BACKGROUND

State transportation rights-of-way (ROWs) are often some of the most accessible areas to set up temporary encampments. The growing trend of encampments on state ROWs has presented unprecedented challenges for state departments of transportation (DOTs) in the design, construction, and maintenance of infrastructure; there are no widely accepted guidelines to address these challenges.

There is a need to develop a guide that presents promising design, construction, and maintenance approaches for addressing the existence of, or potential for, encampments on state ROWs. This guide will serve as a resource for state DOTs in identifying and implementing practices for reducing and avoiding adverse effects to highway infrastructure due to the presence of encampments.

Recent work completed under NCHRP Project 20-129, “Guide for Addressing Encampments on State Transportation Rights-of-Way,” provided a review of some of the issues related to the encampments on the ROWs. However, additional research and guidance that focuses on design, construction, and maintenance approaches of highway infrastructure that consider the existence of, or potential for, encampments on state ROWs are needed.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this research is to develop a guide of suggested approaches for the design, construction, and maintenance of highway infrastructure that considers the existence of, or potential for, encampments on state ROWs.

Accomplishment of the project objective will require at least the following tasks.

TASKS

Task descriptions are intended to provide a framework for conducting the research. The NCHRP is seeking the insights of proposers on how best to achieve the research objective. Proposers are expected to describe research plans that can realistically be accomplished within the constraints of available funds and subaward time. Proposals must present the proposers' current thinking in sufficient detail to demonstrate their understanding of the issues and the soundness of their approach to meeting the research objective.

PHASE I: BACKGROUND AND PLANNING

(1) Identify the challenges for state DOTs in the design, construction, and maintenance of highway infrastructure resulting from encampments on state ROWs and assess their impact on state DOTs operations. This information may be obtained from published and unpublished information, and contacts with public and private organizations (e.g., survey of state DOTs). (2) Identify existing and emerging approaches for addressing the challenges for state DOTs in the design, construction, and maintenance of highway infrastructure, and the issues affecting their implementation (e.g., funding constraints, environmental issues, etc.). Evaluate these approaches and identify those recommended for inclusion in the guide. (3) Based on the evaluation performed in Task 2, prepare an updated, detailed work plan to be executed in Phases II and III that includes an approach for developing the guide and other project deliverables. The plan must provide detail on the work anticipated in Phases II and III for developing the guide of suggested approaches and include an outline of the proposed guide, describe how the issues identified in Task 2 will be addressed/considered in the guide, and divide the work proposed for Task 5 into subtasks and describe in detail the work proposed in each subtask. (4) Prepare Interim Report 1 that documents the research performed in Tasks 1 through 3, in two parts. Part I shall present the challenges for state DOTs in the design, construction, and maintenance of highway infrastructure resulting from encampments on state ROWs and existing and emerging practices to address these challenges. Part II shall present an updated research plan for Phases II and III, including the plan for developing a proposed guide of suggested approaches for addressing these challenges and proposed outline. Following review of Interim Report 1 by the NCHRP, the research team will be required to make a presentation to the NCHRP project panel. Work on Phase II of the project will not begin until Interim Report 1 is approved, and the Phase II work plan is authorized by the NCHRP. The decision on proceeding with Phase II will be based on the subawardee’s documented justification of the updated work plan. Interim Report 1 must be submitted within 7 months from subaward and the research team meet with NCHRP within 1 month of report submission. 

PHASE II: DEVELOPING A PRELIMINARY GUIDE

 (5) Upon receipt of NCHRP approval, execute the plan approved in Task 4, and prepare a preliminary version of the proposed guide. (6) Prepare an updated, detailed work plan to be executed in Phase III that includes an approach for developing the draft version of the guide. (7) Prepare Interim Report 2 that documents the research performed in Tasks 5 and 6, in two parts. Part I shall present the preliminary version of the proposed guide. Part II shall present an updated research plan for Phase III, including the plan for developing a proposed guide of suggested approaches for addressing these challenges. Following review of Interim Report 2 by the NCHRP, the research team will be required to make a presentation to the NCHRP project panel to illustrate applicability of the approaches contained in the guide to a range of the challenges for state DOTs in the design, construction, and maintenance of highway infrastructure resulting from encampments on state ROWs. Work on subsequent tasks of the project will not begin until Interim Report 2 is approved, and the Phase III work plan is authorized by the NCHRP. Interim Report 2 must be submitted within 14 months from subaward and the research team meet virtually with NCHRP within 1 month of report submission.

PHASE III: DRAFT AND FINAL DELIVERABLES

(8) Upon receipt of NCHRP approval, prepare a draft version of the guide. Review comments on the preliminary version of the guide must be considered in preparing the draft version of the guide. (9) Prepare a series of concise briefing documents, appropriate for use by transportation agencies and others, to illustrate use of the guide to address selected challenges. (10) Prepare material, in a PowerPoint or other format, for use in webinars and presentations to facilitate implementation and use of the developed guide. (11) Prepare a stand-alone technical memorandum titled “Implementation of Research Findings and Products” to facilitate implementation of the proposed guide. (12) Prepare and submit a draft final deliverable that documents the entire research effort, in five parts: (1) a research report documenting the work performed in the project and used to develop the proposed guide, (2) the proposed guide, (3) the briefing documents, (4) the presentation material, and (5) the implementation plan. Upon receiving NCHRP review comments, prepare and submit a final deliverable that considers the review comments. The draft final deliverable must besubmitted within 19 months from subaward; the remaining 3 months shall be for NCHRP review and comment and for research agency preparation of the final deliverable.

STATUS

Proposals received and currently under review.