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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

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

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

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

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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

 

Illuminating highway signs, lights and traffic signals usually requires power from a commercial electrical grid. Remote areas, however, may not have access to this power source.

To better understand the costs and other considerations associated with solar-powered systems, the Minnesota Department of Transportation initiated a synthesis project to evaluate products and their effectiveness and costs, as well as a case study detailing a Minnesota county’s experiences with solar-powered traffic control devices.

Read the synthesis report: Highway Signing and Signal Lighting Using Solar Energy, April 2023

Image source: Minnesota Department of Transportation

Routinely inspecting and maintaining culverts are important for keeping infrastructure performing well. As part of a new statewide culvert management system, the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) developed a culvert inspection and asset management manual, as well as an algorithm for predicting the maintenance and repair needs of the 47,000 culverts across the state.

The results will increase efficiency at UDOT as the agency manages its culvert system and prioritizes maintenance activities in the future.

Read the research project brief: Culvert Inspection Manual & Deterioration Curve Estimation, March 2023

Image source: Utah Department of Transportation