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Developing a Practical Design Program in Response to a Legislative Mandate

CSS Technical Assistance Program - Oregon DOT, OR

Project Abstract

Facilitated a one-day peer exchange including speakers from four state DOTs with existing Practical Design/Solutions programs, and a half-day action planning session.

In May 2009, the Oregon Legislature passed the Oregon Jobs and Transportation Act (JTA), part of which:

• Directs the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) to follow design practices that incorporate the maximum flexibility in the application of standards to reduce cost while preserving and enhancing safety and mobility, and
• Requires ODOT to report to the interim House and Senate Transportation Committees by November 2010 on the new design practices that it has implemented.

ODOT staff had already begun to develop a Practical Design program to address these obligations, and looked to FHWA and the consultant team to assist them with facilitating a peer exchange in July 2009. The purpose of the peer exchange would be to invite representatives of other states DOTs with existing Practical Design programs to share their knowledge and insight with ODOT, so that ODOT could benefit from that experience in establishing their own program in a short timeframe. The definition of Practical Design (called Practical Solutions or Right-Sizing in some states) varies by state, but generally involves revisiting the scope of transportation projects to reflect the fiscal constraints and realities facing the department of transportation, while seeking to maintain or enhance safety. Applying Practical Design to a project may result in: downsizing a project (for example, having four-foot shoulders instead of six-foot); developing a completely different, less-costly, solution to the problem (for example, retaining and improving a two-lane cross section instead of widening to a four-lane section); or considering the transportation system as a whole rather than specific project locations to find an alternative solution. While the focus of Practical Design is on cost, it still requires the development of appropriate public involvement, solicitation of input, definition of goals, determination of metrics to measure success, and preparation of a plan to follow. All these are aspects of the comprehensive CSS process, thus they are similar project development processes.

The Technical Assistance consisted of a one-day peer exchange held on July 28^th, 2009 in Portland for 10 discussion participants and about 50 observers in the audience (some of whom attended via videoconference):

• Representatives from the DOTs of Minnesota, Missouri, Kentucky and Pennsylvania made presentations about their respective Practical Design/Solutions programs, ODOT leadership presented the background of their Practical Design efforts, and the consultant team presented concepts and issues related to Practical Design.
• Presentations were followed by about three hours of interactive discussion among the ODOT staff and the representatives of other state DOTs.
• The discussion group was comprised of senior leadership in ODOT and the FHWA Oregon (OR) Division; the audience included ODOT staff from five regional offices, Major Projects, Traffic/Roadway, Bridge, Geo/Environmental, Construction, Project Delivery, Branch Operations, Directors Office, and Transportation Development divisions; as well as local governments, FHWA OR Division, and the American Council of Engineering Companies.
• A follow-up meeting was held on July 29, where the ODOT leadership with the assistance of FHWA defined action steps to be taken based on the information gleaned from the presentations and discussions the previous day.