Transcript PennDOT Getting the Most out of Partnership Visits-

PennDOT Research
Getting the Most Out of
TRB / State DOT
Partnership Visits
PennDOT’s Experience with Enhancing the Value of the TRB Annual Field Visit
www.dot.state.pa.us
PennDOT – 2010 Field Visit
As You Know…
• Purpose of the TRB Annual Field Visit Program is
to provide a broad perspective of the activities,
issues and needs of the state DOT to TRB
• Keeping DOT staff up to date on any assistance
or information that TRB has that can help in
addressing research needs or issues
• Provides a forum for state DOTs to suggest
problems or issues that TRB needs to address
www.dot.state.pa.us
PennDOT – 2010 Field Visit
For the 2010 TRB Field Visit…
• Initial conference call with TRB staff member
assigned to PA [Frank Lisle, Maintenance Engineer]
• Since Frank’s areas of expertise involved all
things maintenance, we decided to combine his
visit to Pennsylvania with our Department’s annual
gathering of maintenance mangers
www.dot.state.pa.us
PennDOT – 2010 Field Visit
A little background on MEDP
• Started in 1983 to establish a forum for consistent
training and transfer of information to PennDOT’s
maintenance managers
 County Managers
 Assistant Managers
 Foremen
 Assistant District Executives for Maintenance
www.dot.state.pa.us
PennDOT – 2010 Field Visit
For the 2010 TRB Field Visit…
• Developed agenda for the Field Visit
to coincide with the MEDP annual
conference
• Scheduled meetings with key
executive staff and prepared a briefing
paper (distributed in advance of the
meetings)
• Reviewed agenda with Research staff
and then Highway Admin staff
www.dot.state.pa.us
PennDOT – 2010 Field Visit
2010 TRB Field Visit…
• Day 1 of Visit: Conducted PennDOT meetings
and then departed for MEDP
• Day 2 of Visit: Participated at MEDP and
provided a briefing to attendees
• Day 3 of Visit: Participated at MEDP and then
traveled to Penn State University for briefing
www.dot.state.pa.us
PennDOT – 2010 Field Visit
MEDP & PennDOT Research / TRB…
• Research staff conducted a presentation on
current (active) and recently completed
maintenance research projects
• Fireside Chat w/ Frank Lisle
• Discussion of maintenance-related
research activities and hot topics being
managed by TRB
 Maintenance Preservation activities & Winter
Operations best practices
www.dot.state.pa.us
PennDOT – 2010 Field Visit
Thoughts & Observations…
• Frank’s knowledge and expertise was
truly appreciated
• PennDOT maintenance managers
were excited to hear about issues and
hot topics affecting their counterparts
in other states & at the national level
• Frank was able to speak to it all…
www.dot.state.pa.us
PennDOT – 2010 Field Visit
Thoughts & Observations…
• Great way to incorporate TRB staff
knowledge into state DOT business activities
• Provides access and awareness of TRB
research activities to a wider state DOT
audience
• Enables TRB to understand the current
issues and challenges affecting state DOT
staff
 In addition to what is discussed
with executive management
www.dot.state.pa.us