Region 4 Meeting Agenda
AASHTO Subcommittee on Design
July 14-17, 2008
Hotel Albuquerque Old Town
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Region 4 Meeting – Monday, July 14, 2008
1. Introductions - Officers and members present
2. Discussion on the Draft SCOD Vision; prepare to present reactions and questions to SCOD on July 15
3:00 – 3:15 Break
3. Regional Topic Discussions
See list: We will go through all the number one priorities, and then continue with the number 2 priorities, and so on.
Region 4 Meeting – Wednesday, July 16
1. Briefing from SCOD Executive Committee
2. SCOD Hot Topic Discussions
10:00 – 10:15 Break
3. Technical Committee Work Plan Discussions
4. Proposed Research Topics
5. Motions or Resolutions
6. New Officers
Proposed: Paul Bercich, Wyoming, Chair
Mary Viparina, Arizona, Vice Chair
Secretary (Alaska and Hawaii are next in rotation)
Note: Alaska was skipped in the rotation last year at their request
Steering Committee Rotation: California, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, South Dakota, North Dakota, Utah, Idaho, Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, Washington, Montana, Arizona, Wyoming, Alaska, Hawaii, Nebraska.
7. SCOD 2012 Host – ??
Note: On Wednesday afternoon, the Regional Chair will provide an overview of their comments and discussions of the Technical Committees’ reports/activities, along with results from the rotation of officers, proposed motions/resolutions, and proposed research topics.
Regional Topics
UTAH
1. In Utah we are facing some legal pressures surrounding our Operational Safety Reports (OSR). OSRs are performed on sections of roadways to detail crash rates and severity, safety concerns and proposed/possible mitigations. In the past the crash data has been a protected communication. We are currently being pressured to disclose this data. Are other states getting this pressure as well, how are you addressing it? What changes to your processes have you considered?
2. How are other states approaching questions of conflict of interest in the awarding of work to consultants involved in design build or RFP/RFQ work? If a consultant develops a portion of an environmental document can they compete in the RFQ/RFP process to design the project? If a consultant assists in the production of an RFQ/RFP for a Design Build project can they be part of the Design Build Team? What level of participation disqualifies consultants from competing for subsequent work?
3. Have other states produced additional guidance regarding the application of clearzone behind curb and gutter? Specifically from a standpoint of risk management?
4. What are other states experiences with bidding additives on construction contracts? Do you have a set procedure? How is the information being communicated?
MONTANA
1. Montana has launched a major solicitation of and evaluation of cost reduction ideas, including ideas that could affect project design. Some of these may involve rethinking design standards and the process for design exceptions. Others, such as rescoping projects from reconstruction to rehabilitation, may involve major time commitments for redesign. Are other states facing these issues? Do you have successes to share or pointers to help us avoid missteps?
2. Bids for alternative surfacing sections – do other states develop more than one template and set of cross sections, or do you build the subgrade assuming the thickest section?
3. Snow slopes – In Montana, we use an 11:1 slope for cut areas with know blowing and drifting snow. Do other states have standard slopes, so they use a computer generated number similar to Wyoming based in wind direction and cut depth, or do they have another process?
OREGON
1. Are other states doing electronic bidding?
2. Are other states providing data to contractors for machine control?
3. What type of format?
NEBRASKA
1. How do the states address the “should” conditions in the AASHTO Green Book as far as meeting the requirements of 23 CFR 625.3 on the NHS and full oversight projects?
2. How are the states addressing temporary channel crossings for bridge construction in channels where barges are not appropriate?
3. What is the maximum scope of work that the states allow under the maintenance design standard?
OKLAHOMA
1. Internal construction Plan Review : Do other states have Guidelines or Policies and Procedures for in-house/consultant projects?
2. Five Lane Sections: Guidelines for 4-lane roadways w/TWLTL relating to design speed and ADT
3. “On the Shelf Projects”: Do other states have a program that allows an early delivery of the Plans, Specifications and Estimates (PS&E)?
SOUTH DAKOTA
1. When replacing sidewalk adjacent to a highway project how are the states interpreting the state’s responsibility to make the adjoining entrances to buildings accessible?
2. When driven by development, what policies or guidelines have other DOTs created to determine when a facility ( interchange or system upgrade) should be at the expense of the local community versus the expense of the DOT?
WYOMING
1. What are states doing in light of tight funding?
2. Are states using pavement reclamation? If so, how are they handling crown & super correction?
3. How are statescurrently handling Horizontal Clearance to Obstructions & Clear Zone, both rural & urban?
4. Do states process design exceptions for deviations from standards on interchanges?
ARIZONA
1. What systems for documenting and tracking design exceptions do other states utilize?
2. ADA Transition Plans – what do other states have in place?
3. Info sharing – Guidelines for Projects on Forest and BLM Lands
WASHINGTON
1. Automatic Traffic Management System (ATMS), What challenges are states facing to implementation and what geometric standards are being proposed / used. Does this change with the consideration of “hard shoulder running”?
2. ADA, Are states finding challenges to completing their Transition Plans e.g. common definition of terms, last of an accurate inventory, etc.
3. High Occupancy Vehicle (HOT) Lanes, What geometric standards are states using and what are they learning about those standards?
4. How are states accommodating the newer non-AASHTO standard axle configurations? Example of 3 and 4 “super singles” compared to the WB 63 and WB 67 turning Templates?
5. Climate changes, has it arrived in your state and how are you beginning to change what you do because of it?
TECHNICAL COMMITTEE ON COST ESTIMATING
1. Have you reviewed the guidance and proposed outlines for guidance on cost estimating? Are there specific areas that the TCCE could help address to help you meet your estimating needs?
2. How many states have cost estimating functions housed with Design?