U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20590
202-366-4000
| Fiscal Year | Innovations | Project |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Geospatial Data Collaboration | The California Department of Transportation (CalTrans) will initiative the use of Plans on Demand to geo-reference and provide visualization of Right-of-Way (ROW) maps through an interactive geographic information system web service in three districts. CalTrans intends this project to serve as an incentive for taking advantage of existing technologies to streamline cost-effective methods to improve and share valuable ROW information for planning, operation, design, construction and utility efforts. ($550,000) Read AID Demonstration Project Grant California 2015 |
| Fiscal Year | Innovations | Project |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Structures, CORS | Enhancing infrastructure resilience and enabling smart mobility through the integration of continuously operating geodetic reference stations (CORS) in superstructure designs ($94,400) |
| 2024 | Vehicle-to-everything | V2X Deployment Pathways for Caltrans D7: Solutions, Applications and Pilots ($65,600) |
| 2024 | Digital As-Builts | Advance modeling for Earth Retaining Structures (continued) ($22,400) |
| 2024 | Wrong Way Driver, Safety, Operations | Develop a Wrong-Way Driver Prevention Strategic Plan (continued) ($32,000) |
| 2023 | Wrong Way Driver, Safety, Operations | Develop a Wrong-Way Driver Prevention Strategic Plan ($48,000) |
| 2023 | Digital As-Builts | Advance modeling for Earth Retaining Structures ($52,000) |
| 2022 | Digital As-Builts | Implement Project Delivery Quality Reviews for Virtual Design and Construction ($40,000) |
| 2022 | Safe Transportation for Every Pedestrian | Develop a standardized process for the delivery of in-house Quick-Build active transportation improvements (Part 2) ($24,800) |
| 2021 | Digital As-Builts | Advance the statewide deployment and implementation of Digital As-Builts ($44,800) |
| 2021 | Safe Transportation for Every Pedestrian | Develop a standardized process for the delivery of in-house Quick-Build active transportation improvements ($55,200) |
| 2020 | Building Information Modelling | Provide resources to define a BIM Execution Plan (BEP) Template ($74,400) |
| 2020 | Innovation Exchange | Host Caltrans first annual “Innovation in Action” virtual conference ($25,600) |
| 2019 | Unmanned Aerial Systems | Advancing Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Deployment to Benefit California's Public Transportation System ($50,000) |
| 2019 | Weather Responsive Management Systems | Implement the Weather Decision Tiers, a scientific model to pin-point areas along the highway susceptible to debris flow, rock fall, land slide, erosion, flooding, etc. after wildfires throughout all California ($50,000) |
| 2018 | Data-Driven Safety Analysis | Develop a strategic implementation plan for adopting the HSM as a guideline for Caltrans safety analysis ($24,000) |
| 2017 | National Environmental Policy Act | Develop an on-line tool with steps, procedures, and check-in points for integrating permit requirements during the project development process ($50,000) |
| 2017 | Road Weather Management – Weather-Savvy Roads | Develop GIS data of flood prone areas and an interactive web map application for severe storm preparedness ($50,000) |
| 2016 | Accelerated Bridge Construction | Conduct Accelerated Bridge Construction Outreach ($45,000) |
| 2016 | Community Connections | First/Last Mile Innovation Training ($40,000) |
| 2016 | Data-Driven Safety Analysis | Roadway Departure Workshops ($15,000) |
| Date | Innovations | Project |
|---|---|---|
| 10/01/24 | TOPS | California, Pennsylvania, Nevada, and Virginia showed special interest in concrete overlays by scheduling in-person workshops. “I think our outreach efforts to create awareness of the viability of concrete overlays have encouraged many States to rethink their maintenance strategies and take steps toward adding concrete overlays as another asset management tool,” said TOPS EDC Team Co-leader Robert Conway... |
| 05/01/24 | Next-Gen TIM | In 2019, FHWA initiated a Global Benchmarking Program (GBP) study that documented UAS data management approaches in Germany and the United Kingdom (U.K.) that could be implemented by U.S. agencies… Two of the States involved in the GBP study, California and North Carolina, are already adopting some of these proven practices from the U.K. and Germany. Both the North Carolina Department of Transportation (DOT) and California DOT plan to pilot the UAS docking technology.... |
| 03/01/24 | STEP | The California DOT (Caltrans) piloted a program allowing its districts to install standalone safety enhancements more quickly than through traditional capital project delivery. In the first two fiscal years of the Highway Maintenance 4 (HM-4) Safety program, Caltrans added $21.5 million annually to its maintenance budget for implementation of Proven Safety Countermeasures such as high-visibility crosswalks and curve warning signs. The program allowed Caltrans to complete safety enhancements in 4,540 locations, exceeding the pilot’s goal by more than 1,000... |
| 11/01/23 | Next-Gen Traffic Incident Management | About 6 million police-reported vehicle crashes occur every year in the United States, impacting safety and system operations. Each crash places responders and motorists at risk of secondary crashes while causing delays that impact travel and freight movement. Next-Generation Traffic Incident Management (NextGen TIM) technologies help responders clear the road faster, reducing their exposure to traffic and restoring normal traffic flow sooner.
During Every Day Counts round 7 (EDC-7), NextGen TIM is promoting life-saving innovations such as advance warning technologies, debris removal systems, emergency vehicle lighting and markings, unmanned aerial systems for TIM, and advancements in emergency vehicle preemption (EVP)… The city of San Jose, CA, has made significant strides in reducing response time through a centralized, dynamic, GPS-based approach to EVP. Instead of relying on equipment installed on each responder vehicle and at each of its 967 signalized intersections, San Jose’s system uses GPS to leverage its advanced traffic management system, public safety computer-aided dispatch (CAD), and automated vehicle location information for police and fire vehicles across the city... |
| 11/01/23 | STIC Homegrown Innovations |
To unlock the powerful digital data structures and visualization capabilities of Building Information Modeling (BIM), the California DOT (Caltrans) developed a BIM Execution Plan template to align its information modeling requirements and govern its information management... |
| 01/01/23 | UAS Intersection Geometrics VPI | The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) 2022 Innovation Expo ;highlighted innovations that have proved successful in a variety of areas such as operations, public engagement, and safety. Among these are using unmanned aerial systems (UAS) to improve safety and productivity for maintenance inspections and rockfall mitigation efforts. When standard surveying methods were ruled out due to hazardous site conditions, Caltrans implemented virtual reality technology and three-dimensional UAS modeling to conduct surveys for rare plants and monitor vegetation growth for rockfall projects. The agency’s State Route 11 project at Enrico Fermi was spotlighted for its innovative diverging diamond interchange (DDI) design. The DDI incorporates border wait time technologies that enhance regional mobility and reduce greenhouse gas emissions while improving driver safety along this busy bi-national route. The expo also highlighted a new virtual public involvement approach that used QR codes placed on the ground within the bike and pedestrian right-of-way... |
| 05/01/23 | Digital As-Builts | The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is advancing its use of digital as-builts (DABs) to streamline field inspection with easy to use click graphics, specifications, checklists, and forms to document quantities and qualities of pay items... |
| Date | Innovations | Project |
|---|---|---|
| 11/1/2022 | Virtual Public Involvement | The California DOT (Caltrans) developed a new online tool called 360 Tours for enhancing virtual public involvement on current and upcoming projects. Caltrans consolidated software technologies into an interactive, web-based interface that delivers complex project information in a centralized 3D model. Visitors to the website can explore existing conditions and see conceptual solutions. For its State Route 37 planning and environmental linkages project, 360 Tours offered Caltrans stakeholders an opportunity to view the effects of sea-level rise. The agency has also used 360 Tours to facilitate project meetings and explain safety-related items. Read More |
| 1/1/2022 | Strategic Workforce Development | The SWD toolkit also has case studies from around the country detailing how others are working to solve their workforce shortages. States and cities have formed what FHWA calls Highway Construction Workforce Partnerships (HCWPs) to bring interested parties together to find solutions. Many HCWPs are finding that potential workers have the will to pursue highway construction but lack the practical means of doing so. In Los Angeles, prospective highway construction workers first learn about the levels of support offered to help them succeed. This gives the HCWP an opportunity to home in on specific needs for each cohort, so they can find community partners willing to provide the resources that will eliminate barriers to program completion. "Participation in our program not only affects individuals, but also their families," said Robert Chavez, a member of the Los Angeles HCWP. "We can provide housing, rental assistance, or childcare to help people meet their training requirements." Read More |
| 7/1/2021 | FoRRRwD | One of the most powerful tools are Local Road Safety Plans (LRSPs). They are one of FHWA’s Proven Safety Countermeasures. LRSPs often rely heavily on the systemic approach, which allows agencies to analyze their systems and target investments to the highest-risk locations. The plans document the analysis and approach, making it easier to communicate investment decisions to stakeholders and provide for continuity through staff changes. These plans are so effective that several States, including Washington and California, either have or are planning to require LRSPs for counties and cities to apply for Federal Highway Safety Improvement Program funding. FHWA created a Local Road Safety Plans DIY website to help agencies develop LRSPs. The site includes step-by-step instructions, tutorial videos, and sample plans and templates. Read More |
| 1/1/2021 | STIC Showcase | The National State Transportation Innovation Council (STIC) Network Showcase at the EDC-6 Virtual Summit celebrated innovations developed across the country to save lives, time, and resources. The showcase gave the 245 innovations a wider audience to expand their use and impact. The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) deployed an innovative pavement material when it repaved a highway section with a plasticized binder containing recycled plastic bottles. Caltrans is testing the material for use throughout the State on projects using a cold-in-place recycling process. A 1-mile pavement segment using this treatment recycles 150,000 plastic bottles. The plastic pavement has been found in past tests to be more durable than hot-mix asphalt pavement. In addition to removing plastic from the waste stream, plastic pavement could reduce material costs by 25 percent and its durability could reduce maintenance costs. |
11/01/19 | Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC) | STIC Incentive funds supported development of a training package and coordinated outreach effort to educate the California transportation community on the methods and benefits of ABC. The training was deployed through presentations and workshops at transportation conferences and a webinar conducted by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) Division of Local Assistance. Topics included how ABC differs from conventional bridge construction, a process to identify ABC benefits, various ABC methods that can be used for a successful project, and project examples in California and other States. For information, contact Dorie Mellon of Caltrans. |
09/01/19 | Automated Traffic Signal Performance Measures (ATSPMs) | The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC)—the metropolitan planning organization for the San Francisco Bay Area—launched a $13 million challenge grant program called IDEA: Innovative Deployments to Enhance Arterials. The objective is to help cities, counties, and transit agencies improve arterial operations through the deployment of commercially available technologies, such as ATSPM systems or emerging technologies that support regional readiness for a connected and automated vehicle environment. Nine ATSPM projects were selected. A systems engineering analysis is being conducted for each project, to be followed by system procurement and implementation. The MTC intends to conduct a comprehensive evaluation to assess costs and benefits at the completion of each project. The ATSPM projects selected through MTC's IDEA Program are expected to provide a foundation for continued expansion of the technology in California. |
09/01/19 | Traffic Incident Management (TIM) | In the past, California had limited data for TIM performance analysis. In EDC-4, the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) assessed multiple potential data sources, including the agency's major incident database, safety service patrol (SSP) data from one county, and California Highway Patrol (CHP) computer-aided dispatch (CAD) data. The assessment showed that the CHP CAD data offered the best potential for a statewide source of TIM performance measures. The win for California was finding it could use an existing data source to measure TIM performance. |
07/01/19 | Data Driven Safety Analysis (DDSA) | The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) was among the agencies that implemented quantitative safety analysis methods in the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials Highway Safety Manual (HSM). The agency developed guidance for incorporating HSM methods into project analysis, building on a pilot effort using predictive analyses to quantify safety impacts of project alternatives, design exceptions, and performance-based practical design. Caltrans also launched a project to create data definitions, quality assurance procedures, and performance measures so local agencies can collect data on Model Inventory of Roadway Elements, a list of roadway and traffic elements critical to safety management. The project results will allow Caltrans and local partners to perform robust safety analysis. |
05/01/19 | Value Capture | Development impact fees are one-time charges on new development to help municipalities pay for new infrastructure, such as roads, to accommodate the project. In Orange County, CA, the Foothill/Eastern Transportation Corridor and San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor Agencies operate four toll roads totaling about 51 miles to provide congestion relief and connectivity. Development impact fees levied on developers of residential and commercial properties were crucial in providing seed capital for the toll roads. The fees now supplement toll revenues to cover debt service payments on the roads. Read Innovator Issue 72 |
01/01/19 | State Transportation Innovation Councils (STIC) | The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) used State Transportation Innovation Council Incentive funds to conduct training to address the “first mile/last mile” (FLM) challenge of getting travelers between transit system hubs and their destinations. Caltrans collaborated with the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), and Federal Highway Administration to help agencies create FLM connections. The training focused on planning an FLM improvement program and deploying pedestrian safety countermeasures. View the April 10, 2018, “Innovations in FLM Planning and Design” webinar on the SCAG website Read Innovator Issue 70 |
11/01/18 | Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC), State Transportation Innovation Councils (STIC) | STIC Incentive funds supported development of a training package and coordinated outreach effort to educate the California transportation community on the methods and benefits of ABC. The training was deployed through presentations and workshops at transportation conferences and a webinar conducted by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) Division of Local Assistance. Read Innovator Issue 69 |
05/01/18 | Construction Manager/General Contractor | After a replacement project using the construction manager/general contractor (CM/GC) delivery method, the George E. Tryon Bridge over the South Fork of the Smith River in Del Norte County, CA, is open to traffic. Federal Lands Highway chose CM/ GC contracting because of the challenge of building an arch bridge at a constricted site under complicated project conditions. Using CM/GC helped mitigate risk, incorporate constructability considerations, realize cost savings, and limit environmental impacts. Other project partners include the Six Rivers National Forest, Del Norte County, the California Department of Transportation, and California State Parks. Read Innovator Issue 66 |
| 11/01/17 | e-Construction | The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is among the agencies that are combining e-Construction and partnering to improve project delivery. Caltrans has a formal construction partnering program with a guidebook on partnering facilitation. The agency is piloting tablet devices in the field as a way to reduce support costs by having plans and other documentation readily accessible to project team members. Read Innovator Issue 63 |
| 07/01/17 | Ultra-High Performance Concrete Connections | The California Department of Transportation identified two multispan structures for pilot projects using UHPC to connect precast columns to precast bent caps. Scheduled for 2017 construction, the projects will help the agency develop design details and guidance to quickly and uniformly implement accelerated bridge construction while mitigating project risk. Read Innovator Issue 61 |
| 05/01/17 | Construction Manager/General Contractor | After a replacement project using the construction manager/general contractor (CM/GC) delivery method, the George E. Tryon Bridge over the South Fork of the Smith River in Del Norte County, CA, is open to traffic. Federal Lands Highway chose CM/GC contracting because of the challenge of building an arch bridge at a constricted site under complicated project conditions. Using CM/GC helped mitigate risk, incorporate constructability considerations, realize cost savings, and limit environmental impacts. Other project partners include the Six Rivers National Forest, Del Norte County, the California Department of Transportation, and California State Parks. Read Innovator Issue 60 |
| 03/01/17 | Safety Edge, Accelerated Bridge Construction, Intersection and Interchange Geometrics, Road Diets, Use of In-Lieu Fee and Mitigation Banking | The Truckee River Bridge and Dollar Creek Trail project in Tahoe City, CA, is using several Every Day Counts (EDC) innovations, including the Safety Edge paving technique, accelerated bridge construction, roundabouts, road diets, and in-lieu fees and mitigation banking. The project is designed to improve safety and mobility for all travel modes. Federal Lands Highway collaborated with more than 20 agencies on the context-sensitive design for the project Read Innovator Issue 59 |
| 09/01/16 | Data-Driven Safety Analysis | California used DDSA to predict that a roundabout in a high-speed corridor would achieve an 80- to 90-percent crash reduction. Once the roundabout was built, the corridor had a 100-percent reduction in fatal crashes and a 92-percent drop in injury crashes the three years after construction compared to the three years before. Read Innovator Issue 56 |
| 07/01/16 | Road Diets | Santa Monica, California, installed a temporary road diet on a stretch of Ocean Park Boulevard with two schools after other safety measures had insufficient influence on a surge in crashes and speeding. The city converted the four-lane road to one travel lane and bicycle lane in each direction with a two-way left-turn lane in the middle. As a result, collisions dropped 65 percent and motorists drove 10 miles per hour slower inside the road diet limits, prompting the city to make the roadway reconfiguration permanent as part of a resurfacing project on Ocean Park. Read Innovator Issue 55 |
| Date | Innovations | Project |
|---|---|---|
| 11/01/15 | Adaptive Signal Control | The Los Angeles Department of Transportation has the largest ASCT system in the nation, said Curtis. The city synchronizes all of its traffic signals to improve traffic flow, while the adaptive part of the system automatically changes timing in response to travel volumes and patterns. An evaluation compared the city’s ASCT system to the Urban Traffic Control System Los Angeles had been using as its central traffic control system: • ASCT reduced travel time by 12.7 percent, average stops by 31 percent and average delays by 21.4 percent. • Improvements in delay were more significant during the evening peak hours than at other times, but travel time and average stops were improved for all time periods. Read Innovator Issue 51 |
| 09/01/12 | Adaptive Signal Control | The city of Temecula, Calif., installed Adaptive Signal Control at 83 intersections spanning 18 miles of roadway. As a result, drivers have enjoyed a 14 percent reduction in travel time, a 17 percent increase in corridor speed and a 29 percent reduction in stops. That translates to annual savings of about $2.6 million in travel time and $437,000 in fuel costs. Read Innovator Issue 32 |
| Date | Innovations | Project |
|---|---|---|
| 01/11/24 | STIC | Learn about the California Department of Transportation's (Caltrans) Building Information Modeling (BIM) Execution Plan (BEP), which sets standards and processes for using BIM in bridge projects. Caltrans is piloting the BEP on 10 projects...
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| 05/18/23 | STIC | Learn about the California District 11 Transportation Management Center's Hydrogen Fuel Cell Alternative Emergency Power pilot, which uses hydrogen fuel cells to power traffic signals during a public safety power shutoff event... |
| Date | Innovations | Project |
|---|---|---|
| 09/01/22 | A-GaME | Some A-GaME methods are particularly well suited to provide certain useful design parameters. The seismic cone penetrometer (SCPT) is one such tool which can be used to efficiently provide data for modeling foundation earthquake response. The CPT probe is a powerful field tool for evaluating site stratigraphy (the layering of soil rock deposits that exist underground) and determining material strength properties. The seismic probe is a standard probe outfitted with an additional module for measuring seismic properties as part of the testing procedure. The SCPT played a critical role in subsurface characterization and the direct seismic design of bridge foundations on a project in southern California. Caltrans, in collaboration with the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA), required SCPT use as part of the site characterization program for the Interstate 405 Freeway in Orange County, CA. The I-405 project is a 2-billion-dollar mega-project, consisting of 16 miles of road widening, the replacement or widening of 30 bridge structures, and constructing more than 100 associated earth retaining systems. The design build contractor performed the SCPT exploration and evaluated the soil seismic parameters to design the bridges for the earthquake loading requirements. The SCPT measurements were used to characterize ground motion for the geo-structural design and for foundation design directly, the first use of CPT technology in direct design of bridge foundations on a project of this scale. Caltrans and OCTA brought their specialty A-GaME to the I-405 project for an efficient geotechnical design program. Read More |
| 07/21/22 | WRMS | When people hear Weather Responsive Management Strategies (WRMS), their minds tend to immediately go to winter weather. However, these strategies apply to more than snowy and icy roadways such as flash flooding, dust and wind storms, and wildfires. Eight of the ten largest wildfires in California history have occurred within the last five years. Coordinated agency response is required before, during, and after wildfires to prepare for and help prevent additional wildfires; understand when, where, and how to respond; and manage burn scar areas to minimize flash flooding impacts. In order to better prepare for wildfires, Caltrans maintains close relationships with agency partners including the National Weather Service (NWS), California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, law enforcement, and Federal lands partners to coordinate preparation and response activities. One of these, the Caltrans PREPARE methodology, was developed to preemptively determine when to close State highways in burn scar areas. In November 2020, PREPARE won an Excellence in Transportation Award demonstrating shortened timelines between adverse weather predictions and road weather management decisions in burn scar areas statewide. The Caltrans PREPARE pilot developed a new risk-based model that pre-authorized a framework of actions by local, state, and Federal partners when rainfall thresholds are predicted to trigger post-fire debris flow, flooding, rockfall, bridge scour, pavement inundation and other dangerous road conditions. Actions in the PREPARE methodology include:
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| 06/17/21 | STIC | Are you interested in homegrown innovations being used by your peers in other parts of the country? Check out the National STIC Network Showcase, a component of the EDC-6 Virtual Summit. This site features a convenient one-time registration that will allow you to continue accessing information throughout 2021. The showcase prominently features several innovations focused on public outreach. Learn about the Caltrans 360 degree interactive project tour, a dynamic and interactive experience designed to help community members and transportation partners visualize project needs and solutions; Delaware bridge project public outreach videos, which help address construction questions and concerns; The City of Ann Arbor, MI's A2 Open City Hall online survey tool, which allows the City to reach more residents than through traditional city meetings, gathers multiple perspectives, and supports more inclusive and accessible public engagement; and the Utah DOT mapping and visualization tools, which use map-based animations to help stakeholders understand how drivers will navigate completed projects. Read More |
| 2/18/21 | Next-Generation Traffic Incident Management (NextGen TIM) | Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s Bay Area Traffic Incident Management Dashboard uses incident details recorded from California Highway Patrol’s public facing incident-feed and California Department of Transportation’s Performance Management System (PeMS). The dashboard shows a summary of recent incidents as well as longer-term incident trends over the past 5 years. The dashboard includes incident clearance times and goals based on incident type. Data can easily be visualized through a toggle option on the website or the raw data can be downloaded. The MTC has used the dashboard to understand incident clearance times and trends during travel restricted periods and regularly reviews it with responders to provide context for discussions at task force meetings. For example, recent meetings have focused on wrong way incidents and truck incidents and the dashboard has provided context on where wrong way incidents are happening, and how long truck incidents typically take to clear. The MTC plans to use the dashboard in the future to help evaluate recently installed safety improvements, such as mile marker signs to aid with locating incidents in complex freeway interchanges and a suite of safety improvements to reduce crashes in a high collision mountain corridor. Read More |
| 10/8/20 | Weather-Responsive Management Strategies (WRMS) | California is using new RWIS, mobile RWIS, and collaboration with the National Weather Service, law enforcement and local agencies to assemble forecast information and proactively close highways when mudslides are predicted. Caltrans intends to expand burn scar management efforts to other predicted weather events, such as winter weather and preparing for wildfires. Read More |
| 08/27/20 | Focus on Reducing Rural Roadway Departures (FoRRRwD) | In California, 62 percent of fatal crashes occur on locally-owned roads. The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) Office of Local Assistance has assisted local agencies in the development of systemic safety analysis reports since 2016. However, Caltrans realized that more could be gained from a holistic approach by developing LRSPs. To encourage LRSP development, Caltrans hosted two in-state peer exchanges, and conducted several webinars that reached hundreds of local agencies. Caltrans also provides funding to develop LRSPs. A California agency with a completed LRSP that submits a project application through the 2020 Local Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) will be awarded "bonus points" during the selection process. In the next Local HSIP funding cycle (2022), Caltrans will require agencies to have an LRSP to be eligible to submit a project application. Read EDC News 8-27-2020 |
| 08/20/20 | Focus on Reducing Rural Roadway Departures (FoRRRwD) | In EDC Outtakes—a series of short interview videos—State practitioners and FHWA personnel give insight into the current round of EDC innovations. In our latest edition, Thomas Mattson, Public Works Director for Humboldt County, CA, discusses some of the places agencies can go to collect data for beginning the systemic approach. Read EDC News 8-20-2020 |
| 07/30/20 | Weather Responsive Management Strategies | The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) recently placed a mobile weather station in its Ferguson burn scar area to pilot the collection of real-time information on rainfall. The data uploads into the agency's cloud and is used by the National Weather Service and WeatherNet for rainfall information. Caltrans used the data effectively, collaborating with local and state law enforcement to close roadways located in the burn scar area pre-emptively to ensure the traveling public was aware of flooding risks and safely using detours to avoid the dangerous, flood-prone roadways. Read EDC News 7-30-2020 |
| 04/30/20 | Focus on Reducing Rural Roadway Departures (FoRRRwD) | In California, over 800 people die each year due to a roadway departure on a rural road. That is more than two people lost every day. Over 60 percent of these occurred on local roads. The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is moving FoRRRwD by dedicating $10 million of their safety funding for local agency roadway safety improvements. For agencies to obtain the funding, the state requires a Local Road Safety Plan (LRSP) in future funding cycles that identifies a 4E approach (engineering, education, enforcement, and emergency medical services) to local agencies' safety priorities. Working with Caltrans, FHWA provided comprehensive training to five counties to develop LRSPs. Now, those counties are assisting other counties in the state by sharing their successes and lessons learned through peer exchanges and statewide webinars. Together, this outreach and technical assistance has reached hundreds of local agency officials to assist them with making roads safer and reducing the risk and number of fatal and injury crashes. Read EDC News 4-30-2020 |
| 01/23/20 | Weather Responsive Management Strategies | Since 2018, Caltrans, in collaboration with the California Department of Forestry & Fire Protection (who puts together burn scar plans with maps showing expected erosion and debris areas), uses rainfall rate briefings from the NWS to make better decisions for managing facilities in high risk areas such as shutting down highways prior to events occurring. This enhanced coordination and information allowed Caltrans to take a proactive approach, resulting in an estimated $22 million in savings within the first year based on regional economic indicators for the cost of a closure on this route due to a debris flow. The enhanced information also reduced the risk to travelers of any crashes or injury resulting from a debris flow. Caltrans is now working to enhance and expand these efforts to use new road weather information systems (RWIS). Caltrans uses these systems to collaborate with the NWS to assemble forecast information for local agencies and law enforcement, to proactively close highways when they predict mudslides and debris flows. The goal is to use predictability to close roadways ahead of time, clean roads faster, or even save the roadway. Utilities are also considering WRMS approaches pre-emptively to shut down power grids in some areas to prevent fires. Read EDC News 1-23-2020 |
| 11/21/19 | Data Driven Safety Analysis | The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has expanded its use of data-driven safety analysis (DDSA) in several areas to evaluate infrastructure and prioritize potential improvement projects. Caltrans evaluated the "data-readiness," or quantity and quality, of current collision, traffic volume, and roadway inventory safety data in accordance with the AASHTO Highway Safety Manual (HSM) and is resolving data gaps in the existing transportation system network to better organize data collection locations for all public roads. Additionally, Caltrans standardized data definitions, quality assurance procedures, and performance measures for metropolitan planning organizations and local agencies that are collecting Model Inventory Roadway Elements (MIRE) data and performing robust safety analyses. The department is developing new safety analysis tools to incorporate HSM methodology for screening the network system and analyzing cost/benefits on California’s state highway system. Caltrans has also developed new guidance to incorporate DDSA into projects after June 30, 2020, based on a pilot that used predictive analyses to quantify safety impacts of alternatives, design exceptions, and performance-based practical design. For more information on California’s DDSA efforts, contact Thomas Schriber with Caltrans. To learn how your agency can incorporate DDSA into its business practices, contact Jerry Roche with the FHWA Office of Safety or John McFadden with the FHWA Resource Center. Read EDC News 11-21-2019 |
| 09/12/19 | Focus on Reducing Rural Roadway Departures (FoRRRwD) | In California, Caltrans piloted a project with five counties to develop Local Road Safety Plans (LRSPs). When these pilot counties apply for Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) funds, Caltrans can be confident these are data-driven safety projects. Caltrans is considering an approach which will require a local agency to have an LRSP or equivalent plan to qualify for HSIP funding. Read EDC News 9-12-2019 |
| 08/08/19 | Data-Driven Safety Analysis | The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is one of many agencies to implement data-driven safety analysis (DDSA) techniques in their projects. Caltrans developed guidance for incorporating quantitative safety analysis into its project development process. The guidance is based on predictive analysis methods from the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials Highway Safety Manual (HSM). Predictive analysis lets agencies determine the future safety impacts of multiple design alternatives side by side; justify design exceptions; and incorporate performance-based practical design principles. Caltrans also launched a project that will allow it and its local partners to perform even more robust safety analysis. The effort will create data definitions, quality assurance procedures, and performance measures so local agencies can collect data on model inventory of roadway elements—information that is critical to safety management. To learn more about these efforts, contact Thomas Schriber with Caltrans. Read EDC News 8-8-2019 |
| 05/16/19 | Road Weather Management - Weather-Savvy Roads | Using Pathfinder principles, Truckee developed relationships with the National Weather Service to obtain and discuss severe weather forecasts, warnings, and watches ahead of major weather events. At the same time, the town fostered relationships with District 3 of the California Department of Transportation for insights related to I-80 operations and traffic. During severe weather events, the town uses these relationships to create a cohesive, coordinated message to reduce confusion and ensure safety for travelers. Read EDC News 5-16-2019 |
| 12/20/18 | Road Weather Management - Weather-Savvy Roads | The town of Truckee, CA, is among the localities that apply Pathfinder principles, a weather-savvy roads strategy, to translate severe weather events and road conditions into consistent transportation impact messages. Through strong communication coordination with key stakeholders, Truckee has improved the efficiency and effectiveness of road operations in response to storms and expanded its public outreach. Read EDC News 12-20-2018 |
| 10/25/18 | Community Connections | Caltrans used State Transportation Innovation Council Incentive funds to conduct training to help city, county, and public transportation agencies address the "first mile/last mile" (FLM) challenge of getting travelers between transit system hubs and their destinations. Caltrans collaborated with the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), and FHWA to help agencies create FLM connections to increase transit ridership, an example of a community connections approach. The training focused on planning an FLM improvement program and deploying pedestrian safety countermeasures. Also discussed were best practices for temporary demonstrations, which enable communities to mark facilities such as bike lanes or curb extensions with spray paint and traffic cones and get user feedback on plans for permanent installations. Read EDC News 10-25-2018 |
| 10/25/18 | e-Construction and Partnering | The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) developed an application that allows for electronic submittal and administration of contractor claims and is piloting it on 20 construction projects. Caltrans expects this process improvement to provide greater transparency, accountability, and efficiency of the claims process on projects. On two projects that use e-Construction tools, Caltrans is using web-based surveys and quarterly facilitated partnering meetings to evaluate communication successes and weaknesses. Read EDC News 10-25-2018 |
| 10/11/18 | Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC) | State Transportation Innovation Council Incentive funds supported the development of a training package and coordinated outreach effort to educate the California transportation community on the methods and benefits of accelerated bridge construction (ABC). The training was deployed through presentations and workshops at transportation conferences and a webinar conducted by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) Division of Local Assistance. Topics included how ABC differs from conventional bridge construction, a process to identify ABC benefits, various ABC methods that can be used for a successful project, and project examples in California and other States. Read EDC News 10-11-2018 |
| 08/16/18 | State Transportation Innovation Councils (STIC) | State Transportation Innovation Council Incentive funds enabled staff from 75 local agencies in California to participate in eight Local Roadway Departure Safety workshops. Roadway departure crashes accounted for 46.5 percent of all California traffic fatalities in 2016, and the workshops were proposed under the Roadway Departure and Head-On Collisions Challenge Area of the California Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP). Workshop presentations included proven safety countermeasures to address roadway departure and funding opportunities through the SHSP. The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), Highway Patrol, and Office of Traffic Safety partnered with other agencies and academia on the workshops, which Caltrans will continue to provide on request. Read EDC News 8-16-2018 |
| 02/22/18 | Using Data to Improve Traffic Incident Management | An analysis of data in the California Performance Measurement System found that it contains statewide incident information that could be used for TIM performance analysis. The team is helping California visualize the data so their analysts can better decipher patterns and interrelationships in the information to support their decision making processes. Read EDC News 2-22-2018 |
| 02/15/18 | Using Data to Improve Traffic Incident Management | The California Department of Transportation is exploring use of California Highway Patrol CAD data in the California Performance Measurement System (PeMS). An analysis of more than 1.5 million records identified that PeMS contains robust incident information that could be leveraged for statewide TIM performance analysis. Read EDC News 2-15-2018 |
| 11/30/17 | e-Construction and Partnering | The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has a formal construction partnering program with a guidebook on partnering facilitation. Caltrans produced the guide to convey agency and industry commitment to partnering, define partnering responsibilities, and provide tools for partnering successfully. Caltrans uses web-based surveys and facilitated partnering meetings to improve communication assisted by e-Construction tools. The agency requires project and contract staff to meet if either party rejects a dispute review board recommendation to see if improving communication will reduce future disputes. Read EDC News 11-30-2017 |
| 07/27/17 | Pavement Preservation | Omaha, NE, and Santa Barbara County, CA, are deploying pavement preservation strategies to extend pavement service life. Omaha implemented Pavement Surface Evaluation and Rating (PASER), a scale that describes defects and provides a system to visually rate pavement condition. Benefits of using pavement preservation strategies include better maintenance decisions and potential savings from longer pavement life. Contact Todd Pfitzer of the city of Omaha for information. Santa Barbara County incorporated input from the public and county officials on proposed projects in its Road Maintenance Annual Plan, which increases awareness of pavement preservation. Read EDC News 7-27-2017 |
| 06/29/17 | Data-Driven Safety Analysis | The California Department of Transportation adopted a policy requiring DDSA in the planning and analysis stages of intersection improvement programs. The agency developed an analysis tool to identify the benefits of DDSA for intersections and trains staff how to use DDSA on intersection projects. Read EDC News 6-29-2017 |
| 03/23/17 | Intelligent Compaction, 3D Engineered Models, e-Construction and Partnering, Pavement Preservation | Civil Integrated Management (CIM) and related EDC innovations were among the topics FHWA speakers discussed at the American Society of Civil Engineers Construction Institute Summit in Anaheim, CA. Intelligent compaction, 3D engineered models, e-Construction and partnering, and pavement preservation are EDC innovations that support CIM, the technology-enabled collection, organization, and use of data throughout the life cycle of a transportation asset. The annual summit enables construction industry professionals to learn about new developments and innovative practices. Read EDC News 3-23-2017 |
| 03/16/17 | Construction Manager/ General Contractor | After completion of a replacement project using the construction manager/general contractor (CM/GC) delivery method, the George E. Tryon Bridge over the South Fork of the Smith River in California opened to traffic on March 3. Federal Lands Highway chose CM/GC contracting for the project because of the challenge of building an arch bridge at a constricted site under complicated project conditions. Using CM/GC early in the project development process helped mitigate risk, incorporate constructability considerations, realize cost savings, and limit environmental impacts. Other project partners include the Six Rivers National Forest, Del Norte County, the California Department of Transportation, and California State Parks. Read EDC News 3-16-2017 |
| 12/01/16 | Accelerated Bridge Construction, Road Diets, Safety Edge, Use of In-Lieu Fee and Mitigation Banking, Intersection and Interchange Geometrics | Work is scheduled to start this fall on the Truckee River Bridge and Dollar Creek Trail project in Tahoe City, California. The project will use several Every Day Counts innovations, including accelerated bridge construction, roundabouts, road diets, the Safety Edge paving technique and use of in-lieu fee and mitigation banking. The project is designed to improve safety and mobility for all travel modes. Federal Lands Highway collaborated with more than 20 agencies on the context-sensitive design for the project, which received Federal Lands Access Program and local funds. Read EDC News 12-1-2016 |
| 07/07/16 | e-Construction | A late June peer exchange enabled participants from the California and Michigan Departments of Transportation to exchange ideas and lessons learned on using e-Construction, a paperless construction administration delivery process. Michigan uses e-Construction on all state highway projects and is expanding its use to local projects. The peer exchange also provided an opportunity for FHWA Michigan Division staff to highlight the benefits of a pilot project to use tablets to support e-Construction. Read EDC News 7-7-2016 |
| Date | Innovations | Project |
|---|---|---|
| 04/30/15 | Geosynthetic Reinforced Soil - Integrated Bridge System | FHWA engineers met with staff of the California Department of Transportation, U.S. Forest Service and county governments to discuss geosynthetic reinforced soil-integrated bridge system technology. The purpose of the meeting was to review technical aspects of GRS-IBS construction and the seismic design guidelines the state agency requires for Federal Land Access Program projects built in California. Caltrans plans to implement the technology by building a small GRS-IBS structure and using it to develop state guidelines on GRS-IBS. Read EDC News 4-30-2015 |
| 03/20/15 | Geosynthetic Reinforced Soil - Integrated Bridge System | The Tahoe Transportation District, California Department of Transportation and Federal Lands Highway have agreed to use a geosynthetic reinforced soil-integrated bridge system for the Meeks Bay shared-use path project along the shore of Lake Tahoe. The proposed path, funded through the Federal Lands Access Program, will extend the west shore trail system that runs from Sugar Pine Point State Park to Dollar Hill in Tahoe City and the resort area of Squaw Valley. This will be the first GRS-IBS constructed in a California DOT right-of-way. Read EDC News 3-20-2015 |
| 10/03/14 | High Friction Surface Treatment | The California Department of Transportation has completed 33 high-friction surface treatment projects and about 30 local agencies are working on projects. An estimated 250-plus state and local locations are expected to be treated by the end of 2015. Read EDC News 10-3-2014 |
| 09/26/14 | Construction Manager/ General Contractor | The Los Angeles Bureau of Engineering in California is using CM/GC on its project to replace the Sixth Street Bridge over the Los Angeles River. Read EDC News 9-26-2014 |
| 01/24/14 | Design-Build | The California Department of Transportation opened its first design-build project—the State Route 99 Madera rehabilitation project—on budget and on time in October 2013. The agency chose design-build to expedite construction on the 4-mile-long project. Nine additional design-build projects are being built throughout the state. Read EDC News 1-24-2014 |
| 09/06/13 | National Traffic Incident Management Responder Training Program | The newly released four-hour traffic incident management training from the second Strategic Highway Research Program was held on the last day of the Transportation Hazards and Security Summit and Peer Exchange in Irvine, Calif. Fifty-five highway agency emergency managers and public safety officers attended the August 23 session. It was sponsored by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials’ Special Committee on Transportation Security and Emergency Management. Read EDC News 9-6-2013 |
| Date | Innovations | Project |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Focus on Reducing Rural Roadway Departures | In California, over 800 people die each year due to a roadway departure on a rural road. That is more than two people lost every day. Over 60 percent of these occurred on local roads. The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is moving FoRRRwD by dedicating $18 million of their safety funding for local agency roadway safety improvements. In future funding cycles, for agencies to be able to apply for funding, the State will require a Local Road Safety Plan (LRSP) or equivalent that identifies a 4E approach (engineering, education, enforcement, and emergency medical services) to local agencies’ safety priorities. Working with Caltrans, FHWA assisted six counties in developing LRSPs. Now, those counties are assisting other counties in the state by sharing their successes and lessons learned through peer exchanges, statewide webinars, and training. Together, this outreach and technical assistance has resulted in an additional 313 local agencies in 23 counties that have completed or started an LRSP. These efforts are making roads safer and reducing the risk and number of fatal and serious injury crashes |
| Date | Innovations | Project |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Automated Traffic Signal Performance Measures | In California, the San Francisco Bay Area’s Metropolitan Transportation Commission developed a $13 million challenge grant program called IDEA: Innovative Deployments to Enhance Arterials. The commission launched the IDEA initiative after a seminar for agencies in the region sparked interest on how ATSPM technology enhances safety and mobility and reduces congestion at signalized intersections. The initiative’s objective is to help Bay Area cities and counties improve the operation of major arterial roadways and prepare them for connected and automated vehicle technologies. Among the IDEA applications were 11 to support implementation of ATSPM projects. The commission has begun systems engineering for many of the projects, which are expected to provide a foundation for continued expansion of ATSPM in California. Read the EDC-4 Final Report |
| 2019 | Data-Driven Safety Analysis | The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) expanded DDSA capabilities in several areas. Caltrans conducted a data readiness analysis for the AASHTO Highway Safety Manual (HSM), performed a data assessment of the Statewide Integrated Traffic Record System, and modified Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) guidelines with new methodologies and tools. The agency developed guidance for incorporating HSM into project analysis, building on a pilot effort using predictive analyses to quantify safety impacts of alternatives, design exceptions, and performance-based practical design. Caltrans initiated a project to create data definitions, quality assurance procedures, and performance measures so metropolitan planning organizations and local agencies can collect Model Inventory Roadway Elements (MIRE) data and perform robust safety analysis. Read the EDC-4 Final Report |
| 2019 | Traffic Incident Management | In its search for a statewide source of TIM performance measures, Caltrans assessed multiple data sources—traffic management centers (TMCs), the safety service patrol, and the California Highway Patrol computeraided dispatch (CAD) system—and determined the CAD system offered the best potential. Caltrans used text mining techniques to calculate response times, roadway clearance times, and incident clearance times. California benefited by realizing it could use an existing data source to measure TIM performance. Read the EDC-4 Final Report |
| Date | Innovations | Project |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 3D Engineered Models | The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) updated its directive on sharing electronic files to include 3D engineered models. Caltrans now shares 3D engineered models with bidders for all projects with earthwork. The agency finalized a specification for automated machine guidance to complement the directive. The agency is using a SHRP2 grant on a project to build a database for capturing and using 3D subsurface utility data. Read the EDC-3 Final Report |
| 2017 | Data-Driven Safety Analysis | Caltrans is advancing several DDSA-related programs. The agency trains project and program staff on the use of DDSA on intersection projects. Caltrans adopted a policy requiring DDSA in the planning and analysis stages of intersection improvement projects and developed an analysis tool to identify the benefits of DDSA for intersections. Caltrans designers use the IHSDM tool on an ad hoc basis. Read the EDC-3 Final Report |
| 2017 | e-Construction | Caltrans conducted a pilot project to evaluate the use of mobile devices in the construction administration process. The goal was to evaluate the potential to improve staff performance, reduce support costs, incorporate long-term sustainable solutions into business practices, and improve project communication and issue resolution. The pilot focused on using tablets to administer construction contracts, using an electronic daily report application, and introducing an electronic document management system. The results, scheduled for publication in 2017, showed significant efficiency and environmental benefits. Read the EDC-3 Final Report |
| 2017 | Ultra-High Performance Concrete Connections | Caltrans identified two multispan structures for pilot projects using UHPC to connect precast columns to precast bent caps. The projects, scheduled for 2017 construction, will help the agency develop design details and guidance to quickly and uniformly implement accelerated bridge construction while mitigating project risk. Caltrans is developing a performance-based specification for the use of UHPC in California structures. Read the EDC-3 Final Report |
| Date | Innovations | Project |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Alternative Technical Concepts | The California DOT received legislative authority to build up to 10 projects under a design- build demonstration program. ATCs were allowed on eight of the projects, generating a 50-to-1 return on investment. Caltrans paid $3.39 million in stipends on a total value of $568.3 million in approved ATCs, incorporating $168.05 million in ATCs in the projects. Read the EDC-2 Final Report |
| 2015 | Construction Manager / General Contractor | California DOT has awarded CM/GC contracts on four of its six planned pilot projects and advertised two more. The pilot projects are enabling Caltrans to create standard procedures for CM/GC if the legislature allows broader use of the project delivery method in the future. To date, use of CM/GC on the San Francisco Oakland Bay Bridge Demolition project has resulted in an estimated $10 million dollar savings for the project in the initial stages of that contract. Read the EDC-2 Final Report |
| 2015 | Construction Manager / General Contractor | The California DOT has awarded five CM/GC contracts totaling $934 million. They include the State Route 99 realignment, State Route 140 Ferguson slide restoration, San Francisco- Oakland Bay Bridge East Span marine foundation removal, I-5 North Coast corridor and I-215/Barton Road interchange projects. Caltrans plans to develop CM/GC standard procedures if the legislature allows broader use of CM/GC in the future. So far, CM/GC use on the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge East Span project has saved about $10 million. The city of Los Angeles is piloting CM/GC on the $419 million Sixth Street Viaduct project to replace the viaduct over the Los Angeles River, railroad corridors, industrial properties and the 101 Freeway. Read the EDC-2 Final Report |
| 2015 | High Friction Surface Treatment | High Friction Surface Treatment is stated both in the State’s HSIP Guidance as well the Local Roadway Safety Manual to use a countermeasure. Read the EDC-2 Final Report |
| 2015 | High Friction Surface Treatment | The California DOT has completed 33 HFST projects. About 30 local agency HFST projects were completed in 2014. Caltrans estimates that more than 250 locations, state and local, will be treated with HFST by the end of 2015. HFST is referenced as a countermeasure in both the state’s Highway Safety improvement Program Guidance and the Local Roadway Safety Manual. Read the EDC-2 Final Report |
| 2015 | Intelligent Compaction | The California DOT completed one IC pilot project in September 2013 and identified 16 additional pilot projects before the 2014 construction season. Seven of the projects involved asphalt overlays, while the other nine used cold in-place recycling. By the end of 2014, three projects had been completed, three were near completion and the remaining 10 were waiting to be advertised for construction. Read the EDC-2 Final Report |
| 2015 | Intersection and Interchange Geometrics | The California DOT issued an intersection control evaluation policy directive that establishes a process and framework to provide a balanced approach to considering and selecting intersection control strategies and innovative design concepts. As a result, Caltrans districts now regularly consider roundabouts and DDIs in their evaluation of alternatives. Read the EDC-2 Final Report |
| 2015 | National Traffic Incident Management Responder Training | California Highway Patrol requires TIM Training for towers on the rotation list as part of the Tow Service Agreement and is incorporating it into their Freeway Service Patrol Program that assists stranded motorists. Read the EDC-2 Final Report |
| 2015 | National Traffic Incident Management Responder Training | The California DOT held 10 train-the-trainer workshops at which nearly 5,000 first responders received traffic incident management training. Caltrans is on track to train 10 percent of all California first responders by June 2015. The California Highway Patrol requires traffic incident management training for tow operators on the rotation list as part of the Tow Service Agreement and is incorporating training into its Freeway Service Patrol Program to assist stranded motorists. Read the EDC-2 Final Report |
| 2015 | Programmatic Agreements | In 2014, the California DOT, FHWA, the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation and the California State Historic Preservation Office renewed a programmatic agreement first developed in 2004. The agreement streamlines reviews of projects that impact historic properties so the State Historic Preservation Office does not have to review every project. From 2011 to 2013, only 195 of 2,300 projects required review, saving $1.6 million. Read the EDC-2 Final Report |
