April 18, 2024
Innovation Spotlight: High Friction Surface Treatment
Pavement friction, or skid resistance, is an important factor that influences road safety performance. As pavement polishes and available friction gets too low, crash potential increases, especially for maneuvers like steering, turning, braking, or accelerating. When pavement is wet, friction becomes even more critical. Consequently, road agencies must manage pavement friction throughout the entire pavement lifecycle. Recognizing that, FHWA adopted Pavement Friction Management as one of the updated proven safety countermeasures in 2021.
High Friction Surface Treatment (HFST), one of the tools for managing pavement friction, is a surface enhancement applied to existing pavement. HFST consists of a durable, gritty, and highly polish-resistant aggregate layered within a polymer resin binder that bonds to the pavement surface. HFST is ideally suited for targeted locations with increased friction demand, such as horizontal curves, ramps, and intersection approaches. Enhancing friction at these high friction demand locations can help maintain vehicle control and effectively reduce braking or stopping distance, which in turn can decrease speed and kinetic energy in case of a collision.
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, in partnership with Pennsylvania State University, published a report in June 2023 that quantified the safety effects of HFST on horizontal curves and at intersections across the state. The project developed crash modification factors (CMFs) for severe (fatal and injury) crashes, total crashes, and various crash types. The data set included over 57 treated miles, consisting of 700 horizontal curves and 33 intersections, making it one of the largest studies of its kind in the U.S.
For horizontal curves on two-lane rural roads, the Pennsylvania study findings were consistent with results from other U.S. studies; application of HFST led to a reduction of fatal and injury crashes by 48 percent. This confirmed that HFST is a highly effective strategy for mitigating run-off-road crashes at curves. This study is particularly notable for developing CMFs for applying HFST at intersections, including stop-controlled and signalized in urban and rural contexts. For this scenario, the analysis found a combined reduction of fatal and injury crashes by 76 percent.
The study from Pennsylvania proves, once again, that HFST is a highly effective strategy for reducing severe crashes and further demonstrates the value of timely and targeted pavement friction management.
To learn more about HFST, visit the FHWA HFST website or contact Joe Cheung, FHWA Office of Safety.
Participate in Work Zone Awareness Week Events
This week, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and its safety partners are raising work zone safety awareness. Several events have occurred during National Work Zone Awareness Week (NWZAW), but today we would like organizations, companies, institutions and individuals to share work zone safety messages by using hashtags #NWZAW and #WorkZoneSaefty throughout social media between 9 am and 4 pm ET. The Maryland DOT developed social media images that could be used on your social media channels.
The percentage of worker fatalities at road construction sites that involve a worker on foot being struck by a has increased since 201. In 2022, more than half of the highway worker fatalities at road construction sites were of this type. (Credit: BLS CFOI)
In 2022, 94 highway workers died in road construction sites. On Friday, we encourage everyone to take a Moment of Silence as a tribute to the people who lost their lives in a work zone crash.
Operating a Strategic Workforce Development Program in a Virtual World
Developing construction talent in a virtual world requires an approach that uses technology to identify, train, place, and retain a diverse and well-equipped workforce. The Ohio Department of Transportation and FHWA’s Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) partnered to create a free eLearning platform with multiple courses for local administration of Federal projects. The eLearning modules cover administrative project management training programs, environmental courses, and the popular commercial driver's license (CDL) theory training.
These courses are free of charge to not just Ohio residents, but anyone in the U.S. Ohio's LTAP takes a combined approach to develop a new workforce and update current employees with the latest information through online lessons, testing, and webinars. Ohio has over 14,000 active eLearning accounts.
The net result of growing eLearning opportunities throughout the construction industry is creating a workforce that is continuously learning and becoming more technology savvy.
To learn more about virtual workforce development programs, contact Chrisy Currier, FHWA Office of Infrastructure or Rhonda Motley, FHWA Nevada Division.
Funds available for Guardrail Safety Training Program
As part of ongoing efforts to advance the EDC-5 innovation, Focus on Reducing Rural Roadway Departures (FoRRRwD), FHWA published a new notice on Grants.gov (#693JJ324NF00007) to solicit grant applications for the Guardrail Safety Training program. The grant recipient will provide technical assistance and develop guardrail safety training materials. Applications will be received via Grants.gov until May 30, 2024 at 11:59pm EST. Visit Grants.gov to learn more(funding opportunity number 693JJ324NF-AIDDP).
Discover Home-Grown Innovations from Around the Country
Are you interested in homegrown innovations being used by your peers in other parts of the country? The National STIC Network Showcase provides a summary of STIC Showcase entries from the EDC-7 Virtual Summit.
Learn about the Delaware Department of Transportation's Low-Cost Flood Sensors, which evaluate roadway conditions and advise the public when water hazards are present. These devices are quickly deployable and are extremely cost-effective. DelDOT is using additional STIC funding to further refine and improve upon this innovation.
Celebrate the ingenuity of your peers and read about these innovations—developed and deployed in-house at transportation agencies nationwide.
Stay Up to Date on the EDC Innovations That Interest You Most
EDC teams are always on the move! If you blink, you could miss out on important webinars, case studies, tools, videos, and more. To never miss information for the EDC innovations that interest you most, visit the subscription page and select the topics you’d like to receive updates on directly from the teams that coordinate them.
Recent bulletins:
Integrating GHG Assessments 4/15/24
UHPC 4/15/24
Strategic Workforce Development 4/12/24
NextGen TIM 4/10/24
Nighttime Visibility for Safety 4/9/24
Sustainable Pavements 4/8/24
Strategic Workforce Development 4/5/24
UHPC 4/5/24
Local Aid Support 4/4/24
Upcoming Events
Lighting and the Environment Webinar
April 25, 2024, 1:00 - 3:00 pm ET Register
GHG: Goals, Objectives, Performance Measures, and Target Setting
April 30, 2024, 2:00-3:30 pm ET Register
Equitable Safety Data Analysis
May 22, 2024, 1:00-3:00 ET Register
Roadway Safety for People Experiencing Homelessness
July 24, 2024, 1:00-3:00 ET Register
About EDC
Every Day Counts, a State-based initiative of the Federal Highway Administration's Office of Innovation and Workforce Solutions, works with State, local, and privatesector partners to encourage the adoption of proven and underutilized technologies to deliver transportation projects more efficiently, enhance safety forall users, support a sustainable and resilient infrastructure, and incorporate equity inproject planning and delivery.
EDC News is a weekly publication highlighting successful EDC innovation deployments across the country.
EDC News is published weekly by the FHWA Center for Accelerating Innovation.
Disclaimer: The U.S. Government does not endorse products or manufacturers. Trademarks or manufacturers’ names appear in this document only because they are considered essential to the objective of the document. They are included for informational purposes only and are not intended to reflect a preference, approval, or endorsement of any one product or entity.
Except for the statutes and regulations cited, the contents of this document do not have the force and effect of law and are not meant to bind the States or the public in any way. This document is intended only to provide information regarding existing requirements under the law or agency policies.
Recommended Citation:
U.S Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration
EDC News; April 18, 2024
Washington, DC
