FHWA Honors FDOT and TBE with Right-of-Way Award

6/02/2006

Excellence in Right-of-Way/Streamlining and Integration Award.
Award presented for development of FDOT right-of-way training program.
Training class also approved for professional development credit in Florida.

CLEARWATER, FL – The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has presented the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), TBE Group, and TBE Senior Vice President Richard Doyle with its 2006 Excellence in Right-of-Way/Streamlining and Integration Award for the development of the FDOT’s “Right-of-Way Considerations for Engineers” training course. The award was presented at the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)/FHWA Right-of-Way and Utilities Conference in Baltimore on May 1, 2006.

The FDOT selected TBE to help develop the course to educate project managers, engineers and designers on analyzing right-of-way (ROW) considerations and cost savings at the beginning of construction projects in order to reduce impacts to property and business owners, reduce ROW costs, and accelerate project schedules.

The FDOT/TBE team developed a day-long course, which Doyle has presented to approximately 300 FDOT and other engineers thus far throughout the state of Florida. In addition, the Florida Board of Professional Engineers has approved the course for professional development credit hours toward Professional Engineer (PE) licensure and license renewal. The Board also approved TBE as a certified continuing education provider for this course.

Calling the course “an economic and cost-effective solution,” Kenneth Towcimak, Director of FDOT’s Office of Right-of-Way, said the “FDOT Office of Right-of-Way is confident that this highly effective
course has fulfilled and will continue to fulfill an important need in the engineering community, will result in considerable future cost savings through improved engineering design decisions for right-of-way, and, through such improved design, will reduce the social and economic impacts on property owners impacted by right-of-way takings for transportation projects.”

“It is an honor for to be recognized by the FHWA with such a prestigious award for the work we’ve done in developing a course that meets FDOT’s right-of-way needs,” Doyle said. “It is especially gratifying to have the course approved for professional development licensure credit in Florida.”

The FHWA developed the right-of-way awards program to honor those who excel in streamlining or improving the real property acquisition process while ensuring that property owners’ and tenants’ rights are protected. Awards recognize outstanding innovations that enhance the ROW professional’s ability to meet the challenges associated with acquiring real property for federal-aid projects.