September 8, 2016
FHWA Offers New Funding for Innovative Demonstration Projects
New funding is available from the Federal Highway Administration’s Accelerated Innovation Deployment Demonstration program to encourage the transportation community to adopt proven innovations.
Funding for the AID Demonstration program, launched in 2014 as part of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act, was continued by the 2015 Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act. Since AID Demonstration was introduced, FHWA has provided more than $43 million for 61 awards.
For more information on the AID Demonstration program, contact Ewa Flom of the FHWA Center for Accelerating Innovation.
View Webinars on EDC-4 Innovations
FHWA is offering introductory webinars on the 11 innovations in the fourth round of EDC all month long. Today’s sessions feature Community Connections from 1 to 2:30 p.m. ET and Safe Transportation for Every Pedestrian (STEP) from 3 to 4:30 p.m. ET. Upcoming webinars include the following:
- September 20: Ultra-High Performance Concrete Connections from 3 to 4:30 p.m. ET
- September 21: Weather-Savvy Roads from 1 to 2:30 p.m. ET and Using Data to Improve Traffic Incident Management from 3 to 4:30 p.m. ET
- September 22: Pavement Preservation (When, Where and How) from 10:30 a.m. to noon ET and Community Connections from 1 to 2:30 p.m. ET
Tennessee Events Feature Road Diets
Two events in Tennessee enabled transportation professionals to learn about road diets. A Central Region Road Diets Peer Exchange on August 24 and 25 in Nashville drew 60 participants from eight states. Discussion topics included funding, safety, evaluation and implementation barriers. About 35 representatives of the Tennessee Department of Transportation, local agencies, metropolitan planning organizations and private industry attended a road diet implementation workshop on August 26.
Virginia Enhances Safety With Mini-Roundabout
The first mini-roundabout built in the town of Vienna, Virginia, is open to traffic. Vienna and the Virginia Department of Transportation received Accelerated Innovation Deployment Demonstration incentive funds to install the mini-roundabout at Park and Locust Streets to increase safety for pedestrians and motorists and reduce traffic delays at the intersection. Mini-roundabouts offer the safety benefits of regular roundabouts in a smaller footprint, making them appropriate for areas with constrained rights-of-way.
“This new mini-roundabout is a terrific addition to a very busy street in Vienna with lots of vehicular traffic as well as large numbers of bicyclists and pedestrians,” said FHWA Deputy Administrator David Kim. “Because of the configuration of the intersection, crashes were all too common. But the mini-roundabout requires drivers to really slow down and navigate carefully, and this will create a much safer environment for drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians alike. I’ve driven it several times myself and believe this will be beneficial for everyone who lives and works in Vienna.”
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