FHWA Honors FDOT and TBE with Right of Way Award
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has presented theFlorida Department of Transportation (FDOT), TBE Group and TBE senior vicepresident Richard Doyle with its 2006 Excellence in Right of Way/Streamliningand Integration Award for the development of the FDOT “Right of WayConsiderations for Engineers” training course.
The award was presented at the American Association of StateHighway and Transportation Officials and FHWA Right of Way and UtilitiesConference in Baltimore on May 1.
The FDOT selected TBE to help develop the course to educateproject managers, engineers and designers on analyzing right of wayconsiderations and cost-savings at the beginning of construction projects inorder to reduce impacts to property and business owners, reduce right-of-waycosts and accelerate project schedules.
The FDOT and TBE team developed a day-long course, which Doyle haspresented to approximately 300 engineers thus far throughout Florida. Inaddition, the Florida Board of Professional Engineers has approved the coursefor professional development credit hours toward professional engineer licensureand license renewal. The board also approved TBE as a certified continuingeducation provider for this course.
Calling the course “an economic and cost-effective solution,”Kenneth Towcimak, FDOT director of the Office of Right of Way, says the coursefulfills an important need in the engineering community.
“[The course] will result in considerable future cost-savingsthrough improved engineering design decisions for right of way, and, throughsuch improved design, will reduce the social and economic impacts on propertyowners impacted by right of way takings for transportation projects,” Towcimaksays.
The FHWA developed the right of way awards program to honor thosewho excel in streamlining or improving the property acquisition process whileensuring that property owners’ and tenants’ rights are protected.
