The AASHTO 2023 Best Virtual Event Award recognizes a special event that is held virtually or that includes a virtual component.
AASHTO’s Committee on Transportation Communications – known as TransComm – sponsors an annual skills awards competition to promote the sharing of best practices and to recognize outstanding communications efforts. In October 2023, NJDOT Bureau of Research representatives Amanda Gendek and Pragna Shah accepted the 2023 AASHTO TransComm Skills Award in the Virtual Events Category for NJDOT’s 24th Annual Research Showcase.
The NJDOT’s Bureau of Research Annual Research Showcase has been held since 1999 and provides an opportunity for the state’s transportation community to experience the broad scope of research initiatives and technology transfer activities conducted by their university and consultant partners. In addition to convening transportation professionals and researchers, the Showcase helps to emphasize NJDOT goals and objectives, share knowledge, and recognize the outstanding and inspiring research being done in the state.
The threat of COVID-19 transmission during the pandemic led to the Research Showcase being held fully online in 2020 and 2021. These fully virtual events resulted in a much larger audience, and even attracted attendees from other state Departments of Transportation. In 2022, as in-person events returned, the NJDOT Bureau of Research sought to find an approach that would maintain that larger audience base.
Amanda Gendek (left) and Pragna Shah (right) of the Bureau of Research with the award.
The 24th Annual Research Showcase, held October 26, 2022, was the first “hybrid” Research Showcase held by NJDOT and allowed individuals to attend the event online, while also allowing those able to gather, network and celebrate in person. Convening in a hybrid format required some additional coordination with the event planning team from Rutgers and Civic Eye Collaborative, a media consultant firm to live-stream the day’s proceedings. In total, 117 virtual participants and 190 in-person participants attended the day-long event.
Whether attending “in-person” or “virtually,” the audience heard from the keynote speaker and panelists on the major theme of the event “Advancing Equity in Transportation.”
The Showcase theme, “Advancing Equity in Transportation” served as the organizing framework for the keynote speaker and panelists during the morning plenary session. The keynote speaker, Keith Benjamin, Associate Administrator for Highway Policy and External Affairs at the FHWA, spoke about the USDOT’s efforts to advance equity, highlighting the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act and various funding and program initiatives to address equity in transportation planning, project development, and other activities, among other topics. A panel session then explored the perspectives of representatives from NJDOT, county government, and transportation management associations (TMAs) who shared examples of the equity initiatives underway in their organizations. Questions and discussion invited panels to further reflect on the challenges and opportunities for advancing equity in transportation in New Jersey.
The Showcase included afternoon breakout sessions featuring research presentations that continued to address the equity theme as well as other mobility, infrastructure, safety topics in transportation being performed by research faculty, staff, and students and NJ agencies. Several awards were also presented in recognition of research accomplishments and implemented innovations. For a full description of the 24th Annual Research Showcase event, see this recap here.
The 24th Annual Research showcase was recognized with the AASHTO Award for its efforts to enhance accessibility through the virtual platform. In addition to live-streaming the plenary and breakout sessions, the video recordings of the event were posted on NJDOT’s Tech Transfer Video Library and all those who registered were notified of its availability — whether attending in-person or online. Subsequent direct email communications and social media posts have further broadened the audience of potential viewers. To watch recordings from this, and other Research Showcase events, visit the NJDOT Tech Transfer Video Library.
The theme of the 24th Annual Research Showcase was selected in recognition of the significant Federal and state efforts underway to advance equity; Executive Order 13985 established a “whole government approach” to advancing equity and opportunity at the Federal level (left). Dr. Shawn Wilson, then-Secretary of Transportation in Louisiana, headlined a roundtable discussion, “State DOTs: Creating Pathways to Equity” at the Transportation Research Board’s 2022 Annual Meeting (right).
The 25th Annual NJDOT Research Showcase provided an opportunity for the New Jersey transportation community to learn about the broad scope of academic research initiatives underway and share technology transfer activities being conducted by institutions of higher education partners and their associates. The annual event serves as a showcase to highlight the benefits of transportation research, including NJDOT’s own program. This event was an in-person event with a livestreaming option with sessions held from 9:00am-2:45pm on October 25, 2023.
This year’s Showcase theme, “Commitment to Safety,” served as the organizing framework for the speakers and panelists during the morning plenary session. Throughout the day the Research Showcase featured presentations on infrastructure, safety, mobility, and equity topics being performed by research faculty, staff, students, and NJ agencies. Several awards were presented in recognition of research and implemented innovations.
The Research Showcase Program Agenda provides more information on the day’s proceedings, including presented topics and invited speakers. Recordings of the plenary and breakout sessions, and the presentations and posters shared during the event can be found below.
MORNING
WELCOMING AND INTRODUCTORY REMARKS
David Maruca, Program Development Administrator, Rutgers Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation, served as the moderator for the morning session, offering some housekeeping remarks and walked through the morning’s agenda.
Morning Plenary and Keynote
Andrew Swords, Director, New Jersey Department of Transportation Division of Statewide Planning, welcomed attendees to the 25th Annual NJDOT Research Showcase, explaining the purpose and theme of the event, “Commitment to Safety,” and acknowledging several parties, including NJDOT Bureau of Research staff, Rutgers-CAIT, and the leadership of NJDOT and FHWA for their planning and participation in the day’s event along with the research partners whose work was being showcased.
Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti, Commissioner, New Jersey Department of Transportation, thanked several partners for their involvement in the event and reflected on the history of the Research Showcase Event on the occasion of the 25th Anniversary. In framing the day’s activities, Commissioner Gutierrez-Scaccetti recognized the event’s “Commitment to Safety” theme and the foundational importance of transportation for affecting positive change, improving the quality of life, and the shape of New Jersey’s transportation system. In her remarks, she appealed to attendees to advance community-centered transportation and to commit to considering the needs of ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) persons when devising research questions and in carrying out their day-to-day activities with the goal of planning, building and maintaining a more safe, equitable and sustainable transportation system.
Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti, Commissioner, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Photo by Steve Goodman.
Robert Clark, Division Administrator, Federal Highway Administration New Jersey Division acknowledged the importance of the NJDOT Research Showcase’s “Commitment to Safety” theme. He described several policy and research commitments at U.S. DOT, FHWA Turner-Fairbanks Research Center and the Volpe Center that are intended to “double-down” on improving safety, reducing fatalities and strengthening the culture of safety in transportation. In closing out, Mr. Clark shared the USDOT Commissioner’s message that roadway deaths is a crisis that is urgent, unacceptable and preventable; those in attendance should see that their work and research into safety can prove that roadway fatalities need not be inevitable.
KEYNOTE ADDRESS
Dr. Allison E. Curry, PhD, MPH, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia delivered the keynote address on the New Jersey Safety and Health Outcomes (NJ-SHO) Data Warehouse. In organizing her talk, she explained the vision behind the development of the data warehouse over the last 15 years, the data sources that have been employed, its innovative features that can support meaningful research, and her vision for future research and collaborations drawing upon the data warehouse platform.
Dr. Curry described how crash data can be linked to other data sets to extend the period of study about crashes. She explained the data warehouse has been built through an array of administrative data partnerships with NJ agencies (e.g, public health, hospital, motor vehicle, police, medicare and medicaid, etc.) that have been linked alongside rich community-level indicators available at the census tract level to create a robust data tool for traffic safety research.
Dr. Allison E. Curry, PhD, MPH, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Photo by Steve Goodman.
New Jersey Safety and Health Outcomes (NJ-SHO) Data Warehouse. Dr. Allison E. Curry, PhD, MPH, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Her talk highlighted some of the limitations of crash reports that explain the need for data integration with other administrative record sources. She emphasized the longitudinal features of the data warehouse and explained how its linkages to health and motor vehicle records makes it possible to study specific populations segments — for example, teens on the autism spectrum. In her example, she described her research demonstrating how the data sets could be used to investigate the percentage of teens with autism who acquired driver licenses to increase their travel independence. She also could compare whether crash rates were comparable between this group and other teens in their age cohort at 12 months and 48 months from receipt of a license.
Dr. Curry also highlighted data limitations on reporting of race and ethnicity on NJ crash and licensing data and how other data sources (e.g., hospital discharge, electronic health records, birth and death data, etc. ) can be used to look at race and ethnic differences in non-fatal crash outcomes. In doing so, she highlighted how a probability-based algorithm, Bayesian Surname Geocoding (Sartin 2021), developed by the RAND Corporation, has been applied to estimate the race and ethnicity of driver licenses and address a source of race and ethnic bias in hospital record reporting due to varying levels of hospital usage.
Dr. Curry touched upon several of NJ SHO’s innovative features that can enable research. Among other points, she contrasted the “urban planning lens” which considers the place in which an accident occurred with the “public health lens” which seeks information about persons who are crash victims and where they live.
She also offered illustrative examples of how the NJ-SHO can be linked to vehicles to examine types of crashes, vehicle types and the injuries incurred which can reveal differences among more vulnerable populations (e.g, youth, elderly, poor) from other populations.
Dr. Curry closed her talk with a sneak preview of a new interactive data dashboard, NJ-SHO Center for Integrated Data, currently in development in association with the NJ Division of Traffic and Highway Safety. She noted how the dashboard tool will help practitioners efficiently use available data sets in ways that will mirror the metrics of the NJ Strategic Highway Safety Plan with a focus on persons as well as community resilience and social vulnerability equity-oriented measures.
Dr. Curry responded to questions in a Q&A session that followed her keynote remarks.
MORNING SESSION PANEL DISCUSSION
An interactive panel discussion, “How is New Jersey Department of Transportation Addressing Safety?” followed the keynote session with state NJDOT staff representatives who presented examples of the safety initiatives underway at NJDOT and reflected on persistent challenges and opportunities for addressing transportation safety in New Jersey.
The panelists included:
Andrew Swords, Director, New Jersey Department of Transportation Division of Statewide Planning.
Syed Kazmi, Section Chief, New Jersey Department of Transportation Division of Traffic Engineering
Kurt McCoy, Supervising Engineer, New Jersey Department of Transportation Division of Operations Support
Sangaran Vijayakumar, Project Management Specialist 3, New Jersey Department of Transportation Division of Project Management
Hirenkumar Patel, Principal Engineer, New Jersey Department of Transportation Division of Transportation Mobility
Safety Panel
How is New Jersey Department of Transportation Addressing Safety?
Participants responded to a series of questions posed by the moderator and by the audience members.
Panelists shared their views on how the New Jersey Department of Transportation addresses safety. Photo by Steve Goodman.
AWARDS
The program continued as Dr. Giri Venkiteela Research Scientist, Bureau of Research, New Jersey Department of Transportation announced several awards given in recognition of research, innovation and implementation efforts. Below is a listing of the award winners presented at this year’s showcase:
2023 Outstanding University Student in Transportation Research Award – Alissa Persad, Rutgers University, Ms. Persad was being recognized in part for her valued contributions to the Innovative Materials for Quick Patching and Repair of Concrete project.
2023 NJDOT Research Implementation Award – Dr. Hao Wang, Rutgers University Energy Harvesting on New Jersey Roadways. This project identified potential energy harvesting technology for applications on roadways and bridges and conducted feasibility analysis and performance evaluation of the selected technologies for large-scale and micro-scale energy generation.
2023 Best Poster Award – Alyssa Yvette Sunga, Rowan University, Properties of Cementitious Materials with Reclaimed Cement. This poster described research activities that obtained recycled concrete; determined the chemical composition of reclaimed cement; partially replaced ordinary Portland cement with reclaimed cement in cement paste and mortar; and determined the fresh and hardened properties of cement paste and mortar through tests measuring flowability, initial setting time, heat of hydration, and compressive strength.
2023 Research Champion Excellence Award – Thomas Bushar, New Jersey Department of Transportation, Materials. This award recognizes Mr. Busher’s dedication while serving as a Technical Advisory Panel member for The Evaluation of Different Paint Systems for Over-Coating Existing Structural Steel project. The award notes that his commitment greatly contributed to the success and implementation of this research project.
2023 NJDOT Build a Better Mousetrap Award – Gerald Oliveto, P.E. New Jersey Department of Transportation, Moveable Bridge Unit. The “Route 71 Over Shark River Road Diet” is a road diet project that preserves an old historic drawbridge while improving safety and saving money. When the Route 71 Drawbridge over Shark River between Belmar and Avon-by-the-Sea in Monmouth County suffered a mechanical failure in September 2021, engineers worked quickly to design and implement a solution that would both preserve the drawbridge and keep it in safe operation. The traffic load needed to be redistributed and balanced properly across the span to keep the bridge opened. NJDOT implemented a road diet across the bridge, which allowed the Department to address several safety issues. Traffic over the bridge was reduced from one northbound lane and two southbound lanes to one lane in each direction. Signal timings were adjusted, safety improvements at surrounding intersections were installed, and highway signage was enhanced. In addition, bike lanes that had previously ended abruptly were carried across the drawbridge utilizing an innovative bicycle-safe grid, a first-of-its-kind achievement in New Jersey. Through this $150,000 project completed in May 2022, the Route 71 over Shark River Road Diet project improved traffic flow, increased safety, and reduced congestion in a busy tourist area.
Awards Ceremony
Presentation of 2023 Awards
PRESENTATION OF AWARDS
2023 Outstanding University Student in Transportation Research Award, Alissa Persad, Rutgers University, Innovative Materials for Quick Patching and Repair of Concrete. Photo by Steve Goodman.
2023 NJDOT Research Implementation Award, Dr. Hao Wang, Rutgers University Energy Harvesting on New Jersey Roadways. Photo by Steve Goodman.
2023 Best Poster Award, Alyssa Yvette Sunga, Rowan University, Properties of Cementitious Materials with Reclaimed Cement. Photo by Steve Goodman.
2023 Research Champion Excellence Award, Thomas Bushar, New Jersey Department of Transportation, Materials. Rajesh Kabaria accepted award on his behalf. Photo by Steve Goodman.
2023 NJDOT Build a Better Mousetrap Award, Gerald Oliveto, P.E. New Jersey Department of Transportation, Moveable Bridge Unit. The “Route 71 Over Shark River Road Diet.” Photo by Steve Goodman.
AFTERNOON
In the afternoon, concurrent break-out sessions were held and research presentations were given on the topics of Equity & Mobility, Infrastructure, and Safety in transportation. Students and researchers at New Jersey’s colleges and universities also presented their research objectives, methods and findings in a concurrent poster session offering those in attendance an opportunity to learn more about ongoing and recently completed research and interact with the researchers.
INFRASTRUCTURE BREAKOUT
Infrastructure Sessions
Development and Analysis of Low Embodied Carbon Concrete Mixtures for Use in Transportation Applications. Matthew P. Adams, New Jersey Institute of Technology
Asphalt Pavement Pothole Repair with Recycled Material and Preheating. Xiao Chen and Hao Wang, Rutgers University
Rapid Assessment of Infrastructure Using NDT Methods. Manuel Celaya, Advanced Infrastructure Design, Inc.
EQUITY & MOBILITY BREAKOUT
Equity & Mobility Sessions
Comparative Analysis of Arterial Characteristics to Evaluate Road Diet Lane Reduction Potential. Thomas Brennan, The College of New Jersey
A Vehicle Trajectory Stitching and Reconstruction Method for Digital Twin Applications with High-Resolution Roadside LiDAR Data. Anjiang Chen, Rutgers University
Developing Indicators for Comprehensive Evaluation of Equity in Transportation System. Catherine Abacan and Ruqaya Alfaris, Rowan University
SAFETY IN TRANSPORTATION BREAKOUT
Safety in Transportation Sessions
Unveiling Perceived Travel Safety for Micromobility Users: A Rider-Centered Exploration. Wenwen Zhang, Rutgers University
Determining Key Factors Linked to Injury Severity in Intersection-Related Crashes in NJ. Deep Patel, Rowan University
Understanding Crash Factors in Disadvantaged Communities: An Examination of Socioeconomic Disparities and Road Safety. Ruqaya Alfaris, Rowan University
2023 POSTER PRESENTATIONS
Optimizing Road Infrastructure: A Conceptual Simulation-Based Study of Dynamic Transit Lanes for Connected Private Vehicles
Connected Vehicles Data: A New Horizon for Estimating Traffic Counts
Properties of Cementitious Materials with Reclaimed Cement
Investigating Performance of Cold In-Place Recycled Asphalt Sections in Accelerated Pavement Testing Using Finite Element Modeling
Investigating the Severity of Curve-Related Roadway Departure Crashes: The Role of Driver Distraction, Automation Levels, and Environmental Conditions
Development of High-Frequency Electromagnetic Induction Technology for Nonintrusive Geophysical Ground Investigation in Cold Regions
Study of the Failure Mechanisms for Inducing Rockfall Hazard in New Jersey Area
Machine Learning Based Structural Health Monitoring of Rocking Bridge System under Seismic Excitation
Truck Parking Availability Prediction Model for Harding Truck Rest Area
Prediction of Critical Strains of Flexible Pavement from Traffic Speed Deflectometer Measurements
Design Study and Potential Implementation of Photovoltaic Noise Barrier for Sustainable Highway
Computer Vision Based Near Miss Detection Among Mixed Traffic Flows Within Intersections
Segment Anything Model for Pedestrian Infrastructure Inventory: Assess Zero-Shot Segmentation on Multi-Mode Geospatial Data
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The 25th Annual Research Showcase was organized and sponsored by the NJDOT Bureau of Research in partnership with the New Jersey Local Technical Assistance Program (NJ LTAP) at the Rutgers Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation (CAIT) and co-sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration.
The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) Bureau of Research is seeking presentations for the 25th Annual NJDOT Research Showcase to be held in-person at The Conference Center at Mercer Community College! Presentations related to transportation research will be considered for in-person presentation during the 25th Annual Research Showcase, to be held October 25, 2023. The theme for this year’s event is “Commitment to Safety."
We welcome your submission of an abstract on completed or nearly completed transportation-related research studies. While priority may be given to projects that align with the Showcase theme of "Commitment to Safety," all submissions will be considered. If selected, you will present your work in-person on the afternoon of October 25. Presentations will be in 20-minute increments and will be selected by NJDOT Research Bureau personnel.
To be considered, please email your proposed presentation topic(s) with accompanying abstract(s) to Janet Leli (jleli@soe.rutgers.edu), Director of the New Jersey Local Technical Assistance Program, no later than September 18, 2023.
Be sure to include:
■ Title and abstract of the presentation ■ Name and email address of the person who will be presenting
■ Which category your project most closely aligns with:
Infrastructure • Safety • Equity / Mobility
■ Any additional information you feel necessary
All submitters will receive a confirmation regarding the selection committee’s final decisions.
Further information is available on the Research Showcase event website, including a call for abstracts, a call for posters, and nomination forms for awards for research implementation and outstanding university student. The day's agenda and details about the respective deadlines for each of these submissions can be found on the event website.
Thank you for your interest and participation in the NJDOT Transportation Research Program.
The NJDOT Research Showcase is an event of the New Jersey Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Research and organized by the Rutgers Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation (CAIT).
25th Annual Research Showcase
Wednesday, October 25, 2023
8:30 AM–2:45 PM
Proceedings begin at 9:00 AM
LOCATION
The Conference Center at Mercer
1200 Old Trenton Road
West Windsor, NJ 08550
REGISTRATION
Registration is complimentary, but required.
Registration will open soon.
The 24th Annual NJDOT Research Showcase provided an opportunity for the New Jersey transportation community to learn about the broad scope of academic research initiatives underway and share technology transfer activities being conducted by institutions of higher education partners and their associates. The annual event serves as a showcase to present the ongoing initiatives and benefits of the NJDOT Research program. This event was an in-person event with a livestreaming option with sessions held from 9:00am-2:45pm on October 26, 2022.
This year's Showcase theme, "Advancing Equity in Transportation" served as the organizing framework for the keynote speaker and panelists during the morning plenary session. Throughout the day the Research Showcase featured presentations on infrastructure, safety, mobility and equity topics being performed by research faculty, staff, and students and NJ agencies. Several awards were presented in recognition of research and implemented innovations.
The Research Showcase Program Agenda provides more information on the day's proceedings, including presented topics and speakers. Recordings of the plenary and breakout sessions, and the presentations and posters shared during the event can be found below.
MORNING
Mike Russo, NJDOT Assistant Commissioner, Planning, Multimodal, and Grants Administration, welcomed attendees to the Research Showcase event.
Parth Oza, Assistant Commissioner, Capital Program Management, provided opening remarks focusing on ways that NJDOT has embedded equity in the project delivery process. Mr. Oza emphasized the importance of gathering input from communities affected by transportation projects throughout all project phases, using grant applications to address the impact of flooding on disadvantaged communities, and planning for the safety of all road users through the agency’s Complete Streets policy.
Valeriya Remezova, Deputy Division Administrator, Federal Highway Administration's New Jersey Division congratulated NJDOT for receiving the FHWA and AASHTO Innovative Initiative 2022 STIC Innovation Excellence Award. She recognized NJDOT research initiatives with an equity focus and noted New Jersey’s Metropolitan Planning Organization initiatives that advance equity.
Keith Benjamin, Associate Administrator for Highway Policy and External Affairs, Federal Highway Administration provided the keynote address. Mr. Benjamin discussed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the opportunities to use this funding to address equity in transportation planning, project development, and other activities. He noted that the funding allows for new ideas of transportation to become a reality, and looks forward to subsequent policy embedding these changes in people’s everyday transportation experience. He noted the program’s success will be measured by improvements such as people being able to cross the street safely, mitigation of unsafe corridors, availability of bus shelters, and repaving of dangerous streets. He offered several examples of local initiatives where collaboration among partner agencies and organizations and involvement of local residents in the process resulted in more equitable projects.
Mr. Benjamin responded to several questions in a Q&A session that followed his keynote remarks.
Plenary Session Recording
Morning Session Presentation
Keith Benjamin, FHWA Associate Administrator for Highway Policy and External Affairs with Assistant Commissioner Michael Russo. Photo by Steve Goodman.
Keith Benjamin and the host moderator, David Maruca, discussed the Bi-Partisan Infrastructure Bill, the USDOT Equity Action Plan, and the safety benefits of Complete Streets, among other topics in a lively Q&A session that followed Mr. Benjamin’s Keynote remarks. Photo by Steve Goodman.
An interactive panel discussion, "Perspectives on Advancing Equity in Transportation," followed the keynote session with state, local and transportation management association (TMA) representatives who presented examples of the equity initiatives underway in their organization and reflected on some of the continuing challenges and opportunities for advancing equity in transportation in New Jersey. The panelists included:
Elkins Green, Director, Environmental Resources, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Green served as the Moderator for the session.
Veronica Murphy, Director’s Office, Division of Local Aid & Economic Development, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Ms. Murphy shared a short video of the organization of Local Aid & Economic Development and provided an overview of the role that her office plays in providing grant funding for transportation projects. Ms. Murphy noted that equity considerations are embedded in the distribution of funding and in the process of providing technical assistance to communities through the Local Aid Resource Center.
Krishna Murthy, President, EZ Ride described the mission and various activities of his TMA and focused on the organization’s EZ Ryde4Life program that assists older adults by coordinating with Lyft and Uber to provide rides. EZ Ride is trying to make the program more accessible to individuals who are paying directly for the program and have no sponsoring organization and described the affordability challenges for the users and operator.
Andrew Tunnard, Assistant Commissioner, Transportation Operations Systems & Support, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Mr. Tunnard spoke about the Trenton MOVES project, an autonomous vehicle system that is being planned to offer transit shuttle services for an urban core population in the City of Trenton that tends to have one or no cars and spends a high proportion of their income on transportation to reach regional employment and other opportunities.
Byron Nicholas, Supervising Transportation Planner, Hudson County Engineering described the County’s efforts to advance equity through project prioritization, public involvement, multimodal safety.
Participants responded to a series of questions posed by the moderator and by the audience members.
Panelists discussed equity initiatives underway in their organization and shared their views on the challenges and opportunities for advancing equity in transportation. Photo by Steve Goodman.
Perspectives on Advancing Equity in Transportation Panel Discussion Recording
The program continued as Amanda Gendek, Manager, NJDOT Bureau of Research, announced several awards given in recognition of research, innovation and implementation efforts. Below is a listing of the award winners presented at this year's showcase:
2022 Outstanding University Student in Transportation Research Award – Xiao Chen, Rutgers University (Innovative Pothole Repair Materials and Techniques)
2022 Research Implementation Award – Anil Agrawal, City College of CUNY (NJDOT UAS/Drone Procedures Manual and Best Practices for Use in New Jersey)
2022 Best Poster Award – Ahmed Edrees, New Jersey Institute of Technology (Minimizing Total Cost of Work Zones on Two-Lane Roads with Managed Lanes)
2022 NJDOT Build a Better Mousetrap Award (State Agency) – Gary Liedtka-Bizuga and Henry Jablonski, NJDOT, Sawcut Vertical Curb
The Sawcut Vertical Curb was recognized as an innovative response to a change in standards requiring existing curbing at guide rails to be reduced in height. The Sawcut Vertical Curb innovation saves time and money and increases safety and efficiency by obviating the need to pour new concrete curbing and allowing guide rail to remain in place during the process. A short video about the Sawcut Vertical Curb innovation was presented when the BABM award was announced during the event.
Presentation of Awards
Accepting the Better Mousetrap Award, Gary Liedtka-Bizuga, Roadway Design Group 1, with Acting Assistant Commissioner Parth Oza, Bureau of Research Manager, Amanda Gendek, and Assistant Commissioner Michael Russo. Not shown here: Henry Jablonski, Region Central Construction. Photo by Steve Goodman.
Best Poster Award Recipient, Ahmed Edrees, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Minimizing Total Cost of Work Zones on Two-Lane Roads with Managed Lanes. Photo by Steve Goodman.
2022 Outstanding University Student in Transportation Research Award, Xiao Chen, Rutgers University, Innovative Pothole Repair Materials and Techniques. Photo by Steve Goodman.
2022 NJDOT Research Implementation Award, Anil Agrawal, City College of CUNY, NJDOT UAS/Drone Procedures Manual and Best Practices for Use in New Jersey. Photo by Steve Goodman.
AFTERNOON
In the afternoon, concurrent break-out sessions for research presentations focused on the topics of Equity & Mobility, Infrastructure, and Safety in Transportation, and for the presentation of posters from students and researchers at New Jersey’s colleges and universities describing their methods and findings on ongoing and recently completed research and responding to questions by attendees.
Equity & Mobility Session Recording
Infrastructure Session Recording
Safety in Transportation Session Recording
Equity and Mobility Presentations
Peter J. Jin, Rutgers University-CAIT, Real-Time Traffic Signal System Performance Measure Phase II LINK
Zijia Zhong, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Assessing High-Resolution Connected Vehicle Data for TSM&O Applications LINK
Hannah Younes, Rutgers University-VTC, Factors Influencing the Fatality of Pedestrian and Bicyclist Involved Crashes in New Jersey LINK
Infrastructure Presentations
Seyed Masoud Shirkhorshidi, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Corrosion Performance of Ultra-High Performance Concrete in Uncracked and Cracked Beams LINK
Rojyar Barhemat, Soroush Mahjoub, Victor C. Li and Yi Bao, Stevens Institute of Technology LINK
Ashith Padinhar and Marath Purakkal, Rowan CREATES, Developing Electrically-Heated Flexible Pavement for Self-Deicing Application LINK
Safety Presentations
Branislav Dimitrijevic, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Development and Evaluation of a Pedestrian Crossing Alert System Using 2-Channel LiDAR Sensor LINK
Anahita Kakhani, Rowan University, Emerging Countermeasures for Pedestrian Safety: A Review of State of Art and Recent Advances LINK
Sam Rosenthal, Rutgers University, Complete and Green Streets: Effective Public Engagement Practics and Resouces to Promote Safety and Advance Equity LINK
2022 Poster Presentations
Decision Aided Cost and Construction Time Estimates for the Gateway Tunnel Project - Ehsan Mehryaar, New Jersey Institute of Technology
Recommendations for Improving NJDOT Specifications for Cold In-Place Recycling - Ahmed Saidi, Rowan University
Minimizing Total Cost of Work Zones on Two-Lane Roads with Managed Lanes - Ahmed Edrees, New Jersey Institute of Technology
Simulating Corrosion Induced Damage in Recycled Aggregate Concrete Systems - Jin Fan, New Jersey Institute of Technology
A Review on Seat Belt Compliance of Drivers and Front Passengers: Data Collection, Analysis, and Countermeasures - Omar Al-Sheikh, Rowan University
Feasiblity Study of Shared Mobility Programs as a First/Last-Mile Solution in Underserved Communities: A Case Study in Camden City, NJ - Ruqaya Alfaris, Rowan University
Zero-Emission Bus Fleet: A Review of State Practices, Recent Developments, and Future Directions - Zahra Vafakhah, Rowan University
How Distraction Triggers Speeding: An Observational Case Study in New Jersey - Ahmed Sajid Hasan, Rowan University
Use of 100% RAP for Repair Purposes - Dr. Faisal Kabir, Rowan University
Three-Dimensional Finite Element Modeling of Cold In-Place Recycled Asphalt Sections in Accelerated Pavement Testing - Chenchen Huang, Cheng Zhu, Yusuf Mehta & Daniel Offenbacker, Rowan University
Assessment of the Impact of Binder Grade on the Laboratory Performance of Fiber-Reinforced Asphalt Mixtures - Ali Reza Khan, Ayman Ali, Yusuf Mehta, Rowan University
A Framework for Proactive Safety Evaluation of Intersection Using Surrogate Safety Measures and Non-Compliance Behavior - Deep Patel, Rowan University
Michael Russo
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The Research Showcase was organized by the NJDOT Bureau of Research in partnership with the Rutgers Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation (CAIT) and the Rutgers Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center. The 24th Annual NJDOT Research Showcase was co-sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration.
The 23rd Annual NJDOT Research Showcase was an opportunity for the New Jersey transportation community to learn about the broad scope of academic research initiatives underway and share technology transfer activities being conducted by institutions of higher education partners and their associates. The annual event serves as a showcase to present the ongoing initiatives and benefits of the NJDOT Research program. This event was the second Research Showcase conducted by webinar with sessions held from 9:00am-2:45pm on October 27, 2021.
The Research Showcase Program included presentations by university researchers, NJ agency representatives, and engineers offering their perspectives and fielding questions on topics including electrification of vehicles, smart transportation and energy use. These presentations were followed by poster sessions presenting research of students attending New Jersey’s universities and colleges.
MORNING
Andrew Swords, Director, Division of Statewide Planning, New Jersey Department of Transportation welcomed attendees to the event.
The NJDOT Commissioner of Transportation, Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti, provided opening remarks focusing on the need to work collectively to address climate change. Ms. Gutierrez-Scaccetti noted that partnerships among public, private, and academic organizations are essential to reach the state goal of an 80 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. She touched on several recent NJDOT initiatives and adoption of technological innovations that support this goal and the agency’s mission to provide a safe, cost-effective transportation network for the traveling public. In his opening remarks, Robert Clark, Federal Highway Administration's New Jersey Division Administrator, emphasized the need for research and innovation and noted federal funding awarded to, and agency support for, recent NJDOT initiatives.
Jane Cohen, Executive Director, New Jersey Governor’s Office of Climate Action and the Green Economy gave the keynote address on "Confronting Climate Change through Transportation Initiatives." Ms. Cohen discussed the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and explained how temperature increases from climate change can intensify air pollution as well as respiratory and cardiovascular health concerns that are disproportionately borne by overburdened communities. Ms. Cohen emphasized that environmental justice and equity are at the center of the work being done to chart a path forward to a clean energy future. She highlighted recent landmark NJ state legislation (S-232 - Cumulative Impacts Law) and NJDEP's enforcement responsibilities to protect overburdened communities in permit review processes.
Noting that transportation makes up a larger percentage of greenhouse gas emissions, she stressed the need for coordination among state agencies to shift light duty, medium and heavy duty trucks, transit vehicles, and the state fleet to electric vehicles. NJ’s Partnership to Plug-In is a statewide initiative involving state agencies and private sector partners to build out the infrastructure needed to support electric vehicle ownership. Ms. Cohen mentioned various funding sources for projects, including the regional cap and trade system as part of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, from the Volkswagen Mitigation Trust Fund, the NJ Zero Emission Incentive Program for the purchase of EVs, and an e-mobility program in Trenton through ISLES. She highlighted several other essential transportation initiatives that are aligned with climate planning. including the adoption of Complete Streets policies, Transit Villages, and efforts to reduce Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT). She promoted the value of integrating green infrastructure such as wetlands and rain gardens in transportation for greater resilience to stormwater and flooding.
In her closing remarks, she made an appeal to those in attendance to recognize the urgency of the moment and reflect on how they might contribute innovative solutions and how they might partner to work collectively toward addressing the challenges of climate change. She recognized the Build the Better Mousetrap Competition as an example of adopting an orientation favorable to innovation. She stressed that her office welcomes new ideas such as pilot projects and programs and partnerships.
A panel of presenters from representing state agencies, academia, and industry followed:
Peg Hanna, Assistant Director, Air Monitoring and Mobile Sources, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, spoke about the need to use various approaches to reach goals, such as the Electric Shared Mobility Program grants and the DEP-funded ISLES program in Trenton, and the value of working with local residents to understand transportation needs and gaps, working with the private sector, and considering the sustainability of any program.
Andrew Tunnard, Assistant Commissioner, Transportation Operations Systems and Support, New Jersey Department of Transportation, introduced a study, New Jersey Fleet Electrification: Statewide Charging Facilities Design Recommendations, undertaken to determine locations for the state build-out of EV infrastructure and to create a framework for state agencies to move toward their goals of fleet transition.
Alain Kornhauser, PhD, Professor of Operations Research & Financial Engineering, Princeton University, discussed details of the study, including the cost/benefit analysis comparing EV charging infrastructure favorably to internal combustion fueling locations, and the equitable distribution of the burden for creating EV infrastructure among state agencies.
Spencer Reeder, Director of Government Affairs and Sustainability, Audi of America, spoke about the emerging market for electric vehicles and the expansion of options for buyers.
Julia Rege, Vice President for Energy and Environment, Alliance for Automotive Innovation, spoke about the need for purchase incentives for electric vehicles, for more infrastructure including more charging capacity, and to switch manufacturing and supply that is still geared to the internal combustion fleet.
Presenters responded to attendee questions. The audience was informed that research ideas can be submitted to the Transportation Research Ideas Portal through the NJDOT Technology Transfer website.
Plenary Session Recording
Keynote Address: Confronting Climate Change Through Transportation Initiative
Panel Presentation: Innovation in Transportation Electrification: Getting to 2050
Panel Presentation: New Jersey Fleet Electrification
The program continued as Amanda Gendek, Manager, NJDOT Bureau of Research, announced several awards given in recognition of research, innovation and implementation efforts. Below is a listing of the award winners presented at this year's showcase:
2021 Outstanding University Student in Transportation Research Award – Wei Huang, Rutgers University (Implementation of Porous Concrete for Sidewalks in New Jersey)
2021 Best Poster Award – Xiao Chen, Rutgers University (Hot in-Place Recycling of Asphalt Pavement: Current Practice and New Technology)
2021 NJDOT Research Implementation Award – Husam Najm, Hao Wang, Rutgers University (Implementation of Pervious (Porous) Concrete for Sidewalks)
2021 NJDOT Build a Better Mousetrap Award (State Agency) – Marc Franco, NJ TRANSIT, Tire Centerline Bracket
2021 NJDOT Build a Better Mousetrap Award (Local Agency) – Art Villano, Montgomery Township, Inlet Repair Trailer
The Build a Better a Mousetrap Award for an entry from a state agency was given to Marc Franco from NJ TRANSIT. His Tire Centerline bracket provides a simple means for finding the centerline of the tire when installing the air-operated snow chain systems on the fleet of buses. The process, critical to the proper operation of these systems, increases safety and efficiency, and reduces costs.
The Build a Better a Mousetrap Award for an entry from a local agency was given to Art Villano from Montgomery Township who found a more efficient means to transport all needed equipment and materials to work sites to conduct inlet repairs. The use of a low deck trailer and the availability of an electric crane increased safety for workers.
AFTERNOON
In the afternoon, concurrent break-out sessions for research presentations focused on the topics of Energy/Electrification, Infrastructure, and Smart Transportation, and for the presentation of posters from students and researchers at New Jersey’s colleges and universities describing their methods and findings on ongoing and recently completed research and responding to questions by attendees.
Energy/Electrification Session Recording
Smart Transportation Session Recording
Infrastructure Session Recording
Poster Session Recording
Energy/Electrification Presentations
Laura Soares, Rutgers University, Energy Harvesting Evaluation of Photovoltaic Noise Barriers on Highways LINK
Chris Lamm, Cambridge Systematics, Al Beatty, CALSTART, and Leslie Fordjour, New York Multi-State Regional Clean Freight Corridors Study LINK
Infrastructure Presentations
Xiao Tan, Stevens Institute of Technology, Achieving Resilient and Smart Concrete Bridges by Mapping Strains and Cracks Using Distributed Fiber Optic Sensors LINK
Sougata Roy, Rutgers University, Innovative Metal Deck for Efficient Infrastructure LINK
Kaan Ozbay and Jingqin Gao, New York University, Bridge Management System with Life Cycle Cost Optimization as a Decision Support Tool: A Case Study in New Jersey LINK
Smart Transportation Presentations
Mohammad Jalayer, Rowan University, A Novel Approach to Identify Distracted Drivers in New Jersey LINK
Anjiang Chen, Rutgers University, Integrated Pandemic Travel Demand and Epidemiology Modeling for COVID-19 Case Prediction and Impact on Regional Travel Behavior in 2020 LINK
Abdullah Shabarek, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Predicting Traffic Speed for New Jersey Freeway Work Zones - A Deep Learning Approach LINK
Poster Presentations
Hot In-Place Recycling of Asphalt Pavement: Current Practice and New Technology - Xiao Chen, Rutgers University
An Innovative Green Pervious Concrete Made with Modified Geopolymer Materials - Wei Huang, Rutgers University
Modelling and Mitigating of Thermal-Induced Reflective Cracking in Asphalt Concrete Overlay - Pengyu Xie, Rutgers University
Understanding the Interconnectivity between Intersection Traffic Congestion, and Outdoor Air Quality for Smart Cities - Kourtney Arena, Rowan University
Estimating Roadway Horizontal Alignment Information Using Machine Learning - Bekir Bartin, New York University
Influence of Cracking and Brine Concentration on Corrosion and Chloride Content - Aaron Strand, New Jersey Institute of Technology
Supporting Bridge Deck Condition Assessment Through the Use of TLS - Issa Al-Shaini, Rowan University
New Brunswick Innovation Hub Smart Mobility Testing Ground, Data City: A Smart and Autonomous Initiative - Peter J. Jin, Rutgers University
The 23rd Annual NJDOT Research Showcase was organized and sponsored by the NJDOT Bureau of Research in partnership with the New Jersey Local Technical Assistance Program (NJLTAP) at Rutgers Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation (CAIT) and co-sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration.
The 22nd Annual NJDOT Research Showcase was an opportunity for the New Jersey transportation community to learn about the broad scope of academic research initiatives underway and share technology transfer activities being conducted by institutions of higher education partners and their associates. The annual event serves as a showcase to present the ongoing initiatives and benefits of the NJDOT Research program. This event was also the first Research Showcase conducted by webinar with sessions held from 9am-12pm on October 27, 28, and 29, 2020.
Each day's Research Showcase Program included presentations by university researchers, NJ agency representatives, and engineers offering their perspectives and fielding questions on topics including responses to the challenge of weather and climate change, emerging technologies such as smart mobility, and the effects of Covid-19 on transportation networks. These presentations were followed by poster sessions presenting research of students attending New Jersey’s universities and colleges.
DAY 1
On Day 1, the NJDOT Commissioner of Transportation, Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti, provided opening remarks along with the Federal Highway Administration's Assistant Division Administrator in New Jersey, Valeriya Remezova. Both speakers noted NJDOT’s steps taken and plans for the future to promote resiliency.
A recording of the Day 1 presentations can be found here and to the right.
The keynote speaker was Gerald E. “Jerry” Buckwalter, Chief Operating and Strategy Officer of the American Society of Civil Engineers who presented the “ASCE Future World Vision.” Mr. Buckwalter described the ASCE role in imagining the future of cities, incorporating rapid developments in technology, alternative energy, climate change, materials, policy and funding, and demographics and urbanism. The project created five interactive scenarios of multi-dimensional city and neighborhood systems to adapt to changes over the next fifty years. These visions are intended to engage youth in thinking about engineering, spark public interest, provide a visual starting point for discussion, encourage cross-disciplinary collaboration and create a common language, and to foster innovation among university students.
Keynote presentation by Gerald E. Buckwalter, Chief Operating and Strategy Officer, American Society of Civil Engineers. Click for pdf
Amanda Gendek, Manager, NJDOT Bureau of Research announced several awards given in recognition of research, innovation and implementation efforts. Below is a listing of the award winners presented at this year's showcase:
2020 Outstanding University Student in Transportation Research Award – Laura Marques Soarces, Rutgers University (Energy Harvesting on New Jersey Highways)
2020 NJDOT Research Implementation Award – Yusuf Mehta, Rowan University (Environmental Impacts of Recycled Asphalt Pavement)
2020 Best Poster Award – Thales Couto Braguim, Rutgers University (Load Rating, Analysis, and Monitoring of the Sagging Fascias Girder of I-287 Bridge over US202/206) LINK
2020 NJDOT Build a Better Mousetrap Award – Scott Ainsley and Mark Crago (Anti-Jacknife Device)
The Build a Better a Mousetrap Award was given to Scott Ainsley and Mark Crago in NJDOT’s Operations Training Unit for their Anti-Jacknife Device. They developed this early warning device to prevent jackknifing and damage to trucks and trailers during new employee CDL training. The device increases cost savings by eliminating the need for repairs, and improves efficiency during new employee training (see videos below).
DAY 2 PRESENTATIONS
On Day 2, research presentations focused on resiliency themes, the economic impacts of Covid-19 on maritime trade and port commerce, and emerging smart mobility technologies.
A recording of the Day 2 presentations can be found here and to the right.
The Effect of Covid-19 on the Port Industry – Global Trends & Regional Effects, Sotiris Theofanis, PhD and Maria Boile, PhD (Rutgers University) LINK
Enhancing Resilience of Bridges through Real-time Deformation Monitoring using UWB Technology Enhanced by Machine Learning, Yiming Liu (Stevens Institute of Technology) LINK
Coming Soon: NJDOT Flood Risk Visualization Tool, Jon Carnegie, AICP, PP (Rutgers University) LINK
New Jersey’s Climate Change Resilience Strategy, Dave Rosenblatt, Assistant Commissioner (New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection) LINK
New Brunswick Innovation Hub Smart Mobility Testing Ground Phase 1 Planning, Peter J. Jin, PhD and Ali Maher, PhD (Rutgers University) LINK
Improving Resilience, Safety, and Service Life of the Pulaski Skyway, Ruben Gajer, PE (Arora and Associates, PC) LINK
DAY 3 PRESENTATIONS
On Day 3, research presentations covered several topics, including transportation-related health stressors relationship on Covid-19 and energy, durability, mobility and safety topics in transportation.
A recording of the Day 3 presentations can be found here and to the right.
Exploring the Impacts of VMT induced PM2.5 on the Rate of COVID-19 Infection, Yeganeh Hayeri, PhD and Hojat Behrooz (Stevens Institute of Technology) LINK
Energy Harvesting from Roadways and Bridges: Opportunities and Challenges, Hao Wang, PhD (Rutgers University)
Behavior of Concrete Barriers for Bridges in New Jersey, Anil Agrawal, PhD (The City College of New York) LINK
Accelerating Mobility for All: Analysis of Focus Group Feedback from Persons with Disabilities Following Autonomous Vehicle Rides, Cecilia Feeley, PhD and Andrea Lubin (Rutgers University) LINK
Development and Evaluation of a Realtime Truck Detection Method Using Deep Learning Based Object Recognition Techniques for Truck Parking Information System, Joyoung Lee, PhD (New Jersey Institute of Technology)
Automated Analysis of Surrogate Safety Measures and Non-compliance Behavior of all Road Users at an Intersection, Deep Patel and Mohammad Jalayer, Ph.D (Rowan University) LINK
POSTER SESSIONS
Each day students and researchers at New Jersey’s colleges and universities presented posters describing their methods and findings on ongoing and recently completed research and responded to questions by attendees. (Click on images for links to posters.)
Optimized Speed Profiles for Sustainable Train Operation with Regenerative Braking – Leon Allen and Steven Chien, NJIT
Load Rating, Analysis, and Monitoring of the Sagging Fascia Girder of I-287 Bridge over US202/206 – Thales Couto Braguim, Rutgers University
Process-Based Modeling for Inlet Management – Jon K. Miller, Laura Lemke, Matthew S. Jannsen, Stevens Institute of Technology
Control of Shrinkage Cracks in Bridge Decks by Using Hybrid Fiber Reinforced High Performance Concrete – Mina Habib
Load Rating/Posting Policy for SHVs and EVs and Reliability Assessment of SHV Load Models – Chan Yang, Peng Lou, Chaekuk Na, Dongjian Gao, Rutgers University
Effects of Thixotropic UHPC on Interfacial Properties as an Overlay – Jiang Du, Weina Meng, Adi Abu-obeidah, Hani Nassef, Stevens Institute of Technology
Implementation of Porous Concrete in Sidewalks in New Jersey – Kathleen Stavole, Jack Cannon, Luke Dragon, Hardik Yagnik, Husam Najm, Rutgers University
Climate Change Impact on Pavement Overlay Performance with Adaptation Strategies – Xiaodan Chen, Rutgers University
Thermally and Mechanically Balanced Structural Design of Insulated Pavements for Cold Region Applications – Zhuang Zhuo, Ayman Ali, Cheng Zhu, Yusuf Mehta, Wade Lein, Christopher DeCarlo, Zhaoxing Xie, Rowan University & the US Army Corps of Engineers
The 22th Annual NJDOT Research Showcase was organized and sponsored by the NJDOT Bureau of Research in partnership with the New Jersey Local Technical Assistance Program (NJLTAP) at Rutgers Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation (CAIT) and co-sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration.
The 2020 NJDOT TRB Annual Meeting Recap, held on February 13th 2020, provided an opportunity for NJDOT staff who attended the 99th Transportation Research Board (TRB) Annual Meeting to share their observations and notes from attendance at workshops, lecture and poster sessions, task force and committee meetings.
Below you can view the 2020 presentations and session notes by the participating NJDOT staff which are grouped by their bureau or unit. Click on the image in each section to view the slides. You can also download the entire set of presentations here: 2020 NJDOT TRB Annual Meeting Recap Slides (6 MB). The TRB AMOnline portal provides access to all available TRB papers, presentation slides, and visual aids.
The video (right), What Do Transportation Professionals Look Like?, was also shared as part of the event.
Introduction to TRB and the Annual Meeting
How to Attend /Get Involved with TRB
Recap (Transfer of Knowledge)
Questions & Open Discussion
Current Research in Marine Environmental Issues
Inland Water Transportation
Concrete pH Profiles in Marine & Freshwater Environments
Utilizing Agent-based Modelling to Evaluate Operational Impacts of an Incident & Possible Alternatives on U.S. Waterways
Future of North American Freight Rail Transportation
New Technology in Rail Freight
Using Drones for Railway Maintenance, Safety, Security
■ Site Selection Processes
■ Truck Parking
■ Last Mile Trends Around the World
Travel Behavior During Emergency Evacuations
Transportation Solutions in Parks and Public Lands
Planning at a Crossroads
Right Sizing
State DOT-CEO Roundtable: Towards Zero Deaths: State DOTs Renewing Focus on a Nation Public Health Crisis
Hyperloop: Commuter Dream or Regulatory Nightmare?
Recycled Plastics in Pavements
Low-Cost Ultra High Performance Concrete
Bridge Decks
Work Order Status
Public Acceptance Automated Vehicles
Railroad Trespassing Detection
Connected Autonomous Workzone
Optimizing Pavement Management Systems
Optimizing Facility Locations
New Jersey Executive Orders and Energy Master Plan
Decarbonization & Resilience
TRB Special Task Force on Climate Change → Transportation and Sustainability Section (AMS00)
Landscape and Environmental Design
Treatment of Highway Stormwater Runoff
Seasonal Climatic Effects on Transportation Infrastructure
New Directions in Hydraulic Scour Design
Current Practices in Highway Stormwater Management
Collecting & Managing Vegetation Assets on the Roadway
Connected & Automated Vehicles & Roadways
Managed Lane Strategies
Designing Safer Streets
Barrier Design
LiDAR and Photogrammetry
Weigh-in-Motion Data to Design, Rate, Manage, and Preserve the Nation’s Bridge Structures
Resilience, Safety, and Security of Bridges and Tunnels
FHWA Long-Term Bridge Performance Program
Autonomous Vehicles DOT-WH Initiative
CBS/FHWA Structures Collaboration
Data Governance
Public Transit Innovation: Past, Present, and Future
Evaluation of Signs and Markings Based on User Needs
Traffic Control Devices Challenge: Connected and Autonomous Innovations for Improving Work Zone Safety-Hybrid Session
NJDOT Commissioner Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti, gave opening remarks.
David C. Woessner, Executive VP, LM Industries + Local Motors gave Keynote Address.
Panelists discussed how innovations in connectivity can improve safety, equity, and mobility.
The 21st Annual New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) Research Showcase was an opportunity for the New Jersey transportation community to learn about the broad scope of academic research initiatives underway and share technology transfer activities being conducted by institutions of higher education partners and their associates. The annual event serves to highlight the benefits of transportation research, including NJDOT's own research program. As part of the event, various awards were presented for implementation-minded research, innovation, and outstanding work performed by university students studying in a transportation-related field.
The day's Research Showcase Program included a plenary morning session with welcoming remarks, a keynote speaker and a knowledgeable panel of industry, university and NJDOT representatives offering their perspectives and fielding questions on how innovations in connectivity today and in the future may affect safety, mobility and equity. The afternoon included several rounds of breakout sessions on innovation, safety, equity and mobility as well as a poster session.
NJDOT Commissioner of Transportation, Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti, provided opening remarks along with the Federal Highway Administration's Assistant Division Administrator in New Jersey, Valeriya Remezova.
The morning's featured keynote speaker was David C. Woessner, an Executive Vice President for Corporate Development and External Affairs, at LM Industries + Local Motors. His presentation included an overview of his firm's products, markets and initiatives and its orientation toward addressing the big challenges in the adoption of technology solutions to improve mobility.
His talk included an overview of the research, development and testing of Olli, a Low-Speed Autonomous Vehicle Platform, and the use of 3D printing for its production. During his talk, Mr. Woessner touched upon his firm's testing and validation activities deploying a shared autonomous vehicle (AV) in a controlled environment and preparing a Voluntary Safety Self Assessment (VSSA) in response to the U.S. DOT's voluntary guidance on automated driving systems.
Ollli is being deployed in campus-like settings including entertainment venues.
In discussing mobility challenges, he explained the long-term vision for deployment of shared autonomous vehicles as a last-mile/first mile connector service with transit nodes, and as an on-demand micro-transit solution to maximize service coverage and serve traditionally underserved populations such as persons with disabilities, the poor or others who live in transit "deserts" who may be inadequately served by existing fixed route transit routes. However, at the current stage of design and testing, Olli is well-positioned for deployment in more controlled campus environments -- for example, university campuses, business and industrial parks, military bases, municipalities, entertainment and theme parks, private residential communities, and airports. As the market matures and as testing and validation warrants, the expectation is that Olli will transition from private campuses to public roads.
During the event, several awards were given in recognition of research, innovation and implementation efforts. Below is a listing of the award winners recognized at this year's showcase:
2019 NJDOT Research Implementation Award - Peramulsamy N. Balagauru, Rutgers University, Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation, Protocol for Accepting Over Paint on Steel. The Research Advisory Committee of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) selected this NJDOT project as one of 16 high-value research projects for 2019 in the category of Smart Maintenance and Preservation earlier in the year.
2019 NJDOT Build a Better Mousetrap (BABM) Award - The 2019 BABM Award was given for a Bridge Fender Navigation Lighting Reflective Backup System to Gerald Oliveto in NJDOT Operations Support and Engineering. Retroreflective panels were installed on NJDOT bridges in navigable waters to better identify bridge piers and serve as a backup system for navigation lighting. The backup system avoids the burden of potential fines for malfunctioning navigation lighting and additional costs for emergency work orders and overtime repairs to the bridge fender navigation lighting system. The panels provide an enhanced safety feature to the maritime community by allowing for increased visibility of the bridge fender systems and can safely identify the channel margins should navigation lighting malfunction. The low cost application can be transferred to any other agency with bridges spanning navigable waterways; such as NJ Transit, counties, port authorities/commissions, and other state DOTs.
2019 Best Poster Award - Xiao Tan, Stevens Institute of Technology
2019 Outstanding University Student in Transportation Research Award - Daniel Offenbacker, Rowan University
The 21st Annual NJDOT Research Showcase was organized and sponsored by the NJDOT Bureau of Research in partnership with the New Jersey Local Technical Assistance Program (NJLTAP) at Rutgers Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation (CAIT) and co-sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration.
Below are presentations and posters from the afternoon breakout sessions. All the files below are in PDF.
Accepting the Better Mousetrap Award, Gerald Oliveto, Operations Support and Engineering. with Assistant Commissioners Michael Russo, Andrew Tunnard, and Bureau of Research Manager, Amanda Gendek
Poster Award Recipient Xiao Tan, Improving Bridge Performance Using Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP), Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) and Engineered Cementitious Composite (ECC)
2019 Outstanding University Student in Transportation Research Award, Daniel Offenbacker, Rowan University
2019 NJDOT Research Implementation Award, Peramulsamy N. Balagauru, Rutgers University, Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation, Protocol for Accepting Over Paint on Steel.
Below you can view 2019 presentations and session notes provided by NJDOT staff who attended the 98th Annual Meeting of Transportation Research Board (TRB), which is grouped by their bureau or unit. Click on the image in each section to view the slides. You can also download the entire set of presentations here: 2019 NJDOT TRB Roundtable Slides (9 MB). The TRB AMOnline portal provides access to all available TRB papers, presentation slides, and visual aids.
I. Introduction to TRB
A summary of the Annual TRB Meeting, along with the presenters represented.
II. Statewide Planning
• Performance Management
• Federal TPM Structure
• De-carbonizing Transportation
• Equity in Pedestrian Planning
• Shared Mobility
III. Environmental Resources
Integrating Extreme Weather Resilience Into Transportation Asset Management (Session 1713):
• FHWA Pilot Overview
• New Jersey's Approach
• Case Study Area
• Linking Extreme Weather and Asset Management
• Top Project Findings - Results
IV. Transportation Systems Operations & Support
• Artificial-Intelligence-Aided Automated Detection of Railroad Trespassing
• Task Force on Transit Safety Meeting
• St. Paul, Minnesota – Vehicle x Pedestrian Accident Prevention
• Best Practices and Techniques for Clearing Various Interchange and Intersection Configurations
• Clear Roads Winter Maintenance Pooled Fund
• Impact of Utilizing CEI Consultants on Highway Construction Project Cost and Schedule Performance
V. Transportation Mobility
• Examining the Disruptive Forces Facing DOTs
• Expanding and Enhancing the Capabilities of Traffic Management System
• Today’s Teen, Tomorrow’s Transportation Professional: Adapting and Preparing for the Future of Work
• A National Dialogue on Highway Automation: Advancing the Conversation
• Automated Vehicles (AV) 3.0
• Knowledge Management
• Emerging and Innovative Public Transport and Technologies
• Shared Mobility, Ride hailing and Emerging Transportation Trends
• Intelligent Transportation System Project Updates-International
• Visibility of Signs and Roadway Markings: LiDAR-based Assessment of Highway Traffic Sign Visibility
• Speed Limits 2019: Current Perceptions, Technologies, and the Future
• State DOT Innovation Programs: Identifying New Technologies and Practices from the Front Lines
• Connected Vehicles Pilots: Lessons Learned
VI. Bureau of Statewide Strategies
• Making Asset Management the New Normal: Moving from Implementation to Integration
• Transportation Asset Management Committee
• Emerging Asset Management Tools, Techniques, and Performance Measures
• Operations Resilience: How to Keep Operating When the Sh*t Hits the Fan
• Integrating Extreme Weather Resilience into Transportation Asset Management
• Knowledge Management Task Force
• Visualization in Transportation Committee
• Connected and Automated Vehicles
• Pricing in an Evolving Mobility Ecosystem
• Best Papers from the 2018 Access Management Conference
• Advancing Community Vitality with 21st Century Mobility
• International Programs on Road Vehicle Automation
• Connected Vehicle Pilots: Lessons Learned
VII. Local Aid & Economic Development
• Facilitating Equitable Outcomes: The Intersection Between Public Engagement & Equity in Transportation
• Strategies to Enhance Public Involvement
• Transportation & Public Health
VIII. Civil Rights & Affirmative Action
• Successful DBEs
• Commercial Useful Function
• Safety and Health in Environmental Justice Communities
• Study: Documenting Transportation Inequities
• National Environmental Policy Act Documentation Effects of Current Presidential Executive Orders
• NEPA Updates
• The Equity Equation: Meaningful and Innovative Strategies That Define and Address Unmet Needs in Under-served Communities
• Sub-committee on Environmental Justice
IX. Bureau of Structural Engineering
• Resilience, Safety, and Security of Bridges and Tunnels: US and International Topics
• Latest Innovations in Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC)
• General Structures Committee, Traffic Structures Subcommittee, Steel Bridges Committee, Seismic Design and Performance of Bridges Committee, Accelerated Bridge Construction Committee
• AASHTO COBS / FHWA Structures Collaboration
• Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao Addresses “Our Transportation Future"
• FHWA Long-Term Bridge Performance Program (LTBP)
• Advances in Structural Engineering: Bridges and Ancillary Structures
• Advances in Seismic Bridge Analysis and Design
X. Bureau of Research
• The Innovation Culture: Building New Bridges Between Research and Practice
• Asphalt Concrete Cracking: Testing, Modeling, and Field Studies
• U.S. DOTs Safety Data Initiative: Visualizing and Using Data for Safety
• State DOT Innovation Programs: Identifying New Technologies and Practices from the Front Lines
• Visibility of Signs and Roadway Markings
• Exhibits: Provide free training
• Beyond Research: From Innovation to Economic Growth
• No Boundaries Roadway Maintenance Practices
• Standing Committee on Polymer Concretes, Adhesives, and Sealers; Standing Committee on Concrete Bridges; Standing Committee on Corrosion
• Corrosion Protection of Metallic Structures and Marine
• Evaluation of Transportation Structures Using Non-Destructive Testing Methods
XI. NJDOT Research Library
• Workshop: Developing a Roadmap for Ecologically Sustainable Transportation
• Transportation Research Thesaurus (TRT) Subcommittee Meeting
• TRB Information Services Committee Meeting
• Workshop: The Long Engagement: From Writing Data Management Plans to Actually Managing Data
• Workshop: Knowledge Management 101: Strategies for Discovering the Best Fit for Your Organizational Needs
• Poster Session: Current Issues in Ecology and Transportation
• Poster Session: Making Transportation Research Smart, Sustainable, and Equitable Through Libraries, Information, and Data
• Event: Developing Climate Adaptation Strategies That Address Ecological Concerns Associated with Transportation Facilities
• Library and Information Science for Transportation (LIST) Committee Meeting
XII. Division of Multimodal Services
• Eye In The Sky – Use of Unmanned Aerial Technology
• Corridors and Freight Performance Measurements
The 20th Annual NJDOT Research Showcase was an opportunity for the New Jersey transportation community to learn about the broad scope of academic research initiatives underway and share technology transfer activities being conducted by institutions of higher education partners and their associates. The annual event serves as a showcase to present the ongoing initiatives and benefits of the NJDOT Research program. NJDOT Commissioner of Transportation, Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti, delivered a keynote address that included remarks on innovation, noting the importance of fostering an organizational workplace culture that is conducive to risk-taking and learning from past mistakes to advance innovative solutions in transportation.
The morning's featured speakers included representatives of the Ray C. Anderson Foundation which funds "The Ray," an 18-mile stretch of Interstate 85 in western Georgia. This highway segment is an ambitious proving ground for how the highways of the future can be free of carbon, waste, traffic and accidents. Highways currently dominate the American landscape, and design of “The Ray” is based on the belief that, with the adoption of the right technologies, highways can become models for environmentally and economically sustainable practices. For example, in addition to leveraging solar power to contribute to the energy grid, the Ray is focused on demonstrating technologies that could decarbonize the highway system, such as harvesting wind energy created by heavy trucks and growing perennial wheat that sequesters carbon. See this overview video about "The Ray."
During the event, several awards were given in recognition of research, innovation and implementation efforts. Below is a listing of the award winners presented at this year's showcase:
2018 NJDOT Research Implementation Award - Dr. John R. Schuring and Dr. Robert Dresnack (Scour Evaluation Model Implementation Phase)
2018 Best Poster Award - Weina Meng (Stevens Institute of Technology for Design and Performance of Cost Effective UHPC for Transportation Infrastructure)
2018 NJDOT Build a Better Mousetrap Award - Crew 333 (The Roncovitz Post Pusher & Post Pulller)
2018 Outstanding University Student in Transportation Research Award - Jingnan Zhao (Rutgers University)
The Build a Better a Mousetrap Award, for the Roncovitz Post Pusher and Post Puller, was given to NJDOT Crew 333 which devised a way to put posts in the ground without using a sledge hammer and pounding cap. The approach is a very efficient way to handle placement of post stubs while reducing the risk of injury.
The 20th Annual NJDOT Research Showcase was organized and sponsored by the NJDOT Bureau of Research in partnership with the New Jersey Local Technical Assistance Program (NJLTAP) at Rutgers Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation (CAIT) and co-sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration.
Below are some of the presentations and other information from the 20th Annual NJDOT Research Showcase. All the files below are in PDF.
Keynote from NJDOT Commissioner Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti
Allie Kelly, Executive Director of "The Ray"
Accepting the Better Mousetrap Award on behalf of Crew 333, James Nunn, Crew Supervisor and Ronald Dagostino with Assistant Commissioners Michael Russo and Andrew Tunnard
Audience members at the 20th Annual NJDOT Research Showcase
Poster Award Recipient Weina Meng: Design and Performance of Cost-Effective Ultra-High Performance Concrete for Transportation Infrastructure
