Winter 2006 Technology Exchange
Learn the art of gravel road maintenance with new DVD
The workers who maintain gravel roads are making an important contribution to the safety, comfort, and convenience of their communities.
Register now for Spring Maintenance Training Expo
The 2006 Spring Maintenance Training Expo will be held April 11–12 at the St. Cloud Civic Center.
Minnesota LTAP announces leadership change
Jim Grothaus, our technology transfer engineer since 2001, was named director of Minnesota LTAP late last year.
Safety
Tips for tire life and worker safety
Information includes tips about tire air pressure, tire wear, and tire repair.
Intersections: Cameras reduce crashes; software improves signal timing
Minneapolis installed cameras at 12 dangerous intersections last summer in a program aimed at catching red-light runners.
Safety Tip Sheet: Ladders (113 KB PDF)
Ladders come in all shapes and sizes, so choose the proper ladder for the job.
LRRB Update
Report synthesizes whitetopping experiences
Thin whitetopping and ultra-thin whitetopping are alternatives for rehabilitating flexible pavements and optimizing pavement life.
OPERA Project: Blower attachment to remove grass clippings from gravel roads
A blower attachment on the front end of a motor grader can blow the grass clippings off the gravel surface and out of the way of the moldboard, preventing clippings from mixing with the gravel.
Rating Minnesota’s roads
Drivers can often tell when a road is in need of repair from the bumps and vibrations they feel while cruising down the road.
Maintenance
A sampling of the Fall Maintenance Expo
Even heavy rainfall the night before couldn’t dampen attendance at the 2005 Fall Maintenance Expo, held October 5 and 6 in St. Cloud.
Grader attachment patches potholes, ruts
The Asphalt Grader Attachment, designed by Tim Van Berkom from the Washington State DOT Shelton Maintenance Office, is used for patching trenches, potholes, and ruts.
Maintenance Research Corner
This month's highlights include a shoulder reclaimer project, Joma rubber-coated plow cutting edges, and a stainless steel liquid
tank project.
Policy
Workshop shares practices for context sensitive design
Since the 1960s, the American public has been clear about its attitude toward transportation projects: context matters.
Asset management helps Eagan improve service levels
Asset management tools are helping the City of Eagan improve service levels and save money, said Tom Struve, Eagan public works operations manager (and member of the Minnesota LTAP Steering Committee), at the 6th TRB National Conference on Transportation Asset Management, last November.
Information Services
Events & Training
LTAP Training & Events Calendar
For an up-to-date list of events in Minnesota, please see the LTAP training and events calendar
Road Salt Symposium is April 5
What are the environmental impacts of road salt? What can we do to reduce them?