New Mexico Identifies Drought-Resistant Roadside Vegetation January 25, 2023 - Healthy vegetation along highway roadsides is critical for stabilizing soil after construction and minimizing dust and erosion. New Mexico’s increasingly dry climate and elevated temperatures has made finding and maintaining suitable plants a challenge.
To expand its list of viable options, the New Mexico Department of Transportation initiated a four-year research study to identify drought-resistant plants with deep root systems that establish quickly. The findings and recommended growing strategies can help transportation agencies with similar climates restore problem areas and enhance their revegetation efforts.
FHWA Recognizes Innovations from No Boundaries Members January 20, 2023 - The January/February 2023 issue of Innovator, the bimonthly newsletter of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), highlights the efforts of a number of No Boundaries member states.
Colorado DOT is featured for its commitment to restoring access and reconnection between communities in the Denver area as part of its Central 70 Project – the site of a No Boundaries technical visit in 2021. After more than 300 meetings with stakeholders and members of the public, the agency removed physical barriers and added sidewalks, lighting and other amenities to improve safety and mobility.
National Webinar to Discuss Smart Work Zone Technologies January 11, 2023 - Work zone safety for highway maintenance crews and road users alike is a top concern across the United States. To help states identify and implement technologies that improve safety, the National Highway Cooperative Research Program (NCHRP) recently released Synthesis 587: Use of Smart Work Zone Technologies for Improving Work Zone Safety. The publication documents and reviews the challenges and practices state DOTs have found for putting a variety of smart work zone technologies to use.
To discuss the publication’s findings, as well as promising new technologies still on the horizon, NCHRP will host a webinar on February 7 from 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Eastern.
FHWA Evaluates Strategies for Enhancing Road Sign Visibility January 4, 2023 - The current revision to the 2009 Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) published by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) offers a number of treatment options designed to make traffic signs eye-catching. However, the influence of these strategies on driver behavior required more study.
To learn the effectiveness of MUTCD-provided strategies like adding flashing beacons, colored flags and reflective strips, the FHWA partnered with three state DOTs to conduct field tests and observe drivers’ reactions. The results can help states identify effective treatments for a variety of sign types and locations.
Oregon Explores Opportunities for Improving Worker Safety During Work Zone Set-Up and Removal December 29, 2022 - Across the United States, statistics show that highway work zones rank among the most hazardous for workplace injuries and fatalities. Especially dangerous are the transitional periods before and after the work zone is established, when placement or removal of traffic control devices can cause driver confusion or distraction.
To find ways to make workers safer in work zones, the Oregon Department of Transportation launched a multi-phase research project. In the first phase, the agency investigated other states’ practices for setting up and removing temporary work zones. Future phases will explore which aspects of work zone transitions are most hazardous and identify potential recommendations to improve worker safety.
Nebraska Evaluates Application and Performance of Sealant on Concrete Barriers December 21, 2022 - In 2013, the Nebraska Department of Transportation (then the Department of Roads) applied penetrating concrete sealer (PCS) to the concrete median barriers along three of the state’s highways in an effort to mitigate deterioration. With additional concrete barriers scheduled for the same treatment in 2022, the agency sought to better understand the sealant’s effects, optimal application rates and whether surface preparation improves performance.
After power-washing a section of the barrier, maintenance crews applied PCS and compared the results with an unwashed and PCS-treated control section. Cores drilled from both sections showed that the sealer penetrated more deeply into the power-washed section, leading to new agency requirements for preparing and treating concrete median barriers along state highways.
Read the final report: Resealing Concrete Median Barriers With Penetrating Concrete Sealers, May 2022
Webinar to Discuss Transportation Asset Management and Resiliency Tools December 14, 2022 - Last week, members of three AASHTO committees as well as local and regional transportation agencies and researchers gathered in Rhode Island for AASHTO’s 2022 Conference on Performance-Based Management, Planning, and Data. Meeting attendees discussed a range of asset management issues, including resilience and opportunities for incorporating data into strategic decision-making.
A follow-up webinar will be held Wednesday, December 21 at 2 p.m. Eastern, where presenters will share insights from the event and discuss tools available through the AASHTO Transportation Asset Management Portal. You can hear additional highlights of the conference and learn how transportation agencies can make their assets more resilient.
Learn more and register.
Wisconsin Develops Methodology to Prioritize Maintenance of Roadside Slopes December 9, 2022 - Like other transportation assets, slopes along highway roadsides must be regularly maintained to ensure stability and long-term performance. However, the natural variations and characteristics of each slope can make it difficult to identify where maintenance activities are needed most.
To prioritize its maintenance efforts more effectively, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation worked with researchers to develop a statistical model that combined current geographic information with historical data on a section of Wisconsin highway to predict the likelihood of slope failure. This model and framework could potentially be scaled to help engineers across the state.
FHWA Recognizes Innovations from No Boundaries Members November 29, 2022 - Several No Boundaries member states are featured in the November/December 2022 issue of Innovator, the bimonthly newsletter of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).
Texas DOT has partnered with higher education and industry groups to create the ConnectU2Jobs program, a workforce development initiative that provides young adults with the skills and training necessary for careers in the highway construction industry.
Virginia DOT recently completed a multi-year evaluation of pavements treated with high polymer-modified asphalt overlays, finding these tended to outperform traditional overlays.
Four No Boundaries member states were honored with America’s Transportation Awards for 2022. North Dakota DOT has developed an innovative approach for turning an existing intersection into a roundabout, increasing traveler safety while also saving time and money over a full reconstruction. New York State DOT and Louisiana DOTD each improved safety in their states by implementing road diets and installing roundabouts in place of crash-prone intersections. And a new online tool developed by California Department of Transportation aims to increase public engagement by allowing users to explore and interact with 3D models of current and upcoming transportation projects.
Finally, a review of state innovations featured Maine’s bridge project bundling strategies to replace eight aging structures, and Michigan’s use of accelerated bridge construction methods to install the state’s first network tied-arch bridge.
Indiana Evaluates How to Illuminate Nighttime Maintenance Activities November 21, 2022 - Performing maintenance activities at night offers a number of advantages, such as cooler air temperatures, less traffic and fewer overall crashes. However, sufficiently lighting a work zone without distracting or impairing passing drivers can be a challenge.
To determine the appropriate amount of lighting and other strategies for a work zone, the Indiana Department of Transportation and Purdue University conducted a glare assessment using a variety of lighting types, intensities and configurations.