A November 2000 workshop convened construction executives and engineers from around the country to explore issues associated with accelerating the construction process. Conducted by TRB's Accelerating Innovation in the Highway Industry Task Force and in cooperation with the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP), the program raised such issues as innovative financing, innovative contracting, traveler mobility, constructability, long-life pavements and structures, prefabrication, geotechnical challenges, worker health and safety, utilities, and right-of-way. Many participants noted that solutions were complex and could not be developed issue by issue but required a multidisciplinary approach. This observation generated the concept of the Accelerated Construction Technology Transfer (ACTT) team--national experts with a variety of technical skills who would meet with counterparts at a state agency considering an accelerated construction project. The ACTT members and the host agency staff would share experiences and discuss innovative ways to accelerate construction of the project, providing opportunities for interaction among representatives with different areas of expertise. The Federal Highway Administration and the Technology Implementation Group (TIG) of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials worked with the TRB task force and NCHRP to conduct two workshops to pilot-test the ACTT concept. The Indiana Department of Transportation hosted the first workshop in March 2002, and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation hosted the second in April 2002. Both agencies had high-profile projects under way and found the sessions valuable. Reports of the workshops are included in Circular E-C059, "Accelerated Highway Construction: Workshop Series Summary," posted on TRB's website (www.TRB.org/publications/circulars/ec059.pdf). FHWA and TIG are cosponsoring ACTT workshops for state agencies across the country. (Entire Article)
Samenvatting