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Roadway Safety Hardware

Asset Management Systems

Case Studies

PUBLICATION NO. FHWA-HRT-05-073

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FOREWORD

Since the early 1990s, the term "asset management" has grown to embrace a broad array of tasks and activities aimed at identifying, assessing, prioritizing, evaluating, maintaining, rehabilitating, renewing, preserving, improving, and managing assets. This report addresses asset management of roadway safety hardware in the United States. Increasingly refined and complex tools such as modern bridge and pavement inventory management systems have been developed and adopted by many State departments of transportation (DOTs), as well as some of the larger departments of county and municipal governments. Many of these management systems have been developed cooperatively by pooling funds and in other ways, such as assistance from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).

Through maintenance and enhancement efforts, these software systems are growing in their robustness and capability to deal effectively with complex, real-world issues and conditions. One software management area that has not advanced as rapidly is roadway safety hardware inventory, which includes an array of signs, signals, roadway lighting luminaries, support structures for signs, guardrails, pavement markings, and deployed detecting devices—all vital to safe, efficient highway operations.

This study provides information to State DOTs on roadway safety hardware management systems that would help increase their use of state-of-the-practice techniques. This report was developed for State DOT personnel, particularly chief engineers and other top management, involved with the planning, funding, and execution of roadway safety hardware management systems.

Gary L. Henderson
Director,
Office of Infrastructure Research and Development


Notice

This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Transportation in the interest of information exchange. The U.S. Government assumes no liability for the use of the information contained in this document. This report does not constitute a standard, specification, or regulation.

The U.S. Government does not endorse products or manufacturers. Trademarks or manufacturers’ names appear in this report only because they are considered essential to the objective of the document.

Quality Assurance Statement

FHWA provides high-quality information to serve Government, industry, and the public in a manner that promotes public understanding. Standards and policies are used to ensure and maximize the quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of its information. FHWA periodically reviews quality issues and adjusts its programs and processes to ensure continuous quality improvement.

Form DOT F 1700.7 (8-72)
1. Report No 
FHWA–HRT–05–073
2. Government Accession No.3. Recipient’s Catalog No.
4. Title and Subtitle 
Roadway Safety Hardware
Asset Management Systems
Case Studies
5. Report Date 
October 2005
6. Performing Organization Code
 N/A
7. Authors(s) 
Mr. David J. Hensing, Dr. Shahed Rowshan
8. Performing Organization Report No.
9. Performing Organization Name and Address 
Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC)
Transportation Division
1710 SAIC Drive
McLean, VA 22102
10. Work Unit No. (TRAIS)
 N/A
11. Contract or Grant No.
DTFH61-01-C-00180
12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address 
Office of Safety R&D
Federal Highway Administration
400 7th Street, SW
Washington, D.C. 20590
13. Type of Report and Period Covered
Final Report, April 2005
14. Sponsoring Agency Code
HRDS
15. Supplementary Notes 
FHWA COTR, Kerry Perrillo Childress, Office of Safety R&D
16. Abstract 
This study provides information to State DOTs on roadway safety hardware management systems that could help increase their use of state-of-the-practice techniques. This report was developed for State DOT personnel, particularly chief engineers and other top management, involved with the planning, funding, and execution of roadway safety hardware management systems.
17. Key Words 
Asset management, roadway safety hardware
18. Distribution Statement 
No restrictions. This document is available to the public through the National Technical Information Service, Springfield, VA 22161.
19. Security Classif. (of this report) 
Unclassified
20. Security Classif. (of this page) 
Unclassified
21. No. of Pages 
92
22. Price 
Form DOT F 1700.7 (8–72)Reproduction of completed page authorized

SI* (Modern Metric) Conversion Factors


TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION

     Background
     Objectives
     Research Methodology
     Assumptions
     Foundations of the Approach

CHAPTER 2. CASE STUDIES OF STATE DOT ROADWAY SAFETY HARDWARE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

     Approach To Selection Criteria
     States Selected For Case Studies
     Model Integrated Asset Management Systems
     Other DOT Case Studies

CHAPTER 3. CONCLUSIONS

APPENDIX A. FHWA LETTER TO DIVISION OFFICES

APPENDIX B. QUESTIONNAIRE TO STATE DOTS

APPENDIX C. SUMMARY OF AASHTO SURVEY RESULTS

APPENDIX D. LIST OF STATE DOT CONTACTS

REFERENCES

BIBLIOGRAPHY


LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1. Photo. Data collection van
Figure 2. Screen Capture. Sample image in the New Mexico RFI application
Figure 3. Screen capture. Comparison of sample images in the New Mexico RFI Virtual Drive application
Figure 4. Screen capture. Sample RFI image showing roadside guardrail
Figure 5. Photo. Sample RFI image showing interstate sign
Figure 6. Screen capture. Sample RFI application screen with thumbnail image
Figure 7. Screen capture. Sample New Mexico RFI spatial map with assets identified
Figure 8. Chart. Sample flowchart of RFI QA/QC checks
Figure 9. Screen capture. Georgia DOT HSMS sample data screen
Figure 10. Map. Geographic map showing States that responded to AASHTO survey
Figure 11. Graph. AASHTO survey results to question #1: Do you inventory?
Figure 12. Graph. AASHTO survey results to question #2: Percentage of assets in inventory
Figure 13. Graph. AASHTO survey results to question #3: Does inventory track location?
Figure 14. Graph. AASHTO survey results to question #4: Inventory cycle
Figure 15. Graph. AASHTO survey results to question #5 (part 1): Method used for original inventory
Figure 16. Graph. AASHTO survey results to question #5 (part 2): Method used for inventory updates
Figure 17. Graph. AASHTO survey results to question #6: Funding allocated on inventory
Figure 18. Graph. AASHTO survey results to question #7: Budget line item for maintenance
Figure 19. Graph. AASHTO survey results to questions #8 and 8b: Monitor condition
Figure 20. Graph. AASHTO survey results to question #9: Coverage of condition monitored
Figure 21. Graph. AASHTO survey results to question #10: Frequency of condition surveys
Figure 22. Graph. AASHTO survey results to question #11: Methods of monitoring condition
Figure 23. Graph. AASHTO Survey Results to question #13: Funding allocated on condition.


LIST OF TABLES

Table 1. New Mexico RFI data collected
Table 2. New Mexico RFI asset types
Table 3. The 31 RFI assets and their definitions
Table 4. New Mexico HMMS data collected
Table 5. Virginia ICAS data collected
Table 6. Virginia RCA data collected
Table 7. California IMMS data collected
Table 8. Florida RCI data collected
Table 9. Georgia HSMS data collected
Table 10. Maryland GIS Roadway Route System data collected
Table 11. Maryland TSIIM data collected
Table 12. Minnesota AFMS data collected
Table 13. TDOT TRIMS data collected
Table 14. TDOT MMS data collected
Table 15. State contact offices


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