Agency Information Collection Activities: Notice of request for approval of a new information collection

Topics:  Federal Highway Administration

Judith Kane
Federal Register
September 7, 2011

[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 173 (Wednesday, September 7, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55458-55459]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-22670]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration

[Docket No. FHWA-2011-0085]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Notice of request for 
approval of a new information collection

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of request for approval of a new information collection.

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SUMMARY: The FHWA invites public comments about our intention to 
request the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval of a new 
information collection that is summarized below under SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION. We are required to publish this notice in the Federal 
Register by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES: Please submit comments by November 7, 2011.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by DOT Docket ID Number 
2011-0085 by any of the following methods:
    Web Site: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
comments received, go to the Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting 
comments.
    Fax: 1-202-493-2251.
    Mail: Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590.
    Hand Delivery or Courier: U.S. Department of Transportation, West 
Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., 
Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET, Monday through 
Friday, except Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lori Fields, 850-553-2204, Florida 
Field Office, Federal Highway Administration, Department of 
Transportation, 545 John Knox Road Suite 200, Tallahassee, FL 32310, 
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: FHWA Exceptional Partnership Workshop Climate Survey.
    Type of request: New information collection requirement.
    Background: The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) values the 
long-standing relationship it shares with the State Departments of 
Transportation (DOT) throughout the country. These relationships 
provide significant and considerable benefits to citizens of the 
respective States in the form of a world-class transportation system. 
There have been substantial changes to our business including funding, 
the workforce, State and National policy dynamics and the systems used 
to deliver products and services to the public. What has not changed is 
the compelling need for a strong and enduring partnership between the 
FHWA and the State DOTs to ensure the safety and integrity of our 
highways and bridges.
    The FHWA has initiated a series of workshops entitled ``Exceptional 
Partnerships'' that are designed to assist its Division Administrators 
to create and sustain ``exceptional'' partnerships with their State 
DOTs. As part of these workshops, the FHWA proposes to use a short pre-
workshop climate survey to assess the partnership of FHWA Division 
Administrators and their counterparts at State DOTs, the result of 
which will be used in the design and delivery of these workshops. The 
purpose of the short climate survey is to determine: (1) The 
perspective of the State DOT partners regarding the effectiveness of 
the partnerships with FHWA Divisions, (2) the factors that contribute 
to successful relationships, (3) the successes of and challenges to 
these partnerships, and (4) recommendations for improvements.
    FHWA will hire independent contractors to conduct informal phone 
interviews, approximately thirty minutes in length, with the State DOT 
counterpart to the participating FHWA's Division Administrators. The 
contractor will manage the documentation of interview notes. Individual 
responses will be held in strict confidence. A summary of aggregate 
data will be provided to the Workshop Design Team to assist in the 
preparation of workshop content and materials. Quantitative and 
qualitative data will be gathered and analyzed to show averages, 
ranges, and trends. A general report of findings will be shared with 
participants in the workshop, but no specific answers will be shared.
    Respondents: 42 State DOT's Chief Executive Officers (8 
participants were interviewed previously).
    Frequency: 14 respondents will be interviewed annually for three 
years. This is a one-time collection.
    Estimated Average Burden per Response: It will take approximately 
30 minutes per participant.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: Approximately 7 hours annually 
(21 hours total over 3 years).
    Public Comments Invited: You are asked to comment on any aspect of 
this information collection, including: (1)

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Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the 
U.S. DOT's performance, including whether the information will have 
practical utility; (2) the accuracy of the U.S. DOT's estimate of the 
burden of the proposed information collection; (3) ways to enhance the 
quality, usefulness, and clarity of the collected information; and (4) 
ways that the burden could be minimized, including the use of 
electronic technology, without reducing the quality of the collected 
information. The agency will summarize and/or include your comments in 
the request for OMB's clearance of this information collection.

    Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995; 44 U.S.C. 
Chapter 35, as amended; and 49 CFR 1.48.

    Issued on: August 30, 2011.
Judith Kane,
Acting Chief, Management Programs and Analysis Division.
[FR Doc. 2011-22670 Filed 9-6-11; 8:45 am]
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