U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20590
202-366-4000
| Fiscal Year | Innovations | Project |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Adaptive Signal Control | The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is introducing Adaptive Signal Control Technology to the McKnight Road (SR4003) corridor [from I-279 to Perrymont Road/Babcock Boulevard]. The project is a keystone to PennDOT’s overall strategy for non-invasive (non-construction) means to alleviate traffic congestion. Through its various components, the success of this project will launch new processes and technologies to modernize traffic operations. The project will focus on the following key objectives: 1) Evaluate and deploy an Adaptive Signal Control System using the Model Systems Engineering Process for Adaptive documentation; 2) Connect the Traffic Signal back to PennDOT’s Regional Traffic Management Center; 3) Deploy and evaluate Real-Time Traffic Signal Performance Metrics along the corridor; 4) Deploy Dedicated Short-Range Communications (DSRC) technology along the corridor so that connected and automated vehicle research can occur. ($720,000) Read AID Demonstration 2014 |
| Fiscal Year | Innovations | Project |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Pavement, RAP | Cold Central Plant Recycle (CCPR) Asphalt Mix Standards and Specifications for High Volume Routes ($93,000) |
| 2024 | TIM | Implementation of Debris Removal Systems ($29,897.60) |
| 2023 | Safety | Develop and implement a Pennsylvania-specific teen driver work zone safety course ($50,000) |
| 2023 | TIM | Implement Work Zone Changeable Message Sign (CMS) Queue Protection into ATMS corridor management tool ($50,000) |
| 2022 | Pavement | Implementation of a Temporary Pavement Marking System ($30,000) |
| 2022 | Materials, RFID | Implement the use of Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) Tags ($70,000) |
| 2021 | Automated Traffic Signal Performance Measures (ATSPMs) | Implement an Automated Traffic Signal Performance Measures (ATSPMs) Pilot ($60,000) |
| 2021 | Structures | Develop design procedures and design tools for Bridge Deck Link Slabs ($40,000) |
| 2020 | UAS, TIM | Advancing UAS for Crash Reconstruction ($50,000) |
| 2020 | Virtual Public Involvement | Piloting Augmented Reality in Transportation ($50,000) |
| 2019 | UAS | Develop a UAS Strategic Plan ($50,000) |
| 2019 | NEPA, Stormwater | Develop a Post Construction Stormwater Training and Field Guidebook ($50,000) |
| 2018 | Traffic Incident Management | Expand the TIM Training Center study to include connected and automated vehicles, tolling/ITS/traffic signals, work zones, and commercial vehicles ($40,000) |
| 2018 | Geosynthetic Reinforced Soil-Integrated Bridge System | Develop revised Geo-Reinforced Synthetic Soil-Integrated Bridge System (GRS-IBS) specifications ($40,000) |
| 2018 | e-Construction | Develop a study of workforce preparedness for Electronic Contracting and Communications ($20,000) |
| 2017 | Geosynthetic Reinforced Soil–Integrated Bridge System | Modifications to Geo–Reinforced Soil–Integrated Bridge System (GRS–IBS) specifications to allow for higher volume, longer structures, and heavier stream velocities ($46,000) |
| 2017 | Traffic Incident Management | Business plan development and outreach for a Traffic Incident Management (TIM) training facility ($54,000) |
| 2016 | Local Public Agency | Local Government Safety Seminar ($80,000) |
| 2015 | Salt and Snow Academy | Development and deployment of a Salt and Snow Academy to train local governments with the most up to date and most cost effective methods for winter maintenance ($80,000) |
| 2014 | High Friction Surface Treatment | High Friction Surface Treatment Binder Evaluation ($59,432.80) |
| 2014 | Rumble Strip | A compendium of best practices for Rumble Strip Installation on Thin Pavement Overlays ($40,567.20) |
| Date | Innovations | Project |
|---|---|---|
| 10/01/24 | HFST | The Pennsylvania DOT (PennDOT) announced in May that permanent repairs to Interstate 95 (I-95) in northeast Philadelphia were complete, less than a year after a June 11, 2023, tanker truck crash and fire caused the roadway to collapse. PennDOT replaced the bridge and northbound ramp, adding enhanced traffic safety measures to the ramp such as high friction surface treatment (HFST)... |
| 10/01/24 | TOPS | California, Pennsylvania, Nevada, and Virginia showed special interest in concrete overlays by scheduling in-person workshops. “I think our outreach efforts to create awareness of the viability of concrete overlays have encouraged many States to rethink their maintenance strategies and take steps toward adding concrete overlays as another asset management tool,” said TOPS EDC Team Co-leader Robert Conway... |
| 05/01/24 | CHANGE | The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) has continued advancing CHANGE on a variety of bridge projects across the State. In December, PennDOT provided an update on four bridge projects in various stages of completion that incorporated 2D modeling... |
| 01/01/24 | AID Demonstration | In Pennsylvania, the DOT will deploy stone matrix asphalt and highly modified asphalt on projects in five different districts. These targeted solutions will enhance overlay performance for both asphalt and concrete pavements, reduce maintenance, maximize previous investments through extended service life of pavement structures, reduce congestion through the need for less work zones, increase skid resistance, improve resiliency in flood-prone areas, and reduce noise... |
| 01/01/24 | STIC | Pennsylvania’s STIC created videos highlighting the State’s deployment of the Geosynthetic Reinforced Soil-Integrated Bridge System and expansion of its Traffic Incident Management (TIM) training capability to show just how far $100,000 can go to help advance innovation statewide... |
| 03/01/23 | HFST | As part of a series of podcasts celebrating the 10th anniversary of its State Transportation Innovation Council (STIC), the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) spotlighted successful deployments of several Every Day Counts innovations, including high-friction surface treatments... Read More |
| 05/01/23 | Digital As-Builts |
The Pennsylvania DOT (PennDOT) developed a comprehensive implementation plan called Digital Delivery Directive 2025 to adopt the digital delivery process as a department standard within 5 years. The plan takes an incremental approach to completing multiple pilot projects. In 2022, PennDOT piloted DABs for guiderails, with contractors collecting inventory information and locations in a standardized spreadsheet... Read More |
| 05/01/23 | Crowdsourcing | State and local agencies can access vehicle probe, navigational app, social media, 511 and 311 service, connected car, and other crowdsourced data to improve operations, increase safety and reliability, and save cost. Moreover, analytics tools and services make processing and using crowdsourced data a true game-changer for nearly every transportation systems management and operations strategy. The following are just a few examples. Incident management: The Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT), the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, and the city of Frisco, TX, are among the agencies that are detecting more incidents and detecting them more quickly through crowdsourcing. Agencies typically integrate their roadway sensor and law enforcement data with crowdsourced data from social media posts, free navigation app user reports, or vehicle probe data... Read More |
| 05/01/23 | e-Ticketing |
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) posted an interactive publication called Focus on Innovations that describes recent efforts to increase efficiency and safety. The publication includes articles on innovations from a variety of areas across the agency, as well as progress on several initiatives it adopted through Every Day Counts such as e-Ticketing... Read More |
| Date | Innovations | Project |
|---|---|---|
| 11/1/2022 | Community Connections | The Pennsylvania DOT reconnected a neighborhood separated by interstate construction in the 1950s while also spurring new economic growth with its I-579 Urban Open Space Cap project in Pittsburgh. The project helped reestablish community connections by bridging the interstate with a park. The park area improved pedestrian and bicycle safety and access to the downtown core. It includes story walls, an outdoor classroom, and performance and green spaces as well as path lighting and improved links to public transit. Read More |
| 9/1/2022 | STIC | The Pennsylvania STIC (PA STIC), which held its inaugural business meeting on March 27, 2012, held a celebration of 10 years of innovation on July 27, 2022, following a regular meeting. To share the story of their STIC and the successes they have seen over the last decade, PA STIC created a 10th Anniversary webpage, which includes an article on their STIC’s origins, a STIC podcast series, and a timeline of STIC happenings and milestones over the past 10 years. They also plan to release a special issue of their Innovation in Motion e-newsletter. Read More |
| 7/1/2022 | WRMS | As the flooding and tornadoes of Ida arrived in Pennsylvania, PennDOT kept traveler information such as road closures and weather advisories up-to-date on its 511PA.com website. Dan Whetzel, PennDOT's section chief for emergency incident management, reported that Ida caused the Schuylkill River to overrun its banks onto Interstate 676, which runs below ground at a point in downtown Philadelphia. Once the river receded, it left PennDOT with about 30 million gallons of water on the interstate. "With the pumps we typically use, it would have taken 20 or more days to pump that much water out," he said, "so we worked through our command structure and found a company working in the Marcellus Shale area that could bring multiple pumps. They were able to pump the 30 million gallons of water back into the Schuylkill River in a day and a half." Although the company had not worked for PennDOT before, it was able to mobilize and begin pumping within 24 hours. Whetzel said that having executive staff at a centrally located command center during the storm helped streamline the response to this and other challenges. Read More |
| 3/1/2022 | Strategic Workforce Development | Stakeholders in Pennsylvania organized a working group to develop creative ways to market the highway construction industry to potential job candidates. One key way is redefining how people think about the necessity of a four-year degree. The working group is promoting construction apprenticeships as "the other four-year degree." One member of the working group, the Constructors Association of Western Pennsylvania (CAWP), developed an app called Future Road Builders that lets users explore a virtual highway construction project to see the skills needed for the job. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) partnered with CAWP in 2016 to continue the development of the Future Road Builders platform to include an application for smart phones and tablets. Read more on PennDOT's on-the-job training program webpage.
Read More |
| 3/1/2022 | STIC | The Pennsylvania STIC developed new methods to maintain engagement and keep projects moving during the pandemic in lieu of in-person events. Through PennDOT's first Virtual Innovation Week, the STIC promoted innovations such as bridge deck link slabs, unmanned aerial systems, and e�Ticketing. Nearly 1,000 individuals participated in at least one virtual event session, with an average of more than 200 attending each. Session recordings were made publicly available as an Innovation Week playlist on PennDOT's YouTube channel. The Virtual Innovation Week also included a virtual exhibit hall with more than 50 innovative tools, materials, applications, and technologies. Eighteen exhibits showcasing STIC and EDC innovations were developed for the event. During the first 3 months after going live, the virtual exhibit hall webpage received nearly 2,000 pageviews. Read More |
| 1/1/2022 | NextGen TIM | Many public safety, transportation, and private sector agencies are using motorist alerts to improve situational awareness among drivers. The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission has equipped 158 maintenance and service patrol vehicles with the ability to broadcast emergency alerts. When the service vehicle activates its amber emergency warning lights, a signal is sent to a mapping provider (Waze®), which pushes an alert to subscribers in the vicinity. According to Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission TIM Coordinator Todd Leiss, crashes involving roadside agency vehicles were reduced from 30 in 2018 to zero in 2020. He attributes much of the credit for that reduction to emergency vehicle alerts. Similarly, around the country, private companies such as towing operators are realizing the safety impacts and are installing equipment on tow trucks to help warn drivers of the trucks' roadside presence. This is important because towing companies frequently act as single responders to disabled vehicles, often without the knowledge or support of other agencies like law enforcement or transportation. Emergency alert technology can be used on any incident response vehicle, including police, fire, EMS, transportation, towing, and others. Vehicle telematics and summary dashboards are sometimes part of the alert system deployment, helping to tabulate and visualize the number of deployments, duration of stops, and the number of motorists potentially warned. In addition, since responder vehicle location is an important part of the technology, some agencies are able to use the dashboards for better resource management. Leiss estimates that in just over 1.5 years, the system has alerted 2.8 million Waze® users to Pennsylvania Turnpike incidents. Read More |
| 11/1/2020 | Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC) | To replace the Shaler Street Bridge over busy U.S. Route 19 in Allegheny County, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) chose self-propelled modular transporters (SPMTs), an ABC technology the agency had not used before. Because U.S. Route 19 carries 27,000 vehicles a day to and from downtown Pittsburgh, Interstate 79, and Pittsburgh International Airport, PennDOT considered minimizing closures during replacement of the bridge a necessity. Crews assembled the new bridge beams and deck at a nearby site and used SPMTs—computer-controlled vehicles that can carry heavy loads and position them precisely—to move the prefabricated bridge components onto new support structures. Using SPMTs allowed completion of the bridge replacement in two weekend closures instead of the 6 months of corridor restrictions and closures needed for conventional replacement. The result provided the community with a safer bridge and PennDOT with a new tool for its ABC toolbox. |
| 11/1/2020 | Roundabouts | Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) data show that fatalities, injuries, and crashes decreased overall at 22 roundabouts built at 19 locations that were previously stop or signal controlled. The agency evaluated roundabouts with at least 3 years of crash data available before and after the roundabouts were built. The data show that fatalities at these locations were reduced by 100 percent, serious injuries (as defined by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Model Minimum Uniform Crash Criteria) dropped by 77 percent, and the total number of crashes decreased by 21 percent. In addition to the 22 roundabouts reviewed, PennDOT has built 34 other roundabouts and has over 40 more in design. PennDOT created a video to educate road users on how to use roundabouts, whether in a vehicle, on a bicycle, or on foot. |
| 7/1/2020 | Project Bundling | The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) developed a local bridge bundling program that targets replacement of single-span bridges. To maximize efficiency, PennDOT groups bridges with similar details in a bundle. The goal is to use one design for all structures in a bundle, replacing multiple bridges of varying lengths with one standard-length bridge design. Bundles may be large, but contracts are developed in groups of 7 to 10 to optimize construction crews. PennDOT has documented significant savings in design and construction from using this bundling method—up to 50 percent on design cost and up to 15 percent on construction cost compared to traditional single-bridge projects. Because of the savings, PennDOT waives the normal 5 percent local public agency contribution to a project, making the program popular among localities. |
| 05/01/20 | Value Capture | Many States and municipalities require developer contributions, including negotiated exactions and impact fees, as part of the approval process for planned developments. These can include land transfers, cash payments, construction activities, or public services provided by developers. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and the developer of the 628-acre Chrin Commerce Centre near Easton negotiated an agreement under which PennDOT provided $27.4 million in public improvements, including building a Route 33 interchange to facilitate access to the development, and the developer provided 22 acres for the interchange and $13.6 million in infrastructure improvements. Using value capture to finance the private development and public improvements reduced the amount of funding needed from State and local sources. |
| 01/01/20 | e-Construction and Partnering | The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) saved an estimated $39 million in overall productivity through its mobile construction application program, part of its e-Construction implementation. PennDOT based its calculations on time saved using apps compared to older paper and manual processes. PennDOT's goals include increasing field staff productivity, transforming labor-intensive paper processes through efficient mobile technology, and improving data collection and reporting capabilities. After implementing its first app in 2013, PennDOT now uses nine apps and has another two in development. The apps include mobile construction documents, punch lists, concrete inspection diaries, mileage and hour trackers, and payroll. |
| 01/01/20 | Crowdsourcing for Operations | The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation uses both crowdsourced and traditional data sources to populate its 511PA traveler information website. These data also power an emergency text alerting system, 511PA Connect, for traffic delays longer than 4 hours. Crowdsourced data improve the speed, coverage, and reliability of both information tools. |
| 09/01/19 | Electrically Isolated Post-tensioning Tendons (EITs) | Lehigh County, PA, completed the first U.S bridge installation of electrically isolated post-tensioning tendons (EITs) to conduct long-term corrosion monitoring. The project installed five EITs on the 542-foot-long Coplay-Northampton Bridge. EITs provide enhanced corrosion protection and the electrical isolation allows monitoring of each tendon's encapsulation quality and possible corrosion initiation throughout the bridge's service life. Project officials report that these benefits were gained with minimal added construction effort or project cost. |
| 09/01/19 | Traffic Incident Management (TIM) | The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) built a Traffic Operations Analytics tool that integrates multiple data sources to better capture incident timelines. The tool combines PennDOT's Road Condition Reporting System and maintenance records, crash data, third-party crowdsourced data, and road weather information. Adding these features to a common platform provides a clearer picture of where, why, and how incidents happen. PennDOT generates quarterly performance management reports for TIM stakeholders. |
| 07/01/19 | State Transportation Innovation Councils (STIC) | Established in 2012, the Pennsylvania STIC assembles stakeholders from 26 organizations to promote Every Day Counts and other innovations from State, national, and international sources. "We've found that communication is key to advancing innovations," Danielle Klinger-Grumbine, Bureau of Innovations division chief for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), said during the STIC webcast. "We need to ensure that we are communicating about the right innovation at the right time to the right people." The STIC's communication goals are to increase knowledge, gain acceptance, and dispel myths about innovation deployment among target audiences. "We need target audiences' buy-in and support to ensure successful deployment," said Klinger-Grumbine. STIC communication tactics include infographics, interactive displays, and outreach events such as safety symposiums and demonstration days, as well as webinars, social media posts, and media events. The Pennsylvania STIC website provides an anchor for communication efforts, including the Innovation in Motion e-newsletter and interactive STIC Year-End Report. High-friction surface treatment (HFST) is one communication success story. "Targeted communication efforts helped move the needle to institutionalize HFST in Pennsylvania," said Anja Walker, Pennsylvania STIC manager. Beginning in 2014, the STIC and PennDOT created videos and infographics to show technical staff and industry partners how to apply HFST and the benefits of using the technology. They displayed an interactive car model at conferences to demonstrate how HFST increases roadway friction and enhances safety. They also invited local agencies to observe application of HFST and issued news releases to inform the public about HFST projects. "We saw great results from these communication efforts," said Klinger-Grumbine. Since 2014, Pennsylvania agencies have applied HFST at 273 locations, compared to 42 locations from 2007 to 2014. Analysis of crash data from the 3 to 5 years after HFST installation at 47 locations found that fatal crashes dropped from eight to zero and injury crashes from 190 to 71. |
| 05/01/19 | Ultra-High Performance Concrete Connections | The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation used UHPC on 30 bridges and developed UHPC PBE connection standards. The Washington State Department of Transportation outlined standards for deck bulb-tee girders with UHPC connections. California Department of Transportation seismic research led to development of UHPC connection and precast column designs to enhance bridge resiliency. Read Innovator Issue 72 |
| 03/01/19 | Project Bundling | The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation reported savings on a county bridge bundling program of up to 50 percent on design and 15 percent on construction. Bundling design and construction contracts also saves procurement time, leverages design expertise, achieves economies of scale, and helps keep critical transportation assets in good repair. Read Innovator Issue 71 |
| 01/01/19 | Intersection and Interchange Geometrics (Roundabouts) | The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), which has constructed 43 roundabouts and has 26 in design, uses roundabouts to address safety issues, improve traffic flow, and facilitate pedestrian mobility. PennDOT data show that crashes, injuries, and fatalities decreased at 11 roundabouts after they were installed at intersections that were previously stop or signal controlled. A review of data collected for 3 years before and after roundabout installation found that fatalities decreased from two to zero, serious injuries dropped from seven to zero, and minor injuries decreased from 19 to one. PennDOT produced a video to educate drivers on how to navigate a roundabout. Read Innovator Issue 70 |
| 07/01/18 | National Traffic Incident Management Responder Training | The Colorado and Pennsylvania Departments of Transportation launched full-scale training centers for first responders in partnership with their State police patrols. Replicating a concrete interstate and other highway segments, the centers enable responders to practice strategies that improve safety and minimize their exposure to traffic hazards when responding to traffic incidents. The centers complement the classroom study of the National Traffic Incident Management (TIM) Responder Training Program, which trains police, fire, emergency medical service, towing, and transportation personnel how to collaborate, work safely, and quickly clear the roadway. Read Innovator Issue 67 |
| 01/01/18 | Geosynthetic Reinforced Soil-Integrated Bridge System (GRS-IBS) | Presentations at transportation events on Pennsylvania’s first GRS-IBS project in Huston Township piqued the interest of other municipalities and resulted in the construction of an additional 21 GRS-IBS bridges on low-volume State and local roads. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) developed GRS-IBS design guidance to help municipalities plan and build projects, then adapted it for PennDOT use. Read Innovator Issue 64 |
| 11/01/17 | State Transportation Innovation Councils, High Friction Surface Treatment | The Pennsylvania STIC and local governments collaborated on a Salt and Snow Management Course that trained 600 participants on innovative winter maintenance techniques. Another collaboration featured a high-friction surface treatment demonstration that enabled nearly two dozen local governments to learn how to install this road safety countermeasure. Read Innovator Issue 63 |
| 09/01/17 | Design-Build | The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is using the design-build project delivery method on an I-70 project in Westmoreland County. Design-build projects result in greater flexibility, efficiency, and schedule control than on projects delivered with the traditional design-bid-build method. The Pennsylvania State Transportation Innovation Council (STIC) is spearheading the demonstration of a traffic control initiative for design-build projects, such as the I-70 project, which allows contractors and designers to work together on traffic control plans. The Pennsylvania STIC is seeking additional pilot projects. Read Innovator Issue 62 |
| 05/01/17 | e-Construction | Presenters from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation discussed the agency’s development and implementation of a storage system solution called CDSv3 (Construction Documentations System Version 3). CDSv3 identifies the source of different supplies needed for a project, keeps track of project site activities, and reports facility and project punch lists. Using CDSv3, which cost $3.1 million to develop, generated savings of $13.5 million in 3 years. Read Innovator Issue 60 |
| 03/01/17 | State Transportation Innovation Councils | Jan Huzvar, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) deputy communications director, discussed the importance of telling a compelling story about a STIC and the quantifiable benefits of the innovations it champions. This involves using outreach and communication strategies to build partnerships and share successes. Among the communication tools PennDOT uses to provide updates on STIC innovation efforts are its Web page, Innovation in Motion newsletter, and social media. Other useful STIC education tactics include infographics, videos, news releases, and events. Read Innovator Issue 59 |
| 11/01/16 | Adaptive Signal Control Technology | Pennsylvania has also embraced adaptive signal control technology, which uses sensors to adjust the timing of traffic lights to enhance traffic flow. The Pennsylvania DOT has installed these innovative traffic signals at 190 intersections and plans installation at 246 more intersections. Read Innovator Issue 57 |
| 11/01/16 | Safety Edge | Gregory Nadeau applauded the state for using the Safety Edge™—a paving technique that bevels the highway edge to make vehicles less susceptible to roadway departure crashes—on more than 500 miles of roads. He also highlighted the state’s use of high-friction surface treatments, a low-cost way to make curves and intersections safer, at more than 200 high-crash locations. These safety innovations, among others, have helped cut fatal roadway departure crashes in Pennsylvania by 12 percent since 2010. Read Innovator Issue 57 |
| 11/01/16 | Warm-Mix Asphalt | Gregory Nadeau praised Pennsylvania’s use of warm-mix asphalt, a group of technologies that allow asphalt to be produced and applied to roads at lower temperatures, reducing emissions and extending the paving season. The Pennsylvania DOT used warm-mix asphalt on 37 percent of its paving projects in 2014 and nearly half of all paving projects last year. Read Innovator Issue 57 |
| 09/01/16 | Accelerated Bridge Construction, Adaptive Signal Control Technology | The Pennsylvania State Transportation Innovation Council held an Innovation Day to highlight innovation’s role in delivering a high-quality transportation system. More than 200 people learned about the state’s use of solutions such as accelerated bridge construction and adaptive signal control technology. ”Pennsylvania is a national leader in deploying innovations which are proven to streamline environmental review and reduce impacts, decrease construction time, reduce delays to the traveling public and make work zones smarter and safer,” Pennsylvania Transportation Secretary Leslie Richards said. Read Innovator Issue 56 |
| Date | Innovations | Project |
|---|---|---|
| 11/01/15 | Rumble Strips | The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation used STIC incentives to develop a compendium of best practices from various transportation agencies for installing rumble strips on pavements treated with a thin pavement overlay. The Pennsylvania DOT uses thin overlays as an option for pavement preservation projects because they can extend pavement life at a lower cost than full depth reclamation. It installs rumble strips—grooved patterns that give drivers an audible warning they’ve strayed from the driving lane—as a cost-effective way to reduce crashes and fatalities. The best practices guide, Rumble Strips Installation on Thin Pavement Overlays, outlines a standardized process for installing three types of rumble strips—edgeline, centerline and shoulder—with three thin overlay types—hot-mix asphalt, microsurfacing and seal coat. Read Innovator Issue 51 |
| 11/01/15 | Ultra-High Performance Concrete | The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation incorporated UHPC into its publications and standards, and it is now considered a tool in the agency toolbox. Pennsylvania DOT districts and local agencies can use UHPC on projects on their own, without the need for guidance from the Central Office. Read Innovator Issue 51 |
| 03/01/15 | Intersection and Interchange Geometrics | The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is using an unusual dual roundabout solution to reconstruct two intersections near each other in an area of Washington County undergoing commercial and residential growth. The new design reduces the number of turning conflicts between Routes 519 and 1055, reducing the potential for crashes. Not only does the design enhance safety, it also has the smallest impact on environmental and cultural resources of all the alternatives studied. Read Innovator Issue 47 |
| 11/14/14 | High Friction Surface Treatment | More than half of states use high-friction surface treatments, which are applied to pavements to provide more surface friction at critical locations, such as sharp horizontal curves, steep hills and intersections. The treatments can help motorists maintain control and reduce crashes. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation reports a before-and-after crash reduction of 100 percent for its HFST projects over the three to five years after installation. Read Innovator Issue 45 |
| Date | Innovations | Project |
|---|---|---|
| 09/19/24 | ATSPMs | With tens of thousands of traffic lights in Pennsylvania, it’s important that traffic signals are timed correctly to keep Pennsylvanians moving efficiently and safely. By adopting Automated Traffic Signal Performance Measures (ATSPMs), PennDOT can collect traffic signal data continuously to improve traffic signal timing and optimize the flow of traffic... |
| 04/18/24 | HFST | 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.... |
| 10/12/23 | Intersection Geometry | The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) recently announced that, according to department data, fatalities, injuries, and crashes decreased at 42 roundabout intersections that were previously stop- or signal-controlled. Intersections were selected for review if they had a minimum of three years’ crash data available both before and after the roundabouts were built… |
| 09/14/23 | WRMS | FHWA documented several States’ WRMS preparation and response efforts around Hurricane Ida in this case study. This storm made landfall as a category 4 hurricane in Louisiana in August, 2021. The case study highlights the experiences and lessons learned from the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LaDOTD), Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), and New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) while managing major flooding events resulting from the storm. The case study also provides insight into the tools and resources used as well as the relationships leveraged to prepare for and respond to Hurricane Ida in the summer of 2021… |
| Date | Innovations | Project |
|---|---|---|
| 05/12/22 | WRMS | In the winter of 2021, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) conducted a virtual road weather information systems (VRWIS) pilot to enhance its network of road weather information systems (RWIS) for better situational awareness. The pilot was aimed at assessing the utility of VRWIS for field managers and office staff responsible for winter maintenance operations. Fifty-two locations were selected to fill in network gaps while 76 locations were selected next to fixed RWIS for data comparison purposes.
The results of the pilot were promising. When comparing data between VRWIS and traditional RWIS at a given location, the information appropriately aligned. Field managers found the mobile application to be useful and it also provided PennDOT with a general picture of weather across the state. PennDOT noted a major advantage of VRWIS is not being as susceptible to utility outages as traditional RWIS. When assessing the results, PennDOT found that the VRWIS is best suited as a situational awareness tool for monitoring and alerting before storms hit. It is especially useful in areas where it is not cost effective to install an RWIS or there is lack of cellular service. PennDOT's next pilot will include determining tolerance levels and the amount of data needed for decision making. Read More |
| 07/29/21 | FoRRRwD | The Pennsylvania LTAP is helping local agencies address their most common crash type, hit-fixed-object crashes due to roadway departures. Most of those crashes happen on curves. The LTAP is also helping local agencies address curve signing requirements in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) through training, outreach, and technical assistance. Read More |
| 11/12/20 | Roundabouts | The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) data show that fatalities, injuries, and crashes decreased overall at 22 roundabouts built at 19 locations that were previously stop or signal controlled. The agency evaluated roundabouts with at least 3 years of crash data available before and after the roundabouts were built. The data show that fatalities at these locations were reduced by 100 percent, serious injuries dropped by 77 percent, and the total number of crashes decreased by 21 percent. In addition to the 22 roundabouts reviewed, PennDOT has built 34 other roundabouts on state routes and has over 40 more in design. PennDOT created a video to educate road users on how to use roundabouts, whether in a vehicle, on a bicycle, or on foot. Read More |
| 08/13/20 | Focus on Reducing Rural Roadway Departures (FoRRRwD) | The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) installed their first HFST project in 2006. Since then, PennDOT has installed over 400 HFST locations with over 10 years of severe winter conditions exposure with minimal failure rate. An analysis of 15 sites found HFST reduced crashes by 49 per year and saved $5 million—while costing only $262,000 to install. HFST reduced fatal and major injuries by nearly 1.5 per year. Read EDC News 8-13-20 |
| 07/09/20 | Project Bundling | Pennsylvania's Department of Transportation (PennDOT) conducted a three-county, $25 million pilot project that rebuilt, replaced, or removed 41 county-owned structures. This bundling effort resulted in a 25-50 percent savings on design and 5-15 percent savings on construction. The success of this effort led PennDOT to pursue a statewide, 558-bridge contract bundle. Read EDC News 7-9-20 |
| 01/02/20 | Value Capture | Many States and municipalities require negotiated exactions as part of the approval process for planned developments. These may include land transfers, cash payments, construction activities, or public services provided by private developers. The local jurisdiction and the developers negotiate the contribution on an ad hoc basis for individual projects rather than using a predetermined formula. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and the developer of the 628-acre Chrin Commerce Centre near Easton negotiated an agreement under which PennDOT provided $27.4 million in public improvements, including constructing a new interchange on Route 33 to facilitate access to the development. The developer provided 22 acres of land for the interchange and $13.6 million in infrastructure improvements. By using innovative value capture methods to finance both the private development and the public improvements, PennDOT and the county significantly reduced the amount of funding required from limited State and local sources. Read EDC News 01-02-20 |
| 10/17/19 | STIC Excellence Awards | State Transportation Innovation Councils (STIC) in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Washington received 2019 STIC Excellence Awards for demonstrating success in fostering a strong culture of innovation. The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) and Federal Highway Administration collaborate on the annual award, which was presented to the winning STICs at AASHTO’s annual meeting in St. Louis, MO. The Pennsylvania STIC fosters an innovative culture at all levels of government and throughout the private and nonprofit sectors to ensure smart investments in Pennsylvania’s highway infrastructure. The STIC consolidated its Technical Advisory Groups from 10 to four—Design, Construction and Materials, Maintenance, and Safety and Traffic Operations—to improve efficiency, enhance collaboration between groups on overlapping innovations, and provide flexibility to engage a variety of subject matter experts. The STIC also revamped its website, which features innovation deployment information and an interactive Year-End Report. Read EDC News 10-17-19 |
| 10/10/19 | e-Construction | The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) has saved an estimated $39 million in overall productivity through its mobile construction app program. These savings were calculated based on time saved using apps compared to older paper and manual processes. Program goals include increasing productivity for field staff and field consultants; transforming labor intensive, manual paper processes through efficient mobile technology; and improving data collection and reporting capabilities. PennDOT implemented its first app in 2013. Today, PennDOT uses nine different apps and has another two in development. The apps cover a wide range of activities, including mobile construction documents, punch lists, concrete inspection diaries, mileage and hour trackers, and payroll. PennDOT isn’t done either. The next step includes implementing e-ticketing, supporting maintenance systems, using radio frequency identification tags, and more. To learn more about PennDOT’s mobile construction app program, contact John Myler with PennDOT. To learn about the e-Construction options that may benefit your agency, contact Kathryn Weisner with the FHWA Resource Center. Read EDC News 10-10-19 |
| 08/01/19 | Project Bundling | Pennsylvania is replacing 558 State bridges in under 3 years in a single public-private partnership procurement. The State also offers a local agency program that bundles bridges with similar designs into smaller contracts. Read EDC News 08-01-19 |
| 04/04/19 | Project Bundling | Pennsylvania’s Department of Transportation (PennDOT) conducted a three-county pilot project that rebuilt, replaced, or removed 41 county-owned structures for $25 million. This bundling effort resulted in a 25-50 percent savings on design and 5-15 percent savings on construction. The success of this effort lead PennDOT to pursue a statewide, 558-bridge contract bundle. Read EDC News 04-04-19 |
| 03/21/19 | High Friction Surface Treatments (HFST) | The Pennsylvania State Transportation Innovation Council’s 2018 STIC Year-End Report documents progress on innovation deployment, including high-friction surface treatments (HFST) and roundabouts to reduce crashes. By November 2018, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation installed HFST on nearly 250 roadway sections. Crash data analysis of 47 locations found that fatalities dropped from eight to zero and injury crashes went from 190 to 71. Pennsylvania now has 45 roundabouts on State roads, with nine more set to open in 2019. No fatalities or serious injuries have been reported in any Pennsylvania roundabouts. A study of 11 roundabouts at locations previously controlled by stop signs or traffic signals found that total crashes dropped by 47 percent. To learn more, read Pennsylvania’s STIC Year-End Report, now in an online format featuring videos, animated infographics, and resource links, or contact the Pennsylvania STIC Management Team. Read EDC News 03-21-19 |
| 10/25/18 | e-Construction and Partnering | The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) has institutionalized its Project Collaboration Center, a customized software system that allows contractors to submit documents to PennDOT electronically for review and approval in a secure environment. The system includes file sharing, photo sharing, and construction-related training. Read EDC News 10-25-18 |
| 10/11/18 | Intersection and Interchange Geometrics, Diverging Diamond Interchange | Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) data show that crashes, injuries, and fatalities decreased at 11 roundabouts after they were installed on State route intersections that were previously stop or signal controlled. A review of 3 years of crash data before and after roundabout installation found that fatalities decreased from two to zero, serious injuries dropped from seven to zero, and minor injuries decreased from 19 to one. PennDOT—which has constructed 43 roundabouts and has 26 in design—uses roundabouts to address safety issues, improve traffic flow, and facilitate pedestrian mobility at intersections. Read EDC News 10-11-18 |
| 08/02/18 | Design-Build, High Friction Surface Treatments | The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) launched a new online resource for the Pennsylvania STIC to provide transportation partners and the traveling public greater access to information on innovation in the State. The website describes how all levels of government can work with PennDOT to implement innovations and how the STIC innovation development process works. The website also highlights current innovations being deployed in the State, such as an initiative that allows contractors and designers to work together on traffic control plans for design-build projects and high-friction surface treatments to improve driver safety at high-priority locations. Read EDC News 08-02-18 |
| 06/14/18 | Geosynthetic Reinforced Soil-Integrated Bridge System | The State Transportation Innovation Council (STIC) Incentive program is helping the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) expand the potential to use geosynthetic reinforced soil-integrated bridge system (GRS-IBS) technology on projects. After collaborating with a locality on the State's first GRS-IBS structure in 2011, PennDOT developed design and construction specifications for using GRS-IBS on low-volume roads. Since then, more than 25 GRS-IBS structures have been built in the State. PennDOT is using STIC funds to modify the specifications to allow GRS-IBS to be used on projects with higher traffic volumes, longer structures, and heavier stream velocities. These proposed changes could lead to a significant increase in GRS-IBS technology on bridge projects in Pennsylvania, resulting in system improvements while maximizing the use of available funding. Read EDC News 06-14-18 |
| 05/10/18 | State Transportation Innovation Councils (STIC) | The Pennsylvania State Transportation Innovation Council (STIC) published its 2017 accomplishments report. One highlight is the STIC's collaboration with FHWA on a seminar to share strategies to improve safety on local roads. Sessions focused on using safety countermeasures to address issues, fostering a safety culture through education and enforcement, and funding local safety programs. The STIC's Materials Technical Advisory Group (TAG) was also recognized for advancing cement slurry for full-depth reclamation (FDR), a technique that involves applying a water and cement mix in liquid form to the ground roadway base for improved stability and is particularly beneficial for rural, stabilized roads. The STIC introduced and deployed FDR in less than a year. A pilot project in Susquehanna County successfully deployed FDR, and the TAG is working to include a specification to help standardize use of the technique. Read EDC News 05-10-18 |
| 04/19/18 | National Traffic Incident Management Responder Training | Partnering with the State Patrol, the Colorado and Pennsylvania Departments of Transportation recently launched realistic and full-scale training centers for first responders. Replicating a concrete interstate and other highway segments, the centers enable first responders to practice tactics and strategies that improve safety and minimize their exposure to traffic hazards when responding to traffic incidents. The National Traffic Incident Management (TIM) Responder Training Program trains police, fire, emergency medical service, towing, and transportation personnel how to work together, operate safely, and quickly clear the roadway. Building a specialized facility that enables practical TIM training extends the classroom product and further advances the state of the practice through real-life exercises and enhanced collaboration. Read EDC News 04-19-18 |
| 10/05/17 | High-Friction Surface Treatment, State Transportation Innovation Councils (STIC) | The Pennsylvania STIC enhanced dialogue between State and local leaders and promoted state-of-the-art safety practices and resources. The STIC and local governments collaborated on a Salt and Snow Management Course that trained 600 participants on innovative winter maintenance techniques, demonstrated the effectiveness of high-friction surface treatment in high-crash locations, and reached out to 445 local public agencies to understand their top transportation issues. Read EDC News 10-05-17 |
| 06/29/17 | Design-Build | The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is piloting a traffic control initiative on an I-70 project it is constructing in Westmoreland County using the design-build project delivery method. Spearheaded by the Pennsylvania State Transportation Innovation Council (STIC), the initiative allows contractors and designers to work together on traffic control plans for design-build projects, which results in greater flexibility, efficiency, and schedule control than on projects delivered with the traditional design-bid-build method. The Pennsylvania STIC reviewed progress on the traffic control initiative at its May meeting and is seeking additional pilot projects. Read EDC News 06-29-17 |
| 06/29/17 | Design-Build, State Transportation Innovation Councils | The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is piloting a traffic control initiative on an I-70 project it is constructing in Westmoreland County using the design-build project delivery method. Spearheaded by the Pennsylvania State Transportation Innovation Council (STIC), the initiative allows contractors and designers to work together on traffic control plans for design-build projects, which results in greater flexibility, efficiency, and schedule control than on projects delivered with the traditional design-bid-build method. The Pennsylvania STIC reviewed progress on the traffic control initiative at its May meeting and is seeking additional pilot projects. For information on the initiative, contact the STIC at ra-pdpenndotstic@pa.gov. Read EDC News 06-29-17 |
| 12/01/16 | National Traffic Incident Management Responder Training | More than 100 emergency response professionals discussed development of a statewide traffic incident management program at Pennsylvania’s Traffic Incident Management Summit on November 16 in Harrisburg. Summit presentations and workshops focused on formalizing an organizational approach and business processes through which Pennsylvania’s emergency responders can team up for the safety and operational benefits of both travelers and responders. Read EDC News 12-01-16 |
| 08/11/16 | STIC | U.S. Deputy Transportation Secretary Victor Mendez and Federal Highway Administrator Gregory Nadeau joined Pennsylvania officials at an Innovation Showcase and roundtable discussion on August 4. They recognized Pennsylvania’s State Transportation Innovation Council as a national model in using state-of-the-art technologies on highway projects. Many of the innovations the STIC has helped foster in Pennsylvania were promoted by the Every Day Counts initiative, including adaptive signal control technology, high-friction surface treatments, warm-mix asphalt, accelerated bridge construction and the Safety Edge paving technique. Read EDC News 08-11-16 |
| 08/04/16 | High Friction Surface Treatment, Safety Edge | Transportation professionals from six states participated in an FHWA peer exchange on roadway departure safety and high-friction surface treatments on July 19 and 20 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Topics included using a systemic approach to identify horizontal curve projects, technical challenges of applying high-friction surface treatments, and new data that show the Safety Edge paving technique is more effective than previously believed. Participants also developed safety action plans for their states. Read EDC News 08-04-16 |
| 06/16/16 | STIC | The Pennsylvania State Transportation Innovation Council conducted an Innovation Day to highlight the role of innovation in delivering a high-quality transportation system. More than 200 people learned about the state’s use of solutions such as accelerated bridge construction, salt alternatives and adaptive signal control technology. “Pennsylvania is a national leader in deploying innovations which are proven to streamline environmental review and reduce impacts, decrease construction time, reduce delays to the traveling public and make work zones smarter and safer,” Pennsylvania Transportation Secretary Leslie Richards said. Read EDC News 06-16-16 |
| Date | Innovations | Project |
|---|---|---|
| 07/09/15 | STIC | The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, under the auspices of their State Transportation Innovation Council, is using innovation to meet challenges, expand public outreach, conduct technical training and collaborate across agency lines. PennDOT conducted training for local governments on the benefits of grass swales as an alternative to traditional drainage for storm water in urban settings. The Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors administered the sessions in different locales across the state. Read EDC News 07-09-15 |
| 05/21/15 | High Friction Surface Treatment | Transportation professionals came to Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, May 7 to observe the application of safety-enhancing high-friction surface treatment on a curve near Mill Road on Route 241 that has experienced about 11 crashes a year since 2008. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, State Transportation Innovation Council, North Cornwall Township and FHWA hosted the demonstration. Through 2015, the Pennsylvania DOT has installed HFST at 63 locations around the state in an effort to prevent crashes and save lives. The agency has identified 121 more locations that would benefit from this innovative technique. Read EDC News 05-21-15 |
| 01/09/15 | Intersection and Interchange Geometrics | The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation plans to use an unusual dual roundabout solution when it reconstructs two intersections close to each other in an area of Washington County undergoing commercial and residential growth. The new design reduces the number of turning conflicts between Routes 519 and 1055, which decreases the potential for crashes. Not only does the design enhance safety, but it also has the smallest impact on environmental and cultural resources of all the alternatives studied. The design also benefits the community by reducing property impacts on nearby residents and business owners. The project is scheduled for completion in fall 2015. Read EDC News 01-09-15 |
| 11/07/14 | 3D Engineered Models | The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s workshop on 3-D modeling for steel structures was a big draw, attracting 160 transportation professionals from northeastern and midwestern states to Lancaster. The October 21 and 22 workshop included technical presentations and a visit to a steel fabrication plant, where participants observed how 3-D models are used in design, fabrication and construction of steel bridge elements. The Ohio delegation reported that the workshop experience will be beneficial as the state pursues 3-D implementation under the third round of the Every Day Counts initiative. Read EDC News 11-07-14 |
| 09/27/13 | National Traffic Incident Management Training Program | Pennsylvania’s State Transportation Advisory Committee hosted a policy and legislative best practices peer review on traffic incident management on September 17. A panel representing various states, industry and agencies offered their perspectives and best practices, followed by an information exchange among the stakeholders attending. This vision-setting meeting explored the importance of partnerships, multiagency coordination, communications, education and leadership in traffic incident management and identified obstacles to success. The committee plans to issue a report with recommendations in February 2014. Read EDC News 09-27-13 |
| 07/26/13 | Geospatial Data Collaboration | The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is making progress on data collection and collaboration efforts. The agency won the Special Achievement in GIS Award at the Esri International User Conference for its innovative use of geographic information system technology to collect data on local roads and bridges. The new mobile collection method, part of an effort to modernize the road and bridge asset inventory, allows better and quicker documentation. Also, the State Transportation Innovation Council has accepted two ideas to optimize data use. One is the Data-Driven Approaches to Crime and Traffic Safety program, which is designed to help local police departments reduce crime, crashes and traffic violations. The second is the Transportation Operations Data Warehousing and Management project, which will create a collaborative plan to bring various types of data into a common framework for archiving, planning, prioritizing and monitoring the performance of the transportation system. Read EDC News 07-26-13 |
| Date | Innovations | Project |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Automated Traffic Signal Performance Measures | The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) is piloting ATSPM technology at multiple sites and developing an implementation framework to guide ATSPM deployment at local agencies. PennDOT is also advancing ATSPMs by collaborating with other States in Transportation Pooled Fund Study TPF-5(377) on Enhanced Traffic Signal Performance Measures. PennDOT is leading the development of tools to evaluate delay, reliability, variation, and environmental impacts using vehicle probe data. This fusion of data will support trend analysis over regional areas and time periods, enabling users to evaluate the long-term effectiveness of activities resulting from performance-based traffic signal management. Read EDC-4 Final Report |
| 2019 | Data-Driven Safety Analysis | PennDOT made progress using DDSA in the project development process. PennDOT updated its District Highway Safety Guidance Manual and Safety Predictive Analysis Methods Manual, including a modified design exception policy requiring HSM analysis that exceeds basic historical crash data summaries and crash rates. PennDOT performed network safety screening and developed evaluation lists for intersections and roadway segments for all 67 counties. PennDOT now calibrates freeway, ramp, and ramp terminal safety performance functions (SPFs)—statistical models used to estimate average crash frequency—and is working with Pennsylvania State University to develop SPFs for urban and suburban collector roadways and intersections. These efforts will allow PennDOT to use predictive analysis on more roadway facility types and expand network screening. Read EDC-4 Final Report |
| 2019 | e-Construction and Partnering | PennDOT developed a formal partnering specification to increase communication and improve relationships between the department and industry partners. The agency expects implementing the partnering specification will result in improved quality, safety, and cost savings on projects. PennDOT created electronic forms to facilitate partnering, including a Project Facilitation Type Score Sheet, Partnering Workshop and Facilitator Evaluation, and Project Partnering Survey. The agency also shares a variety of e-Construction apps with its partners to improve transparency and allow communication to take place in real time. Read EDC-4 Final Report |
| 2019 | Traffic Incident Management | PennDOT built the Traffic Operations Analytics tool to integrate agency and partner incident data spread over multiple platforms and began quarterly TIM performance reporting to leadership and district TIM stakeholders. PennDOT developed a Traffic Alerts application to provide TMCs with real-time incident alerts using data from the INRIX traffic intelligence network, PennDOT’s Road Condition Reporting and Crash Reporting Systems, Waze alerts, maintenance records, and road weather information systems. PennDOT’s traffic operations staff and TMCs continue to modify their processes to improve performance. The Pennsylvania Turnpike initiated an enterprise business intelligence effort that automates identification of incomplete TIM data, applies the right data to calculate metrics, and shares data through quarterly performance reports. Read EDC-4 Final Report |
| Date | Innovations | Project |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Data-Driven Safety Analysis | The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) is adding Highway Safety Manual analysis processes to its project development and selection stages. PennDOT is also updating its Highway Safety Guide to include new regionalized SPFs and provide guidance on using the Highway Safety Manual for Highway Safety Improvement Program applications. PennDOT developed a Highway Safety Manual class to teach transportation professionals how to use the new State-specific SPFs. The class provides students with real-world examples and demonstrates computer applications for using the manual for traffic studies, design exceptions, and alternatives analysis. Read EDC-3 Final Report |
| 2017 | e-Construction | PennDOT uses its Project Collaboration Center, a Web based document management system, on all new projects. Pennsylvania’s Engineering and Construction Management System Web site includes a construction documentation system that allows for input of project site activities and generates estimated payments and project work orders. Construction staff throughout the State use tablets for field data collection. Among the applications users can access are one that downloads plans, specifications, and standards for each project and one that provides a punch list inspectors can use to check the status of project items. Read EDC-3 Final Report |
| Date | Innovations | Project |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 3D Engineered Models | The Pennsylvania DOT hosted two statewide workshops, formed a task force and is revising survey specifications to take full advantage of 3D modeling. PennDOT used a 3D model approach to advertise the State Route 56 United High School Curve project to identify multiple utility conflicts, identify earthwork waste sites, and calculate and quantify waste. Read EDC-2 Final Report |
| 2015 | High Friction Surface Treatment | The Pennsylvania DOT screened data on locations with high numbers of roadway-departure crashes statewide, including 2008-2012 data on wet road crashes on horizontal curves. For targeted locations, the agency also reviewed data on the structural condition of the pavement and the paving schedule to determine which would merit application of HFST. PennDOT has spent about $30 million to deploy HFST on about 80 projects so far. Read EDC-2 Final Report |
| 2015 | Intelligent Compaction | The Pennsylvania DOT has worked with four construction contractors to use IC on six projects. An additional 10 projects are planned for the 2015-2016 construction seasons. Read EDC-2 Final Report |
| 2015 | Intersection and Interchange Geometrics | The Pennsylvania DOT is building a DDI on I-70 in Washington and Westmoreland Counties. PennDOT has built 21 roundabouts, with five more under construction and 25 in design. Read EDC-2 Final Report |
| 2015 | Locally Administered Federal-Aid Projects | The Pennsylvania DOT is piloting a regionalized open-ended agreement that helps local agencies save time by eliminating the need to advertise for and select a consultant for services. It will ensure that services are procured in accordance with federal and state regulations and that a qualified consultant is chosen. Read EDC-2 Final Report |
