NCHRP 08-36 Project Submittal
Title: Transportation Asset Management Research Roadmap
Background:
Research conducted by NCHRP on transportation asset management has provided both FHWA and
AASHTO’s Subcommittee on Asset Management with valuable information for advancing the state of
the practice and supporting implementation of asset management provisions now required under MAP21. For example, the AASHTO Transportation Asset Management Guide: A Focus on Implementation
(developed under NCHRP) aims to encourage transportation agencies to address strategic questions as
they confront the task of managing the surface transportation system. Drawn from both national and
international knowledge and experience, it provides guidance to state DOT decision makers, as well as
county and municipal transportation agencies, to assist them in realizing the most from financial
resources now and in the future, preserving highway assets, and providing the service expected by
customers. The Implementation Guide has been an important document in helping states meet the asset
management requirements of MAP-21.
In addition, the FHWA’s Transportation Asset Management Expert Task Group (TAM ETG) recently
completed the development of a Strategic Plan outlining its vision for asset management in the next 10
years. The document outlines important capabilities that are needed to achieve the vision, but does not
establish a strategy for achieving those capabilities.
Statement of Urgency:
MAP-21’s asset management requirements will be a primary concern in State DOTs for the next two to
three years. While the Implementation Guide is tremendous resource for State DOTs and covers the
breadth of the aspects of implementation, there are additional areas where further research and
development are needed to provide the tools and techniques that will be needed by practitioners as their
proficiency with asset management matures.. Rather than arbitrarily choosing topics to concentrate on at
random, it behooves the transportation asset management community to have a research road map to
logically explore topics in a sensible order and that can be used to justify necessary research, capacity
building, and other types of activities.
Project Objective(s):
The primary objective of this research project is to develop a long-term research strategy to continue to
advance the state of practice in transportation asset management. The result of this research will be an
asset management research roadmap that will guide future research and development activities to be
undertaken by the transportation industry.
Relationship to Existing Body of Knowledge:
Existing Asset Management Research
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AASHTO Transportation Asset Management Guide – A Focus on Implementation.
TAM Gap Analysis Tool (NCHRP 8-90)
Cross-Asset Allocation (NCHRP 8-91)
Methodology for Estimating Life Expectancies for Highway Assets (NCHRP 7-21)
Transportation Asset Management for Ancillary Structures (NCHRP 8-36, Task 107)
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Successful Practices in GIS-Based Transportation Asset Management
Managing Risk Guidebook (NCHRP 08-93
Performance Management Research
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Advancing Performance Management under a National Framework NCHRP 20-24(97)
Other Available Resources
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FHWA TAM ETG Strategic Plan
List of Anticipated Work Tasks:
The project includes the following tasks:
1. Document transportation asset management research gaps and identify research opportunities to
achieve the vision outlined in the TAM ETG Strategic Plan.
2. Gather stakeholder Input
a. Gather ideas from the AASHTO Subcommittee on Asset Management
b. Gather ideas from the TRB Transportation Asset Management Committee
c. Gather ideas from the TAM ETG
d. Gather ideas from NCHRP, FHWA, and AASHTO representatives
e. Talk with others as necessary
3. Develop a draft 10-year TAM research roadmap.
4. Convene a group of at least 20 key transportation asset management stakeholders and host a oneday workshop to gather feedback on 10-year TAM research roadmap.
5. Prepare final 10-year TAM Research Roadmap that includes draft research needs statements that
could be used to secure funding.
Estimate of Funds Needed:
$80,000
Estimate of Time Needed to Complete the Research:
12 months
Name, Affiliation and Contact Information of Submitter(s):
Tim Henkel, Vice Chair, Subcommittee on Asset Management
Steve Gaj, FHWA
Katie Zimmerman, Applied Pavement Technology, Inc. – on behalf of the FHWA’s Transportation Asset
Management Expert Task Group
Matt Hardy, AASHTO