The second in a series of regional workshops on applying the principles of context sensitive solutions to the transportation industry is scheduled for Dec. 7, 2009, in Portland, Ore. The workshops are part of the CSS National Dialog project established by the Federal Highway Administration and the Center for Transportation and the Environment at N.C. State University to exchange ideas on CSS and expand its implementation in the transportation industry. The workshop will include an up-to-date overview of CSS and highlight CSS best practices, using case studies of transportation projects, plans, and programs from the surrounding region. The first workshop was held in Austin, Texas in October 2009. For more information and to register for the latest workshop, link to the CSS National Dialog website. (11-6-09)

[back to top]

The Federal Highway Administration has published a technical manual that provides guidelines and recommendations for planning, design, construction, and structural rehabilitation and repair of the civil elements of road tunnels. The manual uses the latest edition of the AASHTO Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) Bridge Design and Construction Specifications to the greatest extent applicable in the design examples. The manual focuses primarily on the civil elements of design and construction of various types of road tunnels, including cut-and-cover tunnels, mined and bored tunnels, immersed tunnels and jacked box tunnels. For more information, link to the Technical Manual for Design and Construction of Road Tunnels – Civil Elements. (10-19-09)

[back to top]

Context Sensitive Solutions.org has added a new Livable Communities webpage to the “Hot Topics” section of its website, featuring information about the federal interagency Partnership for Sustainable Communities and related DOT programs. The partnership, announced in June 2009 by the secretaries of the DOT, HUD, and EPA, was established to advance policies that improve access to affordable housing, provide more transportation options, and lower transportation costs while protecting the environment. The new webpage includes a presentation from the Sept. 24, 2009, online Forum on Livability between DOT officials and the CSS community; recently developed documents on livability and the federal interagency partnership; and a link to an online discussion forum for CSS practitioners and advocates. The new webpage will serve as a primary source of information on the Partnership for Sustainable Communities in the future. For more information, link to the Livable Communities topic area. (9-24-09)

[back to top]

A guide to help transportation professionals identify performance measures for context-sensitive solutions principles and to quantify the benefits through all phases of project development has been developed under a study by the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP Project 15-32). The study, documented under NCHRP Report 642, identifies a wide range of CSS cases studies used to support the development of a methodology to estimate specific benefits accruing from the application of a defined set of CSS principles. The report also provides guidelines for agencies wanting to assess the benefits of applying the set of CSS principles to their own transportation projects. For more information, link to NCHRP Report 642, Quantifying the Benefits of Context Sensitive Solutions. (9-21-09)

[back to top]

The Federal Highway Administration and the Center for Transportation and the Environment at N.C. State University will conduct the first in a series of regional workshops as part of their CSS National Dialog project to exchange ideas on context sensitive solutions and expand implementation of CSS in the transportation industry. The first one-day workshop, scheduled for Oct. 20, 2009, in Austin, Texas, will highlight CSS best practices, using case studies of transportation projects, plans, and programs from the surrounding region. For more information and to register, link to the CSS National Dialog website. (9-16-09)

[back to top]

Context Sensitive Solutions.org and the U.S. Department of Transportation will present an online Forum on Livability on Sept. 24, 2009, to provide an opportunity for dialogue with key agency personnel on new transportation and livability initiatives launched by the Obama administration. The webinar will include discussion of details about the interagency Partnership for Sustainable Communities announced by DOT, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the Environmental Protection Agency in June 2009. The webinar also will consider the ongoing partnership between the Federal Transit Administration and HUD on transit-oriented development and DOT Secretary Ray LaHood’s Livability Initiative. The webinar is scheduled for 2:00-3:30 PM EST. For more information and to register, link to the Livability Forum. (8-26-09)

[back to top]

Technical guidance and a framework for integration of context sensitive solutions into transportation practice are provided in a report produced for the Federal Highway Administration. The document, produced under contract with ICF International, includes an integration framework to help address organizational changes as well as instructions for applying an internal organizational self-assessment activity. A series of “CSS Quick Facts” documents derived from the report also are available. For more information, link to Integrating Context Sensitive Solutions into Transportation Practice and the ContextSensitiveSolutions.org website. (8-17-09)

[back to top]

The Federal Highway Administration has published the July/August 2009 edition of Public Roads magazine. The issue features articles on context sensitive solutions, including reconstructing the I-90 Snoqualmie Pass in Washington State, the Safe Routes to School program, and retaining walls in assisting management efforts at the National Park Service. The magazine also includes current and upcoming activities and updates on communication products and training. For more information, link to Public Roads, Vol. 73, No. 1. (7-29-09)

[back to top]

The June 2009 webinar conducted by the Center for Environmental Excellence by AASHTO on design flexibility in the AASHTO Green Book now may be accessed online. The webinar, Understanding Flexibility in the AASHTO Green Book: A Webinar on Geometric Design, offers transportation planners and designers tools to understand the underlying research and principles behind the AASHTO publication A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets (Green Book), and the inherent flexibility within the design criteria. The webinar features discussion on what is meant by “flexibility in design” and reinforces why flexibility is important. To access the webinar, links to additional resources, and training and related documents, link here. (7-27-09)

[back to top]

A report published by the Transportation Research Board’s National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) considers issues related to the use of roadway design exceptions or variances from existing guidelines or standards. The report features the results of a survey of design exception and variance practices of local and state transportation agencies in built urban environments conducted under NCHRP Project 20-05, Topic 39-09. The report also examines processes designed to help manage the use of exceptions or variances and potential means for providing a timely procedure for addressing design exceptions or variances. In addition, the report includes a literature review. For more information, link to NCHRP Research Results Digest 337: Design Flexibility Considerations for Built Urban Environments and the related appendices. (7-9-09)

[back to top]

Context Sensitive Solutions.org has posted to its website presentation materials from a June 11, 2009, webinar on “complete streets” and CSS. The webinar, which was co-hosted by the Federal Highway Administration, included an overview of FHWA’s perspective of complete streets and addressed design and implementation strategies of complete streets and how they related to CSS initiatives. The presentation is available online in multiple formats. For more information, link to the Complete Streets and Context Sensitive Solutions Webinar Materials. (6-29-09)

[back to top]

The New York City Department of Transportation has published a Street Design Manual that provides policies and design guidelines for city agencies, design professionals, developers, and community groups to improve streets and sidewalks throughout the city. The new manual, which is intended to streamline the design and review process, builds upon innovative street design, materials, and lighting developed in New York City and internationally. The manual sets forth principles of street design that address safety, access and mobility, context, livability, sustainability, visual excellence, and cost-effectiveness. The manual is intended to supplement existing standards and requirements including the Manual on Traffic Control Devices and AASHTO’s Green Book. For more information, link to the NYC DOT treet Design Manual. (6-4-09)

[back to top]

Presentations are now available online from a forum on context sensitive design hosted by the Minnesota Department of Transportation and the University of Minnesota’s Center for Transportation Studies on Feb. 23-24, 2009. The forum addressed a Minnesota initiative to “apply greater and more consistent flexibility in transportation planning, design development, and operations statewide.” Presentations by FHWA and state DOT representatives consider issues including understanding the opportunities for greater design flexibility, using design flexibility to increase the return on transportation investments, and addressing institutional challenges. For more information, link to: Flexible Design for 21^st Century Challenges: Balancing Competing Objectives and Optimizing Return on Investment Forum. (5-21-09)

[back to top]

A national dialog about context sensitive solutions has been launched by the Federal Highway Administration and the Center for Transportation and the Environment at North Carolina State University.  The dialog is seeking submissions of CSS best practices to serve as spotlights for a series of one-day workshops to be held in various locations across the United States. For more information, link to the CSS National Dialog website. (5-15-09)

[back to top]

The Federal Highway Administration’s National Highway Institute will conduct a web conference on May 28, 2009, on integrating bicycle and pedestrian facilities in constrained right-of-ways (ROWs). The webinar will include highlights of NHI’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Facility Design Courses, recent federal and state operational research, and the Transportation Research Board Highway Capacity Committee’s decisions that allow agencies to use reliable methods for accommodating multiple modes of transportation in constrained ROWs. For more information, link to the Calendar on ContextSensitiveSolutions.org and the NHI website.  (5-5-09)

[back to top]

An online training guide to assist transportation agencies in implementing context sensitive solutions has been launched by the Federal Highway Administration and ContextSensitiveSolutions.org and is the subject of a webinar to be held May 14 from 1:00 - 2:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. The new guide will help agencies develop a better understanding of how other state DOTs have approached the challenge of CSS training, what CSS knowledge and skills are necessary for staff, what relevant courses exist, what elements are part of an educational support network, and how to evaluate whether a training program is effective. For more information, link to A Guide to Building CSS Knowledge and Skills for Successful Project Delivery on the FHWA website. For information on the webinar, link here. (5-1-09)

[back to top]