AASHTO Standards

What is AASHTO?

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) is the nonprofit, nonpartisan association representing highway and transportation departments in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.

AASHTO provides leadership, technical services, and support for the development and maintenance of a safe and efficient transportation system. They are involved in research, policy development, and technical assistance and training related to issues such as highways, bridges, transit, and traffic management. AASHTO develops a wide range of standards and specifications related to transportation.

It represents all five transportation modes: air, highways, public transportation, rail, and water. Its primary goal is to foster the development, operation, and maintenance of an integrated national transportation system.

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The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) is a standards setting body which publishes specifications, test protocols, and guidelines that are used in highway design and construction.

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Gain a Competitive Edge with Instant Access to AASHTO Standards on:

Environment and Sustainability

Technical support documents to develop environmentally sound transportation infrastructure programs and services as well as the operation of multimodal transportation systems.

Design

Guidance pertaining to the design and performance of a multi-modal transportation system. Recommended practices for the design of such facilities to provide mobility and integrate safety features for all users; recommend and promote design practices that will protect and enhance the quality of the environment; facilitate research and guidance on various design-related topics in transportation, practices, and experience in the field of transportation facility design; and give due consideration to the effect of all design features on economic and energy resources.

Bridges and Structures

Engineering standards, specifications, and principles pertaining to the methods and procedures of bridge and structural design, fabrication, erection, construction, inspection, and maintenance, including geometric standards and aesthetics, as appropriate, for bridges, tunnels, and ancillary structures.

Recommendations for testing and investigating existing and new materials of construction and determine areas of needed study and research in bridge engineering. Standards and procedures appropriate for rating and evaluating existing in–service structures.

Traffic Engineering

Recommendations on all aspects of traffic engineering, including: the effectiveness of new and existing traffic control practices and devices in terms of context, cost, and public safety; advancements and innovations in methods and equipment that reduce costs, lower energy consumption, improve motorist guidance, and reduce crashes; and the standards and guidelines contained in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) and other technical documents.

Right of Way, Utilities, and Outdoor Advertising Control

Best practices, training, and research to improve the quality and efficiency of right-of-way, utility, and outdoor advertising control operating practices. Procedures pertaining to public acquisition and management of real property for transportation related purposes; the placement of utilities on highway rights-of-way; and the effective regulatory control of outdoor advertising in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Highway Beautification Act of the USA.

Materials and Pavements

Information related to materials testing, specification, performance, pavement design, testing, and management. Technical specifications for materials used in the construction and maintenance of all transportation facilities including highways, bridges, and structures; guides, policies, and standards for the quality, design, rehabilitation, testing, and management of pavements; specifications for standard methods of sampling and testing such materials and other items incident to construction, maintenance, operation, and quality of such facilities.

Construction

Best practices, training, and research to improve safety in work zones, improve customer service and collaboration, promote quality, advocate for environmentally responsible construction projects, encourage technology-driven improvements to business practices, develop and empower our workforce to be successful, promote best practices for the administration of all construction contracts, and utilize construction efficiency and cost effectiveness.

Maintenance

Guidelines, manuals, specifications, and other resources, to address the maintenance, preservation, and operation of all classes of highways. This information covers areas such as bridges, equipment, pavements, roadways, roadsides, maintenance operations, and cold weather maintenance.

AASHTO Standards

What is AASHTO?