Publication Number: FHWA-HRT-09-007
Date: October 2008

Articles in this Issue

Construction Analysis Software Makes It Easier to Get In, Get Out, and Stay Out

Accelerated construction is increasingly a necessity for transportation departments across the country, as they balance rehabilitating and reconstructing existing highways with reducing congestion and user delays and improving safety. A new software tool, CA4PRS (Construction Analysis for Pavement Rehabilitation Strategies), now offers assistance in making accelerated construction a reality, making it easier for agencies to "Get in," "Get out," and "Stay out."

Earth Retaining Structures: An Essential Part of an Asset Management Program

Earth retaining structures (ERS) are a critical component of America's surface transportation network, with more than 14 million square m (160 million square ft) of permanent ERS constructed in the United States each year, including such structures as cantilever walls and mechanically stabilized earth walls. The use of ERS in highway projects can accelerate construction, reduce project costs, lessen the environmental impacts of highway and bridge construction, and enable the use of complex geometric designs. A new brochure available from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Earth Retaining Structures and Asset Management, highlights how ERS should be included in a transportation asset management program, along with pavements, bridges, and ancillary structures, to help maintain these valuable infrastructure assets and ensure optimal use of available transportation funding.

FHWA Product Demonstration Showcases: A Hands-On Introduction to New Technologies

The Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) Product Demonstration Showcases (PDS) are your ticket to the latest in roadway and bridge technologies, providing highway agency decisionmakers with a practical, hands-on introduction to promising new products and processes. "Our showcase portfolio demonstrates a range of technologies, including solutions implemented by enterprising local agencies," says Mark Sandifer of the FHWA Resource Center. "Each 1-day showcase also demonstrates both the realized and future potential for substantial cost savings offered by the technologies." The events provide for interaction among participants as well, offering a valuable information exchange forum.

Maintenance Management Course Goes Online

Now you can learn how to use enhanced maintenance management systems (MMS) to better conduct routine highway maintenance and operations without having to leave your office. The Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) National Highway Institute (NHI) has introduced a new online version of its Principles and Practices for Enhanced Maintenance Management Systems course (Course No. FHWA-NHI-131112). "The online version offers an alternative to the classroom version for transportation agencies that have limited training funds. This course enables participants to advance their agency's maintenance management practices while saving time and money on travel," says Celso Gatchalian of FHWA's Office of Asset Management.

National Conference to Spotlight Safer, Smoother, and Longer Lasting Concrete Pavements

Strategies for extending the service life of concrete pavements and improving both safety and pavement smoothness is the theme of the upcoming National Conference on Preservation, Repair, and Rehabilitation of Concrete Pavements, scheduled for April 22-24, 2009, in St. Louis, Missouri. The conference will focus on preservation treatments, repair and restoration activities, and rehabilitation techniques (PRR) that can extend the useful life of concrete pavements at the lowest life-cycle costs. A preconference workshop on Concrete Pavement Preservation will be held on April 21.

Highway Technology Calendar