September 5, 2014
Innovation Implementation: 3-D Engineered Models
The Federal Highway Administration has announced the third round of Every Day Counts innovations for deployment in 2015 and 2016. But implementation activities continue at full speed on the EDC-2 innovations through the end of this year.
Over the next few weeks, EDC News will recap the progress of transportation stakeholders on implementing EDC-2 innovations and making them mainstream practices across the country.
The 3-D engineered models for construction innovation, for example, is gaining widespread acceptance. The EDC-2 effort focuses on use of 3-D models for activities such as stringless paving and milling, earthwork operations and accurate quantity computation.
Demonstration projects using 3-D modeling are underway in eight states, 11 states have moved beyond the demonstration stage and three—Iowa, Missouri and South Dakota—have institutionalized 3-D modeling.
States are applying 3-D modeling various ways:
- From July 2013 to June 2014, the Iowa Department of Transportation advertised at least 40 projects with 3-D engineered models.
- The New York State Department of Transportation will require a 4-D project model—a 3-D model tied to the project schedule—during initial qualification submissions and as final project deliverables for the Kosciuszko Bridge project.
- The Rhode Island Department of Transportation is updating its database system and hardware to implement 3-D, 4-D, 5-D and design visualization innovations as standard practice.
STICS Participate in National EDC-3 Meeting
Members of State Transportation Innovation Councils learned about the EDC-3 innovations in a national webinar on August 28. The meeting included an introduction of the 11 innovations that will be deployed in 2015 and 2016, as well as questions and discussion on them. In other STIC news, the Colorado STIC signed a charter on August 20 and plans to submit three proposals for funding under the FHWA STIC Incentive program. In Rhode Island, STIC membership has been expanded to include the Rhode Island Airport Corporation and Federal Transit Administration Region 1.
Michigan Showcases First Use of GRS-IBS
The Michigan Department of Transportation and FHWA hosted a showcase on geosynthetic reinforced soil integrated bridge system technology at the Keefer Highway Bridge over Sebewa Creek in Ionia County. The project is Michigan's first to use GRS-IBS technology to reduce construction impact on road users. About 60 people attended the August 19 event, which included technical presentations and a visit to the project site to observe actual implementation of GRS-IBS technology.
Rhode Island Breaks Ground on Circulator Project
Representatives of the Rhode Island Department of Transportation—along with federal, state and local officials—broke ground on the Apponaug Circulator project on August 27. The $29.9 million project will introduce roundabouts and other traffic safety enhancements to the village as well as realign roadways to relieve traffic congestion in the area. The project will convert five intersections to roundabouts to reduce crashes. It also includes 1,100 feet of new road that will serve as a bypass for through traffic, allowing the city to pursue long-range redevelopment plans.
