Katie Johnson

The July/August 2022 issue of Innovator, the Federal Highway Administration’s bimonthly newsletter, features innovations from a number of No Boundaries member states.

The Michigan Department of Transportation was recognized for its adoption of advanced geotechnical methods in exploration (A-GaME) techniques, including cone penetration testing, which can be used to reveal potential subsurface issues.

To help other states understand how hurricanes can impact transportation infrastructure, the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development described its work to prepare for and recover after Hurricane Ida made landfall in the state last year. The presentation was given as part of Road Weather Spotlight, the Federal Highway Administration’s monthly webinar series addressing the transportation-related challenges and solutions that road weather events can present.

Missouri was applauded for using State Transportation Innovation Council (STIC) funds to enhance how its department of transportation uses work zone, incident and vehicle data for traffic incident management.

Finally, Colorado’s work to improve safety for all road users by sharing crowdsourced data with commercial vehicles, and Idaho’s use of virtual strategies to increase public involvement in project decision-making, were both highlighted as exciting and innovative solutions.

Sign up to get the next issue of Innovator delivered to your inbox.

Image source: FHWA

Workforce shortages are a top concern for transportation agencies across the country. With maintenance workers needed year-round to keep roads clear and safe, No Boundaries member states are leading the way to identify recruitment and retention challenges and uncover noteworthy and effective solutions.

The recently published report, No Boundaries Synthesis: Responses to Staffing Shortages helps quantify staffing shortfalls and document mitigation efforts. Among member states, these include apprenticeship programs that provide on-the-job training, creative outreach efforts, innovative compensation and benefits packages, and more.

In addition, the synthesis report addresses the new federal commercial driver’s license requirements, their effect on the pool of qualified applicants nationwide, and how No Boundaries members are responding.

A falling weight deflectometer (FWD) is the most commonly used device for  determining the structural strength of flexible pavements without taking core samples. However, the method can be time-consuming and disruptive, typically requiring lane closures and creating a potential hazard for workers. A relatively new alternative option is the traffic speed deflectometer (TSD), which promises to assess a pavement’s condition while moving with traffic for greater efficiency and safety.

To evaluate the reliability of data collected with a TSD, the Tennessee Department of Transportation partnered with a team of researchers to gather hundreds of miles’ worth of pavement performance data using traditional and traffic speed deflectometers. After analyzing the results, the team produced a list of recommendations for collecting and using TSD measurements.

Read the report: Evaluation of Traffic Speed Deflectometer for Collecting Network-Level Pavement Structural Data in Tennessee, May 2022.

Image source: Tennessee Department of Transportation

Looking for ways to integrate Ultra High Performance Concrete (UHPC) into your agency’s bridge preservation and repair activities? Register now for the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA’s) free webinar, “Local Agency Implementation of Ultra High Performance Concrete” on Thursday, July 14 from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Central.

The event will begin with presentations from experts at FHWA and the University of Michigan, who will discuss practical issues for working with UHPC such as expenses, material availability and cost-effective applications. Representatives from three local agencies will then share their experiences with UHPC, including why it was chosen for their projects and lessons learned. Finally, a Q-and-A session will allow attendees to ask questions and gain even more insight.

Learn more and register.

Image source: Michigan Department of Transportation

Last week, AASHTO’s Snow and Ice Pooled Fund Cooperative Program (SICOP) and Maintenance Operations Technical Working Group held a virtual showcase to spotlight various organizations dedicated to all aspects of winter and year-round maintenance. Fifteen groups in all shared highlights of their activities over the past year during this session.

On behalf of No Boundaries, representatives Doug Gruver of Ohio DOT and Heath Patterson of Mississippi DOT provided an overview of No Boundaries’ recent accomplishments and resources, including its innovation database, a nearly-completed synthesis investigating staffing shortages and new federal CDL requirements, and the group’s recent peer exchange and technical sessions in Sacramento.

View No Boundaries’ presentation, which begins at 2:07:43. The complete slide deck shown during the virtual meeting is also available.

Image source: No Boundaries

The transportation sector has experienced rapid technological growth in the last 10 years.

To prepare its workforce for the demands of the next decade, the Michigan Department of Transportation conducted a research study to predict the transformational technologies on the horizon and the skills workers will need. With a better understanding of where efforts should focus, the agency will be better positioned to train existing staff and recruit highly skilled workers to keep the agency on the cutting-edge of transportation management and operations.

View the video and read the two-page brief to learn more about the project’s findings.

Image source: Michigan Department of Transportation