Covering All the Bases...The Resource Center Assembles the Players

In response to a request from the Wisconsin Division for Assistance with reviewing the PS&E package for the $810 million Marquette Interchange project, the FHWA Resource Center (FHWA-RC) Structures Technical Service Team (TST) assembled a multidisciplinary Agency Team and forged into action. Specifically, the FHWA-RC's High Performance Structural Materials Specialist enlisted the services of representatives from the Headquarters Office of Bridge Technology and the Office of Federal Aid Programs Mega-Projects Team, as well as technical specialists from both the Construction and Project Management TST and the Geotechnical/Hydraulics TST (within the FHWA-RC) to conduct appropriate elements of the review.

" . . .The 'core contract' is the largest contract on the largest project in Wisconsin DOT history. You assembled a multidisciplined team of subject matter experts that exceeded our expectations. Your personal participation and comments also greatly assisted our collective efforts to assure a successful outcome for Wisconsin's first mega-project. Nice job! I consider this FHWA team review effort to be a best practice and should be repeated for other mega-projects. . ."

George Poirier, P.E.
Oversight Manager
FHWA Wisconsin Division Office

The review team visited the project site, and after a briefing by Wisconsin Department of Transportation project personnel, spent 2-1/2 days in the Division Office pouring through thousands of plan sheets.

In the end, the diverse review team members provided many valuable comments in their particular specialty areas and exceeded the Division's expectations-improving designs and minimizing the potential for contractor claims. The involvement by this cross-cutting agency team proved very valuable in ensuring a low level of risk to the Wisconsin Division Office in authorizing this mega-project for Federal funding.

For more information, contact:

Lou Triandafilou, P.E.
High Performance Structural Materials Specialist
Structures Technical Service Team
FHWA Resource Center
(410) 962-3648
lou.triandafilou@fhwa.dot.gov

Resource Center Structures Technical Service Team Offers Program Review

The FHWA Resource Center Structures Technical Service Team (TST), in cooperation with our Headquarters Office of Bridge Technology, is offering Structures Program Review Service in two areas: structural engineering and bridge inspection/management.

The FHWA Resource Center can offer Program Review Service in several technical disciplines. Contact the Technical Service Team Leader in your discipline for requests and further information.

This service is available to every State highway agency (SHA) and will be conducted at the request of the SHA and their respective FHWA Division Office. For the review to be successful and beneficial, upper management from both the SHAs and the FHWA Division Offices should be in support of the effort and should be available to attend both the kick-off meeting and the close-out meeting. The results from these reviews will be used to document commendable practices, innovative approaches, and recommendations for improvement. Additionally, commendable practices and innovative approaches will be shared with others. The results will also provide an opportunity to develop National Structures Program Strategies for future training needs, technical guidance, technology deployment, and more effective technology transfer.

Through the implementation of this Structural Program Review Initiative—which encompasses both Structural Engineering and Bridge Inspection/Management Programs—the FHWA Resource Center will document commendable practices, policies and procedures; recognize areas of excellence; and identify opportunities for advancement and improvement.

Who will form the review team? A FHWA Resource Center Structures Technical Service Team member will form the review team in coordination with the requesting SHA, FHWA Division Office, and HQ Office of Bridge Technology. A typical review team will consist of five members: three FHWA Structures Specialists, one from the Resource Center, one from the local Division Office, and one from HQ Bridge Technology Office of the Federal Lands Bridge Office; one local SHA representative and one SHA Peer from another SHA. One of the three FHWA Structures Specialists will be from the HQ Office of Bridge Technology for a bridge inspection/management review. Special circumstances or needs will be addressed on an individual basis.

How much SHA personnel time will these reviews require? Typically, each review should take no longer than one week to be completed, including the travel by those conducting the review. Additionally, it is expected that one week of preparation time will be needed prior to the review and one week of time after the review to complete the report. The number of SHA personnel involved and to what degree will depend on the SHA organization structure, program size, and scope of review. Unique SHA requests or requirements will be addressed in advance of the review on an individual basis.

What will my State gain? Program Review Goals and Benefits:

Identified opportunities for program improvement and commendable practices
Benchmarked program with other SHAs
Documented state-of-the-practice procedures and processes
Shared innovative practices, procedures, processes, and technologies
Identified technical assistance, technology delivery, and training needs
Opportunity for peer exchange
Improved partnership between SHAs and the FHWA.

What does a typical review involve? A typical review involves the development of a detailed Work Plan that is prepared and sent in advance that will include a detailed outline of the review schedule, including distribution of questionnaires, agenda for the interview process, kick-off and close-out meetings with top management, schedule for site visits and district office visits, and time frame for delivering the final report. The Work Plan also documents the purpose, scope, objectives, team members, tasks, and references for the Review. In addition, a questionnaire with specific program questions is developed and distributed to the appropriate SHA offices and personnel for completion prior to the Review. The responses to the questions are used as a baseline for follow-up questions during SHA personnel interviews. In some cases the questionnaire will be modified by the Review Team to address any specific concerns.

What, specifically, will be included or covered in a Structural Engineering Program Review? Due to practical time limitations, these reviews will typically focus on SHA bridge design and research program capabilities, activities, and innovations. Based on site-specific needs and concerns, some modifications to generic reviews are generally expected.

What, specifically, will be included or covered in a Bridge Inspection/Management Review? This Review will focus on the policies, procedures, and operating practices used by the SHA to administer the National Bridge Inspection Standards (NBIS) and related bridge management activities.

How will the Bridge Inspection/Management Program Review differ from annual FHWA Division Office NBIS Compliance Reviews? The Bridge Inspection/Management Program Review is not intended to be a NBIS compliance review. Furthermore, it is not intended to determine and document an SHA's level of compliance with the NBIS. However, the review is intended to identify opportunities for improvement, commendable practices, and innovative techniques. The Review can be general in nature or can be tailored to address specific SHA bridge inspection/management programs or practices. In either case, the review process will provide a comprehensive evaluation of SHA's policies, practices, and procedures.

If a program review is requested and conducted relative to bridge inspection/management, will the annual FHWA Division Office NBIS Compliance Review still be necessary? The bridge inspection/management program review is not intended to be a substitute for the annual Division Office NBIS Compliance Review. However, findings and recommendations from the program review could be utilized by the Division Office to supplement their annual NBIS compliance review.

For more information, contact:

Shoukry Elnahal
Structures Technical Service Team Leader
FHWA Resource Center
(410) 962-2362
shoukry.elnahal@fhwa.dot.gov

Moving Down the Road with Design-Build Solutions

As its name implies, design-build is an all-in-one project delivery system. The combined functions of a design-build project can save a property owner substantial amounts of money and time.

In traditional construction projects (also known as "design-bid-build"), a property owner hires an architect or engineer to prepare project plans and then bids those plans out to several construction firms. The company with the most competitive bid often wins the construction contract.

When a property owner signs a design-build contract, he or she hires a single firm that provides architecture, engineering, and construction services. In a sense, it is one-stop shopping. The design-build delivery method can shorten project schedules, because no delay occurs between securing project plans and determining who will build them. Accelerated project schedules save property owners money in reduced labor and financing costs, and enable them to start recouping their investments sooner. Other benefits of design-build include streamlined communication (it is easier for an architect, engineer, and builder to consult with each other when their functions are coordinated by the same company) and reduced risk of receiving unbuildable project plans that must be redrawn or re-engineered.

Make Plans for Next Year's Conference

Mark your calendar now to attend to attend the 2006 Design-Build in Transportation Conference, April 5-7. Property owners, engineers, builders, and transportation specialists will convene at the Portland Marriott Downtown Waterfront in Portland, OR, to network, share success stories, trade technical tips, attend educational sessions, and learn hands-on, practical solutions to the design-build issues they face. Preconference activities will take place on April 4.

As it did this year, the Design-Build Institute of America (www.dbia.com) will sponsor the 2006 Design-Build in Transportation Conference. New for next year, the 2006 conference will feature additional networking opportunities, a Transportation Owner of the Year awards dinner, and the promotion of owner scholarships through the newly created Owner Education Fund.

A call for presentations will go out approximately in mid-October. For more information about the 2006 Design-Build in Transportation Conference, visit: www.designbuildtransportation.com.

Regulatory matters and concerns stemming from the inherent complexity of design-build projects are just a few of the issues property owners must consider. The 2005 Design-Build in Transportation Conference gave public and private owners and transportation specialists the opportunity to share their common concerns and seek new-found solutions to the challenges they face during the design-build process.

Maintaining the Momentum—Creative Solutions for Tomorrow's Challenges was the theme of the August 13-15, 2005 event. The conference, which convened in Dallas, was sponsored by the Design-Build Institute of America.

This year's conference featured 17 concurrent educational sessions. Attendees learned about regional design-build case histories and received information they could use to address design-build concerns in their areas. Session presenters provided technical details about the following projects and topics, among others.

The New Tacoma Narrows Bridge, the Washington State Department of Transportation's first attempt at using the design-build method for a major highway project.
The Minnesota Department of Transportation's experiences with geotechnical considerations in design-build highway contracts.
The difference between using an Independent Quality Firm to inspect and test design-build projects and using owner or contractor quality controlled methods.
Current trends in the insurance and surety markets that offer solutions for addressing the eroding availability of coverage for design-build projects.
Findings and recommendations from the American Society of Engineers' T&DI Construction Committee on the engineer's role and responsibilities in business, professional, and ethical aspects of design-build projects.

"There are all kinds of tidbits of information from different agencies [at these conferences]," said Joe Gladke, Design-Build Program Director, Minnesota Department of Transportation. "From State to State, everyone has their own formula for doing design-build. I always learn different approaches to try [on our projects]."

For more information, contact:

Jerry Blanding
Innovative Contracting Engineer
Construction and Project Management Technical Service Team
FHWA Resource Center
(410) 962-2253
jerry.blanding@fhwa.dot.gov

Planning Conference/Workshop Proceedings Available Soon!

2005 Western Plains Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Conference

The South Dakota Division Office along with the South Dakota Department of Transportation co-sponsored the 2005 Western Plains MPO Conference. Approximately 80 participants from the 9 western plains States gathered in Lead, SD. The topics included, among others, Long-Range Planning; Safety Conscious Planning; Corridor Preservation; and Integrating Land Use and Planning. Conference proceedings will be available on the FHWA Resource Center Web site and in CD format.

Due to the warm reception and recognition for both technology delivery and information exchange, there were talks that the Western Plains Conference might become a biannual activity.

For additional information on the Western Plains MPO Conference, contact:

Mark Hoines
Planning and Research Engineer
South Dakota Division
Federal Highway Administration
(605) 224-7326.
mark.hoines@fhwa.dot.gov

If you have any questions regarding the proceedings and availability, contact:

Fawn Thompson
Intermodal/Statewide Planning Specialist
Planning Technical Service Team
FHWA Resource Center
(404) 562-3917
fawn.thompson@fhwa.dot.gov

2005 Division Planners Workshop

The 2005 Division Planners Workshop (DPW) was held in Minneapolis, MN. Since the first meeting in 2001, the workshop has grown in numbers. The DPW is a great forum for technology transfer and information exchange that has been coordinated by Division Planners for Division Planners. The agenda included sessions on Workforce Planning, Multidivision Coordination, Freight Planning, Safety Conscious Planning, Traffic Monitoring, Program Management, Fiscal Constraint, Congestion Management Systems, and Certification Reviews, to name a few.

The DPW proceedings will also be available on the Resource Center Web site. This site will serve as a resource for those who are able to provide planning-related examples. At the same time, it will serve as a point of reference for planners who wish to gather actual examples. Information exchange has been a desired component of the DPW.

What division is hosting the next DPW? Stay tuned and check the FHWA Resource Center Web site!

For additional information on the 2005 DPW, contact:

Susan Moe
Lead Program Manager and Planning and Programming Manager
Minnesota Division
Federal Highway Administration
(651) 291-6109
susan.moe@fhwa.dot.gov

For questions regarding the proceedings, contact:

Fawn Thompson
Intermodal/Statewide Planning Specialist
Planning Technical Service Team
FHWA Resource Center
(404) 562-3917
fawn.thompson@fhwa.dot.gov