Context-Sensitive Solutions versus Practical Solutions

Abstract

In recent years, the concept of the context-sensitive solution (CSSs) has been promoted by both AASHTO and FHWA as a best practice for project development. A CSS provides a systematic and comprehensive approach to project development from inception and planning through operations and maintenance. Recently, the economic constraints facing several state departments of transportation have created a new emphasis on financial issues as they relate to project development. Practical design and practical solutions are a process emphasizing design solutions that aim to achieve the maximum rate of return for the individual project and to maximize system returns. As a result, the concepts of practical design and practical solutions have seemingly clashed with CSS. In contrast, these concepts address and emphasize the systemwide optimization that was not addressed by CSS. Moreover, they improve CSS applications and principles by further refining them, and potentially they could add the need to consider systemwide improvements. The main conclusion from the work presented here is that a systematic, principle-driven, benefit-justified project development process is necessary to deliver the appropriate project. This paper presents the concepts and issues for each and compares their approaches, aiming to initiate a dialogue for understanding these approaches and improving the project development process so that it is more comprehensively performance oriented.