Fall 2003 Technology Exchange
Even a ten-year-old
can need a face-lift
If the ten-year-old in question is a newsletter, that is. Yes, it's
been ten years and more since we introduced the Exchange in 1993.
Spring Maintenance
Training Expo
Mark your calendars now for the 2004 Minnesota Spring Maintenance
Training Expo, to be held April 27–28 at the St. Cloud Civic
Center.
Toward Zero Deaths
Program: Raising awareness, developing tools to reduce deaths
The Toward Zero Deaths (TZD) Program is a Minnesota interagency
partnership led by the DoPS and the DoT, in cooperation with the
State Patrol, the FHA, Minnesota county engineers, and CTS.
Roads Scholar
brochure announces enrollment procedures
The last Exchange introduced you to Minnesota LTAP's new Roads
Scholar Program. Since then we've finalized the program details
and published a new brochure announcing the curriculum, enrollment
procedures, and more.
Roads Scholar
credit offered at Northland 'How To' Workshop
The annual Northland "How To" Training and Education Workshop
will be held March 23-24, 2004, in Fargo, North Dakota.
CDL-the law has
changed
The Motor Carrier Safety Improvement Act of 1999
added restrictions to the Commercial Driver's License (CDL).
States were given until September 30, 2005, to make the changes
and show that they are enforcing them.
Minnesota participates
in national technology transfer initiatives
The last few months have presented some exciting opportunities for
Minnesota to help shape technology transfer and research implementation
practices on a national scale. Here is a summary of these activities,
all of which are currently being launched.
Technology Exchange
The Minnesota Local Technical Assistance Program is part of the
Federal Highway Administration's Local Technical Assistance
Program (LTAP).
LRRB develops
workshop on winter maintenance of gravel roads
Should I leave a snowpack on my gravel roads? What equipment do
I use before the road is frozen? Should I use any chemicals?
New LRRB members
The LRRB Steering Committee welcomed new members Jeff Langan Keith
Shannon.
Maintenance Research
The members of the Mn/DOT New Technology, Research, and Equipment
Committee (NTREC), as well as staff of Mn/DOT's Maintenance Operations
Research (MOR), publish a monthly one-page bulletin of their latest
news and findings.
Simulating snowplow
scheduling in District 1
A research team led by Martha Wilson is working to develop a decision
support tool for snowplow managers that will help them deploy their
plows in the way that best addresses current weather conditions
and system priorities.
Field observations
at Mn/ROAD
In a concurrent session presentation at the 14th Annual CTS Transportation
Research Conference, Ben Worel of Mn/DOT briefly described the pavement
condition of Mn/ROAD's 14 original mainline HMA test sections after
eight years of traffic.
Finding clear
solutions for driving in low visibility
Operating a snowplow is a difficult and dangerous task. A major
research initiative has been underway in Minnesota to learn how
to help drivers cope with these conditions.
IVI on History Channel
The Intelligent Vehicle Initiative was featured
in the premiere episode of the new series "Tactical to Practical."
Local reps on ITS Institute
Board
Two county engineers bring the local agency perspective to the ITS
Institute's Board of Directors
When being audited
is a good thing: Road safety audits help guide TZD activities
For groups working to improve traffic safety, an audit can be a
good thingÑa road safety audit, that is.
County engineers
adopt rural road safety program
The Minnesota County Engineers Association (MCEA) Board of Directors
adopted the Minnesota Rural Road Safety Program (MRRSP) on September
5, 2003, to enhance and emphasize safety on rural roads.
Minnesota LTAP
expands traffic sign training
In May and June 2003, a record 338 participants attended a one-day
workshop that dealt exclusively with the new Minnesota Manual on
Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MN MUTCD).
The reviews are
in: Motor grader workshops again a success
For the third straight year, Minnesota LTAP's motor grader operator
workshop series was a resounding success.
Minnesota LTAP
unveils new Web site
www.mnltap.umn.edu
FHWA Web site
helps agencies manage surface transportation security
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) announced a new Web site
this summer that provides state and local agencies simple access
to information on improving security in the operation of the surface
transportation system.
Web site helps
you choose snowdrift control strategies
Visit the new Web-based, interactive snow-control design module
that allows users to obtain necessary climatological attributes
for road and snow fence design.
LTAP Training & Events Calendar
For an up-to-date list of events in Minnesota, please see the LTAP training and events calendar