Author Archive: Admin

Engaging Youth in Transportation Planning – NJ MPO Efforts Featured

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FHWA promotes virtual public involvement and innovative public engagement strategies through its Every Day Counts (EDC-6) innovations. The FHWA's EDC Newsletter of March 3, 2022 featured the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority's creative efforts to engage youth in the transportation planning process in the development of the MPO's Long Range Plan that were conducted in partnership with the Rutgers University's Public Engagement and Outreach Team (POET).  Below is a reprint of the newsletter article that recognizes these efforts as its Virtual Public Involvement (VPI) Innovation of the Month.

Because engaging youth in the transportation planning process is notoriously difficult, the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA) used a broad range of engagement tools when developing its long-range transportation plan, Plan 2050. They held focus groups with traditionally underserved demographic groups, created a young adult advisory group, and held online meetings to engage broad audiences. NJTPA also held an innovative online contest for children ages 5 - 15, the OnAir Future of Transportation contest, which allowed children to be creative, while also participating in the planning process.

The NJTPA promoted the contest through its email and social media channels. It also partnered with the Rutgers University Public Outreach and Engagement Team to promote the contest with community-based organizations, elementary and middle school teachers, community websites that promote children’s activities, and programs for youth with disabilities.

 

Left: One of the winning submissions from the OnAir Future of Transportation contest. Right: OnAir Future of Transportation honorable mention winner. (Credit: NJTPA)

Participants submitted drawings, animated videos, poems, short stories, and more, describing their visions for transportation in 2050. Responses were collected via email, physical mail, and voicemail. Entries were divided by age groups, with winners selected in each group.

Contest submissions included some highly futuristic visions of flying cars, hover chairs, and teleportation, which the NJTPA considered to be a bit out of reach for its 2050 planning timeframe. However, several themes emerged in the contest submissions that mirrored public input from adults. Contest submissions showed that kids have a desire for faster, more reliable transportation options that are comfortable and convenient, and a future that uses technology to make life easier, safer, more equitable, sustainable, and fun.

Recommendations for autonomous vehicles, micromobility, and sustainability were incorporated into Plan 2050 based on the adults’ and children’s input. The On Air Future of Transportation contest raised awareness of the NJTPA and their work, especially to parents, teachers, and other adults involved in outreach, and provides an innovative example of using virtual public involvement (VPI) techniques to engage a difficult-to-reach segment of the population.

To learn more about VPI and other innovative examples of its use, please contact Lana Lau, FHWA Office of Project Development & Environmental Review, or Jill Stark, FHWA Office of Planning, Stewardship & Oversight.

 

 

 

New Jersey STIC Incentive Project Grant Funding Available

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The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) offers technical assistance and funds—up to $100,000 per year to each STIC—to support the costs of standardizing innovative practices in a state transportation agency or other public sector STIC stakeholder.

NJDOT is the primary recipient of the STIC Incentive Funding Grant. Other public sector STIC stakeholders such as MPOs, local governments or tribal governments are eligible to receive STIC Incentive funding as sub-recipients to the NJDOT.

Proposed project ideas for funding are prioritized by the NJ STIC for each federal fiscal year. Selected projects are then submitted to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) for approval.

Purpose

To be eligible, a project or activity must have a statewide impact in fostering a culture for innovation or in making an innovation a standard practice and must align with FHWA’s Technology Innovation Deployment Program (TIDP) goals.

STIC Incentive Funding may be used to: conduct internal assessments; build capacity; develop guidance, standards, and specifications; implement system process changes; organize peer exchanges; offset implementation costs; or conduct other activities the STIC identifies to address TIDP goals and to foster a culture of innovation or to make an innovation a standard practice in New Jersey.

The proposed project or activity must be started as soon as practical (preferably within 6 months of award, but no later than 1 year) after notification of approval for STIC Incentive funding and funds must be expended within 2 years.

Past and Recent Projects

NJ STIC Incentive Funds have been used to hold safety-related peer exchanges with local governments, integrate mobile devices into construction-related inspections, test crowdsourcing equipment to improve safety of service patrols, and launch the NJDOT Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Program, among other projects

More recently, funded projects have sought to advance implementation of the Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Strategic Plan through additional training and equipment, develop and implement a NJ STIC Communications Plan, develop a training for local agencies to use Bluebeam to advance e-Construction, and to establish a pilot study for enhanced crowdsourcing for operations.

How to Apply

The solicitation of STIC Incentive projects opens at the beginning of the Federal fiscal year (October 1st) and closes at the end of the Federal fiscal year (September 30th).  All proposals should be submitted for review by March 30th. If funding is available, proposals may be considered after this date.

More information on allowable activities, incentive funding proposal requirements, and a list of past projects that have received funding in New Jersey can be found here:  https://www.njdottechtransfer.net/new-jersey-stic-requests/.

If you have questions about your project’s eligibility for the STIC Incentive Program, email us: Bureau.Research@dot.nj.gov or call us: 609-963-2242.

The STIC Incentive Funding Grant was used to develop and implement the NJ STIC Communications Plan. 

The STIC Incentive Funding Grant was used to purchase equipment and implement training for the UAS Program at NJDOT.

 

Exploring Strategic Workforce Development in NJ: An Interview with Hudson County Community College

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FHWA is promoting Strategic Workforce Development in highway maintenance, construction and operations.

FHWA is promoting Strategic Workforce Development in highway maintenance, construction and operations.

Strategic Workforce Development, an FHWA Every Day Counts (EDC) Round 6 innovative initiative, anticipates collaboration between government agencies, trade organizations, private agencies and communities to prepare individuals for the construction workforce. The demand for workers in highway maintenance, construction and operations is growing, as is the demand for new skill sets required for work with emerging technologies. An important element of this initiative is the recruitment and retention of women and minorities in the construction sector.  Through on-the-job training and supportive services program, NJDOT is exploring ways to work with contractors, contracting associations, and unions on shaping their future workforces, including programs aimed at increasing representation of women, minorities, and other disadvantaged populations in the construction and operations workforce. 

We spoke with Lori Margolin, the Associate Vice President for Continuing Education and Workforce Development at Hudson County Community College (HCCC) for her insights on workforce development and a new partnership between HCCC and the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 825 that addresses the need to train individuals for today’s jobs in highway construction and operations.

 

Community Colleges, Programs and Partners

Q.  Can you tell us about your role with the college?

HCCC Continuing Education and Workforce Development works with employers to provide training to meet their needs

HCCC Continuing Education and Workforce Development works with employers to provide training to meet their needs

I am the Associate Vice President for Continuing Education and Workforce Development at Hudson County Community College (HCCC). My department oversees all non-credit programs at the College. We provide educational programs in a wide variety of areas for community residents, training for unemployed and underemployed job seekers, and work directly with employers to provide basic skills and customized training to incumbent workers. We have partnerships with many diverse organizations and take an “entrepreneurial approach” to developing programs and partnerships which provide an alternate  pathway for students to obtain credentials and enter a degree program.

Q.  Before we delve into your new International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 825 program, please tell us, based on your experiences, if there is a lack of awareness among your student body – especially among women and minority students – for jobs/careers in the highway construction industry?

In general, students often lack awareness of careers in many sectors. I have no specific data to cite in highway construction however I am sure it holds true in this industry. Young people and prospective job seekers are not aware of the full-range of available opportunities and/or have false perceptions about jobs in these sectors. For example, they may erroneously assume no post-secondary degree or certification is needed or that they will work in a “dusty workshop” – neither of which may be true.

The construction industry is known, historically, as a white male-dominated industry that many do not associate as a sector offering opportunities for persons seeking a post-secondary degree; however, increasingly construction and heavy manufacturing are more automated and need workers with advanced technology skills. The IUOE Local 825 is a union that recognizes this need for workers who are vested with skills to work with new technologies.

For women, minorities, and people with disabilities to be attracted to and successfully retain positions in these fields, both role models and a welcoming work environment are vital. The industry has to examine its policies and practices from top to bottom to address issues of diversity.

Q.  Do you know of programs either at HCCC or elsewhere that are building awareness of career opportunities in the highway construction sector?

HCCC offers an Associate degree in Applied Science in Construction Management, which is part of our STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) division. The program has experienced double-digit enrollment growth due to factors including the recent November 2021 passage of the federal Infrastructure bill. Rowan University offers a Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management and there may be others.

NJ Pathways provides individuals with career opportunities and industry with a trained workforce

HCCC and Rowan College of South Jersey will be leading the Construction Center for Workforce Innovation as part of the NJ Pathways to Career Opportunities program, which is a joint initiative of the NJ Community College Consortium for Workforce and Economic Development and the NJ Business and Industry Association. We are looking at expanding the pathways in construction, creating new partnerships with K-12 and 4-year colleges and universities, and expanding the dual education program to include additional partners. Whatever new curricula are developed via the initiative will be shared statewide.

Q.  Several commonly cited roadblocks to entry into the construction sector particularly for women and minority candidates include transportation issues and childcare. Have your students encountered these or other obstacles? Do you see a role for NJ community colleges in helping to reduce barriers for women and minorities in entering the highway construction trades?

Both transportation and childcare are obstacles to entry and retention in construction and other sectors. For example, if a person’s vehicle is not reliable, how are they going to access the job site? For some job seekers, the costs of child care can be a large proportion of their income.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has created additional challenges, as some job seekers are concerned with taking a job where they may be exposed to the virus and bring it home to older or immune-compromised family members. In some cases, prospective workers must care for family members impacted by COVID-19 and balance demands related to their children’s home school instruction. The number of female employees in many sectors has decreased since the onset of the pandemic because many of these familial responsibilities fall to women. Overall, these constraints are influencing the types of jobs candidates are pursuing.

I see a role for community colleges in helping to reduce barriers for women and minorities in entering highway construction and other sectors. Community colleges serve students from highly diverse backgrounds who bring a variety of experiences to their classes. Community colleges serve more first-generation, part-time, nontraditional age, low-income, minority, and female students than any other type of public higher education institution.  We focus on economic mobility and preparing students to launch successful careers and earn family-sustaining wages.

The pandemic has exacerbated issues that students and job seekers face, such as childcare and transportation. Many HCCC students have non-academic needs including food insecurity and face emergencies, such as car repair, that are beyond their financial means to resolve independently. To help address these issues, HCCC has expanded student supports, as the college considers itself part of the community it serves. The Hudson Helps program provides a food pantry, emergency grants, and has paid almost $5 million in outstanding debts for students during the pandemic.

While these issues are long-standing, if the community works together I believe we can effectively address them.

Q.   Your department partners closely with the business community, offering a variety of programs and resources to help meet their workforce needs. Do you also partner with any community-based organizations to support any of your apprenticeship or other programs? If yes, do any of these organizations specifically focus on supporting women and minorities in the workforc

There are many community-based organizations and programs that support students in preparing for careers. Several of our partners in Hudson County are Women Rising, the Statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey and Year Up. Year Up primarily works with minority and low-income students to introduce them to careers in business, finance, and technology, and they have an office on our campus. We partner with many others as well.

International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Program

Q.  With HCCC as a registered apprenticeship sponsor with USDOL, do you have apprenticeship programs in place focused on advanced manufacturing, healthcare and -- now with the IUOE Program -- operating engineering?

NJ DOL provides funding for apprenticeship and other training programs.

HCCC is a Registered Apprenticeship sponsor and currently has an advanced manufacturing employer, Eastern Millwork, and one hospitality employer, Skopos Hospitality. In addition we have agreements with many healthcare providers to train apprentices. We are a partner on an application for a culinary Pre-Apprenticeship in Career Education (PACE) training grants through the NJ Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL).

Many employers are hesitant to pursue apprenticeships because they do not understand what an apprenticeship entails, and the benefits that an apprenticeship could offer to both employers and participants. In fact, many confuse internships with apprenticeships, with one distinction among the two being that apprenticeship participants are hired as employees, although there are other differences as well.

We have an agreement with the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 825 to articulate up to 30 credits towards an Associate degree (60 credits).  Apprentices with IUOE Local 825 can pursue an Associate degree while completing the apprenticeship program.

Q.   Can you please outline the basics of the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) program?

HCCC and the IUOE are training workers for the construction industry, including highway construction.

The IUOE program is technically an advanced manufacturing initiative that is supported by a NJ PLACE 2.0 grant. This innovative program was established in November 2021 through an articulation agreement between HCCC and IUOE Local 825 and gives students the opportunity to be dually enrolled in the union apprenticeship program and HCCC, where they will earn an Associate of Applied Science in Technical Studies degree after they complete 60 credits.

Participants will earn 30 credits from on-the-job training and education provided by the union, and are scheduled to earn the other 30 credits from HCCC over five semesters. They will be attending part-time, taking two classes per semester and earning six credits per semester on average.

Q, What are the main goals for the IUOE program?

The main goals for the NJ PLACE 2.0 grant are promoting equality of opportunity, upward economic mobility, and economic fairness.

Q.  What makes the IUOE program particularly innovative?

The program is innovative and beneficial because it provides students with the unique, time-saving opportunity to pursue their journeyworker status simultaneously with earning their Associate degree. The program is designed so that students earn credit for experience outside the classroom, and college classes enhance what they are learning at work. There are no out of pocket expenses for the students since costs are covered by the grant and IUOE Local 825.

The IUOE has named the hybrid apprentice program “Earn and Learn”

The degree will  give students additional options and pathways.  Future operators will need to master heavy equipment and also understand and work with the technology behind it.

Q.  How is program implementation going so far? Approximately how many students are currently enrolled?

The program will start in the spring 2022 semester on January 21, 2022. Thirty students of diverse backgrounds from throughout the state were accepted for enrollment. The students had to commit to both components of the program, earning the Associate degree and to the apprenticeship program. Hundreds of prospective applicants applied in the first 20 minutes that the online application portal opened.

All HCCC instruction is virtual, although the orientation was held in-person on-campus. The virtual modality allows students who reside throughout the state to easily attend. The IUOE Local 825 members are trained in real-world facilities on the latest models of equipment, including those with the newest technology and GPS systems. The state-of-the-art training facility located in central New Jersey near Exit 8A of the NJ Turnpike, has a total area of nearly 60 acres, with more than 90 pieces of equipment, simulators and instrumentation.

IUOE members are trained in central NJ to work with heavy machinery on construction sites

IUOE members are trained in central NJ to work with heavy machinery on construction sites

Q.  What career paths and industries will program graduates typically pursue? Are construction jobs a focus of the program? Has there been any discussion about preparing workers in the highway construction trades?

Local 825 Operating Engineers are highly trained and experienced heavy equipment operators, mechanics, and surveyors who offer unsurpassed productivity to contractors throughout New Jersey and five counties in New York’s Hudson Valley

Q.  We read that the IUOE program is one of two in the state. Are you aware of the other program?

HCCC is the only community college in New Jersey offering this program. Thomas Edison State University is another institution with a NJ PLACE 2.0 grant.

Q.  Do you see this as an ongoing program or dependent on grant funding that might not be forthcoming in future years?

Currently, the grant covers half the tuition and fees for students and the union covers the remaining portion. Both HCCC and the IUOE Local 825 are committed to the program. Our interests and missions align and I see the program continuing. The program itself enables students to train with and learn current technology, and improves readiness for current and future career pathways.

Looking Ahead

Q. What strategies should be pursued to encourage more NJ community college students to consider a career in the construction industry? Who should be leading or involved in those efforts?

Increasing awareness of the career pathways available in the construction industry would be helpful in encouraging more NJ community college students to consider this option. New Jersey's Community Colleges and New Jersey Business and Industry Association are leading a collaborative effort to address the rapidly changing needs of employers and providing students and workers with the career pathways they need to be successful.  As a key component of this coordinated workforce preparation effort, the NJ Council of County Colleges has launched 10 Centers of Workforce Innovation specifically focused on building pathways to serve the learning lifespan of students and workers. The Centers are clustered in four industries, Healthcare, Technology and Innovation, Infrastructure and Energy, and Manufacturing and Supply Chain Management.  HCCC is the administrative lead on the Construction Center of Workforce Innovation (part of the Infrastructure industry) and is partnered with Rowan College of South Jersey. There was a statewide convening on January 19th to kick off the planning phase of the work.

Q.  Through their on-the-job training and supportive services program, NJDOT is exploring ways to work with contractors, contracting associations, and unions on shaping their future workforces, by focusing on training and recruitment programs aimed at women, minorities, and other disadvantaged populations. Do you have any thoughts about how NJDOT might pursue this goal?

New Jersey’s 18 community colleges serve over 300,000 people in non-credit, credit, and workforce development courses

NJDOT Human Resources staff and/or senior leadership should partner with NJ’s community colleges so we can familiarize NJDOT with opportunities to align in-demand skills for degree programs and develop customized non-credit programs and training for their workforce. Community colleges can uptrain or re-train the NJDOT workforce to succeed in new or revamped roles. HCCC and other community colleges can also work with NJDOT to help the department achieve increased workforce representation among females and minorities. NJDOT can engage in conversations with educators and let us know what skills the NJDOT workforce needs so that we can help address skill gaps. There are 18 community colleges in the state; NJDOT could opt to reach out to the NJ Council of County Colleges to start the conversation.

NJDOT workers and others may want to consider taking advantage of the Community College Opportunity Grant initiative. New Jersey students enrolled in any one of the State’s 18 county colleges may be eligible for tuition-free college. Students who are enrolled in at least 6 credits per semester and who have an adjusted gross income of $0-$65,000 will be considered for this state grant.

 

Resources

Federal Highway Administration, Every Day Counts Round 6, Strategic Workforce Development. https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/innovation/everydaycounts/edc_6/strategic_workforce_development.cfm

Hudson County Community College, Workforce Development. https://www.hccc.edu/programs-courses/workforce-development/index.html

International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 825.  http://www.iuoe825.org/

NJ Community College Consortium for Workforce and Economic Development. https://njworkforce.org

NJ Department of Labor, NJ PLACE 2.0 Grants. https://www.nj.gov/labor/lwdhome/press/2020/20200131_njplace.shtml

NJ Department of Labor, Office of Apprenticeships. https://www.nj.gov/labor/career-services/apprenticeship/

NJ Pathways to Career Opportunities. https://njpathways.org/centers-of-workforce-innovation/

 

Innovation Spotlight: Testing and Deploying ITS Solutions for Safer Mobility and Operations

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NJDOT’s Transportation Mobility unit is working on several initiatives related to FHWA Every Day Counts innovative initiatives, including: Crowdsourcing for Advancing Operations (EDC-4, EDC-6), Next Generation Traffic Incident Management (EDC-4, EDC-6), and Weather Responsive Management Strategies (EDC-4, EDC-5).  The unit has been creatively deploying STIC Incentive Grants and Accelerated Innovation Deployment (AID) grants to pilot test and evaluate innovations in recent years. We spoke with Sue Catlett, Project Manager in the Mobility Research Group, to provide updates on this work and discuss the coordination needed between agencies, organizations, and industry to make progress on these initiatives, and the barriers to deployment.

The Waycare crowdsourcing platform will feed information to NJDOT’s traffic operations centers to help resolve traffic issues and improve safety.

Crowdsourcing for Advancing Operations

Q.  Can you give us an update on the STIC incentive grant and the pilot of the Waycare crowdsourced data platform?

Waycare is in the DOT’s procurement process.  Once we have access to the information, the pilot will begin. We hope to see an increased situational awareness of the roadways.

Q.  Once it is deployed, will you have data coming in immediately?

We anticipate that we will have data but we will need to evaluate what that data means to us. For example, a key consideration is the definition of terms such as “crash incident,” and “accident.” We need to determine if we accept what the system’s definition of a term is or if we can set a definition.

Once the Waycare system is operating, NJDOT’s Intelligent Transportation Systems Resource Center (ITSRC), housed at New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT), will be working with NJDOT on the evaluation of the information coming in and matching it up with other information that DOT is utilizing.

Next Generation Traffic Incident Management

Q.  Can you update us on the deployment of the Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) integration with the State Police?  At the 3rd Quarter STIC meeting in September 2021, you mentioned that the State Police had deployed their CAD system and are still doing some fine-tuning.

The State Police deployed their system at the end of June and are continuing to make adjustments to the system and train staff in its use. They will be building out the system by adding modules. We are working with the State Police to determine how we will have access to the information gathered and we are working towards an agreement.

Q.  Traffic Incident Management must require coordination with numerous organizations, yes?

The Department promotes the safety of traffic incident first responders through their Move Over campaign.

Yes, in fact, we just had our statewide Traffic Incident Management (TIM) meeting today where we reported out on what we have been working on, what we will be doing in the next six months, and what help we will need from others. The various participating groups also report out. TIM involves coordination with first aid, EMS, the State Police, the MPOs, municipal fire departments, the Department of Health, and many others. We have been working on the Move Over bumper sticker campaign, and the National Crash Responder Safety Week was in November, so there are a lot of initiatives that we are working on through the year with a purpose of reducing time an incident is on a roadway and keeping first responders safe while responding to an incident.

Q.  Has there been any progress on establishing an Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS) platform or core software? What are the steps involved? What are you ultimately looking for with this platform?

In our operations centers, we gather data from many systems such as highway cameras, and travel times, as well as other information. The ATMS platform would combine these multiple platforms into one so that NJDOT operators can look in one place for all the information collected. The State Police CAD data could be included in this core software system.

We want one platform for our existing systems and we are also looking towards what we will need in the future. We worked with an engineering consultant firm to determine required elements, desired elements, and future needs. We were looking for a vendor that has a system that was already built and could then be customized to meet the Department’s needs. Any system would need to work with systems that DOT is currently using. We consulted with NJDOT Safety Service Patrol (SSP) and electrical maintenance, among others, to see what future needs they could anticipate. We wanted to cast a wide enough net to avoid missing something that other groups can anticipate now that they would need later on. We also talked to other state DOTs to receive feedback about their systems.  The pandemic slowed progress on this effort and we have not contracted with a vendor yet.

It is anticipated that the platform will be built out through the addition of modular components. This makes it difficult to predict when the platform will be ready to use.

Weather Responsive Management Systems (WRMS)

Q.  Congratulations on receiving the ITS-NJ 2021 Outstanding Project Award for the Weather Savvy Roads project. What is happening with the project?

The Weather Savvy Roads project was a collaboration with many individuals and organizations.  The project has expanded to 23, and soon to be 24, equipped vehicles. Equipped trucks include six Safety Service Patrol vehicles (3 north, 3 south) which operate 24/7, two incident management response (IMRT) trucks which can respond to incidents at any time (1 north, 1 south), and Operations vehicles including 7 snow plow vehicles (3 north, 2 central, 2 south) and pickup trucks used by supervisors who can respond where needed. We are still working on modifications and analysis of the data we have received.

Weather Savvy instrumentation displays atmospheric conditions and a dashboard view of road conditions in real time.

The Mobile Road Weather Information System (MRWIS) provides information on ambient temperature, road temperature, road condition and grip, as well as a windshield view of road conditions. Management can see what the drivers are seeing. The information helps to assess a storm’s duration and intensity while it is ongoing. The data available through the system has helped management make decisions. For example, last winter a Director referred to the system to determine how much longer crews  would need to be out on the road based on conditions, and could predict another two hours commitment.

WRMS can also assist in traffic incident management. Video of an incident, captured by an NJDOT responder truck, provides much more information than a verbal description of an incident scene. The detail can help ensure that individuals in the field can get the appropriate support and get the road back open more quickly.

NJDOT has extended the pilot deadline to June 2022 to include a second winter using the WRMS. This expansion will allow us to test the system on a potentially wider range of weather conditions, and assess the durability of the equipment. Last winter, NJIT analyzed the information we were collecting and found an issue with the data being reported. The vendor had to change their manufacturing process to address condensation issues and we installed replacement sensors.

Q.  What do you anticipate being the next steps?

We are exploring how to bring this system inside the Department. Currently, the Weather Savvy website is hosted by the ITSRC at NJIT.

Other Innovative Initiatives Underway through Research or Other Activities

Q.  Are there non-EDC innovations being undertaken at NJDOT or elsewhere in NJ that should be highlighted to STIC partners? 

Drivewyze® is a phone app that is used to inform truck drivers of upcoming weigh stations, enabling drive-by of weigh stations, and provides in-cab alerts about slowdowns or other road issues. The Department could use the system to alert truckers to specific conditions, such as truck restrictions on snow-covered roadways before they enter the State, to allow truckers to make adjustments. NJDOT is trying the system out for a year to look at the value of the information and what impact it may have.

We are also using video analytics to look at truck parking in the Harding Truck Rest Area during winter storms. Both commercial trucks and Safety Service Patrol vehicles use this rest area, and the space can become overly full and entrances and exits can be blocked. SSP vehicles need to be able to get into and out of the area to respond to incidents and for shift changes. We installed devices in the parking stalls, which provide information indicating when they are occupied, and cameras identify when trucks are parked in non-marked parking spaces. From the data collected, we hope to determine prime times for usage, and we are trying to find a way to communicate with truckers. NJIT is conducting this study through the ITSRC.

Resources

More Information on the STIC initiatives highlighted in this interview is available using the following links:

Crowdsourcing for Advancing Operations - https://www.njdottechtransfer.net/2021/01/01/crowdsourcing-for-advancing-operations/

Next Generation TIM - https://www.njdottechtransfer.net/2021/04/19/next-generation-tim/

Weather Responsive Management Strategies - https://www.njdottechtransfer.net/weather-responsive-management-strategies/

Recently Issued TRB Publications and ASTM Standards

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The NJDOT Research Library maintains a  “Did You Know” page to share basic facts about the research library, transportation research resources, and newly issued publications.

The TRB Publications, November-December, 2021  list includes recently published research in:  planning and forecasting, bridges and structures, pavements, operations and traffic management, bicycling and pedestrians, intelligent transportation systems, safety and human factors,  and construction, among others.  This 200+ list of recent publications reveals emerging trends and cutting-edge research and implementation in transportation that may inspire you.

The ASTM Standards, September to December, 2021 list includes recently proposed and revised ASTM standards. The ASTM Book of Standards is available through the ASTM COMPASS Portal for NJDOT employees.

Please contact the NJDOT research librarian, Tammy Yeadon, MSLIS, at (609) 963-1898, or email at library@dot.nj.gov or Tammy_CNSLT.Yeadon@dot.nj.gov  for assistance on how to retrieve these or other publications.

TRB Publications (November – December, 2021)

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The following is a list of research published by the Transportation Research Board (TRB) between November 1, 2021 and December 31, 2021. Current articles from the TRB may be accessed here. 

Crowd-in Effect of Highway Capital on Private Investment in the United States

Public–Private Partnership and Social Equity: An Empirical Study of the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program

Utilization and Cost Estimation Models for Highway Fleet Equipment

NCHRP Research Report 980: Talent for Today and Tomorrow: New Research on the Transportation Planning Workforce

Causal Analysis of Lateral Deviation of Flights in Terminal Airspace

Benefits Derived from Arrival Management and Wake Turbulence Re-Categorization in China

Data-Driven Method for the Prediction of Estimated Time of Arrival

Emergence of 4-D System Fundamental Diagram in Urban Air Mobility Traffic Flow

Legal Issues Relating to Airport Commercial Contracts

Joint Modeling of Access Mode and Parking Choice of Air Travelers Using Revealed Preference Data

A Solution to Drone Routing Problems using Docking Stations for Pickup and Delivery Services

ACRP Research Report 226: Planning and Design of Airport Terminal Restrooms and Ancillary Spaces

Airport Restrooms and COVID-19

Image reads: Bicycles and Pedestrians

Bicycle Level of Service: Proposed Updated Pavement Quality Index

Risk Evaluation for Conflicts between Crossing Pedestrians and Right-Turning Vehicles at Intersections

Regional Bicycle Network Evaluation and Strategic Planning: A Quantitative Methodological Approach Despite Limited Data Sources for Cycling

Sustainable Safety in The Netherlands Creating a Road Environment where People on Foot and on Bikes are as Safe as People in Cars

Different Safety Awareness and Route Choice between Frequent and Infrequent Bicyclists: Findings from Revealed Preference Study Using Bikeshare Data

Efficiency Comparison of Public Bike-Sharing Repositioning Strategies Based on Predicted Demand Patterns

Evaluation of Protected Left-Turn Phasing and Leading Pedestrian Intervals Effects on Pedestrian Safety

Daily Traffic Count Imputation for Bicycle and Pedestrian Traffic: Comparing Existing Methods with Machine Learning Approaches

Spatial Equity Analysis of Nighttime Pedestrian Safety: Role of Land Use and Alcohol Establishments in Albuquerque, NM

Assessing and Predicting Mobility Improvement of Integrating Bike-Sharing into Multimodal Public Transport Systems

 

Image reads: Bridges and Structures

Assessment of AASHTO Load-Spreading Method for Buried Culverts and Proposed Improvement

Geosynthetic Reinforced Fill Material for Tennessee Bridge Approach Slab Support

Culvert Inspection Vehicle with Improved Telemetry Range

Performance of Back-to-Back Geogrid Reinforced Soil Retaining Walls for Railways during Service

Benefits of Compiling and Analyzing Hydraulic-Design Data for Bridges

Building Information Modeling for Bridges and Structures: Outcomes and Lessons Learned from the Steel Bridge Industry

Vulnerability of Drop Ceilings in Roadway Tunnels to Fire-Induced Damage

Investigation and MASH Full-Scale Crash Testing of the Buried-in-Backslope Terminal Compatible with Midwest Guardrail System

Analysis of the Safety Factors of Municipal Road Undercrossing Existing Bridge Based on Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process Methods

Database Enabled Rapid Seismic Vulnerability Assessment of Bridges

Assessment of Provisions for Load Rating Gusset Plates in Steel Truss Bridges

Deep Learning-Based Visual Identification of Signs of Bat Presence in Bridge Infrastructure Images: A Transfer Learning Approach

Comparison of Modified Yield-Line and Punching Shear Capacities for Concrete Traffic Barriers and Bridge Rails

Image reads: Construction

Revealing Safety Risks of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in Construction

Pay Factor Analysis for Highway Pavements through Percentage of Material within Specification Limits and Monte Carlo Simulation

 

Database Design and Integration Framework for Risk Management for State Highway Agencies

Analyzing Travel Time Reliability from Sparse Probe Vehicle Data: A Case Study on the Effects of Spatial and Temporal Aggregation

Effectiveness of Training Sample and Features for Random Forest on Road Extraction from Unmanned Aerial Vehicle-Based Point Cloud

Mobility as a Service Operating Model to Enable Public Policy

Diagnosing Obstacles to Speed and Reliability with High-Resolution Automatic Vehicle Locator Data: Bus Time Budgets

Development and Comparative Analysis of Advanced Deep Learning Techniques for Crash Prediction in Advanced Driver Support Systems

Post-Hurricane Vegetative Debris Assessment Using Spectral Indices Derived from Satellite Imagery

Assessing Trustworthiness of Crowdsourced Flood Incident Reports Using Waze Data: A Norfolk, Virginia Case Study

Detour-Impact Index Method and Traffic Gathering Algorithm for Assessing Alternative Paths of Disrupted Roads

Toward Just-in-Time Data Communications over Shared Networks and Computational Resources on Massive Client Environment

Smart Parking Systems: A Data-Oriented Taxonomy and a Metadata Model

Driving Behavior at Signalized Intersections Operating under Disordered Traffic Conditions

Automated Object Detection, Mapping, and Assessment of Roadside Clear Zones Using Lidar Data

Evaluating Commercial Probe Data Quality on Arterial Facilities: Insights From Multi-Year Cross-Vendor Validation

An Enhanced Network-Level Curve Safety Assessment and Monitoring Using Mobile Devices

FHWA Expands Access to Highway Infrastructure Engineering Research Data

Land-Use Regression of Long-Term Transportation Data on Metabolic Syndrome Risk Factors in Low-Income Communities

Estimating the Total Number of Workplace and Public Electric Vehicle Chargers in California

Empirical Assessment and Modeling of Traffic-induced Air Pollution

Multi-objective Eco-Routing Model Development and Evaluation for Battery Electric Vehicles

Characterizing the Particle Variations and Human Exposure in Port and Urban Areas

Investigating the Potential of Truck Platooning for Energy Savings: Empirical Study of the U.S. National Highway Freight Network

Influence of Lining Design Parameters on the Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Chinese Highway Tunnel Construction

Driving Coverage of Charging Stations for Battery Electric Trucks Located at Truck Stop Facilities

Economic Feasibility Analysis of Charging Infrastructure for Electric Ground Fleet in Airports

Analysis of Retrofit and Scrappage Policies for the Indian Road Transport Sector in 2030

Image Reads: Freight and Goods Management

Comprehensive Evaluation Model and Empirical Research on Railway Freight Rates in a Competitive Environment

Adaptable Resilience Assessment Framework to Evaluate an Impact of a Disruptive Event on Freight Operations

Accessibility and Equity Analysis of Transit Facility Sites for Common Carrier Parcel Lockers

Applying the Maximum Entropy Model to Urban Freight Transportation Planning: An Exploratory Analysis of Warehouse Location in the Belo Horizonte Metropolitan Region

Design of a Truck Appointment System Considering Drayage Scheduling and Stochastic Turn Time

Measuring and Managing Freight System Resilience Workshop, April 6-8, 2021

Image Reads: Geotechnical

Use of the Alaska Geotechnical Asset Management Database in Evaluation of Retaining Structures After an Earthquake

Image reads: Highway Design

Capacity of Mini-Roundabouts: A New Model

Development and Testing of a Concrete Median Barrier for Flood-Prone Areas

Automated Assessment of Passing Sight Distance on Rural Highways using Mobile LiDAR Data

Development, Crash Testing, and Evaluation of Steel-Post Trailing-End Guardrail Anchorage System

Image Reads: Intelligent Transportation Systems

Evaluating the Benefits of Red-Light Violation Warning System in a Connected Vehicle Simulation Environment

Reading Vehicular Messages from Smart Road Signs: A Novel Method to Support Vehicle-to-Infrastructure in Rural Settings

Quantitative Evaluation of Advanced Traffic Management Systems using Analytic Hierarchy Process

Image reads: Materials

Anisotropic Resilient Modulus Model of Granular Materials Based on Particle Characteristics

Optimization of Cellular Concrete Microstructure for Improved Impact Resistance

Effect of Raw Sugarcane Bagasse Ash as Sand Replacement on the Fiber-Bridging Properties of Engineered Cementitious Composites

Experimental Performance of Polyester-Fiber-Based Soil Geogrids against Reflective Cracks

Mechanical Properties and Durability of Sustainable Concrete Containing Various Industrial Solid Wastes

Effect of Sand Type and PVA Fiber Content on the Properties of Metakaolin Based Engineered Geopolymer Composites

Evaluating the Impacts of Speed Limit Increases on Rural Two-Lane Highways Using Quantile Regression

Safety Performance of Crossroad Ramp Terminals at Single-Point and Tight Diamond Interchanges

Evaluating Traffic Impacts of Permitting Trucks in Transit-Only Lanes

Using High-Resolution Signal Controller Data in the Calibration of Signalized Arterial Simulation Models

Enhancing the Performance of Vehicle Passenger Detection under Adverse Weather Conditions Using Augmented Reality-Based Machine Learning Approach

Impacts of Holding Area Policies on Shared Autonomous Vehicle Operations

Examining Driver Compliance with a Move-Over/Slow Down Law in Consideration of Vehicle Type and Messages Displayed on Upstream Dynamic Message Signs

Estimating Safety Impacts of Adaptive Signal Control Technology Using a Full Bayesian Approach

Impact of Turning Lane Storage Length and Turning Proportions on Throughput at Oversaturated Signalized Intersections

Evaluation of Traffic Signal Systems Effectiveness in Connected Vehicle Environments Using Trajectory Analytics

Assessment of Operational Effectiveness of SynchroGreen Adaptive Signal Control System in South Carolina

Online and Proactive Vehicle Rerouting with Uppaal Stratego

Driver Expectations toward Strategic Routing

Probabilistic Situation Assessment for Intelligent Vehicles with Uncertain Trajectory Distribution

Sequential Optimization of an Emergency Response Vehicle’s Intra-Link Movement in a Partially Connected Vehicle Environment

Distant Traffic Light Recognition Using Semantic Segmentation

Developing Mixed Traffic Equivalency Factors to Estimate Saturation Flow at Urban Signalized Intersections

Imputing Parking Usage on Sparsely Monitored Areas Within Amsterdam Through the Application of Machine Learning

Third-Party Data Fusion to Estimate Freeway Performance Measures

Curbspace Management Challenges and Opportunities from Public and Private Sector Perspectives

Revised Method for Calculating Departure Sight Distance at Two-Way Stop-Controlled (TWSC) Intersections

Analyzing the Newest Interchange Connection at Cairo Metro Network Pertaining to Passenger Flow

Impact of Transportation Network Companies on Ground Access to Airports: A Case Study in Austin, Texas

Dynamic Vehicle Routing with Parking Probability under Connected Environment

Comparative Appraisal of Critical Gap Estimation Techniques in the Context of U-turning Vehicles

Optimal Excess Commuting Evaluation Based on Local Minimal Costs

Connected and Automated Parking Feasibility – A Pilot Study

NCHRP Project 08-120: Systems Engineering for Rural Connected Vehicle Corridors: Customizable Model Documents

 

Image reads: Pavements

Life-Cycle Assessment of Asphalt Pavements with Recycled Post-Consumer Polyethylene

Utilization of Cold Central Plant Recycled Asphalt in Long-Life Flexible Pavements

Using Artificial Intelligence to Estimate Nonlinear Resilient Modulus Parameters from Common Index Properties

High Friction Surface Treatment Deterioration Analysis and Characteristics Study

Five-Year Project-Level Statewide Pavement Performance Forecasting Using a Two-Stage Machine Learning Approach Based on Long Short-Term Memory

Mechanistic-Empirical Faulting Prediction Model for Unbonded Concrete Overlays of Concrete

Quantitative Assessments of Crack Sealing Benefits by 3D Laser Technology

Predicting International Roughness Index Based on Surface Distresses in Various Climate and Traffic Conditions Using Laser Crack Measurement System

Input Parameters for the Mechanistic-Empirical Design of Full-Depth Reclamation Projects

Composition and Oxidation Dependence of Glass Transition in Epoxy Asphalt

Investigating Degree of Blending Between Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement and Virgin Binder Using Atomic Force Microscopy and Focused Ion Beam

Crowd-Sensing Road Surface Quality Using Connected Vehicle Data

Thermomechanical Coupling of a Hyper-viscoelastic Truck Tire and a Pavement Layer and its Impact on Three-dimensional Contact Stresses

Fatigue Tolerance of Aged Asphalt Binders Modified with Softeners

Predicting Pavement Roughness Using Deep Learning Algorithms

Long-Term Effects of Subsurface Drainage on Performance of Asphalt Pavements

Development of a Balanced Mix Design Method in Oregon to Improve Long-Term Pavement Performance

Use of a Hot-Mix Asphalt Plant to Produce a Cold Central Plant Recycled Mix: Production Method and Performance

Safety Impacts of Transit Signal Priority Using a Full Bayesian Approach

Bilevel Optimization of Intercity Railway Alignment

Identification of High-Risk Driving Behavior and Sections for Rail Systems

Evaluation of Operating Schemes on Municipal Rail Transit with Express/Local Mode

Deep Learning for the Detection and Recognition of Rail Defects in Ultrasound B-Scan Images

Assessment of the Use of Polypropylene Fiber Reinforced Foam Concrete as a Subgrade Material for the China Railway Track System (CRTS) III Slab Ballastless Tracks

Automatic Rail Surface Defects Inspection Based on Mask R-CNN

Delay Propagation in Large Railway Networks with Data-Driven Bayesian Modeling

Integrated Train Timetabling and Rolling Stock Circulation Planning for a Metro Line with Multiple Depots

Performance Assessment Study of Indian Railways – Case of Low Efficiencies in Large Government Monopoly

Robust Capacitated Train Rescheduling with Passenger Reassignment under Stochastic Disruptions

Novel Algorithm for Mutual Alignment of Railway Track Geometry Measurements

Quantifying Recent Trends in Class 1 Freight Railroad Train Length and Weight by Train Type

Partnerships between Agencies and Transportation Network Companies for Transportation-Disadvantage Populations: Benefits, Problems, and Challenges

Demand Responsive Transit Simulation of Wayne County, Michigan

Analyzing the Effect of Autonomous Ridehailing on Transit Ridership: Competitor or Desirable First-/Last-Mile Connection?

Transportation Amenities and High-Tech Firm Location: An Empirical Study of High-Tech Clusters

Performance Measurement and Evaluation Framework of Public Microtransit Service

Toward the Development of a Unified Process and Methodology Guide for Environmental Justice Analysis in Planning and Programming

Estimation of Path Travel Time Distributions in Stochastic Time-Varying Networks with Correlations

Statistical Distance-Based Travel-Time Reliability Measurement for Freeway Bottleneck Identification and Ranking

Car-Following Described by Blending Data-Driven and Analytical Models: A Gaussian Process Regression Approach

Development of an Integrated Transportation and Land Use Microsimulation Model on a Flexible Modeling Platform

Assessing the Predictive Value of Traffic Count Data in the Imputation of On-Street Parking Occupancy in Amsterdam

Exploring Individual Activity-Travel Patterns Based on Geolocation Data from Mobile Phones

Performance Comparison of Supply–Demand Matching Policies for On-Demand Mobility Services

Spatiotemporal Demand Prediction Model for E-Scooter Sharing Services with Latent Feature and Deep Learning

(Overlooked) Association between Express Bus Station/Stop Proximity and Multifamily Rents with a Surprise about Transit Mode Synergism and Implications for Transit and Land Use Planning

Estimating Express Train Preference of Urban Railway Passengers Based on Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) using Smart Card Data

Microtransit Has the Potential to Flip Transit on Its Head

Hybrid-Data Approach for Estimating Trip Purposes

Incorporating Travel Time Reliability in Equitable Congestion Pricing Schemes for Heterogeneous Users and Bimodal Networks

Freeway Network Travel Time Reliability Analysis Methodology and Software Tool Development

Spatial and Temporal Differences in Weekday Travel Durations Between Private-for-Hire Transportation Services and Transit in the City Center

Travel Mode Choices in a Greening Market: The Impact of Electric Vehicles and Prior Investments

Examining Customers’ Critical Acceptance Factors toward Ridepooling Services

Optimizing Budget Allocation for Incentive-Based Active Travel Demand Management Solutions

How Do Shared Dockless E-Scooter Services Affect Mobility Practices in Paris? A Survey-Based Estimation of Modal Shift

Increasing Transparency and Feasibility of Auto Accessibility for Project Prioritization

On Time-Dependent Trip Distance Distribution with For-Hire Vehicle Trips in Chicago

Application of Data-Driven Safety Analysis to Support Port Authority Investment Decisions for Converting Conventional Toll Plazas to Open-Road Tolling

Validating and Calibrating the Highway Capacity Manual Arterial Travel Time Reliability Methodology

Personas: A Market Segmentation Approach for Transportation Behavior Change

Estimating the Impact of High-Fidelity Rainfall Data on Traffic Conditions and Traffic Prediction

Snap Judgements and Availability Bias in Travel Decisions

Development of Estimating Methodology for Transit Accessibility Using Smart Card Data

Developing Transportation Response Strategies for Wildfire Evacuations via an Empirically Supported Traffic Simulation of Berkeley, California

Participation in Shared Mobility: An Analysis of the Influence of Walking and Public Transport Accessibility to Vehicles on Carsharing Membership in Montreal, Canada

Relative Mobility Analysis of a Public Transport Network in Comparison with Car Travel

Investing in Transportation Resilience: A Framework for Informed Choices

Image reads: Research

MnROAD Research Facility: Three Decades of Collaboration, Studies, Innovation, and Deployments

 

Testing the Robustness of Commercial Lane Departure Warning Systems

 

Image reads: Safety and Human Performance

Assessment of Crash Occurrence Using Historical Crash Data and a Random Effect Negative Binomial Model: A Case Study for a Rural State

Are Older Drivers Safe on Interchanges? Analyzing Driving Errors Causing Crashes

Development and Evaluation of Geostatistical Methods for Estimating Weather Related Collisions: A Large-Scale Case Study

Identification of High-Risk Driving Behavior and Sections for Rail Systems

Verification of usRAP Risk Assessments for Run-Off and Head-On Crashes Using Field Data

Relating Household Consumption Expenditures to Road Traffic Fatalities: A Rural–Urban Study

Modeling Anticipation and Relaxation of Lane Changing Behavior Using Deep Learning

Understanding the Lateral Dimension of Traffic: Measuring and Modeling Lane Discipline

Effect of Socioeconomic and Demographic Factors on Crash Occurrence

Modeling Car-Following Heterogeneities by Considering Leader–Follower Compositions and Driving Style Differences

Investigating Underage Alcohol-Intoxicated Driver Crash Patterns in Louisiana

Injury Burden of Introducing E-Scooters: A Review of E-Scooter Injury Studies Using Retrospective Review of Emergency Department Records, 2015–2019

Safety Performance Assessment of Connected Vehicles in Mitigating the Risk of Secondary Crashes: A Driving Simulator Study

Surrounding Vehicles’ Contribution to Car-Following Models: Deep-Learning-Based Analysis

Automatic Horizontal Curve Identification for Large Areas from Geographic Information System Roadway Centerlines

SaferCushion

Corner Case Generation and Analysis for Safety Assessment of Autonomous Vehicles

Extracting Rules from Autonomous-Vehicle-Involved Crashes by Applying Decision Tree and Association Rule Methods

Safe Speed Prediction Model for Heavy Trucks on Consecutive Mountain Downgrade Routes Based on Energy Conservation Law

Two-Lane Highway Crash Severities: Correlated Random Parameters Modeling Versus Incorporating Interaction Effects

Virtual Risk Assessment for the Deployment of Autonomous Shuttles

Influences of Gesture-Based Mobile Phone Use While Driving

Enhancing the Performance of a Model to Predict Driving Distraction with the Random Forest Classifier

Virtual Reality Application on Road Markings’ Visibility Analysis

Car-Following Model Calibration Based on Driving Simulator Data to Study Driver Characteristics and to Investigate Model Validity in Extreme Traffic Situations

One-Way Coupling of Fire and Egress Modeling for Realistic Evaluation of Evacuation Process

Rail Safety IDEA Project 34: Understanding Systemic Risks of Railroad Hazmat Transport: Development of a Prototype System

 

Evaluation of an Advanced Driver-Assistance System to Reduce Pedestrian and Rear-End Crashes of Transit Vehicles

Mainstreaming Photo- and Video-Based Documentation as Method for Establishing a Level of Service Framework for the Mumbai Suburban Railway System

Public Transport Fleet Replacement Optimization Using Multi-Type Battery-Powered Electric Buses

Evaluation of the Federal Transit Administration’s Transit and Health Access Initiative: Case Highlights, Findings, and Recommendations

Departure Time Choice in Schedule-Based Transit Assignment

Designing Multiple Short-Turn Routes to Mitigate the Crowding on a Bus Network

Incorporating Practical Degree of Saturation in Capacity Estimation of On-Street, Mid-Block, Off-Line Bus Stops

Scheduling a Bus Fleet for Evacuation Planning Using Stop-Skipping Method

Design of Zonal Express Bus Services to Reduce User Travel Time and Transfers Considering Demand Diversion

Comparison of Door-to-Door Transit Travel Time Estimation Using Schedules, Real-Time Vehicle Arrivals, and Smartcard Inference Methods

Modeling Bus Capacity for Bus Stops Using Queuing Theory and Diffusion Approximation

Impacts of Light Rail Transit on Labor Participation and Housing Affordability in the U.S.: Longitudinal Analysis Using Propensity Score Matching

Preferences toward Bus Alternatives in Rural Areas of the Netherlands: A Stated Choice Experiment

Dynamic Modal Analysis of a Passenger Bus: Theoretical and Numerical Studies

TCRP Research Report 221: Redesigning Transit for the New Mobility Future

Image reads: work zones 

Analysis of Fatal Truck-Involved Work Zone Crashes in Florida: Application of Tree-Based Models

Queue Analysis at Work Zones from Field-Collected Data

 

 

 

ASTM Standards Updates (September – December, 2021)

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The following is a list of recently proposed and revised standards from ASTM from September 1, 2021 to December 31, 2021. Standard revisions have been sorted by their placement in the ASTM Book of Standards.

The ASTM Book of Standards is available through the ASTM COMPASS Portal for NJDOT employees. To learn how to access NJDOT's Research Library's standards materials, including the Book of Standards, please contact the librarian.

New updates for standards from ASTM may be viewed here.

Image Reads: Book of Standards Section 1: Iron and Steel Products

Image Reads: Book of Standards Section 4: Construction

Image Reads: Book of Standards Section 5: Petroleum Products, Lubricants, and Fossil Fuels

Book of Standards Section 7: Textiles

Book of Standards Section 8: Plastics

Image Reads: Book of Standards Section 11: Water and Environmental Technology

Image Reads: Book of Standards Section 14: General Methods and Instrumentation

Image Reads: Book of Standards Section 15: General Products, Chemical Specialities, and End Use Products

Image of a street iwth four lanes for traffic, three parked cars, and a series of shops, such as center city deli, hi five, Ocean Therapy, and casino city barber and salon

ATLANTIC AVENUE, ATLANTIC CITY: Planning for Safer Conditions for All Roadway Users

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In November, the United States Department of Transportation (US DOT) announced that Atlantic City would receive $10.3 million as part of the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) discretionary grants program. The grant award will help to fund the Atlantic City Corridor Revitalization and Safety Project, which aims to implement Complete Streets improvements on approximately 2.7 miles of Atlantic Avenue. The project will include a road diet, ADA accessible sidewalks, drainage facilities, new bike lanes, traffic signal synchronization, LED streetlighting, and improved accessibility at transit stops.

Supported by the RAISE funds, the project will enhance safety and provide alternative transportation options for residents and visitors who travel for work, school, medical appointments, recreational activities, and other daily activities.

The below article, originally posted in July 2021, describes several planning activities that helped lead to this successful Federal grant award.

Image of a bus with passengers boarding, reading Atlantic Avenue Road Safety Audit Atlantic City, New Jersey, Report, December 2014

The Atlantic Avenue Road Safety Audit was performed by a multidisciplinary team that analyzed high incident areas along the route, courtesy NJDOT

Atlantic City, well known for its resorts, casinos, and boardwalk, has a large share of residents who use alternative transportation modes daily: about 30 percent of its residents use public transit and 17 percent walk to work. On centrally-located Atlantic Avenue, high pedestrian volumes and a disproportionate number of traffic incidents have prompted several studies to determine the scope of needed infrastructure improvements to support pedestrian and bicycle safety and address deficiencies for vehicular travel.  New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT), and the South Jersey Transportation Planning Organization (SJTPO), the regional Metropolitan Planning Organization, in partnership with the City, supported these studies to analyze conditions along the route and to make recommendations for a safer corridor.  The decade-long planning process for the Atlantic Avenue corridor provides an example of collaboration between the municipality, SJTPO and NJDOT to implement safety improvements for all roadway users.

The planning process used strategies such as Data-Driven Safety Analysis and Road Safety Audits that are supported by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Many of the study recommendations include safety countermeasures that FHWA has promoted through its Every Day Counts (EDC)-4 and EDC-5 Safe Transportation for Every Pedestrian, or STEP, Innovative Initiative. These strategies include Leading Pedestrian Intervals, Crosswalk Visibility Enhancements, Pedestrian Crossing/Refuge Islands, and Road Diets. The EDC program identifies proven and underutilized innovations and promotes rapid deployment.

About the Corridor

Atlantic Avenue is a major thoroughfare through the center of Atlantic City. The street is 69 feet wide, with four travel lanes and a fifth lane at some intersections for turning. Along the corridor, there are retail and commercial centers, a bus terminal, healthcare facilities, and a public library. Eleven bus stops, each accommodating up to ten different bus routes, provide frequent transit service and contribute to high pedestrian volume. The Atlantic City Rail Terminal is situated several blocks to the Northeast, adding to pedestrian trips.

Due to high foot traffic, and the nature of the roadway, this segment of Atlantic Avenue saw 829 crashes in a five-year period, from 2013 to 2017. Compared to the rest of the municipality, three times as many incidents involving pedestrians, and twice as many involving cyclists occurred along this 2.65 mile stretch. Recognizing the ongoing challenges, leaders and transportation planners at both the City and the South Jersey Transportation Planning Organization (SJTPO) initiated the process to study safety improvements for this important corridor.

2011 – A Policy Framework

Following NJDOT’s adoption of a Complete Streets policy in 2009, Atlantic City passed its 2011 Complete Streets policy to promote consideration of the safety of all roadway users in infrastructure planning. The resolution mentions the need to improve safety for cyclists and all users of a street, such as the elderly, non-drivers, and the mobility impaired. It acknowledges, too, that incorporating pedestrian and cyclist infrastructure can simultaneously reduce traffic congestion and fossil fuel emissions. The 2011 resolution and policy supports the City Planning Department’s goals of improving bicycle and pedestrian safety and accessibility, enhancing economic development, and developing initiatives to increase residents’ knowledge of safe bicycle and pedestrian travel (Atlantic City Resolution No. 917).

2013  – Atlantic City Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan

Image of plan cover page, the first reads Atlantic City, always turned on, Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan, Local Planning Assistance Program, Final May 2013, an dbelow four square images, clockwise of people crossing a street, a man in a wheelchair waiting to cross, a young girl feeding gulls on the boardwalk, and people biking along the boardwalk. Below it reads Prepared for: The New Jersey Department of Transportation and the City of Atlantic City.

The Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan helped to first identify problem areas along Atlantic City's Atlantic Avenue, courtesy NJDOT

NJDOT funded the 2013 Atlantic City Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan through the agency’s Office of Bicycle and Pedestrian Programs Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP), which helps New Jersey municipalities improve active transportation infrastructure.

Consultants analyzed the City’s bicycle and pedestrian network, and made suggestions for improvements in areas of concern. Among the City’s streets, the Atlantic Avenue corridor ranked first for both pedestrian and bicycle crashes. Analysts also identified the corridor as the location of 8 of the top 10 intersections for pedestrian or bicycle crashes.

According to the Plan, “Pedestrian safety is imperative not only because each of us becomes a pedestrian as part of every trip, but also because creating safe walkable streets is critical to the success of the City redevelopment and tourist efforts.” However, the document notes that, at the date of publication, there were no dedicated bicycling facilities in Atlantic City. (Atlantic City Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan).

The 2013 Plan suggested several alternatives for street design interventions in Atlantic City. On Atlantic Avenue, Alternative 1 involved removing a lane of travel in each direction, widening the median, installing buffered bike lanes between Ohio and Maine Avenues on the corridor. In the same stretch, Alternative 2 proposed using parking as a buffer for bike lanes abutting the curb on each stretch. The report concluded by calling for the formation of a task force of stakeholders to discuss the implementation of such road diets.

2014 – Atlantic Avenue Road Safety Audit (RSA)

Graphic with a depiction of a magnifying glass covering a road with people walking on it, reading "Road Safety Audits: a Road Safety Audit is a proactive formal safety performance examination of an existing or future road or intersection by an independent and multi disciplinary team. Safety Benefit: 10 to 60 percent reduction in total crashes.

RSA's were one of the safety countermeasures FHWA promoted through EDC-4 and EDC-5, courtesy FHWA

The following year, the Transportation Safety Research Center (TSRC) at the Rutgers Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation (CAIT), in collaboration with the South Jersey Transportation Planning Organization (SJTPO) and the City of Atlantic City, conducted a road safety audit of the most heavily trafficked portion of Atlantic Avenue, between South Carolina and Michigan Avenues. This study analyzed dangerous intersections in depth along the Atlantic Avenue corridor.

Road Safety Audits (RSA) are one of FHWA’s proven safety countermeasures. An RSA, conducted by a multi-disciplinary team that is independent of the design team, considers all road users and their capabilities and limitations. Findings are documented in a formal report and, while they do not constitute engineering studies, require a response from the road owner. RSAs can result in a 10-60 percent reduction in crashes.

According to FHWA, advantages of an RSA include:

  • Reduced number and severity of crashes due to safer designs.
  • Reduced costs resulting from early identification and mitigation of safety issues before projects are built.
  • Improved awareness of safe design practices.
  • Increased opportunities to integrate multimodal safety strategies and proven safety countermeasures.
  • Expanded ability to consider human factors in all facets of design.

Based on crash data, the RSA identified pedestrian “hot spot” and corridor locations along Atlantic Avenue, between Mississippi Avenue and Virginia Avenue. The study looked at crashes according to time of year, week, and day; lighting conditions; collision type and severity; and intersection.

Bar graph reading Crash Type and Severity, the tallest bars (by a wide margin) are same direction, rear end, and same direction, side swipe. Pedalcyclist and pedestrian collisions rank very high as well.

Many of the incidents involved vehicles striking each other in the same direction, one motivation for the road diet, courtesy SJTPO.

NJDOT provides network screening lists to the three Metropolitan Planning Organizations which identify hot spot and corridor locations based on crash data. The RSA analysts took this data for the SJTPO region and then worked to identify the source of the crashes by examining geometric and physical characteristics of the location. The process involved looking at types of crashes and other details to establish patterns, and then suggesting countermeasures to address those problems. These hot spot lists are crucial to securing federal funding for infrastructure improvements such as the proposed road diet.

The Road Safety Audit identified issues, such as signal phasing, roadway maintenance, and lack of bicycle facilities, and made recommendations. Like the 2013 Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan, the 2014 Road Safety Audit provided two road diet alternatives, suggesting the removal of one lane to accommodate bike lanes and a median with a turning lane. Road diets are promoted by FHWA as a safety countermeasure that improves speed limit compliance, reduces crashes, and provides a space for enhanced bicycle and pedestrian facilities.

2020 – Atlantic Avenue Road Safety Assessment

PDF cover, reading January 2020, Road Safety Assessment, Atlantic Avenue, Atlantic City, Atlantic County, NJ, then there are three images of the route, rather car-oriented in design, followed by text: Road Safety Assessment, Atlantic Avenue from Boston Avenue to Maine Avenue

A final Road Safety Assessment was performed in 2020, recommending a road diet, with a median and protected bike lanes, courtesy City of Atlantic City

Building on the findings of the 2014 report, consultants in 2019 conducted a data-driven analysis of the conditions along Atlantic Avenue from Boston Avenue to New Hampshire Avenue, and recommended safety countermeasures to improve pedestrian safety, reduce the frequency of vehicular collisions, and improve traffic flow.

The 2020 Atlantic Avenue Road Safety Assessment looked at all crashes along the entire corridor, by crash type (pedestrian, bicycle, parked vehicle), and by intersection. Consultants also conducted travel time runs during each of the corridor’s scheduled signal timing schedules. They engaged in site visits to look for causes of crashes and to observe the condition of the roadway infrastructure, and then developed statistical observations and recommendations from their findings.

Overall, they found a lack of consistency on the roadway that resulted in unpredictable driving conditions. In one example, poorly timed signals caused drivers to try to “beat” the light, which, in combination with poor pedestrian visibility and infrastructure, led to collisions.

For a recommendation, the consultants cite NJDOT guidance for bikeway selection. At the current vehicle traffic figures (Annual Average Daily Traffic 15,000) and an 85th percentile speed of 35 mph, NJDOT recommends a Buffered Bicycle Lane, Separated Bicycle Lane or Shared Use Path. The report presented two preferred options, Alternatives #5 and #6, each of which involve removing a driving lane and adding a median; Alternative #6 would place the bikeway between the curb and parked cars, to decrease the chance of “dooring.” These alternatives recall those suggested by the 2013 Master Plan.

2021 – Atlantic Avenue Road Diet Implementation

Twelve years after Atlantic City passed its Complete Streets policy, a road diet will be built, extending the length of Atlantic Avenue. The four-lane road will be reduced to two travel lanes with a center median. Protected bicycle lanes will be located between the travel lane and curbside parking, in both directions. Other countermeasures to be implemented echoed those called for in the 2013 Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan, including leading pedestrian intervals, traffic signal heads with backplates, and targeted left turn restrictions. According to City Engineer Uzo Ahiarakwe, improvements to some intersections will include bump-outs to decrease the distance that pedestrians need to cross Atlantic Avenue, synchronization of traffic lights, higher visibility crosswalk striping, and ADA-compliant curb cuts.

Atlantic Avenue’s road diet conversion and additional infrastructure improvements will cost between $8 and $10 million. The City expects to cover 10 percent of the project cost and to receive federal funding for the remaining 90 percent. The project is set to go out to bid in Fall 2021 with construction due to be complete in Summer 2022 (Brunetti).

 

Resources

Brunetti, Michelle. Atlantic City putting Atlantic Avenue on a ‘diet’. March 5, 2021. Press of Atlantic City. https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/atlantic-city-putting-atlantic-avenue-on-a-diet/article_f9b1e44f-43f0-5cf2-9b8a-91e4c1d3fb0e.html

City of Atlantic City. (2011). Resolution Establishing and Adopting a City of Atlantic City Complete Streets Policy. City of Atlantic City. http://njbikeped.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Atlantic-City-Complete-Streets-Resolution.pdf

City of Atlantic City. (2013). Atlantic City Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan. Local Planning Assistance Program. City of Atlantic City. https://njcrda.com/wp-content/uploads/Atlantic-City-LTA-Final-Report.pdf

Federal Highway Administration. Road Safety Audits. Federal Highway Administration. https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/rsa/

Federal Highway Administration. Proven Safety Countermeasures: Road Safety Audits. Federal Highway Administration. https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/provencountermeasures/road_safety_audit/

Federal Highway Administration. Proven Safety Countermeasures: Road Diets. Federal Highway Administration. https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/provencountermeasures/road_diets/

JMT. (2020, January). Road Safety Assessment: Atlantic Avenue, Atlantic City, Atlantic County, NJ. City of Atlantic City. https://www.njdottechtransfer.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/19-01474_Road_Safety_Assessment_Report.pdf

South Jersey Transportation Planning Organization. Atlantic Avenue Road Safety Audit. South Jersey Transportation Planning Organization. https://www.sjtpo.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/2014_AC_Atlantic-Avenue-RSA-Report.pdf

 

TAMS: New Management System Streamlines Multiple Databases

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In August 2021, AASHTO recognized NJDOT's Transportation Asset Management System (TAMS) as a regional winner in the 2021 America's Transportation Awards Competitions in the "Best Use of Technology and Innovation" category. The article below, which first appeared in Transporter (Vol. 52, No. 3), an NJDOT employee newsletter, was entitled New Management System Streamlines Multiple Databases, One Man's Vision Becomes a Transformational Information Hub. The article was penned by the NJDOT Commissioner, Diane Gutierrez-Scacetti in recognition of the value of the innovation for NJDOT's operations.

Inspiration can come at any moment and in any place – even when ordering a sandwich at a local Wawa. Yes, that was when it struck Andrew Tunnard, Assistant Commissioner, Transportation Operations, Systems & Support (TOS&S), on how to revolutionize information sharing at NJDOT. While ordering lunch at the kiosk with Urvi Dave, formerly TOS&S Administrative Analyst 4, he shared his vision of creating a platform that would aggregate data from various units, and provide a menu of assets, much like the system that they were using to order lunch.

A drawn image of a road with an intersection, and bridges, with various parts, such as drainage inlet and traffic signal, showing the conceptual framework for what would become NJDOT's TAMS information management system

Andrew Tunnard, Assistant Commissioner, TOS&S, the visionary behind the TAMS system, shared his original concept graphic and stated, “This is a hand drawn depiction of the original concept of TAMS. It was meant to show the disparate asset management systems and how we had the potential to merge them into one system. The new system gives users visibility into work performed on all assets.”

This system would bridge all units, allowing data to be transparent, drive informed decision-making, and create pathways to efficiency. The system would provide complex datasets that are required for budgeting and cost analysis, helping to reduce costs and increase productivity. In short, the system would change the entire manner in which staff accessed and shared information. Urvi embraced the vision of a better solution and began brainstorming.

In October 2020, after years of planning and hundreds of work hours, NJDOT released the first iteration of the Transportation Asset Management System (TAMS). After a year of operation, TAMS is becoming the asset management hub that will transform the way we share Department information for years to come. The new system replaces the inefficient legacy Maintenance Management System (MMS) and numerous other software applications used by various units that made data sharing cumbersome and fact-finding a challenge.

What Is TAMS

TAMS is a Software as a Service (SaaS) solution that integrates all of the TOS&S maintenance assets into a single platform. TAMS provides field and office staff with a system that includes a menu of services, equipment, materials, locations and more that are used in their daily activities. It is accessible from any location, at any time, for data input, reporting and analyzing. Assets include labor, equipment, material, projects, budgets, all state owned and maintained roadways, electrical assets, bridges, and traffic signals, etc. More than 500,000 assets in approximately 64 categories are available in the TAMS menu.

Staff can input real-time data of all work activities from the field or office, including labor, materials, and equipment used for every maintenance project, with a date and time stamp of work begun and completed. This information goes into the Geographical Information System (GIS) with assets displayed on a map. When the user opens the asset on the map, it displays a before and after picture of the maintenance or project work completed, along with all of the other pertinent project information, providing a complete history from construction/installation to end of life in real- time.

Senior Management will now have easy access to all assets through the TAMS smart dashboard for reporting, planning, budgeting, and risk assessment. TAMS creates a synergy between staff of varying responsibilities by making data accessible to everyone in a manner that has never before existed in the Department. Using machine learning, the system will accumulate data enabling predictive asset maintenance and replacement scheduling. It will also allow repetitive problem locations to be identified, tracked, and addressed. Managing labor and allocating for overtime also will now be based on real-time data analysis. In addition, it will facilitate faster and more accurate report generation for Federal funding reimbursement.

TAMS Today

An Emergency Call Records form (EL-15) often mobilizes TOS&S staff when maintenance is required. The TAMS platform integrates the EL-15 form allowing for the tracking of all activities including labor and equipment costs, weather and special events, while providing GIS location and images.

TAMS by the Numbers Since Launch:

  • Activity Reports: Nearly 90,560 daily activity reports have been entered into the platform
  • Potential Claims: Nearly 4,050 activity reports have been identified by field crews as potential claims for reimbursement with the newly added early detection TOS&S functionality.
  • Major Events: Nearly 44 major weather events have been recorded.
  • Emergency Call Records (EL-15 records): More than 30,295 EL-15 reports have been documented.
  • Public Problem Reports: 4,219 Public Problem Reports (PPR) have been submitted and administered by the Central Dispatch Unit and acted on by field crews. This is a 14% increase in public reporting from the prior system. PPR replaced the public Pothole Hotline webpage.

The Future of TAMS

TAMS is scalable to other units and will provide all designated staff with platform access, allowing cross-unit data input and retrieval. The cross-unit platform will create an easy, efficient and transparent tool that will make the entire Department more efficient and productive.

Stronger, More Resilient Bridges: Ultra High-Performance Concrete (UHPC) Applications in New Jersey

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UHPC for Bridge Preservation and Repair is a model innovation in the latest round of the FHWA’s Every Day Counts Program (EDC-6).  UHPC is recognized as an innovative new material that can be used to extend the life of bridges. Its enhanced strength reduces the need for repairs, adding to the service life of a facility.   

This Q&A article has been prepared following correspondence with Pranav Lathia, an NJDOT Supervising Engineer, Structural & RR Engineering Services, to learn more about current initiatives to test and deploy UHPC on the Garden State’s bridges. The Q&A correspondence has been edited for clarity.

 

Q. What is Ultra High Performance Concrete (UHPC), and why is it particularly useful for bridge preservation and repair (P&R)?

Ultra High Performance Concrete (UHPC) is a new class of concrete which contains extraordinary properties of durability and strength. UHPC is a cement based composite material, which consists of steel fiber reinforcement, cement, fine sand, and other admixtures. UHPC is a useful alternative for bridge repairs and preservation due to its long-term durability, which will minimize repairs to a specific structure over time.

Q. Why, in some cases, is UHPC a better application than traditional treatments?

Due to its chemical properties UHPC has a compressive strength of seven times that of regular concrete. Therefore, UHPC is mostly used for thin overlays, closure pours, link slabs, beam end repairs and joint headers.

Q. What are some advantages of UHPC?

UHPC overlays appear to have many ideal properties for deck surface, including superior bond strength, compressive strength, lower permeability, greater freeze-thaw damage resistance, good abrasion resistance, and rapid cure times, among others.

Q. What are some disadvantages to UHPC?

There are some disadvantages to UHPC.  UHPC has higher material costs which has to be a factor in the Department's decision process. A life-cycle cost analysis is appropriate for making a determination of whether it is a cost-effective alternative for the Department.  Fresh UHPC does not bond well to hardened UHPC, therefore careful consideration for joint construction is needed, including reinforced staging joints. There is also limited test data for construction materials to determine their ability to perform well with UHPC. In addition, the NJ construction workforce is not very familiar with the use of UHPC as an overlay.

Image of a red rectangular device that works to smooth the UHPC,

Figure 1: It is imperative that contractors establish the proper amount of UHPC fluidity to maintain the bridge deck’s grade. Courtesy of NJDOT.

Q. When is UHPC perhaps not an appropriate solution?

UHPC would not be an appropriate solution for a full deck replacement, superstructure replacement, or total replacement.

Q. What are some examples of UHPC’s previous implementations?

Before our initiation of a pilot program, UHPC had only been used for ABC (closure pours) and pre-cast connections in New Jersey since 2014.

 Q. How is NJDOT approaching the potential implementation of UHPC for bridge preservation and replacement (P&R)?

Currently NJDOT uses UHPC ABC (closure pours) for prefabricated superstructures. NJDOT has launched and implemented a UHPC Overlay Research Project in conjunction with the design engineering firm, WSP Solutions.

Q. Can you describe the how UHPC is applied in the pilot project for P&R?

In the pilot project, a 1.5” UHPC overlay has been applied to four NJDOT structures. The UHPC overlay was constructed on the bridge deck along with the reconstruction of deteriorated deck joints.

Q. What bridges were selected, and what was the rationale for their selection?

Four structures were chosen for the UHPC overlay pilot program and split into two separate contracts, Contract A (North) and Contract B (South):

  • I-295 NB & US 130 NB over Mantua Creek in West Deptford, Gloucester County
  • NJ 57 over Hances Brook in Mansfield, Warren County
  • I-280 WB over Newark Turnpike in Kearny, Hudson County
  • NJ 159 WB over Passaic River in Montville, Morris County

The selected bridges for the pilot program were in good condition to leverage the perceived long life-span of UHPC and not allow other factors to limit the potential service life. Eight candidate structures were fully evaluated and tested before the four structures were advanced. The bridges that were ultimately selected varied in their age, size and design. All the bridges had asphalt overlay.

Q. What were the evaluation criteria used for the selection of the pilots?

All structures included in the program were evaluated for suitability based on the structural evaluations, chloride content within the deck, feasible construction stages, traffic analysis results, and existing overlay depths. Chloride content was obtained from the concrete cores we had completed on each bridge deck.

Q. What best practices were learned from the pilot projects?

It was best to install the UHPC overlays in locations that UHPC would serve as the final riding surface. The Department felt that an UHPC overlay should be constructed on structures which had an existing asphalt overlay. A thinner overlay could have been provided to cut material costs. Using a pan mixer, the supplier had the ability to control the fluidity of the UHPC, which is extremely important when dealing with extreme temperatures and high deflection/ movement structures. A flow test should continue to be required to verify the proper mixing and consistency of the UHPC overlay material.

Q. Were there any innovations from the implementation of the pilot projects?

A deeper overlay could be considered as a viable alternative for structures that need major deck rehabilitation or replacement.

A bridge with a plastic cover at night, waiting for the UHPC to cure

Figure 2. An NJDOT UHPC treatment in the process of curing. Courtesy of NJDOT.

Q. How is data from the pilots being used to research further UHPC applications?

The data from the pilot program will be used to further the Department’s investigation in UHPC for applications other than just bridge deck overlays.

Q.  What can be done to prepare industry and the workforce for UHPC as an overlay?

The implementation of UHPC affects the current workforce because it is a new material to be used in New Jersey. The current workforce does not have enough experience with UHPC’s properties which could make a repair more challenging.  UHPC has only been used for closure pours in New Jersey. This knowledge gap could be solved by supplying the workforce with workshops, seminars, and suggested construction sequences, practices and equipment. A test slab should also be constructed to verify the proposed material and the contractor’s procedures.

Q. Are there needed actions to better educate NJDOT staff on its efficacy and potential uses?

Yes, training and peer exchange activities are valuable for further educating NJDOT staff on UHPC. Recently, we participated in a a two-day UHPC workshop (October 2021) with the U.S. Department of Transportation. The workshop provided participants with a greater understanding of what UHPC is, and explored solutions for using UHPC for bridge deck overlays, link slabs, and steel girder end repairs. Participants were given information on where to obtain guidance for implementing different types of UHPC preservation and repair strategies. The workshop also provided participants with the opportunity to discuss their UHPC implementation strategy, construction specifications, and design details with FHWA EDC-6 UHPC team members.

Image of a bridge with a new white smooth UHPC application on top.

Figure 3. The final product, a UHPC overlay before asphalt paving. Courtesy of NJDOT.

Q. What does the future of UHPC look like in New Jersey?

The future of UHPC in New Jersey could consist of UHPC connection repairs, seismic retrofits, column repairs, concrete patching, shotcrete, steel girder strengthening, bridge deck overlays, and link slabs.

Q. In the current EDC-6 Round, the NJ STIC states that it is planning on performing an assessment of the UHPC pilot projects. When they are complete, how will they be assessed? Could you tell us more about the long-term testing program being developed to gather performance data in the assessment phase?

These are still works in progress. A long-term monitoring and testing program is being developed to gather performance data in the assessment phase. The scope of our current efforts includes further investigation and research, collection and evaluation of performance data, updating the standard specifications and conducting a life cycle cost analysis.

Q. Can you describe the objective(s) and/or provide any other status information about the long-term program goals?

A long-term goal for the department is to incorporate UHPC into our design manual, including for P&R.Eventually we could see UHPC incorporated with bridge deck overlays and concrete bridge repairs. There is currently no timeline on incorporating UHPC into the design manual. We anticipate revising the standard specifications, but there are no updates regarding the revision of the standard specifications for UHPC.

Resources

Federal Highway Administration. (2019, February). Design and Construction of Field-Cast UHPC Connections. Federal Highway Administration. https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/infrastructure/structures/bridge/uhpc/19011/index.cfm

Federal Highway Administration. (2020, November). Eliminating Bridge Joints with Link Slabs—An Overview of State Practices. Federal Highway Administration. https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/bridge/preservation/docs/hif20062.pdf

Federal Highway Administration. (2018, April). Example Construction Checklist: UHPC Connections for Prefabricated Bridge Elements. Federal Highway Administration. https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/bridge/abc/docs/uhpc-construction-checklist.pdf

Federal Highway Administration. (2018, March). Properties and Behavior of UHPC-Class Materials. Federal Highway Administration. https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/infrastructure/structures/bridge/18036/18036.pdf

Federal Highway Administration. (2018, February) Ultra-High Performance Concrete for Bridge Deck Overlays. Federal Highway Administration. https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/infrastructure/bridge/17097/index.cfm

Mendenhall, Jess and Rabie, Samer. (2021, October 20). UHPC Overlays for Bridge Preservation—Lessons Learned. New Jersey Department of Transportation. https://www.njdottechtransfer.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/NJDOT-UHPC-Overlay-Research-Project-EDC-6-Workshop.pdf

New Jersey Department of Transportation. (2021, October 20). NJDOT Workshop Report. New Jersey Department of Transportation. https://www.njdottechtransfer.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/NJDOT-UHPC-Workshop-Final-Report.pdf

New Mexico Department of Transportation. (2010). Feasibility Analysis of Ultra High Performance Concrete for Prestressed Concrete Bridge Applications. New Mexico Department of Transportation. https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/24640

New York State Department of Transportation. (2021, June). Item 557. 6601NN16 – Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC). New York State Department of Transportation. https://www.dot.ny.gov/spec-repository-us/557.66010116.pdf