On October 24, 2016, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) published a Notice of Final Rulemaking in the Federal Register to address new requirements established by the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21). They are:
- A requirement for States to develop and implement risk-based asset management plans for the National Highway System (NHS) to improve or preserve asset condition and system performance as part of the National Highway Performance Program (NHPP).
- The establishment by the FHWA of minimum standards for States to use in developing and operating NHS bridge and pavement management systems in carrying out the NHPP.
- A mandate of periodic evaluations by States to determine if reasonable alternatives exist to roads, highways, or bridges that repeatedly require repair and reconstruction activities, to conserve Federal resources and protect public safety.
FHWA will hold a webinar on Wednesday, November 9, 2016, at 2:00p.m. Eastern time (11:00a.m. Pacific), to provide stakeholders with an overview of the final rule. Space in the webroom is limited, so register now.
The rule also reflects the passage of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, which added critical infrastructure provisions to the asset management portion of the NHPP statute.
Resources
FHWA is developing guidance to support plan development; in anticipation of the final rule release, guidance has been developed on certification/recertification of States’ asset management processes and annual consistency determination.
Asset management plans, templates, and a generic work plan, along with related publications and training, are available at the FHWA Office of Asset Management site (http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/asset/index.cfm). Resources also are available at the Office of Transportation Performance Management site (http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/tpm/rule.cfm).
For more information regarding this webinar, contact FHWA, Office of Transportation Performance Management.