NCDOT has embarked on a major change in its approach in dealing with human and natural environment issues during the planning, designing, building, and maintaining the State's transportation systems. The concept, called "Context Sensitive Solutions" (CSS) is currently being presented to a wide range of the Department's employees through a unique training seminar called "Context Sensitive Solutions: A Better Way."

The CSS Guiding Principles To produce solutions that address the transportation need To be an asset to the local community To be compatible with the natural and human environment

NCDOT's CSS training course has been offered to NCDOT staff and our partners since February 2003 -- training well over 1600 participants. The seminar is an intense three days of presentations, case study group exercises and participant interaction that focus on planning, environmental, design, construction and maintenance issues during the development of transportation projects. Stakeholder involvement, project purpose and need, communicating with the public, design flexibility, aesthetics and managing liability are some of the major topics discussed and addressed in the course exercises.

Important Information About NCDOT's CSS Program

Registration Form for Non-DOT Employees

Registration Procedures and Information for DOT Employees

NCDOT's CSS Goals and Working Guidelines

For more information or to register for the three-day course "Context Sensitive Solutions: A Better Way" please contact the Office of Environmental Quality at 919-733-1142 or emeister@dot.state.nc.us.

Future CSS Training Under Development CSS Summer Academy for Engineering Assistants

Links of Interest

Center for Transportation and the Environment
http://www.itre.ncsu.edu/CTE/Education/css-training.asp

Context Sensitive Solutions.org
http://www.contextsensitivesolutions.org/

Federal Highway Administration & CSS
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/csd/