News

Leaves, trash and other debris often accumulate along highway roadsides. Keeping these pollutants from clogging the highway’s drainage system is an important maintenance activity, but drains located in the road’s barrier wall can be challenging and hazardous for crews to keep clean.

To identify the most effective devices and debris management practices available, the Ohio Department of Transportation initiated a research study that evaluated a wide range of tools and techniques for keeping large items out of the state’s storm sewers.

Read the report: Benefit Analysis of Barrier Inlet Screens, May 2024

Image source: Ohio Department of Transportation

As the process for designing and building transportation infrastructure becomes increasingly virtual, discrepancies between the structure that was planned and the real-world outcome can lead to inefficiencies later on.

To help agencies ensure that an asset’s future maintenance and long-term management are considered throughout the project’s development and delivery, the Transportation Research Board will host a webinar, Resolving Ambiguities Between 3D Virtual Models and the Real World on December 18 from 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Eastern.

View details and register.

Image source: Iowa Department of Transportation

Creating and preserving pollinator habitats along highway roadsides can increase the beauty and biodiversity of these public spaces while simultaneously reducing the need for maintenance and minimizing stormwater runoff and erosion.  

To help transportation agencies recognize and maximize the benefits of pollinator conservation efforts, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Federal Highway Administration will host a three-hour virtual workshop on December 4 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Central.

Learn more and register.

Image source: Georgia Department of Transportation

Work zone safety for highway maintenance crews – and all road users – is a high priority for transportation agencies across the United States.

To help reduce the risks, the South Carolina Department of Transportation conducted a research project that produced a tool for assessing the crash risks at work zones and determining the costs and benefits of a variety of countermeasures.

Read the report: Reducing Crash Risk at Work Zones in South Carolina, June 2024.

Image source: South Carolina DOT

Highly visible and reflective pavement markings are important for highway safety, providing helpful navigation to drivers in all types of weather. However, maintaining these markings can be labor-intensive and time-consuming.

To determine whether an automated pavement restriping system would be more efficient and cost-effective than its current manual process, the Kansas Department of Transportation conducted a research study that compared the estimated life-cycle costs of both methods.

Read the summary report: Effectiveness of Automated Pavement Restriping Systems, Phase I: Cost Comparison Between Manual and Automated Systems, September 2024

Image courtesy of Kansas DOT