Committee Meetings at TRB

Highway Pavement Committee

Sponsoring Committee of the 2008 Pavement Specialty Conference.

Transportation Security Committee

There is a new cooperative research program in hazard investigation (HMCRP) that has $1 million in funding available for each of the next 2 years.

The committee is initiating a transportation security newsletter.

The committee will be piloting its "Transportation Security 101" course shortly.  The course will be available through ASCE Continuing Education in the near future.

Transportation Operation Committee

Wants to develop a webinar on Signalized Intersection Safety Audit.

Plans initiated for a conference in late 2008.  This would be a joint effort between the Transportation Operations Committee and the Transportation Safety Committee.

Transportation Safety

Will be the lead in T&DI for the newly acquired “Put the Brakes on Fatalities” program.

Public Transportation Committee

Considering proposing a 3rdInternational Conference on Public Transportation in 2009.  A tentative location is Beijing.

Rail Transportation Committee

Sponsored a special issue of the Journal of Transportation Engineering.  Thirty papers were submitted for the issue.

Created an outreach program to civil engineering majors about careers in railroad engineering.

Automated People Movers Committee

2007 APM Conference in Vienna, Austria, April 22-25, 2007.  Papers have been submitted and are currently being reviewed.

Began to consider locations and themes for the 12th International Conference on APM's in 2009.

Airfield Pavement Committee

By Rich Thuma, P.E., M.ASCE

The Airfield Pavement Committee held its annual meeting on Sunday, January 21st, 2007 in conjunction with TRB in Washington, D.C.  The meeting was well attended by more than 60 members and colleagues. 

Key topics of discussion included the successful 2006 T& DI Pavement Specialty Conference held in Atlanta, the selection of Seattle, WA and planning of the 2008 Airfields and Highways Pavement Specialty Conference (tentatively July 20-23), and the upcoming 2007 IATC (19-22 August) in Irving, TX. 

Thanks to Shiraz Tayabji and Frank Hermann in following through, until the end, with the past debate on the issue of specialty certification for airfield pavement engineers.  The task group ultimately recommended to discontinue pursuing the certification, primarily due to lack of need and complications with administering such a program.

Rich Thuma, Committee Chair, reported on the accomplishments of the committee in the last year, which included providing comments on draft FAA Advisory Circulars.  Bernadette Caparas provided further details on these reviews indicating good response from APC members and FAA’s response to addressing submitted comments. She encourages more members to take this opportunity to voice their opinion on upcoming draft Circulars. 

Rich Thuma also encouraged members to submit nominations for the Horonjeff Award; nominations and sponsors due to APC by 1 Mar 07, followed by Eroom Ballot (votes by mid-April), and our Nomination Package due to T&DI 1 Nov 07.

“Five Minute Updates” were provided from the DoD, FAA, AAPTP, IPRF, asphalt and concrete industry associations, and Boeing to bring members up to date on the activities in their agencies.  In addition, three technical briefs were provided on High Recycle Content CTB at NYNJ Port Authority, New Runway and HMA Use at Boston Logan Int’l, and Alkali Silica Reaction at Yap, Micronesia. 

Finally, I would like to note from the meeting, that the committee encourages all members to bring in colleagues and in particular the young engineers that are in the Airfield Pavement community of practice.  It is easy to join, just complete a brief APC membership application form – that’s it!

For questions, more information about the meeting, or obtaining a membership application form, contact Greg Cline (805-982-3655, gregory.d.cline@navy.mil).

Local Roads and Streets Committee

Completed the first draft of an update of TRB Special Report 214, which is currently out of print.

Construction Committee

Continuing the work on materials related to alternative delivery methods such as design-build, design-build-operate-maintain, etc.