Publication Number: FHWA-HRT-09-015
Date: July 2009

FHWA's ACTT Toolkit: Bringing the Power of Accelerated Construction Straight to You

Now available online and on CD is the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) ACTT Workshop Toolkit (Pub. No. FHWA-HIF-08-011), which is designed to assist State highway agencies in hosting Accelerated Construction Technology Transfer (ACTT) workshops. The toolkit provides agencies with a useful overview of the ACTT process, as well as sample workshop agendas and materials, case studies of previous ACTT workshops, and sample workshop proposal forms to submit to FHWA.

The ACTT program gives an agency the opportunity to host a team of national experts to work side by side with local staff and contractors to review a planned highway project and brainstorm innovations that can be applied to the project. During a 3-day workshop, participants analyze ways to reduce construction time, improve safety, elevate quality, and potentially save money. Thirty-four ACTT workshops have been held to date across the country, helping to save millions of dollars and years of costly travel delays. Next up is a workshop that the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is planning to hold in November 2009 to study needed rehabilitation and upgrades to the 82-km (51-mi) I-95 corridor in southeast Pennsylvania.

The toolkit includes case studies of workshops held in Louisiana, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oklahoma, highlighting the benefits realized through participating in the ACTT process. The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, for example, reduced the proposed timeframe for a project on I-20 from 225 days to 125 days. The New Hampshire Department of Transportation, meanwhile, incorporated a host of ACTT recommendations following its 2006 workshop, which studied a project on I-93. These recommendations included using prefabricated bridge elements and developing a corridor-wide utility impact and relocation plan, as well as introducing Smart Work Zones with features such as changeable message signs and traffic sensors that measure vehicle volume and speed.

"The ACTT workshops offer agencies a fresh outlook on their major projects by bringing national experts into the planning process. Through these workshops, agencies can benefit from state-of-the-art innovations that have already been proven in the field, slash construction time, and ultimately save lives by minimizing construction work zone requirements," says Chris Schneider of FHWA.

An additional toolkit resource provides users with an overview of a typical workshop development process. This process starts with an interested State or local agency, or FHWA division office, contacting the FHWA Accelerated Construction Management Team (ACMT). A suitable upcoming project is selected and a formal proposal is then submitted by the agency for consideration. Once the proposal is approved and a workshop date is chosen, ACTT Skill Set Team Leaders, which include FHWA, State, and industry representatives, begin the process of identifying relevant national experts to participate. The skill sets include construction, pavement/maintenance, structures, worker health and safety, geotechnical and materials, environment, and public relations. Skill sets are selected for a workshop based on the scope of the project and the agency's needs.

"ACTT is most effective when applied during the early project development phase, so once a highway project is being planned, we advise agencies to contact the ACMT as early as possible," says Schneider.

The toolkit also provides host agencies with a full overview of how to prepare for their workshop, including agendas, workbooks, and checklists covering everything from location and travel logistics to site visits, briefings, and meeting materials. Hosting a typical workshop costs between $20,000 and $30,000.

For more information or to access the ACTT Workshop Toolkit online, visit www.fhwa.dot.gov/construction/accelerated/toolkit/01d.cfm. To obtain a copy on CD or to contact the ACMT, call Chris Schneider at FHWA, 202-493-0551 (email: christopher.schneider@fhwa.dot.gov).

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