News

New varieties of buffalograss have shown promise as a low-maintenance roadside planting in the Midwest thanks to their excellent drought, cold and salinity tolerance. A recent Kansas DOT study showed that blending buffalograss with perennial ryegrass, which establishes more quickly, can provide short-term roadside stability while allowing time for successful buffalograss establishment.

Read the research report: Preliminary Evaluation of Perennial Ryegrass and Buffalograss Blends for Seeded Roadside Establishment to Comply with Storm Water Control Regulations, December 2018.

To help plan future bridge deck maintenance, researchers for Minnesota DOT analyzed inspection data for nearly 500 bridges that were constructed in the 1970s and 1980s using mixed rebar decks—epoxy-coated rebar in the top layer of the concrete deck and uncoated rebar in the bottom layer. Investigators made inspection and mitigation recommendations based on their analysis of deck deterioration rates.

Read the research report: Deterioration of Mixed Rebar and Fiber-Reinforced Concrete Bridge Decks, February 2019.

Researchers for Ohio DOT evaluated the use of catch basin inserts to remove suspended solids from runoff in post-construction areas. Based on performance and cost considerations, the use of catch basin inserts was determined not to be a post-construction stormwater best management practice in Ohio.

Read the research report: Catch Basin Inserts for Ohio Roadways, September 2018.

A two-phase study of Colorado DOT’s 27 agency-maintained rest areas seeks to identify how these facilities can complement existing privately owned facilities and ensure that travelers have amenities within a reasonable distance as they travel across the state. The Phase I report documents the study methodology and establishes a baseline for management decisions. The follow-up Phase II report will present specific recommendations.

Read the research report: Statewide Rest Area Study—Phase I Report, Inventory and Assessment, September 2018.

The Transportation Research Board will conduct a webinar on Wednesday, April 24, from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time on microsurfacing and slurry seals. Presenters will discuss the use and construction of these pavement preservation techniques. They will also examine issues practitioners have encountered and discuss possible solutions.

Read the announcement: TRB Webinar: Building Better Micro Surfacing and Slurry Seals.

(Image courtesy of Seattle DOT.)

A researcher who noted the spread of the highly invasive Japanese knotweed in Vermont after Hurricane Irene continued his investigation into its detrimental effects. The plant spreads vegetatively—without seeds and through disruption—and thrives as it quickly kills groundcover and promotes erosion of banks, such as those along streams and roadways. This TRB conference presentation reveals the plant’s many destructive effects, including those relevant to transportation.

Read the presentation: Japanese Knotweed as a Driver of Streambank Erosion, January 2019.