Document Library

The objectives of this research project are to (1) facilitate the process of comparing the performance of peer state DOTs using the International Roughness Index (IRI); (2) prepare, analyze, and evaluate the performance data; and (3) identify and document good practice.

The Transportation Research Board (TRB) Task Force on Accelerating Innovation, partnered with the Joint AASHTO–FHWA–NCHRP International Technology Scanning Program, to conduct a 1-day, executive-level workshop on transportation asset management, December 13, 2006, in the National Academy of Sciences Lecture Room, 2100 C Street NW, Washington, D.C. This forum was limited to 15 senior executives and their asset management program managers. The agenda was developed to maximize dialogue and discussion. The program included the following highlights: International roundtable with speakers from Australia; Alberta, Canada; and the United Kingdom; U.S. roundtable and case studies with speakers from Florida, MI, UT, and OH Departments of Transportation (DOTs); Focus on the role of asset management in the growing area of public–private partnerships (PPPs); and Extended dialogue time among senior executives. The program offered opportunities to learn how other states and countries have benefited from asset management: Better quantifying the condition of key assets; Improving financial projections by professionally dealing with shortfall and expectations; Improving system performance even with constant or declining dollars; Improving analyses and strategic investment options; Improving internal decision making; Improving dialogue with legislatures, governors, and citizens; Advancing culture change from expenditures to investments; and Applying asset management to better analyze PPPs.

Risk Assessment and Risk Management in Transportation Asset Management at Australian Agencies.

This report summarizes the results of a peer workshop on Transportation Asset Management (TAM), a systematic, strategic and complete approach to maintain, upgrade, and operate physical infrastructure assets in a cost-effective way. State DOTs and other agencies have a long history of inventorying and managing transportation assets, particularly roadway pavements and highway bridges. In recent years, however, many in the transportation industry have recognized a need to expand asset management beyond the “edge of the pavement” to encompass transportation infrastructure assets such as culverts, lighting, signals and markings. In light of the desire to expand TAM, as well as the complexity associated with this expansion, the FHWA Office of Asset Management and AASHTO Subcommittee on Asset Management proposed to convene a national Peer Workshop to discuss state of the practice and identify professional and technical capacity-building needs. Ten officials, representing state DOTs, one MPO and the Federal Lands Office, participated in the Workshop.

This case study details the pavement management process at Washington State DOT. The agency employs its Pavement Management System (WSPMS) to manage the State's pavements. WSPMS contains pavement condition, construction, and traffic history data. The system helps analysts to identify candidate pavement projects, predict timing for rehabilitation projects, and prioritize pavement projects. Along with other analyses, these practices have allowed the WSPMS to act as an integral element of asset management programming at WSDOT. This report is part of the FHWA Office of Asset Management's series of case studies on TAM, produced with the goal of sharing information between agencies to improve efficiency.

This report updates the findings contained in NCHRP Report 522, "A Review of DOT Compliance with GASB 34 Requirements." NCHRP Report 522 provided a comprehensive look at approaches taken by AASHTO member departments to comply with the requirements of Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) Statement No. 34. NCHRP Report 608 provides a recommended practices guide that identifies effective methodologies that integrate infrastructure inventory, condition assessments, minimum acceptable condition levels, and funding decisions with GASB 34 reporting requirements and assesses the operational and financial impacts of reporting under GASB 34. This report will be helpful to professionals who work with state departments of transportation and local governments in the areas of finance, auditing, asset management, and policymaking.

Transportation agencies nationwide must comply with provisions in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). To assess ADA compliance, agencies need to develop a comprehensive inventory of pedestrian facilities, identify non-compliant locations, and develop a program for remedial repairs in order to bring facilities into compliance. The purpose of NCHRP Project 20- 07, Task 249, Asset Management Approaches to ADA Compliance, was to gather information and develop a synthesis of practices, including best practices, on the various approaches transportation agencies use to address ADA compliance issues. The synthesis covered three main topics: asset data inventory, asset condition assessment, and programming of asset improvements. To make the project manageable, the focus was on pedestrian infrastructure on the public right-of-way, including elements such as sidewalks, curb ramps, pedestrian crossings, and obstructions. The analysis did not include buildings, facilities, or transit infrastructure. The synthesis also included the compilation of an extensive listing of asset inventory and condition data elements. The listing is intended as a preliminary menu that agencies could use as a foundation for the development of inventory programs that meet individual agency needs.

This document contains guidelines for, and background notes on, network level measurement and reporting of deflection data, for road network management purposes in Australia and New Zealand. The guidelines discuss the frequency and scope of network deflection surveys, including issues such as selection of longitudinal sampling intervals or sampling proportions for deflection surveys. The guidelines are intended as a basis for a consistent approach in Australia and New Zealand. A glossary of terms used in network level assessment of pavement strength is also included.

This project defined end-of-life condition for pavement to be used in pavement performance modelling. The project evaluated several pavement performance models, taking maintenance costs and network condition into account to predict rehabilitation decisions.

ASCE's 2005 Report Card for America's Infrastructure assessed the condition and capacity of our nation's public works with an overall grade of D. ASCE estimates that $1.6 trillion is needed over a five-year period to bring the nation's infrastructure to good condition. While long term solutions are needed, in the short term, small steps can be taken by the 110th Congress (January 3, 2007 - January 3, 2009) to improve our nation's failing infrastructure.

The report was commissioned by FHWA to evaluate the state of the practice of Asset Management in local communities in the U.S. and to provide a strategic blueprint for future work in this field. Also included is a presentation describing the work and the findings.

Over the past two decades, state transportation agencies have developed management systems as analytical tools to support investment decision-making in Statewide Transportation Improvement Programs (STIP) and long-range plans. The most common management systems dealing with physical highway assets are those for pavements, bridges, and maintenance. In addition, there are management systems handling highway system operations, namely, congestion and safety. However, most state transportation agencies have not developed adequate management systems for roadway safety hardware assets such as roadway signs; signals; lighting; support and structure for signs, signals, and lighting; guardrails, barriers, and crash cushions; pavement markings; and traffic detecting devices. Cost-effective maintenance, rehabilitation, and upgrade/replacement of roadway safety hardware elements are vital to the safe and efficient operation of highways. The study began with review of literature on roadway safety hardware management. Questionnaire surveys were conducted to synthesize the current state-of-practice for managing roadway safety hardware assets across the country. Subsequent to administering the questionnaire surveys, a structured outline of questions was prepared to help conduct case studies aimed to obtain in-depth information on safety hardware asset management programs in the 12 Midwest states defined by the U.S. Census Bureau, as well as the state of Tennessee. Based on the findings of literature review, questionnaire surveys, and case studies, a methodology was proposed for roadway safety hardware data integration, primarily focusing on inventory process, data collection, and database management; and for estimating the benefits and costs of highway safety hardware projects proposed for implementation for highway segments and intersections. Finally, a new analytical framework was proposed for long-term and short-term roadway safety hardware investment programming and project selection. The analytical framework can also be adopted by state transportation agencies for integrating roadway safety hardware and general safety management, as well as pavement, bridge, and maintenance management by simultaneously considering candidate projects associated with the corresponding types of highway assets in the optimization models for project selection.