to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) on its fourth solicitation for the Every Day Counts (EDC) initiative. Íæż½ã½ã supported the Administration’s proposal to include construction partnering in the initiative, demonstrating past success through partnering and emphasizing the need for renewed focus as partnering with certain state DOTs has become too routine and has lost its effectiveness.
Íæż½ã½ã also encouraged the Administration to push for increased use of GeoTech tools and enhanced geotechnical characterization that more clearly define underground conditions in the design phase to expedite project delivery and reduce changes, claims and disputes. The comments questioned one FHWA recommendation advocating more extensive use of surface treatments to extend pavement and bridge life suggesting that surface treatments can mask more significant subsurface distresses that can lead to more extensive and costly repairs in the future.
Íæż½ã½ã also asked the Administration to revisit its previous initiative on the use of Alternative Technical Concepts (ATCs) suggesting that to keep this innovative concept viable, FHWA should assist in developing criteria for DOTs to make it clear to the industry what they are willing to accept in ATC proposals, as contractors often find they are submitting proposals that are not given full consideration by DOTs. The comments also called for more emphasis on the interoperability of software to allow for greater adoption of E-construction. Finally, Íæż½ã½ã suggested the Administration look at new anti-intrusion devices that have been developed to give workers in the work zone early warnings to help protect them when there is a third party intrusion.
For more information, please contact Brian Deery at deeryb@agc.org or (703) 837-5319.