A University’s Involvement With Utilities

Jay Lindly

University of Alabama

April 20, 3009

What Students Care About

Research Work with DOT

• Example: Worked with ALDOT to identify poles and pole lines that were most in need of remedial treatment.

Scholarly Papers

• Example: Lindly, J.K. (2007) “Outsourcing Utility Coordination: Who? Where? Why?”. Transportation Research Record No. 2025, Transportation Research Board of the National Research Council, Washington, DC, pp. 137-140.

• Example: Lindly, J.K., “Draft Utility Pole Safety Program for Alabama”, Transportation Research Record No. 1851, Transportation Research Board of the National Research Council, Washington, DC, pp. 142-148, 2003.

TRB Involvement

• Member of AFB70 ‘Utilities” Committee• Current Chair of AFB70

• TRB has two main functions:– Produce Research Needs Statements and

Synthesis Statements– Communicate new ideas and technologies to

the utilities industry

Helped Write NHI ‘Utilities’ Course

• Worked with– NHI– FHWA– Consulting companies– Volunteers

• Presented course over 30 times

Is this a good TCP?

Single Story

2 stories & up

NESC Clearance

ADA Requirements

36”

Horizontal Clearance

Helped Write H.U.G.

SHRP II Involvement

• UA researchers teamed with a consulting firm to propose on Project Number R15: Strategies for Integrating Utility and Transportation Agency Priorities in Highway Renewal Projects.

• Plan to propose on upcoming SHPR 2 projects.

NCHRP

• No involvement to date, but eager to propose on utility-related projects within our expertise.

AASHTO Involvement

• Example: at 2008 Subcommittee meeting, moderated a brainstorming session to identify AASHTO subcommittee’s Research Needs Statements (RNS)

• In 2009, will work with AASHTO Subcommittee to reconcile the RNS of the TRB Utilities Committee and the AASHTO Subcommittee.

What UA Doesn’t Do

• Have a ‘Utilities’ Curriculum– 130 hour curriculum– Commission on Higher Education– Not perceived as attracting large number of

students

• Perform physical research

Other Universities/Organizations

• Other Example Universities– Louisiana Tech– Texas A&M

• Other Example Organization– Gas Technology Institute

Thank you!