Katie Johnson

Roads often intersect with animals’ migratory patterns, creating dangerous conditions for some small creatures such as salamanders, toads and frogs, which are often slow-moving and too small for drivers to see.

As standard practice along its highways, the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) builds small animal crossings into its highways to allow safe passage beneath the roadway. However, the distance between crossings and other factors can affect whether the creatures make it to the crossing point or give up too soon. To increase the probability that these at-risk animals will make it to – and continue through – the crossing points, Caltrans conducted a research study that identified a promising and cost-effective solution to support the state’s amphibian and reptile populations.

Read the final report: Roadway Crossings for Sensitive Amphibians and Reptiles: Phase II, October 2024.

Image source: Caltrans

Leaves, trash and other debris often accumulate along highway roadsides. Keeping these pollutants from clogging the highway’s drainage system is an important maintenance activity, but drains located in the road’s barrier wall can be challenging and hazardous for crews to keep clean.

To identify the most effective devices and debris management practices available, the Ohio Department of Transportation initiated a research study that evaluated a wide range of tools and techniques for keeping large items out of the state’s storm sewers.

Read the report: Benefit Analysis of Barrier Inlet Screens, May 2024

Image source: Ohio Department of Transportation

As the process for designing and building transportation infrastructure becomes increasingly virtual, discrepancies between the structure that was planned and the real-world outcome can lead to inefficiencies later on.

To help agencies ensure that an asset’s future maintenance and long-term management are considered throughout the project’s development and delivery, the Transportation Research Board will host a webinar, Resolving Ambiguities Between 3D Virtual Models and the Real World on December 18 from 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Eastern.

View details and register.

Image source: Iowa Department of Transportation

Creating and preserving pollinator habitats along highway roadsides can increase the beauty and biodiversity of these public spaces while simultaneously reducing the need for maintenance and minimizing stormwater runoff and erosion.  

To help transportation agencies recognize and maximize the benefits of pollinator conservation efforts, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Federal Highway Administration will host a three-hour virtual workshop on December 4 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Central.

Learn more and register.

Image source: Georgia Department of Transportation

Work zone safety for highway maintenance crews – and all road users – is a high priority for transportation agencies across the United States.

To help reduce the risks, the South Carolina Department of Transportation conducted a research project that produced a tool for assessing the crash risks at work zones and determining the costs and benefits of a variety of countermeasures.

Read the report: Reducing Crash Risk at Work Zones in South Carolina, June 2024.

Image source: South Carolina DOT