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WELCOME
The Landscape and Environmental Design Committee, AKD40 effectively influences transportation policy and practice through the development, distribution and support of transportation research. The Committee is specifically concerned with research into integrating the transportation facility with its setting, creating a visually pleasing travel experience for all who live, work, and travel, including: conservation of natural elements, preservation of cultural and historic resources, maintaining aesthetic and scenic quality, and identification and preservation of scenic opportunities.
The Landscape and Environmental Design Committee, together with its members and friends, is proud of its dedication to the design and construction of transportation systems whose form is in harmony with the surrounding natural and man-made environment. The Committee continues to promote cost-effective, efficient, and buildable design solutions that enhance the traveler’s experiences while promoting careful stewardship, wise planning and artful design that supports responsible development, restores and conserves natural resources, respects cultural heritage and improves the quality of life.
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Would you like to become a "Friend of the AKD40 Committee? To participate as a volunteer in TRB committee activities, or learn more about the work of the standing committees:
Consult the list of TRB standing committees,including the scope statement and member list for each. Click on the TRB Staff or Chairperson's email address and send a brief email summarizing your background and why you are interested in participating with this committee.
Login to MyTRB and sign-up as a “friend” of a committee to receive correspondence and updates, and to begin participating. Go to Committees on the menu bar, then select Become a Friend of the Committee.
Contact a TRB staff representative to learn of current activities in which you may wish to participate.
Volunteer to serve as a reviewer of research papers, to work on a committee project, or to give a presentation or preside at a session of the annual meeting or a specialty conference.
Participate in committee meetings, which generally are open to anyone who wishes to attend. Introduce yourself to the chair and other committee members.
Express your interest in joining as a formal member of the committee at the first opportunity. Each committee has a required turnover of one-third of its members every 3 years, and committee members may not continue for more than three consecutive 3-year terms if other individuals wish to join. As a result, opportunities occur at least every 3 years (more often for many committees).
For detailed information on involvement with TRB Committee activities, visit the TRB Committee page.
Steering Committee Structure
Committee Chair:
Chairs are appointed by the TRB Executive Director upon the recommendation of TRB staff. Chairs provide oversight and manage the responsibilities assigned to their respective Committee, section, Group, or task force.
A chair is the main point of contact for Committee members and TRB staff. Chairs aid in the development of the TRB Annual Meeting program. Committee chairs may serve up to two consecutive three-year terms. At the end of the Chair’s term, the role of Past Chair commences for a term of at least one year.
Responsibilities:
Promote innovation and progress in transportation through research
Identify needed research, research in progress, and disseminating completed research
Assist in the development of the TRB Annual Meeting program and managing the associated deadlines and deliverables
Process the review of papers submitted for presentation at the Annual Meeting and for publication consideration in a Transportation Research Record
Clarify past practice and decisions
Confirm TRB policies, practices and requirements are met
Vice Chair:
The Vice Chair leads the Steering Committee, which is comprised of the leaders of the Working Groups. The Vice Chair assists the Chair to ensure Committee efforts are completed in a timely manner.
Responsibilities:
Update the Chair on the progress of the Working Groups.
Facilitate internal communication among Working Groups to further the goals of the Committee.
Conduct Monthly teleconferences to accomplish the following:
Monitor the Annual Calendar: discuss open tasks and deadlines and what Working Group activities are required to meet TRB goals
Each Working Group chair will present a status report on tasks and schedules
Create new task assignments and monitor deadlines
Past Chair:
During transition of the new Chair, the Past Chair provides continuity of leadership and support to the current Chair as it pertains to the purpose and goals of the Committee.
Responsibilities:
Provide guidance and a historical perspective of the Committee’s activities
Serve as a member of the Steering Committee
Provide advice and counsel to the Chair and Committee members
Perform other tasks as requested by the Steering Committee
Committee Secretary:
The Secretary acts as an information and reference point for the Chair and other committee members. It is important to note that although the Secretary ensures that these responsibilities are met, much of the work is delegated to other committee members.
Responsibilities:
Support the Chair in ensuring the smooth functioning of the Committee by ensuring the meetings are effectively organized.
Ensure the effective flow of business information among Committee members.
Provide information and data or obtain it from others.
Record information, prepare and maintain accurate records and minutes.
Provide information for proper dissemination.
Committee Communications Coordinator (CCC):
The CCC’s role is to act as a conduit of information from the TRB national organization to the Standing Committee level. The need for and transfer of information varies among the Standing Committees.
Responsibilities:
Identify existing tools that have been, or can be, applied by Committees and TRB.
Determine how AKD40 can support members’ and friends’ communications and facilitate increased information exchange in support of Committee and TRB activities.
Identify communications options that are most appropriate for different audiences.
Identify and evaluate new communications options that may be available in the future.
Working Groups and Steering Committee:
The Committee Chair makes all decisions affecting the Committee; however, some responsibilities are delegated to the Working Groups Leaders.
AKD40 Working Groups are small groups of Members and Friends who volunteer to focus on a particular task or area of Committee practice. The Leader of each Working Group makes recommendations to the Vice Chair and Chair for decisions. All Committee Members are assigned to one or more Working Group.
Outreach Working Group:
The purpose of the Outreach Working Group is to identify future Committee Members and Friends and share the Committee’s accomplishments and updates.
Leader’s Responsibilities:
In close collaboration with the Liaison Working Group, maintain a contact list of North American and International professionals
Inform the list of professionals of AKD40 activities:
- Research Need Statements
- Mid-year meeting
- Annual Meeting
Solicit new Friends from the list of professionals
Seek opportunities to discuss issues that could be resolved with research
Provide monthly status updates
Social Media Working Group:
The purpose of the Social Media Working Group is to work with the CCC to keep the selected social media platforms up to date and informative so users will know and understand the purpose and scope of AKD40.
Leader’s Responsibilities:
Management of the Committee’s website and other social media as appropriate
Upload content
Archive meeting minutes, presentations, etc.
Collaborate with Working Group leaders and get feedback to add/edit content.
Maintain an online calendar of events
Maintain repository of research needs and other research being conducting
Provide monthly status updates
Research Working Group:
The purpose of the Research Working Group is to develop and maintain a robust Research Needs Statement portfolio.
Leader’s Responsibilities:
Identify Research Needs by collaborating with the various Working Groups
Update Research Needs Statements
Work with Chair to facilitate research related discussions and presentations at the Mid-Year and/or Annual meeting.
Participate in monthly meetings, conduct additional meetings, as necessary.
Develop solicitations for formal papers and Posters that respond to research needs and promote research needs to external Committees.
Develop peer-reviewed Research Needs Statements (RNS) through cross-Committee collaborative efforts
Enter these statements into the RNS database
Enhance the probability that RNS will be funded by submittal of RNSs to funding programs by Committee members or co-sponsors
Enhance the sharing of information from ongoing research by monitoring of research status
Use a variety of strategies to communicate and interact with stakeholders regarding the availability and implementation of recently completed research, and to foster discussions on the implications to practice and future research needs.
Provide monthly status updates
Mid-Year Meeting Working Group:
The purpose of the Mid-Year Meeting Working Group is to assist in scheduling, location, logistics, developing the agenda, and management of the budget for the Mid-Year Business Meeting. This Working Group is at least comprised of the past host and current host of the MY meeting. This WG coordinates with the Chair and Steering Committee to develop a multi-year schedule of meeting dates and locations. Coordinate with other AKD40 Working Groups to ensure pertinent content is presented. Coordinate with Outreach Working Groups to inform others of the mid-year event.
Leader’s Responsibilities:
Collaborate with TRB staff through the AKD40 Chair
Establish meeting venue
Negotiate with meeting venue for room rates, meeting space and other meeting needs
Establish meeting registration costs
Establish meeting agenda, including theme, business agenda, speaker list and topics
Coordinate meeting venue, meals and transportation needs
Consider the participation with local ASLA or other Professional organizations
Host mid-year meeting
Maintain meeting documentation, including final income and expenses
Update meeting planning guide with lessons learned
Liaison Working Group:
The purpose of the Liaison Working Group is to ensure effective communication between AKD40 and internal TRB Committees and related professional or technical organizations.
Leader’s Responsibilities:
Conduct monthly meetings among liaisons
Review Committee goals/research needs with the other organizations
Internal TRB Liaisons should be a member or friend of the other Committee to
- Discuss joint research needs
- Promote potential joint meetings,
- Promote Annual and Mid-year program collaboration,
- Report on research topics from that Committee.
- External organization Liaisons should:
- Garner Committee support for AKD40 Mid-Year meetings,
- Solicit friends and new Committee members,
- Advertise for TRB meetings
- Provide monthly status updates