Assessment of Road and Bridge Data for the Development of an Automated Oversize/Overweight Vehicle Routing and Permitting System

This study was undertaken to evaluate the feasibility of the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) to institute an automated oversize/overweight (OS/OW) vehicle routing and permitting system. Currently, 2.5 full-time equivalent (FTE) engineers from RIDOT are allocated to the review and management of OS/OW vehicle permits for the state of Rhode Island. These engineers rely mostly on printed maps, bridge tables, basic structural analysis programs, and engineering judgment. As a result, the current process is labor-intensive, time consuming, and prone to human error. Moreover, with limited resources and the continual increase in the number of permit requests, the current OS/OW vehicle permitting process will impose a greater demand on the time and effort of the reviewer. Consequently, the development of an automated system offers several benefits including significant time and cost savings and improved customer service to motor carriers. To confidently establish the feasibility of introducing an automated system, more information regarding the current RIDOT OS/OW permitting process including the interrelations between different RIDOT sections as well as the state-of-the-practice among other states was required. Consequently four specific objectives were outlines: (1) describe in detail the current OS/OW vehicle permitting process used by the RIDOT, (2) gather in-depth expert knowledge of currently maintained databases from various sections within RIDOT, (3) survey other state DOTs, including New England states, about current practices for issuance of OS/OW vehicle permits, and (4) determine the feasibility of and recommend steps for introducing a fully automated OS/OW system.

• Corporate Authors:

  University of Rhode Island, Kingston

  Kingston, RI  United States  02881

  Rhode Island Department of Transportation

  Research and Technology Development
  Two Capitol Hill
  Providence, RI  United States  02903

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Gindy, Mayrai
  • Prezioso, Andrew
• Publication Date: 2007-8-16

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Edition: Final Report
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 101p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Automation; Axle load force; Bridges; Feasibility analysis; Highways; Interagency relations; Motor carriers; Oversize loads; Overweight loads; Pavement performance; Permits; Routing; Trucking; Trucks
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Design; Freight Transportation; Highways; Motor Carriers; Pavements; Society; I10: Economics and Administration; I22: Design of Pavements, Railways and Guideways; I23: Properties of Road Surfaces;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01089308
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: FHWA-RIDOT-RTD-07-6S
• Contract Numbers: SPR-229-2202
• Files: TRIS, USDOT, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Feb 28 2008 9:06AM