 SHA Organization
Office of Highway Policy and Technology Utilization (OHPTU)
It is the mission of the Office of Highway Policy and Technology Utilization (OHPTU) to enhance SHAs abilities to be an efficient and effective organization by comprehending federal regulations, creating opportunities and influencing actions to obtain federal funds and favorable legislation. OHPTU will provide or facilitate advice to SHA Senior Managers on the risks and opportunities offered by the policy actions or potential actions of other governmental agencies. The office gathers and disseminates information within SHA and correspondingly serves as a vehicle for implementing policy/funding oriented tasks. In addition, the Technology Utilization branch of our office is responsible for identifying and utilizing new technologies to improve our highway system.
OHPTU has five major functions:
- To insure that provisions for funding and requirements in the federal highway program be understood and fully utilized for Marylands benefit.
- To create opportunities within SHA by bringing together people and resources to study and implement actions to address policy related issues and utilize new technologies to improve our highway system.
- To act as a liaison between SHA and other states and organizations on policy and technology utilization issues. This includes: representing Maryland interests within AASHTO and among other states and organizations in the development of surface transportation concepts and technologies for the future; insuring that adequate input on both technical and policy issues [be] developed and represented to AASHTO, FHWA, TRB, etc.; conducting and coordinating economic and technical studies, coordinating international visits; and gathering relevant information from our interactions with these organizations and disseminating it to the Secretary, Administrator, Senior Managers, and other appropriate individuals and offices within SHA and MDOT.
- Establish and coordinate a council of technology utilization champions from all principal areas of SHA so that technology transfer and research will be brought closer to the end users who will receive potential benefits derived from application of new technologies and research.
- Ensure we are current on information regarding technological advancements and that such information is transmitted to potential users at SHA
|
