Nebraska Department of Transportation

dot.nebraska.gov511.nebraska.gov

2018

ANNUAL REPORT

FROM THE DIRECTORThe Nebraska Department of Transportation’s (NDOT) Annual Report is an opportunity to highlight many of the key strategies utilized to preserve the billions of dollars invested in our state highway system to maintain the safety and efficiency of our highways and bridges.

As stewards of nearly 10,000 miles of road and over 3,500 bridges, NDOT is guided in its efforts by eight strategic goals. The 2018 Annual Report summarizes the Department’s efforts and achievements as it continues to seek out opportunities to become more efficient, utilize innovation, and work with communities and industry partners to provide a transportation network that supports Nebraskans.

One high-impact achievement was NDOT’s assumption of National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review responsibilities on projects receiving a Categorical Exclusion, or CE, designation. CE projects encompass 95 percent of the projects constructed in the state. Assuming responsibility allows NDOT to deliver highway improvement projects faster while preserving environmental quality and allowing us to build stronger relationships with stakeholders and public agencies through direct engagement and ownership of decision-making.

The year also saw significant changes to speed limits on our states’ roadways. Following the Nebraska Legislature’s passage of Legislative Bill 1009, NDOT took steps to modernize and bring consistency to the state system by increasing speed limits on state highways, expressways, and freeways. Aligning a highway’s posted speeds to match existing driving patterns is an important part of meeting driver expectations and providing for the safe and efficient flow of traffic.

Additionally, the NDOT welcomed the 60th annual International Highway Engineering Exchange Program (IHEEP) to Nebraska. The information sharing and peer exchange opportunity centered on “Advancing Innovation” through better processes and technology advancements, brought together a diverse group of influencers and transportation industry leaders from across the world.

NDOT also launched an Economic Impact Study. “Aviation Counts!” will provide a fresh snapshot of the economic impact of aviation on Nebraska. The findings of the federally-funded study will help us better understand how to chart a path forward, that aligns with the current and future needs of our aviation system users and operators.

As you review the accomplishments of the past year, you also of course are aware of the historic flooding that has occurred in 2019, which has deeply and irrevocably impacted many of our fellow Nebraskans. It has challenged us as a state, with communities, neighbors and volunteers coming together to pick up the pieces after the waters subsided. NDOT has played a central role in this story of recovery, as we have been repairing and reopening our roadways and bridges in the impacted areas as quickly as possible.

It is that sense of community, care and concern – whether it be in times of emergencies or just when we are going about our daily work – that epitomizes NDOT’s dedication to service in order to keep our state moving forward.

Kyle Schneweis

SAFETYImprove Safety on Nebraska’s Transportation System

2 | SAFETY

“Toward Zero Deaths” are three key words in the department’s overall safety goal to reduce deaths and injuries on Nebraska’s roadways. Topping the list of performance measures, safety is integrated into every aspect of roadway construction and maintenance, as well as non-infrastructure projects. The department continues to focus on identifying and prioritizing projects to address safety concerns such as roadway departures, inter section safety, occupant restraint and distracted driving crashes. New technologies are being implemented such as bridge anti-icing systems, improved winter operations and the “beveled edge” to aid in vehicle re-entry onto the highway after a roadway departure. The department is also implementing low-cost, effective countermeasures, such as centerline and edge line rumble strips and warning signs for statewide projects.

Description: Measurement of fatalities on Nebraska’s roadways: the Interstate, state highways, and local roads and streets.

Purpose: To heighten the awareness of safety and driving responsibility on Nebraska roadways. A consistent decline in fatalities reflects improved safety management practices, greater public awareness of safe driving practices, and will reduce statewide societal costs.

Goal: To reduce fatalities, their number and the rate, to a ratio of 0.9 fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled by 2021.

Outcome: Nebraska’s rate of fatalities per hundred million miles traveled in 2018 was 1.10. There were 230 fatalities in 2018, an increase of 2 compared to 2017.

Fatalities on Nebraska Roadways

Nebraska Year Fatalities2009 2232010 1902011 1812012 2122013 2112014 2252015 2462016 2182017 2282018 230

Nebraska Fatalities and National Data(Ratio Per 100 Million Vehicle Miles Traveled)

0.50%

0.75%

1.00%

1.25%

1.50% Nat'l.

Nebr.

2018201720162015201420132012201120102009

Nebraska Fatalities

1.151.05

1.14

.95

1.16National Fatalities

1.18

1.1

1.11 1.1 1.1 1.15

1.081.091.1.97

1.08

1.151.22

1.1

Helping Local Law Enforcement Save Lives

SAFETY | 3

Serious Injury Crashes on Nebraska Roadways

Serious Injury Crashes on Nebraska Roadways(Ratio Per 100 Million Vehicle Miles Traveled)

1000

1250

1500

1750

2000

20182017201620152014201320122011201020090.0

2.5

5.0

7.5

10.0

1,315

1,447

6.357.57

Serious Injury Crashes

Serious Injury Crash Rate

1,249

6.17 5.845.37

7.927.19 7.06

6.42 6.59

1,228

1,128

1,516

1,4031,357

1,241

1,293

Annual Vehicle Miles Traveled

Year (AVMT)2009 19,147,000,0002010 19,520,000,0002011 19,111,177,0002012 19,224,041,0002013 19,323,263,0002014 19,612,000,0002015 20,230,000,0002016 20,709,000,0002017 21,011,000,0002018 20,995,826,000

Description: Measurement of serious injury (Type A1) crashes on Nebraska roadways; the Interstate, state highways, and local roads and streets.1 Type “A” Injury: Disabling injuries - cannot leave the scene without assistance.

Purpose: To heighten the awareness of safety and driving responsibility on Nebraska roadways. Improved safety management practices and greater public awareness of safe driving practices contributed to a consistent decline in serious injury crashes. Continuation of these practices will reduce statewide societal costs.

Goal: To reduce serious injury crashes in Nebraska to a ratio of 5.5 per 100 million vehicle miles traveled by 2021.

Outcome: Nebraska’s serious injury crash rate in 2018 was 5.37.

FEATURED STRATEGY

Local law enforcement and first responders in Nebraska are assisted by NDOT’s Highway Safety Office (HSO) in their efforts to keep the public safe. Through administration of the Traffic Safety Enforcement Program (TSEP), the HSO utilizes selective overtime enforcement mini-grants for law enforcement agencies to carry out their planned activities in priority counties throughout the year and a statewide mobilization during the “Click It or Ticket” and the “Drive Sober or Get Polled Over” crackdowns.

The HSO provides funding for projects developed for selective overtime enforcement efforts in the areas of alcohol, speed, occupant protection, underage alcohol enforcement and other general traffic enforcement needs. Agencies applying for funding assistance for selective overtime enforcement are required to do further problem identification within their city or county to determine when and where they should conduct the enforcement for the greatest impact.

One of the activities for which local law enforcement agencies may receive funding is conducting DUI simulation tests with the use of Fatal Vision Goggles at high school and college events. These events aid in increasing awareness of the harmful effects

of alcohol on a driver’s ability to safely operate a vehicle. Activities are often captured for social media outreach and education, increasing awareness with the young driver population.

The HSO also supports first responders in child passenger safety technician training. These technicians support statewide inspection stations and community seat check events. HSO provides printed materials, manuals and logistics to carry out trainings and parent/caregiver education.

National Night Out, a nationwide event held the first Tuesday in August, enhances the relationship between neighbors and law enforcement while bringing back a true sense of community. The HSO supports law enforcement’s efforts in strengthening these community bonds.

Each year the Highway Safety Office hosts an annual law enforcement luncheon during the Nebraska Sheriff’s Association/Police Officer Association Conference with an attendance of more than 125 law enforcement leaders. The luncheon is an opportunity to thank them for their work, share grant funding opportunities, crash data and new legislation.

TowardZeroDeaths

Description: Measurement of motor vehicle crashes on Nebraska roadways, the Interstate, state highways, and local roads and streets.

Purpose: To heighten the awareness of safety and driving responsibility on Nebraska roadways. A consistent decline in crashes reflects improved safety management practices, greater public awareness of safe driving practices, and will reduce the statewide societal costs.

Goal: To reduce motor vehicle crashes in Nebraska to a ratio of 5.5 per million vehicle miles traveled by 2021..

Outcome: Nebraska’s crash rate has been below the national rate since 2004. Beginning in 2013, the number of crashes has increased every year, but the ratio of crashes to 100 million vehicle miles traveled remained at 1.6 until ticking up to 1.7 in 2015. and remaining there through 2018.

Nebraska Crashes and National Data(Ratio Per 100 Million Vehicle Miles Traveled)

1.0%

1.5%

2.0%

2.5%

Nat'l.

Nebraska

2018201720162015201420132012201120102009

2.03

1.81

1.691.69

Nebraska Crashes

National Crashes2

1.68

2.01

1.721.81

1.7

1.831.86 1.89 1.9

1.58 1.651.62 1.67

2.15

Nebraska Year Crashes2009 34,6652010 33,2122011 32,3022012 30,4432013 31,3772014 32,3182015 33,9882016 34,8902017 34,9992018 36,117

Motor Vehicle Crashes on Nebraska Roadways

4 | SAFETY

FEATURED STRATEGY

Crash Reports Can Be Submitted OnlineDrivers involved in a crash may now submit the required Driver’s Motor Vehicle Crash Report to NDOT electronically rather than on paper. State statute requires every driver involved in a crash resulting in death, injury or damage over $1,000 to submit the report within ten days of the incident. Before the implementation of this system, drivers had to complete a paper form and mail it to NDOT.

The online system went live in June 2018, and, by July 2019, 20% of drivers required to submit the report were doing so electronically. Completion of the form takes about five minutes and crash images can be uploaded to augment the report. Drivers may complete part of form, save it and finish it later. The system notifies the driver if the form has not been completed within the required 10 days.

Not only is the new system more convenient for drivers, it is more efficient and less error-prone for NDOT because an employee no longer needs to manually enter the data from a paper form into a computer system. With more than 50,000 reports submitted to NDOT annually, the system promises significant savings.

While no specific expectations were set for the popularity of electronic submission form, NDOT anticipates that increased awareness of its availability will result in significantly increased usage going forward, perhaps 30% higher usage within the next year.

SAFETY | 5

SAFETY HIGHLIGHT

NDOT’s Message to Motorists:

“Your Safe Travel is Our Business”Planning and preparing for potential winter storms is something that the Nebraska Department of Transportation takes very seriously. Each of NDOT’s eight highway districts plays a major role in these efforts and one of the most important jobs at the department is plowing snow to make the state’s roads safe for the traveling public and keep commerce moving. 

Technology plays an important part in aiding these hard-working snowfighters with this challenging work. Several tools, including the Maintenance Decision Support System, Plow Tracker and Statewide Radio System provide improved information to increase efficiency and help make the winter journey on roads safer. As technology evolves, we continue to look for ways to serve our customers in their decisions as they make their travel plans.

MDSSThe Maintenance Decision Support System (MDSS) is a computer application for managing and improving highway maintenance practices during winter weather events. Combined with Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) and Mobile Data Collectors (MDCs), NDOT maintenance managers are able to view sophisticated weather and pavement models, plow truck locations, camera views of roads ahead, material usage, and more. Snowplow operators receive current and predicted weather information, location of other plow trucks, and recommended material application rates and time to apply.

Plow TrackerIn January 2019, the Plow Tracker website became available for the public. Each snowplow has a camera installed to provide an image of what the operator is seeing and reporting systems that are forwarded to the forecaster, along with vehicle and treatment data as well as operator inputted road or weather conditions. NDOT continues to expand on the use of tow

plows. Equipped with the capability to clear two lanes at once, tow plows speed up the process of snow removal, particularly on I-80 and other highways with multiple lanes in each direction.

Statewide Radio SystemAlso new is a Statewide Radio System (SRS) that is available to all NDOT districts. The new system makes it easier to coordinate and communicate with NDOT responders and other state agencies. By communicating on the SRS, all operators on the assigned channel are able to hear all communication, which provides continuous situation awareness to those involved in the response

PathfinderAnother new innovation is Pathfinder, a strategy for proactive system management ahead of and during adverse weather events. This is a collaborative effort between the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), National Weather Service (NWS) and weather service contractors to share and translate weather forecasts and road conditions into consistent transportation impact messages for the public. Information is shared through NDOT’s twitter feeds, other social media platforms and DMS message boards.

Clear Roads ResearchNDOT recently received funding from the Clear Roads Research Program for a research proposal to produce a nationally accepted test procedure for measuring ice-melting capacity and sucrose additive research to ascertain which sources have the ability to satisfy Nebraska’s requirement for a sucrose additive. The Program is a group of transportation professionals from around the country that drives innovation in the field of winter maintenance. By evaluating materials, equipment and methods in real-world conditions, the program identifies the most effective techniques and technologies to save agencies money, improve safety and increase efficiency.

6 | FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

Construction 512 74% 491 74% 438 73% 518 75% 587 77% 565 75% 584 73% 682 75% 633 76% 641 76% Maintenance 158 23% 130 20% 124 21% 130 19% 134 18% 149 20% 169 21% 178 20% 151 18% 154 18% Subtotal $670 97% $621 94% $562 93% $648 94% $720 95% $714 94% 753 94% 860 95% 784 95% 795 94% Overhead 19 3% 42 6% 40 7% 40 6% 41 5% 43 6% 47 6% 49 5% 45 5% 47 6% Total Costs $689 $663 $602 $688 $762 $757 $800 $909 $829 $842

$0$100$200$300$400$500$600$700

Overhead

Maintenance

Construction

2018201720162015201420132012201120102009

Transportation and Administrative Expenditures(Dollar amounts represented in millions)

45151

633565

43149

584

178

682

47

169

49

438

42130

491

19

158

512

641

47154

41134

587

40130

518

40124

OverheadMaintenanceConstruction

FISCAL RESPONSIBILITYUse Financial Resources Wisely and Make Financial Decisions in an Open and Transparent Way

Overhead as a Percentage of Annual ExpendituresDescription: Measurement of the department’s costs for construction, maintenance and overhead.

Purpose: To maximize funding for trans portation purposes by minimizing overhead costs.

Goal: To have overhead costs less than 10% of annual expenditures.

Outcome: The department has maintained overhead at less than 10% of annual expenditures over the ten-year period. The overhead for 2018 was 6%.

Fiscal Responsibility is defined as (1) living within our means; (2) using financial resources wisely, and (3) making financial decisions in an open and transparent way. The goal is to optimize the use of available funds to build and maintain the state’s transportation system. These measures have been established to reflect the progress toward meeting this goal.

FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY | 7

Actual and Estimated 1-Year Program Project Cost Projects 1-Year Fiscal Over/Under Fiscal in 1-Year Program Year-End Total Program Over/ Year Program Estimate Project Cost Estimate Under

2009 142 $319,044,000 $350,672,000 $31,628,000 10%2010 160 $387,770,000 $389,302,000 $1,532,000 0%2011 144 $407,556,000 $400,925,000 ($6,631,000) -2%2012 142 $333,466,000 $342,528,000 $9,062,000 3%2013 135 $380,732,000 $376,220,000 ($4,512,000) -1%2014 152 $466,460,000 $446,529,000 ($19,931,000) -4%2015 153 $447,786,000 $501,012,000 $53,226,000 12%2016 110 $453,412,000 $467,351,000 $13,939,000 3%2017 95 $506,168,000 $498,937,000 ($7,231,000) -1%2018 100 $483,240,000 $482,144,000 ($1,096,000) -.2%

Description: Measurement of the ability to accurately estimate the dollar amount of projects contained in the department’s one-year schedule of highway improvement projects (1-Year Program).

Purpose: Accurate estimates are necessary for the budgeting and funding of the projects identified in the 1-Year Program.

Goal: To be within 5% of the total estimated cost of the published program as reported in the 1-Year Program.

Outcome: The goal has been met eight out of the last ten years.

Accuracy of Project Estimates Contained in the 1-Year Program

Optimizing the use of available funds and other resources to build and maintain the state’s transportation system is a concept embraced and acted upon, in numerous ways, by employees throughout NDOT. This “culture of innovation” saves time and money every day as the department goes about meeting its wide array of responsibilities. In 2017, a team of employees came up with a way to reward this creativity, called the “Innovation Challenge”.

Once a year, employees are invited to submit innovations they have implemented – items they have created and put to use or improved processes they have put into practice. Korey Donahoo, coordinator of the Innovation Challenge, notes that he has “learned a lot about what the 2,000 people who work here do, the things they deal with, and how they are improving the way we’ve always done it.

After innovations have been nominated, they are placed into brackets, in head-to-head battles, in the style of the NCAA March Madness Basketball Tournament. Employees vote until a “final four” has been selected. The final four innovations are placed in a pool and employees again choose the winner. Creators of the top eight innovations are invited to display and discuss their innovations with other

employees at the “Innovation Showcase” held at the NDOT Central Complex. During the Showcase, the NDOT Director announces the winners. Winners receive monetary prizes, with the creator of the Innovation of the Year receiving $500!

In 2018, the “Innovation of the Year” prize was awarded to Jim McDonald in District 1, for the “Blade Changer” he improvised from spare parts. The device uses a jack attached to a bracket that allows a used blade to be easily removed from a snowplow or motor grader and a new blade placed in the bracket, lifted into place and attached. The innovation allows the blade to be changed quicker and more safely than without it.

In 2019, the Innovation of the Year was awarded to Kevin Schrage from District 3, for his “Undercarriage Drive-Over Wash Bar” which is able to clean the underside of most equipment used by NDOT.  Schrage constructed the device so that the vehicle is driven onto two ramps over a pipe that runs between and on both sides of the ramps. Nozzles of various kinds, appropriately placed along the pipe, allow water, under pressure, to break loose any hard compacted soils, grease and salt and flush it away, saving maintenance costs and preventing debris from affected traffic.

FEATURED STRATEGY

Innovation Challenge – Grassroots Approach to Fiscal Responsibility

8 | FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY

Description: Measurement of the number of projects let in a calendar year and the average number of bids that the department receives on those projects.

Purpose: Measure the number of projects let to construction in a calendar year and measure the average competition among the industry players for that calendar year’s projects.

Goal: Maintain a minimum average of three bidders over a calendar year.

Outcome: The minimum average of three bidders over a calendar year has been met in eight of the last nine years.

Construction Competitiveness

201820172016201520142013201220112010

205181 190

197 199

Number of Projects Let Per Year andAverage Number of Bids Per Project

4.1 43.5

3.22.9 3.1

Bids Per Project Projects Let

152

3.8251

1563.5

155

3

FEATURED STRATEGY

Prequalification of Construction Companies to Bid on Construction Projects Making the bidding and highway construction process more streamlined, business friendly, cost-effective and high quality has been underway by NDOT and the Nebraska Legislature for the past couple of years. The Legislature aided this effort in its 2019 session through adoption of statutory changes in LB 117.

State law previously required contractors to submit a certified financial statement to NDOT to be prequalified to bid on a project. While this does provide some value, the financial statement provides insufficient information for the Department to assess a contractor’s work capacity. LB 117 eliminates the requirement for the certified financial statement. Eliminating the cost of obtaining a certified financial statement may make prequalifying with NDOT more attractive, thus potentially increasing the pool of potential bidders.

Construction companies are required to obtain a contract bond to help protect the performance of the project. Through changes provided in LB 117, the Department will rely on a certificate from the bonding agency to assess the contractor’s work capacity for prequalification. The bonding agency already does a financial evaluation as well as a performance evaluation to assure that the contractor has the capacity to perform the contract. The certificate is expected to be more valuable to NDOT than the certified financial statement for prequalification purposes.

The second change that LB 117 makes is that it is easier for NDOT to issue bid proposals to contractors through an electronic means, rather than through paper. This decreases the cost of printing and copying bid proposals, along with the cost of the paper itself, while reducing the time it takes to get the bid proposal into the contractor’s hands.

Since the days of the fur trade, moving goods has been integral to the growth of Nebraska’s economy, connecting local and regional industries to national and global markets, attracting westward immigration, and improving the quality of life for Nebraskans.Today, the state’s freight network has expanded beyond navigable waterways and trails to include a sophisticated network of railroads, highway corridors and air cargo facilities.

These freight networks connect raw materials to businesses and allow businesses to connect their finished goods with consumers. These products and materials include some of the same goods transported a hundred years ago, such as grain, coal and manufactured goods. They also include products integral to today’s modern, global economy, such as pharmaceuticals, electronics and containers from around the world.

The Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) plays a key role in movement of freight and strives to understand how these complex systems interact with our publicly funded projects, policies and strategies. NDOT activity influences freight goods movement, influencing private sector decisions that affect business investment and our quality of life. Only through study of these impacts can NDOT efficiently leverage its limited resources for maximum economic impact.

Unique PlanThe NDOT Planning Section developed a first-of-its-kind Nebraska State Freight Plan in 2017. The study was developed with the help of “Cambridge Systematics” and “Burns and McDonnell.” The study benchmarked Nebraska’s freight-related features in order to create a frame of reference for establishing and evaluating the state’s freight-related performance. Once established, the study team was able to investigate industry drivers of goods movement, the impact of supply chains on our transportation system condition and performance, and the link between land use, infrastructure, economic development and workforce needs.

An important aspect in the development of Nebraska’s State Freight Plan involved engaging with and listening to a broad set of public and private freight transportation stakeholders across the state. These stakeholders described the underlying drivers of freight demand and impacts on the Nebraska freight transportation system, and explicitly analyzed both transportation and economic development needs and issues. By doing so, NDOT and its partners could leverage knowledge to develop policies, programs and projects to reduce the cost of doing business in Nebraska. Along with stakeholder input, the plan used several different public and private data sources that described commodity flows, freight mode usage, freight hub locations, bill of lading information and other freight-related data.

Final ApprovalThe Federal Highway Administration approved the final freight plan in late 2017. It now serves as the basis for the allocation of federal freight funding on NDOT projects. This is captured in the investment plan, which is a fiscally constrained list of projects within the State Freight Plan.

With an approved State Freight Plan, NDOT can focus on other supporting activities like the Nebraska Supply Chain Optimization Model. In partnership with the Nebraska Department of Economic Development, this model focuses on the supply chain costs for businesses in Nebraska along with potential impacts of various supply chain solutions. NDOT has examined the feasibility and impact of transload facilities, intermodal yards and cross-docking facilities in several Nebraska communities, with the goal that private sector entities can use model results to form investment partnerships that ultimately lead to federal grant opportunities.

NDOT continues to monitor freight activity under the plan. It will refresh the State Freight Plan periodically, incorporating new insights into how NDOT affects the state’s economy and how it can leverage its resources to grow Nebraska.

FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY HIGHLIGHT

Growing our Economy through Freight Planning

FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY | 9

10 | ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP

Environmental Stewardship is the integration of environmental considerations into the planning, design, construction and operational activities associated with the Nebraska transportation system. These environmental considerations include cultural, natural and human elements. The department is committed to its role as an environmental steward and to preserving and protecting the environmental features and resources of the state. This goal emphasizes that transportation decisions and investments must be balanced with environmental consider ations. The performance measures linked to this strategic goal illustrate our promise to carry environmental commit ments forward into construction, take swift corrective action to benefit the environment, when necessary, and to encourage an environ mentally sustainable transportation system.

Environmental Commitments in ComplianceDescription: A key component of the department’s environmental stewardship goal is to ensure that environmental commitments for construction projects, documented through the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and permitting processes, are being managed. This entails periodic site inspections to ensure that these com-mitments are being upheld during construction.

Purpose: To ensure that the department is following through with our promises made to the public and to the environmental agencies, we track compliance with commitments and the information necessary to deliver appropriate environmental training to staff and contractors.

Goal: 100% of the environmental commitments are in compliance.

Outcome: This performance measure reports data for projects from January through December.

For 2017, 99.8% of environmental commitments were in compliance.

ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIPIntegrate Environmental Considerations into Planning/Design, Construction, and Operational Activities of Nebraska’s Transportation System

ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP | 11

Paving It ForwardDescription: Measurement of material removed during highway construction or maintenance work that is available for reuse.

Purpose: To ensure that the department is striving to maximize the use of removed or salvaged material. This minimizes the use of virgin materials and keeps reclaimed material out of landfills.

Goal: A minimum of 33% overall replacement content.

Outcome: This content has trended upward, from 28% in 2008 to 35% in 2017, down slightly from a high of 39% in 2015, but still exceeds the goal. Post-consumer recycle content of 28% on concrete projects and 38% for asphalt projects was reported in 2017.

Post-Consumer Recycle Content Overall Replacement Content Raw Recycle Content Materials Raw Materials Est. Value Year (tons) (tons) Recycled2009 3,126,047 899,990 $31,994,0602010 3,270,654 942,679 $34,563,1172011 3,180,801 1,055,865 $49,834,1912012 3,477,232 1,210,614 $53,066,4802013 3,714,339 1,250,167 $53,215,8092014 3,796,902 1,350,476 $59,292,0242015 3,215,669 1,246,427 $45,750,9062016 3,717,875 1,250,980 $47,568,9532017 4,346,961 1,534,604 $60,233,179

FEATURED STRATEGY

Two Layers of Asphalt to Optimize Recycle ContentWhen NDOT evaluates a roadway and its condition, we choose the rehabilitation strategy that is a best fit for the traffic volume and the expected roadway life. Recycle strategies are a cost effective way to improve condition and provide years of reliable service. In-place recycling has been an effective rehabilitation method for low-volume roads. As traffic volume increases, a more refined approach is necessary to implement more restrictive design parameters creating a durable driving surface that holds up to higher traffic demands. This is achieved by utilizing a two lift (layer) system of asphalt. The base lift can contain up to 65% recycled material and a more durable top lift can contain up to 55% recycled material. The top lift of asphalt is less prone to cracking and is resilient in cold climate conditions. This two layer approach allows the state to save money by optimizing the use of existing stone and asphalt by recycling it into freshly placed asphalt.

Post-Consumer Recycle Content

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

201720162015201420132012201120102009

Goal: 33%

39%33%

36% 35%

29% 29%

35% 34% 34%

Problem-Solving SwiftlyDescription: This important component of the department’s environmental stewardship goal is to ensure that corrective actions related to environmental commitments for construction projects are resolved within a seven-day window. Speed of resolution is key to maintaining compliance.

Purpose: To ensure that the department is performing timely corrective actions and tracking the compliance information necessary to deliver appropriate environmental training to staff and contractors.

Goal: 100% of corrective actions completed within seven days.

Outcome: In 2018, 84.1% of corrective actions were completed within seven days, up from 80.9% in 2017, and 99.9% were completed within 30 days, up from a previous high of 93% in 2016.

12 | ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP

ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP HIGHLIGHT

New Soil Amendment Process Aids NDOT Project CompletionNDOT’s District 8, in North Central Nebraska, is one of the latest places to utilize a new form of soil amendment – one that may take the place of manure and help improve seeding on difficult soils. In a half dozen sites over the course of the last year, the Department has been reseeding areas using products like Verdyol Biotic Earth in hopes of speeding up germination.

Biotic Earth, and similar products, are designed to achieve successful vegetation when used as a topsoil or compost alternative, or where existing soils are less than ideal. Hydraulically applied, these products accelerate the nutrient cycling and soil building processes to establish permanent vegetation.

Biotic Earth is comprised of sustainably harvested Canadian spaghnum peat moss, natural fibers, mycorrhizal fungi, beneficial bacteria, and natural growth stimulants to allow vegetation to thrive. Its benefits are listed as (1) drastically increasing soil water holding capacity; (2) incorporating microbial soil life – the real difference between dirt and soil; (3) providing a consistent application rate per acre regardless of slope and organic matter content; (4) being less expensive than using topsoil, compost or another biotic soil amendment; and (5) ensuring only desirable species grow on the site by using a weed and seed free formula.

In turn, this means the department will be able to wrap up construction projects quicker –  maybe even six months quicker. “The faster we get grass growing, the faster we can close out permits,” said Ronald Poe, Highway Environmental Program Manager. He says faster perennial growth will also mean fewer inspections and less paperwork.

ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP | 13

The newer process involves contractors using sprayers to spread the mix, instead of hauling in new topsoil to a project area. The mixtures provide more minerals and nutrients to the soil as well, and Poe says the products are more consistent than the manure mixes used in the past. When a contractor sprays an area, they know what to expect.

Jason Lehn, District 8 Construction Engineer, notes that the product is good for use on sandy soils. Gross Seed Company, a contractor out of Johnstown, Nebraska, used it on a project along Highway 7, south of Ainsworth. It was the district’s first use of the newer soil amendment.

Poe and Lehn are very hopeful about the products’ prospects, and while initial impressions of the new spray products were good, according to Poe, the real judgment will be made much further down the road. It takes time to assess the long-term usefulness of soil amendment products and to evaluate and determine what works best on projects around the state.

ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP HIGHLIGHT CONT’D.

PROJECT DELIVERYUse Known State and Industry Best Practices, New Technologies and Creativity to Continually Improve and Deliver Well-Designed, High-Quality Projects, Products and Services

The department’s goal is to continuously improve project delivery. Project delivery refers to the steps taken to progressively develop plans that define how each highway project will be built. Project delivery teams are responsible for developing these plans and must predict, minimize or prevent negative impacts to the environment, project costs and construction schedules for stakeholders.

The department strives to:n  Continuously enhance our expertise in laws and

regulations that affect highway projectsn Lead efforts to streamline complex processesn  Implement creative, efficient and flexible solutions

to expedite project delivery and construction

The Nebraska Surface Transportation Program is published annually on July 1st, listing projects scheduled for delivery within the next year (1-Year Program) and within the following five years (5-Year Program). The five performance measures and three featured strategies shown in the Project Delivery section will assist in assuring that scheduled projects are delivered as planned.

14 | PROJECT DELIVERY

In 2016, NDOT introduced a performance measure to monitor and improve project delivery reliability. This measure looks at “on-time” delivery by month. n  In FY-2017, 52% of projects in the 1-Year Program were let on time;

97% of all projects were let in time to maintain the construction season as planned.

n  In FY-2018, NDOT anticipates this number will go up by about 30%.

PROJECT DELIVERY | 15

Description: Measurement of the ability to let projects which are identified in the department’s one-year schedule of highway improvement projects (1-Year Program).

Purpose: This measurement monitors the delivery of projects to the public. Our performance reflects how well we keep our promises to the public.

Goal: To deliver 100% of projects.

Outcome: 98% of projects identified in the department’s one-year schedule of highway improvement projects were delivered to letting in 2018, compared to 95% in 2017.

Fiscal 1-Year Projects Year Projects1 Delivered2009 142 1362010 160 1382011 144 1382012 142 1282013 135 1112014 152 1392015 153 1392016 110 962017 95 902018 100 98

1 Projects from the Nebraska Surface Transportation Program not included are those counted in the previous fiscal year, projects withdrawn, and projects built by entities other than the State of Nebraska.

Percent of ProjectsDelivered in the 1-Year Program

2018201720162015201420132012201120102009

87%

91%96%

Goal: 100%95%

98%96%

86%

90%

82%

91.5%

1-Year Program Projects Delivered to Letting

Description: Measurement of the ability to let projects which are identified in the department’s five-year highway improvement planning program (5-Year Program).

Purpose: This measurement monitors the delivery of projects to the public. Our performance reflects how well we keep our promises to the public, by delivering the majority of the 5-Year Program within five years.

Goal: To deliver 80% of projects in the 5-Year Program.

Outcome: 73% of projects identified in the department’s five-year schedule of highway improvement projects were delivered to letting in 2018 compared to 76% in 2017.

5-Year Program Projects Delivered to Letting

2018201720162015201420132012201120102009

63%

85%

74%

Percent of ProjectsDelivered in the 5-Year Program

Goal: 80%

76%73%69%

57%

69%74%

75%

Program 5-Year Projects Period Projects Delivered2005-2009 312 2142006-2010 347 197*2007-2011 342 2152008-2012 319 2212009-2013 270 2002010-2014 376 2832011-2015 428 3162012-2016 410 3492013-2017 395 3002014-2018 428 318

16 | PROJECT DELIVERY

The US-30 Schuyler to Rogers project was slated for 993 calendar days of construction, with a majority of the work to be done in under 789 days. Work began in October 2016. Project team members decided to accelerate things a bit, resulting in completion in January 2019, about five months ahead of schedule.

Contractors and NDOT personnel worked long days and many weekends to push the completion date ahead of schedule. Project Manager Michael Steffensmeier attributed much of the project’s early finish to good planning, coordination and efficiency.

Shawn Sleeze, Hawkins Construction Company site supervisor attributed the success to planning and timing. The crews tried to organize their tasks to minimize the amount of downtime and waiting on the site. There were minor snags – a right-of-way issue cost the project 4-6 weeks, in the supervisor’s estimation, but the project moved forward regardless.

Focus on SafetyWhile a speedy construction schedule was a plus, the foremost concern on the site was safety. Both at weekly meetings between the NDOT and Hawkins, and during everyday interactions between NDOT inspectors and Hawkins field staff, all parties involved were focused on safe and efficient work.

A majority of the project’s construction – including Phase 1 and 2 grading, drainage, mainline and surfaced shoulder pavement, a crossover, and switching the two-lane, two-way traffic into new westbound lanes – was contracted to be completed in 789 calendar days, which included two winter sessions. The contractor utilized earthwork tiles, GPS equipment and made use of a stringless paver system for all mainline paving operations.

Regional ConnectivityThe project’s primary purpose was to improve regional connectivity on US-30 for both public and commercial travelers. As the only direct connection between Columbus and Fremont, the highway carries a lot of traffic. The average daily vehicle count in 2016 was 6,640 vehicles, 710 of which were heavy vehicles. Volume is expected to grow by more than 50% by 2036.

FEATURED STRATEGY

Work Completed Early on US-30, Schuyler to Rogers

Description: Measurement of estimated time to complete a project.

Purpose: This is a measure of our ability to accurately estimate the amount of time necessary to complete a construction project (contract time allowance).

Goal: 80% of calendar year projects completed within the current contract time allowance.

Outcome: 82% of projects were completed within the number of days allowed in 2018, exceeding the goal.

Percent of Projects Completed Within the Adjusted Number of Days Allowed

20182017201620152014

86%86%

Goal: 80%

87% 85% 82%

Construction Projects Completed Within the Adjusted Days Allowed

PROJECT DELIVERY | 17

FEATURED STRATEGY

Super Teams Develop Change Control Form

Number of Projects Completed Year Projects2014 1562015 2202016 1852017 1512018 118

Super Teams, one for each of NDOT’s eight districts across the state, are comprised of five staff from district and central offices. They were created last year to oversee active state and local projects by conducting project risk assessments, managing change control for scope, cost, and schedule of projects, and mitigating issues as they arise.

The Super Teams recently implemented the “Change Control Form” – an official document to track all changes requested by a team or division. Any team member can fill out a change form and submit it to the team. The Change Control Form also helps the person requesting the change to take a more holistic view of the impact of the change on the entire project. The team evaluates the risk and effect of the proposed change on cost, scope and schedule of the project. If the proposed change falls within the team’s range of responsibility, the team makes a decision on the proposal.

A Super Team comes together about every six weeks to investigate the status of projects, to determine roadblocks and risks, and to review all Change Control Forms submitted. If the change requested is beyond the scope of the Super Team and does not require immediate escalation, it is brought to the Change Control Accountability Meeting (CCAM) for the Change Control Board to make a decision. The Change Control Board is comprised of the Division Heads of the Local Assistance, Materials and Research, Program Management, Project Delivery, Right of Way, and Roadway Design Divisions, and the Deputy Directors of Engineering and Operations.

After the CCAM meeting, the Change Control Board makes its decision. Once a decision is reached on a change proposed using a Change Control Form, the form is posted on OnBase for general access.

18 | PROJECT DELIVERY

Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) staff pulled double-duty working toward assuming environmental approval responsibilities from the federal government while simultaneously delivering Nebraska transportation projects. On September 5th, 2018, a ceremony was held at the State Capitol Rotunda commemorating the undertaking with the signing of a Memorandum of Under-standing (MOU) for Categorical Exclusion (CE) assignment.

With the MOU, NDOT will assume environmental-review responsibilities for federally-funded Categorical Exclusion transportation projects. CEs are the most common level of review under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 for infrastructure projects in Nebraska. Such projects compose approximately 95 percent of all the state’s infrastructure activities.

Governor Pete Ricketts touted the CE assignment as fruit of a continuing effort to create efficiencies that deliver infrastructure

benefits to the state more quickly and economically. FHWA Deputy Administrator Brandye Hendrickson noted that customer service will be heightened by taking adminis-trative duties from Washington, D.C. and giving them back to the people of Nebraska. Nebraska’s inaugural employment of the shifting administrative duties Hendrickson described was in suburban Omaha. There, the Western Douglas County Trail in Valley benefitted from NDOT serving as the environmental-approval authority under the CE MOU. NDOT’s approval permitted the Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District to move ahead with the trail without potentially being required to repay federal money used in the development of the project.

FHWA Nebraska Division Administrator Joe Werning noted that NDOT and FHWA worked together for innovative ways to improve customer service and project delivery and the technical teams from both departments performed at a superhuman level.

PROJECT DELIVERY HIGHLIGHT

Categorical Exclusion MOU Signed by NDOT, FHWA

NDOT Director Kyle Schneweis and FHWA Nebraska Division Administrator Joe Werning sign Memorandum of Understanding for Categorical Exclusion assignment, while Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts and FHWA Deputy Administrator Brandye Hendrickson look on.

ASSET MANAGEMENTOperate, Maintain, Upgrade and Expand Physical Assets Effectively Throughout Their Life Cycle

Performance measures have been developed to monitor the condition of Nebraska’s roadways, bridges and fleet. Various strategies are used to meet goals and objectives to preserve, rehabilitate and replace major assets managed by the department.

ASSET MANAGEMENT | 19

The vast majority of concrete pavement built since 1947 by the NDOT has utilized the same basic mix of aggregate, i.e. rock. The mixture was originally adopted after extensive testing which balanced concrete performance with aggregate availability and economics. It typically consists of 70% sand and gravel (small rock) sourced from across the state and 30% limestone (larger rock) mined from the eastern side of the state. On occasion, larger rock from surrounding states is used depending on project location.

The original 47B concrete mix has served the state well and continues to see extensive use today. The NDOT has recently partnered with

the University of Nebraska - Lincoln and the Association of General Contractors to better optimize the aggregate mix through research and revision to specifications. By revising the aggregate size requirements, a third aggregate (medium-sized rock) will be added to better fill the space between existing aggregate. By packing the aggregate tighter together, the cement content of the mix can be reduced to save cost without sacrificing strength.

Once the research is complete and the new specification implemented, the NDOT expects to see increased strength, lower permeability, and improved durability of our concrete pavements, all at a lower cost.

FEATURED STRATEGY

Optimized Aggregate Gradation for Concrete

Description: Measurement of the pavement quality of the state highway surface.

Purpose: This is a measure of the pavement condition of the state’s 10,000 miles of highways. Pavement condition ratings are based upon annual automated and visual inspections and are rated according to the Nebraska Serviceability Index (NSI).1 Highway pavement sections are rated on an NSI scale of 0-100 with any section rated 70 or above consideredgood. This information is used to help determine appropriate strategies for maintenance, rehabilitation, or reconstruction.Goal: 80-85% of the highway system miles shall be rated at least good (NSI rating ≥ 70).Outcome 87% of the highway system is rated at least good, exceeding the goal.

Percent of Miles at Least “Good” (NSI ≥ 70)

Total Highways

Non-Interstate

Interstate

2018201720162015201420132012201120102009

Total HighwaysNon-Interstate

Interstate96.2%93.3% 91.6%

73.9%

85.7%

78.6%75.4%

86.7%

79.8% Goal: 80-85%

Pavement Condition of Nebraska Highways

20 | ASSET MANAGEMENT

FEATURED STRATEGY

NDOT’s Pavement Research Garners National Attention

Smoother RoadsDescription: Measurement of the smoothness of the roads on the National Highway System (NHS). The NHS is a subset of the highway system and includes roads that are important to the nation’s economy, defense and mobility. The National Highway System is comprised of 3,655 miles of state highways and local roads.

Purpose: One measure of the smoothness of roads is the International Roughness Index (IRI). This index measures pavement roughness in terms of the number of inches per mile. The lower the IRI number, the better the ride. A smoother roadway is safer and more satisfying to the users of our highway system.

Goal: 65% of all miles on the National Highway System shall be maintained at an acceptable ride quality of “good” (IRI ratings < 95 in/mi). National data is not available for 2018.

Outcome: In 2018, 65% of Nebraska’s National Highway System miles had an IRI rating of good, meeting the goal.

Percent of “Smooth” Miles on the NHS (IRI < 95)

2018201720162015201420132012201120102009National NHS

Nebraska NHS

Interstate86.6%

65.1%

86.9%

60.7%57.2%

61.6%

63.8%64.4%

87.7%

Goal: 65%

The pavement research program at NDOT received national notice when its research on thin-lift overlay pavements was published in the September 2018 issue of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Journal of Transportation Engineering. Over the past several years, thin-lift overlays have been used to improve smoothness on some of Nebraska’s highways.

Pavement smoothness extends the life of the roadway, reduces wear and tear on vehicles and provides a much-improved driving experience. In addition, the thinner surface treatment enables faster project delivery than traditional overlay strategies.

The project recognized in the ASCE journal measured the cost and performance of 1-inch thin-lift overlays compared to the standard 2-inch overlay designs and analyzed the newType SLX (Surface Laminate Xtreme-thin-lift)from a mixture design and structural aspect foruse in maintenance and pavement preservationoverlays. The Type SLX mix is a finely grade,

smaller sized aggregate mix composed of 35% recycled asphalt pavement (RAP), and is generally used on overlays of 1 inch in thickness, but is versatile enough to be used on overlay thicknesses up to 5 inches.

Initial testing of the new mix was on a 5-mile section of US-77 near Crete. Nearly six years old now, it has a PSI (Present Serviceability Index) of 4.4 out of 5. The PSI is a national standardized rating system that takes into account several quality factors such as smoothness, cracking ruttng, etc. The second test applied the 1-inch thickness of the new mix to a quarter mile section of I-80 between Kearney and Minden. This section is in its fourth year of monitoring and is performing well with a current PSI rating of 4.1.

Recent research by UNL Professor, Dr. Yong-Rak Kim, verified that thin-lift overlays are very beneficial, cost-effective and viable strategy for continued use in pavement preservation and resurfacing work, capable of performing well on heavy traffic loading conditions such as I-80.

Description: Measurement of the progress towards keeping state-owned bridges in a condition of good repair.

Purpose: All bridges in Nebraska are safety inspected every two years and the condition information is stored in the Nebraska Bridge Inventory. This condition information is used by the Bridge Management Section to determine cost-effective strategies to keep the bridges in good repair. The necessary work may include preservation, repair, maintenance, re-decking, rehabilitation or replacement.

Goal: To have 95% of Nebraska state-owned bridges in good or fair condition.

Outcome: 96.4% of Nebraska’s state-owned bridges are in good or fair condition.

Percent of State-Owned Bridgesin Good, Fair or Poor Condition

Poor

Fair

Good

201820172016201520142013

Poor

Fair

Good 61.2%63.1% 60.4%

36.2%35.5%33.2%

3.4%3.3%

35.6%

63.9% 60.9%

32.1%

3.9% 3.6% 3.6%

59.8%

36.6%

3.6%

Major Bridge Components - bridge deck, superstructure, substructure Good - major bridge components are all in good condition or betterPoor - one or more major bridge components are in poor condition or worseFair - all other bridges

Nebraska Bridges in a State of Good Repair

Two new interactive maps are available on the NDOT Bridge Information web pages. These maps are linked to live data and update automatically to provide current information to support safe navigation and efficient bridge inspection planning.

Weight Restricted Bridges Map There are approximately 15,000 bridges in Nebraska, with about 3,500 of these on the State Highway System. All of the 15,000 bridges are analyzed to determine their load carrying capacity and some of the bridges have been found to require weight restrictions that are less than the limits for legal truck loads. Truck drivers can safely cross the posted bridges by following the weight limits that are shown on signs near these bridges. If their vehicle is heavier than the posted weight limits, they have to find an alternative route. The Weight Restricted Bridges map helps to meet this need for safe route planning by showing bridge weight-limit restrictions and locations of closed bridges. Since the Nebraska Bridge Inventory only includes structures that are longer than 20 feet, a feature was added to this map to allow authorized local bridge managers to add shorter structures with weight restrictions to the map.

The map of posted and closed bridges allows truck drivers to choose routes that are adequate for their vehicles. Bridges are less likely to be overloaded, drivers less likely to be ticketed and routing efficiency is increased. Find the Weight Restricted Bridges map at: dot.nebraska.gov/business-center/bridge/

Upcoming Bridge Inspection MapBridges in Nebraska are inspected at least every two years by certified bridge inspectors. In October and November of 2018, almost 3,000 bridge inspections were conducted by 57 agencies. To facilitate inspection scheduling the Upcoming Bridge Inspection map was developed. The map is highly intuitive and has many features that can be used to facilitate the important work done by bridge owners to ensure their bridge inspection reports are up to date and compliant with state and federal regulations. The Upcoming Bridge Inspection map can be found at: dot.nebraska.gov/business-center/bridge/inspection/

ASSET MANAGEMENT | 21

Nebraska Year Bridges2009 3,5092010 3,5172011 3,5162012 3,5142013 3,5202014 3,5192015 3,5172016 3,5242017 3,5252018 3,523

FEATURED STRATEGY

NDOT Online Bridge Maps

Description: To detail the condition of Nebraska bridges on the National Highway System (NHS), both at the state and local levels. It is important that the bridges in Nebraska are safe and able to carry the loads necessary to keep our economy moving forward. Because funding is not always available to maintain these structures in excellent condition, we must determine the deficiencies to measure our progress.

Purpose: To report on the overall condition of our bridges and compare that condition to the goals we have set.

Goal: Less than 10% of the total deck area of bridges on the NHS classified as structurally deficient.

Outcome: Nebraska has met the goal. This measure reveals that 98.1% of the deck area of Nebraska’s bridges on the NHS is classified as structurally sound, leaving only 1.9% of the deck area classified as structurally deficient.

FEATURED STRATEGY

Cost-Efficient Bridge Rail for Low-Volume Roads

Deck Area of Structurally Deficient Bridges on the National Highway System

The Nebraska Department of Transportation partnered with the Midwest Roadside Safety Facility at the University of Nebraska to develop a cost-efficient bridge rail for county bridges. This system will be used for bridges constructed through the County Bridge Match Program that was created to help Nebraska counties replace or repair deficient bridges. A major part of this program is finding innovative and cost-efficient ways to build new bridges. Bridge rails and approach guardrail systems are necessary to provide safety to the traveling public.

The Midwest Roadside Safety Facility coordinated with NDOT and county representatives to optimize the bridge rail system, satisfy current safety standards, and minimize costs. The bridge rail is mounted to the side of the bridge deck in order to maximize the usable width of the

bridge, and prevent or minimize damage to the bridge structure if the bridge rail is impacted by a vehicle. The bridge rail is also standardized to fit many different bridge types and configurations.

The successful development and evaluation of an optimized cost-efficient bridge rail system has resulted in a new option for rural bridges on low-volume roadways that not only minimizes material and labor costs, but also maximizes the usable width of the bridge deck by keeping all attachment hardware off the top surface of the bridge deck. Additionally, approach guardrail system installation lengths can be selected based on roadway speeds, clear zone widths, and end termination considerations. Using only the required minimum guardrail system will further reduce the costs for safety treatments for low volume county bridges.

22 | ASSET MANAGEMENT

Fleet Condition IndexDescription: Measurement of the current condition of the department’s fleet.

Purpose: This measure is used to determine appropriate strategies for proper maintenance, repair and replacement of fleet equipment.

Goal: Achieve and maintain an overall fleet condition index of good.

Outcome: The overall Fleet Condition Index for 2018 is 6.02. The rating shows that our Fleet remains rated in “Fair Condition”. Fleet data also shows us that over 55% of our core fleet is at or beyond its expected life-cycle age and unplanned repair costs continue to rise.

FEATURED STRATEGY

Fleet Management ProgramNDOT Operations Fleet Management is tasked with the responsibility of maintaining records for more than 15,600 pieces of equipment currently listed in our asset management system known as “Lucity”. Of those 15,600 records NDOT currently has 9,500 pieces of equipment “active” in the field. NDOT Fleet Management and their partners in the District use several methods when determining equipment replacement and purchases.

One tool used by Fleet Management and the Districts is our “3-Star” report. The 3-Star reports show us which pieces of our “core” equipment meet NDOT replacement criteria as per age, mileage or engine hour used and the percentage of cost of “unplanned” repairs as compared to purchase cost. Although budgets do not allow for every piece core equipment meeting criteria in the 3-Star report to be replaced, the report and the District’s firsthand knowledge of the equipment’s physical condition help prioritize which equipment is to be budgeted for replacement.

NDOT Fleet Management and the Districts continue to work together to place a “fleet” of equipment in the field so that NDOT can provide the best possible transportation system for the movement of people and goods.

20182017201620152014

5.925.85 5.99

Overall Fleet Condition IndexFair Condition = 3.8 - 6.8

Good Condition = 6.9 & Above

6.025.83

ASSET MANAGEMENT | 23

24 | ASSET MANAGEMENT

ASSET MANAGEMENT HIGHLIGHT

NDOT Uses Drones for Bridge InspectionNDOT is exploring the use of drones as a means to provide high quality bridge inspections. An initial project has been completed that used drones as a tool for inspecting 11 bridges of different types and sizes.

A critical challenge for bridge inspections can be getting access to all components of a bridge. Bridge inspectors sometimes use ladders, ropes and aerial work platforms to gain access to locations on a bridge that are not accessible from the bridge deck or the ground.

The initial project, using drones as tools for bridge inspection, was intended to find out if drones can be a more efficient and safer method to access the bridge locations that would otherwise require use of special equipment.

Three bridges on I-480 in downtown Omaha were selected to evaluate the effects of traffic control, urban areas and long bridges. Two bridges over the Platte River were selected to evaluate inspection on a river bridge where the drone operated under the bridge and inspectors were on top of the bridge without having a direct line of sight to the drone. A culvert was selected to study the stability of the drone in a restricted area that carries water. A Missouri River bridge was also selected to evaluate a high and long bridge, and whether a drone can be substituted for inspections from a boat underneath the bridge.

The bridge inspection protocols follow the National Bridge Inspection Standards (NBIS). Certified bridge inspectors accompanied trained drone operators to direct drone movements and provide real time review of the imagery captured by drone cameras.

Overall, with the results of increased safety, time and cost savings, it is likely that NDOT will be implementing increased use of drones in the future.

Advantages ...n In most cases, lane closures

are not needed. Equipment that would cause traffic obstructions is not required and traffic safety increased.

n Inspectors and drone operators feel safer and focused on the task as they choose the location of operation where they feel most comfortable.

n Inspection days are less stressful, without the need of coordination of snooper operators, platform operators, traffic control staff, advance road closing notices, etc.

n Significant time savings was found. In most situations it took less than five minutes to fly the drone and observe bridge details.

n Photographs and video is preserved as part of the inspection record and used to monitor changes in bridge condition or to inform bridge repair decisions.

Disadvantages ...n Drone operator training and

experience is required.n FAA regulations interfere in

some bridge inspections.

FEATURED STRATEGY

Improving Progression and Mobility on Urban SystemWork has begun on signal coordination for improved phasing and timing on the Omaha Urban Freeway System. NDOT has been working on connecting signalized intersections together to provide corridor coordination, improving progression and mobility.

Deployments include fiber optic connections, upgraded signal controllers, and connected vehicle components, allowing the system the ability to react to changing traffic patterns.

The purpose of the goal is to improve mobility on Nebraska’s transportation system through increased reliability, capacity and efficiency. Goal objectives include reducing the duration of incident response and clearance times as well as improving the system’s operating efficiency. Responding to and clearing an incident on the roadway as quickly as possible will allow traffic to return to normal conditions, thereby improving the system mobility.

Omaha Urban Freeway Incident Clearance TimeDescription: Measurement of and average response time for unplanned incidents that require the temporary closure of one or more travel lanes of the Omaha freeway system (i.e., debris on the roadway, vehicle fire on the shoulder, crashes, etc.).

Purpose: To increase awareness of the length of incident clearance times in the responder community. Through awareness and incident response traffic control training, responders can shorten certain incident response activities such as towing, quick clearance and moving accidents to the shoulder. Quick response time can help to avoid secondary incidents and return traffic to free-flow speed as soon as possible.

Goal: A 5% reduction in the 5-year rolling average of the number of minutes clearance time per incident per year.

Outcome: The 5-year rolling average of minutes per closure for 2014 to 2018 is 59.2, an 8% increase from the previous 5-year rolling average.

Omaha Urban Closures

201820172016201520142013

208252

466

546

227

4972675750 51

350

Average Minutes per Closure

MOBILITYImprove Mobility on Nebraska’s Trans portation System Through Increased Reliability, Capacity and Efficiency

Omaha Urban Freeway System

Hwy. Ref. PostUS-6 356 - 365US-75 76 - 93I-80 439 - 455I-480 0 - 4I-680 0 - 13

MOBILITY | 25

I-80 Complete Closures Avg. Minutes Year Incidents Per Closure

Due to Incidents2013 9 2272014 29 1472015 28 1242016 63 1292017 39 1382018 33 179

Due to Weather2013 6 7022014 2 5992015 1 1922016 10* 4432017 1 1082018 3 832

* Four of weather closures were due to Wyoming closing.

FEATURED STRATEGY

Grant Funds Advanced Transportation Technology DeploymentAn Advanced Transportation and Congestion Management Technology Deployments grant was awarded to NDOT in 2018. Established in the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act of 2015, the program makes grants for the development of model deployment sites for large-scale installation and operation of advanced transportation technologies to improve safety, efficiency, system performance, and infrastructure return on investment.

In Nebraska, the project funded by the grant will combine technology and management strategies to improve communications, response, and mobility of the I-80 corridor. Through partnering with the Utah and Wyoming departments of transportation, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, freight companies, and other stakeholders, the project is intended to increase in-cab information about traffic, parking, and the trip ahead. NDOT is committed to the future of connected and autonomous vehicles.

Description: Measurement of the number of complete closures1 and the average minutes per closure on Interstate 80.1 Closures are defined as complete closure of all lanes eastbound or

all lanes westbound, closures due to construction (planned closures) are not included. The average number of minutes per closure is measured from the time the department is aware of the closure to the time the Interstate is open to traffic.

Purpose: To track the incident response and mitigation of one of Nebraska’s main arteries in an effort to improve and enhance the reliability of the highway system. This purpose helps achieve the department’s long-range transportation plan objective to improve and expand the trans portation system to increase capacity and reliability and enhance operations.

Goal: A 5% reduction in the 5-year rolling average of the number of minutes per closure per year.

Outcome: From 2014 through 2018, the 5-year rolling average of minutes per closure due to incidents was 143.4 minutes, a 6.3% decrease from the previous 5-year rolling average.

From 2014 through 2018, the 5-year rolling average of minutes per closure due to weather was 434.8 minutes, a 6.4% increase from the previous 5-year rolling average.

Rural Interstate 80 Reliability

26 | MOBILITY

The need for truck parking in the country is a chronic problem that is becoming acute. Recognizing this trend, NDOT fashioned an innovation near Big Springs to address the issue. NDOT utilized existing state property within the Interstate 80/US-138 interchange to create a parking lot that can accommodate 100 to 200 trucks.

The agency’s improvisation and problem-solving skills landed the parking solution on a listing of best practices being compiled by the Federal Highway Administration’s Office of Freight Management and Operations’ National Coalition on Truck Parking. The best practices are to be published in documents aimed to increase the supply of truck parking across the nation.

As truck traffic increases, so does the need for parking for drivers in order to meet their service hours. However, it is a challenge to find areas that are suitable for parking lots and very expensive when considering right-of-way, pavement and utility services that generally accompany the facilities.

NDOT was able to check off the main obstacles as the Big Springs site was already owned by the state and was surfaced with asphalt millings salvaged from past projects stored at that location. Garbage dumpsters

were placed on the site and lighting was provided by already-in-place high mast tower light poles.

NDOT had recommended the Big Springs lot to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) in 2003 as a test site, noting that NDOT had previously created a similar facility at the Sidney eastbound rest area when the Chappell and Kimball eastbound rest areas were closed. The Big Springs facility wasn’t desirable as a modern rest area, but functioned well as a pull-off for tired drivers. Additionally, no significant problems occur at the parking lot and truckers usually police and clean up after themselves. 

The value of safe truck parking is one reason the U.S. Department of Transportation created the National Coalition on Truck Parking (NCTP) in 2015. It was formed to bring together stakeholders from transportation organizations, the freight industry and other groups to advance safe truck parking.

Over the past year, the NCTP has met to discuss best practices related to four priority areas: Parking Capacity; Technology and Data; State, Regional, and Local Government Coordination; and Funding, Finance, and Regulations. The NCTP is putting out several research documents highlighting these best practices, including NDOT’s Big Springs project.

MOBILITY HIGHLIGHT

NDOT’s Innovation Brings Truck Parking to Big Springs

MOBILITY | 27

FEATURED STRATEGY

Implementing the Public Engagement Manual

COMMUNICATION, COORDINATION, COLLABORATION & COOPERATION (4Cs)Collaborate with Stakeholders to Maximize the Value of Nebraska’s Transportation Investments

The Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) is committed to having strong partner­ships with communities and stakeholders. These relationships are crucial for under­standing community needs and providing the best possible transportation system for the state of Nebraska. To guide the development and nurturing of these relationships, the NDOT Communication Division’s Public Involvement Section has created a “Public Engagement Manual” to assist agency staff in implementing essential communication techniques to encourage better relationships. The recently implemented manual provides guidance on how NDOT will engage with its partners, highlights best practices for engagement, and provides tools for implementing engagement efforts across the agency.

Development of the manual began in 2017, with research gathered from public and stakeholder surveys, input from external and internal focus groups held across the state, stakeholder interviews, and best practice research. 

Following completion of the Engagement Manual, the Public Involvement Section developed an annual NDOT communications/engagement plan to identify the agency’s overarching communication and engagement goals for the year and the strategies to reach those goals. Next, each division and district developed its own annual communications/

engagement plan, in partnership with the Public Involvement Section, outlining their communication/engagement goals for the year, strategies to use in accomplishing them and explaining how they will contribute to the agency’s overarching goals.

The overarching strategy for engaging our agency customers and transportation network users is rooted in an understanding that meaningful engagement is not well­served by a “one-size-fits-all” approach. For example, with each individual construction project, the Public Involvement Section assesses the need for engagement and determines the best outreach for that specific project. Since each project is different and each community is unique, the Public Involvement team works to determine the most effective tools and strategies to keep the public informed of what’s going on around them and provides a platform for those affected to offer input.

Engagement doesn’t end when a project is completed. It is important in all the work NDOT does. From maintenance to permitting, to training and working with local officials and organizations, the Engagement Manual will guide the department in successfully informing the public, receiving the public’s input and accomplishing all of its outreach and engagement responsibilities as we serve Nebraskans and our agency customers.

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4 Cs HIGHLIGHT

Billboards Promote Safety

To pay tribute to the men and women who work endless hours during the winter months in Nebraska, risking their safety for the safety of others, and to encourage safe driving habits, particularly around snowplow drivers, NDOT launched a campaign in December 2018 called “Your Safe Travel Is Our Business”.

Four locations, strategically located along high traffic corridors on I-80 and US-34, were selected for billboards featuring local NDOT snowplow drivers. The safety messages, “Respect the Plow,” “We Are Your Snowfighters,” and “Respect The Snowfighters” were included on the billboards.

To promote the safety of workers during construction season, and in partnership with the Associated General Contractors Nebraska Chapter, a similar campaign was launched with the message “Respect the Cone Zone”. These billboards are part of a larger campaign urging drivers to slow down, put the phone down and pay attention when they see the orange signs.

At its 2019 Annual Meeting, the AASHTO Committee on Transportation Communication (TransComm), a national organization of transportation public affairs professionals, awarded its “Indoor or Outdoor Advertising” award to NDOT’s “Your Safe Travel Is Our Business” campaign.

YOUR SAFE TRAVEL IS OUR BUSINESS.

CONE ZONECONE ZONERESPECT THE

FEATURED STRATEGY

New Teammate Onboarding ProgramStatistics show that more than half of employees who leave a job, do so within the first year of employment because of a lack of training, engagement or introduction to the position/organization. An effective method to welcome new staff is essential in reducing this initial turnover as well as keeping teammates engaged as they move forward.

For this reason, NDOT Human Resources has developed the New Teammate Onboarding Program. Onboarding brings newly hired talent up to speed with the policies, processes, culture, expectations and day-to-day responsibilities of the area where they work. This process ensures that new teammates feel welcome and excited, confirming why they chose to join the team at the Nebraska Department of Transportation. Up to this point, it has been up to the individual supervisor to determine the best strategy to bring a new employee onto the team. Some supervisors are very successful with this process, while many struggle with the best approach.

Scheduled to roll out in January 2020, the Teammate Onboarding Program is a supervisor-driven program. The essential elements of effective onboarding include four elements: rules and regulations, expectations, NDOT culture, and NDOT social aspects. Kicking off the teammate’s first day in the right way is essential to success.

Two tools will be used for this process. The new teammate workbook includes important information the new teammate needs to know, such as resources, training schedule, and areas for notes during discussions with supervisors. The supervisor’s guide consists of various checklists to lead the employee’s development through the first six months of training. The checklists are broken down into critical discussion topics during the first day, first week, first 30, 60, and 90 days of employment. It also alerts the supervisor to make sure to discuss important topics such as teammate roles and responsibilities, expectations, and training.

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENTSupport and Facilitate the Development of a Skilled Workforce that Enhances Workplace Productivity and Increases Opportunities for Employees to Learn New Skills

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FEATURED STRATEGY

NDOT’s Process Improvement Team Addresses Inefficiencies

Aligning its goals with Governor Ricketts’ strong commitment to improving operational efficiency within the agencies of Nebraska State Government, NDOT’s Process Improvement Team is helping NDOT team members reduce inefficiencies in some of the multitude of processes pursued in accomplishing the Department’s complex responsibilities.

What Does the Process Improvement Team Do?Lean Six Sigma (LSS) is a customer-focused, team-based approach used by NDOT to improve performance by eliminating waste and maximizing process flow. It combines “Six Sigma” methods and tools with the “Lean Enterprise” philosophy, striving to eliminate waste of physical resources, time, effort and talent while assuring quality in production and organizational processes.

NDOT first established a staff-based Process Improvement Team in 2016. Since then, team members have redesigned a wide variety of processes. Those that lend themselves to the LSS approach generally have these characteristics:n There are extra steps in a process that don’t

transform the service or project;n There are extra handoffs in a process that add

no value and hamper speed in completion;n Excess time is used delivering a product or

service;n Wasteful motion or transportation is occurring;n Staff talent is underutilized.

Process Improvement Coordinators work with NDOT team members to identify processes where a redesign would save significant time and meet the customer’s needs. The process redesign event brings together experts and outsiders to make changes based on what customers have said they want and value. By focusing on what the customer wants, the team can eliminate steps that are unnecessary.

How Are Employees Trained in Lean Six Sigma?The Lean Six Sigma team offers and acknowl-edges several levels of training for team members in the organization. The first level is “White Belt” training. This training is focused on the basic Lean Six Sigma concepts. The goal is to begin to help the team members see waste in the process around them and have a basic level of understanding of how to combat that waste. The next level of training is Yellow Belt Training. Team members receive the Yellow Belt designation when they have completed the yellow belt training on foundational elements of LSS. The Green Belt designation is for those who lead teams on smaller NDOT projects or support Black Belts on bigger projects. A person with a Black Belt has more training and acts as a team leader on enterprise-wide projects.

Emphasis on Certified Lean LeadersCurrently, the Process Improvement Team is accelerating its training of Certified Lean Leaders. This training is for Yellow-Belt Certified employees who want to increase the application of lean practices to everyday matters that occur in the workplace. The concept of “Follow Me – let’s figure this out together” exemplifies the leadership approach of Lean Leaders. Long-term thinking, critical self-reflection and patience are necessary traits for a Lean Leader, along with a belief that everything can be improved. They focus on simplifying processes, finding waste, and exceeding customer expectations.

There are currently nine Certified Lean Leaders in NDOT. Future plans are to increase this number of Lean Leaders at NDOT.

32 | WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

In many aspects of organizational life, we are under constant pressure to change. Workforce development is no different. As our employee developmental needs change, we need to anticipate, adjust, and adapt to those changes. NDOT’s workforce development team continually looks at the training opportunities we offer for continued improvement to better meet the needs of a demanding workforce.

In 2019 and continuing into 2020, the workforce development team is excited to introduce over a dozen new instructor-led training courses covering topics such as critical thinking, motivation and coaching. Piloting of these courses started in the fall of 2019, with many sessions scheduled to occur over the coming months, with full incorporation planned for our 2020 training plan. Courses include:

InfluencerThe best leaders know how to get individuals to work together to accomplish goals. In contrast, many struggle to get their teams to complete projects on time and on budget. They do their best to motivate employees to demonstrate more concern for costs or following procedures, but despite their efforts to work continually on ways to exert their influence, they regularly fall short. This course teaches leaders how to use their six sources of influence to overcome the barriers to performance, motivate others and transform their culture.

Critical Thinking Skills Decisions must often be made quickly, effectively and without doubt. It is increasingly important for employees to be able to think critically on their own. When employees excel at critical thinking, they can assess all possible approaches to a problem and choose the best solution confidently and calmly. As a result, they will be able to think more creatively and independently, make better decisions by problem solving systematically, identify the value of ideas and reach well-reasoned conclusions.

Succession PlanningAn increasing reality is that employees no longer stay with the same organization for decades. They move from company to company, chasing better opportunities and increased job satisfaction. It is important for companies to be aware of the needs of their top-performing individuals and continue to challenge them. It is also important to establish a succession plan to replace employees if they decide to leave or are dismissed.

Systems ThinkingSystems thinking empowers a person to solve problems so that they stay solved. Instead of offering quick-fix solutions that work only in the short term, systems thinking provides the insight to make decisions and take actions that benefit the organization in the long term. What makes systems thinking so powerful is that it enables a person to predict the consequences—intended and unintended—of a potential change, eliminate silo thinking, adjust perspectives to see different viewpoints, and remain focused on the big picture.

Coaching ClinicThe importance of managerial coaching is changing. Once focused on improving the performance of employees who have fallen below expectations or giving opportunities for employees with high potential, coaching now plays an expanded role into the investment of individuals and teams. To maximize the impact of coaching, managers need to review the talents and skills of their team regularly and determine the capability that each person needs in order to have the greatest impact on results.

Shaping a Motivational Workforce People want to use their abilities and guide their own efforts. Leaders recognize the benefits of allowing their team to meet their desire for competence, relatedness and autonomy. This course will assist managers in developing an environment that inspires peak performance by helping employees satisfy their psychological needs.

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHT

Training Opportunities Expand to Meet New Needs

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Nebraska Department of Transportation

dot.nebraska.gov511.nebraska.gov

2018

ANNUAL REPORT