Market Strategy

Marketing Objectives

The objective of the PBES initiative is that, by the year 2010, all State DOTs and the three Federal Lands Highway Divisions will consider the use of PBES to be a standard practice for bridge design and construction. The long–term vision is to have stockpiled PBES superstructure and substructure components which are standardized, inexpensive, durable, and rapidly erected. To achieve this goal, the PBES implementation team determined where it should be going between now and 2009:

• Look at the "opportunity" states
  • Raj's spreadsheet
  • Bridge program volume
  • Future needs based on the National Bridge Inventory [NBI]
• Look at states with no accelerated bridge construction (ABC) projects
• Progressive states that choose non–risk projects
• Convince states that they will save money on first costs
• Action plans to achieve consideration of PBES as standard practice by 2010
• Focus on replacement versus new construction
• Tools to define cost–effectiveness (first cost/user cost/life cycle cost)
• Mobilize FHWA Division Offices
• Continue developing needed tools, both technical and marketing
• Example contracting specifications to states to get short timelines

Measure

The measure for success in a particular area is framed in the following question: Does the state DOT or Federal Lands Highway Division have a PBES policy and specification?

Current Status

Three states (New York, Texas, and Washington) each have built more than 20 PBES bridges. Alabama, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Virginia are actively pursuing PBES as a standard practice.

Marketing Personnel

The core PBES marketing team includes the following members (listed alphabetically):

• Kathleen Bergeron, Marketing Specialist, HfL
• Hala Elgaaly, Bridge Engineer, Federal Lands Highways
• Shoukry Elnahal, Structures Technical Service Team Leader, FHWA Resource Center
• Vasant Mistry, Senior Bridge Engineer, Office of Bridge Technology
• Benjamin Tang, Bridge Team Leader, Office of Bridge Technology