Transition Plan-Executive Summary

Transition Plan
June 2000

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In 1996, the AASHTO Task Force on SHRP Implementation developed the Lead State Program. At the centerpiece of the program are seven lead state teams that are responsible for the implementation of a specific SHRP technology at the national level. The teams included members from states, FHWA and industry with the realization that a private/public partnership was vital for success. Potential members were identified and solicited for participation with the first Lead State Workshop being held in St. Louis on September 18-19, 1996. The seven teams are listed below.

• Alkali Silica Reactivity (ASR) Technology
• Anti-icing and Roadway Weather Information Systems (RWIS)
• Concrete Assessment and Rehabilitation (CAR)
• High Performance Concrete (HPC)
• Innovative Pavement Maintenance Materials
• Pavement Preservation
• Superpave

These seven teams have been working continually in their respective areas and they have all met as a group on an annual basis to share accomplishments and to refine their vision for future efforts. On September 2000, the efforts of these teams will be passed to three subcommittees of SCOH, materials, maintenance and bridge and structures to "carry the baton".

The SHRP technologies that the Innovative Pavement Maintenance Materials team was responsible in implementing included the following:

• Crack Sealing of bituminous pavements
• Joint Sealing of PCC pavements
• Pothole patching of bituminous pavements
• Spall patching of PCC Pavements

The Innovative Pavement Maintenance Materials Lead State team's charge is to be passed to the Pavement Task Force within the Maintenance Subcommittee. It is the intention of this plan to inform that group of past accomplishments, current efforts, and future challenges in order that they may be successful. A list indicating members of the team can be found in Appendix A.

PAST EFFORTS

Mission Statement and Goals

To champion the implementation of SHRP innovative and quality pavement maintenance materials and methods for pothole patching and crack sealing of bituminous pavements, and spall repair and joint resealing of portland cement concrete. This will be accomplished through partnering, effective communications, marketing, and training on cost-effective and practical technologies to those responsible for pavement maintenance.

In order to accomplish this mission the team initially identified three goals.

1. Identify products and evaluate the opportunities for their successful implementation
2. Enlist partners and new champions
3. Market products

These goals were later refined into two specific goals in 1997.

1. Implement one or more of the SHRP innovative pavement maintenance technologies in the 22 state DOT's who have requested assistance.
2. Implement one or more of the SHRP innovative pavement maintenance technologies in other states and in one or more local agencies in each state or province.

Listed below is the final set of goals that was developed during the 1998 workshop in St. Louis.

1. Enlist AASHTO Highway Subcommittee on Maintenance - Pavement Task Force to carry on this Lead States Team's mission beyond year 2000.
2. Implement plan to "pass the baton".
3. Measure team's effectiveness on implementing SHRP innovative pavement maintenance materials in State DOTs.
4. Develop performance specifications to assist states in contracting for joint resealing and crack filling/sealing.
5. Continued implementation of one or more of the SHRP innovative pavement maintenance technologies in the 22 State DOTs who have requested assistance.
6. Continued implementation of one of more of the SHRP innovative pavement maintenance technologies in the other states and in one or more local agencies in each state or province.

Accomplishments

The team accomplished the following items.

• Surveyed the 50 state DOTs to determine which states were successfully using SHRP innovative pavement maintenance materials and also identify those states which would like to have assistance in implementing certain practices and products. The team received a 100% response to this survey. The survey and subsequent results can be found in Appendix B.
• Distributed to each State DOT Maintenance Director a copy of Long-Term Monitoring of Pavement Maintenance Materials Test Sites, Interim Report of Data Analysis in 1997. The team felt that this information regarding the field performances of materials and procedures used in SHRP H-106 and SPS-4 studies would be very helpful for evaluating the different SHRP pavement maintenance materials. Subsequently, the final reports were distributed in 1999.
• Field demonstrations or workshops were held at several states.
  • Colorado, April 1998
  • Iowa, May 1998
  • South Dakota, June 1998
  • Idaho, April 1999
  • Iowa, April 1999
  • Pennsylvania, May 1999

The locations of these demonstrations/workshops were typically near the border of multiple states in order to compensate for various state's travel policies that may be restrictive. Equipment from various vendors was displayed and operated such as the velocity-fill asphalt patcher. Additionally, sessions were held describing some of the techniques proposed by SHRP research such as joint and crack sealing. A video, A SHRP Video Report, Innovative Pavement Maintenance Technology, was also produced which documented the benefits of holding these demonstrations. Found in Appendix C is a guide on preparing for and hosting a demonstration.

• Several articles have been written about the team's efforts in several periodical and newsletters. Examples include the August 1997 FOCUS which reported the results of the Teams 50 state survey and the May 1998 FOCUS which gave information on field demonstrations. Other examples include the NACE and APWA newsletters along with various state department of transportation's newsletters.

What were/are the gaps?

The primary purpose of the Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP) studies of maintenance repair practices of concrete and bituminous roadways was to determine the most effective and economical materials and procedures to use. As part of the mission to champion the implementation of the study results, the Innovative Pavement Maintenance Materials Lead State Team developed a number of goals and objectives including:

• Contact other States for information on maintenance repair products used by them.
• Contact industry organizations for information on innovative maintenance repair products.
• Modify product list as new products are identified.
• Enlist additional partners and new Champions.
• Identify methods for marketing each product.
• Identify customers and their needs.

While the Team experienced a number of successes, most notably the surveying of all 50 States on repair methods and the field demonstrations on innovative materials, a number of gaps remain. The research data was helpful in making presentations to interested individuals, however it is difficult to get people excited about maintenance materials and harder to convince them to change using only the written media. Manuals and training aides are helpful as reference sources. But the most successful approach to effect change was the live, hands-on field demonstrations where the participants could witness actual applications of materials in real situations. Though very successful, the number of demos presented was limited due to the time and energy required preparing for and coordinating each site demo. Also, costs incurred to set up the demos had to be absorbed by the lead organization usually from existing budgets.

Another gap was that the team did not take enough advantage of industry to provide assistance and follow up to States requesting information or help in a particular process or material usage. When asked, industry representatives were willing and able to provide valuable assistance to further the SHRP cause both with State DOTs and with municipal officials. Overall however, this was and is an under used resource which needs to be greatly increased to effectively reach a wider audience.

Another source we need to reach out to and engage as full partners are the organizations representing a large municipal constituency such as NACE, APWA, LTAP, etc. The municipal road system is in many cases larger than the state system and the need for knowledge at the local level is tremendous. This was apparent from the field demonstrations, which were well attended by participants from the municipal sector. Partnering with the municipal organizations would help to facilitate the flow of information to this group.

The Team did not achieve its goal of identifying additional innovative products and updating the list of new products. The search for innovative maintenance materials needs to be a continual process in order to stay on the leading edge of technology and the latest innovation. A process needs to be developed to evaluate and promote these products among the States. Additionally, performance specifications need to be developed in such areas as crack sealing and the resealing of PCC joints. This information needs to be disseminated through classroom and hands-on training for both in-house and industry employees.

Closing these gaps will promote the wider use of the SRHP innovative pavement maintenance materials and increase the quality of pavement maintenance.

Future Vision

At the inception of the Lead State Concept, the SHRP research had been completed and thus served as a rich source of innovative technology and materials resources to drive the Lead States effort. The base survey, which the Innovative Pavement Materials Lead State Team conducted to determine which states were using what products and also to discover new products and procedures, provided our Team program direction. The program, now transitioned to the AASHTO Highway Subcommittee on Maintenance, Task Force on Pavements, however will be guided and driven by a new set of customer needs.

The use of hands-on field demonstrations developed by the Innovative Pavement Maintenance Materials Lead State Team will still be an effective method for introducing new technology and gaining hands-on experience for operators and supervisors, however the resource base to drive the program will need to change. The AASHTO Highway Subcommittee on Maintenance, Task Force on Pavements will need to:

1. Form a closer relationship with the private industry to exchange ideas, learn of leading edge technology, and share in the cost of implementation. This can be accomplished by including private industry in presentations and vendor displays at the Subcommittee's summer meetings. These vendor displays can be very effective in introducing new technology to middle and upper level maintenance managers who attend the summer meetings. These showcase technology exchanges can then serve as a catalyst for program development and appropriate showcasing at summer maintenance expositions being conducted by various Departments of Transportation on a regional basis.
2. Conduct customer needs assessments. Staying in touch with the state field forces and private industry will provide a basis for:
   • Developing further multi-state field demonstrations
   • Developing research problem statements
   • Developing programs at summer expos
   • Being champions for research of national significance and providing input to the AASHTO Standing Committee on Research to insure they understand the importance of that research
   • Developing appropriate test and evaluation platforms for leading edge technology
3. Encourage the use of a listserve similar to the usage of the AASHTO Winter Maintenance Policy Coordinating Committee, Snow and Ice Cooperative Program (SICOP) for rapid dissemination of information, problem solving and sharing of successes.
4. Maintain a close relationship with Harrington-Hughes Associates to publish the accomplishments of the Task Force in the FOCUS report.
5. Publish up coming events in the Task Force on Pavements Newsletter.
6. Make an annual report to the AASHTO Highway Subcommittee on Maintenance at their summer meeting to insure State Maintenance Directors are aware of accomplishments and the need for resources to maintain the program.
7. Support the continuation of the Lead State Web Site in whatever form is appropriate and insure it receives adequate financial and administrative support. This is an excellent opportunity to develop a public/private partnership to support the cost of maintaining and updating the web site. The private companies could use advertising that is targeted to the specific interests of the Innovative Pavement Maintenance group.

Appendix A