MEETING NOTES
RAC Leadership Teleconference
Thursday, June 12, 2014
1:30 – 3:30 pm, EDT
Participants:
Skip Paul (Chair), Dale Peabody (Vice Chair), Cynthia Gerst, Allison Hardt, Chris
Hedges, David Jared, Chris Jenks, Cameron Kergaye, Tim Klein, John Moulden,
Leni Oman, Neil Pedersen, Steve Pepin, Sue Sillick.
Decisions and action items are underscored.
1. Roll Call
2. Additions to agenda
None.
3. Notes from previous meeting
A MOTION (JARED/GERST) to accept the previous meeting notes was APPROVED.
4. AASHTO Report - Jim McDonnell
No report.
5. TRB/SCOR Report – Chris Jenks
The TRB Finance Committee, which consists of the state DOT CEOs who are on the TRB
Executive Committee and the FHWA representative, will be meeting June 27th in DC. They
probably won’t be making any decisions at this meeting, but eventually they will make the
recommendation to the AASHTO Board on state DOT contributions to the TRB core
program for the next triennium which begins in July 2015.
The AASHTO Board of Director’s ballot for the FY2015 NCHRP program is out; the due
date was June 3. To date about 2/3 of the states have responded. To be accepted, projects
must receive at least 35 positive votes from the Board. Both Steve Pepin and Cynthia Gerst
had problems with the ballot software – other states may have encountered problems as well.
Chris Jenks will provide the regional chairs with a list of which states have responded so far
so that they can encourage their CEOs to submit their ballots.
Panel nominations for the FY2015 NCHRP are due June 23rd.
Nanda Srinivasan is leaving TRB for the Energy Information Administration. We will not be
filling the position until the FY2015 funding situation becomes clear. In the meantime,
Crawford Jencks will be managing some of Nanda’s projects on a part time basis.
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This coming Monday is the due date for FY2015 TCRP problem statements. There is some
flexibility in the deadline, but please act soon if you want to provide a submission.
ACRP received 102 problem statements for their FY2015 program. These have gone through
a screening and review process; the governing board will meet July 20-21 to select new
projects and a request for panel nominees will be issued in August.
The fall/winter meeting of SCOR has been set for December 3-4 at the Beckman Center in
Irvine, CA.
Publications since the last call:
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NCHRP Report 750: Strategic Issues Facing Transportation, Volume 4: Sustainability as
an Organizing Principle for Transportation Agencies
(http://www.trb.org/Main/Blurbs/170762.aspx)
NCHRP Report 750: Strategic Issues Facing Transportation, Volume 5: Preparing
Transportation Agencies for an Uncertain Energy Future
(http://www.trb.org/Main/Blurbs/170763.aspx)
NCHRP Report 769: A Guide for Public Transportation Pandemic Planning and Response
(http://www.trb.org/Main/Blurbs/170529.aspx)
NCHRP Report 775: Applying GPS Data to Understand Travel Behavior, Volume I:
Background, Methods, and Tests (http://www.trb.org/Main/Blurbs/170873.aspx)
NCHRP Report 775: Applying GPS Data to Understand Travel Behavior, Volume II:
Guidelines (http://www.trb.org/Main/Blurbs/170874.aspx)
NCHRP Report 776: Bridge System Safety and Redundancy (URL Available Soon)
NCHRP Synthesis 454: Response to Extreme Weather Impacts on Transportation
Systems (http://www.trb.org/Main/Blurbs/170765.aspx)
NCHRP Synthesis 459: Using the Economic Value Created by Transportation to Fund
Transportation (http://www.trb.org/Main/Blurbs/170750.aspx)
NCHRP Synthesis 460: Sharing Operations Data Among Agencies
(http://www.trb.org/Main/Blurbs/170868.aspx)
NCHRP Research Results Digest 389: Precision Estimates of AASHTO T 304, AASHTO
T 96, and AASHTO T 11 and Investigation of the Effect of Manual and Mechanical
Methods of Washing on Sieve Analysis of Aggregates
(http://www.trb.org/Main/Blurbs/170831.aspx)
NCHRP Web-Only Document 183: Guidance for Managing NEPA-Related and Other
Risks in Project Delivery, Volume 2: Expediting NEPA Decisions and Other Practitioner
Strategies for Addressing High Risk Issues in Project Delivery
(http://www.trb.org/Main/Blurbs/170764.aspx)
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Transit IDEA Project 73: Innovative Operating Strategies for Paratransit Services
(http://www.trb.org/Main/Blurbs/170807.aspx)
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ACRP Report 101: Best Practices Manual for Working In or Near Airport Movement
Areas (http://www.trb.org/Main/Blurbs/170760.aspx)
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ACRP Report 109: Improving Terminal Design to Increase Revenue Generation Related
to Customer Satisfaction (URL Available Soon)
ACRP Synthesis 52: Habitat Management to Deter Wildlife at Airports
(http://www.trb.org/Main/Blurbs/170766.aspx)
ACRP Synthesis 55: Backcountry Airstrip Preservation (URL Available Soon)
ACRP Synthesis 57: Airport Response to Special Events
(http://www.trb.org/Main/B`lurbs/170872.aspx)
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NCFRP Report 28: Sustainability Strategies Addressing Supply-Chain Air Emissions
(http://www.trb.org/Main/Blurbs/170749.aspx)
6. OST/R Report – Tim Klein
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UTC Regions III and X Selection
o Selection package remains in Secretary Foxx’s office, awaiting action.
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Moving Freight: Can Goods Movement Help Carry a Surface Transport Bill?
o Next Volpe webinar features Mortimer L. Downey III, senior advisor at Parsons
Brinckerhoff and former U.S. DOT Deputy Secretary; first federal member of the
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Board; vice chairman of U.S. DOT’s
Freight Transportation Advisory Committee.
o Monday, June 16, 2014 - 12:00 pm to 12:45 pm
o Register: https://volpeevents.webex.com/mw0307l/mywebex/default.do?siteurl=volpe-events
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Freight Facts and Figures 2013
o Provides a snapshot of the volume and value of freight flows in the United States, the
physical network over which freight moves, the economic conditions that generate
freight movements, the industry that carries freight, and the safety, energy, and
environmental implications of freight transportation.
o Jointly prepared by BTS and FHWA
o http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/freight/freight_analysis/nat_freight_stats/docs/13factsfi
gures/pdfs/fff2013_highres.pdf
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Volpe Pedestrian and Bike Safety Partnership with NYC
o New York City has asked Volpe to help it study and develop pilot initiatives on side
guards for its largest-in-the-nation municipal truck fleet.
o After side guards were required on most heavy-duty vehicles in the United Kingdom,
there was a 61 percent drop in fatalities for bicyclists who hit the side of a truck
moving in the same direction, and a 20 percent drop in fatalities for pedestrians.
o City of Boston has announced plans to add side guards to 19 large public works
vehicles and to require side guards on all newly purchased city trucks:
http://www.volpe.dot.gov/news/engineers-passion-pedestrian-and-bike-safety-leadspartnership-with-nyc
7. FHWA Report – John Moulden
David Pamplin has been hired as the day to day manager of the Pooled Fund program. David
was formerly with the Indiana division office.
An email was sent earlier on STICs (State Transportation Innovation Councils). About 30
states have formal STICs that focus on implementation activities (see attachment).
Development continues on the “Research 101” course for the Division R&T Coordinators;
the deadline is the end of the calendar year. Cynthia Gerst and Skip Paul are helping to
review the course material on behalf of RAC.
An internal evaluation of the R&T program is just getting underway.
The deadline for “Infravation” submissions is the end of this month; through this program
states can receive direct funding assistance or can provide state facilities as test beds for
research projects.
John believes that a six-month extension of the highway bill is currently the most likely
scenario.
8. SHRP2 Implementation Activities – Neil Pedersen
No report. John Moulden will report at future calls. June 27th is the deadline for Round 4
implementation assistance submissions.
9. Region Chairs/Vice-Chairs Issues
Allison Hardt – Has a process been initiated to determine the applicability of the Madison
conference sessions for Professional Development Hours? Cynthia – doesn’t believe this has
been done yet. No PDHs issued at last year’s meeting. Cynthia will raise the issue with the
AASHTO conference planner. Skip: Can this be done for the state reps portion? Chris J will
check with Mark Norman.
Two new RAC members from Massachusetts join Region 1 – Curtis Bradley and Jennifer
Slesinger.
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David Jared – There are 2 new members in Region 2 from South Carolina: Messrs. Terry
Swygert and Merrill Zwanka.
Two new members from Illinois join RAC – Megan Swanson and Laura Mlacnik.
Ken Chambers (NV) has offered to serve as the Region 4 secretary starting next month.
10. Summer 2014 meeting, Madison WI
The agenda for the TRB state reps portion of the meeting is attached to these notes.
Bob Skinner will be at the Tuesday lunch – RAC members will be invited to speak or offer
tributes. Cynthia will touch base with Jim McDonnell to see if a plaque can be made. Chris
Hedges suggested that cheese-related products might be an appropriate gift for a meeting in
Wisconsin.
The program is almost ready to print once speakers are finalized for the session on
implementation and the RAC/CUTC meeting. Certificates for the Sweet 16 projects are
being prepared; Cynthia suggested that future summer meeting planners should consider
whether the costs of these certificates should be included in the budget planning.
11. Task Force Updates – Dale Peabody
Administration – Allison Hardt and Steve Pepin
The RAC 101 webinar will be held on June 30th from 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. Eastern time. A
Monday morning follow-up session will be held in Madison titled Your role in RAC: a
foundation for best practices.
Draft mentoring guidelines are out for review, and the task force will be updating the Task
Forces membership spreadsheet.
Coordination and Collaboration
No report.
Program Management and Quality – David Jared
Two new members have joined the Task Force: Megan Swanson (IL) and Hafiz Munir (MN).
The group met earlier today by conference call, and the meeting notes will be posted shortly.
The Task Force recently prepared a funding request to develop a summary of peer exchange
results, experiences, and lessons learned from the past 10-15 years. The request was
submitted to the NCHRP 20-07 panel, which funds quick response research for the AASHTO
Standing Committee on Highways (SCOH). The 20-07 panel did not see how the request
was directly relevant to SCOH and referred it to SCOR for consideration. David will follow
up with Chris Jenks and Chris Hedges re: funding options for the study.
Value of Research
No report.
TKN – Leni Oman
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The TKN Task Force met earlier this month. They are still developing a workplan and intend
to shift their focus to research programming and management information needs. In their
meeting scheduled in Madison the group will talk about report distribution and open data
issues.
12. Other Business
Leni thanked those who participated in her survey of project management software.
Leni also mentioned a need to better track information about federal government funding
sources and grant application procedures (such as TIGER grants, etc). Typically no single
individual or office in a DOT is responsible for monitoring these opportunities. Kansas DOT is
currently conducting a survey on the subject, which may identify future activities for RAC.
13. Adjourn
Next Conference Call:
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Thursday, July 10, 2014
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AASHTO RAC – TRB State Representatives 2014 Annual Meeting
Wednesday, July 23rd TRB Sessions
TRB Focus on the Issues (8A-9:45):
Spotlighting some of the critical issues of interest to State DOT research offices, selected by the
TRB State Representatives Advisory Panel (STRAP)
 Coordinators: Mark Norman, TRB; and Leni Oman, Washington State DOT
 Moderator: Daniel S. Turner*, TRB Technical Activities Council Chair
 Knowledge Management Update; John Halikowski*, AASHTO SCOR (10 minutes)
 Open Access and Open Data Requirements – Outlook and Implications; Mary
Moulton*, National Transportation Library, and Kendra Levine*, UC Berkeley (40
minutes)
 Connected/Automated Vehicles – Issues for Transportation Research; Ellen
Partridge*, OST-R (25 minutes); and Daniel S. Turner*, TRB Technical Activities
Council Chair (15 minutes)
Enhancing the Partnership Between State DOTs and TRB (10:15-11:45):
Key TRB activities and initiatives of importance to TRB State Representatives.
 Coordinators: Fred Hejl and Michael DeCarmine, TRB
 Moderator: Skip Paul*, Louisiana DOTD
 TRB Critical Issues in Transportation and TRB Strategic Plan; Robert Skinner*, TRB
(20 minutes)
 Research Implementation – Outcomes from the EU/US Symposium; Kevin
Womack*, OST-R (15 minutes)
 2015 Annual Meeting: What to Expect in the New Venue; Mark Norman*, TRB (10
minutes)
 Using State Pooled Funds to Support TRB Conferences; Peggi Knight*, Iowa DOT
(10 minutes)
 Ahead-of-the-Curve Training Program for Research Managers; Cynthia Gerst*, Ohio
DOT (15 minutes)
 Q/A on these and/or any other Items (20 minutes)
*Indicates confirmed speakers
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