MTC News: 2000
T2 Activities: GASB 34 and Field Bridge Testing Workshops
The technology transfer and outreach component of the MTC is also moving ahead. The MTC co-sponsored a major transportation research symposium in Ames, Iowa on May 15-16, 2000. A number of MTC-supported students made presentations at this conference. The second MTC-sponsored outreach event was a course on Roundabouts presented in Ames, Iowa on May 17. In addition, planning for several larger events is underway:
- Iowa State University/CTRE is partnering with the FHWA, the Iowa League of Cities, the Iowa Association of Counties, the Iowa State Auditor's Office, the University of Missouri-Columbia, Lincoln University, and Howard R. Green Consultants to offer two workshops related to Asset Management. Government Accounting Standards Board (GASB) Statement 34 will be the main focus of the workshops. The first of these workshops will be aimed at government decision-makers and managers. The second will be more technical and aimed at local government and DOT engineers. We are planning to hold both of these workshops before the end of 2000. The idea behind these workshops is to allow local officials and engineers in the region to understand and effectively deal with the topic of asset management.
- The University of Missouri-Columbia is partnering with FHWA, Iowa State University, Missouri DOT, and Iowa DOT to offer an intensive workshop and demonstration on Diagnostic Field Testing of Bridges. The region that the MTC serves is characterized by a large number of low traffic volume bridges, many of which have load limitations that affect their use by farm-related vehicles. The goal of the workshop is to transfer a considerable amount of knowledge about field load testing that exists at Iowa State University, UM-C, and elsewhere to state and local engineers so they can manage bridge infrastructure better.
Both "GASB 34" and bridge field testing workshops are very high on the list of issues that state T2 centers and the FHWA service center in Chicago see as important for the region.
See www.ctre.iastate.edu/gasb34/ for more information about GASB 34.
Contact: David Plazak, Iowa State University ("GASB 34" Workshop)
Phone: 515-294-8103, email: dplazak@iastate.edu
Charles Nemmers, University of Missouri-Columbia (Field Bridge
Load Testing Workshop)
Phone: 573-882-0071, email: nemmersc@missouri-edu
