Operations

The Operations section in the FHWA-NC Division office has the purpose of ensuring that the National Highway System in North Carolina is composed of infrastructure that results in a smooth ride, forgiving roadsides, and safe travel for all motorists. The Operations section achieves this purpose through construction, design and maintenance process reviews and inspections in depth; asset management assistance; pavement and materials expertise; and full and effective use of the Highway Safety Improvement Program. The Operations section works in partnership with the NCDOT Headquarters and Division offices to fulfill this purpose.

Safety

The FHWA-NC Traffic Operations and Highway Safety Unit provides overall coordination and oversight for projects and programs in North Carolina designated to eliminate highway fatalities and serious injuries while maintaining efficient traffic operations. These projects and programs include the Highway Safety Improvement Program, intersection safety, roadway departure elimination, roadside obstacle clearance and shielding, pedestrian and bicycle safety, work zone safety and mobility, signing and pavement markings, occupant protection, human factors in traffic engineering and roadway design, highway/railroad grade crossing safety, interchange justification and traffic flow, and guidance on the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices.

The primary source for federal, state, local, and other highway safety agencies and advocates to achieve improved highway safety is the North Carolina Executive Committee for Highway Safety (NC-ECHS). The FHWA-NC Traffic Operations and Highway Safety Unit provides support for all the NC-ECSH working groups tasked with developing strategies to reduce or eliminate specific causes of highway fatalities and serious injuries. The Traffic Operations and Highway Safety Unit also provides guidance for the continued implementation of the North Carolina Strategic Highway Safety Plan and reporting on progress made in the execution of the North Carolina Highway Safety Improvement Program. More information on the strategic plan and the NC-HCHS can be found at the NC-ECSH Website.

Link to the FHWA Office of Safety web page

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Asset Management

The Asset Management Program in the North Carolina Division Office is dedicated to working with the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) to establish an Asset Management based approach to operations. The diagram below shows the "Wheel" of a highways "Life Cycle."

Text Version

Traditionally the emphasis of FHWA has been on the Planning, Project Development and Construction phases of the life-cycle of a highway project. More than ¾ of the life-cycle of a highway is in the Operations and Maintenance of the facility. Many of the decisions made during the Planning and Project Development phases can affect the cost to Operate, Maintain, and Preserve the facility. The focus of Asset Management is on taking care of the investment in the highway transportation infrastructure and bridging the groups involved in each of these processes.

The major initiatives currently under way are: shifting from a reactive to planned operations using performance measures to drive the programs, helping to expand the preservation programs throughout the Divisions, updating the existing management systems and creating new management systems with an emphasis on interconnectivity between the systems. Working to promote horizontal communications within FHWA and the NCDOT.

The Asset Management position seeks to operate as a liaison between the FHWA Division office and NCDOT. Provides feedback to FHWA HQ on current practices in the field with respect to Asset Management and works along side NCDOT staff to promote and implement Asset Management principles.

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Operations

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