September 21, 2017
Innovation of the Month:
Pavement Preservation (When, Where, and How)
Having a mix of successful treatments in the pavement preservation toolbox provides transportation agencies with greater flexibility in placing the right treatment on the right pavement at the right time.
The “how” component of the Every Day Counts round four (EDC-4) pavement preservation initiative promotes quality construction and materials practices:
- Successful construction practices contribute to improved pavement performance, producing smoother, safer roads and delaying the need for costly, time-consuming rehabilitation.
- Treatments are typically installed in shorter work zones and during off-peak hours, reducing the likelihood of work zone incidents.
- Improved performance and fewer failures keep a pavement network in a state of good repair at a lower cost.
Watch the EDC-4 summit session on pavement preservation: how for an overview of how States are using the innovation.
Visit the FHWA Pavement Preservation Web page for resources, including best practices, guidance, training, and research.
Contact James Gray of the FHWA Office of Infrastructure for information and technical assistance.
Montana Upgrades Traffic Signal Infrastructure
The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) is implementing automated traffic signal performance measures by upgrading traffic signal controllers and communications infrastructure throughout the State. The effort builds on an Accelerated Innovation Deployment (AID) Demonstration project that applied systems engineering analysis to evaluate traffic signal systems in Montana’s seven largest urban areas. The AID Demonstration project enabled MDT to develop a programmatic approach to making informed decisions on enhancing the State’s traffic signal infrastructure. For more information, contact Danielle Bolan of MDT.
Agencies Reap Benefits of Deploying EDC-3 Innovations
As transportation agencies deploy EDC-4 innovations, they continue to experience the positive impacts of earlier EDC rounds to inspire adoption of new technologies and practices. Many of the 11 innovations FHWA promoted in EDC-3, for example, are now widely used across the country. A new FHWA publication highlights successful innovation implementation in EDC-3, including the following:
- e-Construction is helping the Florida Department of Transportation save an estimated $22 million a year in reduced administrative processing time.
- Stakeholder partnering enabled the Ohio Department of Transportation and local agencies to collaborate on expanding funding opportunities for local projects, including a new program to repair or replace 200 critical or deficient bridges.
- Seattle, WA, used road diets to reduce speeding and other forms of aggressive driving. On two streets, the number of motorists traveling 5 to 10 miles per hour or more over the speed limit dropped 80 percent and 94 percent, respectively.
- The Michigan Department of Transportation used the smarter work zone strategy of project coordination to reduce user delays on an I-94 corridor, meeting goals to keep individual project delays under 10 minutes and corridor delays under 40 minutes.
