Experience has shown that CEOs of state transportation agencies (DOTs, departments of transportation) value and benefit from opportunities to discuss the challenges, experience, and strategic issues of DOT leadership with their peers. AASHTO staff and leadership seek to make such opportunities available periodically by organizing one- to three-day peer exchanges and leadership forums highlighting current issues facing the organization’s member agencies. Research under the NCHRP Project 20-24 series of projects over the past two decades has provided intellectual and logistical support for a number of these very popular events.

 

The objectives of this research were to organize, provide intellectual and logistical support, and document a workshop with CEOs and other senior officials to discuss strategic leadership challenges. The workshop also included senior AASHTO staff and Federal Highway Administration officials.

 

The research team was engaged to (1) identify current issues to be the focus of workshop discussions, (2) prepare background documentation to motivate discussion, (3) convene the invited group of executives at an appropriate location, (4) facilitate these executives’ discussions, and (5) document the workshop in a report or other form that can be used to inform others about the matters addressed and issues that may be topics for future NCHRP research. 

 

The workshop was held in April 2016 at the University of Minnesota. A summary report of the workshop and discussions was delivered to AASHTO and is available for download by clicking here.