Innovative Solutions for Enhanced Road Durability: NJDOT’s Use of High-Performance Thin Overlays Is Recognized

During Every Day Counts round (EDC-6), FHWA promoted Targeted Overlay Pavement Solutions (TOPS) to state departments of transportation (DOTs) and local agencies as a way to maximize their highway repair investments by improving on conventional overlay methods and including new overlay materials and techniques. Case studies and research presented as part of FHWA’s EDC outreach efforts to states and local agencies included New Jersey DOT’s use of highly modified asphalt (HiMA), among other proven but underutilized overlay options.  

In a recent Innovator Newsletter, FHWA highlighted NJDOT’s use of HiMA to effectively improve the quality and extend the lifespan of roadways.


Overview

NJDOT’s use of HiMA was the subject of a detailed technical case study, one of five such case studies focused on Targeted Overlay Pavement Solutions (TOPS) produced for the FHWA. The case study report, High Performance Thin Overlays (HPTPO), notes that NJDOT has increasingly been using HPTO mixes for preventive maintenance projects statewide.

The case study shares NJDOT’s experience leading a team of design engineers, materials engineers, researchers and asphalt suppliers to devise and evaluate HPTO, a gap-graded mixture using polymer-modified asphalt binder. The case study offers incisive details and lessons learned on specifications, implementation, design, planning, construction, and performance considerations.

The case study explains that NJDOT defines HPTO as a fine-graded polymer-modified asphalt mixture that uses 100 percent high-quality crushed stone with a nominal maximum aggregate size of 3/8 inch. HPTO is designed using a modified Superpave (Superior Performing Asphalt Pavement System) design methodology that places restrictions on the use of reclaimed asphalt pavement and natural sands.

HPTO mixes are typically used in maintenance and pavement preservation applications but can also be used as a leveling course when extended staging times are expected for temporary pavements during construction. HPTO, a durable mixture, is designed for high resistance to rutting and cracking and is often placed at a thickness of 1 inch either on a milled or unmilled surface. HPTO has been used as a maintenance application on high-volume interstate projects and on heavy-duty parking lots. The product is typically performance-tested at design and during construction.

Boot on finished pavement.
HPTO surface upon completion.

NJDOT primarily uses HPTO as a preservation application on pavements in good to fair condition in need of minimal repairs (i.e., repairs account for less than 10 percent of the preservation project). However, HPTO can be combined with other preservation strategies such as microsurfacing, slurry seals, or micro-milling when project conditions warrant its use.

The FHWA case study report on NJDOT’s experience with HPTO offers several references that further detail various asphalt research studies, and analyses undertaken over more than a decade that advanced HPTO as product through testing, evaluation and institutionalization stages at NJDOT.

Lessons and Benefits

NJDOT has was able to increase the number of “good condition” lane miles from 12 percent to 40 percent statewide through prevention maintenance strategies including use of HiMA overlays.

NJDOT adopted a proactive approach to advancing pavement preservation in its asset management toolbox, particularly through HiMA, that has delivered several noteworthy benefits. NJDOT was able to increase the percentage of its network pavements in “good condition” while reducing pavements in “poor condition” through dedicated program funding for preventive maintenance. FHWA noted that NJDOT was able to increase the number of “good condition” lane miles from 12 percent to 40 percent over a decade in part through the contribution of HiMA overlay treatments.

Through research, NJDOT found that the timing of HPTO application is crucial for getting the maximum pavement life extension. HPTO, when applied to an existing pavement in “good condition” can more than double the service life compared to its application to “fair condition” pavement.

Utilizing HPTO, NJDOT has been able to extend pavement life along busy roadways by approximately 10 years and improve ride quality — depending on the pre-existing surface conditions, quality of pre-HPTO repairs, and thickness of the HPTO overlay. HPTO can also reduce noise and improve long-term skid resistance on projects. During construction, HPTO’s application causes relatively minimal traffic disruption as it requires only short duration road closures.

HPTO also offers flexible solutions to NJDOT’s design concerns by adding service life to a pavement without a significant change in profile grade. It can minimize changes to the vertical clearance at overpasses and match the elevation of infrastructures such as guardrails, curbs, and gutters.

Ongoing Efforts to Support Implementation

For the FHWA, EDC-6 outreach activities served as an opportunity to educate transportation agencies and stakeholders about various asphalt and concrete overlay products that demonstrably provide long-life performance under a wide range of traffic, environmental, and existing pavement conditions. The EDC-6 TOPS team sought to build greater awareness and encourage deployment of some 7 distinct asphalt products and 4 distinct concrete products during the EDC-6 Round.

Several application features and benefits of HPTO were described in the video, “Pavement Preservation Treatments at NJDOT.

In its final report for EDC-6, FHWA notes that forty-one States participated in the TOPS EDC-6 initiative, including 26 that were focused on asphalt overlays, 15 that sought to learn more about concrete, and 13 that participated in both. Further, FHWA recognized that EDC-6 was also a catalyst for advancing deployment; 22 States advanced to a new phase in the implementation process from “not implementing” to the development, demonstration, assessment, or institutionalized phases of deployment. In all, 19 States reported that they had institutionalized TOPS products by incorporating at least one overlay type as a standard fix option within the agency’s pavement management program.

While the formal EDC-6 innovation cycle ended in December 2022, FHWA continues to support TOPS implementation through training and technical assistance resources such as the lessons learned from NJDOT’s use of HPTO as well as noteworthy initiatives in several other states. Many resources are available on the TOPS webpage including webinars, articles, case studies, how-to reports, brochures, and one-pagers.


Resources

U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration. “Innovative Solutions for America’s Roads: Targeted Overlay Pavement Solutions (TOPS)”. (October/November 2024). Innovator [Article]. Retrieved from: https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/innovation/innovator/issue103/page_03.html

U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration (u.d.). EDC-6: Targeted Overlay Pavement Solutions (TOPS). [Website]. Retrieved from: https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/pavement/tops/?utm_source=innovator

U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration. (April 2023). EDC-6 Final Report: Innovation for a Nation on the Move. Retrieved from: https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/innovation/everydaycounts/reports/edc6_finalreport.pdf?utm_source=innovator.

Gilliland, Amanda, Mohanraj, Kiran, and Taghavi Ghalesari Abbasali, Ph.D. (March 2022). High-Performance Thin Overlays. [Case Study Report].  FHWA-HIF-22-053. Retrieved from: https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/pavement/tops/pubs/TOPS_HPTO_Case_Study_Report_508.pdf.

Gilliland, Amanda, Mohanraj, Kiran, and Taghavi Ghalesari Abbasali, Ph.D. (April 2022). High-Performance Thin Overlays: How-To Document. [Case Study Report].  FHWA-HIF-22-057. Retrieved from: https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/pavement/tops/pubs/TOPS_HPTO_How_To_Report_508.pdf

NJDOT’s Pavement Support Program – Goals, Deliverables and the Future. (July 2021).  NJDOT Technology Transfer. [Webinar]. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGhxphN1rOA&t=4057s.

NJDOT Pavement Preservation at NJDOT. (July 2020). NJDOT Technology Transfer. [Video]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1wlnB8AQ-g.

FHWA Issued Its EDC-7 Progress Report #1

The Every Day Counts Round 7 Progress Report #1 is now available here.  

Every Day Counts (EDC) is the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA’s) program to advance a culture of innovation in the transportation community in partnership with public and private stakeholders. Through this State-based effort, FHWA coordinates rapid deployment of proven strategies and technologies to shorten the project delivery process, enhance roadway safety, reduce traffic congestion, and integrate automation.

The Progress Report describes the seven technologies and practices FHWA is promoting in EDC-7 and summarizes the deployment status of each innovation as of April 2024 and each innovation’s goal for adoption by 2025.

More information on the EDC-7 Round Innovations, including the initial Baseline Report can be found here.

Equity in Roadway Safety: Webinar Series

Recorded Webinars 

FHWA’s equity in roadway safety webinar series shares equitable strategies and tools that can be integrated into transportation programs and projects to close disparities in roadway fatalities on the way to our shared goal of zero deaths. Several recordings are available below.  


Roadway Safety for People Experiencing Homelessness (September 4, 2024)
Passcode: =3HZ8x@Md
Description: Learn from Texas Department of Transportation’s Austin District, Hawaii Department of Transportation, and the City of San José, California about how they are implementing strategies to address the road safety needs of people experiencing homelessness, a population that experiences significant disparities in roadway fatalities, as part of their work to reach the goal of zero deaths.

Read the Case Study on Promising Practices to Address Road Safety among People Experiencing Homelessness. This Case Study highlights seven promising practices. Each one includes a description, suggested actions to implement the promising practice, and examples of how State and local transportation agencies are implementing them.


Equitable Data Analysis (May 22, 2024)
Passcode: =@k?D?6$ 
Description: Join us to learn about available tools to collect, analyze and visualize data to support safety and equity. This session features (1) a demo from NHTSA on the FIRST tool, which allows you to quickly and easily disaggregate crash fatality data by race, crash contributors, etc. and visualize these crashes and (2) presentations on the Syndromic Surveillance Program by the CDC and Washington State Department of Health which allows you to potentially access real-time data on serious injury for pedestrians from emergency departments. 


Tools and Strategies for Equitable Design (March 27, 2024)
Passcode: *9Xna&Ln
Description: Learn about tools and strategies to integrate equity and safety considerations into project design. This webinar features presentations from the CDC on healthy community design and anti-displacement strategies, the US Access Board on accessible designs for pedestrians with disabilities, and a non-profit on empowering young people in transportation decision making. 


Strategies for Meaningful Public Involvement in Roadway Safety Planning (September 20, 2023; October 24, 2023)

State and Regional Agencies
Passcode: Fn^!pfz3
Description: Learn about innovative practices to meaningfully engage underserved communities through intentional outreach, compensation, and partnerships to deliver more effective projects that advance safety for all road users. Featuring representatives from Minnesota DOT; Washington State Traffic Safety Commission; Alameda County, CA; and BGMPO, NC. 

Local Public Agencies
Passcode: !M62RD#Y
Description: Learn about innovative practices to build relationships with underserved communities to develop robust local Safety Action Plans and deliver more effective projects that advance safety for all road users. Featuring representatives from Charlotte, NC; Detroit, MI; and Lancaster, PA. 

USDOT and FHWA Update and Vision Zero Network Resources
Passcode: y#MK5+d2
Description: This session features presentations on USDOT’s Promising Practices for Meaningful Public Involvement in Transportation Decision Making Guide and tools from the Vision Zero Network. 


Tools to Conduct Equitable Safety Data Analysis (June 14, 2023)

Presentation of all four tools (1 hour)
Passcode: bPu!u0B2

FHWA Title VI Toolkit Demo
Audio Transcript
Passcode: %uba6x%5
Description: Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination based on race, color, and national origin. Learn about how to access and analyze race and ethnicity data and Limited English Proficiency (LEP) data from data.census.gov. You will walk away with practical strategies to access and use U.S. Census data on race and ethnicity and LEP for compliance with Title VI.

Screening Tool for Equity Analysis of Projects (STEAP) and HEPGIS Equity Maps
Audio Transcript
Passcode: ZcW6@KU7
Description: You may walk away with a GIS mapping of your community overlaying demographic and crash data.

MyStreet
Audio Transcript
Passcode: 4$UD&38R
Description: This NEW FHWA tool is intended for small cities and MPOs. You will walk away with a list of locations with pedestrian safety risks in your community. To access the tool, visit www.mystreetpedsafety.org and email “Contact” to request user access. You must also gather a zipped shapefile of your jurisdiction’s pedestrian crash data. 

U.S. DOT Equitable Transportation Community (ETC) Explorer
This tool is evolving. Follow the instructions on the website for the most up-to-date information.


Equity in Roadway Safety Leadership Panel (April 17, 2023)
Passcode: Vu5d0=Xi
Description: USDOT’s ETC Explorer tool is a NEW interactive web application that uses 2020 Census Tracts and data to help practitioners distribute the benefits of investments to address transportation related causes of disadvantage. You can use the tool to generate scores that can be used in applications for USDOT discretionary grant programs or in making STIP project
selections.

NJ STIC 2024 2nd Triannual Meeting

The NJ State Transportation Innovation Council (NJ STIC) virtually convened for its second Triannual Meeting of 2024 on August 7. The Core Innovation Area (CIA) Teams reported on their progress towards Every Day Counts Round 7 (EDC-7) goals. Those in attendance heard featured presentations on a recent Low-Carbon Transportation Materials Grant Application and two AASHTO Awards given to NJDOT for innovative High Value Research Projects.

Welcome Remarks

Eric Powers, Assistant Commissioner NJDOT Statewide Planning, Safety & Capital Investment and Megan Fackler, Director of Statewide Planning, greeted those in attendance and opened the second Triannual Meeting of 2024. Eric Powers shared his excitement regarding the featured presentation on low carbon transportation materials while Megan Fackler shared the positive experience, she has had thus far with STIC meetings in her new role. Amanda Gendek then gave an overview of the day’s agenda which had been distributed in advance of the meeting.

FHWA Updates

Christopher Paige, Innovation Coordinator and Community Planner at the FHWA NJ Division Office, provided FHWA updates. Mr. Paige updated the group regarding a recent strategic workforce development peer exchange that he attended along with others from the NJ STIC that was hosted by the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) in Syracuse, NY. He also reminded the audience that the STIC incentive grant applications are due by August 9, 2024. Additionally, Mr. Paige announced that CIA Teams submit their next round of EDC-7 progress reports by November 8th, a deadline that is before the next Triannual Meeting in December.

Core Innovation Areas (CIA) Updates

The Core Innovation Area (CIA) Team leaders shared updates on their progress toward achieving the deployment goals for their respective innovative initiatives. CIA Team leaders from the NJDOT and FHWA discussed EDC-7 initiatives under the five CIA Teams: Safety; Infrastructure Preservation; Mobility and Operations; Organizational Support and Improvement; and Planning and Environment. Each team’s presentation offered insights into their ongoing projects and highlighted key implementation activities, accomplishments, and challenges they have encountered so far in meeting the deployment goals for the innovations.

An example of traffic signals with reflective backplates.

Several accomplishments and challenges were noted on select innovative initiatives, including:

Nighttime Visibility for Safety. The consultant designer is coordinating with fabricators on the feasibility of manufacturing the designed steel traffic signal poles and mast arms. The basis of design for aluminum poles, mast arm, and foundation has been reviewed by NJDOT, and comments provided to design consultant.

Enhancing Performance with Internally Cured Concrete. The guide specifications for the High Performance Internally Cured Concrete (HPIC) have been finalized and incorporated in the special provisions of the Final Design Submission for the first pilot project, scheduled to be awarded in Fall 2024. The pilot project is North Munn Ave. Bridge over Rt. 280, in the City of East Orange Essex County, NJ. The team engaged with Utility & Transportation Contractors Association-NJ to solicit feedback on the draft special provisions. The team also coordinated with Light Weight Fine Aggregate suppliers to ensure the availability of the material for the pilot project and assessed concrete suppliers in the vicinity of the project location for prior experience with supplying internally cured HPIC.

    Additionally, team members attended the New York State Peer Exchange on the EPIC2 Initiative in Albany, NY on May 29-30, which provided an opportunity to engage with champions from adopting states as well as with suppliers and contractors on implementation lessons and other topics.

    Within the pilot projects program, the team expects to carry out a procurement process to purchase several centrifuge apparatuses for quality control of moisture content of lightweight fine aggregate; the team also expects to update the HPIC specifications to incorporate the centrifuge apparatus.

    NJDOT seeks to implement the use of internally cured concrete to reduce shrinkage cracking and achieve long-term performance in concrete bridges, roads and repairs.

    Environmental Products Declarations (EPDs) for Sustainable Project Delivery. NJDOT staff attended the FHWA Climate Challenge & EDC-7 Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for Sustainable Project Delivery National Symposium in-person and virtually on June 5-6 in Arlington, VA. Day 1 of the symposium showcased the climate challenge and EDC-7 participant projects and efforts. Day 2, exclusively for in-person attendees, provided an opportunity to continue discussions from the previous sessions and facilitated an exchange of lessons learned among state representatives.

    The team is currently comparing specialty mixes to regular mixes. Due to the limited availability of EPDs for specialty mixes, New Jersey must conduct a comparative analysis prior to using Job Mix Formula (JMF) to create its own EPDs for specialty mixes. As part of this process, New Jersey has evaluated its JMF for regular mixes to determine if it aligns with numbers found in industry-level EPDs. Until there is full confidence that New Jersey’s JMF for regular mixes matches industry-level EPDs, the department will refrain from the using the JMF to create EPDs for its specialty mixes.

    Greenhouse Gas Reductions in Planning. NJDOT staff have identified carbon reduction categories for transportation project types that are already being implemented statewide to reduce emissions. During the update, an implementation plan and potential next steps activities were discussed, including: rank and score Carbon Reduction (CRP) and GHG Emissions Reduction Projects based on criteria to be determined; inclusion of the CRP-funded projects in the STIP to justify and inform use of the CRP funds; use GHG impacts as a mandatory STIP project selection criterion to incorporate the project-level GHG reporting; update the CRS every two years to align with the STIP; evaluation of CO2 impacts of CRP funds; implementation of the FHWA-approved Carbon Reduction Strategies in the STIP; and sharing data with MPOs and other Stakeholders.

    Next-Generation TIM – Technology for Savings Lives. The team reported on the deployment of TIM Technologies including light towers on NJDOT incident management trucks, light flares at incident scenes, and the use of DriveWyze to provide real-time notifications of queuing and slowdowns to truck drivers, and alerts targeted at keeping trucks out of the left lane on three-lane roadways.

      Feature Presentation 1: Low-Carbon Transportation Materials Grant Application

      Eligible material categories for the Low-Carbon Transportation Materials Grant Program. NJDOT is interesting in work involving all four of these materials.

      Dr. Giri Venkiteela, Research Scientist 2 in NJDOT’s Bureau of Research, Innovation and Information Transfer (BRIIIT), presented on the NJDOT Low-Carbon Transportation Materials (LCTM) program application, which was submitted to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) prior to the June 10th deadline. Similar to other state DOTs, NJDOT is eligible for at least $22 million to support the increased and institutionalized use of low carbon transportation materials on Federal-aid projects. Offered by FHWA, the LCM grant program will obligate funds through September 30, 2026, with availability for expenditure before September 30, 2031.

      The grant program’s goals are to increase the use of low-carbon materials, facilitate the use of these materials, promote technology transfer between entities regarding best practices and lessons learned, and encourage state DOTs to develop low-carbon transportation material identification frameworks. Eligible materials categories include asphalt, concrete, steel, and glass – all of which NJDOT is interested in advancing.

      If awarded, the LCTM grant will mobilize a University Consortium to undertake a series of tasks, in association with NJDOT SMEs, over several years that will involve the identification of low carbon materials, environmental product declarations (EPDs), testing and specifications development, and technology transfer activities. In Phase 2, pavement and bridge construction projects will be carried forward to demonstrate and adopt the LCTM materials. Ultimately, the project is expected to engage many NJDOT SMEs, Universities and the private sector.

      After the presentation, attending participants noted that in early 2023, the state legislature had passed the New Jersey Low Embodied Carbon Concrete Leadership Act (LECCLA) (S-287), a law that went into effect in January 2024. Under the law, concrete producers who provide mixes with a reduced carbon footprint on state-funded projects may be eligible for tax incentives. Under the law, concrete mixes with Global Warming Units below a threshold established by the NJ Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) will be eligible for tax credits. Participants suggested that further examination of the program may be warranted to glean what opportunities and lessons may be learned from its recent roll-out and implementation.

      Feature Presentation 2: High Value Research Project Spotlight

      Amanda Gendek announced that two of NJDOT’s research projects received national recognition from the American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO). Every year, the High Value Research Task Force of AASHTO’s Research Advisory Committee (RAC) holds a national competition to find four “high value” research projects from each of the four AASHTO regions in the country. In 2024, two research projects sponsored and managed by the New Jersey Department of Transportation were recognized nationally with awards.

      In late July 2024, Dr. Giri Venkiteela, Research Scientist, BRIIT, attended the National Meeting of the AASHTO Research Advisory Committee (RAC) in Columbus, Ohio and accepted two awards on behalf of the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

      The first project, “Advanced Reinforced Concrete Materials for Transportation Infrastructure,” managed by Dr. Giri Venkiteela, BRIIT, was one of the top 16 projects in the country recognized with this High Value Research award. The project focused on assessing the mechanical properties and long-term durability of reinforced concrete used in transportation infrastructure.

      The second project, also managed by Dr. Venkiteela, “Innovative Pothole Repair Materials and Techniques,” was recognized in the Maintenance, Management, and Prevention supplemental category. The project explored several innovative pothole repair techniques using asphalt, including preheating the excavated pothole prior to repair, utilizing hot filling material, and incorporating recycled materials in pothole repair.

      Announcements and Reminders

      NJDOT Technology Transfer Website Reminder. Attendees were reminded to refer to the NJDOT Technology Transfer website and, in particular, the NJ STIC section. The website is useful for staying up-to-date on NJ STIC activities and developments and for accessing a wide array of NJ STIC content, including an overview of the NJ STIC, the NJ STIC Charter, past meeting summaries, the status of current and past innovative initiatives, NJ STIC Grant Incentive Funding information, and articles and other materials that spotlight innovation and past NJ innovation accomplishments.

      NJ Transportation Ideas Portal. Ms. Gendek encouraged attendees to participate in the NJ Transportation Ideas Portal. The portal is open to the public for submissions of future research ideas and implementation studies. The Innovation Advisory Team reviews these proposals for feasibility of future actions. She noted that the portal is always open to new research and innovation idea submissions for consideration for future collaborative efforts and investments. The deadline for submission of research ideas for the next round of funding is December 31, 2024.

      104th TRB Annual Meeting. Ms. Gendek announced that registration for the TRB Annual meeting will open in September. The meeting will take place in Washington DC from January 5-9, 2025.

      Next Meeting. Amanda Gendek reminded attendees that the third triannual STIC meeting of 2024 will be hosted on December 18th at 10 a.m.

      Acknowledgements. The session concluded with expressions of gratitude to the guest speaker, CIA Teams, council members, and implementation teams. Their contributions were recognized as pivotal to the meeting’s success and the council’s ongoing endeavors.

      A recording of the NJ STIC 2024 2nd Triannual Meeting meeting is available here. The day’s presentations can be found here and, in the sections, below.

      Recording of the NJ STIC 2024 2nd Triannual Meeting
      Welcome Remarks & FHWA Updates
      CIA Team Update: Safety
      CIA Team Update: Safety
      CIA Team Update: Infrastructure Preservation
      CIA Team Update: Infrastructure Preservation
      CIA Team Update: Organizational Support & Improvement
      CIA Team Update: Organizational Support & Improvement
      CIA Team Update: Planning & Environment
      CIA Team Update: Planning & Environment
      CIA Team Update: Mobility & Safety
      CIA Team Update: Mobility & Safety
      Featured Presentation: Low-Carbon Transportation Materials (LCTM)
      Featured Presentation: Low-Carbon Transportation Materials (LCTM)
      Featured Presentation: NJDOT High Value Research Project Spotlight
      Featured Presentation: NJDOT High Value Research Project Spotlight
      Reminders and Announcements
      Reminders and Announcements
      From left to right: a woman in a hardhat working with a crowbar, then two men helping place a bridge component, finally three men on a paving device

      Strategic Workforce Development Online Recordings & Presentations

      Strategic Workforce Development is one of FHWA’s seven initiatives promoted in the seventh round of the Every Day Counts (EDC) program. Key emphasis is on developing new, innovative strategies to support qualified workers for highway construction projects. By strengthening this workforce by applying lessons learned with new training tools and customizable marketing materials, state transportation agencies can help to foster the next generation of transportation workers.

      FHWA’s Center for Workforce Development has hosted several webinars about the Highway Construction Workforce Partnership (HCWP), highlighting success stories and best practices.

      Recordings

      Recordings and select presentations are available here and future webinar announcements will be shared on the HCWP website.  Webinars have been held in 2023 and 2024 in support of states and localities seeking to advance the initiative during EDC-7 and earlier during EDC-6. Below are links to several webinars that can be found through the HCWP website.

      Presentations

      Alabama

      Colorado

      Idaho

      NJ STIC 2024 1st Triannual Meeting

      The NJ State Transportation Innovation Council (NJ STIC) virtually convened for its 1st Triannual Meeting of 2024 on April 17, 2024. The meeting provided an opportunity for attendees to hear from the Core Innovation Area (CIA) Teams about their progress towards Every Day Counts Round 7 (EDC-7) goals and to hear a featured presentation on plans for rolling out a new Construction & Maintenance Technician Apprenticeship Training Program at the New Jersey Department of Transportation. The agenda for the meeting was distributed in advance of the event.

      Figure 1. In recognition of National Work Zone Awareness Week, NJDOT placed 41 orange safety cones with black ribbon at the site of the Employee Memorial outside of NJDOT Headquarters. Each cone represents a NJDOT employee who lost their lives in the line of duty.

      Welcome Remarks. Amanda Gendek, Manager of the Bureau of Research, Innovation and Information Transfer (BRIIT) greeted those in attendance and opened the first triannual meeting. She reminded participants that she will be acting as host until the innovation coordinator position is filled. Ms. Gendek announced that April 15th-19th is National Work Zone Awareness Week and asked participants to take pause and recognize the NJDOT employees who have lost their lives on the job and encourage participants to recommit themselves to the mission of increasing safety for both workers and motorists. She then gave an overview of the day’s agenda.


      FHWA Updates. Christopher Paige, Innovation Coordinator and Community Planner from the FHWA NJ Division Office, provided FHWA updates. Mr. Paige encouraged participants to consider pursuing Accelerated Innovation Demonstration (AID) Grants for FY 2024 and noted the deadline for FY 2024 applications is May 28th, 2024. He also emphasized that EDC-7 progress reports should be submitted by May 10th, 2024. Mr. Paige noted that he recently attended the EDC-7 Greenhouse Gas Initiative Summit in Colorado with an NJDOT employee, Sushant Darji, and reflected on how some takeaways and model practices of peer agencies shared during the event may prove relevant to potential implementation in New Jersey. He reminded participants that past recorded webinars and other resources in support of the EDC-7 innovations are available at the FHWA Center for Accelerating Innovation website. Additionally, he encouraged attendees to subscribe to the EDC Innovator and other newsletters for regular updates on transportation innovation activities.

      Figure 2. The Mobility & Operations CIA Team highlighted its installation and planned pilot testing of GroundCast, a new generation of weather sensors which, when installed into highways, can measure road surface temperature and conditions.

      Core Innovation Areas (CIA) Updates. The Core Innovation Area (CIA) Team leaders gave updates on their progress toward fulfilling the deployment goals for their respective innovative initiatives. The updates were given by CIA Team leaders from the NJDOT and FHWA, covering EDC-7 initiatives under the auspices of the five CIA Teams that have been formed: Safety; Infrastructure Preservation; Mobility and Operations; Organizational Support & Improvement; Mobility and Operations; and Planning and Environment. Each team’s presentation provided insights into their ongoing projects and highlighted some of the implementation activities, accomplishments and challenges experienced to-date in meeting the deployment goals for the innovations.

      Feature Presentation: Construction & Maintenance Technician Apprenticeship Training Program. Kelly Hutchinson, NJDOT’s Assistant Commissioner for Administration, presented on the newly developed two-year apprenticeship training program, aimed at strengthening the construction and maintenance technician workforce. Ms. Hutchinson provided some background on the reasons for establishing a new apprentice program. Previously, the entry point to NJDOT’s Construction Inspector title series required candidates to possess related experience that was difficult to attain outside the transportation construction industry. In addition, this entry level position required that candidates and appointees take and pass a Civil Service exam. These requirements led to significant staffing shortages because there was an apparent lack of truly qualified job applicants responding to NJDOT’s recruitment efforts and those that did qualify did not always pass the Civil Service exam. Some of NJDOT’s entry level employees were not achieving permanent status needed for advancement, which caused retention problems. Employees that NJDOT appointed were sometimes displaced by other individuals who passed the Civil Service exam but may not have necessarily been deemed a desirable candidate from a management perspective.

      Additionally, NJDOT found that construction inspection employees accepted into the position did not possess consistent skills, attributable in part to having received varying levels of on-the-job training depending on the supervisor. With varying skills and training, their roles in construction oversight responsibilities varied from region to region and supervisor to supervisor, which led to a greater need to augment staffing with outside resources for inspection work. The development of the apprenticeship training program is a proactive effort by NJDOT to address these issues and challenges for recruitment and retention and increase the labor supply pipeline.

      Figure 3. Kelly Hutchinson (NJDOT) presented on the recently developed Construction & Maintenance Technician Apprenticeship Training Program. The two-year training program will help address barriers to entry for applicants without construction experience, among other benefits.

      To reduce barriers to entry, the apprenticeship program will no longer require a civil service exam, or relevant construction experience. Instead, over the course of two years, apprentices will complete a 4-segment training program including a review of NJDOT’s specifications, online training modules, in-person inspection courses, and field training exercises. To ensure all information is consistent across departments and projects, apprentices will be exposed to a common curriculum and have a chance to develop their knowledge and skills and demonstrate their field inspection competency. Implementation of the training program is expected to begin in Fall of 2024, with a target group of all non-supervisory construction and management technicians.

      Announcements and Reminders

      NJDOT Technology Transfer Website Reminder. Attendees were reminded to refer to the NJDOT Technology Transfer website and, in particular, the NJ STIC section. The website is useful for staying up-to-date on NJ STIC activities and developments and for accessing a wide array of NJ STIC content, including an overview of the NJ STIC, the NJ STIC Charter, past meeting summaries, the status of current and past innovative initiatives, NJ STIC Grant Incentive Funding information, and articles and other materials that spotlight innovation and past NJ innovation accomplishments.

      NJ Transportation Ideas Portal. Ms. Gendek encouraged attendees to participate in the NJ Transportation Ideas Portal. The portal is open to the public for submissions of future research ideas and implementation studies. The Innovation Advisory Team reviews these proposals for feasibility of future actions. She noted that the portal is always open to new research and innovation idea submissions for consideration for future collaborative efforts and investments.

      STIC Incentive Funding. Ms. Gendek reminded participants of the availability of STIC Incentive Grants and that FHWA has announced funding of up to $125,000 annually. This funding is available to support the advancement of innovative initiatives underway – such as those being advanced by the CIA Teams, and other noteworthy innovations. Guidance for applicants can be accessed from the NJ STIC drop-down menu here on the NJDOT Tech Transfer Website. She noted that the staff from NJDOT BRIIT are available to answer questions and assist interested participants with grant applications.

      Build a Better Mousetrap. Ms. Gendek mentioned that the New Jersey Build a Better Mousetrap (BABM) competition is currently underway and seeking submissions from state and local governments (e.g., municipalities, counties, and park commissions) who have implemented innovative solutions in transportation. Information on the key judging criteria and the entry forms for entering the competition are available at cait.rutgers.edu/mousetrap/. Attendees were also encouraged to watch the recently produced NJDOT video advertising the 2024 New Jersey BABM Competition. The BABM page on the Technology Transfer website also shares several video examples of past winning entries in recent years.

      Next Meeting. Amanda Gendek reminded attendees that STIC meetings have moved to a triannual schedule. She shared the scheduled dates for planning and holding the STIC meetings in 2024. The next meeting will be hosted on August 7th, 2024, at 10 am.

      Acknowledgements. The session concluded with expressions of gratitude to the guest speaker, CIA Teams, council members, and implementation teams. Their contributions were recognized as pivotal to the meeting’s success and the council’s ongoing endeavors.

      A recording of the NJ STIC April 2024 meeting is available here. The day’s presentations can be found here and, in the sections, below, including the results of the interactive exercise.

      Recording of the NJ STIC 2024 1st Triannual Meeting
      Welcome Remarks & FHWA Updates
      CIA Team Update: Safety
      CIA Team Update: Infrastructure Preservation
      CIA Team Update: Organizational Support & Improvement
      CIA Team Update: Planning & Environment
      CIA Team Update: Mobility & Safety
      Featured Presentation: Construction & Maintenance Technician Apprenticeship Training Program.
      Reminders and Announcements

      STIC Incentive Program Funds are Available!


      The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) offers STIC Incentive Funding, as well as technical assistance, to support the standardization and advancement of innovative practices. The NJ STIC receives $125,000 each year and state and local public agencies in transportation are eligible to apply.

      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 goals.  The NJ STIC will consider projects and activities that advance innovations such as the Every Day Counts (EDC) innovations that are being promoted by FHWA.  

      Proposed STIC project ideas are prioritized by the NJ STIC for each federal fiscal year. Selected projects are then submitted to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) for approval. The request submittal does not guarantee funding nor award of funding.

      The NJDOT Bureau of Research, Innovation and Information Transfer is ready to answer your questions and assist applicants. For more information on eligibility, proposal requirements, past funded projects, and more, please visit: the New Jersey STIC Incentive Fund Requests webpage.


      Ultra High-Performance Concrete (UHPC) Applications in New Jersey – An Update

      UHPC for Bridge Preservation and Repair is a model innovation that was featured in 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 an interview with Jess Mendenhall and Samer Rabie of NJDOT, who provided an update on the pilot projects of UHPC around the state. The interview has been edited for clarity. 

      Q.  While EDC-6 was underway, we spoke with your unit about the pilot projects being undertaken with UHPC.  Some initial lessons were shared subsequently in a featured presentation given to the NJ STIC.  Can you update us on results of those projects, and did they yield any benefits in the fields of safety or environmental considerations?

      For the NJDOT Pilot Project, the thickness of the overlay was limited by the required depth for effectiveness, as well as the cost of the UHPC material and environmental permitting. To mitigate environmental permitting, we avoided any modifications to the existing elevations and geometry of the structure. Essentially, any removal of asphalt and concrete needed to be replaced to its original elevations.

      UHPC overlays can significantly extend the service of bridge decks and even increase a structure’s capacity. Although safety improvements were not the primary objective of this application, there were rideability and surface drainage considerations in the design to enhance the conditions for the road users.

      The environmental impacts of structural designs must be compared on the cradle-to-grave use cycle of the design at a project scale.  Having a focus on sustainability is imperative; however, it is more meaningful when resiliency is also considered.  While the greenhouse gas emissions of a volume of UHPC are higher than those of the same volume of concrete, UHPC enables the reduction in the amount of material required in structural designs and improves the durability of structures. Its exceptional compressive strength and toughness allow for the reduction of material usage. By minimizing maintenance requirements and extending the lifespan of infrastructure, UHPC reduces the consumption of materials, energy, and resources over time.

      For example, we installed this overlay on 4 bridges as a preservation technique. Had we done nothing, they would have lasted approximately 10 more years. During that time they would have needed routine deck patching resulting in further contamination of the decks and in a condition that is no longer preservable and requires total deck replacement, with large volumes of concrete and much more environmental impact.

      UHPC allowed us to take these decks that are still in decent shape and preserve them now with a relatively thin layer to make them exceed the service life of the superstructure and substructure.

      Q. Has UHPC been incorporated into the design manual?

      Figure 1. UHPC being placed by workers

      It is not in our current design manual, but we are working on the revised design manual. UHPC is presently being used for all closure pores between prefabricated components, overlays, and link-slabs. I don’t think we are ready to standardize it quite yet. We used it on the 4 bridges and it will continue to be used, but we will not standardize it until the industry is more predictable and we get more experience to develop thorough guidelines and specifications. It is incorporated into projects as a special provision with non-standard items.

      Q. Have you been receiving more requests to use this technology from around the state?

      It is much more commonly specified by designers or requested for use on many of our projects. We have responded to nationwide inquiries from state transportation agencies and universities seeking our specifications or input on specific testing and procedures.

      Q. What efforts do you think can be taken to encourage more adoption amongst local agencies, counties, etc.?

      We are keen on inviting the counties to any training or workshop that we are hosting as well as sharing our lessons learned thus far.  I think they are aware of it.

      Q. What kind of hurdles do you think exist that may limit widespread adoption?

      It is possible that initial cost and industry experience with the material are still major limiting factors in adoption. We have also learned from specialty UHPC contractors that the innovation and availability of construction equipment geared for UHPC implementation are also lacking.  Bringing into focus the life cycle costs and with more implementations, we think many of these hurdles will be overcome. Additionally, once UHPC is used more in routine maintenance the implementation would be more frequent and widespread; we know there is interest specifically in UHPC shotcrete once it is available.

      Q. Are you familiar with any training, workshops, or conferences that have been done for staff or their partners on this topic?

      We participated in the Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC) conference in Miami, Florida, the International Bridge Conference (IBC) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and the New York State DOT Peer Exchange. In Delaware, we presented at the Third International Interactive Symposium on UHPC. We also participated in the development of a UHPC course for the AASHTO Technical Training Solutions (TTS formerly TC3) which is now published on the AASHTO TTS portal and available on our LMS internally. 

      Q. Do you think there is any special training needed for the construction workforce to start using this technology?

      Absolutely, the AASHTO TTS course and the EDC-6 workshops are geared towards the design and construction, TTS is more focused in the Construction. It’s an introduction to what to expect and how to implement it. UHPC is often used for repair projects, and many contractors may not have the experience or comfort with using the material.

      Figure 2. UHPC Testing at Rutgers’ CAIT

      Q. What are the results of the pilot projects of UHPC?

      This Pilot projects program demonstrated that UHPC overlays can be successfully placed on various structures, the work can be completed rapidly to minimize traffic impacts — we estimated roughly four weeks of traffic disruption per stage, and the benefits of UHPC can help preserve the existing infrastructure. Compared to deck replacement, UHPC overlays can rehabilitate a bridge deck at exceptional speeds with unique constructability and traffic patterns, as implemented in all four structures. However, limitations exist, and further research is necessary to investigate the issues identified in the pilot project, but the potential of this material outweighs the existing limitations.

      Q. Has there been long-term testing data developed to gather performance data?

      To assess the performance of the UHPC overlay, we put together a testing program to include NDT as well as physical sampling and lab testing. This objective will be accomplished by first establishing baseline conditions through an initial survey followed by periodic monitoring of the UHPC-overlaid bridges over succeeding years. This will help NJDOT assess the performance of UHPC as an overlay. Overall, the results show the overlay bond is performing well.

      Q. Has the data from the pilot project been used to research further applications?

      Further applications for UHPC overlay are on new bridge decks/superstructures, and the data from UHPC overlay research project are being used for these projects. There is an interest in header reconstruction with UHPC. If deck joints need to be replaced, they should be constructed with conventional HPC with UHPC at the surface to provide the same overlay protection over the entire structure. Also, self-consolidating and self-leveling UHPC was preferred for the full-depth UHPC header placement to ensure proper consolidation around tight corners and reinforcement. This will be further explored for maintenance operations as well.

      For future projects, in lieu of full-depth header reconstruction in a single lift, a partial depth header removal and reconstruction or alternatively two lifts of header concrete should be evaluated to coincide with the deck overlay, in which case the benefits of the fast cure times from UHPC can still be realized. Two of the four bridges experienced air voids throughout the placement. A UHPC slurry with no

      fibers was placed in the identified air voids; since the voids contained exposed fibers, they were considered to create adequate bonding with the UHPC slurry.

      Resources

      NJDOT Technology Transfer (2021, November). Stronger, More Resilient Bridges: Ultra High-Performance Concrete (UHPC) Applications in New Jersey.  Interview with Pranav Lathia, Retrieved from:  https://www.njdottechtransfer.net/2021/11/29/uhpc-stronger-more-resilient-bridges/

      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

      Rabie, Samer and Jess Mendenhall (2022, December). Design, Construction, and Evaluation of UHPC Bridge Deck Overlays for NJDOT.  NJ STIC Presentation and Recording.  Retrieved from:  https://www.njdottechtransfer.net/2022/12/18/nj-stic-4th-quarter-2022-meeting/

      Q&A: What’s EPIC2 about Internally Cured Concrete?

      Enhancing Performance with Internally Cured Concrete (EPIC2) is a model innovation in the latest round of the FHWA’s Every Day Counts Program (EDC-7). EPIC2 is recognized as an innovative new technique that can be used to extend the life of concrete bridges and roads. Internal curing increases concrete’s resistance to early cracking, allowing the production of higher-performance concretes that may last more than 75 years.

      This Q&A article has been prepared following an interview and follow-up correspondence with Samer Rabie and Jess Mendenhall of the New Jersey Department of Transportation. The Q&A interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.


      Q. What is Internally Cured Concrete, and how does it differ from traditional concrete?

      A common issue with high performance concrete (HPC) bridge decks is that soon after the curing is done, they develop fine shrinkage cracks spread throughout the deck. Even this fine cracking can reduce the service life. In the past, we have used crack sealing materials as a mitigation effort, but when we learned about internally cured concrete, we shifted our focus to see if we could adopt it in New Jersey.

      Figure 1. Illustrating the difference between conventional and internal curing

      Autogenous or chemical shrinkage is specific to HPC concrete, where the w/c ratio is less than 0.42. It is due to self-desiccation, which is water consumed by the cementitious materials after setting, and that is one where internal curing can help.

      There are multiple methods to implement internal curing. The method that we are considering involves  modifying a conventional concrete mixture to an internally cured concrete mixture by replacing a portion of the fine aggregate (sand) with lightweight fine aggregate. This lightweight fine aggregate (LWFA) is saturated with internal curing water, typically estimated at 7lbs of water for every 100lbs of cementitious materials used in the mixture. Next, the amount of LWA required for this amount of internal curing water is determined based on the mass of the internal curing water and the absorption of the LWFA. Once the total volume and mass of lightweight aggregate are determined, the volume (and mass) of the fine lightweight aggregate are adjusted so that the volume of LWFA and fine aggregate in the internally cured mixture is equal to the volume of the fine aggregate in the original mixture.

      The LWFA will provide internal curing water within the concrete mix during curing, and prevent a condition that occurs in low W/CM ratio systems where the capillary water within the concrete matrix pores will be consumed without complete cement hydration, which can lead to cracking of the concrete matrix.

      Q. How does Internally Cured Concrete improve performance?

      Internal curing improves the performance of concrete by increasing the reaction of the cementitious materials and reducing internal stresses that typically develop in high-cementitious content mixtures if insufficient internal curing water is present. However, in addition to conventional curing which supplies water from the surface of concrete, internal curing provides curing water from the aggregates within the concrete. This provides a source of moisture from inside the concrete mixture, improving its resistance to cracking and overall durability.

      Q. Are there any limitations on the use of internally cured concrete?

      Internal curing is extremely versatile and  can generally be used anywhere traditional concrete is used. Most of the process is the same, and aggregates can be pre-saturated as needed. It follows the norms of industrial concrete production, making it accessible to any producer already familiar with the state of practice. Most of the implementation process is similar to conventional concrete.

      Figure 2. Workers applying internally cured concrete to a bridge deck.

      Q. What New Jersey sites were picked for use in internally cured concrete, and why?

      We started with a list of all of our bridge projects, specifically projects that needed deck replacement and superstructure replacement. We then further targeted projects that allowed us to focus on implementation and quick delivery time rather than constructability and other additional challenges. We looked at projects with straightforward staging and geometry and prioritized projects with twin bridges (for example, northbound and southbound). This would allow us to do one bridge with traditional HPC and the other with internally cured HPC, providing us with an excellent controlled opportunity to study and compare the results.

      Various sites have been screened throughout the state. Currently, eight bridges are under consideration, with a project scope of work of deck and superstructure replacement. The rationale included the project scope of work, CIP deck slabs, project schedule, staging constraints, and avoiding heavily skewed bridges.

      Q. Have any life cycle cost analyses been performed?

      We have not prepared one ourselves, but we do plan on doing so in the future. First, we will need to get these projects out to construction and get actual cost data. We’re expecting higher upfront costs, but if cracking is reduced then the life cycle costs and future maintenance and reconstruction needs can be significantly reduced.

      Q. In what ways do you think people can be better educated on the implementation of EPIC2?

      We have presented to many of our stakeholders in our capital program to discuss the topic, and now that it is an EDC initiative,  decision makers are acknowledging its value. The Federal Highway Administration is also planning on conducting workshops and peer exchanges between contractors, concrete suppliers, and other agencies like New York State DOT, which have already done this. All of these are extremely valuable.

      We first heard about internally cured concrete during a peer exchange in 2021 with the New York State DOT. It was under the banner of EDC-6, and they took us out on several bridges where we noted that they have significantly reduced the typical shrinkage cracking that is common with High Performance Concrete. So that was an eye opening experience for us, and I know it would be valuable to others. The fact that it is now its own initiative in EDC-7 helps facilitate implementation.

      Q. Is special training needed for contractors to work with internally cured concrete?

      From our research and experience with other agencies, the finishing should not be significantly different from conventional HPC. The process at that point will be almost identical to placing traditional concrete, so there won’t be any learning curve or time spent on getting workers to learn how to deal with a new material. In fact, most contractors say that the mixture is easier to work due to improved pumpability as the material is quite smooth. I think the crucial step will be to coordinate with concrete production plants that are creating the mixes.

      Figure 3. States that have implemented EPIC2 on their roads or bridges

      Q. Where else has internally cured concrete been implemented?

      So far it has been used in bridge decks in many states, including New York, Ohio, and North Carolina, among others. It has also been used in pavement and pavements in Kansas, Texas and Michigan.

      Q. What is the future of internally cured concrete in New Jersey?

      We hope these projects will be successful, and that our current crop of projects will result in some valuable lessons learned. In the long term, I believe the goal would be that all of the bridge decks would use an internally cured mixture. I can also see this being used for patching and deck repair jobs. But ultimately, the goal would be for this to become the new standard for bridge decks across the state.


      Resources

      Federal Highway Administration. 2023 Internally Curing Concrete Produces EPIC2 Results. https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/innovation/innovator/issue98/page_01.html

      Federal Highway Administration. 2023. Enhancing Performance with Internally Cured Concrete. https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/innovation/everydaycounts/edc_7/docs/EDC-7FactsheetEPIC2.pdf

      Federal Highway Administration. (2018, June). Concrete Clips: Internal Curing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6WREFmacaM

      New York State DOT Standard Specifications (2021). Standard Specifications. New York State DOT. https://www.dot.ny.gov/main/business-center/engineering/specifications/busi-e-standards-usc/usc-repository/2021_9_specs_usc_vol2.pdf

      National Concrete Pavement Technology Center Internal Curing Resources. (2022). Internal Curing. Iowa State University. https://cptechcenter.org/internal-curing/

      Internal Curing. (2020). Oregon State University. https://engineering.oregonstate.edu/CCE/research/asphalt-materials-performance-lab/materials-research-concrete-materials/Internal-Curing

      Pacheco, Jose. (2021, October). USDOT Workshop Report, Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Wisconsin Department of Transportation. https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/62607

      Weiss, Joseph. (2015, July). Internal Curing Technical Brief. Federal Highway Administration. https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/pavement/concrete/pubs/hif16006.pdf

      NJ STIC 4th Quarter 2023 Meeting

      The NJ State Transportation Innovation Council (NJ STIC) virtually convened its 4th Quarter Meeting on December 13, 2023. This event provided an opportunity for attendees to hear from the CIA Teams about their progress towards EDC-7 goals and to hear several presentations on mobility and operations topics piloting communications technologies. The agenda for the meeting was distributed in advance of the event.

      Welcome Remarks. Amanda Gendek, NJDOT Bureau of Research Manager, greeted those in attendance and opened the meeting. She gave an overview of the day’s agenda and its featured speakers on Mobility and Operations topics describing pilot projects. She also took note of two new changes to the NJ STIC leadership team introducing the new Director of Statewide Planning, Megan Fackler, and the new Assistant Commissioner of Statewide Planning, Safety & Capital Investment, Eric Powers.

      FHWA Updates. Christopher Paige, Innovation Coordinator and Community Planner from the FHWA NJ Division Office, provided FHWA updates. Mr. Paige noted upcoming deadlines and the availability of resources, stating the first round of progress report for the EDC-7 round were extended to April 2024. He emphasized that recorded webinars and other resources supporting the EDC-7 innovations are available at the FHWA Center for Accelerating Innovation website. Mr. Paige also encouraged participants to consider pursuing Accelerated Innovation Demonstration (AID) Grants for FY 2024 and noted the recent deadline for FY 2023 had just passed. Additionally, he advised subscribing to the EDC newsletter for updates on transportation innovation activities.

      Core Innovation Areas (CIA) Updates. The Core Innovation Area (CIA) Team leaders gave updates on their progress toward fulfilling the deployment goals for their respective innovative initiatives under EDC-7. The updates were given by CIA Team leaders from the NJDOT and FHWA, covering EDC-7 initiatives under the auspices of the CIA Teams for: Safety; Infrastructure Preservation; Mobility and Operations; Organizational Support & Improvement; Mobility and Operations; and Planning and Environment. Each team’s presentation provided insights into their ongoing projects and highlighted some of the milestones and challenges to meeting the goals for the innovations.

      Vandana Mathur introduced the presenters who gave mobility and operations-themed presentations that highlighted how communications technologies are being piloted to support more informed decision-making by NJDOT and to manage the operations of transportation systems to ensure the safety of state’s transportation users and workers.

      Mr. Murphy gave an overview of the types of operations and mobility vehicles deployed with weather savvy instrumentation to achieve statewide coverage in outlining the rationale for expansion of the program.

      Feature Presentation, Theme #1 — Expansion of the NJDOT Weather Savvy Pilot Program. Thomas Murphy from NJDOT gave an update of the progress of the Weather Savvy Pilot Program aimed at managing and monitoring road conditions during weather events to ensure safety of motorists. The presentation highlighted how trucks have been outfitted with advanced sensors in partnership with a skilled private sector partner. Currently, the program encompasses 24 trucks, strategically distributed to cover major roads across the state. These equipped vehicles play a crucial role in tracking and communicating roadway conditions, contributing significantly to informed maintenance and safety-preserving decisions by sharing this information with central command centers. Looking ahead, there are goals to significantly increase the number of Weather Savvy-equipped vehicles, aiming to reach into the hundreds.

      Mr. Rivera introduced the truck parking web portal, highlighting dashboard display measures – for example, vehicle entries, lot utilization, dwell times, and exits — tracked in real-time at a Harding Area truck rest stop that was piloted.

      Feature Presentation, Theme #2 — NJDOT Pilot Tests of Truck Parking Information System (TPIS). Luis Rivera from NJDOT discussed the agency’s truck parking pilot program and its recent advancements. He detailed the installation process of micro radar sensors, a key component in the system, which involves precise measurements, coring, cleaning, and securing the sensors with epoxy. Mr. Rivera also introduced the truck parking web portal, designed to offer real-time occupancy data and analytics for rest areas. Highlighting the program’s expansion, he mentioned that it initially began at the Harding Rest Area and has since extended to the rest area at Carneys Point. Mr. Rivera elaborated on the advanced technologies deployed at these locations, including traffic microwave sensors for non-intrusive vehicle detection, CCTV cameras, and pavement sensors, and underscored the program’s commitment to leveraging technology.

      Feature Presentation, Theme #3 — No Trucks in the Left Lane Notifications. Kimberly Ferguson from NJDOT explained how NJDOT uses the DriveWyze notification system to improve roadway safety through communication notifications to truck drivers through a phone application and their mandatory electronic logging devices (ELDs). The notifications, strategically placed approximately every 15 miles on multi-lane (3-plus) roadways, are part of an effort to regulate truck lane usage and enhance traffic flow. To determine the optimal locations of these “No Trucks in Left Lane” alerts, Ms. Ferguson described how the NJDOT team has undertaken practical experiments by driving the roadways themselves, ensuring the notifications were helpful and not overwhelming for the truck drivers. This initiative reflects a targeted approach to improve safety and traffic flow on multi-lane roadways.

      Feature Presentation, Theme #4 — Traffic Incident Management Outreach Tracker. Ms. Ferguson also discussed the Traffic Incident Management (TIM) outreach tracker in her presentation at the NJ STIC 4th Quarter 2023 Meeting. This tracker is integral to the TIM program, which focuses on training first responders in traffic incident management. The goal for 2023 was to train 5,000 first responders, and while this target was not fully met, significant progress was made with 62 percent of the goal achieved. The TIM outreach tracker plays a crucial role in monitoring the progress of this training initiative. It helps keep track of the number of trained individuals and the effectiveness of the outreach efforts. Ms. Ferguson highlighted the ongoing efforts to increase the number of trained responders, mentioning regular weekly and biannual meetings that support this aim.

      NJ STIC Participants Interactive Exercise. Ms. Gendek facilitated an interactive online session with attendees, who were invited to answer a series of questions using their cell phones. The exercise sought to gauge from attendees their perception of the progress towards reaching the deployment goals for the respective EDC-7 innovative initiatives. The session invited feedback and engagement from the participants and enhanced the collaborative aspect of the meeting. The questions invited respondents to consider the deployment status, current challenges, and forms of assistance still needed to reach deployment goals. The exercise sought to solicit from attendees their suggestions for model “innovative” practices and accomplishments that should be featured at future NJ STIC meetings, in future “innovation case study” videos, and in other technical assistance training materials and communications. The results of the interactive exercise are shared here.

      Announcements and Reminders

      NJDOT Technology Transfer Website Reminder. Attendees were reminded to refer to the NJDOT Technology Transfer website and, in particular, the NJ STIC section. The website is useful for staying up-to-date on NJ STIC activities and developments and for accessing a wide array of NJ STIC content, including an overview of the NJ STIC, the NJ STIC Charter, past meeting summaries, the status of current and past innovative initiatives, NJ STIC Grant Incentive Funding information, and articles and other materials that spotlight innovation and past NJ innovation accomplishments.

      NJ Transportation Ideas Portal. Ms. Gendek encouraged attendees to participate in the NJ Transportation Ideas Portal. Available to public for submissions and comments, the portal is open to ideas for future research and implementation studies, and seeks to review and share proposals for innovation topics with the Innovation Advisory Team to determine feasibility for future actions. The deadline for research idea submissions in time for the current round of solicitations is coming soon, December 31, 2023. However, she noted that the portal is always open to new research and innovation idea submissions for consideration for future collaborative efforts and investments.

      Innovation Grant Program Announcement. Dr. Venkiteela gave a “sneak-preview” of an upcoming NJDOT Innovation Grant program that is under development. The focus of this initiative will be to encourage innovations, integrate technologies, and foster public-private collaborations. Set to launch in April 2024, the program represents a significant step towards supporting and advancing innovative practices in transportation.

      STIC Incentive Funding. Ms. Gendek reminded participants of the availability of STIC Incentive Grants of up to $100,000 annually. This funding is available to support the advancement of innovative initiatives underway, and other noteworthy innovations.

      Meeting Schedule Change for 2024. Ms. Gendek mentioned that the schedule for future meetings will be changed to a triannual schedule in 2024. This change will not affect the NJ STIC’s commitment to participate in the national FHWA efforts to promote and accelerate transportation innovations. The council will participate in National STIC network calls and its participation in the next EDC Summit will continue.

      Acknowledgements. The session concluded with expressions of gratitude to the guest speakers, CIA Teams, council members, and implementation teams. Their contributions were recognized as pivotal to the meeting’s success and the council’s ongoing endeavors.

      A recording of the NJ STIC December 2023 meeting is available here. The day’s presentations can be found here and, in the sections, below, including the results of the interactive exercise.

      Recording of the NJ STIC 4th Quarter 2023 Meeting
      Welcome Remarks & FHWA Updates
      CIA Team Update: Safety
      CIA Team Update: Infrastructure Preservation
      CIA Team Update: Organizational Support & Improvement
      CIA Team Update: Planning & Environment
      CIA Team Update: Mobility & Safety
      Featured Presentation: Weather Savvy Pilot
      Featured Presentation: Pilot Tests of Truck Parking Information Systems
      Featured Presentation: No Trucks in Left Lane Notifications
      Featured Presentation: TIM Outreach Tracker
      Interactive Exercise
      Reminders and Announcements