U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20590
202-366-4000
| Fiscal Year | Innovations | Project |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Ultra-High Performance Concrete | Accelerated Bridge Construction Project – Bridge 1-438 on N463 Blackbird Station Road over Blackbird Creek ($257,950) |
| 2015 | Diverging Diamond Interchange | The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) will modify the existing interchange at State road (SR) 1 and SR72 to a Diverging Diamond Interchange (DDI). DelDOT will evaluate the effectiveness of the DDI from a construction cost, implementation, vehicle user, pedestrian/bike user, traffic operations, and maintenance perspective. DelDOT anticipates that the DDI will provide operational improvements on par with significantly more costly interchange types while being constructed more quickly and with fewer user impacts. ($1,000,000) Read AID Demonstration Project Grant Delaware 2015 |
| Fiscal Year | Innovations | Project |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Safety | Guardrail Impact Detection and Monitoring Devices ($64,000) |
| 2025 | Safety | Pilot Speed Awareness Monitor (SAM) Trailers with Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) Cameras to Reduce Speed and Identify High-Risk Offenders ($60,857.60) |
| 2024 | Safety | Implement Dynamic Chevron Warning System Program (Phase 2) ($41,577.60) |
| 2024 | Next-Generation Traffic Incident Management Technologies | DelDOT TIM Training ($80,000) |
| 2023 | Unmanned Aerial System, Traffic Incident Management | Implement UAS for inspections, survey work, and Traffic Incident Management (TIM) ($23,400) |
| 2023 | Virtual Public Involvement | Dover Kent MPO Virtual Reality (VR) Experience ($29,856) |
| 2023 | Traffic Incident Management | Pilot a Debris Removal Tool ($34,400) |
| 2022 | Safe Transportation for Every Pedestrian | Deploy design tools and training to implement DelDOT Lighting Policy ($17,200) |
| 2022 | Weather, Flood Monitoring | Implement a flood monitoring system ($82,500) |
| 2021 | Air Quality | Implement a Parklet Pilot Program ($45,873.60) |
| 2021 | Rural Roadway Departure | Implement dynamic chevron warning system program ($46,422.40) |
| 2021 | e-Ticketing | Develop an e-Ticketing program to assist with the administration and documentation of materials data ($7,062.63) |
| 2020 | Virtual Public Involvement | Enhance Delaware DOT’s Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP) website to include VPI ($80,000) |
| 2020 | Outreach | Training to enhance public outreach in the transportation planning process ($20,000) |
| 2019 | Virtual Public Involvement | Develop a series of professional videos that explain the transportation process to translate complex concepts for use in public meetings ($54,000) |
| 2019 | Virtual Public Involvement | Develop a series of videos showing the sequence of construction of typical bridges projects to be used on websites and at public workshops ($78,000) |
| 2018 | Construction Inspection | Develop a Construction Inspection Internship Program that incorporates lessons learned on current construction innovations ($36,000) |
| 2018 | Water Resources | Implement phase 2 of the Water Resource Registry ($16,000) |
| 2018 | Virtual Public Involvement | Use Innovative Public Outreach tools to conduct a varied and comprehensive public outreach strategy ($48,000) |
| 2017 | Quality Assurance/Quality Control for Compaction | Purchase and evaluate advanced Quality Assurance and Quality Control tools for soil and asphalt compaction ($44,300.47) |
| 2017 | Unmanned Aerial System | Purchase, use, and evaluate Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) to develop and refine operations procedures for collecting additional field data for efficient bridge and pavement design ($29,782.53) |
| 2017 | Smarter Work Zones | Enhance the DelDOT Mobile App to provide the ability to send automatic notifications of events, construction, restrictions and closures through geo-fencing technology ($25,917) |
| 2016 | 3D Engineered Models | Procure and implement a Document Management System (DMS) that can store engineering content at DelDOT ($63,854.40) |
| 2016 | Ultra-High Performance Concrete Connections | Procurement of an Automated Cylinder End Grinder for the purpose of testing UHPC ($16,000) |
| 2015 | e-Construction | Scanning tour to evaluate the various software packages for e-Construction ($7,400) |
| 2015 | Environment | Development of the Delaware Watershed Resources Registry ($48,888) |
| 2015 | Intelligent Compaction | Advancement of Intelligent Compaction/Continuous Compaction Control technologies ($32,940) |
| Date | Innovations | Project |
|---|---|---|
| 10/01/24 | TOPS | Other successful practices shared include research by the Florida DOT that showed the use of HiMA was significantly more effective at preventing rutting as the control mix and increased structural capacity by up to 20 percent, as well as a Delaware DOT concrete overlay that has required only minor maintenance during 30 years of service to maintain a smooth ride. Additionally, Texas DOT research showed that properly designed asphalt overlays with crack-attenuating mix may reduce the number of reflective cracks and slow the cracking process by up to 50 percent... |
| 11/01/23 | STIC Homegrown Innovations |
The Delaware DOT (DelDOT) has deployed low-cost flood sensors that can be used to evaluate roadway conditions and advise the public when water hazards are present. Integration of water data with roadway elevations allows DelDOT to alert motorists of flooding concerns quickly and accurately via electronic notifications… |
| 01/01/23 | e-Ticketing | After e-Ticketing officially went live for all hot-mix projects for the Delaware DOT (DelDOT) in late Spring of 2022, field inspectors immediately asked for additional integrations of collected field data that directly populates DelDOT’s electronic systems. DelDOT is accommodating those requests by completing a connection between its e-Ticket and e-Construction platforms that will reduce user input required for payment to a handful of mouse clicks... Read More |
| Date | Innovations | Project |
|---|---|---|
| 7/1/2022 | CM/GC | The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) is using the construction manager/general contractor (CM/GC) project delivery method for its Interstate 95 Restore the Corridor project in Wilmington. The project includes repair of 19 bridges, pavement, and ramps on a critical corridor with an estimated annual average daily traffic of 110,000 vehicles per day. DelDOT's project website states that the agency expects the CM/GC process to improve the project by lowering construction risk and offering engineering innovations to enhance the efficiency of construction and project quality.
Read More |
| 5/1/2022 | TOPS | Concrete on concrete-unbonded overlays allow the existing pavement to be retained as a base layer, even when the existing concrete is affected by alkali-silica reactivity (ASR)—a materials-related distress that results in premature concrete deterioration. The Delaware DOT (DelDOT) used this technique on a 9-mile section of Interstate 495 originally opened to traffic in 1978. In 1990, DelDOT initiated a comprehensive study to evaluate rehabilitation strategies. Major concerns included extensive deterioration due to ASR. The potential for ASR distress was not well known at the time I-495 was constructed. After a review of several strategies, DelDOT selected an unbonded jointed plain concrete overlay that allowed the use of the existing pavement structure, retained the ASR-affected concrete at the project site, and considerably reduced construction time, resulting in less disruption to traffic. At different points on the highway, traffic volumes increased 12 to 22 percent over the 2010 projected traffic. But according to DelDOT, the project has maintained the as-constructed smooth ride and has received only minor maintenance repairs in nearly 30 years in service. DelDOT's Director of Transportation Resiliency and Sustainability Jim Pappas said, "The key to a successful project such as this one is proper planning, coordination, and preliminary site investigation." Read More |
| 3/1/2022 | TOPS | In 1990, the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) initiated a comprehensive study to evaluate rehabilitation strategies for a 9-mile-long section of I-495 and the associated ramps around Wilmington. Major concerns about the existing concrete pavement included cracking and joint deterioration. After a review of several rehabilitation strategies, DelDOT selected an unbonded jointed plain concrete (UJPC) overlay with a 15-foot transverse joint spacing. A UJPC overlay allowed the use of the existing pavement structure, retained the affected concrete at the project site, and reduced construction time considerably, resulting in less disruption to traffic. After more than 26 years in service, DelDOT reports that the UJPC overlay on I-495 is performing well and continues to provide improved rideability and safety for road users. The project has required only minor maintenance activities such as joint spall repair, crack and joint sealing, and shoulder patching. Learn more in the EDC Targeted Overlay Pavement Solutions case study on the Delaware I-495 project.
Read More |
| 5/1/2021 | VPI | Mobile applications, such as the app created by the
Delaware DOT, can include information about meetings and workshops,
construction projects, transit services, electronic vehicle charging station
locations, and more. Read Innovator Issue 84 |
| 3/1/2021 | UHPC for Bridge Preservation and Repair | Bridge deck overlays are a relatively new application for UHPC, having only been deployed in the United States since 2016. Currently, about 10 of the country’s bridges have used UHPC overlays and, based on early projects, UHPC overlays are expected to add decades of service life to existing decks, potentially giving a new service life equal to a completely new bridge deck. In 2019, the Delaware River and Bay Authority (DRBA) undertook a study of options to repair or replace the deck of the New Jersey-bound span of the Delaware Memorial Bridge. Over the past few decades, DRBA spent an ever-increasing amount of money patching the deck and has only seen an average repair service life of 10 years. As the existing deck approached 50 years of service life, DRBA performed a detailed deck condition evaluation and determined that continued deck patching was becoming unsustainable and the deck would likely need to be completely replaced in the next 5 to 15 years. The DRBA study compared a UHPC overlay with a new latex-modified concrete (LMC) overlay and a complete deck replacement. The study found that while the average life expectancy of LMC overlays is in the range of 10 to 15 years, the material properties of UHPC and performance of field applications to date suggest the service life of a UHPC overlay could be as much as 50 years or more. To account for costs over time, a life-cycle cost analysis compared the options over a common 50-year evaluation period. The results concluded that a UHPC overlay was the most cost-efficient option, estimating a 50-year cost of $80 million, compared to a new precast deck, with a 50-year estimated cost of over $145 million. “A UHPC bridge deck overlay is unique in that it offers bridge agencies an opportunity to significantly extend the service life of their bridge decks without incurring the prohibitive costs of deck replacement,” said Shekhar Scindia, DRBA structural engineer. “Depending on the thickness of the overlay chosen, cost reductions can be anywhere between 25 to 40 percent compared to full deck replacement. Furthermore, by its very nature and characteristics, UHPC overlays present significant advantages over competing alternatives such as LMC overlays. UHPC is at least twice as strong as LMC, its tensile strength is nearly four times that of LMC, and its life expectancy is projected to be as much as four times greater.” “Moreover, an overlay installation project can be completed with much less disruption to traffic when compared to a full deck replacement project,” said Scindia. “Lower costs, much better structural properties, and less disruption to traffic during installation make a UHPC overlay for bridge deck preservation a significantly attractive choice for bridge agencies.” |
| 7/1/2020 | e-Construction | Transportation agency staffs across the country are working remotely, presenting a challenge to States trying to keep road construction projects on schedule. e-Construction tools and technologies have allowed the majority of States to continue work on project designs and bid packages and address contract modifications and requests for information in real time, keeping projects on track despite these challenges. The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) has required the use of connected tablets and laptops since 2017. These devices, along with e-Construction software, allow DelDOT to work nearly 100 percent remotely from the field, home, or wherever required with minimal need to go to an office. This is due, in part, to the department storing all construction project documents in a web-accessible format. DelDOT also uses electronic signatures for many documents, reducing the need to obtain signatures on paper. |
01/01/20 | Crowdsourcing for Operations | The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) created a traveler information app with a "report an issue" feature that allows travelers to report potholes, streetlight outages, and other roadway conditions. DelDOT shares relevant reports with each district weekly to inform plans for repair of potholes or other issues. |
11/01/19 | State Transportation Innovation Councils (STIC) | The Delaware STIC and Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) collaborate to foster a culture of innovation among stakeholders at every level. DelDOT's first Innovation Fair in 2017 showcased nearly 40 innovations agency staff implemented to improve safety and efficiency, cut costs, and save time. DelDOT added high school students to the invitation list for the 2018 fair to introduce tomorrow's transportation workforce to innovation. DelDOT, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, and the Government Information Center partnered with two nonprofit groups to host the 2018 Open Data Challenge. Through the challenge, tech-savvy teams used transportation, environmental, and recreation datasets to develop applications, such as an app to make transportation more accessible for persons with disabilities and an app to make multimodal tourism easier for visitors. The Delaware STIC and DelDOT promote the use of EDC innovations in the State. DelDOT completed a bridge deck overlay using ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) on the Blackbird Station Road project, showing that UHPC can be used to produce a long-lasting, maintenance-free bridge deck. DelDOT also used UHPC to connect adjacent box girders on the project, which received Accelerated Innovation Deployment Demonstration funds. DelDOT implemented high-friction surface treatments (HFST) as part of a systemic safety improvement program to address roadway departure fatalities and serious injuries. Before-and-after crash data for the first 23 locations where HFST was applied show that roadway departure crashes dropped at 83 percent of the locations. |
09/01/19 | State Transportation Innovation Councils (STIC) | In Delaware, the Wilmington Area Planning Council (WILMAPCO) used virtual public involvement tools to bolster outreach for its 2050 Regional Transportation Plan. The council's strategy combined technological tools, such as virtual workshops and public outreach software to conduct a survey on plan goals and investment priorities, with in-person events, such as pop-up workshops at farmers markets and universities and presentations at community meetings. By adding innovative outreach methods, WILMAPCO doubled engagement to 1,855 people on the 2050 plan, compared to 926 people on the 2040 plan. The council got 639 comments on the 2050 plan, more than 125 times the five comments received on the 2040 plan. For information, contact Tigist Zegeye of WILMAPCO. |
05/01/19 | Ultra-High Performance Concrete Connections | The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) completed the country’s second bridge deck overlay using UHPC on a New Castle County project, which also used UHPC to connect adjacent box girders. By combining these innovations on the Accelerated Innovation Deployment Demonstration project, DelDOT expects the bridge to provide a 100-year design life. Read Innovator Issue 72 |
03/01/19 | Virtual Public Involvement | An example is the Delaware Department of Transportation’s DelDOT App, which provides information on topics such as ongoing and upcoming projects. The app delivers real-time traffic alerts, notifies users of project-related public meetings, and provides a way for stakeholders to contact DelDOT when issues arise. Read Innovator Issue 72 |
01/01/19 | Innovation Fair | The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) showcased employee creativity at its second Innovation Fair in 2018. After voting on the top ideas, DelDOT leaders awarded the Secretary’s Award to the Safe Selfie Zone. Created by a Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) employee, the zones feature a colorful backdrop where new drivers can snap selfies as an alternative to photographing their driver’s license and keep their license number and address secure. News media reported on the idea and DMVs in other States now plan to implement safe selfie zones. Read Innovator Issue 72 |
11/01/18 | Ultra-High Performance Concrete Connections (UHPC), High Friction Surface Treatments (HFST) | The Delaware STIC and DelDOT promote the use of EDC innovations in the State. DelDOT completed a bridge deck overlay using ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) on the Blackbird Station Road project, showing that UHPC can be used to produce a long-lasting, maintenance-free bridge deck. DelDOT also used UHPC to connect adjacent box girders on the project, which received Accelerated Innovation Deployment Demonstration funds. DelDOT implemented high-friction surface treatments (HFST) as part of a systemic safety improvement program to address roadway departure fatalities and serious injuries. Before-and-after crash data for the first 23 locations where HFST was applied show that roadway departure crashes dropped at 83 percent of the locations. Read Innovator Issue 69 |
07/01/18 | State Transportation Innovation Councils (STIC) | The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) used State Transportation Innovation Council (STIC) Incentive funds to enhance its DelDOT App, which provides travelers with real-time traffic information. The latest app update includes text notifications of traffic advisories to help users better plan their travels throughout the State. Based on geofencing technology, the enhancement provides users with the ability to receive advisory notifications for events within a set mile radius from their location. Users can choose from a list of notifications, such as incidents, construction, congestion, road closures, events, special travel alerts, and weather. Available for free, the DelDOT App has been downloaded more than 78,000 times. View a video on the app. Read Innovator Issue 67 |
07/01/18 | Ultra-High Performance Concrete Connections for PBES | Transportation agencies are exploring various uses of UHPC to improve bridge projects. The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT), for example, completed the Nation’s second bridge deck overlay using UHPC on the Blackbird Station Road project in New Castle County, showing that UHPC can be used to UHPC connection details make using PBEs simpler and more effective for accelerated bridge construction. Credit: Hennepin County, Minnesota Share Making Connections With Ultra-High Performance Concrete 2 July/August 2018 produce a long-lasting, maintenance-free bridge deck. DelDOT also used UHPC to connect the adjacent box girders on the project, which received Accelerated Innovation Deployment (AID) Demonstration funds. Read Innovator Issue 67 |
03/01/18 | State Transportation Innovation Councils (STIC) | DelDOT Leadership Academy graduates organized the event in partnership with the Delaware State Transportation Innovation Council and Federal Highway Administration. The inspiration came from the Missouri Department of Transportation’s decade-old Innovations Challenge Showcase. Read Innovator Issue 65 |
03/01/18 | High Friction Surface Treatment (HFST) | Roadway departure crashes accounted for 38 percent of fatal crashes in Delaware, with half of these occurring on horizontal curves. The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) implemented high-friction surface treatments (HFST)—pavement overlay systems that provide enhanced skid resistance—through the State’s Systemic Safety Improvement Program. DelDOT’s before-and-after crash data showed that roadway departure crashes dropped an average of 56 percent at the more than 20 locations treated with HFST by April 2017, and analysis indicated an overall benefit-cost ratio of 24. Read Innovator Issue 65 |
01/01/18 | Geosynthetic Reinforced Soil-Integrated Bridge System (GRS-IBS) | Defiance County, OH, built the country’s first GRS-IBS bridge in 2005. The 25 percent cost savings on the project encouraged the county to keep using the technology, and it now has 34 GRS-IBS bridges—10 percent of the county’s bridge inventory. Read Innovator Issue 64 |
| 11/01/17 | Accelerated Bridge Construction | The Delaware Department of Transportation will replace a bridge in Blackbird using accelerated bridge construction. The substructure and superstructure will consist of precast concrete components. UHPC will be used to connect precast beams and provide a riding surface overlay, showing that UHPC can be used to produce a long-lasting, maintenance-free bridge deck. Read Innovator Issue 63 |
| 03/01/17 | Intersection and Interchange Geometrics | The Delaware Department of Transportation opened the State’s first diverging diamond interchange at Delaware Routes 1 and 72 in New Castle County. The agency used the design-build delivery method on the project, which received Accelerated Innovation Deployment (AID) Demonstration funding. Using the diverging diamond interchange design may have reduced construction time and costs by 75 percent compared to traditional alternatives. Read Innovator Issue 59 |
| 11/01/16 | High Friction Surface Treatment | In Delaware, roadway departure crashes represent the largest percentage of fatalities, at 40 percent, and the second highest percentage of serious injury crashes, at 21 percent. Like many states, Delaware has begun installing high-friction surface treatments, a safety countermeasure aimed at reducing roadway departure crashes that could put a dent in the fatality number. Read Innovator Issue 57 |
| 09/01/16 | Accelerated Bridge Construction, e-Construction, Construction Manager/General Manager, STIC | The agency enhances customer service through innovations such as DelDOT Gateway—an online source for details on pavement projects, bridges, traffic data and transit maps—and the DelDOT App—which provides travelers with real-time road information such as snowplow tracking. The Delaware DOT also implements new technologies and practices to deliver projects more efficiently, such as accelerated bridge construction, e-Construction and construction manager/general contractor project delivery. Read Innovator Issue 56 |
| 07/01/16 | Improving DOT and Railroad Coordination | The Delaware Department of Transportation is using SHRP2 funds to develop master agreements with the seven railroad companies it works with to streamline the construction project process. The agency signed a maintenance agreement with Norfolk Southern Railway for railroad crossings in the pavement rehabilitation program. Read Innovator Issue 55 |
| 07/01/16 | Intersection and Interchange Geometrics | The Delaware Department of Transportation started work on a project to build the state’s first diverging diamond interchange at Delaware Routes 1 and 72 in New Castle County. The agency is using the design-build delivery method on the project, which received an Accelerated Innovation Deployment Demonstration award. Using a diverging diamond interchange and design-build is expected to lower project costs while enhancing safety and mobility at the interchange. Read Innovator Issue 55 |
| Date | Innovations | Project |
|---|---|---|
| 11/01/15 | Intersection and Interchange Geometrics | The Delaware Department of Transportation will build a diverging diamond interchange at Delaware Routes 1 and 72 near Bear. The state chose the innovative design, which can be built more quickly and at lower cost than other interchange types, to improve traffic operations and safety in the area. The diverging diamond interchange is one of the innovative intersection and interchange geometrics promoted through FHWA’s Every Day Counts initiative. Read Innovator Issue 51 |
| 11/01/15 | Ultra-High Performance Concrete | Other highway agencies using UHPC connections on bridge projects include the Delaware Department of Transportation, which poured UHPC in joints between prestressed box beams on its first UHPC project, a bridge over the Pocomoke River. Read Innovator Issue 51 |
| 09/01/15 | Design-Build, Construction Manager / General Contractor | Delaware’s State Legislature voted to grant the Delaware Department of Transportation legal authority for full use of design-build and limited use of construction manager/general contractor as project delivery methods. The legislative approval followed a CM/GC workshop attended by a legislative representative, Delaware DOT staff, consultants and contractors, with presenters from Colorado, Maryland and Utah. Read Innovator Issue 50 |
| 05/01/15 | Geospatial Data Collaboration | The state of Delaware has completed a geospatial data collaboration-related project called FirstMap, an online geographic information system tool. It consists of a database and infrastructure to support geospatial and image services. It’s designed to support the GIS needs of Delaware’s state agencies, counties, municipalities, universities and the public. The Delaware Department of Transportation was a partner in creating FirstMap, which is maintained by the Delaware Department of Technology and Information. Read Innovator Issue 48 |
| 11/14/14 | Adaptive Signal Control | More than 100 highway agencies now use adaptive signal control technology, which adjusts the timing of traffic lights to accommodate changing traffic patterns and ease congestion. That’s reducing fuel consumption and saving time for drivers. About 1,200 ASCT signals have been installed in Delaware, 900 by the Delaware Department of Transportation and the rest by the city of Wilmington. Delaware plans to have a statewide system by 2015. Read Innovator Issue 45 |
| 11/01/13 | High Friction Surface Treatment | The Delaware Department of Transportation is embracing the use of high-friction surface treatments to improve safety. The agency’s first treatment was on a horizontal curve with a history of wet weather roadway departure crashes. The Delaware DOT plans to continue to use the treatments to address roadway departure crashes in horizontal curves and advertise for a statewide contract for applying them. The Federal Highway Administration helped the agency develop technical specifications for the contract. Read Innovator Issue 39 |
| 07/01/13 | Geosynthetic Reinforced Soil - Integrated Bridge System | Transportation professionals got an up-close look at a geosynthetic reinforced soil integrated bridge system at a Delaware showcase. They visited the bridge project in New Castle County after attending a workshop on the new technology and the design, construction and monitoring plans for the bridge. The Delaware Department of Transportation plans to use GRS-IBS for applicable bridge replacement projects its maintenance forces tackle in the future. The agency already plans to use it on a location damaged by Hurricane Sandy. Read Innovator Issue 36 |
| Date | Innovations | Project |
|---|---|---|
| 04/18/24 | STIC | 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... |
| 02/22/24 | STIC | Learn about the Delaware Department of Transportation's Low-Clearance Bridge and Tunnel Clankers, which deters overheight vehicles from striking bridges or tunnels. These heavy-duty plastic clankers warn vehicles when struck that they are too tall to safely pass under the upcoming bridge or tunnel... |
| 05/18/23 | UHPC | Using ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) to preserve and repair our nation’s infrastructure has reached a new milestone with the ongoing deck rehabilitation of the northbound span of the Delaware Memorial Bridge... Read More |
| Date | Innovations | Project |
|---|---|---|
| 12/08/22 | e-Ticketing | After e-Ticketing officially went live for DelDOT in late Spring of 2022, field inspectors immediately asked for additional integrations of collected field data that directly populates DelDOT’s electronic systems. DelDOT is accommodating those requests by completing a connection between its e-Ticket and e-Construction platforms which will reduce user input required for payment to a handful of mouse clicks. Not only will this be quicker, but it will also improve accuracy by reducing the opportunity for human error in transferring values between paper to computer. DelDOT sees e-Ticketing as an opportunity to improve staff safety, increase information access throughout the chain of command, and reduce their administrative and paperwork burden. In addition, DelDOT is considering the expansion of data associated with e-Ticketing to include location of materials placed, integrated live data stream from the pavers, and coordinated sharing of data with law enforcement for size and weight enforcement. Read More |
| 06/17/21 | STIC | Are you interested in homegrown innovations being used by your peers in other parts of the country? Check out the National STIC Network Showcase, a component of the EDC-6 Virtual Summit. This site features a convenient one-time registration that will allow you to continue accessing information throughout 2021. The showcase prominently features several innovations focused on public outreach. Learn about the Caltrans 360 degree interactive project tour, a dynamic and interactive experience designed to help community members and transportation partners visualize project needs and solutions; Delaware bridge project public outreach videos, which help address construction questions and concerns; The City of Ann Arbor, MI's A2 Open City Hall online survey tool, which allows the City to reach more residents than through traditional city meetings, gathers multiple perspectives, and supports more inclusive and accessible public engagement; and the Utah DOT mapping and visualization tools, which use map-based animations to help stakeholders understand how drivers will navigate completed projects. Read More |
| 05/20/21 | STIC | Are you interested in homegrown
innovations being used by your peers in other parts of the country? Check out
the National STIC Network Showcase, a component of the EDC-6
Virtual Summit. Over 200 innovations, submitted
by State DOTs, Local Agencies, and other STIC members, are grouped into eight
topic area categories for easy navigation. This site features a convenient
one-time registration that will allow you to continue accessing information
throughout 2021. The showcase prominently features several innovations focused on pedestrian and bicycle safety. Learn about the Florida DOT Pedestrian Safety Lighting Retrofit Program, a data-driven approach to optimize horizontal and vertical lighting levels for pedestrian visibility from motorists' perspective; Delaware DOT's application of Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFBs), which have been installed at over 40 locations, decreasing speeds by up to 18 percent and increasing yielding compliance by up to 50 percent; and the Washington, D.C. Protected Bike Lane Barrier Experiment, which tested different types of barriers for protected bike lanes and cycle tracks, and documented the findings in a matrix to help planners identify the type of barrier and spacing pattern to be used on different roadway types. Read More |
| 1/14/21 | Weather Responsive Management Strategies | During Winter 2019, the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) optimized snowplow routes in their South District for mileage efficiency in two of its five Area yards. The optimized routing enables snowplows to leave a yard and return at no more than 10 percent capacity on a standard route with a 1.5-hour cycle time. For periods of greater snowfall intensity, shorter routes are created by removing the lowest priority roads. For example, during a blizzard event, 30-minute cycle times are used. DelDOT noted that the optimized routes have improved the Department's level of service. It has allowed more roads to be plowed earlier, reduced the snow removal service times, and shortened the amount of travel over roads not being serviced. The agency is currently working to optimize the remaining three Area yards and DelDOT is also assessing the use of an in-vehicle GPS routing application for continuing to optimize its snowplow routes. Read More |
| 10/8/20 | Weather-Responsive Management Strategies (WRMS) | Delaware DOT is actively working to better monitor and predict flooding using a robust Road Weather Information System (RWIS) network and a fleet of vehicles equipped with mobile environmental station sensors (ESS) and dash cams. Nine unmanned aerial systems are available to the Transportation Management Center for flood response, according to the severity of the event as defined in the event management plan. Read More |
| 09/12/19 | Virtual Public Involvement | The Delaware Department of Transportation and the Wilmington Area Planning Council (WILMAPCO) developed a comprehensive public outreach strategy for its 2050 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP). WILMAPCO used traditional methods—engaging branding, popup events targeted in underserved areas, festivals, and municipal and civic meeting presentations—and virtual public involvement tools such as public outreach software, online surveys, and virtual public workshops to ensure opportunities for widest possible participation from the public. Social media promoted opportunities to engage with the RTP outreach program to nearly 40,000 people. Social media also allowed direct communication with the public, dissemination of project updates, and collection of public feedback and comment. Through virtual public involvement, WILMAPCO engaged with nearly 1,900 individuals during the 2050 RTP campaign, more than double that of the 2040 campaign. Additionally, the 2050 RTP campaign generated over 600 public comments, up from only five during the 2040 effort. A STIC Incentive Program Award supported WILMAPCO’s public outreach strategy. To learn more about the WILMAPCO outreach effort, please contact Tigist Zgeye, executive director of WILMAPCO. If you’d like to learn more about virtual public involvement, please contact Scott Allen or Jody McCullough with the FHWA Office of Planning, Environment, and Realty. Read EDC News 9-12-2019 |
| 05/30/19 | State Transportation Innovation Councils (STIC) | In 2018, the Delaware STIC was recognized for its collaboration with the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) on an Innovation Fair that showcased nearly 40 innovations agency staff implemented to improve safety and efficiency, cut costs, and save time. In addition, DelDOT, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, and the Government Information Center partnered with Open Data Delaware and TechImpact on the 2018 Open Data Challenge. Through the challenge, teams used transportation, environmental, and recreational datasets to develop apps, including one to make transportation more accessible for persons with disabilities. Read EDC News 5-30-2019 |
| 05/23/19 | Value Capture | Transportation improvement districts (TID) are special assessment districts to improve the transportation system within a designated zone. Under this value capture model, agencies collect fees from property owners in the TID. The revenue is then dedicated to making improvements to existing facilities and planning for future transportation infrastructure. The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) has recently entered into agreements with several towns, cities and counties to develop TIDs across the State. DelDOT’s efforts are significant, as they demonstrate that TIDs can successfully be initiated at a DOT level rather than solely at the local level. Read EDC News 5-23-2019 |
| 05/02/19 | Intelligent Compaction | The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) evaluated the effectiveness of advanced quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) tools on a U.S. 301 construction project. Continuous compaction control and intelligent compaction (CCC/IC) technology provided nearly 100 percent coverage on the soil compaction process, compared to traditional QA/QC techniques that rely on spot testing of less than 0.1 percent of the project site. The CCC/IC technology also provided real-time feedback DelDOT could use to make informed decisions on soil compaction. The project confirmed the ability of a light weight deflectometer to accurately measure soil strength properties in the field. This provides a better indication of roadway performance than traditional measurements. The project also found users could produce results using a nondestructive thickness scanner to measure compacted soil that were nearly identical to those taken with a conventional tool. Nondestructive tools allow for more tests without the damage of traditional excavation or coring processes. Read EDC News 5-2-2019 |
| 04/25/19 | Project Bundling | The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) uses bridge bundling contracts to address preventive maintenance issues on bridges and culverts in good or fair condition. DelDOT’s Bridge Management Section works with district maintenance offices to prioritize projects and administer contracts. These bundles cover activities including deck sealing, bridge painting, deck patching, joint repair, and culvert lining. Read EDC News 4-25-2019 |
| 03/14/19 | Virtual Public Involvement | An example is the Delaware Department of Transportation’s DelDOT App, which relays information on current and upcoming projects. The app delivers real-time traffic alerts, notifies users of project-related public meetings, and provides an easy way for stakeholders to contact DelDOT when issues arise. Read EDC News 3-14-2019 |
| 11/01/18 | Pavement Preservation (When, Where, and How) | States continue to use creative ways to share innovation successes, fostering a culture of innovation in their transportation agencies and with stakeholders. An example is the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) second annual Innovation Fair. The fair highlighted 18 innovations that showcase the creativity of DelDOT employees, including several innovations that are part of the EDC-4 pavement preservation initiative. After voting on the top ideas, the DelDOT leadership team awarded this year’s Secretary’s Award to the Safe Selfie Zone. Created by a Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) employee, the idea allows new Delaware drivers to share the news of obtaining a driver’s license on social media while keeping their license number and home address secure. National news media reported on the idea and DMVs in several other States now plan to implement safe selfie zones. Read EDC News 11-1-2018 |
| 10/04/18 | State Transportation Innovation Councils (STIC) | The Delaware STIC and Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) collaborated on an Innovation Fair to showcase nearly 40 innovations agency staff implemented to improve safety and efficiency, cut costs, and save time. DelDOT, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, and the Government Information Center partnered with Open Data Delaware and TechImpact on the 2018 Open Data Challenge. Through the challenge, teams used transportation, environmental, and recreational datasets to develop apps, including one to make transportation more accessible for persons with disabilities. Read EDC News 10-4-2018 |
| 07/19/18 | Intersection and Interchange Geometrics, Diverging Diamond Interchange | Delaware's first diverging diamond interchange (DDI) improved safety for drivers by reducing the number of conflict points and for pedestrians and bicyclists by providing a new shared-use path. DelDOT built the DDI at State Routes 1 and 72, an interchange where traffic had expanded and left turns had become a problem. After studying ways to better manage traffic growth, DelDOT decided on a DDI because it would increase capacity by allowing free-flowing left turns. DelDOT reports that the DDI reduced travel times for vehicles by 3 to 7 minutes while making commuting safer and easier. The DDI, which received AID Demonstration funds, is among the projects recognized in the 2018 northeast regional America's Transportation Awards competition. Read EDC News 7-19-2018 |
| 07/19/18 | Ultra-High Performance Concrete Connections | The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) completed the Nation's second bridge deck overlay using UHPC on the Blackbird Station Road project in New Castle County, showing that UHPC can be used to produce a long-lasting, maintenance-free bridge deck. DelDOT also used UHPC to connect the adjacent box girders on the project, which received Accelerated Innovation Deployment (AID) Demonstration funds. Read EDC News 7-19-2018 |
| 04/05/18 | State Transportation Innovation Councils (STIC) | The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) used State Transportation Innovation Council (STIC) Incentive funds to enhance its DelDOT App, which provides travelers with real-time traffic information. The latest app update includes text notifications of traffic advisories to help users better plan their travels throughout the State. Users can choose from a list of advisory notifications, such as incidents, construction, congestion, road closures, events, special travel alerts, and weather. Users can also set the mile radius from their location for which to receive notifications. The DelDOT App, available for free, has been downloaded more than 78,000 times. Read EDC News 4-5-2018 |
| 12/07/17 | High Friction Surface Treatment | Roadway departure crashes accounted for 38 percent of Delaware’s fatal crashes, with half of these occurring along horizontal curves. The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) implemented high-friction surface treatments (HFST) through the State’s Systemic Safety Improvement Program. Studies show that crashes dropped an average of 56 percent at the more than 20 locations where HFST was installed. Read EDC News 12-7-2017 |
| 08/17/17 | Ultra-High Performance Concrete Connections for Prefabricated Bridge Elements | The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) received an Accelerated Innovation Deployment Demonstration program award to use an ultra-high performance concrete overlay on a bridge replacement project in Blackbird. The project involves replacing corrugated metal pipe arches with prestressed concrete box beams on concrete stub abutments with the UHPC overlay. Using UHPC is expected to result in a strong, high-quality bridge that will require fewer future repairs. DelDOT, which is replacing the bridge during a full road closure on a section of Blackbird Station Road, expects to reopen the road to traffic by mid-September. Read EDC News 8-17-2017 |
| 12/08/16 | Intersection and Interchange Geometrics, Design-Build | The Delaware Department of Transportation opened the state’s first diverging diamond interchange at Delaware Routes 1 and 72 in New Castle County on November 19. The agency used the design-build delivery method on the project, which received an Accelerated Innovation Deployment Demonstration grant from FHWA. Using the diverging diamond interchange design may have reduced construction time and costs by 75 percent compared to traditional alternatives. A Delaware DOT video explains how to drive on the new interchange. Read EDC News 12-8-2016 |
| 11/03/16 | Ultra-High Performance Concrete Connections for Prefabricated Bridge Elements | About 55 participants from the Delaware Department of Transportation, private engineering and construction firms and FHWA attended an FHWA ultra-high performance concrete connections workshop on October 21 in Dover. The Delaware DOT has used UHPC on three projects to connect prefabricated bridge elements. The agency is planning to incorporate UHPC into a bridge deck overlay project in 2017. Read EDC News 11-3-2016 |
| 10/20/16 | Ultra-High Performance Concrete Connections for Prefabricated Bridge Elements | The Delaware Department of Transportation is using UHPC to connect precast beams on a project to build a bridge over a salt water conveyance channel in the Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge. The agency is also connecting precast bridge deck panels with UHPC on a project on I-95 over Route 7. Read EDC News 10-20-2016 |
| 09/22/16 | e-Construction | Staff from the Delaware and District Departments of Transportation discussed challenges and best practices on implementing e-Construction during a September 8 web conference organized by FHWA. Delaware DOT participants talked about the agency’s use and evaluation of e-Construction technologies and lessons learned in deploying the innovation. District DOT staff discussed the agency’s plans to create a paperless project delivery and construction process. Read EDC News 9-22-2016 |
| 07/28/16 | Improving DOT and Railroad Coordination | The Delaware Department of Transportation is developing master agreements with the seven railroad companies it works with to streamline the construction project process. The agency signed a maintenance agreement with Norfolk Southern Railway for railroad crossings in the pavement rehabilitation program. Read EDC News 7-28-2016 |
| 05/12/16 | Intersection and Interchange Geometrics, Design-Build | The Delaware Department of Transportation broke ground April 29 on a project to build the state’s first diverging diamond interchange at Delaware Routes 1 and 72 in New Castle County. The agency is using the design-build delivery method on the project, which received an Accelerated Innovation Deployment Demonstration grant from FHWA. Using innovation is expected to lower project costs while enhancing safety and mobility at the interchange. Read EDC News 5-12-2016 |
| 03/31/16 | eNEPA | Representatives of environmental resource agencies joined the Delaware Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration staff at a March 23 meeting on improving collaboration and quality environmental documentation on projects. Participants viewed a video on how FHWA’s eNEPA tool enables collaborative, concurrent and transparent interagency reviews that can save time and money on and improve the quality of National Environmental Policy Act documents. The Delaware DOT will use the eNEPA tool for the first time on the environmental assessment document for the Park Avenue relocation project in Sussex County. Read EDC News 3-31-2016 |
| 03/24/16 | Regional Models of Cooperation | FHWA staff explained the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act, or FAST Act, and its funding provisions to the Salisbury/Wicomico Metropolitan Planning Organization at the group’s March 10 meeting. The group, an example of regional models of cooperation, includes members from city, county and state governments and agencies in the Delmarva Peninsula area of Delaware and Maryland. The MPO meets quarterly to review and act on transportation planning activities and studies in the region. Read EDC News 3-24-2016 |
| Date | Innovations | Project |
|---|---|---|
| 10/01/15 | Accelerated Bridge Construction | Transportation professionals from the public and private sectors learned about accelerated bridge construction at a September 19 workshop hosted by the Delaware Department of Transportation and FHWA. Speakers from the New York State and Pennsylvania Departments of Transportation provided an owner’s perspective on ABC projects in their states. Contractors offered an industry view on the same projects. Read EDC News 10-1-2015 |
| 07/09/15 | Design-Build, Construction Manager/ General Contractor | Delaware’s State Legislature voted in June to grant the Department of Transportation full legal authority to use design-build as a project delivery method and for limited use of the construction manager/general contractor method on six projects. DelDOT previously had limited authority for D-B, and CM/GC was not permitted. This progress follows a February 2015 CM/GC workshop attended by a state legislature representative, DelDOT staff, consultants and contractors, with presenters from Colorado, Maryland, and Utah. Read EDC News 7-9-2015 |
| 06/11/15 | Intersection and Interchange Geometrics | A peer exchange enabled Delaware Department of Transportation professionals to learn about designing and installing diverging diamond interchanges from their Missouri Department of Transportation counterparts. The peer exchange included visits to diverging diamond interchanges in Kansas City and St. Louis, Missouri, and discussions on lessons learned. The Delaware DOT plans to advertise a diverging diamond interchange project this summer and is considering the design for several other locations. Read EDC News 6-11-2015 |
| 03/27/15 | Geosynthetic Reinforced Soil - Integrated Bridge System | The state of Delaware has completed a geospatial data collaboration-related project called FirstMap, an online geographic information system tool. It consists of a database and infrastructure to support geospatial and image services. It’s designed to support the GIS needs of Delaware’s state agencies, counties, municipalities, universities and the public. The Delaware Department of Transportation was a key partner in creating FirstMap, which is maintained by the Delaware Department of Technology and Information. Read EDC News 3-27-2015 |
| 01/30/15 | e-Construction | DelDot provided a briefing on its Texas scanning tour to learn about e-Construction, made possible with STIC incentive funds. Read EDC News 1-30-2015 |
| 10/17/14 | 3D Engineered Models | The Delaware Department of Transportation and FHWA hosted a workshop on 3-D engineered models for construction in Dover. The October 9 event drew more than 80 participants, including highway agency staff, contractors, consultants and surveyors. They learned how 3-D engineered models can be used and gained hands-on experience with the equipment. The technology has been used in Delaware in the past, but participants were interested in learning how it could be applied to asset management, scheduling and cost estimating. Read EDC News 10-17-2014 |
| 10/11/13 | Programmatic Agreements | The Delaware Department of Transportation, Delaware State Historic Preservation Office, Advisory Council on Historic Preservation and FHWA signed a new programmatic agreement in September. The agreement—which replaces an outdated one—helps streamline processes while fulfilling requirements for construction projects under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. Read EDC News 10-11-2013 |
| 09/13/13 | High Friction Surface Treatment | The Delaware Department of Transportation has embraced the use of high-friction surface treatments to improve safety. The agency’s first treatment, applied September 5, was on a horizontal curve with a history of wet weather roadway departure crashes. The Delaware DOT plans to use high-friction surface treatments to systematically address roadway departure crashes in horizontal curves and has established a program to advertise for a statewide contract for applying them. FHWA helped the agency develop technical specifications for the contract. Read EDC News 9-13-2013 |
| 05/21/13 | High Friction Surface Treatment | Delaware and Maryland state highway agencies have identified roadway departure crashes as a priority, and both have embraced the implementation of EDC 2 High Friction Surface Treatment. Each is proceeding with implementation, and on May 14, the two offices participated in a Horizontal Peer Exchange with seven other states. Read EDC News 5-21-2013 |
| Date | Innovations | Project |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Community Connections | The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) partnered with the Wilmington Area Planning Council (WILMAPCO) to provide interactive public outreach opportunities for the update to WILMAPCO’s 2050 Regional Transportation Plan using STIC Incentive funds. WILMAPCO hosted an online virtual workshop for stakeholders, developed a series of informational displays, and conducted pop-up meetings at local community events. The interactive public outreach doubled prior engagement from participants and received 634 comments. Read the EDC-4 Final Report |
| Date | Innovations | Project |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Regional Models of Cooperation | The Wilmington Area Planning Council hosted a 2015 planning roundtable in Delaware for the Mid-Atlantic region, which shares many planning challenges as part of a dense network of cities that stretch from Virginia to Pennsylvania. Roundtable participants, which included members of MPOs and regional commissions as well as local American Planning Association chapters, reviewed progress on projects involving multiagency collaboration. The Baltimore Metropolitan Council plans to host the next roundtable in Maryland in spring 2017. The Mid- Atlantic Roundtable has fostered communication and coordination on regional transportation issues since 2005. Read the EDC-3 Final Report |
| 2017 | Ultra-High Performance Concrete Connections | The Delaware DOT (DelDOT) completed several projects using UHPC and is planning more for 2017 and 2018 construction. The agency used UHPC to connect box beams on a bridge on Daisy Road over the Pocomoke River and precast deck panels on an I-95 bridge over State Route 7. DelDOT used UHPC to connect precast beams on a project to build a bridge over a salt water conveyance channel in the Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge. Read the EDC-3 Final Report |
| Date | Innovations | Project |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Geospatial Data Collaboration | The Delaware DOT worked with the Delaware Department of Technology and Information to launch the FirstMap project. It provides a central data warehouse where common statewide GIS data sets can be stored, updated and used by various state agencies and the public. Read the EDC-2 Final Report |
| 2015 | Programmatic Agreements | The Delaware DOT, the Delaware State Historic Preservation Office, the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation and FHWA signed a programmatic agreement in September 2013. The agreement—which replaces an outdated one—helps streamline processes while fulfilling requirements for construction projects under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. Read the EDC-2 Final Report |
