subsequent management of the system assets for which they are responsible. These agencies devote considerable resources to data collection and storage and often face challenges such as duplicating effort or gaps in data collected by various organizational units; ensuring that data sources are well documented and information is current; and providing the people responsible for planning, design, construction, and operations and maintenance of system assets with access to reliable current information for decision making.
Continuing rapid evolution of data and information technologies presents challenges as agencies seek to ensure that the transportation system delivers high performance and the agency functions effectively and efficiently. Remote sensing, Lidar, GIS, 3-D graphic displays, and virtual reality (to name a few of the newer developments) are supplementing or replacing data acquisition and information management practices once based on physical measurements and storage and display in large-format print media. Many agencies must deal with legacy data while avoiding obsolescence in their management practices. Typically fragmented DOT business practices and the decades-long processes of asset development and life-cycle service have produced disparate data sets that are poorly suited to effective long-term system asset and performance management.
Efforts are being made to address these problems. The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) for example has developed a set of Core Data Principles (https://data.transportation.org/aashto-core-data-principles/) for transportation data. Ongoing research sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) will provide an analysis of the civil integrated management (CIM) data practices. Guidance produced by NCHRP, AASHTO, and FHWA addresses transportation asset management, information management, and data self-assessment (data value and data management)—see Special Note B. However, additional research is needed to provide agencies with guidance on opportunities for improving their information acquisition and management; data governance and maintenance workflows; human and business-support resources needed for data and information management; and procedures for assuring that reliable information for effective asset management is available when and where it is needed.
NCHRP Project 08-115 Guidebook for Data and Information Systems for TAM (NCHRP Report 956)
Timeframe: 28 months Project Funding: $400000
Background
State departments of transportation (DOTs) and other transportation agencies produce, exchange, manage, and use substantial quantities of data and information for project development and subsequent management of the system assets for which they are responsible. These agencies devote considerable resources to data collection and storage and often face challenges such as duplicating effort or gaps in data collected by various organizational units; ensuring that data sources are well documented and information is current; and providing the people responsible for planning, design, construction, and operations and maintenance of system assets with access to reliable current information for decision making.
Continuing rapid evolution of data and information technologies presents challenges as agencies seek to ensure that the transportation system delivers high performance and the agency functions effectively and efficiently. Remote sensing, Lidar, GIS, 3-D graphic displays, and virtual reality (to name a few of the newer developments) are supplementing or replacing data acquisition and information management practices once based on physical measurements and storage and display in large-format print media. Many agencies must deal with legacy data while avoiding obsolescence in their management practices. Typically fragmented DOT business practices and the decades-long processes of asset development and life-cycle service have produced disparate data sets that are poorly suited to effective long-term system asset and performance management.
Efforts are being made to address these problems. The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) for example has developed a set of Core Data Principles (https://data.transportation.org/aashto-core-data-principles/) for transportation data. Ongoing research sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) will provide an analysis of the civil integrated management (CIM) data practices. Guidance produced by NCHRP, AASHTO, and FHWA addresses transportation asset management, information management, and data self-assessment (data value and data management)—see Special Note B. However, additional research is needed to provide agencies with guidance on opportunities for improving their information acquisition and management; data governance and maintenance workflows; human and business-support resources needed for data and information management; and procedures for assuring that reliable information for effective asset management is available when and where it is needed.
Objectives
The objective of this research is to develop a guidebook presenting principles, organizational strategies, governance mechanisms, and practical examples for improving management of the processes for collecting data, developing useful information, and providing that information for decision making about management of the transportation system assets. The guidebook should assist practitioners addressing at least the following topics:
• Conducting agency self-assessments of information management practices (for example, a maturity model and leading-practices descriptions), using existing tools and techniques to the extent these are available;
• Exploring transferrable data and information management practices from a variety of sources—DOTs and others not necessarily restricted to domestic transportation agencies—that have demonstrated effective asset management;
• Considering how to incorporate evolving technologies and state-of-the-art management practices, for example by providing agencies with management scenarios and exemplary data models;
• Establishing organizational structure, personnel capabilities requirements, outsourcing policies and practices, and governance policies and procedures to support effective provision of asset management information;
• Assessing options for staff development, outsourcing, and other strategies for ensuring the agency has appropriate capability and capacity for asset information management; and
• Developing a management roadmap for implementing unified, enterprise-wide governance of asset data and information, from initial project development through transportation asset and performance management.
Proposed Research Activities
The research is planned to yield several products:
Interim Report 1 (IR1) presenting (a) a critical review of relevant current practice and research literature on asset-management data acquisition and information management and use; (b) a review of relevant leading asset data and information management practices of organizations other than domestic DOTs; (c) a review of applications of data analytics methods that asset-management decision makers could apply to discover useful information and improve decision making; and (d) new technology and practices likely to become available within the coming 2 to 5 years for data collection, for example through deployment of “smart cities” and connected and automated vehicles.
Interim Report 2 (IR2) presenting (a) an analysis of practices of DOTs and other relevant organizations to identify resource needs (for example, workforce and skill sets) and knowledge management practices regarding data and information management capabilities and (b) a system of maturity levels or other state-of-the-practice benchmarks to characterize a transportation agency’s asset-management information and management practices.
Interim Report 3 (IR3) presenting (a) strategies agencies can use to develop a management roadmap for implementing unified, enterprise-wide governance of asset data and (b) an annotated outline of the guidebook meeting the project objective.
Final documents comprising (a) the guidebook to assist DOTs and other transportation agencies in establishing, improving, and maintaining effective data and information management practices that support transportation system asset and performance management; (b) a summary description of the research conducted in this NCHRP project and underlying the guidance; (c) a plan for peer-exchange meetings, applications workshops, or other activities following publication of the guidebook to accelerate dissemination and DOT adoption of the guidance; and (d) a PowerPoint presentation usable by NCHRP or others to describe the research and its results. Extensions of the initially planned research will add functionality to an on-line version of the guidebook that will be made available on the AASHTO web site. The guidebook and summary documents will be published in cy2021 as NCHRP Research Report 956; until publication is complete, the contractor's final documents are available for download by clicking here: summary and guidebook.
The objective of this research is to develop guidance coupled with one or more prototypical, analytical model(s) to suppor…
Objectives
The objective of this research is to develop guidance coupled with one or more prototypical, analytical model(s) to support life-cycle planning and decision-making that applies life-cycle cost analysis as a component of a system-wide transportation asset management program. This guidance and associated analytical model(s) will apply quantitative asset-level, project-level, and network-level inputs to demonstrate methods for calculating life-cycle costs associated with alternative scenarios while taking into account preservation, rehabilitation, replacement, maintenance, and potential risk mitigation actions on a range of highway assets. To the degree possible, costs should reflect condition, risk and uncertainty, mobility, safety, and any other quantifiable aspect of transportation system performance. Although this research is targeted to state DOT highway assets within the overall transportation network, the research should also identify additional research necessary to expand the process to include other modes.
Background
State and federal policies are increasingly requiring state departments of transportation (DOTs) and other transportation agencies to implement a transportation asset management (TAM) approach to manage their existing assets. Defined as a strategic and systematic process of operating, maintaining, upgrading, replacing, and expanding physical assets effectively throughout their life cycle, TAM requires an agency to focus on strategic business and engineering practices to allocate resources cost effectively so that assets are maintained in the best condition possible, for the longest duration, at the least practicable cost.
State DOTs and other agencies need better economic analysis tools for assessing cost effectiveness of various maintenance treatments, thus enabling them to manage transportation assets more efficiently at the network level. One such industry-accepted practice and tool used by transportation agencies is project level life-cycle cost analysis (LCCA). LCCA is an engineering-economic analysis technique that allows comparison of the relative merits of competing project implementation alternatives. By considering all of the costs—agency and user—incurred during the service life of an asset, this analytical practice guides decision-makers in selecting of projects and other action alternatives that are the most cost effective over their service life.
A limitation of the traditional LCCA practice is its focus on individual project-level analysis which is not always compatible with network-level analysis requiring a broader focus on long-term maintenance and operation of a set of existing assets. Life cycle planning (LCP), however, is a relatively new concept aimed at providing tools and techniques that state DOTs and other transportation agencies can use to conduct an economic cost analysis for a network of transportation assets to manage them cost-effectively over their project life, covering the time each asset goes into service after construction to the time it is disposed of or retired. LCP can take advantage of asset management system capabilities, which include network-level condition data, by applying an engineering-economic analysis approach to evaluate and compare the cost-effectiveness of maintenance strategies to preserve assets at a desired performance level.
While LCP is in its infancy compared with LCCA, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), state governments, and international agencies have all developed analytical methods that can be used to create more robust LCP methods and tools. For example, NCHRP Report 713: Estimating Life Expectancies of Highway Assets, documents various methods for assessing the deterioration and life expectancy of a variety of highway assets, including signs, traffic signals, street lighting, sidewalks, culverts, pavements, and bridges. These methods, which can be used to assign an economic value to agency actions taken to maintain existing assets as well as quantifying, in economic terms, user and non-user stakeholder concerns, are foundational to developing more robust LCP analysis tools and techniques.
LCP could become an integral part of a system for managing assets at the network level to evaluate the economic aspects of various actions more effectively and to build strategies a transportation agency can take to increase project longevity. This research is needed to develop guidance and analytical models to enable state DOTs and other transportation agencies to implement a life cycle planning process applicable to TAM.
Implementation of Life-Cycle Planning Analysis in a Transportation Asset Management Framework
Timeframe: 24 months Project Funding: $500000
Background
State and federal policies are increasingly requiring state departments of transportation (DOTs) and other transportation agencies to implement a transportation asset management (TAM) approach to manage their existing assets. Defined as a strategic and systematic process of operating, maintaining, upgrading, replacing, and expanding physical assets effectively throughout their life cycle, TAM requires an agency to focus on strategic business and engineering practices to allocate resources cost effectively so that assets are maintained in the best condition possible, for the longest duration, at the least practicable cost.
State DOTs and other agencies need better economic analysis tools for assessing cost effectiveness of various maintenance treatments, thus enabling them to manage transportation assets more efficiently at the network level. One such industry-accepted practice and tool used by transportation agencies is project level life-cycle cost analysis (LCCA). LCCA is an engineering-economic analysis technique that allows comparison of the relative merits of competing project implementation alternatives. By considering all of the costs—agency and user—incurred during the service life of an asset, this analytical practice guides decision-makers in selecting of projects and other action alternatives that are the most cost effective over their service life.
A limitation of the traditional LCCA practice is its focus on individual project-level analysis which is not always compatible with network-level analysis requiring a broader focus on long-term maintenance and operation of a set of existing assets. Life cycle planning (LCP), however, is a relatively new concept aimed at providing tools and techniques that state DOTs and other transportation agencies can use to conduct an economic cost analysis for a network of transportation assets to manage them cost-effectively over their project life, covering the time each asset goes into service after construction to the time it is disposed of or retired. LCP can take advantage of asset management system capabilities, which include network-level condition data, by applying an engineering-economic analysis approach to evaluate and compare the cost-effectiveness of maintenance strategies to preserve assets at a desired performance level.
While LCP is in its infancy compared with LCCA, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), state governments, and international agencies have all developed analytical methods that can be used to create more robust LCP methods and tools. For example, NCHRP Report 713: Estimating Life Expectancies of Highway Assets, documents various methods for assessing the deterioration and life expectancy of a variety of highway assets, including signs, traffic signals, street lighting, sidewalks, culverts, pavements, and bridges. These methods, which can be used to assign an economic value to agency actions taken to maintain existing assets as well as quantifying, in economic terms, user and non-user stakeholder concerns, are foundational to developing more robust LCP analysis tools and techniques.
LCP could become an integral part of a system for managing assets at the network level to evaluate the economic aspects of various actions more effectively and to build strategies a transportation agency can take to increase project longevity. This research is needed to develop guidance and analytical models to enable state DOTs and other transportation agencies to implement a life cycle planning process applicable to TAM.
Objectives
The objective of this research is to develop guidance coupled with one or more prototypical, analytical model(s) to support life-cycle planning and decision-making that applies life-cycle cost analysis as a component of a system-wide transportation asset management program. This guidance and associated analytical model(s) will apply quantitative asset-level, project-level, and network-level inputs to demonstrate methods for calculating life-cycle costs associated with alternative scenarios while taking into account preservation, rehabilitation, replacement, maintenance, and potential risk mitigation actions on a range of highway assets. To the degree possible, costs should reflect condition, risk and uncertainty, mobility, safety, and any other quantifiable aspect of transportation system performance. Although this research is targeted to state DOT highway assets within the overall transportation network, the research should also identify additional research necessary to expand the process to include other modes.
Proposed Research Activities
In support of the research objective, the guidance documents and analytical model(s) should be formulated to enable assessment of tradeoff decisions, helping decision-makers understand how investment at one point in the asset’s life cycle can affect the whole. In formulating this guidance, the research plan should consider, but not be limited to, the following:
1. How to build on data and performance measures in current use, including capabilities of existing asset management systems;
2. Incorporating a mutually compatible set of quantitative life-cycle planning performance measures and/or underlying assumptions for use in various decision-making scenarios;
3. Accounting for constrained budgets affecting agency and stakeholder performance goals, while minimizing life-cycle costs;
4. Incorporating risk and uncertainty analysis;
5. Assessing how multiple competing objectives affect different asset classes and how these effects relate to the model(s); and
6. Identifying commonly used analysis parameters and the rationale for establishing and using these parameters.
The guidance will serve as the basis for developing a prototypical analytical model. This model, to be developed with open source or other easily accessible software, is meant to be a transparent working application that agencies can use or adapt to serve their own needs. The workplan should also indicate how the research team expects to validate the proposed analytical approach.
The research plan should be divided into two phases, and each phase should be divided into tasks with a detailed description of the work proposed, including interim deliverables.
Phase I
• Develop input to the overall LCP analysis guidance, including the framework for prototypical analytical model(s).
• Prepare an Interim Report that describes work done in the early tasks, including input to the overall guidance supporting the proposed LCP analysis.
• Include an updated work plan for the remaining tasks to be accomplished in Phase II.
NCHRP will meet with the research team at the end of Phase I to review, approve, or modify the Interim Report and the updated scope of work prior to moving on to Phase II. Level of effort in Phase I should not exceed 40% of the overall effort.
Phase II
• Translate the model framework into the prototypical analytical model(s).
• Complete the necessary validation steps along with supporting guidance materials.
Phase II will result in completion of all final documentation.
In addition, the research plan should build in appropriate checkpoints with the NCHRP project panel including, at a minimum, (1) a kick-off teleconference meeting to be held within 1 month of the contract’s execution date; (2) the face-to-face interim deliverable review meeting with the NCHRP project panel to be held at the end of Phase I; and (3) at least two additional web-enabled teleconferences tied to NCHRP review and approval of any other interim deliverables as deemed appropriate.
Final deliverables will include at a minimum: (1) guidance and models (e.g., metrics, tools, and strategies); (2) a final report that documents the entire research effort; (3) a stand-alone summary that outlines the research findings and recommendations; and (4) a presentation aimed at state DOT senior staff and decision-makers that simply and concisely explains why the guide and supporting materials are helpful and how they will be used. Final deliverables will also include a stand-alone technical memorandum entitled, “Implementation of Research Findings and Products.”
The objectives of this research project are to
• Develop enhanced techniques to consider and evaluate asset manag…
Objectives
The objectives of this research project are to
• Develop enhanced techniques to consider and evaluate asset management-related risks as part of investment decision-making practices, including qualitative, quantitative, and analytical methods—building on and aligning with previous and continuing research efforts in the areas of TAM and risk management;
• Review effective processes to determine how existing and potential approaches can be used when integrating enterprise, network, and program level risk analysis. Alternative approaches should address how state departments of transportation (DOTs) make multi-objective, cross-asset investment decisions under uncertainty to best support national, state, and local asset performance goals for pavements, bridges, and other assets;
• Develop strategies and procedures for risk mitigation and response with applicable tools and tracking mechanisms for transportation agencies to improve risk assessment in existing and evolving asset management business processes; and
• Develop implementation guidance, including practical tools and techniques for incorporating risk and uncertainty, as well as possible measures of asset resilience that can be integrated into risk assessment procedures in support of national, state, and local asset performance goals.
Background
As transportation agencies are faced with aging and deteriorating infrastructure in a context of limited resources, it becomes imperative that assets are managed efficiently and effectively. To this end, Federal Regulations Title 23 CFR Part 515 require state transportation agencies to develop Risk-Based Transportation Asset Management Plans (TAMP), including a risk management plan. The risk management plan must include identification, assessment, evaluation, and prioritization of risks, as well as a mitigation plan for addressing and monitoring top priority risks. State transportation agencies are seeking to improve the assessment of risks to transportation assets as part of optimized investment decision-making.
Transportation agencies must contend with a wide variety of risks as they manage transportation assets. Owners must respond to impacts of events both within and outside their control. These risks can include funding uncertainty, regulatory changes, leadership and policy changes, increasing costs, severe weather events, evolving technology, and others. Underestimating risk can lead to costly repairs and reconstruction, while overestimating risk can lead to wasted resources. Asset owners require better techniques for assessing and managing risk.
Approaches to managing risk range from qualitative assessments of likelihood and consequence at the enterprise level to quantitative, probabilistic approaches at the network and program levels such as scenario analysis, simulation, and other approaches to predictive modeling. Successful organizations, across both the public and private sectors, effectively and efficiently quantify the effects of risk and uncertainty related to threats and opportunities.
Risk Assessment Techniques for Transportation Asset Management
Timeframe: Project Funding: $600000
Background
As transportation agencies are faced with aging and deteriorating infrastructure in a context of limited resources, it becomes imperative that assets are managed efficiently and effectively. To this end, Federal Regulations Title 23 CFR Part 515 require state transportation agencies to develop Risk-Based Transportation Asset Management Plans (TAMP), including a risk management plan. The risk management plan must include identification, assessment, evaluation, and prioritization of risks, as well as a mitigation plan for addressing and monitoring top priority risks. State transportation agencies are seeking to improve the assessment of risks to transportation assets as part of optimized investment decision-making.
Transportation agencies must contend with a wide variety of risks as they manage transportation assets. Owners must respond to impacts of events both within and outside their control. These risks can include funding uncertainty, regulatory changes, leadership and policy changes, increasing costs, severe weather events, evolving technology, and others. Underestimating risk can lead to costly repairs and reconstruction, while overestimating risk can lead to wasted resources. Asset owners require better techniques for assessing and managing risk.
Approaches to managing risk range from qualitative assessments of likelihood and consequence at the enterprise level to quantitative, probabilistic approaches at the network and program levels such as scenario analysis, simulation, and other approaches to predictive modeling. Successful organizations, across both the public and private sectors, effectively and efficiently quantify the effects of risk and uncertainty related to threats and opportunities.
Objectives
The objectives of this research project are to
• Develop enhanced techniques to consider and evaluate asset management-related risks as part of investment decision-making practices, including qualitative, quantitative, and analytical methods—building on and aligning with previous and continuing research efforts in the areas of TAM and risk management;
• Review effective processes to determine how existing and potential approaches can be used when integrating enterprise, network, and program level risk analysis. Alternative approaches should address how state departments of transportation (DOTs) make multi-objective, cross-asset investment decisions under uncertainty to best support national, state, and local asset performance goals for pavements, bridges, and other assets;
• Develop strategies and procedures for risk mitigation and response with applicable tools and tracking mechanisms for transportation agencies to improve risk assessment in existing and evolving asset management business processes; and
• Develop implementation guidance, including practical tools and techniques for incorporating risk and uncertainty, as well as possible measures of asset resilience that can be integrated into risk assessment procedures in support of national, state, and local asset performance goals.
Proposed Research Activities
The research plan should be presented as a two-phase effort. Phase I will synthesize materials on existing practice and perform a critical assessment of existing tools, approaches, performance measures, and procedures that can be used to build new or improved risk assessment tools and techniques in support of transportation asset management. Phase II will produce supporting implementation guidance and tools.
The research should build on existing asset management guidance detailed in previous NCHRP reports, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Transportation Asset Management (TAM) Guide, and other state-of-the-practice guidance for assessing and managing risks, including the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). AASHTO material is available on the AASHTO TAM portal, and FHWA guidance is accessed through its web pages focused on asset management and resilience. The research also will help improve the state of practice in risk-based transportation asset management and help ensure that the full range of relevant factors is incorporated into transportation agency resource allocation procedures.
In meeting the objectives of this study, the research plan should consider, but not be limited to, the following.
Phase I
1. Incorporate results from a review of available literature, ongoing research, legislative requirements, and state-of-the-practice for risk assessment into a set of possible approaches for managing transportation assets more effectively, including identifying gaps in current procedures.
2. Identify and assess potential approaches and techniques for enterprise, network, and program level risk assessment to develop procedures and strategies for improving existing asset management decision in support of project objectives. Potential approaches should address how state DOTs make multi-objective, cross-asset investment decisions under uncertainty in support of national, state, and local asset performance goals for pavements, bridges, and other assets.
3. Identify potential constraints and barriers to implementation and steps to address them.
Phase I will conclude with preparation of an interim report detailing the results of Phase I research and presenting an updated detailed scope of work for Phase II. Phase I should account for no more than 40% of the overall effort. NCHRP will meet with the research team at the end of Phase I to review. NCHRP approval of the interim report is required before proceeding with Phase II.
Phase II
4. Based on the conclusions of Phase I, develop improved strategies and tools for risk-based asset management and prepare draft implementation guidance.
5. Conduct a set of test scenarios with three or more state DOTs using the draft implementation guidance and associated tools. Summarize lessons learned and present recommended changes and improvement to the guidance and tools as appropriate.
6. Prepare draft and final reports and supporting materials detailing the results of the research.
The research plan should build in appropriate checkpoints with the NCHRP project panel including, at a minimum (1) a kick-off teleconference meeting to be held within 1 month of the contract’s execution date; (2) the face-to-face interim deliverable review meeting to be held at the end of Phase I; and (3) at least two additional web-enabled teleconferences tied to NCHRP review and approval of any other interim deliverables as deemed appropriate.
Final deliverables will include at a minimum: (1) implementation guidance and supporting analytical tools (e.g., visualizations, metrics, strategies); (2) a final report that documents the entire research effort; (3) an executive summary as a stand-alone document that outlines the research findings and recommendations; and (4) a presentation (e.g., a Microsoft® PowerPoint, video, etc.) aimed at state DOT staff and senior management that simply and concisely explains why the guidance and supporting materials are helpful and how they will be used. Any tools or models developed as part of the research program will be open source using readily available software. Final deliverables will also include a stand-alone technical memorandum entitled, “Implementation of Research Findings and Products.”
Start date: September 2019 End date: December 2020
The objective of this synthesis is to document DOT collaboration with MPOs relative to target setting, investment decision…
Objectives
The objective of this synthesis is to document DOT collaboration with MPOs relative to target setting, investment decisions, and performance monitoring of pavement and bridge assets for performance-based planning and programming. The synthesis will focus on DOT practices to initiate and facilitate collaboration with MPOs.
Background
The FAST Act emphasizes preservation of the existing transportation system in the metropolitan long-range transportation factors. These factors directly link the practice of long-range transportation planning to the practice of transportation asset management. Transportation asset management (AM), one of the national performance areas identified in MAP-21, is a strategic approach and business model that prioritizes investments primarily based on the condition of assets. The asset management cycle involves asset management plan development, maintenance and engineering activities, asset management plan monitoring, asset prioritization, and investment trade-off activities. A key component of asset management plan development is the inclusion of a performance management framework intended to provide a systematic approach to measuring progress in the implementation of an asset management strategy while enabling auditing and monitoring. Performance measurement and transportation asset management are therefore inextricably linked.
MAP-21 resulted in increased attention being paid to performance-based transportation planning across local, regional and statewide planning scales. The result has been increased communication and coordination across the national performance goal areas. Yet the practice of asset management within state DOTs can happen separate and apart from the performance-based transportation planning activities that occur within MPOs. However, to achieve the strategic vision of transportation asset management for system preservation, measurement, monitoring and prioritization, the integration of DOT and MPO activities, and coordination in the development of AM performance measures, may be necessary.
Collaborative Practices for Performance-Based Asset Management between State Transportation Agencies and Metropolitan Planning Organizations
Timeframe: 15 months Project Funding: $45000
Background
The FAST Act emphasizes preservation of the existing transportation system in the metropolitan long-range transportation factors. These factors directly link the practice of long-range transportation planning to the practice of transportation asset management. Transportation asset management (AM), one of the national performance areas identified in MAP-21, is a strategic approach and business model that prioritizes investments primarily based on the condition of assets. The asset management cycle involves asset management plan development, maintenance and engineering activities, asset management plan monitoring, asset prioritization, and investment trade-off activities. A key component of asset management plan development is the inclusion of a performance management framework intended to provide a systematic approach to measuring progress in the implementation of an asset management strategy while enabling auditing and monitoring. Performance measurement and transportation asset management are therefore inextricably linked.
MAP-21 resulted in increased attention being paid to performance-based transportation planning across local, regional and statewide planning scales. The result has been increased communication and coordination across the national performance goal areas. Yet the practice of asset management within state DOTs can happen separate and apart from the performance-based transportation planning activities that occur within MPOs. However, to achieve the strategic vision of transportation asset management for system preservation, measurement, monitoring and prioritization, the integration of DOT and MPO activities, and coordination in the development of AM performance measures, may be necessary.
Objectives
The objective of this synthesis is to document DOT collaboration with MPOs relative to target setting, investment decisions, and performance monitoring of pavement and bridge assets for performance-based planning and programming. The synthesis will focus on DOT practices to initiate and facilitate collaboration with MPOs.
Proposed Research Activities
Information to be gathered includes (but is not limited to):
• AM related activities that have prompted DOT to facilitate collaboration with MPOs.
• How development and implementation of the Transportation Asset Management Plan (TAMP) informs the long-range planning activities at MPOs and DOTs.
• Activities DOTs are undertaking to promote asset preservation and target setting at MPOs
Efficiencies and innovations generated from the integration of long-range MPO planning and DOT-led AM activities.
• Challenges to effective DOT collaboration with MPOs (as reported by DOTs) to support transportation asset management (e.g. state and non-state ownership/maintenance).
• Identification of performance measures that support long-range planning and AM goals.
• DOT strategies for addressing discrepancies between state and federal performance measures (e.g. challenges with communication, analysis, etc.).
• How DOTs collaborate and coordinate with MPOs on asset management (e.g. agreements, special meetings, organizational structure, governance).
• How DOTs monitor and report the outcomes of asset management activities to MPOs
• How differing priorities between DOTs and MPOs may influence trade-off decisions by DOTs among performance areas (e.g. transit, congestion, safety).
Information will be collected through literature review, survey of DOTs, and follow-up interviews with selected agencies for the development of case examples highlighting DOT collaboration with MPOs to measure and monitor infrastructure condition and system performance. Information gaps and suggestions for research to address those gaps will be identified.
The objective of this research is to develop and disseminate a practitioner-ready guidebook for state DOTs that is focused…
Objectives
The objective of this research is to develop and disseminate a practitioner-ready guidebook for state DOTs that is focused on methods for the target-setting component of transportation performance management. The guidebook will provide information on selecting effective methods that use both qualitative and quantitative sources to establish performance targets. The guidebook will also address how to re-evaluate targets, taking into account unforeseen changes impacting the transportation system, performance data, and performance reporting requirements.
Background
In 2012, the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) established national performance management requirements for state departments of transportation (DOTs). Successive legislation, regulation, and guidance have reinforced these requirements in the Transportation Performance Management (TPM) framework, with its seven national performance goals and related performance measures within three measure areas: safety (PM1); pavement and bridge condition (PM2); and travel time reliability, congestion, and emissions (PM3). State DOTs are required to establish performance targets for each performance measure and to regularly report on progress towards meeting those targets. In addition, some states have developed additional, non-TPM measures and targets to manage their safety, asset management, system performance, and other program areas.
Performance targets can be established using quantitative or qualitative methods, or some combination of both methods. For example, a quantitative method could use historical data to project a trend line. A qualitative method may establish a target based on factors such as agency leadership priorities. An example of a combined approach is adjusting trend data for fatalities and serious injuries with stakeholder perspectives to establish a Vision Zero safety target. Combined approaches can also be risk-based; a state DOT may adjust projections to account for funding scenarios or uncertainty in the capacity of the state DOT and/or partner agencies to deliver the planned program. Additionally, some targets may be defined by state statute. Any of these methods can result in a target that reflects a desired outcome and allows for ongoing evaluation of progress towards attaining the target using performance-based decision making and performance reporting.
However, establishing targets presents a number of challenges. Reliance on historical trend data can result in a target that cannot account for unforeseen events, such as severe weather that significantly increases winter maintenance costs or macroeconomic factors that affect transportation funding. These events require a state DOT to adjust their program, reallocating resources in ways that can affect progress towards a target. Some challenges are more technical in nature. For example, state DOT understanding and interpretation of federal guidance on calculation procedures has periodically changed, such as how to round calculated values or how to handle overlapping Traffic Management Channel (TMC) segments or segments that are only partly on the National Highway System (NHS). These changes in calculation methods can shift trends or targets that were established using prior calculation methods.
In 2010, NCHRP Report 666: Target-Setting Methods and Data Management to Support Performance-Based Resource Allocation by Transportation Agencies (available at http://www.trb.org/Publications/Blurbs/164178.aspx) describes steps for state DOTs to establish performance targets and documented quantitative and qualitative approaches used by state DOTs to establish targets. Since that publication, state DOTs, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs), and local governments have gained experience in target setting in connection with the first round of TPM requirements. As part of the ongoing evolution of transportation performance management, state DOTs are required to re-evaluate performance targets and provide a Mid Performance Period Progress Report to FHWA in October 2020 that documents performance towards targets and any revisions to targets.
Research is needed to improve the practice of target setting by developing more effective yet practical methods for state DOTs to establish and/or re-evaluate performance targets, strengthening state DOT capacity to use performance management to make better decisions in transportation planning and programming.
Effective Methods for Setting Transportation Performance Targets
Timeframe: 27 months Project Funding: $500000
Background
In 2012, the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) established national performance management requirements for state departments of transportation (DOTs). Successive legislation, regulation, and guidance have reinforced these requirements in the Transportation Performance Management (TPM) framework, with its seven national performance goals and related performance measures within three measure areas: safety (PM1); pavement and bridge condition (PM2); and travel time reliability, congestion, and emissions (PM3). State DOTs are required to establish performance targets for each performance measure and to regularly report on progress towards meeting those targets. In addition, some states have developed additional, non-TPM measures and targets to manage their safety, asset management, system performance, and other program areas.
Performance targets can be established using quantitative or qualitative methods, or some combination of both methods. For example, a quantitative method could use historical data to project a trend line. A qualitative method may establish a target based on factors such as agency leadership priorities. An example of a combined approach is adjusting trend data for fatalities and serious injuries with stakeholder perspectives to establish a Vision Zero safety target. Combined approaches can also be risk-based; a state DOT may adjust projections to account for funding scenarios or uncertainty in the capacity of the state DOT and/or partner agencies to deliver the planned program. Additionally, some targets may be defined by state statute. Any of these methods can result in a target that reflects a desired outcome and allows for ongoing evaluation of progress towards attaining the target using performance-based decision making and performance reporting.
However, establishing targets presents a number of challenges. Reliance on historical trend data can result in a target that cannot account for unforeseen events, such as severe weather that significantly increases winter maintenance costs or macroeconomic factors that affect transportation funding. These events require a state DOT to adjust their program, reallocating resources in ways that can affect progress towards a target. Some challenges are more technical in nature. For example, state DOT understanding and interpretation of federal guidance on calculation procedures has periodically changed, such as how to round calculated values or how to handle overlapping Traffic Management Channel (TMC) segments or segments that are only partly on the National Highway System (NHS). These changes in calculation methods can shift trends or targets that were established using prior calculation methods.
In 2010, NCHRP Report 666: Target-Setting Methods and Data Management to Support Performance-Based Resource Allocation by Transportation Agencies (available at http://www.trb.org/Publications/Blurbs/164178.aspx) describes steps for state DOTs to establish performance targets and documented quantitative and qualitative approaches used by state DOTs to establish targets. Since that publication, state DOTs, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs), and local governments have gained experience in target setting in connection with the first round of TPM requirements. As part of the ongoing evolution of transportation performance management, state DOTs are required to re-evaluate performance targets and provide a Mid Performance Period Progress Report to FHWA in October 2020 that documents performance towards targets and any revisions to targets.
Research is needed to improve the practice of target setting by developing more effective yet practical methods for state DOTs to establish and/or re-evaluate performance targets, strengthening state DOT capacity to use performance management to make better decisions in transportation planning and programming.
Objectives
The objective of this research is to develop and disseminate a practitioner-ready guidebook for state DOTs that is focused on methods for the target-setting component of transportation performance management. The guidebook will provide information on selecting effective methods that use both qualitative and quantitative sources to establish performance targets. The guidebook will also address how to re-evaluate targets, taking into account unforeseen changes impacting the transportation system, performance data, and performance reporting requirements.
The objective of this research is to develop a guidebook that state transportation agencies and others can use for calcula…
Objectives
The objective of this research is to develop a guidebook that state transportation agencies and others can use for calculation and communication of the value of transportation assets, and for selecting valuation methods to be used in transportation asset management. This guidebook, applicable to transit as well as highway modes, should (1) present a standardized terminology for discussing asset value, (2) describe currently accepted valuation methods, (3) describe the merits and shortcomings of these methods to produce measures of asset value useful for communicating among stakeholders and making resource allocation decisions, and (4) present advice on determining which valuation methods will be most useful in communication and decision-making for a particular agency.
The guidebook shall include at least the following components:
• Terminology and definitions of asset value (a) determined by generally accepted accounting principles, considering initial acquisition or construction costs and depreciation, (b) based on engineering estimates to replace the asset (considering age, condition, obsolescence, and the like), (c) based on estimates of revenues that could be produced from the assets if they were operated as a business venture, (d) based on socio-economic returns to a region’s economy and wellbeing, or (e) other relevant definitions;
• Current best practices for computation and presentation of each of the definitions of value listed above, presented in a manner that can be used by transportation agencies;
• Analysis of the advantages and shortcomings of the value methods as factors to be considered in system-level resource allocation decisions, for example, investment planning, maintenance budgeting, lifecycle management, and presentations for public discussion;
• Identification and description of needs for data and information for value computations;
• A capability-maturity model that an agency can use to characterize its valuation practices and needs and strategies for improvement;
• Advice on incorporating valuation estimates into the agency’s asset management practices.
NCHRP anticipates that the guidebook may be published by AASHTO. It should be compatible with print and web-based versions of AASHTO’s Transportation Asset Management Guide.
Background
State transportation agencies are stewards for public infrastructure assets that are essential to economic vitality, public safety, and quality of life. Accurate, relevant, and reliable asset valuation is crucial for decision-making to ensure the effective, efficient, and economical management of these public assets.
Congress required, through the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP 21), enacted in 2012, that each state transportation agency develop and implement a risk-based transportation asset management plan (TAMP) that includes a valuation of pavements and bridges on the National Highway System (NHS). State transportation agencies are complying with the requirements through various approaches, but have struggled to incorporate asset valuation into their asset management practices and infrastructure investment and management decisions in a consistent, meaningful way. Practices have been developed and used internationally for incorporating asset valuation into an organization’s financial statements and decision-making processes, and some guidance has been produced in the United States, but such practices have not been much used in this country. Research is needed to make a detailed assessment of the issues and present practical guidelines and procedures for valuation of public-sector transportation assets in the United States and use of valuation in transportation system and asset management decision-making.
A Guide to Computation and Use of System Level Valuation of Transportation Assets
Timeframe: 16 months Project Funding: $600000
Background
State transportation agencies are stewards for public infrastructure assets that are essential to economic vitality, public safety, and quality of life. Accurate, relevant, and reliable asset valuation is crucial for decision-making to ensure the effective, efficient, and economical management of these public assets.
Congress required, through the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP 21), enacted in 2012, that each state transportation agency develop and implement a risk-based transportation asset management plan (TAMP) that includes a valuation of pavements and bridges on the National Highway System (NHS). State transportation agencies are complying with the requirements through various approaches, but have struggled to incorporate asset valuation into their asset management practices and infrastructure investment and management decisions in a consistent, meaningful way. Practices have been developed and used internationally for incorporating asset valuation into an organization’s financial statements and decision-making processes, and some guidance has been produced in the United States, but such practices have not been much used in this country. Research is needed to make a detailed assessment of the issues and present practical guidelines and procedures for valuation of public-sector transportation assets in the United States and use of valuation in transportation system and asset management decision-making.
Objectives
The objective of this research is to develop a guidebook that state transportation agencies and others can use for calculation and communication of the value of transportation assets, and for selecting valuation methods to be used in transportation asset management. This guidebook, applicable to transit as well as highway modes, should (1) present a standardized terminology for discussing asset value, (2) describe currently accepted valuation methods, (3) describe the merits and shortcomings of these methods to produce measures of asset value useful for communicating among stakeholders and making resource allocation decisions, and (4) present advice on determining which valuation methods will be most useful in communication and decision-making for a particular agency.
The guidebook shall include at least the following components:
• Terminology and definitions of asset value (a) determined by generally accepted accounting principles, considering initial acquisition or construction costs and depreciation, (b) based on engineering estimates to replace the asset (considering age, condition, obsolescence, and the like), (c) based on estimates of revenues that could be produced from the assets if they were operated as a business venture, (d) based on socio-economic returns to a region’s economy and wellbeing, or (e) other relevant definitions;
• Current best practices for computation and presentation of each of the definitions of value listed above, presented in a manner that can be used by transportation agencies;
• Analysis of the advantages and shortcomings of the value methods as factors to be considered in system-level resource allocation decisions, for example, investment planning, maintenance budgeting, lifecycle management, and presentations for public discussion;
• Identification and description of needs for data and information for value computations;
• A capability-maturity model that an agency can use to characterize its valuation practices and needs and strategies for improvement;
• Advice on incorporating valuation estimates into the agency’s asset management practices.
NCHRP anticipates that the guidebook may be published by AASHTO. It should be compatible with print and web-based versions of AASHTO’s Transportation Asset Management Guide.
Proposed Research Activities
The research should result in at least the following deliverable products and milestones:
• Interim Report 1 (IR1) presenting a critical review of (a) current practices in use for valuation of transportation assets in public and private sectors, in the United States and internationally, with particular attention to terminology, asset classes for which values are estimated, definitions of asset value, and methods used for estimating values; (b) key regulations, guides, and other publications that establish standards for how asset values are to be estimated or appraised and reported; and (c) how state transportation agencies and others currently use asset value in systemwide asset management, other resource allocation decision-making, and communication with stakeholders.
• Interim Report 2 (IR2) presenting (a) an annotated outline of the guidebook; (b) data and information an agency will need to utilize asset valuation as a factor in resource allocation decision-making; (c) a framework characterizing the valuation methods, users and other audiences for valuation methods, and system-level resource allocation decision-making situations or applications in which asset values are useful, for example, investment planning, maintenance budgeting, lifecycle management, and presentations for public discussion; (d) an analysis of the advantages and shortcomings of the valuation methods as factors to be considered in resource allocation decision-making; and (e) a capability-maturity model that an agency can use to characterize its valuation practices and needs and strategies for improvement.
• Interim Report 3 (IR3) describing (a) advice to agencies on incorporating valuation estimates into the agency’s asset management practices, and (b) a proposed plan for validation of the guidebook’s organization and methods in a selected group of state transportation agencies.
• The guidebook described by the project's objective.
The objectives of this research are to document (1) the state of practice within state DOTs as they implement these new re…
Objectives
The objectives of this research are to document (1) the state of practice within state DOTs as they implement these new requirements and (2) the impacts of implementation to date on asset condition, safety performance and the investment of federal transit funds. This research will provide states with information that will help them evaluate the effectiveness of their efforts to date and refine or adjust their implementation.
Background
On July 16, 2016 FTA issued the final transit asset management rule and an associated final notice regarding NTD reporting. State DOTs and their subrecipients have specific obligations under the rule and notice. On August 11, 2016, FTA issued the public transportation safety program final rule. This final rule in combination with the yet to be released final rule on public transportation agency safety plans and the final national public transportation safety plan, will create new obligations for State DOTs and their subrecipients. The Transit Asset Management (TAM) Plan rule and the Transit Agency Safety Plan rule are aimed at facilitating improvement in transit asset condition and safety performance.
Lessons Learned and Impacts to Date of State DOT Implementation of New Federal Transit Asset Management and Public Transportation Agency Safety Requirements
Timeframe: 20 Project Funding: $100000
Background
On July 16, 2016 FTA issued the final transit asset management rule and an associated final notice regarding NTD reporting. State DOTs and their subrecipients have specific obligations under the rule and notice. On August 11, 2016, FTA issued the public transportation safety program final rule. This final rule in combination with the yet to be released final rule on public transportation agency safety plans and the final national public transportation safety plan, will create new obligations for State DOTs and their subrecipients. The Transit Asset Management (TAM) Plan rule and the Transit Agency Safety Plan rule are aimed at facilitating improvement in transit asset condition and safety performance.
Objectives
The objectives of this research are to document (1) the state of practice within state DOTs as they implement these new requirements and (2) the impacts of implementation to date on asset condition, safety performance and the investment of federal transit funds. This research will provide states with information that will help them evaluate the effectiveness of their efforts to date and refine or adjust their implementation.
The objectives of this project are (1) to develop a playbook to support emergency management program review and developmen…
Objectives
The objectives of this project are (1) to develop a playbook to support emergency management program review and development for state transportation agencies and (2) to develop and execute a deployment strategy to familiarize the affected transportation agencies of every state with the playbook and supporting emergency management materials. The playbook and related products and activities should encompass state DOTs, public transportation systems, and other transportation agencies under state control or influence (i.e., state transportation agencies).
Background
There is a need for a strategy-driven, actionable guide—a playbook—that, with incidental implementation support, will help emergent and part-time transportation emergency managers to understand, plan, and implement an emergency preparedness program that fits their agency’s needs, capabilities, and challenges. Such a playbook will serve as a simple, practical, and comprehensive emergency preparedness program development guide for transportation emergency managers; be generally applicable to all transportation emergency operations centers (EOCs); and be consistent with ICS/NIMS/HSEEP doctrine. A transportation-specific playbook will help close the gap in transportation emergency preparedness and enable quicker and more effective uptake of valuable scenario-based training and exercising tools that help organizations apply prerequisite planning and program development.
Translating strategy from the playbook to the real world (how to do it) is complex, as states vary in how they organize their activities. This project will develop and execute a strategy to effectively bridge the gap between all-hazards emergency management research and state transportation agency practice to improve state transportation agency responses over a broad continuum of emergencies affecting the nation’s travelers, economy, and infrastructure.
An Emergency Management Playbook for State Transportation Agencies
Timeframe: Project Funding: $800000
Background
There is a need for a strategy-driven, actionable guide—a playbook—that, with incidental implementation support, will help emergent and part-time transportation emergency managers to understand, plan, and implement an emergency preparedness program that fits their agency’s needs, capabilities, and challenges. Such a playbook will serve as a simple, practical, and comprehensive emergency preparedness program development guide for transportation emergency managers; be generally applicable to all transportation emergency operations centers (EOCs); and be consistent with ICS/NIMS/HSEEP doctrine. A transportation-specific playbook will help close the gap in transportation emergency preparedness and enable quicker and more effective uptake of valuable scenario-based training and exercising tools that help organizations apply prerequisite planning and program development.
Translating strategy from the playbook to the real world (how to do it) is complex, as states vary in how they organize their activities. This project will develop and execute a strategy to effectively bridge the gap between all-hazards emergency management research and state transportation agency practice to improve state transportation agency responses over a broad continuum of emergencies affecting the nation’s travelers, economy, and infrastructure.
Objectives
The objectives of this project are (1) to develop a playbook to support emergency management program review and development for state transportation agencies and (2) to develop and execute a deployment strategy to familiarize the affected transportation agencies of every state with the playbook and supporting emergency management materials. The playbook and related products and activities should encompass state DOTs, public transportation systems, and other transportation agencies under state control or influence (i.e., state transportation agencies).
The objective of this research is to develop a guide to bus transit service reliability. The guide will include a toolbox …
Objectives
The objective of this research is to develop a guide to bus transit service reliability. The guide will include a toolbox of resources that may be used to diagnose and manage bus transit service reliability and will describe benefits, costs, and outcomes of potential policies, strategies, and actions.
Minutes Matter: A Bus Transit Service Reliability Guidebook
Timeframe: Project Funding: $250000
Objectives
The objective of this research is to develop a guide to bus transit service reliability. The guide will include a toolbox of resources that may be used to diagnose and manage bus transit service reliability and will describe benefits, costs, and outcomes of potential policies, strategies, and actions.
The objective of this research is to develop a guide for state DOTs and other transportation planning agencies to understa…
Objectives
The objective of this research is to develop a guide for state DOTs and other transportation planning agencies to understand, predict, plan for, and adapt to the potential impacts of emerging disruptive technologies. In preparing this guide, the research should identify issues, effects, and opportunities at the intersection of disruptive transportation technologies and organizational performance for senior managers at state DOTs and other transportation planning agencies; and it should include but not be limited to the following components:
· Categories of technology disruptors, such as big data, expanding digitization, vehicle and infrastructure technologies, mobility as a service, the sharing economy, mobility of people and goods, alternative travel modes, and communication technologies;
· New business opportunities or partnerships and collaboration models involving the private and public sectors, as well as impacts on how agencies execute planning and prioritize investments, implement, maintain, manage and operate the transportation system;
· Roles and responsibilities of federal, state, regional, and local agencies in evaluating, approving, regulating, enforcing, and managing new ways of moving people and goods; and
· Improving overall customer service, including effects on the transportation system’s ability to provide improved access and mobility for all users.
The target audience for this research is practitioners as well as decision-makers at state DOTs and their transportation partner organizations.
Background
The arrival of the 4th Industrial Revolution and the rapid development and fusion of multiple disruptive and innovative technologies are changing the behavior and the expectations of customers and stakeholders—not only in the United States, but all over the world. The deployment of these technologies—artificial intelligence, big data and digitization, the Internet of Things (IoT), wireless technologies (5G/6G), connected and autonomous vehicle (CAV) technologies, on-demand ride sharing services, Mobility as a Service (MaaS), the sharing economy, and others—is bringing a revolution that will fundamentally alter the way we live, work, relate to one another, and do business. In its scale, scope, and complexity, the transformation is moving at a pace at which governmental entities are not readily prepared.
Mobility is also transforming rapidly as new technologies disrupt traditional ways people and goods move throughout the transportation systems. The rapid deployment of mobile internet is upending the traditional approaches with new customer-centric business models based on the sharing economy such as car hailing, bike sharing, scooter sharing, time sharing, customized shuttle bus, parking sharing, etc. While the new business models bring more conveniences and efficiencies to the users and to the national and local economies, they are also creating new challenges and needs that state departments of transportation (DOTs) and other transportation agencies must grapple with as decision-makers. As technology previously foreign to transportation rapidly affects traditional ways of doing business, organizational structure and performance is affected across all modes and aspects of transportation. Institutional processes or procedures may be retooled or adjusted to accommodate updated or more effective methods to improve performance outcomes. These processes or procedures are necessary to help those agencies struggling to define meaningful performance measures, such as managing data collection, maintaining accountability, and streamlining reporting.
Emerging Issues: Impact of New Disruptive Technologies on the Performance of DOTs
Timeframe: 23 months Project Funding: $250000
Background
The arrival of the 4th Industrial Revolution and the rapid development and fusion of multiple disruptive and innovative technologies are changing the behavior and the expectations of customers and stakeholders—not only in the United States, but all over the world. The deployment of these technologies—artificial intelligence, big data and digitization, the Internet of Things (IoT), wireless technologies (5G/6G), connected and autonomous vehicle (CAV) technologies, on-demand ride sharing services, Mobility as a Service (MaaS), the sharing economy, and others—is bringing a revolution that will fundamentally alter the way we live, work, relate to one another, and do business. In its scale, scope, and complexity, the transformation is moving at a pace at which governmental entities are not readily prepared.
Mobility is also transforming rapidly as new technologies disrupt traditional ways people and goods move throughout the transportation systems. The rapid deployment of mobile internet is upending the traditional approaches with new customer-centric business models based on the sharing economy such as car hailing, bike sharing, scooter sharing, time sharing, customized shuttle bus, parking sharing, etc. While the new business models bring more conveniences and efficiencies to the users and to the national and local economies, they are also creating new challenges and needs that state departments of transportation (DOTs) and other transportation agencies must grapple with as decision-makers. As technology previously foreign to transportation rapidly affects traditional ways of doing business, organizational structure and performance is affected across all modes and aspects of transportation. Institutional processes or procedures may be retooled or adjusted to accommodate updated or more effective methods to improve performance outcomes. These processes or procedures are necessary to help those agencies struggling to define meaningful performance measures, such as managing data collection, maintaining accountability, and streamlining reporting.
Objectives
The objective of this research is to develop a guide for state DOTs and other transportation planning agencies to understand, predict, plan for, and adapt to the potential impacts of emerging disruptive technologies. In preparing this guide, the research should identify issues, effects, and opportunities at the intersection of disruptive transportation technologies and organizational performance for senior managers at state DOTs and other transportation planning agencies; and it should include but not be limited to the following components:
· Categories of technology disruptors, such as big data, expanding digitization, vehicle and infrastructure technologies, mobility as a service, the sharing economy, mobility of people and goods, alternative travel modes, and communication technologies;
· New business opportunities or partnerships and collaboration models involving the private and public sectors, as well as impacts on how agencies execute planning and prioritize investments, implement, maintain, manage and operate the transportation system;
· Roles and responsibilities of federal, state, regional, and local agencies in evaluating, approving, regulating, enforcing, and managing new ways of moving people and goods; and
· Improving overall customer service, including effects on the transportation system’s ability to provide improved access and mobility for all users.
The target audience for this research is practitioners as well as decision-makers at state DOTs and their transportation partner organizations.
Proposed Research Activities
The research plan should (1) include a kick-off web conference to review the amplified work plan with the NCHRP project panel, convened within 1 month of the contract’s execution; (2) address how the proposer intends to satisfy the project objectives; (3) be divided logically into two phases encompassing specific detailed tasks for each phase that are necessary to fulfill the research objective, including appropriate milestones and interim deliverables; and (4) incorporate opportunities for the project panel to review, comment on, and approve milestone deliverables. The resulting guide should address methods, procedures, tools, and techniques for improving organizational performance in the context of disruptive technologies. At a minimum, it should address potential effects on organizational structure and performance in terms of safety and mobility, planning, programming, asset management, investment strategies, and overall operations. Where possible, proactive and innovative practices and strategies should be identified, including a review of relevant experience outside of the United States.
The objectives of this project are to (a) document (beyond anecdotal discussions alone) concerns, issues and challenges DO…
Objectives
The objectives of this project are to (a) document (beyond anecdotal discussions alone) concerns, issues and challenges DOTs and other government agencies have encountered in implementing federal transportation performance management (TPM) regulations; and (b) provide a framework for more systematic assessment of the costs associated with implementation.
Background
After more than a decade of steady progress, transportation agencies have reached a critical moment in advancing TPM practice. Federal performance management regulations initiated by the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) established a new paradigm of nationally-coordinated performance measurement, target setting, and reporting across a range of domains including safety, asset management, multimodal mobility and air quality, and transit. State departments of transportation (DOTs), metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), and transit agencies have responded – meeting the challenge by prioritizing advancement in areas including data collection, measure calculation, target setting, coordination and communication, and performance-based planning.
These advances have required significant investment on the part of state DOTs and other transportation agencies. Organizations including the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the American Association of Transportation Officials (AASHTO), and the Transportation Research Board (TRB) have also worked extensively to assist agencies in implementation: fostering the dissemination and adoption of successful practices, promoting performance management concepts, and helping develop improved tools and approaches. Yet practitioners also recognize that performance management implementation is a process of continuous improvement and many real issues and challenges remain to be resolved.
Performance Management Implementation Concerns, Issues and Challenges
Timeframe: Project Funding: $224977
Background
After more than a decade of steady progress, transportation agencies have reached a critical moment in advancing TPM practice. Federal performance management regulations initiated by the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) established a new paradigm of nationally-coordinated performance measurement, target setting, and reporting across a range of domains including safety, asset management, multimodal mobility and air quality, and transit. State departments of transportation (DOTs), metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), and transit agencies have responded – meeting the challenge by prioritizing advancement in areas including data collection, measure calculation, target setting, coordination and communication, and performance-based planning.
These advances have required significant investment on the part of state DOTs and other transportation agencies. Organizations including the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the American Association of Transportation Officials (AASHTO), and the Transportation Research Board (TRB) have also worked extensively to assist agencies in implementation: fostering the dissemination and adoption of successful practices, promoting performance management concepts, and helping develop improved tools and approaches. Yet practitioners also recognize that performance management implementation is a process of continuous improvement and many real issues and challenges remain to be resolved.
Objectives
The objectives of this project are to (a) document (beyond anecdotal discussions alone) concerns, issues and challenges DOTs and other government agencies have encountered in implementing federal transportation performance management (TPM) regulations; and (b) provide a framework for more systematic assessment of the costs associated with implementation.
Proposed Research Activities
The research should build on previous research by NCHRP and others to characterize at least the following components of these concerns, issues and challenges:
• Prioritized list of concerns, issues and challenges encountered
• Explanation and discussion of each concern, issue, or challenge
• Specific examples of each concern, issue, or challenge as experienced by DOTs, MPOs, or others
• Realistic proposals of how concerns, issues and challenges may be addressed, ameliorated, or eliminated, for example through staff training, provision of guidance or other technical resources, or revisions to regulations
• Proposed framework for data collection and analysis that agencies may use to develop estimates of their implementation levels of effort
• Possible next steps and action items to be undertaken by various stakeholders to address concerns, issues and challenges.
Transportation agencies traditionally staffed their planning programs with professional planners who possess the necessary…
Objectives
Transportation agencies traditionally staffed their planning programs with professional planners who possess the necessary Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, and Experience (KSAEEs) required for plan making. However, emerging forces such as rapidly changing transportation technologies, demographic trends, data-driven decision-making, new approaches to transportation planning, and an increasingly dynamic funding and political environment are reshaping the transportation planning and decision-making landscape. To effectively respond to these changes, transportation agencies require professionals with different KSAEEs and talent profiles. Thus, the research aims to identify KSAEEs and talent profiles for transportation planners that align with existing and emerging agency needs and provide guidance on how to attract, develop, manage, and retain planning talent.
Attracting, Retaining, and Developing the Transportation Workforce: Transportation Planners (Research Report 980)
Timeframe: Project Funding: $300000
Objectives
Transportation agencies traditionally staffed their planning programs with professional planners who possess the necessary Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, and Experience (KSAEEs) required for plan making. However, emerging forces such as rapidly changing transportation technologies, demographic trends, data-driven decision-making, new approaches to transportation planning, and an increasingly dynamic funding and political environment are reshaping the transportation planning and decision-making landscape. To effectively respond to these changes, transportation agencies require professionals with different KSAEEs and talent profiles. Thus, the research aims to identify KSAEEs and talent profiles for transportation planners that align with existing and emerging agency needs and provide guidance on how to attract, develop, manage, and retain planning talent.
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