Course Descriptions

Bridge Construction Inspection

PURPOSE: This course will enable students to inspect the construction of bridges to ensure compliance with plans and specifications.
PREREQUISITES: Mathematics Refresher Course, Units 1 through 15, or equivalent; familiarity with bridge terminology; and probability of
assignment to bridge construction inspection within 6 months and the ability to perform math equations on a scientific calculator.
TOPICS TO BE COVERED: Bridge foundations, substructures, steel superstructures, concrete superstructures, deck paving and
documentation.
LENGTH OF COURSE: 3 days.
PDH’s: 18.0

Communicating through COLORS

PURPOSE: To help participants identify their own color (temperament) style and that of their supervisors, peers and/or subordinates. In addition, it will provide a new understanding of learning and communication styles that are in keeping with the color style of others.
TOPICS TO BE COVERED: Recognizing students own strengths and the strengths of others, building instant rapport with others, learning to speak the language of their listeners, enhancing the ability to understand how others process information, and modifying their own communication style to meet the
needs of other communication styles.
LENGTH OF COURSE: 1 day.
PDH’s: 6.0

Confined Space Awareness

PURPOSE: To familiarize the student with what a confined space is, how to recognize hazards and prepare for safety.
TOPICS TO BE COVERED: Confined space hazards, Federal and State laws, definitions of what a confined space is, air monitoring and applicable policies.
LENGTH OF COURSE: 2 hours.
PDH’s: 2.0
NOTE: This is a 2 hour class that will be offered in the morning and the Trenching and Shoring Safety Class will be offered in the afternoon. Those students who wish may enroll in both classes for the same day.

Construction Material Inspection Documentation

PURPOSE: To increase the course participant’s knowledge of IDOT’s materials acceptance process. The course focuses on understanding and using the Project Procedures Guide with an emphasis on the role of IDOT personnel, contractor personnel and consultant personnel in the acceptance process.
TOPICS TO BE COVERED: Some of the available materials, forms and reports, a demonstration on how ICORS can help track materials at the job site, and an overview of the final materials certification review.
LENGTH OF COURSE: 1 day
PDH’s: 6.0

Culvert Hydraulics

PURPOSE: To enable the student, with some supervision, to establish design constraints and size culverts openings using the manual solution in DS#5, “Hydraulic Design of Highway Culverts” from the FHWA.
PREREQUISITES: Mathematics Refresher Course, Units 1 through 17, or equivalent; familiarity with basic hydraulic terminology; ability to read and understand nomographs; the probability of being involved in culvert design.
TOPICS TO BE COVERED: Selecting design constraints, determining allowable headwater depth and calculating outlet velocity for box and pipe culverts operating in outlet or inlet control conditions. The FHWA’s culvert software (HY-8) is briefly discussed.
LENGTH OF COURSE: ½ day.
PDH’s: 3.0

Highway Engineering Principles

PURPOSE: To familiarize engineering and technical employees or refresh their knowledge of highway terminology and procedures used in conjunction with engineering applications and the management of streets and roads.
PREREQUISITES: Mathematics Refresher Course, Units 1 through 17 or equivalent; involvement in highway design or highway project development activities.
TOPICS TO BE COVERED: Basic mathematics; horizontal and vertical curves; slopes and grades; bituminous surface treatment; traffic, highway organization and funding.
LENGTH OF COURSE: 1 day.
PDH’s: 6.0

Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) Training

PURPOSE: This course will provide the basic principles of traffic control that is contained in the MUTCD. It will also provide guidance on the importance of compliance with the MUTCD and a general discussion on how and why devices are included in the manual.
TOPICS TO BE COVERED: There will be sessions focusing on the concept of Positive Guidance, Human Factors, and how they relate to proper traffic control, and highlights of each Part of the MUTCD.
LENGTH OF COURSE: 1 day.
PDH’s: 6.0

MFT Accounting and Auditing

PURPOSE: This course will enable students to properly record and account for MFT funds utilized on local agency projects.
TOPICS TO BE COVERED: Accounting and auditing principles of MFT funds as established by the Illinois Department of Transportation.
LENGTH OF COURSE: 1 day.
PDH’s: 6.0

OSHA 10-Hour Construction

PURPOSE: To provide safety training for highway personnel on several work related topics. Participants receive an OSHA safety certificate.
TOPICS TO BE COVERED: Cranes, electrical, hazard communication, ladders & stairs, personal protection equipment, material handling, tools,
walking working surfaces, and welding safety.
LENGTH OF COURSE: 10 hours.
PDH’s: 10.0

Pavement Construction Inspection

PURPOSE: To enable the student to inspect the construction of bituminous surface treatments, asphalt concrete and PCC pavements to ensure compliance with plans and specifications.
PREREQUISITES: Mathematics Refresher Course, Units 1 through 15, or equivalent; and the probability of inspection of pavement construction within 6 months and the ability to perform math equations on a scientific calculator.
TOPICS TO BE COVERED: Bases: granular, Surface Treatment/Cold Milling/Reclaim; preparation and prime, design, and construction control;
Bituminous Concrete: surfaces and binders along with intro to Superpave; Portland Cement Concrete: concrete placement, reinforcement, joints, finishing and curing, intersection joint design and field layout.
LENGTH OF COURSE: 3 days.
PDH’s: 18.0

Piling

PURPOSE: Introduction to foundation and piling inspection and testing procedures, field documentation,and discussion of problems encountered with piling installation.
PREREQUISITES: Probability of assignment to inspection and documentation of pile driving operation.
TOPICS TO BE COVERED: Determining energy requirements for hammers, blow counts, site safety, piling alignment, splicer requirements, bearing values, setting up of field books.
LENGTH OF COURSE: 1 day.
PDH’s: 6.0

Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) for Local Agencies

PURPOSE: This seminar will demonstrate the economic benefits and quality product that RAP offers; and show the proper use of RAP.
TOPICS TO BE COVERED: Quality Control, HMA Mix Design, RAP Processing and RAP classification.
LENGTH OF COURSE: ½ day.
PDH’s: 3.0

Retroreflectivity

PURPOSE: To explain the new federal regulations on sign retroreflectivity as required by the MUTCD.
TOPICS TO BE COVERED: Types of sheeting required, sign management, inventory and inspection will be covered.
LENGTH OF COURSE: 1 day.
PDH’s: 6.0

Road Safety Assessment (RSA)

PURPOSE: Students will learn to identify, rank and develop countermeasures for road risks according to RSA procedures.
TOPICS TO BE COVERED: RSA risk identification, risk analysis, countermeasure selection and necessary documentation of the RSA process.
LENGTH OF COURSE: 2 days.
PDH’s: 12.0

Roundabout Intersection Workshop

PURPOSE: This Workshop will provide an introduction to planning and designing roundabout intersections for safety.
TOPICS TO BE COVERED: Distinguishing modern roundabouts, roundabout safety results, traffic operational models, public education strategies, geometric design principles, signing and marking and pedestrian and bicyclist accommodations.
LENGTH OF COURSE: 1 day.
PDH’s: 6.0

Survey I - Beginning

PURPOSE: To enable potential survey personnel, with some supervision, to know the use and care of basic surveying instruments and equipment.
PREREQUISITES: the ability to perform math equations on a scientific calculator.
TOPICS TO BE COVERED: Mathematics Refresher Course Units 1-17; horizontal angle measurements with transit; leveling and the leveling rod; field note-keeping and
safety.
LENGTH OF COURSE: 3 days.
PDH’s: 18.0

Survey II – Intermediate Surveying/Design

PURPOSE: To establish the vertical and horizontal alignment of the route and to obtain data necessary for
the preparation of highway construction plans.
PREREQUISITES: Survey I – Beginning and the ability to perform math equations on a scientific
calculator.
TOPICS TO BE COVERED: Horizontal and vertical alignment (curves); super-elevations, topography and
cross sectioning.
LENGTH OF COURSE: 3 or 4 days.
PDH’s: 18.0 or 24.0

Team Building through COLORS

PURPOSE: Participants will focus on team building as it relates to their agency and their own color and
evaluate the impact of conflict, communication, task assignments and temperament in building a successful
team.
PREREQUISITES: Communicating through COLORS Course
TOPICS TO BE COVERED: The four stages of team building: storming, forming, norming and performing
and how conflict and communication effect team building.
LENGTH OF COURSE: 1day.
PDH’s: 6.0
NOTE: Students will not be allowed to attend this course if the prerequisite, Communicating through
COLORS, has not been met

Trenching and Shoring Safety

PURPOSE: To provide students with safety procedures to follow when involved in trenching and shoring
operations.
TOPICS TO BE COVERED: Utility notification, soil mechanics, slope requirements, manual and visual
testing, shoring techniques and equipment.
LENGTH OF COURSE: 2 hours.
PDH’s: 2.0
NOTE: This is a 2 hour class that will be offered in the afternoon after the Confined Space Awareness
Class. Those students who wish may enroll in both classes for the same day.

Work Zone Safety for Projects (Crews)

PURPOSE: To provide the student with the basic elements required for work zone traffic
control and protection.
TOPICS TO BE COVERED: Need for traffic control, laws and legal considerations,
applicable portions of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, work zone traffic
control and the Work Area Protection Guide for street and utility repairs.
LENGTH OF COURSE: ½ day.
PDH’s: 3.0

PURPOSE: To provide the student with the ability to document, with some supervision, contract quantities
to Federal and State standards.
PREREQUISITES: Mathematics Refresher Course, Units 1 through 15, or equivalent; one year
construction experience and familiarity with general highway construction terminology and practice.
TOPICS TO BE COVERED: Project diary entries; quantity book preparation and entries; cross-reference
system; extra work reports, and the measurement and calculation of pay items for pay quantities occurring
in road and bridge plans.
LENGTH OF COURSE: 3 days.
PDH’s: 18.0
NOTE: The Technology Transfer Documentation classes will be offered to local agency personnel only.
Consultant registration for Documentation of Contract Quantities is on a first-come, first-served basis so requests in writing are required. A Bureau of Construction Registration Form (available on the web site at contractquantities/registration.html) is required for each individual wishing to attend class. Requests will be accepted via fax at 217/524-4922, Attn: Documentation Registration, or by e-mail at cbctraining@dot.il.gov.
Consultant registration requests will only be accepted by the Central Bureau of Construction. Requests by phone and requests submitted prior to the posted “registration begins” dates as noted on the website will not be accepted.

PURPOSE: To provide training on the safety inspection of in-service highway bridges.
TOPICS TO BE COVERED: Evaluate a variety of bridges and determine the critical areas for inspection,
including fatigue-prone details and common points of deterioration and/or distress, documentation of
defects in various materials, evaluating the severity of material deterioration and determining when it is
necessary to close the bridge because of imminent danger.
LENGTH OF COURSE: 10 days
PDH’s: 60.0
NOTE: This is a computer course offered through the National Highway Institute (NHI). There is a
course registration fee of approximately $1,400.00 per student.