Due to the geographic nature and related travel costs of state DOT’s, and the cities and counties within these states, many technical topics and innovations would not be delivered or would be delivered to only a small percentage of the staff within these states. TLN is a critical tool in assuring technology transfer to state DOT’s, counties, and cities, and that they stay abreast of the latest innovations, initiatives, and research which helps them be more efficient and cost-effective.

TLN will be dedicated to: 1) technology transfer, 2) innovative transportation practices, 3) new processes, initiatives and technology. Through the proposed pooled fund, the member states plan to research and deliver needed technology transfer topics via distance-based and on-demand methods.

Through the proposed pooled fund, the member states plan to research and deliver needed technology transfer topics via distance-based and on-demand methods. On an annual basis, the pooled fund members will develop and identify new topics of technology transfer through coordination of state DOT’s and Local Technical Assistance Programs (LTAP). The process will involve an annual assessment of each state’s need for new insights in the areas of construction, design, environmental, maintenance, materials, planning and safety. Additionally, the TLN pool will be aimed at delivering innovative insights into transportation infrastructure management through Every-Day-Counts initiatives. Each year, topics will be proposed and prioritized by the member states and given to TLN for development. The latest advances in technical programming and innovations from other organizations will be also evaluated for TLN delivery. These organizations will include other DOT’s, universities, industry groups such as ATSSA, OSHA, AGC, USDA, AASHTO-TC3, National Center for Pavement Preservation, Dakota Asphalt Paving Association, and others. Technology exchange among states will be supported through multi-state roundtable discussions on topics relating to design, construction, maintenance, and materials. The state DOT’s will annually prioritize the roundtable topics based on their current and emerging needs. The intent of the round table topics is to showcase the best practices, techniques and innovations of each state so awareness and implementation insights can be gained by other states.

The duration of the project is 5 years. Participating state DOT’s will be expected to commit at a funding level of $117,000 per year. However, the first commitment will be $87,750 per state. $263,250 is needed for the first 9 months of the study. 100% SPR funding has been requested.