Your Success is Our Success

Since its inception, the Office of Technical Services has been dedicated to helping others succeed. We've long understood that our success hinged on the success of our many customers. In everything we do, every project we take on, every resource decision we make - we're committed to successful outcomes for our internal FHWA customers, the state DOTs we serve, and the traveling public.

Read on for stories highlighting OTS' commitment to teamwork and customer service and helping others succeed.

Helping Transportation Partners Deliver Successful Projects

Two significant transportation projects demonstrate the Resource Center’s commitment to its customer service model: the Gordie Howe International Bridge (GHIB) and the NY-81 relocation and reconstruction projects.

Gordie Howe International Bridge

NY-81 relocation and reconstruction

Innovation Delivery

The Office of Technical Services has played key roles in two major FHWA innovation initiatives – the second Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP2) and Every Day Counts (EDC). All three OTS units were integral in putting innovative processes and technologies into the hands of the State DOTs in 2018. KM continued to lead the programmatic aspects of SHRP2 implementation and worked with AASHTO and the State DOTs to evaluate the results of implementation. The Resource Center offered customized assistance and helped NHI develop formal education on specific EDC and SHRP2 innovations.

Every Day Counts

Strategic Highway Research Program

Helping Advance Michigan’s Gordie Howe International Bridge: A Key International Trade Gateway


Ted Burch, Assistant Division Administrator MI Division,
Robert Conway, RC Pavement and Materials Team,
Amelia Hayes, Safety and Operations Specialist,
Russ Jorgenson, MI Division Administrator MI

The border crossings between Detroit, Michigan and Windsor, Ontario serve as the largest trade gateway between the U.S. and Canada, handling nearly $9 billion of trade by truck on a monthly basis. To meet current and growing demands of freight and passenger traffic, the Michigan DOT, local jurisdictions and other key agencies identified a need for a new international border crossing in the early 2000s. This $4.4 billion project, now known as the Gordie Howe International Bridge, will include an interchange at I-75, a U.S. border customs inspection plaza, six traffic lanes and pedestrian accommodations to Canada over the Detroit River.

RC specialists from five different teams have been engaged in multiple aspects of this project from planning to environment to project development/design to project delivery/construction. All RC staff have worked to provide these services through the FHWA Michigan Division in support of specific needs identified by the Michigan DOT, local agencies and the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority. Much or the RC’s past and current support on this project has involved in-depth analyses and technical findings in specific program areas. The FHWA Michigan Division has requested ongoing RC services to support this high profile and complex project through the projected completion date in 2024.

  • The RC TPM, Asset Management and Freight (TAF) team was the first RC team to provide assistance on this project. In 2007/2008, the team provided expert assistance in reviewing the travel and forecasting methods, assumptions and analysis for the project’s Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Later in the project development phase, the RC Environment, Air Quality and Realty (EAR) Team provided technical assistance on required air quality analyses. The EAR team also assisted with three right-of-way reviews for this project. These services helped ensure compliance with the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970. Project support from both the TAF and EAR teams included site visits and formal meetings with the MDOT and other partners.

  • During the project design phase, the RC Structures Team provided design and construction-related technical assistance for the cable-stayed bridge component of this major and complex project. Both the RC Structures and Geotechnical and Hydraulics teams also reviewed and commented on three early concept project proposals, including the assessment of project plans, specifications and standards to identify high risk omissions or potential errors. After the project award, the RC Geotechnical and Hydraulics team also reviewed the geotechnical and foundation engineering analysis and approach to the Main Bridge structure and provided feedback on the project consultant’s geotechnical design recommendations. Both teams also shared critical findings with the FHWA Michigan Division to ensure the consultant’s design work adhered to AASHTO’s standards and technical references.

  • During the project delivery/construction phase, the RC Pavement and Materials Team has been providing support with project management and oversight—at the specific request of the Michigan Division. This role included document approval, representation at stakeholder meetings and education on Federal-aid highway program requirements to project partners (such as the government of Canada). The RC Pavement and Materials team also has had a key role in developing quality assurance standards, including the education of stakeholders on agency verification, independent assurance, dispute resolution, and qualified laboratories.

Addressing Aging Infrastructure on New York’s I-81

The New York I-81 relocation and reconstruction project highlights another example of the FHWA Resource Center’s customer service model in action to support the Division Office and the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT). Sections of I-81, initially constructed in the 1950s and 1960s, are deteriorating and nearing the end of the highway’s useful life. The planned reconstruction will create an improved corridor that meets the region’s modern transportation needs. The review requested by the New York Division required services and technical assistance from the RC regarding traffic forecasting, traffic analysis, geometric design, environmental compliance, and policy. RC specialists from four different teams have been engaged in multiple aspects of this project from planning to environment to project development and design. As project work continues, the RC will continue to offer ongoing technical assistance, including the development of customized analytical resources, through the FHWA New York Division.

  • During the preparation phase for the project’s Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), the RC EAR and RC TAF Teams provided technical review and input on the draft EIS.  In addition to document review, the RC EAR team advised the division office and NYSDOT on the consideration of and impacts to cultural and historic resources, Section 4(f) resources, environmental justice communities, government-to-government tribal consultation, and air quality conformity. The team assisted with implementation of technical environmental studies. Of high concern was the close proximity of Lake Onondaga, a sacred site to the Haudenosaunee (Iroquoian) people, to the I-81 project. The EAR team also worked to ensure that outreach to resource agencies, the public, and Federally Recognized Tribal Nations were conducted in a sensitive, timely, and responsive manner.

  • The New York Division also expressed concerns that project plans did not sufficiently address the potential for route diversion to local roads and impacts to truck movements. To address this issue, the RC TAF team reviewed the initial technical drafts and provided substantial comments that were shared with the NYSDOT. The RC’s recommendations led to the development of a method to evaluate truck movements and additional assessment of impacts on local roads.

  • During the project’s design phase, both the RC Operations Team, and the Safety and Design Team, joined forces to provide significant guidance and direction to the project. This guidance was effective in developing a revised design of the I-81/690 system interchange and I-81/Salina Street service interchange to improve both safety and capacity. The proposed design now complies with sound interchange design and operations principles.

SHRP2: A Legacy of Innovation and Partnership

OTS led FHWA’s involvement in the successful SHRP2 Implementation Assistance Program (IAP). A total of 63 products were deployed through seven rounds of the IAP, and many of the SHRP2 Solutions have become institutionalized within the day-to-day operations of transportation agencies across the Nation. The implementation of SHRP2 products was successful for more than the actual innovations; SHRP2 changed the way the transportation industry approaches research and deployment programs – ensuring deployment is considered and planned for during the research phase.

In 2018, the Knowledge Management unit led an assessment of the overall SHRP2 implementation program by interviewing key stakeholders from TRB, AASHTO, and FHWA, as well as State and local agencies that had implemented SHRP2 products. This evaluation identified several areas where the program employed new and unique processes that differentiated SHRP2 from traditional technology deployment programs and contributed to the overall program’s success. These contributors to success included:

  • Partnership made it happen – From the research phase through implementation, FHWA, AASHTO, and TRB collaborated on the planning and execution of the implementation program, engaging stakeholders from transportation agencies to provide input and guidance every step of the way.

  • Everyone contributed for the benefit of all – The SHRP2 IAP was funded by a unique arrangement where each State agreed to contribute a percentage of their State Planning and Research dollars. This raised $60 million, which ultimately went back to the States through the IAP’s financial and technical assistance.

  • Dedicated SHRP2 staff kept the focus – SHRP2 was the first program of its size to hire full-time employees dedicated to a single effort. Both FHWA and AASHTO hired staff for several SHRP2 roles, including technical leads for product deployment, focus area coordinators, and budget analysts.

  • Results were documented and successes shared – Extensive opportunities to share successes via product showcases, peer exchanges, webinars, and case study reports have led agencies to deploy SHRP2 products on their own.

The 2018 SHRP2 Report, A Legacy of Innovation and Partnership, illustrates how the SHRP2 experience has changed the way FHWA, AASHTO, and TRB conduct business and interact with the States and other organizations. In addition, the report showcases four State DOTs that provided real-world examples of their SHRP2 experience, highlighting the versatility and usefulness of the SHRP2 solutions and of the lasting partnerships that have been forged as a result. The report can be found here: https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/goshrp2/

Meeting Customer Needs through Deployment of SHRP2 Innovations

In 2018, the Resource Center led the final implementation of many of the SHRP2 products and worked with multiple State and local agencies to close out IAP products. At a product level, the RC also worked collaboratively with external partners to document and disseminate key findings and transferable practices of individual SHRP2 products. To achieve this, the RC helped develop and deliver national webinars, workshops, and peer exchanges and also helped develop a variety of written “lessons learned” materials for each SHRP2 product.

Improving Pavement Renewal Options

SHRP2 Renewal products include Field Spectroscopy (R06B), Infrared Imaging and Ground-Penetrating Radar (R06C), Nondestructive Testing for Identification of Delamination in Pavement (R06D), Real-time Smoothness (R06E), New Composite Pavements (R21), Pavement Renewal Solutions (R23), and Preservation for High-Volume-Traffic Roadways (R26). The ultimate goal of all of these products is to help State and local agencies improve infrastructure conditions in the most timely and cost-effective ways. The RC Pavement and Materials Team led the project management and deployment for these products. In 2018, these efforts included: sponsored monthly coordination meetings, delivering technical workshops; conducting field demonstrations and trials; and developing, informational materials and webinars, tech briefs and marketing publications.

Accelerating Bridge Construction

The SHRP2 Renewal product, Innovative Bridge Designs for Rapid Renewal (R04), was an integral part of the Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC) package, providing standardized plans, designs, and concepts to use prefabricated elements to build and replace bridges faster. In 2018, the RC Structures Team continued to provide project management, strategic direction and technical assistance for the implementation of this product. One key effort was the development of a one-day workshop that was delivered to 31 different agencies which more than 1,200 multi-disciplined DOT staff members attended. The workshop focuses on demonstrated the SHRP2’s ABC “Toolkit” and sharing the transferable “lessons learned” from the IAP projects to a broader national audience.

Improving Transportation Program and Project Decisions through Better Freight Data and Analysis

The primary goal of the Freight Data and Modeling SHRP2 Capacity product (C20) is to improve key program and project decisions that State DOTs and MPOs make regarding freight transportation and critical infrastructure needs. To achieve this goal, the implementation for this SHRP2 product emphasized improving the public sector’s approaches to freight data and freight analysis. In 2018, the RC TPM, Asset Management and Freight Team focused on: sharing project findings and transferable practices on a broader national scale, developing tailored technical content for delivery in national webinars and conferences; training freight specialists on specific freight data sources and data integration tools designed to answer real-world transportation questions; and integrating SHRP2 lessons learned into FHWA program and emerging research. The team also worked directly with specific DOTs and MPOs that expressed strong interest in establishing behavior based freight models and innovative data approaches.

Demonstrating the Benefits of GeoTechTools for Transportation

Screen shot of the GeoTechTools website. Title: Popular Technologies. Subheading: What follows is a shortlist of our most popular technology resources. The 6 shown are just a sample of the 40+ available. Go ahead, have a look. 1. Geosynthetics in Pavement Drainage, 2. Drilled/Routed and Hollow Bar Soil Nailing, 3. Chemical Stabilization of Subgrades and Bases, 4. Prefabricated Vertical Drains and Fill Preloading, 5. Geosynthetic Separation in Pavement Systems, 6. Traditional Compaction

The primary goal of the SHRP2 Renewal GeoTechTools (RO2) is to assemble all the geotechnical information needed to select, design, control quality, and specify soil improvement technologies for embankment construction, embankment widening, and pavement support into one convenient and comprehensive online system. The RC Geotechnical and Hydraulics Team, as the technical implementation leads, worked with NHI to create a new website, called GeoTechTools.org. The Website provides geotechnical construction information and technology selection guidance for project planning and development, program delivery, and improved infrastructure.

At present time, there are more than 8,200 registered users from every U.S. State, four US territories, every Canadian Province, and 104 countries. During its implementation, extensive instructor-led training (ILT) on how to utilize the site was provided to 15 grantee States. States that attended the GeoTechTools (R02) training were provided with methods for better informing decisions in project delivery to address potential risks. Users unable to attend ILT courses may not be using the tool to its capability. To bolster the success and dexterity of remote users, the RC staff are working with NHI to create a GeoTechTools Training microsite as an ILT-alternative. The microsite will function as a guided discovery tool that uses responsive decision-making techniques to walk users through the GeoTechTool’s core capabilities. Participating users will be served a series of questions that prompt them to make selections based on their project needs. Adapting to their unique demands, the tool will highlight the various features, capabilities, and resources GeoTechTools.org offers and how they can be applied to make better decisions and ultimately find better solutions for their geotechnical needs.

EDC: Providing Technical Assistance to Promote Innovation

The FHWA Every Day Counts program identifies and deploys proven but underutilized innovations to shorten the project delivery process, enhance roadway safety, reduce congestion and improve environmental sustainability. Throughout the five cycles of the EDC, the RC has led implementation efforts across numerous program areas. This has included: collaborating to develop initiative specific implementation plans; developing product specific informational and training materials; delivering workshops and peer exchanges; providing technical assistance to agencies seeking to implement EDC products; introducing new methods and proven practices to optimize transportation performance and business processes; and offering a variety of other tailored deployment services. In 2018, RC teams continued to provide leadership for current EDC activities (EDC 1-4), and prepared to support a fifth round of EDC (EDC-5) beginning in January 2019. The examples below provide a few highlights of RC EDC services.

Promoting EDC’s Data-Driven Safety Analysis through Training and Pilot Programs

The EDC Data Driven Safety Analysis (DDSA) initiative provides evidence-based models to state and local agencies to quantify safety performance impacts when planning projects. In a joint effort with NHI and the Office of Safety, the RC Safety and Design Team developed a 16-hour online training course, Developing Quality Crash Modification Factors. This course advances the delivery of DDSA, one of the innovations introduced in EDC-3 and EDC-4. The RC instructed the training through NHI, and the course was piloted twice in 2018. To further the progress of DDSA in EDC-4, the RC Safety and Design Team developed and led a Local Road Safety Plan Pilot program. In partnership with the National Association of County Engineers, the team delivered the pilot for six States and 24 counties and worked with participants to draft their LRSP. The team employed a blended learning environment with webinars; technical assistance; homework for the participants; and a hands-on, face-to-face workshop. These efforts helped achieve key implementation goals for this critical safety initiative.

Highlighting the Benefits of EDC e-Construction and Partnering through Peer Dialogue

The EDC e-Construction and Partnering initiative is focused on a paperless delivery process for construction administration. A key component of the implementation plan for the EDC e-construction and partnering initiative is to highlight the innovative approaches and specific benefits. To help achieve this, the RC Construction and Project Management Team organized, facilitated, and delivered a peer exchange, as part of EDC-4 to highlight e-Construction and Partnering. Arkansas DOT hosted the event with participants from the South Carolina DOT and the FHWA Arkansas and South Carolina Division offices. The goal of the event was to disseminate and share effective practices for electronic document management for contract administration and field operations using tablets and various software programs. 

Demonstrating the Benefits of Integrating the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Permitting

The EDC initiative on Integrating NEPA and Permitting integrates the NEPA and permitting processes so agencies and stakeholders can conduct concurrent, synchronized environmental and permitting reviews, saving time and cost for the agencies involved. In 2018, the RC Environment, Air Quality, and Realty Team actively promoted EDC-4’s Integration of NEPA and Permitting in 14 States. Successful efforts included peer exchanges, workshops, and facilitated discussions to develop programmatic agreements. For example, the team led a 2.5-day design-build training and stream and wetlands mitigation workshop with the Idaho Transportation Department, and with participants from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, and wetland mitigation providers. Following the workshop, participating agencies formed the Idaho Mitigation Workgroup, which has continued working on in-lieu fee and mitigation banking approaches and funding opportunities.

Partnering to Advance Implementation of Geotechnical and Hydraulic Engineering Innovations

The EDC CHANGE innovation, Collaborative Hydraulics: Advancing to the Next Generation of Engineering, provides hydraulic modeling tools that improve agencies’ ability to design safer and more cost-effective structures on waterways. Two RC teams (RC Geotechnical and Hydraulic Engineering, and RC Structures) are leading the implementation of this initiative through a variety training, technical assistance and demonstration projects. This includes tailored assistance to individual States and the development of State-specific implementation plans. Thirty-one States and Federal Lands Highway are demonstrating and assessing hydraulic engineering tools, and six States have institutionalized hydraulic tools. The CHANGE innovation will continue in EDC-5.

Advancing Traffic Signal Performance Measures

Through the coordinated efforts of the RC Operations Team and the FHWA Montana Division, the Montana DOT (MDT) is prepared to implement an Automated Traffic Signal Performance Measures demonstration project— fulfilling the DOT’s technology deployment goal for EDC-4. This accomplishment is the outcome of technical assistance and training provided by the RC initiated in 2012. The RC assisted with a process review of the traffic signal operations and maintenance program, which positioned MDT to successfully compete for an Accelerated Innovation Deployment Grant in 2013. This opportunity led to MDT’s participation in the EDC-1 initiative, Adaptive Signal Control Technology. A series of RC webinars and most recently a workshop in September 2018 introduced the DOT to Automated Traffic Signal Performance Measures. This current technology will help fully incorporate an objective and performance-based approach to traffic signal management and operations—
greatly enhancing the quality of traffic signal operations in Montana.

Deploying Ultra-High Performance Concrete to Accelerate Bridge Construction

The EDC-4 innovation, Ultra-High Performance Concrete Connections for Prefabricated Bridge Elements (UHPC), is focused on the latest technology to build strong and durable connections for prefabricated bridge elements. The RC Structures Team has provided leadership and technical support in implementation of the UHPC initiative. This has included the development and delivery of workshops and webinars; project management and tailored assistance. For example, the team delivered ten national webinars in support of this product, and workshops have been delivered to 33 transportation agencies. As of 2018, through FHWA’s coordinated efforts 29 States have used UHPC for bridge construction.