Synthesis of Information Related to Highway Practices. Topic 53-16. Critical Findings for Tunnel Functional Systems

Tunnel functional systems refer to a variety of equipment critical to the operation of road tunnels, such as lighting, ventilation, power supply, and fire-fighting systems. These systems are inspected, at a minimum, every 2 years. Tunnel owners are required to notify the Federal Highway Administration within 24 hours of a critical finding for a tunnel functional system in a tunnel and actions to address the finding in a timely manner. The objective of this synthesis is to document methods and practices employed by departments of transportation (DOTs) to identify critical findings for tunnel functional systems. The synthesis looked at how DOTs define critical findings, the specific criteria they employ in identifying critical findings, and the processes they follow to address these systems-related issues. Information for this study was gathered through a literature review, a survey of state DOTs, and follow-up interviews with selected DOTs. Case examples of five DOTs provide additional information on critical findings for tunnel functional systems. Martha Averso, Ben Margerum, and Brian Seip, Gannett Fleming, Inc., collected and synthesized the information and wrote the report, along with Gary English, Underground Command and Safety, LLC. The members of the topic panel are acknowledged on page iv. This synthesis is an immediately useful document that records practices that were acceptable within the limitations of the knowledge available at the time of its preparation. As progress in research and practice continues, new knowledge will be added to that now at hand.

• Record URL:
  http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=5121

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Completed
• Funding: $45000
• Contract Numbers:

  Project 20-05, Topic 53-16

• Sponsor Organizations:

  National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Synthesis

  Transportation Research Board
  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC    20001

  American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)

  444 North Capitol Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Project Managers:

  Gause, Jo

• Performing Organizations:

  Gannett Fleming, Incorporated

  209 Senate Avenue
  Camp Hill, Pennsylvania  United States  17011
• Principal Investigators:

  Averso, Martha

• Start Date: 20211014
• Expected Completion Date: 0
• Actual Completion Date: 20231106

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Evacuation; Fires; Inspection; Maintenance; Operations; Safety; State departments of transportation; State of the practice; Vehicular tunnels
• Identifier Terms: Tunnel Operations, Maintenance, Inspection, and Evaluation (TOMIE) Manual
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Operations and Traffic Management; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01771605
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Transportation Research Board
• Contract Numbers: Project 20-05, Topic 53-16
• Files: TRB, RIP
• Created Date: May 18 2021 7:54PM