Meeting Notes

RAC Leadership Teleconference

1:30 – 3:30 Eastern time,December 8, 2011

Participants: Jeff Brown, Allison Hardt,David Jared, Michael Bonini, Ron Curb, Camille Crichton-Sumners,Nanda Srinivasan, Chris Jenks,John Moulden, Tommy Nantung, Leni Oman, Sue Sillick, Jim McMinimee, Mark Morvant (for Skip Paul), Rick Collins, Leslie Wright (FHWA), Tim Klein, Jim McDonnell, Sandra Larson.

Decisions and action items are underscored.

1:30 Role call

Sandra Larson called the meeting to order and all participants were identified.

A motion (COLLINS/NANTUNG) to approve the previous meeting notes was approved.

1:35 Old Business

AASHTO – Jim McDonnell

Several vacant AASHTO SCOR positions have recently been filled. The two vacant senior management positions have been filled by Ken Sweeney from Maine DOT and Randy Battey from Mississippi DOT. Threeresearch positions have been filled by Richard Wu from Maryland SHA, Amy Schutzbach from Illinois DOT, and Barnie Jones from Oregon DOT.

AASHTO staff hasbeen going over the Senate EPWBill (MAP 21: Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century). Much of the research funding provisions are close to AASHTO expectations. SP&R is proposed to stay at 2 percent of the overall program, although the exact amounts are still unclear. SHRP II implementation funds are taken from SPR funding (a 6% takedown, reducing the research portion to a 24% minimum (down from a 25% minimum) and planning portion to a minimum 70% (down from 74%). Two programs were proposed to be repealed – the International Activities Program and the Surface Transportation Environmental Program. RAC members were invited to provide comments on the proposed bill

On the House side, Rep. Mica has reported that the bill is mostly written (90 percent). AASHTO staff does not expect a bill to be passed by March 2012.

TRB Report - Chris Jenks

Publications since the last conference call include the following:

  • NCHRP Report 694: Evaluation and Performance Measurement of Congestion Pricing Projects (URL Available Shortly)

NCHRP Report 704: A Performance-Related Specification for Hot-Mix Asphalt (

NCHRP Report 708: A Guidebook for Sustainability Performance Measurement for Transportation Agencies (

NCHRP Research Results Digest 356: Analysis of State Rural Intercity Bus Strategies: Requirements for Utilization of S.5311(f) Funding (

TCRP Synthesis 91: Use and Deployment of Mobile Device Technology for Real-Time Transit Information (

  • TCRP Synthesis 93: Practices to Protect Bus Operators from Passenger Assault (URL Available Shortly)

TCRP Synthesis 94: Innovative Rural Transit Services (

TCRP Research Results Digest 103: International Transit Studies Program, Report on the Spring 2011 Mission, Sustainable Public Transportation: Environmentally Friendly Mobility (URL Available Shortly)

  • ACRP Report 57: The Carbon Market: A Primer for Airports (
  • ACRP Report 58: Airport Industry Familiarization and Training for Part-Time Airport Policy Makers (URL Available Shortly)
  • ACRP Synthesis 29: Ramp Safety Practices (

ACRP Synthesis 31: Airline and Airline–Airport Consortiums to Manage Terminals and Equipment (

  • ACRP Legal Research Digest 12: Fair Disclosure and Airport Impact Statements in Real Estate Transfers (
  • NCFRP Research Results Digest 3: National Cooperative Freight Research Program: A Status Report (URL Available Shortly)
  • HMCRP Research Results Digest 2: Hazardous Materials Cooperative Research Program: A Status Report (

NCHRP projects are in the contractor selection stage for the FY 2012 program. Chris is hoping that FHWA will be contacting the states shortly to request funds for the first half of the FY 2012 program budget. For FY 2013, submitter responses to comments have been received; the full set of problem statements and balloting information will be sent out to RAC and SCOR in January 2013.

The recent Omnibus bill reduced TCRP funding to $6.5 million. A deprogramming process is underway to reduce $3.2 million already programmed. A re-announcement of projects and panel member solicitation will be sent to RAC members.

ACRP has started first panel meetings for about 24 new FY2012 projects. RFPs are being developed. The appropriation bill included full funding for ACRP, but it covers only the first three months for FY 2012.

The Hazardous Materials governing board met on December 1st to select 2 new projects – these projects need some additional scoping work before an announcement is released.

New projects in the FY2012 Freight CRP will be selected in February.

Mark Norman has asked for feedback on whether states would like to have the option of a TRB state visit in 2012. The RAC Officers agreed that having an option was welcome.

For some state visits in 2012, TRB staff from other divisions accompanied Technical Activities staff . The RAC officers are in favor of this arrangement for future state visits.

RITA - Timothy Klein

RITA staff are working on the UTC grant process.Tim highlighted recent webinars conducted by RITA(see below),mentioned theCUTC National Workforce Summit, and listed recent ITS products. The UTC spotlight for December was on Moving Toward a State of Good Repair: Remote Structural Integrity Monitoring

Upcoming Events

  • UTC Grant Applications – review process is ongoing.
  • ITS PCB T3 Webinar: Systems Engineering for Adaptive Signal Control Technology –

December 15, 2011, 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM ET (

  • ITS Safety Pilot Clinics continue (
  • December 6-9, 2011: Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, TX
  • January 18-21, 2012: Alameda Naval Air Station in Alameda, CA
  • CUTC National Transportation Workforce Summit – April 24-26, 2012 at L’Enfant Plaza Hotel (
  • February 6, 2012: Showcase display proposals due (
  • AASHTO, APTA, ARTBA, FHWA, RITA, TRB co-sponsoring
  • 2012 UTC Spotlight Conference on Sustainable Energy and Transportation – November 8-9, 2012, in Washington, D.C.

Publications

  • BTS/Geospatial Information Services has posted “Maps of Structurally Deficient Bridges on the National Highway System,” results of a combined BTS/FHWA effort to geocode bridges from the FHWA's National Bridge Inventory (NBI). All data is from the 2010 NBI, and displays NBI data by Congressional district (
  • ITS Program Advisory Committee (ITS PAC) Advisory Memo to U.S. DOT has been released, including technical recommendations (
  • ITS Connected Vehicle Core System Baseline Documentation has been released. This documentation defines the Core System that will enable vehicle-to-vehicle, vehicle-to-infrastructure, and vehicle-to- personal device communications (
  • ITS JPO/NHTSA released the Final Report on the Integrated Vehicle-Based Safety Systems (IVBSS) Program. IVBSS is a five-year cooperative research agreement to combine several crash warning subsystems -- including forward collision, lane departure, lane change, and curve speed warning -- into a single, integrated concept to enhance the safety of both passenger vehicles and heavy trucks (
  • UTC Spotlight – “Moving Toward a State of Good Repair: Remote Structural Integrity Monitoring;” Northwestern University's Infrastructure Technology Institute (

FHWA Report – John Moulden

John Moulden said Mike Trentacoste will present preliminary results onthe Safety Edge (a beveled pavement edge drop-off treatment) at the SCOR meeting. At the Turner-Fairbanks facility, a hydraulics lab including a state of the art high speed flume has been commissioned. Testing on synthetic geotechnical reinforcing technology is being conducted. The research on gusset plates is nearing completion. A new transportation operations laboratory was also recently commissioned.

SHRP 2 - Jim McMinimee

The SHRP II oversight committee met in the first week of December 2011. Implementation activities being recommended include the following 6 products in the renewal and reliability areas. First activities includeconducting implementation workshops to develop a plan for implementation and then developing/conducting demonstration projects in individual states.

R04: Prefabricated bridge elements and systems

R15B: Producing programmatic agreements with utility companies to speed construction projects.

R16: Programmatic Agreements and Collaborating with Rail Roads

R23: Using existing pavements to create long life rehabilitation projects

R26: Rapid Renewal for Urban High Volume Pavements

L31: Workshop for CEOs explaining concepts and applications of reliability.

Sandra Larson, Rick Collins, Jim McMinimee, and Jerry DiMaggio will work to develop input on how to involve RAC/RAC leadership in the demonstration projects. An ad-hoc working group will be formed.

AASHTO PresidentKirk Steudle has convened atask force to determine priorities for AASHTO technology deployment. Susan Martinovich chairs the task force. The task force is comprised of18 membersdrawn from various disciplines across AASHTO Committees. This group will provide some direction on long term and short term priorities for SHRP II products.

TRB staff are developing a list of all SHRP II related activities that will occur at the TRB Annual Meeting this year. Jerry DiMaggio will be sending this list to the AASHTO RAC Leadership.

2:00New Business

Discussion SCOH efforts for updating manuals and guides - Dale Peabody/Skip Paul

A small amount of $10,000 was set aside to determine NCHRP’s role in updating AASHTO Guidelines and specifications. A panel has been formed including Skip Paul, Ken Sweeney, Dale Peabody,Grant Levi, Kevin Hanley, some AASHTO staff, and FHWA staff.The panel will deliberate and recommendations to SCOR on NCHRP’s role. The initial teleconference for the panel will be scheduled soon.

Summer 2012 RAC/TRB meeting, Burlington, VT- July 22-26, 2012

Region 1 is continuing with monthly conference calls to plan the meeting.

Summer 2013 RAC/TRB meeting

Baton Rouge was determined to less expensive and easier to handle. The Hilton hotel in downtown is available in July and will honor government rates. A motion from Region 2 on holding the 2013 meeting in Baton Rouge (Brown/Collins) was approved.

Task Force Updates:

For the latest TF Updates:

Value of Research (Rick Collins):

The task group continues to produce the “High Value” research highlights. The 2013 submittal will be completed via the 20-63B RPM Tool. The task group is assisting with the development of the work group. The group has also completed the latest “Research Makes the Difference 2011 brochure.”

Administration – Steve Peppin

Skip Paul has collected and posted 40 DOT research fact sheets. Jeff Brown asked regional chairs to remind the remaining states would have not yet contributed.

Chris Hedges has developed a one-page chart depicting the relationships between RAC, SCOR, FHWA, and others. The chart is under review by task force members.

Chris Hedges has developed an outline for a SCOR new member guide. He will present the outline at the December SCOR meeting for discussion.

Program Management and Quality – David Jared

The last conference callof the group was on December 8, 2011. Michael Bonini said that the group is following up on implementation on NCHRP products. A session at TRB is planned 3:45- 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday at the Hilton Hotel. Crawford Jencks will be opening the session to talk about TRB initiatives and will be followed by presentations from Virginia and Pennsylvania. The deliberations from this session will be shared with AASHTO-RAC and possibly SCOR.

Tommy Nantung reported that the TPF Pooled website is operational. The RPM website is being built incrementally. The RITA website on RPPM is also ready.

NCHRP Project 20-89 on Intellectual Property: A consultant has been selected (Applied Research Associates) and the contract has been executed. PM&Q will be involved in reviewing a survey prepared as one of the first tasks.A workshop is scheduled on intellectual property at the TRB Annual Meeting (Session 128 at the Hilton on Sunday morning).

FHWA updates: A letter from King Gee on Guidance on Patents and Product Approvals has been sent out. The PM&Q will be working with FHWA staff on updating the SP&R guide.

Coordination and Collaboration Task Force - Sue Sillick

The next meeting is Feb 22. The Research Program and Project Management (RPPM)( website was released on December 7, 2011. In addition to RPPM, the funding guidebook and others are being marketed by the group. There is an unfunded research needs portal that is being developed. The group needs a co-chair.

Transportation Knowledge Networks – Leni Oman.

A video on TKNs developed by OK DOT was sent out to RAC leadership. The intent is to help promote what TKNs are, their value and benefits, and how to participate.

The task force is reviewing the distribution of research reports from two perspectives: report repositories and report formats. There are no comprehensive repositories of transportation research publications at this time. The task force is working with PQ&M on report format guidelines. A draft survey is being prepared to distribute to RAC. Guidance on how to develop and manage information portals is being prepared. Several webinars on “finding information” are being planned, including the state of practice in “search.”

Finally, TKN is in the early stages of planning for a webinar on data “findability”.

RAC-CUTC Liaison Group:

Notes from the conference call were included in the agenda. Fourworkplan items are active. A short CUTC/RAC liaison group is being planned at TRB. Chris Hedges will send out a note regarding the meeting. The agenda for a session at the TRB annual meeting has been distributed; it will take place January 22, 2012 from 5:00 – 6:00 pm before the RAC meeting. RCLG plans to finalize the brochure on the “Top 10 characteristics of successful RAC-UTC partnerships” in time for the TRB annual meeting.

TRB Jan 22, 2012, 5:00 – 6:00 pm - Sue Sillick “Successful RAC/CUTC Partnerships”

A top 10 list of characteristics of successful DOT-University partnerships has been prepared and will be distributed at the session. The agenda and the list were sent to RAC/CUTC representative.

Next meeting:

The next conference call is scheduled for Thursday, January 12, 2012, 1:30 – 3:00 pm Eastern Time.

The next RAC meeting will take place on January 22 RAC meeting from 6:30 – 9:30 pm during the TRB annual meeting in Washington, D.C.

Adjournment

RAC Officers Meeting Notes December 8, 2011Page 1