Publication Number: FHWA-HRT-08-014
Date: June 2008

Articles in this Issue

Extending the Life of Roads and Bridges in Louisiana

Recent changes at the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LADOTD) have provided a new emphasis on addressing the preservation needs of Louisiana roads and bridges. In 2005, LADOTD created a Systems Engineering Division, which included a newly formed System Preservation section. This office manages Louisiana's Pavement Preservation Unit, as well as a new Bridge Preventive Maintenance Unit that was formed to meet the equally important need of extending the service life of the State's bridges. The System Preservation office promotes preservation strategies statewide and also provides technical expertise to LADOTD's district offices on plan development and specifications when needed.

FHWA Offers Soil Nail Showcase

For State transportation departments that have never built a soil nail wall or would like a refresher course on constructing one, the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) Resource Center now offers a free Soil Nail Showcase. The showcase features a 2-day workshop, with the first day covering soil nail wall design and the second day highlighting soil nail wall construction inspection and soil nail testing. Also provided as part of the showcase is technical assistance, including review and comment on soil nail wall designs, contract plans, and specifications and onsite guidance on inspecting soil nail wall construction, testing soil nail loads, and preparing construction and testing documentation.

Meet The Little Book of Quieter Pavements

It's the little book about a big topic. The Little Book of Quieter Pavements, recently released by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), takes readers through the basics of sound and noise, traffic noise, and tire-pavement noise, as well as alternative strategies for designing and building quieter pavements. An accompanying MP3 file supplements the publication, expanding the reader's learning experience. Notations of corresponding track numbers for the MP3 file are included throughout the Little Book, so that tracks can be played at the appropriate time.

FHWA Regional Conferences Showcase Asset Management Around the Country

The latest transportation asset management technologies, research, and best practices are being showcased around the country at the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) 2008 Regional Asset Management Conferences. The free conferences have been held to date in Boston, assachusetts, and Rapid City, South Dakota, with a third conference scheduled for June 18-19, 2008, in Las Vegas, Nevada. State, Federal, and local practitioners and others can register now for the fourth conference to be held in Albuquerque, New Mexico, from September 10-11, 2008.

Highway Technology Calendar