BACKGROUND

The number of people experiencing homelessness in the United States has increased in recent years; state transportation rights-of-way (ROWs) are often some of the most accessible areas to set up temporary encampments. This 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 rational approaches for addressing challenges for state departments of transportation (DOTs) in the design, construction, and maintenance of infrastructure resulting from encampments on state ROWs. This guide will serve as a resource for state DOTs in identifying and implementing practices for reducing the challenges associated with 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 and proposed a preliminary research plan for developing related guidance. However, additional research is needed to further define the challenges for DOTs in the design, construction, and maintenance of highway infrastructure resulting from the growing trend of encampments on state ROWs and develop guidance for addressing these challenges and reducing their adverse impacts.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this research is to develop a guide of suggested practices for addressing the challenges for state DOTs in the design, construction, and maintenance of highway infrastructure resulting from encampments on state ROWs. 

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

TASKS

PHASE I

Task 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 This information may be obtained from published and unpublished information, and contacts with public and private organizations.

Task 2. Identify new and existing practices for addressing the challenges for state DOTs in the design, construction, and maintenance of highway infrastructure, and the issues affecting their implementation (e.g., environmental impacts, legal concerns, and funding constraints). Evaluate these practices and identify those recommended for inclusion in the guide.

Task 3. Based on the evaluation performed in Task 2, prepare an updated, detailed work plan to be executed in Phase II that includes an approach for developing the guide of suggested practices.

Task 4. Prepare an interim report that documents the research performed in Tasks 1 through 3. Following review of the interim report 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 the interim report 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 contractor’s documented justification of the updated work plan.

 
PHASE II

Task 5.  Execute the Phase II plan approved in Task 4. Based on the results of this work, prepare the guide.

Task 6. 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.

Task 7. Prepare material, in a PowerPoint or other format, for use in webinars and presentations to facilitate implementation and use of the developed guide. 

Task 8. Prepare a stand-alone technical memorandum titled “Implementation of Research Findings and Products” to facilitate implementation of the proposed guide.

Task 9. Prepare a final deliverable that documents the entire research effort. The deliverable shall include (1) a research report documenting the work performed in the project and used to develop the guide, (2) the guide, (3) the briefing documents, (4) the presentation material, and (5) the implementation plan. The guide shall be prepared as a stand-alone document.

STATUS: A response has been received for this RFP. The project panel will meet to determine next steps.