FHWA Resource Center
Technology Deployment
Technology and Innovation Resource Index in PDF Format
Technology and Innovation Resource Index as a Web Page
Technology & Innovation Deployment Phases For Measuring/Tracking Performances
Technology/Innovation Products/Tools
Six new priority, market-ready technologies and innovations for 2006 in PDF Format
Six new priority, market-ready technologies and innovations for 2006 as a Web Page
Technologies & Innovations By Department
Market-Ready Technologies
The FHWA, in conjunction with the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), has selected "market-ready" technologies and innovations that warrant special focus and deployment within the transportation sector. Information about each of these hot technologies is provided.
Additional Technology and Innovations
The Resource Center's Technical Service Teams are currently working to deploy these market-ready technologies and innovations in their respective areas. In addition, each of the teams is deploying additional technologies and innovations, specific to their respective specialty areas. Information on these technologies is also provided, along with the names of individual team members who can be contacted for further details.
The FHWA top market-ready technologies and the priority technologies and innovations that the Resource Center teams are also promoting are not all-inclusive. Rather, these technologies and innovations are those considered ready for deployment. In addition to this effort, the Resource Center Technical Service Teams are also collecting, documenting and sharing information on innovative concepts and practices. Information on these best practices and success stories is available from each of the teams.
The technologies and innovations (T&Is) described below are those that the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) believes warrant special attention. Candidates for this list were evaluated against criteria that included:
- Do they, particularly the "vital few," which are marked with an asterisk (), support agency
priorities, including strategic goals?
- Is there a user need and likelihood of implementation?
- Are they developed to the point of being truly market-ready, with a tool(s) available for the field
to market?
- Is expertise available to support deployment and implementation?
Brief statements for each T&I provide additional information in the form of an evaluation checklist.
This list is not intended to include all T&Is available. Numerous T&Is are being developed, but are not yet ready to be marketed in the field. In addition, many T&Is are considered good concepts, practices, and/or success stories that should continue to be shared. This initial list is intended to be a living list: A process will be developed for reviewing and updating these T&Is.
Construction and Project Management
Accelerated Construction Technology Transfer (ACTT) - Creative techniques to reduce construction time and enhance quality and safety. This includes techniques and elements along with innovative contacting practices that reduce congestion and enhance quality and safety. Contact: Dan Sanayi, FHWA, Dan.Sanayi@fhwa.dot.gov
Accelerated Construction PDF fact sheet
Accelerated Construction Web Page
Environment
Dispute Resolution Procedures for Environmental Streamlining - Guidance titled "Collaborative Problem Solving: Better and Streamlined Outcomes for All" is one element of a national dispute-resolution system that presents strategies for interagency collaborative problem solving during the transportation development and environmental review process.
Contact: Ruth Rentch, 202-366-2034.
Dispute Resolution Procedures for Environmental Streamlining PDF fact sheet
Dispute Resolution Procedures for Environmental Streamlining Web Page
Interagency Funding Guidance for Environmental Streamlining - A resource titled "Interagency Guidance: Transportation Funding for Federal Agency Coordination Associated with Environmental Streamlining Activities" provides transportation and resource agencies with options for using Federal funds to support Federal resource agency coordination for streamlining environmental reviews.
Contact: Lamar Smith, 202-366-8994.
Interagency Funding Guidance for Environmental Streamlining PDF fact sheet
Interagency Funding Guidance for Environmental Streamlining Web Page
FHWA Traffic Noise Model (TNM), Version 2.5 - By improving the ability to predict noise impacts in the vicinity of highways, this model improves the quality of decisions. Field efforts would be to assist with the implementation of the FHWA TNM and guide future improvements to the model.
Contact: Bob Armstrong, 202-366-2073.
FHWA Traffic Noise Model (TNM), Version 2.5 PDF fact sheet
FHWA Traffic Noise Model (TNM), Version 2.5 Web Page
Finance
Highway Economic Requirements System, State Version - A software model that is designed to evaluate the implications of alternative programs and policies on the conditions, performance, and user cost levels associated with highway systems. The model provides cost estimates for achieving economically optimal program structures and predicting system condition and user cost levels resulting from a given level of investment. Contact: David Winter, 202-366-4631.
Geotech & Hydraulics
Augered Cast in Place (ACIP) and Continuous Flight Auger (CFA) Pile Foundations - This technology is characterized by the drilling of a hollow-stem auger into the ground, forming the diameter of the pile. Sand-cement grout or concrete is pumped into the hole as the auger is being withdrawn from the hole, eliminating the need for temporary casing. After the auger is removed, reinforcement is installed in the pile. For certain applications, these foundation systems can be constructed faster and more economically than other deep foundation alternatives such as driven piles or drilled shafts.
Contact: Silas Nichols, 410-962-2460.
Augered Cast in Place (ACIP) and Continuous Flight Auger (CFA) Pile Foundations PDF fact sheet
Augered Cast in Place (ACIP) and Continuous Flight Auger (CFA) Pile Foundations Web Page
Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) Geofoam (Accelerated Construction) - Lightweight fill material (less than 2 pounds per cubic foot) that can be used for embankment construction and lateral load reduction. In specific applications, these materials may be utilized to reduce stress on underlying soils or lateral pressures to retaining walls, abutments, or foundations. For most applications, EPS Geofoam can be constructed much faster than conventional fill materials. Contact: Peter Osborn, 410-962-0702.
Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) Geofoam (Accelerated Construction) PDF fact sheet
Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) Geofoam (Accelerated Construction)Web Page
Operations
511 - An easy to remember 3-digit telephone number available to state and local transportation agencies nationwide for easily providing information, highway and transit conditions, to travelers via a telephone. Travelers can make more informed decisions regarding travel routes and modes resulting in a more balanced transportation network. Contact: Bob Rupert, 202-366-2194.
511 PDF fact sheet
511 Web Page
Border Wizard - A PC-based model that accurately simulates all cross-border movements of autos, buses, trucks, and pedestrians, using customs, immigration, and security procedures. It can be used to evaluate and balance policy needs for security and trade efficiency, and address community impacts of improvements and functions at and near borders.
Contact: Mike Onder, 202-366-2639.
Intelligent Transportation System Deployment Analysis System (IDAS) - Few methods exist for transportation planners and engineers to analyze the costs and benefits of ITS and operations projects and strategies as part of the transportation planning process. The quantification of these costs and benefits is especially difficult for planners and engineers that use travel demand forecasting models to evaluate investments because these models cannot capture the benefits derived from ITS and operations technologies.
Intelligent Transportation System Deployment Analysis System (IDAS) PDF fact sheet
Intelligent Transportation System Deployment Analysis System (IDAS)Web Page
QuickZone - A user-friendly computer software tool for estimating and analyzing length of queues and delays in work zones.
Contact: Chung Eng (202) 366-8043.
QuickZone PDF fact sheet
QuickZone Web Page
ITS Technologies in Work Zones -The use of ITS technologies in work zones, such as ramp metering systems, intrusion alarms, and queue detection information (sensors/cameras), is aimed at increasing safety for workers and road users and ensuring a more efficient traffic flow. These technologies provide means to better monitor/manage traffic flow through and around work zones that minimize the impact of delays, and increase safety. Contact: Doug Rose, Maryland SHA, Drose@sha.md.us.
ITS Technologies in Work Zones PDF fact sheet
ITS Technologies in Work Zones Web Page
Maintenance Decision Support System (MDSS) - Managing winter maintenance activities is a
complex endeavor. Ensuring that the plow
blades are ready when the first flakes fall is only
a small part of the task. Maintenance managers
also must know the regulations about chemical
applications and environmental impacts and be
able to analyze and make sense of multiple and
often contradictory weather forecasts.
Maintenance Decision Support System PDF fact sheet
Maintenance Decision Support System Web Page
DYNASMART-P - Historically, traffic and transportation engineers have treated network planning and operational analyses as two distinct functions. In recent years, however, the use of intelligent transportation systems (ITS) to plan and operate the Nation’s transportation network has increased. In addition, the Transportation Equity Act for the 21 st Century (TEA-21) requires transportation planners to promote efficient system management and operations as part of the transportation planning process. Due largely to these changing demands, engineers face an increasing need for tools that unify planning and operations analyses in a single, dynamic format.
DYNASMART-P PDF fact sheet
DYNASMART-P Web Page
Pavement and Materials
Air Void Analyzer - The Air Void Analyzer can be used to measure air content, specific surface, and spacing factor of fresh Portland cement concrete. This real-time evaluation can improve quality control. Implementation goals include developing common standard test protocol, specification, and data collection form. Contact: John Wiakowski, KSDOT, JohnW@ksdot.org.
Air Void Analyzer PDF fact sheet
Air Void Analyzer Web Page
New Pavement Design and Construction Methodologies - An advanced mechanistic pavement design procedure that relies on new tests for material characterization and proper quality assurances, and that enables construction innovations. Methodologies provide long-life pavements that are safe and cost effective. Contact: Leslie Myer, 202-366-1198;
John D'Angelo, 202-366-0121.
Pavement Smoothness Methodologies - The new pavement smoothness specification covers smoothness test methods, smoothness equipment specifications, and equipment-certification programs. Other components that complement the smoothness specification include an NHI course (131100) on inertial profiler operations, Profile Viewer software, and best practice guides for construction of smooth asphalt and concrete pavements.
Contact: Mark Swanlund, 202-366-1323.
Pavement Smoothness Methodologies PDF fact sheet
Pavement Smoothness Methodologies Web Page
Global Positioning System Surveying - Global Positioning System uses satellites that transmits signals continuously and has many highway applications including surveying pavement conditions and inventorying highway assets. GPS offer increases accuracy and reduces labor, time and costs. Contact: Charlie Brown, NCDOT, CharlieBrown@dot.state.nc.us
Ground Penetrating Radar - Ground Penetrating Radar can be employed to collect information about underlying highway pavement layers without incurring the time and labor costs and traffic delays that come from traditional method of drilling for core samples. This vehicle- mounted technology collects pavement layer thickness and identifies rapidly deteriorating pavement areas at normal highway speeds. Contact: Ken Fluts, TxDOT, kfults@dot.state.tx.us
Planning
Improved Decisionmaking Using Geographic Information Systems (GIS-T) - A software program that allows for manipulation, analysis, and display of geographically referenced data. Applications include safety analysis, environmental partnering, asset management, highway inventory attributes, and over-sized truck permitting. The GIS-T Web site contains numerous examples of how and where this technology has been implemented.
Contact: Mark Sarmiento, 202-366-4828.
Improved Decisionmaking Using Geographic Information Systems (GIS-T) PDF fact sheet
Improved Decisionmaking Using Geographic Information Systems (GIS-T) Web Page
Transportation, Economics, and Land Use System (TELUS) - This information-management and decision-support system helps State departments of transportation (DOT) and metropolitan planning organizations prepare their annual transportation improvement programs and statewide transportation improvement programs. The system tracks history, schedule, funds expended, budget, and the relationship to other projects.
Contact: Fred Ducca, 202-366-5843.
Transportation, Economics, and Land Use System (TELUS) PDF fact sheet
Transportation, Economics, and Land Use System (TELUS) Web Page
Highway Economic Requirements System, State Version (HERS-ST) - In the past, transportation agencies have had to rely on engineering applications for long-range planning and programming. However, many agencies are beginning to focus on system performance rather than simply on dollars spent or miles improved. This Transportation Asset Management approach has created a demand for planning tools that incorporate economic factors, especially user benefits and costs, in addition to traditional engineering considerations. Because existing engineering software packages were not designed specifically for managing transportation assets, they did not adequately address these agencies' changing needs. To address this problem, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) developed the Highway Economic Requirements System, State Version (HERS-ST) from the national-level HERS program that FHWA has used since the early 1990s.
Highway Economic Requirements System, State Version (HERS-ST) PDF fact sheet
Highway Economic Requirements System, State Version (HERS-ST) Web Page
Safety & Highway Design
Red Light Cameras - The traditional enforcement of violations for running red lights is automated by using camera systems at light-controlled intersections that detect an offending motorist, capture an image of the license plate, and issue a citation by mail.
Contact: Hari Kalla, 202-366-5915.
Red Light Cameras PDF fact sheet
Red Light Cameras Web Page
Roundabouts - A circular intersection that requires entering vehicles to yield to existing traffic in the circulatory roadway. Studies show that modern roundabouts can reduce intersection fatalities by up to 90 percent, reduce injury crashes by 76 percent, and reduce pedestrian crashes by 30-40 percent.
Contact: Hari Kalla, 202-366-5915.
Roundabouts PDF fact sheet
Roundabouts Web Page
Rumble Strips - Shoulder rumble strips are continuous grooved indentations in roadway shoulders that provide both an audible warning and a physical vibration to alert drivers that they are leaving the roadway. Studies have shown that these strips yield a significant reduction in drift-off-road crashes.
Contact: Dick Powers, 202-366-1320.
Rumble Strips PDF fact sheet
Rumble Stripes Web Page
Safe Speeds in Work Zones - Innovative technologies are improving work zone safety for highway users and workers. Two technologies that can improve safety in work zones are portable speed limit signs that automatically display safe speed based on traffic conditions and the nature of the roadwork, and feedback displays that show the speed of approaching vehicles. Contact: Davey Warren, 202-366-4668.
Highway Rail Warning System - A low cost active warning system that can replace a passive crossing warning signs at low volume highway-railroad at-grade intersections. The system consists of locomotive installed hardware that communicates with the crossing device to activate the signals, can up/down load data on nearby crossings, and report on system operations or health. The device is mounted on standard crossing poles is solar/battery powered with wireless communications between device and the locomotive. Contact: Dave Huft, South Dakota DOT, dave.huft@state.sd.us
Cable Median Barriers -Recent research shows that cable median barriers are more forgiving than traditional concrete and metal beam barriers and can be effective when installed on sloping terrain. Collision forces are deflected laterally thereby reducing the forces transmitted to vehicle occupants.
Cable Median Barriers PDF fact sheet
Cable Median Barriers Web Page
Road Safety Audits (RSA) - There is a need for an independent, multidisciplinary process for identifying and documenting safety issues on new and existing roadways.
Road Safety Audits PDF fact sheet
Road Safety Audits Web Page
PEDSAFE - The tools available in the Pedestrian Safety Guide and Countermeasure Selection System (PEDSAFE) are designed to enable practitioners to effectively select and review engineering, education, or enforcement treatments to mitigate a known crash problem or to help change motorist and/or pedestrian behaviors.
PEDSAFE PDF fact sheet
PEDSAFE Web Page
Structures
Load and Resistance Factor Design and Rating of Bridges, Earth Retaining Structures, and Culverts - An American Association of Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) and Rating (LRFR) bridge specification provides for more uniform levels of safety, which should lead to superior serviceability and long-term maintainability.
Contact: Firas Ibrahim, 202-366-4598.
Load and Resistance Factor Design and Rating of Bridges, Earth Retaining Structures, and Culverts PDF fact sheet
Load and Resistance Factor Design and Rating of Bridges, Earth Retaining Structures, and CulvertsWeb Page
Fiber Reinforced Polymer - Material that can be used to repair cracks in overhead sign supports by wrapping the support with Fiber Reinforced Material. Fiber Reinforced Polymer can prevent overhead sign support failure and provide structural integrity to the overhead sign support. Contact: Paul Wells, New York State DOT, pwells@gw.dot.state.ny.us.
Fiber Reinforced Polymer PDF fact sheet
Fiber Reinforced Polymer Web Page
Prefabricated Bridge Elements and Systems - Prefabricated bridge elements and systems may be manufactured on-site or off-site, under controlled conditions, and brought to the job location ready to install. These systems minimize traffic impacts of bridge construction projects, improve construction zone safety, makes construction less disruptive for the environment, increase quality and lowers life-cycle costs. Using these systems reduces traffic and environmental impacts by minimizing the need for lane closures, detours, and use of narrow lanes. Contact: Claude Napier (804) 775-3358, claude.napier@dot.gov.
Prefabricated Bridge Elements and Systems PDF fact sheet
Prefabricated Bridge Elements and Systems Web Page
The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) created the Technology Implementation Group (TIG) to identify high-payoff, ready-to-use technologies and to champion the implementation or deployment of these few select technologies, products, or processes that are likely to yield significant economic or qualitative benefits to the users throughout the country. FHWA works closely with and fully supports the AASHTO TIG initiatives and the implementation of the approved TIG technologies. The FHWA Priority, Market-Ready Technologies & Innovations include the nine (9) approved AASHTO TIG technologies indicated above.
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