The AASHTO CSS Task Force met in October 2006 to develop national goals for state DOT implementation of CSS and to explore AASHTO's role in support of these goals.

The AASHTO Context Sensitive Solutions Task Force met October 26, 2006 at the AASHTO Annual Meeting in Portland, Oregon. The purpose of the meeting was to develop national goals for state DOT implementation of CSS and to explore AASHTO's role in support of these goals.

Neil Pedersen, the Task Force Chair, said CSS makes it easier for Maryland DOT to secure funding from the legislature because their projects help communities achieve their goals. Carlos Braceros, Deputy Director of Utah DOT, said DOTs need to recognize that their mission is not about moving cars, it is about improving the quality of life and providing opportunities for economic development. That is what CSS is all about.

The task force developed national goals in response to the following question: "Given the challenges experienced to date and what we want CSS to be in the future, what do we absolutely need to do in the next two-to-three years to mainstream CSS into all transportation agencies?"  The task force identified the following four goals, which are still being refined, as well as some key activities in support of these goals:

Support Leadership and Coalition Building: This requires high-profile advocacy of CSS by FHWA and AASHTO, with a particular focus on buy-in at the state CEO and Chief Engineer level. State DOTs can work to gain political support to remove barriers to CSS (legal, policy, funding), develop, support and coordinate CSS champions among their staff (starting with the CEO) and change their organizational structure to better carry out CSS implementation. Developing CSS leaders through community outreach can raise external expectations and accelerate internal change.

Facilitate Training and Education: Educate staff and the public that liability is not a problem for good CSS practice. States can develop their own educational materials debunking "the myths of CSS" and use peer exchanges to overcome perceptions of CSS. Develop tools to assess CSS implementation and train consultants, MPOs, stakeholders and the public as well as staff on CSS principles and skills.

Make the Case for CSS: Lead by example - develop good examples of CSS practice and brag about it, especially thorugh peer exchanges. Communications training can improve two-way communication and help spread the word. Sell CSS as a philosophy, not as an add-on.

Evaluate and Modify National Standards, policies and guidance to facilitate CSS: Incorporate CSS in all phases of project development manuals; develop practitioner guides that help "mine" the flexibility in Green Book interpretation, as well as guides on performance management. Deploy funding and resources to implement CSS, and integrate CSS in reauthorization and finance proposals. Document efforts to leverage resources to build context layers.

In summary, King Gee, Associate Administrator for Infrastructure at FHWA, said the old strategy of "Decide, Announce, and Defend" (DAD) won't work anymore. If we are to survive as an industry we must empower communities to work with us; to move from DAD to CSS. FHWA will work with every DOT to develop an action plan for mainstreaming CSS into agency practice.