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Transportation Point

Building an effective ancillary structures program

Key factors that guide MDOT’s asset management plan

By Michelle O'Neill, PM, Ancillary Structures Program Manager | Michigan Department of Transportation

At the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), our mission is to connect people, communities and the economy through efficient transportation systems. Spanning a vast area divided into seven regions, our state relies on more than 3,300 DOT employees to maintain and enhance our infrastructure.

To achieve this mission and ensure the safety and efficiency of our infrastructure, we have developed a program that offers comprehensive asset management through real-time data about our ancillary structures. This Ancillary Structures Program captures and monitors each asset’s condition and uses the data to populate a real-time inventory, prioritize maintenance needs and facilitate long-term planning throughout the state.

This program helps to inform capital plans, justify funding requests and guide leadership in determining when and how to invest future funds to enhance roadway safety and extend the useful life of our ancillary structures.

The following actions have guided the development of the Ancillary Structures Program from planning through execution.

Developing a strong plan

During the program’s first year, we developed three deliverables to help promote understanding, communication and transparency in our program.

  1. A comprehensive inspection manual covering all ancillary asset types and outlining emergency response protocols. The inspection manual ensures accurate, consistent condition ratings and provides a clear roadmap for collecting, storing and managing the data essential for informed decision-making.
  2. A companion inspection training manual and inspection team qualifications to guide our staff through the new processes and ensure consistency in the field.
  3. A go-forward plan that identified the type of data we wanted to collect, where that data would be stored, and who would manage it. We chose to house the data in a centralized location accessible to everyone in the department. Centralized data collection enables seamless data sharing, better maintenance planning, and more efficient budget allocation.

The manuals and plans have been instrumental in communicating the DOT’s high standards and desire for consistency in approach to all internal stakeholders.

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Facilitate intra-agency communication

MDOT made a significant investment in the Ancillary Structures Program, and it is essential that everyone understands its purpose and leverages the data it generates. To promote agency-wide understanding, we involved every MDOT discipline in planning and implementing the program. This cross-departmental collaboration fostered internal buy-in and ensured alignment among engineering, maintenance and capital planning teams.

Collaboration and communication are essential practices that drive our commitment to transparency. The Ancillary Structures Program facilitates communication through transparent reporting practices and a public-facing website, which serves as a one-stop shop for information on the program details.

Taking a risk-based approach

The second year of our program saw us advance from the planning table into the field. We conducted a hands-on inspection of every asset so we would know where our safety risks lie. Through the inspection, we determined culverts, retaining walls and overhead sign structures were our highest-risk assets and prioritized them to receive inspection and repairs ahead of other lower-risk assets. Taking a risk-based approach to MDOT’s ancillary structures utilizing the new condition data allowed us to focus on the most critical assets and direct our limited resources where they are needed most.

Investing in research

Consistent research and evaluation helps us understand the pace of asset deterioration and how to stay ahead of it. One of our research projects is helping us gain deeper insights into the lifecycle of spun concrete poles. Our closed-circuit TV cameras are mounted on these poles; it’s critical to motorist safety they remain in good repair. Otherwise, our ability to respond rapidly to accidents, weather conditions and other driving hazards in a specific location is diminished.

By analyzing the spun concrete pole data in our ancillary structures database, we can determine what level of cracking precipitates the need for replacement, allowing us to proactively address any structural issues to keep the poles and cameras in good working order and the motorists on our roadways safer.

Ancillary Structure Asset Types

 

  1. Culverts (less than 10-foot span)
  2. Retaining walls
  3. Cantilever sign support structures
  4. Truss sign support structures
  5. Embedded steel poles
  6. Embedded wood poles
  7. Steel strain poles
  8. Noise barrier walls
  9. Dynamic message signs
  10. Dynamic message sign support structures
  11. Frangible poles
  12. Non-frangible poles
  13. High-mast lighting towers
  14. Mast arms
  15. Spun concrete poles
  16. Communication towers

" Through continuous improvement, the Ancillary Structures Program has helped reduce the number of emergency repairs by shifting toward more proactive, planned maintenance." 

Incorporating new technologies

MDOT drives cost and time efficiencies by embracing new technologies when and where they make sense. Our Ancillary Structures Program is no exception. For example, our Lansing District manages a statewide sign crew and all the equipment necessary to repair overhead sign structures. To help streamline the crew’s workload, we created a map-based asset management program accessible on smartphones. The program enables crews to filter and group overhead sign structure jobs by location or repair type. Since they began using the new app, the crews have become eight times faster at completing repair requests.

We’ve also embraced the use of remote-controlled cars fitted with GoPro-style cameras for routine culvert inspections. Although traditional videotaping equipment will always have a place in more complex assessments, this cost-effective technology has proven to be a smart addition to our equipment inventory.

Seek continuous improvement

As our Ancillary Structures Program evolves, our focus is transitioning from creation to identifying areas for improvement. One of those areas is migrating our database to AASHTOWare BrM, a bridge asset management platform that offers more reporting capabilities and data analysis.

Through continuous improvement, the Ancillary Structures Program has helped reduce the number of emergency repairs by shifting toward more proactive, planned maintenance. Repairs are completed faster, and our asset data supports more accurate budget requests and project planning.

MDOT’s Ancillary Structures Program demonstrates the impact that proactive asset management can have in enhancing safety, powering efficiency and optimizing resources. A longer life for ancillary structures can help ensure Michigan’s transportation infrastructure supports safe and reliable travel now and in the future.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Michelle O’Neill, PM
Ancillary Structures Program Manager
Michigan Department of Transportation

Michelle O’Neill is an experienced transportation infrastructure leader with more than 25 years in asset management and program development. Her work focuses on advancing innovative solutions for maintaining and enhancing transportation systems nationwide. In 2024, Michelle received MDOT’s Director’s Award for her work on the Ancillary Structures Program. The program has also received a 2024 Michigan Transportation Asset Management Council Award.

Contact her at [email protected]

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