No Boundaries

Transportation Maintenance Innovation

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FHWA Highlights Innovations from No Boundaries Members

Several No Boundaries member states received recognition in the May/June 2022 issue of Innovator, the Federal Highway Administration’s bimonthly newsletter.

Connecticut DOT was noted for its work with digital as-builts. By cataloging all of its infrastructure assets into a geographic information systems database, the agency is providing real-time data to help maintenance crews make better-informed decisions when it comes time to repair or replacement.

Texas DOT’s success with crack attenuating mixtures was also highlighted. This type of pavement overlay has been shown to slow the rate of reflective cracking by as much as 50 percent.

Finally, Wisconsin and Virginia were applauded for their use of State Transportation Innovation Council (STIC) funds. In Virginia, these funds have been used to install fencing along highways to reduce collisions between vehicles and wildlife, while the Wisconsin DOT was able to develop and implement its Standard Bridge Design Tool using STIC funding.

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

Image source: FHWA

No Boundaries May 2022 Peer Exchange Highlights

No Boundaries held its first peer exchange of 2022 from May 3-5 with an in-person meeting in Sacramento. Highlights of the event include roundtable discussions on hot-topic issues: guardrail repair and replacement procedures, the effects of the new federal rules related to commercial driver’s licenses, and states’ approaches to managing materials supply shortages.

Featured presentations showcased other leading efforts and creative solutions, such as Front Range College’s new program designed to create pathways for high schoolers into maintenance careers and Caltrans’ efforts to lower carbon emissions with Zero Emission Vehicles.

During the Innovation Show-and-Tell, consistently one of the most popular sessions, No Boundaries members shared the new tools and practices they’ve developed and adopted to make maintenance work easier and safer in the field. In addition, two technical site visits — to Caltrans’ HQ equipment shop and maintenance training academy backlot – provided behind-the-scenes insights and hands-on demonstrations to round out the event.

Additional information and the full agenda are available on the meeting page. Stay tuned for details about No Boundaries’ future peer exchange events in the fall of 2022 and spring of 2023!

Image source: No Boundaries

No Boundaries’ May Peer Exchange Is Next Week – All No Boundaries Members Are Welcome

No Boundaries members are convening next week for the first peer exchange in 2022 in beautiful Sacramento, California.

With a packed schedule of presentations, discussions and on-site demonstrations, this three-day event hosted by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has been designed to offer informative programming for transportation maintenance professionals and their agency colleagues attending virtually or in person.

All staff from No Boundaries member states are invited to participate remotely in any part of the event. Contact Brian Hirt if you would like a Zoom meeting invitation.

Highlights from the full agenda follow.

Tuesday, May 3 – Our first day will feature guest speakers’ discussions on a range of topics including maintenance education geared for high schoolers, impacts of the federal government’s new rules regarding commercial driver’s licenses, and innovative maintenance solutions. Caltrans’ guest presenters will also give updates on the agency’s research program, zero emissions vehicles program, and drone program.

Wednesday, May 4 – Attendees in Sacramento will take part in a technical site visit and practitioner Q-and-A at Caltrans’ main equipment shop in the morning, followed by a No Boundaries business and planning meeting in the afternoon.

Thursday, May 5 – On the final day of the event, in-person attendees will head to the backlot of Caltrans’ maintenance training academy for behind-the-scenes views and hands-on demonstrations. Later, all attendees are invited to participate in a roundtable discussion on materials supply shortages. Presentations will be given by representatives from the American Public Works Association and the Federal Highway Administration to round out day three.

Image source: Caltrans

Michigan Develops Guidance for Planting on Roadside Slopes

The green spaces along sloped urban highway roadsides can present a variety of challenges for maintenance crews. Mowing these steep areas can be hazardous, but pollution and other factors can make it difficult to grow anything other than turfgrass.

To find low-maintenance alternatives, the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) commissioned a research study to test and track a variety of soil improvement strategies and plant types over several years. The efforts resulted in a documented process for improving roadside soils as well as a list of plants that can be reliably grown—and which require minimal maintenance—along sloped areas in similar climates.

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

Image source: Michigan Department of Transportation

Upcoming Webinar on Forensic Evaluation and Pavement Performance

The Washington State Department of Transportation will host the virtual webinar, “Forensic Evaluations: Listen to What Our Pavements are Telling Us” on Wednesday, April 20 from 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. Central.

Through the federal Long-Term Pavement Performance (LTTP) program, data collected on pavement sections removed from service have helped explain how and why the pavements performed as they did. This webinar will discuss the history of the LTTP program, its evolution to become a current pooled fund study and what insights the data have provided.

Learn more and register.

Image source: Washington State DOT

Florida Develops Guidance for Pavement Blisters

Blisters, or bulges of an asphalt pavement’s surface, sometimes occur when moisture becomes trapped between layers of asphalt. However, a variety of environmental, material and other factors contribute to whether blisters appear and how severely they form, making them a challenge to predict and study.

To better understand why blisters occur and how they affect the pavement’s service life and ongoing maintenance needs, the Florida Department of Transportation compared five segments of the same road project with and without blisters. The research resulted in recommended paving strategies to keep these distresses from forming, as well as guidance for repairing blistered pavements.

Read the research summary: Evaluation of Roadway Worms/Distortions, February 2022.

Image source: Florida Department of Transportation