Summer 2001 Technology Exchange
From sleep deprivation to dump
truck safety: Maintenance Expo has it all
The 975 attendees at the Minnesota Spring Maintenance Expo were treated to two days packed with training and technology sharing.
Voice of Experience: Mark Maloney
The "h2 of Experience" provides an opportunity to recognize
and learn from colleagues who have dedicated much effort over the years
to transportation technology transfer/research implementation.
Bypass lane safety
Mn/DOT recently released a report titled Bypass Lane Safety, Operations and Design Study. Because there has been a debate over the operational and safety effects of these lanes, Mn/DOT hired BRW, Inc. to help conduct a study that allowed Mn/DOT to compile definitive data about bypass lanes.
Jim Grothaus hired
Jim Grothaus joined Minnesota T2/LTAP in June. As technology transfer
engineer, he will be responsible for designing and delivering technology
transfer programs for Minnesota's transportation community, including
activities of the Minnesota T2/LTAP Program.
CTAP instructor hired
Kraig Pettee has been hired to replace Tom Broadbent as the instructor for the Circuit Training and Assistance Program (CTAP).
Maintenance
Dust control
WControlling dust and environmental impacts
With 69,000 miles of aggregate road in Minnesota, controlling dust produced by traffic is a major concern. Besides increased expense for road maintenance and decreased visibility for drivers, one of the potential effects of dust, or particulate matter, is air pollution.
Timber bridge reports
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently released a group of timber-related guides.
CTS Research Conference
Hoan Bridge fails
On December 13, 2000, motorists crossing the northbound approach span of the Daniel Webster Hoan Bridge in Milwaukee, Wis., reported that the bridge seemed to be "buckling."
Context Sensitive Design
Context Sensitive Design, or CSD, is a phrase heard more and more among transportation planners, and the May 23 conference breakout session on CSD was well attended.
MnPAVE
In the last few years, researchers at Mn/DOT, in conjunction with the
University of Minnesota, have developed a mechanistic-empirical (M-E)
design program called MnPAVE for flexible pavements using data from
the Mn/ROAD research facility.
Changing Workforce
The change in the age demographics of the entire country is affecting the makeup of tomorrow's transportation workforce. Because there are fewer young people looking to start careers in transportation, many positions opening in the next few years will not be filled.
Workshops and Training
FHWA and NHI: noise training
The FHWA will be offering a free one-day workshop on federal noise abatement requirements for federally funded local transportation projects.
U of M: construction
management
The University of Minnesota's Bachelor of Applied Science (B.A.S.) with a major in Construction Management (CM) is a practitioner-oriented degree. Designed with the help of construction industry professionals, the degree includes several courses that may be of interest to practicing engineers and technicians.
Motor grader workshops
The T2/LTAP Program added a new workshop this year--Motor Grader Operator Training. This year's response indicates it will be as popular as the existing LTAP Gravel Road Maintenance and Design Workshop.
Information Services
Events
AirTAP spring activities
The April issue of the Exchange included an article about AirTAP, a new program CTS is administering in partnership with Mn/DOT Aeronautics and the Minnesota Council of Airports (MCOA).
Minnesota county engineers host national
conference
The Minnesota County Engineers Association (MCEA) hosted the National Association of County Engineers (NACE) annual conference and business meeting April 22-26.