​About The STIC

In 2010, FHWA introduced the State Transportation Innovation Council (STIC) concept to state transportation departments and industry partners. It established a process in which innovative techniques and processes can be evaluated and implemented quickly and proficiently.

Pennsylvania held its inaugural STIC business meeting in March 2012. The Pennsylvania STIC has become a national model for innovation and collaboration. In 2018, the STIC continued to evolve as it unveiled its STIC Moving Forward plan. This plan focused on refining the STIC organizational structure and clearly defining the process for developing innovations for deployment.

How Is The STIC Organized?

At the top of the organizational structure, the STIC is comprised of three main groups: the STIC Management Team, the STIC, and PennDOT's Highway Administration Deputate. The STIC Management Team oversees all administrative functions. The STIC itself acts as a board of directors and provides feedback and approval of innovations. PennDOT's Highway Administration Deputate is responsible for deploying the innovations that have successfully moved through the STIC. The next level in the organizational structure includes Technical Advisory Groups (TAGs). The TAGs are assigned innovations and follow the Innovation Development Process to prepare innovations for deployment in Pennsylvania.

Who Is On The STIC?

The PennDOT secretary of transportation and FHWA division administrator serve as co-chairs of the Pennsylvania STIC.

STIC and TAG members are transportation stakeholders from the following organizations:

• PennDOT
• FHWA
• Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission
• Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP)
• Local Public Agencies
• Planning Partners
• Contractors
• Consultants
• Federal and/or State Resource Agencies
• University Transportation Centers or Higher Education Institutions

The STIC Management Team is comprised of key representatives from PennDOT, the FHWA, and the TAGs.

How Does It Work?

When an innovation is submitted, the STIC Management Team determines whether the innovation is well-researched, proven, and documented and could be implemented in Pennsylvania. If the STIC Management Team determines the innovation makes sense for use in Pennsylvania, it assigns the innovation to a Technical Advisory Group which guides it through the Innovation Development Process. When the innovation completes the process, it is deployed by PennDOT's Highway Administration Deputate and becomes standard practice.

Ideas that lack research and documentation may be referred to another program area within PennDOT. This allows the idea to be further researched and documented so that it may come back to the STIC for broader development and deployment.