Evaluation of the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s Maintenance Rating Program

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) relies on its Maintenance Rating Program (MRP) to systematically measure conditions on state-owned roads and rights of way. Every year, the Cabinet evaluates 300-400 road segments in each of its highway districts. Segments receive aggregate scores ranging from 0 to 100, with the target score being 80. This report appraises the MRP and discusses potential strategies for its improvement. Compared to asset management programs established at other state transportation agencies, KYTC’s performs quite well. Between 1999 and 2019, MRP data show that scores improved across all road types. In 2011, the average score for all roads eclipsed 80 and has remained above this threshold since (albeit with some fluctuation). Currently, the category of rural secondary roads is the only one with an average score below 80, although it exceeded this threshold in 2015, 2016, and 2018. KYTC maintenance staff participated in a survey that gauged whether the components evaluated as part of the MRP are relevant and useful. The component which the highest percentage of respondents said is not useful is Right-of-Way Fence (62%). Smaller but still a considerable number of respondents said Striping components lack utility (31%), followed by General Aesthetics and Regulatory/Warning Sign Assemblies (about 27%). Despite the low ranking, staff will continue inspecting right-of-way fences because of their presence on divided highways and due to funding allocations. Additional guidance could be issued to mitigate the subjectivity of aesthetic judgments. Moving forward, the Cabinet will benefit from offering robust training to MRP data collectors to ensure scoring is consistent between districts and staff

Updating the Bridge Construction Cost Database

Adopting a comprehensive suite of methods to track, analyze, and maintain data on bridge construction costs can help state transportation agencies identify and implement strategies to mitigate the influence of factors which escalate project costs. This report discusses how the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) should approach updating, maintaining, and analyzing its bridge construction cost data. Based on a review of practices introduced at other agencies and interviews with public and private industry stakeholders, the report catalogues practical strategies for improving estimating procedures and tracking cost data as well as the most important cost drivers of bridge construction. Analysis of KYTC data on average unit bid prices for eight key bid items on bridge projects found that prices went up for every item between 2015 and 2021. Steel reinforcement and epoxy coated steel reinforcement displayed the most consistent linear upward trend, while greater variability was noticeable in prices for Class A and AA concrete and foundation preparation. This analysis substantiated observations by interviewees that contractors submit higher bid prices when they perceive greater risk associated with a work item. Recommendations for process improvements at the Cabinet focus on agencywide rollout of AASHTOWare Estimation, conducting post-construction reviews, establishing contract durations that reasonably accommodate the completion of all work, and performing more in-depth geotechnical investigations

KRS and KAR Review of Models as a Legal Contract Document

State departments of transportation (DOTs) are expanding the use of electronic engineering data (EED) throughout highway projects — from design and construction through asset management. Included under the umbrella of EED are technologies such as building information modelling (BIM), digital terrain models (DTMs), and 3D models and plan sets. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s (KYTC) Digital Project Delivery (DPD) Initiative is spearheading the transition to EED in the state. While digital delivery promises to streamline project development and management it does not come without hurdles. This report discusses methods for agency wide implementation of EED and highlights best practices for managing, communicating, and storing data as well as the potential legal ramifications of using 3D models as contract documents. While no state or federal laws preclude the use of EED as contract documents, as KYTC adopts paperless plan sets it must (1) perform its due diligence to ensure all processes comply with relevant statutes and regulations, (2) develop guidance for managing EED and transmitting records to external parties, (3) put clear guidelines into place for creating and preserving records, and (4) partner with internal and external stakeholders to facilitate the rollout of digital delivery

Best Practices for Performance Measurement in Transportation Operations and Maintenance

Public agencies benefit from measuring their performance as it helps to focus employee and organizational activities. State departments of transportation have become more performance-oriented over the past two decades and routinely collect data on highway safety, infrastructure condition, system operations, project delivery, winter maintenance, transit, bicycle and pedestrian facilities, and customer service. While the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) use performance measures in a variety of areas, the agency wants to adopt new metrics related to mobility and the responsiveness of maintenance operations. This report documents performance measurement strategies used at state transportation agencies throughout the country and proposes new performance measures in these areas for KYTC. Among the performance measures put forward to the Cabinet, the following ones ranked most highly: (1) response times for complaints and potholes, (2) contract response time, (3) percentage of time and money spent on routine and emergency maintenance of drainage, guardrail, and cable median barriers, (4) response time to repair guardrail and cable median barriers, and (5) winter maintenance operations. As KYTC further integrates performance measures into its operations, it is critical to clearly communicate performance information to the public using tools such as online dashboards and reports

Construction-Ready Digital Terrain Models

Since 2009, Kentucky has made its 3D design data available as a supplemental reference to bidders through the project delivery process. This research discusses methods for ensuring electronic engineering data (EED) — and specifically the proposed digital terrain model (DTM) — support modern construction management methods at the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC). Researchers performed a literature review, surveyed KYTC construction and design staff, engaged with Cabinet staff and industry members to understand the current state of practice, and evaluated quality- related attributes of the EED through case studies. The report presents a set of targeted recommendations for improving KYTC processes of highway design review, training and guidance for Cabinet staff, data sharing and management, professional service contract negotiations, and facilitated communication between KYTC and its industry partners

Critical Path for Project Development

Overseeing the delivery of highway projects at the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) requires the successful coordination of activities and inputs from multiple external agencies and members of the agency’s Project Development team, who have varied disciplinary backgrounds. Despite the complexity of project delivery, the Cabinet presently does not estimate hours and project milestone dates until after it has selected a design consultant. Moving forward KYTC should explore requiring consultants to develop a critical path method (CPM) schedule. To facilitate this process, this report describes a methodology for producing CPMs for design contracts/projects based on procedures outlined in A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge. In addition to reviewing the CPM, this document includes critical path templates that are representative of the Cabinet’s project design process. Templates were developed with the assistance of KYTC experts knowledgeable in areas such as project management, environmental processes, utilities, right of way, and highway design. Work-breakdown units, templates, and Gantt charts for three project contexts were developed: 1) Rural Federal Bridge Replacement (Categorical Exclusion I), 2) Urban Federal Bridge Replacement (Categorical Exclusion I), and 3) 4-Mile Rural Road Widening into Urban Intersection (Environmental Assessment, Finding of No Significant Impact). An in-depth glossary contains detailed explanations of work-breakdown units and flags issues and challenges that merit close attention during project development. With recourse to the tools and templates presented in this report, project managers and consultants can pursue project management in an organized manner and be ready to deal with any contingencies that may arise

KRS and KAR Review of Models as a Legal Contract Document

SPR 22-56-3State departments of transportation (DOTs) are expanding the use of electronic engineering data (EED) throughout highway projects \u2014 from design and construction through asset management. Included under the umbrella of EED are technologies such as building information modelling (BIM), digital terrain models (DTMs), and 3D models and plan sets. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet\u2019s (KYTC) Digital Project Delivery (DPD) Initiative is spearheading the transition to EED in the state. While digital delivery promises to streamline project development and management it does not come without hurdles. This report discusses methods for agency wide implementation of EED and highlights best practices for managing, communicating, and storing data as well as the potential legal ramifications of using 3D models as contract documents. While no state or federal laws preclude the use of EED as contract documents, as KYTC adopts paperless plan sets it must (1) perform its due diligence to ensure all processes comply with relevant statutes and regulations, (2) develop guidance for managing EED and transmitting records to external parties, (3) put clear guidelines into place for creating and preserving records, and (4) partner with internal and external stakeholders to facilitate the rollout of digital delivery