May 2, 2024
Innovation of the Month: Strategic Workforce Development
Programs like FHWA’s Strategic Workforce Development initiative play a pivotal role in addressing the growing demand for a highway construction workforce while breaking down barriers for individuals seeking career opportunities and community improvement.
Daniel Webster's journey from a flagger on Wisconsin's highways to the Director of Diversity and Inclusion at a construction engineering firm demonstrates the importance of combining opportunity and advocacy to benefit the community. His commitment to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within the highway construction industry not only shaped his own career but also opened doors for and inspired numerous individuals from Tribal communities across the region to join him.
Daniel's introduction to the construction industry came through the Highway Construction Skills Training (HCST) program and, despite lacking prior experience, started as a flagger and was later promoted to a traffic control position. Later in his career, he pursued higher education while working, earning both a bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business administration. Now, Daniel collaborates with Noel Vandiver, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s North Central Region HCST Director, to prepare graduates for their upcoming careers in highway construction with job interview preparation, resume writing structure, and time and wealth management, just to name a few.
In 2018, Daniel joined his current employer as an HR Business Partner, marking the beginning of his journey in championing DEI within the company. Daniel recognized the underrepresentation of Tribal members in the industry, leading to his advocacy for increased outreach and recruitment efforts in Northeast Wisconsin. His efforts led to hiring over 50 individuals from Tribal communities in the highway construction industry.
One of Daniel’s key initiatives encompasses collaboration with HCST programs, particularly in Tribal communities. Through partnerships and outreach efforts, Daniel facilitated numerous individuals’ entry into the highway construction industry, providing them opportunities for training, mentorship, and employment.
The success stories emerging from these efforts are a testament to the transformative impact of proactive DEI initiatives within the heavy highway construction industry. Individuals who once lacked access to these opportunities now find themselves thriving in meaningful careers within the construction field.
As Daniel continues to pave the way for inclusivity and equity within the highway construction industry, the legacy of his advocacy resonates across communities. By amplifying diverse voices and fostering a culture of belonging, Daniel is not only transforming lives but also reshaping the future of Wisconsin’s highway construction industry.
To learn more about Strategic Workforce Development, contact Chrisy Currier, FHWA Office of Infrastructure, Tina Hooper, FHWA Massachusetts Division, or Rhonda Motley, FHWA Nevada Division.
FHWA Report Provides Guidance on Structural Design with Ultra-High Performance Concrete
Ultra-High Performance Concrete’s (UHPC) enhanced and distinct properties require a separate set of design methodologies from conventional concrete to facilitate its use.
In October 2023, FHWA published a report on Structural Design with UHPC that included draft versions of design guidance based largely on FHWA research and was informed by work from other research groups across the U.S. and the world. This document provides background, context, and foundational knowledge to bridge owners, designers, and associated individuals interested in using UHPC in highway bridge designs.
Of particular interest, the report includes two detailed sections - the analysis of a rectangular, mild steel reinforced UHPC Beam and the design example of a pretensioned UHPC I-Beam Bridge with a conventional concrete deck.
The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Committee on Bridges and Structures used this draft guidance as a basis for its Guide Specifications for Structural Design with Ultra-High Performance Concrete, 1st Edition, released in March 2024.
To learn more about UHPC, contact David Garber or Justin Ocel, FHWA Resource Center.
Funds available for Guardrail Safety Training Program
As part of ongoing efforts to advance the EDC-5 innovation, Focus on Reducing Rural Roadway Departures (FoRRRwD), FHWA published a new Notice of Funding Opportunity on Grants.gov (#693JJ324NF00007) to solicit grant applications for the Guardrail Safety Training program. The grant recipient will provide technical assistance and develop guardrail safety training materials.
The goal of Guardrail Safety Training is three-fold:
- To provide technical assistance;
- To develop support materials for training activities; and
- To develop and conduct webinar trainings for roadway agency standards engineers/sections.
Through the development of the products outlined in this cooperative agreement the desired outcome is improved guardrail design and installation.
FHWA seeks to fund tasks under this NOFO that advance the United States Department of Transportation’s National Roadway Safety Strategy (NRSS). The NRSS outlines the Department’s comprehensive approach to significantly reducing serious injuries and deaths on our Nation’s highways, roads, and streets. This is the first step in working toward an ambitious long-term goal of reaching zero roadway fatalities.
Applications will be received via Grants.gov until May 30, 2024 at 11:59pm EST. Visit Grants.gov to learn more.
Discover Home-Grown Innovations from Around the Country
Are you interested in homegrown innovations being used by your peers in other parts of the country? The National STIC Network Showcase provides a summary of STIC Showcase entries from the EDC-7 Virtual Summit.
Learn about the County Road Association of Michigan's Disaster Fiscal Recovery Playbook, which assists county road agencies before, during, and after natural disaster events to ensure they can access all available State and Federal funding sources to recover.
Celebrate the ingenuity of your peers and read about these innovations—developed and deployed in-house at transportation agencies nationwide.
Stay Up to Date on the EDC Innovations That Interest You Most
EDC teams are always on the move! If you blink, you could miss out on important webinars, case studies, tools, videos, and more. To never miss information for the EDC innovations that interest you most, visit the subscription page and select the topics you’d like to receive updates on directly from the teams that coordinate them.
Recent bulletins:
Strategic Workforce Development 4/23/24
Upcoming USDOT Funding Opportunities 4/18/24
Strategic Workforce Development (Funding Opportunity) 4/17/24
Road Weather Management Program 4/16/24
CHANGE 4/15/24
Upcoming Events
Highway Construction Training Program Grant Funding Opportunity
May 2, 2024, 2:00-3:00 ET Details Join
Equitable Safety Data Analysis
May 22, 2024, 1:00-3:00 ET Register
About EDC
Every Day Counts, a State-based initiative of the Federal Highway Administration's Office of Innovation and Workforce Solutions, works with State, local, and privatesector partners to encourage the adoption of proven and underutilized technologies to deliver transportation projects more efficiently, enhance safety forall users, support a sustainable and resilient infrastructure, and incorporate equity inproject planning and delivery.
EDC News is a weekly publication highlighting successful EDC innovation deployments across the country.
EDC News is published weekly by the FHWA Center for Accelerating Innovation.
Disclaimer: The U.S. Government does not endorse products or manufacturers. Trademarks or manufacturers’ names appear in this document only because they are considered essential to the objective of the document. They are included for informational purposes only and are not intended to reflect a preference, approval, or endorsement of any one product or entity.
Except for the statutes and regulations cited, the contents of this document do not have the force and effect of law and are not meant to bind the States or the public in any way. This document is intended only to provide information regarding existing requirements under the law or agency policies.
Recommended Citation:
U.S Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration
EDC News; April 18, 2024
Washington, DC
