Below are innovations and accomplishments from the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA’s) Center for Local Aid Support (CLAS) that may provide ideas for California’s partners to benchmark. The CLAS provides oversight of training and guidance to the nationwide Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) such as California’s LTAP Center, and Tribal Technical Assistance Program (TTAP).
City of New Haven, Indiana Trainfo Project
The City of New Haven, Indiana contends with at-grade railroad crossings, lacking tunnels or overpasses to re-route traffic in the event of blockages. This has led to pronounced delays, traffic congestion, and prolonged emergency response times. In addressing this challenge, New Haven partnered with Trainfo©, a transportation system company, to implement a sensor and communication system that collects and shares information regarding the movement of trains. They have installed sensors and a message board near the train tracks, allowing remote access to the tracking portal, which can be integrated with their dispatch system. This new system will support public safety among train and vehicle users. By furnishing the city’s 911 dispatch center with their expert knowledge and real-time mapping data, Trainfo effectuated a 21% reduction in vehicular interactions at active crossings and a 30% alleviation of congestion. For more information contact: Pone Vongphachanh
“Safe Sighting of Signs and Signals” Program, City of Moreno Valley, California
The City of Moreno Valley, California with a population of 210,000, has seen rapid population growth within the last ten years, and has struggled to upgrade its infrastructure. One of its important transportation improvement projects is the reconstruction of the State Route 60 (SR-60)/Moreno Beach Drive Interchange to enhance safety, reduce traffic congestion, and provide multimodal transportation mobility for the future build-out of the city.
The “Safe Sightings of Signs and Signals” program used low-cost technology, specifically live cameras and drones, to capture real-time construction activities throughout the project. The images and videos serve to educate the community about construction processes, safety, and traffic control compliance. Additionally, they will be used to monitor construction activities for safety issues, quality control, and workmanship compliance, as well as to increase awareness of engineering and construction management in order to attract skilled workers. For more information contact: Quang Nguyen
Road Widener Improvements, Redwood County Highway, Minnesota
The Redwood County Highway Department encountered a county-wide safety problem due to unsupported pavement edges and shoulder drop-offs, causing vehicles to swerve and creating hazardous situations. The maintenance team traditionally relied on shouldering machines attached to a road grader, which proved to be inefficient and frequently broke down.
The County solved the issue by modifying the road widening machine by attaching a motor grader or skid loader to it. These modifications improved road shoulder maintenance operations. This innovation saved time when conducting shoulder maintenance for drivers’ safety when they have to pull off of the road. By transforming existing machinery to meet specific needs, the County has not only improved efficiency but has also prioritized the safety of road users. For more information contact Anthony Kellner.
Illinois Tollway’s “Go The Extra Mile for Safety Award”
The Illinois Tollway wanted to ensure that safety is a top priority not just for their customers but also their workers in the Road Maintenance Department. The “Go the Extra Mile Safety Award” was created to positively reward safe behavior and strengthen the culture of safety at its maintenance facilities among staff members. The Illinois Tollway also created a series of videos, called “Protect your Assets,” which features the employees who demonstrated the safest ways to avoid injuries on the job. As a result of the program, they saw a reduction in the number of workers compensation claims. For more information contact Paula Blonski.
APWA Veterans in Public Works
The Connecticut Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) Center recently held a webinar on a partnership between the American Public Works Association (APWA) and the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) called the Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS). The purpose of the program is to provide resources and information on job opportunities for veterans in Public Works Departments and local governments across the country.
Access these resources and opportunities!
Next Generation of TTAP
Each Tribal Technical Assistance Program (TTAP) Center fosters new relationships with Tribal nations in their respective regions through outreach and inclusion in this Next Generation of TTAP. Per the FHWA TTAP Center cooperative agreements, each TTAP Center Steering Committee must have a minimum of 50% Tribal representation. This ensures that the local, Tribal context and perspective are provided for TTAP Center services and deliverables, including the Center Needs Assessment and Annual Workplan. By building these crucial relationships with Tribal transportation leaders, the TTAP Centers are better equipped to provide high-quality training and technical assistance, promoting greater success in delivering these crucial services to Tribal nations.
The TTAP Centers have partnered with FHWA Resource Center, FHWA National Center for Rural Road Safety (NCRRS), National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Federal Transit Administration (FTA), Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), State Departments of Transportation (DOT), and Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) Centers to organize and conduct regional workshops. These workshops offer tailored training and technical assistance to meet the specific transportation needs of Tribal communities in the respective regions to maximize applicability and attendance. Check out a local TTAP Center website for training and events.
Northern TTAP Center Update
In May, the National Tribal Road Maintenance Symposium visited Rapid City, South Dakota, for an event hosted by the Northern TTAP Center. The primary objective of the symposium was to provide essential support for Tribal transportation directors, supervisors, planners, office staff, equipment operators, project managers, and other stakeholders.
Implementing the Safe System Approach on Roadways
For practitioners working toward zero roadway fatalities through the implementation of Safe System Approach (SSA), the FHWA Office of Safety released two new tools—one to assist with project selection, the other to help stakeholders assess their policies. These two resources are companions to the recent publication, Safe System Safe System Roadway Design Hierarchy: Engineering and Infrastructure-related Countermeasures to Effectively Reduce Roadway Fatalities and Serious Injuries (FHWA-SA-22-069). Both were developed through extensive research of national and international best practices for measuring the relative alignment with the Safe System Approach.
• Safe System Project-Based Alignment Framework: provides practitioners with a means of contrasting potential roadway improvements, relative to one another through a quantitative scoring matrix and qualitative safety prompts.
• Safe System Policy-Based Alignment Framework: helps agencies assess policies, plans, processes, programs, and documents in a holistic manner through a Safe System lens.
FHWA provides workshops on the Safe System Design Hierarchy or on applying the Safe System Alignment Frameworks. Learn more about these workshops.
TxDOT Employs Unmanned Aerial Systems
In 2022, there were 1,069 fatal work injuries in construction and 1,053 in transportation and warehousing. To prioritize safety, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) employs unmanned aerial systems (UAS) to enhance highway worker safety. These UAS operate autonomously and can perform various tasks such as data collection and infrastructure inspection. TxDOT uses UAS for bridge inspections, surveying, responding to natural disasters, and high mast inspections.
To learn more about TxDOT advancement in UAS for safety contact: Mr. Travis Scruggs, Geographic Information System Analyst/UAS Pilot, TxDOT. To learn more about FHWA support in the advancement of UAS or digital twin contact: Mr. Bryan Cawley, Highway Engineer, FHWA, Resource Center.
Navigating the Future of Transportation: Digital Delivery Transformation in Oklahoma
The Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) is adopting a digital approach to streamline the project lifecycle. The ODOT Digital Delivery program enhances collaboration and communication among project stakeholders, optimizes resource allocation, and reduces costly rework and delays.
• Industry Change: Contractors requested ODOT to begin delivering 3D information
• Technology Advancements: industry design and modeling tool advancements and implementation at ODOT
• Pilot Team Established: ODOT identified organizational leaders in technology and processes to form a new team
• Digital Delivery Established: Implemented a core group of experts with the task of modernizing workflows, testing technology, documenting, and writing standard operating procedures.
By leveraging digital technologies, data-driven insights, and collaborative partnerships, ODOT is laying the foundation for a more efficient system that will benefit generations to come.
Learn more about ODOT’s Digital Project Delivery contact: Katie Brown, P.E., S.E., ODOT Transportation Quality Digital Delivery Engineer and PW Administration or Michael Pearson, ODOT Digital Delivery Manager.
Learn more about FHWA efforts regarding Digital Project Delivery contact: Bryan Cawley, P.E., Highway Engineer, FHWA Resource Center.
BIL Competitive Grant Programs
An introductory training webinar was held in September 2023. Training topics that were covered include funding opportunities, federal project delivery requirements, steps to take prior to application, pre-award requirements and resources to leverage throughout the Federal project and grant application processes.
Watch the webinar using passcode: ?TuxV9sX
For more information about navigating the grant process and delivering infrastructure projects check out the latest promotional video that highlights the BIL training on YouTube!
FHWA Announces Details of Low-Carbon Transportation Materials Program
FHWA released the details of the Low-Carbon Transportation Materials (LCTM) Request for Applications (RFA). Additionally, FHWA plans to release a separate Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for eligible non-State DOTs in the near future. The LCTM Program aims to increase the use of materials that have “substantially lower levels of embodied greenhouse gas emissions” as defined by the Environmental Protection Agency.
State RFA applications must be submitted by June 10, 2024 – 8:59 pm PT
In coming weeks, FHWA intends to host informational webinars and release additional documents to support the program. Visit the LCTM page of the website for more information on the LCTM Program and the RFA. Stakeholders are encouraged to sign-up for LCTM Program updates or email questions to the LCTM Program. Read more about the Low-Carbon Transportation Materials Grants Program.
TETDDP Grants for Highway Construction Workforce Development
FHWA recently released a NOFO to support State and Local Highway Construction Workforce Partnership (HCWP)/Strategic Workforce Development (SWD) Programs. The HCWP and SWD are the same programs. The SWD designation was made when the HCWP was included in the Every Day Counts-6 (EDC-6) and now EDC-7 programs. FHWA is making $4.2 million available for the grants with a limit of $300,000 per grant. Funded through the Transportation Education and Training Development and Deployment Program (TETDDP), the construction workforce development grants are intended to support a Working Group model already well-established in the existing HCWP/SWD programs.
FHWA Announces New Highway Workforce Grant Program
The FHWA launched a grant program, called the Highway Construction Training Program (HCTP), with a total of $4.2 million to fund Strategic Workforce Development (SWD) programs, both new and existing. This program aims to train and place individuals in highway construction jobs. Eligible recipients for the grant are State Departments of Transportation (DOT) and educational institutions.
To learn more about the HCTP grants contact: Clark Martin, Transportation Workforce Program Manager, Office of Infrastructure (HIF) Construction Team.
The Road to Success – Available Online Training
The FHWA Center for Local Aid Support sponsors 24/7 access to hundreds of ‘need to know’ transportation topics for local and tribal agencies at no cost. Using your government email, register for courses below.
Center for Local Aid Support
A series of no-cost online training modules available via the Local Aid Support webpage.
LTAP/TTAP Centers
Check with your local and regional LTAP/TTAP Center for available online training.
National Highway Institute
Over 180 web-based courses available.
Institute of Transportation Engineers
15 online modules for smaller jurisdictions.
Federal Aid Essentials
Online library of 112 informational videos.
Innovation Exchange
FHWA’s bi-monthly webinars on innovative market-ready technology.
For questions contact CLAS@dot.gov.
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Visit the Local Aid Support YouTube channel where a wide range of videos, including previous Build a Better Mousetrap spotlights, highlights about Geosynthetics Mobile Application, and more are available!