Winter 2007 Technology Exchange
Pavement preservation: A 60-year lifespan?
Imagine the impact on bottom line budgets if pavement can be made to last as long as 60 years. Speakers at an MPWA workshop discussed research and development in the field.
Spring Maintenance Training Expo to include pesticide recertification
The 2007 Spring Maintenance Training Expo will be held April 10 and 11 at the St. Cloud Civic Center.
Manual gives guidance for winter maintenance of parking lots, sidewalks
Winter maintenance techniques such as anti-icing aren’t just for roadways anymore: they work well for parking lots and sidewalks, too.
Environment
Getting to the source of stormwater pollution
Streets and other impervious surfaces are often considered the source of pollutants in stormwater. Although streets may be a conduit for runoff, they are not themselves the major source of pollutants, says a University of Minnesota researcher.
Environmental stewardship workshop in March
Mn/DOT is holding its annual Environmental Stewardship & Streamlining Workshop on March 28 and 29, 2007, at the Holiday Inn St. Paul East.
LRRB Update
To pave or not to pave? New tools help answer
the question
Two key questions must be answered when developing a gravel road maintenance plan: What is the best way to maintain a gravel road? When should the roadway be upgraded to a paved surface?
OPERA project: Pedestrian-activated solar warning flasher
This issue's featured project is a solar-powered, wireless pedestrian-activated flasher system.
Seal coat handbook revised
The Minnesota Seal Coat Handbook, first published in December 1998, has been revised.
Maintenance
Scott County demonstrates gravel road stabilization
Scott County held a demonstration in September of a gravel road stabilization project that was funded through Minnesota’s Local OPERA Program.
Fall expo: from truck washing to golfer’s bend
Highway maintenance crews met October 4 and 5 in St. Cloud to hone their skills at the annual Fall Maintenance Expo and Roadeo.
Safety
Road safety audits used as a tool for a larger project
In 2005, Mn/DOT District 3 and the counties within it launched a joint effort to improve safety at the intersections of major county roads and state highways in their area.
Improved deer signage being tested
The Minnesota Department of Transportation is continuing to explore ways to reduce the number of deer-related crashes occurring on Minnesota roads and highways.
Information Services
New CTAP fact sheets: truck & equipment wash, parking lot maintenance
Two new fact sheets on the Minnesota LTAP Web site offer advice to help maintenance workers protect our lakes, streams, wetlands, and drinking water.
Maintenance Research Corner
This month's highlights are a guidance laser and a portable wheel-stud remover.
Events & Training
LTAP Training & Events Calendar
For an up-to-date list of events in Minnesota, please see the LTAP training and events calendar
Instructor shares resources from bridge maintenance workshop
For the bridge maintenance workshops held last November, Bob Kleinschmidt used a variety of resources to develop the course curriculum.
Register for Road Salt Symposium
What are the environmental impacts of road salt? What can we do to reduce them? Find out at the Sixth Annual Road Salt Symposium, April 20 in St. Cloud.
LTAP workshop poster available
The 2007 Minnesota LTAP workshop poster was distributed at the annual county and city engineers meetings, and copies are being mailed to a broad mailing list.