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Volpe Center Highlights - April/May 2001

Mobility

Director's Notes | Focus | Safety | Mobility | Human and Natural Environment |
Economic Growth and Trade | National Security | Papers and Presentations

Ensure that the transportation system is accessible, integrated and efficient, and offers flexibility of choices.

Volpe Supports Reorganization of the District of Columbia Department of Public Works and Division of Transportation (DDOT)

The District of Columbia is unique in that it must plan and support transportation functions as both a state and a city. To help meet this challenge, the District of Columbia Division of Transportation (DDOT) proposed an organizational redesign: separation from the Department of Public Works (DPW) to form its own department reporting to the Deputy Mayor. Since January 2001, the Volpe Center's Dr. Jeff Bryan of the Change Management Division and Ms. Cassandra Callaway of the Economic Analysis Division have been working with the DDOT on this issue. Volpe's initial work involved: examining organizational structures and practices in other city and state transportation agencies of similar size; conducting stakeholder interviews in the District; and facilitating an off-site retreat for the DPW and DDOT.

Volpe's review of city and state organizational structures revealed four distinct business models that reflected how the public agencies differentiated among planning, construction, and maintenance of the highway, street, and bridge facilities. This review was reported to the top managers of the DDOT and the DPW, as well as to the Deputy Mayor. The stakeholder interviews revealed the unique issues that the District faces, which are related to the department's history as well as its current challenges. Volpe staff developed recommendations of organizational options based on the data collected and reported them back to the DPW managers.

Based on the Volpe staff's work, the Deputy Mayor approved the DDOT's proceeding to the next step--implementing a specific organizational design. Dr. Bryan and Ms. Callaway then developed and facilitated a one-day, off-site retreat for the DDOT and DPW managers as well as external stakeholders from the Federal Highway Administration District of Columbia Division Office and the City Council. The retreat resulted in a consensus around some of the more difficult implementation issues. At the end of April 2001, the Mayor approved the reorganization plans. The Volpe Center is continuing organizational design work to help implement project management teams for street and bridge design and construction.

Volpe Employees Participate in Force Projection Symposium (U.S. Army TACOM)

The Volpe Center is supporting the U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM) by providing technical expertise pertaining to transport of personnel and equipment. Accordingly, from April 1 through April 3, 2001, several Volpe employees participated in the National Defense Industrial Association Symposium on Force Projection, held in Charleston, South Carolina. "Force projection" is the ability to project military personnel and materiel from the continental United States, or another theatre, in response to requirements for military operations. The symposium brought together government and industry representatives to discuss issues relevant to meeting future force projection missions. Volpe attendees included Mr. Rodney Cook, Chief of the Technology Applications and Deployment Division; Mr. Mike Buonopane of the Technology Applications and Deployment Division; Mr. Paul Bushueff, Chief of the Advanced Vehicle Technologies Division; and Mr. Ross Gill, Mr. Edgard Medina, Mr. Barry Mickela, and Ms. Jennifer Papazian of the Advanced Vehicle Technologies Division.

The Volpe exhibit showcased the force projection services that the Center provides to TACOM watercraft and rail programs. The Center provides marine engineering, naval architecture, and program management for the life-cycle support of the Modular Causeway System, which helps to quickly move cargo from ship to shore in situations where ports are unavailable or inadequate. And during the last 10 years, the Center has provided engineering, acquisition services, and field support to the Rail Modernization Program for the U.S. Army rail fleet and infrastructure.

On April 5, 2001, Mr. Cook and Mr. Gill participated in work sessions at the Force Projection Center of Excellence, also in Charleston. The sessions addressed the Army's needs, requirements, and limitations for land, sea, and air transportation.

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