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Roads can be dangerous places for amphibians, which are often slow-moving and too small for drivers to see and avoid.

To make it safer for vulnerable populations to move freely in their natural habitats, the Nevada Department of Transportation initiated a research project to better understand amphibians’ migratory behaviors and the effectiveness of road and fence design options for funneling the animals to designated passageways.

Read the final report: Research to Inform Passage Spacing for Migratory Amphibians and to Evaluate Efficacy and Designs for Open Elevated road Segment (ERS) Passages, July 2022.

Image source: Nevada Department of Transportation

For state transportation agencies that rely on contractors to mow and landscape highway roadsides, identifying and prioritizing workloads – and evaluating performance after a job is done – are critical to keeping these green spaces healthy and functional. However, visual inspections can prove challenging and labor-intensive as these areas are often large, steep and difficult to access.

To simplify and automate the process of conducting highway roadside assessments, the Georgia Department of Transportation initiated a research project to evaluate the use of camera-equipped drones for monitoring and verifying maintenance work. Applying GIS data and newly developed image processing techniques, researchers were able to successfully differentiate between mowed and unmowed areas and determine the condition of the vegetation remotely.

Read the final report: Development of Drone-Assisted Highway Mowing Operations Planning, Monitoring, and Verification Capabilities, May 2022.

Image source: Georgia Department of Transportation

While maintenance costs can add up over the course of an asset’s life, these costs aren’t routinely considered as part of the design process. To make better-informed design decisions, the Utah Department of Transportation investigated the long-term maintenance needs and associated costs of a variety of road, bridge and drainage infrastructure designs and features.

With a more comprehensive understanding of the life-cycle costs of different types of barriers, cross-section elements, temporary control measures and other features, the agency is better positioned to make cost-effective maintenance decisions during the design stage.

Read the report: Incorporating Maintenance Costs into Highway Design

Image source: Utah Department of Transportation

As a result of budget shortfalls, higher materials costs and the ongoing pandemic, many of Minnesota’s local governments have had to postpone their road maintenance work. But by delaying activities in the short-term, asset conditions will continue to deteriorate as maintenance and repair becomes more expensive.

To help local transportation agencies make better-informed expenditure decisions and understand the impacts of deferring maintenance on state roads, the Minnesota Department of Transportation investigated the road maintenance needs, challenges and funding gaps for 31 local agencies in the state. The effort led to a series of recommendations to help Minnesota’s local transportation agencies secure and maintain sufficient funding.

Read the technical summary: Guidance to Help Local Agencies Address Deferred Maintenance

Image source: Minnesota Department of Transportation

Safety is a top concern for highway maintenance crews working alongside fast-moving traffic. Work zone intrusion alarms are designed to increase worker safety by detecting when a vehicle has breached the work zone and alerting crews.

With several systems available on the market, the California Department of Transportation will test the effectiveness of several options under real-world conditions. This will be discussed during a free webinar on Thursday, September 29 from 10 a.m. – 11 p.m. Pacific.

Learn more and register.

Image source: California Department of Transportation

Despite safety countermeasures, crews performing road maintenance and repair activities continue to be at risk near fast-moving traffic.

To identify the most effective combinations of smart work zone strategies, the Florida Department of Transportation evaluated different configurations of four types of interventions at test sites in the state. Among other findings, the study highlighted how active work zone awareness devices – trailers that display a driver’s speed in real time – consistently improve driver behavior on Florida roads.

Read the report: Prioritized Safety Considerations by Work Zone Types and Pilot Implementation, July 2022.

Image source: Florida DOT