1. Overcoming Barriers to Implement Research Projects
Shauna Hallmark
AASHTO RAC
July 26, 2016

2. Barriers to Implementation of Research
Held seminar with Iowa agencies to identify barriers
Early input from practitioners to guide
Make sure methodology is appropriate
Focus
Ensure output is in form that has value
Spreadsheet, tools, etc.
Communicating results
Quantify impact and value

3. Follow project and determine where implemented
Document Impact
Follow project and determine where implemented
Surveys at county engineer focus group
Anecdotal
Estimate impact
Develop impact briefs

4. Evaluation of the Buena Vista Innovative Bridge Research and Deployment Program Bridge
Funding agency: Iowa DOT
Researchers: Phares and Wipf
Description: evaluated effectiveness of innovative materials and construction techniques for new bridge structures
Included in FHWA’s Accelerated Bridge Construction Manual (ABC Manual)
Project results reduce typical 3 day construction to 1 day
Benefits
Savings of $5700 per bridge in terms of savings from truck detours
Using methodology for 10% of NHS bridges would result in savings $68 million nationally

5. Transportation Research Webinars: Moving Research into Practice
Co-developed and co-host webinars with Roadway Safety Institute at the University of Minnesota
Select research ready for implementation or recently implemented
Features researcher and practioner

6. Case Study Safety Edge
Pavement edge drop-off: vertical elevation difference between adjacent roadway surfaces
Safety Edge
Creates a fillet along the outside edge of the paved section of a roadway
Placed during Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) paving
Provides a sloped surface for errant vehicles to transition from an unpaved shoulder to paved surface

7. Safety Edge in Iowa
First use in 2008: HMA resurfacing project on County Road Z-36 in Clinton County
2010: Iowa DOT adopted Safety Edge as Standard Practice for construction and rehabilitation projects
Research showed magnitude of issue
 20% of crashes on rural 2-lane
Twice as likely to be fatal
Subsequent study developed crash modification factors
CMF =0.87 all crashes
CMF = 0.84 injury crashes

8. Implementation of Safety Edge in Iowa
Emphasis by FHWA (Every Day Counts)
Slow to be adopted in Iowa
Iowa DOT Design Manual requires use of the Safety Edge on all primary highways unless one of the following is met:
Roadway is an interchange ramp or loop
Roadway or shoulder has curbs
Paved shoulder width ≥ 4 ft
Iowa DOT funded marketing and outreach of Safety Edge to local agencies

9. Marketing/Outreach of Safety Edge in Iowa
Team conducted marketing/outreach activities to encourage use:
Attended pre-con to answer questions about equipment
Loaned Safety Edge “shoes:
Conducted open houses to provide information and demonstrate application
Sites visits
Provided technical assistance
Measured slope
Developed recommendations on application of Safety Edge

10. Implementation Benefits easily described
Most agencies using Safety Edge in the 2010 construction season “bought in” once advantages were explained
Maintenance benefits easily understood
Early outreach critical
Pre-letting assistance
Pre-construction assistance
Open houses

11. Webinar
Teamed with Executive Vice President of the Asphalt Paving Association of Iowa (APAI) 
Discussed issues in implementation
Discussed successes

12. Impact 473 miles of known installation Annually reduces 41 crashes
Societal savings >$3.5 million

13. QUESTIONS?