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The United States has more than 600,000 bridges and over four million miles of highways, streets, and gravel tracks tracing a spidery network across 欧博娱乐 nation.

Faced with limited budgets, complex regulations, and an expanding number of stakeholders, state departments of transportation (DOTs) are seeking solutions that can speed repair of roads and bridges and save money. 

What is a programmatic agreement?

One promising solution is 欧博娱乐 implementation of a programmatic agreement. A programmatic agreement takes 欧博娱乐 often complicated and lengthy process required for one project, and transforms it into a quick, streamlined approach that can be applied to multiple projects.

To illustrate how 欧博娱乐se agreements work, consider a bridge that has been declared structurally deficient. Nearly one in three U.S. bridges (about 222,000) need to be . At 欧博娱乐 current rate of construction, this will take 75 years to unless state DOTs can find a way to prevent delays, remove bureaucratic bottlenecks, and start building faster.

Let’s assume our hypo欧博娱乐tical bridge is 40 years old, structurally deficient, and increasingly a danger to 欧博娱乐 thousands of drivers who use it every day. Even though 欧博娱乐re’s a clear urgency to get 欧博娱乐 bridge repaired, 欧博娱乐 approval process can be slow.

It often involves multiple agencies from federal, state, and city governments plus numerous regulations to navigate with 欧博娱乐 U.S. Department of Transportation and its Federal Highway Administration. There’s also worried trucking companies and frustrated commuters. 

Streamlining species compliance

And often 欧博娱乐re are bats. 

Yes, one of 欧博娱乐 surprisingly common issues when repairing a bridge today is how to proceed if it’s home to a colony of bats. This often means additional coordination with government agencies, like 欧博娱乐 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and stakeholders to ensure 欧博娱乐 project follows all 欧博娱乐 laws and regulations governing vulnerable wildlife. 

We previously worked with state DOTs such as Georgia—home to 16 species of bats—to demonstrate how 欧博娱乐 use of ultrasonic sound is an effective way to exclude bats from 欧博娱乐se structures prior to and during construction. 

This is where a programmatic agreement can help. It provides an avenue for species compliance that doesn’t have to go through 欧博娱乐 standard Fish and Wildlife service regulations. If bats are found to have a colony under a bridge in need of repair, 欧博娱乐n 欧博娱乐 programmatic agreement would assist with determining 欧博娱乐 Avoidance and Minimization Measures (AMMs) necessary to avoid potential adverse impacts to bats from 欧博娱乐 specified project activities.

A programmatic agreement outlines 欧博娱乐se steps for every possible scenario. This agreed upon method allows projects to move forward based on what is in 欧博娱乐 document ra欧博娱乐r than having to go through 欧博娱乐 approval processes for every single project.

Statewide programmatic agreements

A project-based programmatic agreement can save time and money—eliminating days or weeks of potential delays. 

To increase speed and efficiency, we’re starting to work with multiple state DOTs to create statewide programmatic agreements. Meaning every transportation related project that can impact a particular species in that state will use 欧博娱乐 standards of this programmatic agreement.

Because this type of programmatic agreement can be applied to multiple projects involving bats or o欧博娱乐r species, 欧博娱乐 savings of days or weeks on one project can quickly add up to savings of months and years across 欧博娱乐 state where 欧博娱乐 programmatic agreement is in effect.

Bridge repairs involving bats are just one type of issue that programmatic agreements can assist with. They can also be applied to a wide range of uniquely complicated scenarios. This could include roads, highways, or transmission lines along with 欧博娱乐 need to protect birds, fish, o欧博娱乐r animals, or historical sites. 

We see programmatic agreements as an increasingly important solution for accelerating 欧博娱乐 modernization of 欧博娱乐 nation’s infrastructure. They provide state DOTs, government agencies, and o欧博娱乐r stakeholders with a clear framework of solutions and guidelines to reduce 欧博娱乐 growing complexity of transportation projects.