Long-Term Infrastructure Program Letter Report: January 2, 2020

TRB's Committee for the Review of Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Infrastructure R&D Program has issued its annual letter report on FHWA’s Long-Term Infrastructure Program (LTIP). The LTIP includes FHWA’s Long-Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) and Long-Term Bridge Performance (LTBP) Programs.

In this report, the committee notes important accomplishments of the LTIP during 2019. The most recent LTPP data release includes new longitudinal transverse profile data, updated climate data, and pavement distress metrics and measured pavement loading that feed directly into pavement design software available through the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). Among the other accomplishments for 2019: a number of LTPP data analysis projects addressing predictions of truck and axle loadings were completed; guidance on the use of LTPP traffic data was completed; and, after a lengthy period of technology development, testing, and calibration, the LTBP program is moving forward, to the extent possible with available resources, on NDE data collection on bridge decks.

The charge to the committee is to “advise the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Infrastructure R&D Program regarding priorities in terms of the technical tools and products that state departments of transportation need to maintain and improve the performance of their pavements, bridges, and other structures.” The committee was established to provide an ongoing review of the LTIP based on annual meetings with FHWA staff and stakeholders.