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Focus

Federal Highway Administration / Publications / Focus / November 2006

Accelerating Infrastructure Innovations

Publication Number: FHWA-HRT-07-008
Date: November 2006

Articles in this Issue

ProVAL Paves the Way to Smoother Roads

Build smoother roads with the newest version of the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) Pavement Profile Viewing and Analysis (ProVAL) software. ProVAL 2.7 allows users to view and analyze pavement profiles collected by pavement profile measurement equipment. As the equipment produced by various manufacturers can use different data formats and standards, it can often be difficult to compare the profiles. ProVAL is currently the only software application that can read data from numerous pavement profilers and standardize the data using a common format.

Seismic Solutions for Infrastructure on Display at National Conference

On April 18, 1906, what came to be known as the Great Earthquake struck San Francisco, California, resulting in devastating loss of life and property. The 100-year anniversary of that catastrophic event brought nearly 500 attendees from around the world to the city for the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) Fifth National Seismic Conference on Bridges and Highways. Held September 18-20, 2006, the conference focused on the theme of "Innovations in Earthquake Engineering for Highway Structures." The conference also introduced FHWA's new Seismic Retrofitting Manual for Highway Structures.

Road Safety Audits: A Proactive Strategy for Making Your Roads Safer

Take the proactive, cost-saving approach to improving roadway safety by implementing road safety audits (RSA). An RSA is the formal safety performance examination of an existing or future road or intersection by an independent multidisciplinary team. RSAs can be used in any phase of project development, from planning to construction, and on initiatives ranging from minor maintenance activities to mega projects. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) recently launched a new RSA Implementation Team that will be working with State and local transportation departments, tribal governments, and Federal land management agencies to provide guidance and assistance in implementing RSAs.

A New Approach to Monitoring Bridge Substructure Health

Better data resulting in better bridge management is the goal of a new Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) field project under way at the Woodrow Wilson Bridge construction site outside of Washington, DC. As States inspect their bridge inventory to determine maintenance and rehabilitation needs, the nonquantitative and highly variable data obtained from current visual inspection programs often prove to be inadequate for making comprehensive long-term life-cycle and bridge management decisions.

Highways for LIFE Extends Deadline for 2007 Project Applications

The Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) Highways for LIFE (HfL) program has extended the deadline for submission of fiscal year (FY) 2007 demonstration construction project applications to January 30, 2007. An updated application form for FY 2007 is available on the HfL Web site at www.fhwa.dot.gov/hfl and at www.Grants.gov (click on "Find Grant Opportunities" and then search for "Highways for LIFE").

Excellence in Utilities Awards 2007

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is accepting nominations now for its 2007 Excellence in Utilities Awards Program. The awards will honor highway agencies and contractors in the categories of Innovation, Leadership, Relocation, Project Management, Value Engineering, Incentive for Utility Relocation, and Outstanding Individual Contributors. Projects will be recognized in two funding categories ($100 million or less and greater than $100 million).

Insert: Excellence in Highway Design 2006

From urban roadways that celebrate the communities around them to stunning modern structures, the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) Excellence in Highway Design Awards Program recognizes the best in today's roadway design. The 2006 award winners improve safety, project management, and mobility while creatively enhancing their surrounding environment.

Highway Technology Calendar

Updated: 06/27/2017
Federal Highway Administration | 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE | Washington, DC 20590 | 202-366-4000