Successful tracking of commitments to ensure they are met as projects proceed is key to successfu... more Successful tracking of commitments to ensure they are met as projects proceed is key to successful execution of an environmental management strategy in public organizations. For DOTs and federal agencies, the value of successful tracking and execution of all agreed actions is fundamental to maintain the public trust and follow progressive environmental stewardship practices while effectively using available resources. This paper explores recent and best practices in commitment tracking systems (CTS) and illustrates how and illustrates how the state of the art is evolving and expanding. In the benchmarking process, several areas emerged as the future direction for state DOT environmental commitment tracking. These areas reflect both technology and business process trends, and include: (1) Explicit goals set by the DOT to meet or exceed all environmental commitments, with use of CTS systems to measure and communicate performance. (2) Clearly defined business processes, staff training,...
This report presents guidance to help transportation agencies recruit and retain qualified profes... more This report presents guidance to help transportation agencies recruit and retain qualified professional staff in the Systems Operation and Management (SOM) area. It is based on an analysis of SOM career paths, skill requirements, and training needs to identify successful programs, state-of-the-art initiatives, and best industry practices. This report will be useful for all transportation professionals working in the SOM area and the Human Resources staff who address their personnel requirements.
This study was requested by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Official... more This study was requested by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), and conducted as part of the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Project 25-25. The NCHRP is supported by annual voluntary contributions from the state
Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) systems are helping Departments of Transportation (DOTs) achieve... more Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) systems are helping Departments of Transportation (DOTs) achieve a variety of new efficiencies while improving or maintaining level of service (LOS) through periods of state budget shortfalls. The trucking, emergency response, and transit communities have used GPS/AVL for years. Now DOTs are realizing new efficiencies with this technology as well. Recent findings on the challenges and cost-benefit advantages DOTs are finding with these technologies are discussed in this paper, summarizing the author’s 2011 and 2012 surveys of DOTs on this topic. For example, in addition to the 10% materials savings that DOTs in the US and Canada have reported, automated data collection associated with GPS/AVL is saving DOT maintenance forces thousands of hours filling out paperwork, boosting morale as well as effectiveness. Washington State (WS) DOT estimated the agency and the public benefit from an additional 10,000 hours per year that maintenance employees are out...
NCHRP 25-25 Task 80 identifies and evaluates how state departments of transportation and other tr... more NCHRP 25-25 Task 80 identifies and evaluates how state departments of transportation and other transportation agencies are utilizing social media and web-based tools during the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process, specifically in regards to public involvement. The research included an online survey and case study interviews to inform recommendations for implementing social media during the NEPA process. Although transportation agencies agree that social media have potential use for public outreach during the NEPA process, the survey revealed that agencies are waiting for proof of effectiveness and demonstration of utility to the NEPA process. These concerns demonstrate the need for suggested practices and training on how to use social media effectively for the NEPA process if the potential offered by these techniques is to be advanced. NCHRP 25-25 Task 80 begins to fulfill that need by presenting four project case studies and a first edition of suggested practices guida...
For decades, state Departments of Transportation (DOTs) have wrestled with different ways to resp... more For decades, state Departments of Transportation (DOTs) have wrestled with different ways to respond to community and resource agency needs and to go about deciding what environmental benefits or mitigation to include in transportation projects and how that should be decided. All too often, the process and the negotiations have been very contentious. Many DOT professionals have felt other parties have taken advantage, that DOTs are always or regularly treated as the “deep pockets” or as a more easily regulated party, and that DOTs end up mitigating “more than their fair share,” whether out of their stewardship commitments or due to external pressure. Other stakeholders have their own versions of this refrain. Regardless of the reasonability of the feelings, the perceptions are real. Furthermore, relevant research describes and predicts the process that DOTs have experienced; in repeatable dispute resolution experiments, it has been shown that when parties play or game for their own ...
This article discusses the use of a blue spot model in Denmark to aid in resource allocation. A “... more This article discusses the use of a blue spot model in Denmark to aid in resource allocation. A “blue spot” is a stretch of road with a high likelihood of flooding that will have significant consequences. The model integrates climate factors, including the forecasted effects of climate change on precipitation patterns, to identify blue spots for current and future scenarios to 2050. The blue spot model is used to generate a risk map that can guide the allocation of resources in the most cost-effective, focused, and informed manner, making climate change adaptation more feasible.
In 2009, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) promulgated the Effluent Limit... more In 2009, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) promulgated the Effluent Limitations Guidelines and Standards for the Construction and Development Point Source Category (40 CFR Part 450), known and the “C&D Rule”, requiring turbidity monitoring for larger construction sites and establishing a numeric effluent limitation of 280 NTU. Due to subsequent legal challenges, the numeric effluent limitation and monitoring requirements were stayed. Monitoring requirements were included in the USEPA’s 2011 proposed construction general permit, but were stricken from the finalized permit. Nevertheless, in January 2012, the USEPA solicited data and information on turbidity monitoring, implying that it is considering a potential future revision and reinstatement of some kind that would require turbidity monitoring that may be subject to a numeric effluent limitation or numeric action level. This report seeks to prepare state departments of transportation (DOTs) and others plann...
NCHRP Project 25-25/Task 58 developed a spreadsheet-based calculator tool, the Greenhouse Gas Cal... more NCHRP Project 25-25/Task 58 developed a spreadsheet-based calculator tool, the Greenhouse Gas Calculator for State Departments of Transportation (GreenDOT), as its primary product. The tool estimates CO2 emissions from state Departments of Transportations’ (DOTs’) construction, maintenance, and operations activities, including: Emissions from electricity used in roadways; Emissions from on-road vehicle fleets; Emissions from off-road equipment; and Emissions embodied in materials used in roadway construction. The report's sections provide an overview of each major category of emissions, along with a description of mitigation strategies and key examples from the literature. Strategies that reduce congestion are also briefly discussed. Quantified impacts of strategies are provided wherever possible. In each section, links to Quick Reference Tables are provided. Quick Reference Tables compare emissions across vehicle, technology, and material types. Research gaps and recommendation...
The objective of this National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) project is to “develo... more The objective of this National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) project is to “develop guidance on the development and implementation of successful alternative/early mitigation strategies to address environmental goals.” Early mitigation/conservation under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and Endangered Species Act section 7(a)(2) is proving to be a powerful tool to provide net benefits for the environment and greater predictability in the regulatory process and for conservation outcomes. These partnerships have expedited project approvals and drawn partners together in ways that maximize what each can contribute. Together, agencies and private entities are accomplishing more, with less, than any of the partners could have accomplished separately—a “win-win” model o particular relevance in an era of tighter budgets and increasing attention to stewardship. This NCHRP report describes advance mitigation or conservation, the limits of standard projectby-project approaches...
The objective of NCHRP 25-25/51 is to discover what state departments of transportation (DOTs) ar... more The objective of NCHRP 25-25/51 is to discover what state departments of transportation (DOTs) are doing in the field to maintain environmental assets and to identify models where DOTs are performing condition assessments, setting thresholds and performance measures, and implementing asset management systems. Findings, considerations, and practices are presented in this report as a potential addition to the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials' (AASHTO’s) Compendium of Environmental Stewardship practices.
This report presents a framework for conducting and documenting environmental management activiti... more This report presents a framework for conducting and documenting environmental management activities by corridor, focusing on the core maintenance practices of roadside management and the primary areas of attention for environmental performance measurement identified by AASHTO and FHWA: resource use and recycling; water quality; roadside environmental management; and energy. The focus of the report is on what may be tackled and accomplished on a corridor basis, based on an examination of the current state of practice and leveraging existing systems for organizing and prioritizing environmental work in maintenance. Through presentation of practices for extending, measuring, and prioritizing environmental stewardship efforts in each of these core areas, this document outlines a framework for state departments of transportation (DOTs) to manage transportation corridors for environmental benefit in an approachable, feasible, and relatively cost‐effective way in today’s tight budgetary ti...
Successful tracking of commitments to ensure they are met as projects proceed is key to successfu... more Successful tracking of commitments to ensure they are met as projects proceed is key to successful execution of an environmental management strategy in public organizations. For DOTs and federal agencies, the value of successful tracking and execution of all agreed actions is fundamental to maintain the public trust and follow progressive environmental stewardship practices while effectively using available resources. This paper explores recent and best practices in commitment tracking systems (CTS) and illustrates how and illustrates how the state of the art is evolving and expanding. In the benchmarking process, several areas emerged as the future direction for state DOT environmental commitment tracking. These areas reflect both technology and business process trends, and include: (1) Explicit goals set by the DOT to meet or exceed all environmental commitments, with use of CTS systems to measure and communicate performance. (2) Clearly defined business processes, staff training,...
This report presents guidance to help transportation agencies recruit and retain qualified profes... more This report presents guidance to help transportation agencies recruit and retain qualified professional staff in the Systems Operation and Management (SOM) area. It is based on an analysis of SOM career paths, skill requirements, and training needs to identify successful programs, state-of-the-art initiatives, and best industry practices. This report will be useful for all transportation professionals working in the SOM area and the Human Resources staff who address their personnel requirements.
This study was requested by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Official... more This study was requested by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), and conducted as part of the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Project 25-25. The NCHRP is supported by annual voluntary contributions from the state
Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) systems are helping Departments of Transportation (DOTs) achieve... more Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) systems are helping Departments of Transportation (DOTs) achieve a variety of new efficiencies while improving or maintaining level of service (LOS) through periods of state budget shortfalls. The trucking, emergency response, and transit communities have used GPS/AVL for years. Now DOTs are realizing new efficiencies with this technology as well. Recent findings on the challenges and cost-benefit advantages DOTs are finding with these technologies are discussed in this paper, summarizing the author’s 2011 and 2012 surveys of DOTs on this topic. For example, in addition to the 10% materials savings that DOTs in the US and Canada have reported, automated data collection associated with GPS/AVL is saving DOT maintenance forces thousands of hours filling out paperwork, boosting morale as well as effectiveness. Washington State (WS) DOT estimated the agency and the public benefit from an additional 10,000 hours per year that maintenance employees are out...
NCHRP 25-25 Task 80 identifies and evaluates how state departments of transportation and other tr... more NCHRP 25-25 Task 80 identifies and evaluates how state departments of transportation and other transportation agencies are utilizing social media and web-based tools during the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process, specifically in regards to public involvement. The research included an online survey and case study interviews to inform recommendations for implementing social media during the NEPA process. Although transportation agencies agree that social media have potential use for public outreach during the NEPA process, the survey revealed that agencies are waiting for proof of effectiveness and demonstration of utility to the NEPA process. These concerns demonstrate the need for suggested practices and training on how to use social media effectively for the NEPA process if the potential offered by these techniques is to be advanced. NCHRP 25-25 Task 80 begins to fulfill that need by presenting four project case studies and a first edition of suggested practices guida...
For decades, state Departments of Transportation (DOTs) have wrestled with different ways to resp... more For decades, state Departments of Transportation (DOTs) have wrestled with different ways to respond to community and resource agency needs and to go about deciding what environmental benefits or mitigation to include in transportation projects and how that should be decided. All too often, the process and the negotiations have been very contentious. Many DOT professionals have felt other parties have taken advantage, that DOTs are always or regularly treated as the “deep pockets” or as a more easily regulated party, and that DOTs end up mitigating “more than their fair share,” whether out of their stewardship commitments or due to external pressure. Other stakeholders have their own versions of this refrain. Regardless of the reasonability of the feelings, the perceptions are real. Furthermore, relevant research describes and predicts the process that DOTs have experienced; in repeatable dispute resolution experiments, it has been shown that when parties play or game for their own ...
This article discusses the use of a blue spot model in Denmark to aid in resource allocation. A “... more This article discusses the use of a blue spot model in Denmark to aid in resource allocation. A “blue spot” is a stretch of road with a high likelihood of flooding that will have significant consequences. The model integrates climate factors, including the forecasted effects of climate change on precipitation patterns, to identify blue spots for current and future scenarios to 2050. The blue spot model is used to generate a risk map that can guide the allocation of resources in the most cost-effective, focused, and informed manner, making climate change adaptation more feasible.
In 2009, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) promulgated the Effluent Limit... more In 2009, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) promulgated the Effluent Limitations Guidelines and Standards for the Construction and Development Point Source Category (40 CFR Part 450), known and the “C&D Rule”, requiring turbidity monitoring for larger construction sites and establishing a numeric effluent limitation of 280 NTU. Due to subsequent legal challenges, the numeric effluent limitation and monitoring requirements were stayed. Monitoring requirements were included in the USEPA’s 2011 proposed construction general permit, but were stricken from the finalized permit. Nevertheless, in January 2012, the USEPA solicited data and information on turbidity monitoring, implying that it is considering a potential future revision and reinstatement of some kind that would require turbidity monitoring that may be subject to a numeric effluent limitation or numeric action level. This report seeks to prepare state departments of transportation (DOTs) and others plann...
NCHRP Project 25-25/Task 58 developed a spreadsheet-based calculator tool, the Greenhouse Gas Cal... more NCHRP Project 25-25/Task 58 developed a spreadsheet-based calculator tool, the Greenhouse Gas Calculator for State Departments of Transportation (GreenDOT), as its primary product. The tool estimates CO2 emissions from state Departments of Transportations’ (DOTs’) construction, maintenance, and operations activities, including: Emissions from electricity used in roadways; Emissions from on-road vehicle fleets; Emissions from off-road equipment; and Emissions embodied in materials used in roadway construction. The report's sections provide an overview of each major category of emissions, along with a description of mitigation strategies and key examples from the literature. Strategies that reduce congestion are also briefly discussed. Quantified impacts of strategies are provided wherever possible. In each section, links to Quick Reference Tables are provided. Quick Reference Tables compare emissions across vehicle, technology, and material types. Research gaps and recommendation...
The objective of this National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) project is to “develo... more The objective of this National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) project is to “develop guidance on the development and implementation of successful alternative/early mitigation strategies to address environmental goals.” Early mitigation/conservation under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and Endangered Species Act section 7(a)(2) is proving to be a powerful tool to provide net benefits for the environment and greater predictability in the regulatory process and for conservation outcomes. These partnerships have expedited project approvals and drawn partners together in ways that maximize what each can contribute. Together, agencies and private entities are accomplishing more, with less, than any of the partners could have accomplished separately—a “win-win” model o particular relevance in an era of tighter budgets and increasing attention to stewardship. This NCHRP report describes advance mitigation or conservation, the limits of standard projectby-project approaches...
The objective of NCHRP 25-25/51 is to discover what state departments of transportation (DOTs) ar... more The objective of NCHRP 25-25/51 is to discover what state departments of transportation (DOTs) are doing in the field to maintain environmental assets and to identify models where DOTs are performing condition assessments, setting thresholds and performance measures, and implementing asset management systems. Findings, considerations, and practices are presented in this report as a potential addition to the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials' (AASHTO’s) Compendium of Environmental Stewardship practices.
This report presents a framework for conducting and documenting environmental management activiti... more This report presents a framework for conducting and documenting environmental management activities by corridor, focusing on the core maintenance practices of roadside management and the primary areas of attention for environmental performance measurement identified by AASHTO and FHWA: resource use and recycling; water quality; roadside environmental management; and energy. The focus of the report is on what may be tackled and accomplished on a corridor basis, based on an examination of the current state of practice and leveraging existing systems for organizing and prioritizing environmental work in maintenance. Through presentation of practices for extending, measuring, and prioritizing environmental stewardship efforts in each of these core areas, this document outlines a framework for state departments of transportation (DOTs) to manage transportation corridors for environmental benefit in an approachable, feasible, and relatively cost‐effective way in today’s tight budgetary ti...
Uploads
Papers by Marie Venner