RAC Officers Meeting Notes: November 10, 2010

Meeting Notes

RAC Leadership Teleconference 1:30 – 3:30 Eastern time, November 10, 2010

Participants: Sandra Larson (chair), Michael Bonini, Ivy Harris, Chris Hedges, Crawford Jencks, Chris Jenks, Jack Jernigan, Cameron Kergaye, Timothy Klein, Jim McDonnell, John Moulden, Tommy Nantung, Leni Oman, Ned Parrish, Skip Paul, Dale Peabody.

Decisions and action items are underscored.

1:30 Role Call

Minutes from last meeting

A motion (NANTUNG/PAUL) to accept the minutes was APPROVED.

1:35 Old Business

AASHTO Report: Jim McDonnell

A good deal of activity took place at the recent AASHTO annual meeting in Biloxi, MS. Ten new NCHRP 20-07 studies were approved at the meeting (see attached). SCOH and other committees have been asked to suggest panel nominees which will be forwarded to NCHRP. Tasks 306 and 307 may be deferred as a result of a meeting taking place today at FHWA dealing with gusset plates.

Jim will distribute the list of new 20-07 projects to the RAC listserv for information. Jim will also talk to other AASHTO and NCHRP staff to discuss ways to inform RAC when other AASHTO committee quick response topics are selected.

A number of SCOH resolutions were passed by the AASHTO Board of Directors, dealing with topics such as:

 The AASHTO accreditation program  Rulemaking for conformance  Truck size and weight regulations  Legislation on glass beads  Conversion of SICOP Road Weather Information System to web browser format  Establishment of San Diego / Irvine as a control city destination  Role of TIG in SHRP 2 product implementation

RAC Officers Meeting Notes November 10, 2010 Page 1 See attachment for more information.

Two other resolutions were discussed, one dealing with the formation of a new Knowledge Network / Workforce Development Committee. This draft resolution was distributed for comment but not balloted at the meeting. The second resolution related to state performance measures. The most recent resolution added a number of performance measures to the ones already accepted. Several standing committees approved the resolution, but the Board of Directors tabled it until their spring 2011 meeting, pending more information about how the performance of states would be compared.

The Technology Implementation Group (TIG) discussed their role in implementation of SHRP 2 products. Since TIG reports to SCOH, there were some concerns about how TIG would interface with other AASHTO standing committees.

Sandra asked Jim if he would still be able to find staff from the House and Senate committees to speak at the RAC session at the TRB annual meeting. He agreed to make the contacts, but noted that since the Congressional staff will not yet have transitioned, they will not be able to report on any significant progress.

TRB Report: Chris Jenks

Online registration for the 2011 TRB annual meeting is now available.

Cars are starting to be instrumented for the SHRP 2 naturalistic driving study.

The TCRP governing board met October 26 and selected 10 new projects, 3 continuations, and 7 ongoing projects for the next program year. A solicitation for panel nominations will be issued shortly.

NCHRP has begun contractor selection meetings for FY2011 projects.

Preparations are underway for the December SCOR meeting and the 20-83 workshop.

Two new reports have been released by the Freight Cooperative Research Program. The FCRP governing board is meeting shortly after the TRB annual meeting to select new projects.

The Hazardous Materials CRP governing board is meeting Dec 15 to select new projects.

The ACRP governing board meets January 24th.

TRB is still waiting for FRA and DOT to name governing board members for the new Rail CRP.

Since the last Officers’ call, the following new CRP reports have been published:

RAC Officers Meeting Notes November 10, 2010 Page 2  NCHRP Report 663: Design of Roadside Barrier Systems Placed on MSE Retaining Walls  NCHRP Report 667: Model Curriculum for Highway Safety Core Competencies  NCHRP Report 669: Models for Predicting Reflection Cracking of Hot-Mix Asphalt Overlays  NCHRP Report 670: Recommended Procedures for Testing and Evaluating Detectable Warning Systems  NCHRP Synthesis 408: Pavement Marking Warranty Specifications

 NCFRP Report 7: Identifying and Using Low-Cost and Quickly Implementable Ways to Address Freight-System Mobility Constraints  NCFRP Report 8: Freight-Demand Modeling to Support Public-Sector Decision Making

 TCRP LRD 34: Application of Physical Ability Testing to Current Workforce of Transit Employees

 ACRP Report 40: Airport Curbside and Terminal Area Roadway Operations  ACRP Research Results Digest 11: Helping Airports Understand the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS)

RITA Report: Tim Klein

A workshop on “IntelliDriveSM Mobility & Environment” will be November 30 – December 1 at George Mason University, Arlington Campus. USDOT will be hosting a free public meeting to discuss the IntelliDrive Mobility research programs, which will improve traffic safety and mobility while helping the environment. http://www.its.dot.gov/press/announcement/mobility_workshop.htm

A free webinar on “IntelliDriveSM Applications for the Environment” will be December 8 from 1:00–2:30 P.M. Eastern Time. This webinar will introduce participants to the AERIS program, a new multimodal USDOT initiative that seeks to promote more environmentally friendly travel choices through the use of real-time transportation system data. http://www.pcb.its.dot.gov/AERIS/intro.asp

This month’s UTC Spotlight is “University of Washington Students Create 'OneBusAway' Program to Encourage Public Transportation.” University of Washington students have developed a real-time transit information system across the region’s transit agencies, available for free in a variety of formats (www.onebusaway.org). http://utc.dot.gov/publications/spotlight/2010_11/html/spotlight_1011.html

Section 1201 of SAFETEA-LU requires the Secretary of Transportation to establish a Real-Time System Management Information Program that provides the capability to monitor, in real-time, the traffic and travel conditions of the major highways of the United States and to share these data with State and local governments and with the traveling public. This rule has been published, is effective December 23, and must be implemented by November 8, 2014. http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=2010_register&docid=fr08no10-4

RAC Officers Meeting Notes November 10, 2010 Page 3 FHWA Report: John Moulden

John introduced Ivy Harris, former RAC member from Alabama DOT, now working with State DOTs and FHWA Division Offices on the State Planning & Research (SPR) program and on international issues in the Office of Corporate Research. She greeted RAC members and looks forward to working with everyone.

A meeting will be held during the January TRB meeting to continue discussion on the development of a comprehensive research agenda. Mr. Moulden will follow up with Sandra to discuss.

2:00 New Business

Task Force Updates

For the latest Task Force Updates: http://cms.transportation.org/?siteid=55&pageid=2449

Leni Oman –The National TKN group led by Amanda Wilson of NTL will work with the RAC TKN Task Force to develop a TKN communications plan.

Skip Paul – At their most recent meeting, the Administrative TF discussed the role of NCHRP in maintaining AASHTO guidelines and manuals (an item assigned by SCOR from its strategic plan). At the December SCOR meeting, Skip will present a white paper developed by the TF that had been deferred by SCOR a year ago pending expected action by SCOH (see attached). Crawford agreed to include the white paper in the SCOR working papers. The Administration TF plans to review both the SCOR and SCOH strategic plans to identify possible additional activities. The TF will be updating RAC 101 for the Salt Lake City meeting. The Administration TF absorbed the Education and Training TF a year ago, but have not yet reviewed and revised their mission statement. Skip reminded RAC regional chairs that they should assign mentors for new members appointed in their region. For information on the mentoring program, see http://research.transportation.org/Pages/RACMentoringProgram.aspx

Daniel Yeh – The Funding TF will be meeting shortly to discuss the development of tools to answer senior management questions related to funding issues in reauthorization.

Dale Peabody – The Value of Research TF is looking at communications tools and methods. Dale is working on the high value research solicitation process. Mara Campbell will make a presentation on high value research to SCOR at their December meeting. Mara and Dale are working with Clint Adler on ways to tie high value research projects to the NCHRP project on research performance measures.

Program Management and Quality – Michael Bonini is focusing on revitalizing the TF and revisiting its mission, goals, and workplan. They are filling membership gaps but would welcome additional friends. The TF plans to work with John Moulden on a webinar series.

RAC Officers Meeting Notes November 10, 2010 Page 4 It was announced that MaineDOT was selected for the 2010 President's Transportation Award in Research for their work with composites in bridges. The team has been successful at introducing composite technologies into traditional transportation infrastructure in Maine. From simple composite bridge drains to a 540-foot-long multispan, continuous, hybrid-composite beam bridge along the coast, the 10-employee group has helped introduce and implement projects using composite technology. For more information, http://www.maine.gov/mdot/tr/compositesinit.htm.

Summer 2011 RAC meeting July 25 – 28 2011, Salt Lake City, UT – Ned Parrish

A core planning team has been established and will meet monthly. A request for session ideas has been sent to all RAC members, FHWA, TRB, RITA, and CUTC. Ned discussed the possibility of handling RAC 101 differently than in the past. The planning team has suggested conducting a RAC 101 webinar a week or two before the meeting, followed by a Q&A dinner at the meeting on Sunday evening. Ned will follow up with Skip Paul and Barnie Jones.

CUTC Liaison Group – Sandra Larson

Further changes were made to the draft RAC-CUTC Memorandum of Understanding (see attachment). The MoU refers to an annual workplan, which initially will concentrate on four focus areas:

 Discussion of the need for national research agendas;  Development of examples of successful partnerships between RAC and CUTC members;  Development of guidelines on facilitating successful agreements between RAC and CUTC members in different states, and  Sharing and disseminating information about the mission, goals, objectives, and activities of both organizations.

Skip noted that one of the common interest areas identified in the MoU is reauthorization. Since the SCOR and CUTC recommendations for UTCs are different, there may be the potential for conflict. Sandra noted that this has been discussed, and they will approach it in a neutral fashion by seeking common objectives.

A MOTION (PEABODY/PAUL) -- to support the current version of the MoU and present it to SCOR for discussion -- was APPROVED. Crawford will add the MoU to the SCOR working papers. Sandra will discuss the MoU in future conference call with TRB staff and John Halikowski, the new SCOR chair. Sandra will look for time at the TRB annual meeting to continue discussions between RAC and CUTC members.

2:30 Adjournment

Next Conf Call: Monday, December 6, 2010

RAC Officers Meeting Notes November 10, 2010 Page 5