Post on 03-Jan-2016
FHWA Update
AASHTO Subcommittee on Design
July 26, 2010Columbia, South Carolina
Jon Obenberger, Ph.D., P.E.Preconstruction Team Leader
Infrastructure Office of Program AdministrationFederal Highway Administration
FHWA Update:
• Value Engineering• Consultant Services• Freeways & Urban Streets• Designing Walkable Urban Thoroughfares – A CSS
Approach, ITE Recommended Practice & Congressional Hearing on Practical Design
• FHWA Everyday Counts Initiative
7/26/2010 2FHWA Update
Value Engineering:
Satisfied 2007 OIG Audit Recommendations & Findings:• Update FHWA’s VE policy• Integrate VE into FHWA’s risk assessment process• Develop VE program goals & measures• Promote successful practices• Need to conduct VE analysis on required projects,
increase % of recommendations adopted & conduct VE analysis earlier in project development
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Value Engineering: (Cont.)
Updated FHWA VE Policy clarifies:• When VE analysis is required• Need for & typical elements of a VE program• VE analysis process & key considerations• When to conduct a VE analysis• FHWA oversight, monitoring & evaluating of State
DOT’s VE program & VE analysis on projects• http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/legsregs/directives/orders/13111a.htm
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Value Engineering: (Cont.)
VE Goals, Performance Measures & Thresholds:• Goal 1: Maximize impact of VE analysis on projects
cost & performance– % of VE recommendations implemented– % of estimated construction costs saved
• Goal 2: Quality of VE programs– # of State DOTs w/ formal VE policy– # of DOTs w/ established VE program– % of projects w/ VE analysis conducted prior to 30% design
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Value Engineering: (Cont.)
• Goal 3: Improve FHWA’s stewardship & oversight– Improve FHWA’s involvement in VE analysis– Ensure VE analysis is conducted on required projects– Integrate VE into stewardship & oversight plans
• FHWA VE goals, performance measures & thresholds:
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/ve/
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Value Engineering: (Cont.)
2010 OIG ARRA Advisory:• VE analysis required on ARRA projects similar to
Federal-aid highway program funded projects• OIG findings – VE analysis:– Not being conducted on all projects– Being performed too late in project development– Staff involved in projects not aware of need to conduct &
when to conduct a VE analysis– Not being conducted by locally administered projects
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Value Engineering: (Cont.)
• Release 2009 VE results• Update VE regulations• Update NHI VE workshop• VE program performance monitoring• Identify, promote & share successful practices• Coordinate & share practices w/in VE community
7/26/2010 8FHWA Update
Consultant Services – National Reviews:
• Locally administered projects – high risk designation• GAO Report 2008:– States increased reliance on use of consultants– Oversight & independence challenges – State DOTs &
FHWA
• OIG Audit 2009 – oversight consultants indirect cost rates & costs claimed Federal-aid highway
projects• FHWA National Program Review 2009
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Consultant Services: (Cont.)
National reviews – findings & conclusions:• ~25% Federal-aid funding used for consultant services• Equivalent or alternative Brooks Act practices no
longer allowed• Consultant services used in every aspect of project
development, delivery & program management:– Large % projects use fixed price-lump sum in State DOTs– Inconsistent procurement methods– Inconsistent program services & capabilities
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Consultant Services: (Cont.)
National reviews – findings & conclusions: (Cont.)• State DOT consultant services programs – improve:– Procurement policies, procedures & manuals – Consistency w/ policies & procedures– Oversight State DOT & local agency procurements
• Consultants serving in “management” role & agencies fulfill responsible charge requirements
• Conflict of interest - regulations & guidance needed
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Consultant Services: (Cont.)
National reviews – findings & conclusions: (Cont.)• Procurement methods complying w/ regulations• RFP’s & contract requirements• Acceptance & use of audits, independent cost
estimates & contract negotiations using:– Indirect cost rates– Direct salary rates & total compensation– FAR cost principles
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Consultant Services: (Cont.)
FHWA Activities:• Continue collaboration w/ ACEC, AASHTO, ARTBA, etc.• Use AASHTO Audit Guide & develop 3 training courses• Developing FHWA Directive - certify indirect cost rates• Update Federal Regulations (23 CFR 172)• Completing cost recovery:– Determine final questioned costs – August 31, 2010– Complete cost recovery – Dec. 31, 2010
• Developing FHWA stewardship & oversight toolbox
7/26/2010 13FHWA Update
Planning & Designing Urban Streets:
Designing Walkable Urban Thoroughfares – A CSS Approach, ITE Recommended Practice:
• Use CSS principles in planning & project development• Collaborative & multidisciplinary development of
project purpose, need, scope & decisions• Flexible use of design standards & criteria based on
projects context, competing priorities & impacts• Balance setting, community objectives, all facility users,
adjoining development, corridor & system needs
7/26/2010 14FHWA Update
Planning & Designing Urban Streets: (Cont.)
Recommended Practice Describes:• Process using CSS principles & framework for planning &
design of urban thoroughfare design– Uses target speed, context zones & thoroughfare type– Don’t use – ADT, design speed or functional class– Provides guidance on trade-offs for specific cross-
section elements & intersection design• http://www.ite.org/css/
7/26/2010 15FHWA Update
Congressional Hearing on Practical Design:
• Using Practical Design & Context-Sensitive Solutions in Developing Surface Transportation Projects
• FHWA, AASHTO, County, ACEC, ITE & Academic Reps.• Congressional issues of interest – June 10, 2010:– How are projects fit into a community? – How to right size – what should be basis (e.g., practical
design, economic reasons, community needs)? – Need to mandate practical design or complete streets
policies & design standards for urban streets?
7/26/2010 16FHWA Update
Congressional Hearing on Practical Design: (Cont.)
• Complete Streets Legislation in congress:– Mandate all users able to travel on Fed-aid funded projects– States develop law & policy w/in 2-years Federal adoption– MPO’s develop policy
• Majority panelists endorsed:– Not requiring practical design standards– Rely on CSS principles - tailor project to meet context & needs
• Other interests endorsed:– Require project development process – doesn’t exist– Require urban street design standards be developed, adopted
& used on projects – State DOT’s & FHWA won’t initiate
7/26/2010 17FHWA Update
FHWA Every Day Counts Initiative:
• Partnership w/ ARTBA, AASHTO & Industry• Initiatives Focus:– Accelerate technology & innovation deployment– Shortening project delivery toolkit– Accelerate project delivery methods
• Efforts:– Promote innovative practices w/ guidance,
outreach material, training & successful practices– Implement practices in each state
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FHWA Every Day Counts Initiative: (Cont.)
Accelerate technology & innovation deployment:– Warm mix asphalt– Prefabricated elements & systems– Adaptive signal control– Safety edge– Geo-synthetic reinforced soil
Accelerate Project Delivery:– Construction manager at risk– Design-build
7/26/2010 19FHWA Update
FHWA Every Day Counts Initiative: (Cont.)
Shortening Project Delivery:• Defining planning studies• Expanding use of programmatic agreements• Use of “In-Lie” fee & mitigation banking• Facilitate advancing delayed EIS’s• Clarify & use flexibility in preliminary engineering• Legal sufficiency enhancement• Flexibility in RW• Utility relocation & accommodation
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FHWA Every Day Counts Initiative: (Cont.)
• Example – Utility Relocation & Accommodation:– Goal: Increase the use of innovative:• Agreement provisions• Construction contract provisions• Reimbursement methods
– Outcome: DOT to use of one of these innovative techniques on a project for the first time
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Questions?
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