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Context Sensitive Solutions

Recent Developments

Listed below are recent developments pertinent to context sensitive solutions from the past six months.  If you would like to suggest a recent development on this topic, please submit a short description to AASHTO (including any pertinent links) on the Share Info with AASHTO form.

• Proposal Would Allow States to Develop Design Standards for Highway Repairs

  The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is proposing to allow states to develop design standards for resurfacing, restoration, and rehabilitation (RRR) projects on freeways, including Interstate highways. The proposed rule would state DOTs to adopt procedures or design criteria, as approved by FHWA, that would enable the State to undertake RRR projects without utilizing design exceptions. The proposal encourages a flexible and context-sensitive approach to consider a full range of project and user needs and the impacts to the community and natural and human environment. For more information, link to the proposal. (11-24-20)

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• Toolkit Facilitates Place-Making for Main Streets

  A toolkit of resources on “place-making” for main streets has been developed by the Project for Public Spaces. The toolkit helps officials evaluate streets and transportation through the lens of placemaking; balance the needs of mobility and other street activities, and build stronger relationships among transportation professionals, decision-makers, and the community. It explores six key areas: equity, safety, health, economic vitality, environmental sustainability, and community. The toolkit provides best practices for rural downtowns and urban commercial districts through a handbook, an online resource library, and a free, four-part webinar series beginning Oct. 29. For more information, link to the report. (10-8-20)

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• Alabama DOT Issues Guide on Performance-Based Practical Design

  The Alabama Department of Transportation has issued a guide for implementation of a performance- based practical design (PBPD) approach for the state’s transportation system. According to the guide, the PBPD approach ensures that “every scoping and design decision is based on whether the proposed feature will address the project’s stated desired outcomes as well as whether it represents a use of funds that makes good sense considering other needs on the system as a whole. It tends to rely on the use of a flexible design approach to choose appropriate dimensions and parameters within and sometimes outside the ranges of standard nominal values.” The guide provides information on fundamental design controls, cross-sectional elements, roadside design, sight distances, and alignment elements. For more information, link to the guide. (Sept. 2020)

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• NACTO Issues Resource on Use of Streets for Pandemic Recovery

  A guide developed by the National Association of Counties compiles emerging practices from around the world on street design approaches that can help in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. The guide, Streets for Pandemic Response and Recovery, also includes implementation resources for cities and their partners. Recognizing the rapidly changing nature of this pandemic, the guide will be revised and expanded to include new strategies. As of May 21, 2020, the guide addresses the following street strategies: lanes for biking and rolling; sidewalk extensions; transit lanes; slow streets; pick-up and delivery zones; outdoor dining; and markets. To access the resource, link here. (5-21-20)

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• FHWA Updates Brochure on Context Sensitive Solutions and Design

  The Federal Highway Administration has issued an updated brochure providing background and resources on context sensitive solutions and design (CSS/D) in transportation. The brochure provides a brief history and explanation of CSS/D, benefits of the approach, and examples of the state of the practice in implementation. For more information, link to the brochure. (7-21-20)

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• Guide Offers Design Concepts for Rural Bridges in Historic Contexts

  Guidance on developing context sensitive solutions for replacing bridges in or near rural historic districts has been developed under the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (Project 25-25, Task 118). The research, documented in Web-Only Document 278, includes a practitioners guide and technical research report that outlines five context sensitive approaches for replacing such bridges. It also provides case studies, including examples of each design approach. The research also includes a Design Idea Book that will illustrate various design features. For more information, link to the report. (3-2-20)

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• Webinar Discusses Urban Highway Removal, City Revitalization

  A recording is available of a Feb. 4 webinar presented by the Smart Growth Network that examines the trend of urban highway removal. Panelists on the webinar, American Highways Are Being Removed: What’s Next?, discuss what happens after a community agrees that a highway will be removed, focusing on a plan in Rochester, N.Y., to create new affordable housing, services, retail, and transportation options in the wake of removing the Inner Loop highway. The webinar is the second in a series on urban highways. To view the recording, link here. (2-4-20)

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• Report Offers Guidance on ‘Right-Sizing’ Transportation Investments

  A guidebook on right-sizing transportation investments, focused on planning and programming, has been developed under the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP Report 917). “Rightsizing” offers a process by which a transportation agency can adjust the size, extent, function, and composition of its existing or planned infrastructure and service portfolio in response to changing needs over time. The guide provides a practical structure, policy recommendations, and a toolkit of technical methods. For more information, link to the guidebook. (1-10-20)

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• AASHTO Releases Summary of Flexible Design Workshop

  A summary of a July 2019 workshop on flexible design has been issued by the Center for Environmental Excellence by AASHTO. The workshop was held at the Joint Meeting of the AASHTO Council on Active Transportation and the AASHTO Committee on Design in Reno, Nevada. The workshop provided an opportunity for over 100 participants to discuss challenges associated with flexible design implementation; including gaps in training, technical assistance, and capacity building needs. For more information, link to the document. (12-23-19)

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• ASLA Issues Guide to Universal Design for Public Spaces

  The American Society of Landscape Architects has developed a Guide to Universal Design for creating more accessible public spaces. The guide is based on the idea that public spaces should be available to people with physical, hearing, or visual disabilities, developmental disabilities, and the very young or very old, as well as the healthy and abled. The guide provides design elements for neighborhoods, streets, parks and plazas, playgrounds, and gardens. For example, street design should include such elements as wide sidewalks and pathways, seating areas and green spaces for socializing, clearly defined spaces, noise control, be multimodal, and have green infrastructure. For more information, link to the guide. (11-21-19)

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• Asphalt Art Initiative Launched by Bloomberg Philanthropies

  Guidance on transforming streets and public places through use of artwork has been developed as part of an initiative of Bloomberg Philanthropies. The Asphalt Art Initiative highlights art-driven street design projects in cities around the world and provides guidance to cities looking to implement their own projects. Bloomberg Philanthropies will award grants to 10 U.S. cities for new artistic street and public space projects in cities, using the Guide as inspiration. Applications for the grants are being accepted through Dec. 12, 2019. For more information, link to the announcement. (10-28-19)

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• FHWA Report Describes Highway Right-Sizing for Cities

  The Federal Highway Administration has released a new report concerning the performance of right-sizing analysis on aging urban infrastructure. This form of context sensitive solution, which involves adjusting travel facilities to reflect changes in demand, provides the opportunity to develop transportation policies that better fit the community, promote safety, and help the community achieve broader economic development goals. The study provides a four-step process for right-sizing analyses, including looking at the motivation for the project, traffic management strategies, and potential economic development goals and impacts. The report includes examples of projects implemented in several states. For more information, link to the report. (1-3-19)

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• FHWA Newsletter Highlights Context Sensitive Solutions, Design Approach

  An overview of technical assistance the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has provided to state transportation agencies on context sensitive solutions and design (CSS/D), as well as highlights of a project that integrated CSS/D principles, are provided in the September 2018 issue of FHWA’s Successes in Stewardship Newsletter. The issue describes CSS/D principles and describes the Watford City bypass project in North Dakota as an example of the benefits of integrating CSS/D principles into the transportation planning and project delivery process. Summary reports on assistance provided by the FHWA are available on the FHWA CSS/D web page. For more information, link to the newsletter. (9-18-18)

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• FHWA Issues State of Practice Report on Context Sensitive Solutions, Design

  The Federal Highway Administration has issued a state of the practice assessment and a report on the agency’s technical assistance program regarding context sensitive solutions and design (CSS/D). The assessment is intended to demonstrate how the CSS/D process helps design better projects and accelerate project delivery. The assessment includes CSS/D best practices, case studies, and results from interviews with 12 state DOTs. The second report describes technical assistance FHWA has provided to six states as well as four virtual peer exchanges. This report documents how the six states were selected; the purpose, schedule, and format of each session; key takeaways and lessons learned; and recommendations for future technical assistance and peer exchanges. For more information, link to the assessment and the summary report. (8-20-18)

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