No Boundaries

Transportation Maintenance Innovation

SRF Admin

FHWA Highlights Innovations from No Boundaries Members

The July/August 2023 issue of Innovator, the bimonthly newsletter of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), recognized the efforts of a number of No Boundaries member states.

Open-ended performance plans, an innovative strategy used by the Texas Department of Transportation (DOT), allow greater flexibility when working with subcontractors.

Two innovative work zone initiatives developed by Missouri DOT – the iTrain virtual reality training simulator and a semi-autonomous truck-mounted attenuator pilot program – recently won awards from FHWA’s Accelerating Market Readiness program. The agency was also recognized for its increased use of Federal Share flexibilities to save money on a variety of projects.

Indiana DOT leverages crowdsourced data to estimate travel times and program traffic signals, while Utah DOT has expanded its use of accelerated bridge construction methods across the state.

Ohio DOT’s practice of upcycling bridge beams also earned a shout-out in the issue – the agency removes steel beams that are no longer needed and provides them to counties to help them save costs and reduce waste.

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

Image source: FHWA

Texas Explores Methods to Remove Pavement Stripes

Common techniques for removing stripes from roadway surfaces, such as hydroblasting and flailing, can damage surfaces and leave residual marks that may confuse drivers.

To discover alternative methods, the Texas Department of Transportation surveyed other states about their current practices and developed and tested a new device that uses lasers to remove stripes without damaging pavement surfaces.

Read the report: Develop Improved Methods for Eliminating Striping on Roadway Surfaces, February 2023.

Image source: Texas Department of Transportation

Missouri Investigates Bat-Sensitive Maintenance Strategies for Bridges and Culverts

Many bat species — including those that are threatened or endangered — make their homes in bridges and culverts, which can affect maintenance and repair activities.

To learn strategies for detecting, deterring and relocating bats from these structures temporarily, the Missouri Department of Transportation initiated a research study aimed at better understanding sensitive management tactics.

The research compiled knowledge about the habits of different kinds of bats, and the tools, technologies and best practices that other states and federal transportation agencies use when performing maintenance on structures with bat populations.

Read the report: Bats Use of Bridges and Culverts, April 2023.

Image source: Missouri Department of Transportation

Louisiana Evaluates Materials for Reducing Roadway Edge Drop-Offs

Frequent road-edge maintenance is critical for preventing ruts and drop-offs that can be unsafe for the traveling public.

To identify materials that are stable, durable and widely available for use along a road’s edge, the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development evaluated a variety of reclaimed asphalt mixtures and additives.

The research resulted in recommendations for cost-effective materials and strategies for improving the performance of road shoulders, as well as a method for identifying problematic areas so they can be proactively addressed to increase safety.

Read the report: Maintenance of Roadway Edge Drop-Off Utilizing Readily Available Materials, January 2023.

Image source: Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development

Oregon Investigates Effects of Centerline Rumble Strips on Pavement Durability

Rumble strips milled into the centerline of a roadway provide an audible and vibratory alert when a driver crosses into oncoming traffic, reducing crashes and injuries. While rumble strips have an established record of increasing safety, pavements that have them are more likely to develop cracks.

To improve the performance of pavements with centerline rumble strips, the Oregon Department of Transportation initiated a research project to develop better installation methods as well as innovative maintenance strategies to reduce cracking and increase the long-term durability of these pavements.

Read the report: Centerline Rumble Strip Effects on Pavement Performance, June 2023

Image source: Federal Highway Administration

Minnesota Develops Decision Tool for Pavement Markings

We featured older research results from Minnesota DOT yesterday;
here’s a newer research resource from MnDOT.

***

When applying new or replacement pavement markings, maintenance crews have a variety of issues to consider such as marking materials, surface type and location.

To help Minnesota’s state and local transportation agencies understand their options and make informed decisions, the Minnesota Department of Transportation and Local Road Research Board developed an online pavement marking decision tree.

View the Pavement Marking Decision Tree, April 2023

Image source: Minnesota Department of Transportation