Last Updated January 24, 2005
Wood in Transportation Program (WIT)
Improving local communities and infrastructure systems while using America's primary renewable resource, wood; the aim of commercialization projects is to showcase wood-in-transportation technology for potential users
The USDA Forest Service's Wood In Transportation (WIT) program provides financial and technical assistance for demonstration and commercialization of technologies using wood in local transportation networks.
Improvements in wood treatment, engineered wood composite products, and bridge designs make wood a cost-effective alternative material to use for replacing deteriorating bridges in many situations. These advances also open the door to a realm of opportunities to add value to under-utilized timber species, create new rural timber based industries, and improve rural transportation networks.
The WIT program introduces people to these opportunities, gives them access to information on the latest technology, and assists them in pioneering efforts that will create new markets and better ways to manage forest resources.
In 1996, commercialization projects were introduced as a component to the grants program to foster the commercialization of modern wood-in-transportation technology. A key concept of these projects is to develop cooperative partnerships that join public and private entities and promote productive efforts to satisfy local transportation needs and stimulate local economic vitality.
Project Examples
- The National Timber Bridge Design Competition is an annual event open to student chapters of American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and Forest Products Society (FPS) in the United States and Canada. Joint or cooperative entries are eligible and encouraged. The competition aims to promote interest in the use of wood as a competitive bridge construction material; generate innovative and cost-effective timber bridge design techniques; and develop an appreciation of the engineering capabilities of wood.
- The National Timber Bridge Awards Program recognizes premiere timber bridges across the United States as winners in a periodic National Timber Bridge Competition. The competition is divided into five categories: long span vehicular timber bridges (more than 40 feet), short span vehicular timber bridges (less than 40 feet), covered bridges, rehabilitation of existing bridges, and pedestrian timber bridges. The major sponsors of the program included APA-The Engineered Wood Association, the American Institute of Timber Construction, the USDA Forest Service, and the Federal Highway Administration. The American Wood Preservers Institute and Roads and Bridges Magazine were supporting sponsors for 2002 competition.
- Standard Plans for Timber Bridges. The U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, USDA Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, and Laminated Concepts, Inc., developed standardized timber bridge plans that have recently become publicly available. The plans include standardized designs and details using the allowable stress design approach for seven timber bridge superstructure types. The types include five longitudinal deck and two beam systems using both sawn lumber and glued-laminated timber.
Application and Financial Information
An application package is developed each year to provide guidelines for applicants. These applications are available to potential cooperators in the fall of each year. Normally, applicants have 2 to 3 months to complete the application. Formal notification about projects selected for funding is issued in March or April.
The maximum Forest Service cost-share amount is $50,000 for vehicular bridge projects, $20,000 for pedestrian/trail bridge projects, $150,000 for commercialization projects, and $30,000 for special projects. The Forest Service contribution must be equal to or less than the cooperator's contribution to ensure up to a 50 percent match of federal funds. Matching funds cannot be other federal funds.
A commercialization project is defined as a project that results in the design and construction of multiple structures per project; such as, construction of four bridges using the same basic design, the same engineer and/or engineering firm, the same fabricator, the same construction firm, and preferably local timber resources within a single or multi-county area.
The purpose of these projects is to foster the commercialization of modern WIT technology that has been developed during the past 14 years of the program. Types of structures that are eligible for funding include vehicular bridges, pedestrian bridges, portable bridges, railroad bridges, piers, and sound barriers.
Even though WIT emphasizes commercialization projects, it does accept applications that propose a single vehicular or pedestrian bridge or related transportation structure. Applications can be downloaded from the National Wood In Transportation Information Center's website (www.fs.fed.us/na/wit/WITPages/grants.html).
Eligibility, Uses and Restrictions
Local and state governments and nonprofit organizations are eligible provided the structure is to be built on public lands. This funding opportunity is not intended to be a cure for all deficient bridges/structures, but rather to demonstrate the feasibility of modern timber structures as an economical solution. Proposals to rehabilitate or rebuild covered bridges will not be accepted.
Contact
Regional and national contacts can be found at the following website: www.fs.fed.us/na/wit/WITPages/coordinators.html
