Researchers at Colorado State University developed a resilience-based framework that significantly improves recovery planning for transportation networks after earthquakes. The methodology integrates both traffic efficiency and safety.
Research at South Dakota State University could lead to new, less-damaging products and procedures for keeping roads and runways ice free. Chloride-based deicers are essential for ensuring road safety in cold seasons.
Researchers at Utah State University have developed a non-proprietary ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) mix that will be at least 50% less expensive than proprietary mixes.
Researchers at the University of Colorado Denver examined bridge beams reinforced with ultra-high performance concrete and carbon fiber reinforced polymer to determine how they perform under a combination of stresses such as cyclical structural loading and high temperatures.
Researchers with the Center for Transformative Infrastructure Preservation and Sustainability will present nearly 50 research papers at the 104th annual meeting of the Transportation Research Board (TRB) in Washington, D.C. January 5-9.
Ryan Jones, a Ph.D. student in Transportation and Logistics at North Dakota State University, has been named the 2024 Student of the Year for the Center for Transformative Infrastructure Preservation and Sustainability (CTIPS). He will be honored with other award winners from across the country during an awards ceremony January 4 in Washington, D.C.
In early research on infrastructure-embedded power systems for electric vehicles, researchers at Utah State University studied concrete slabs embedded with electric power systems to determine their durability.
This study systematically reviews the global SSB patent landscape using a cross-sectional bibliometric and thematic analysis to identify innovations addressing key technical challenges. The study classifies innovations into key problem and solution areas by meticulously examining 244 patents across multiple dimensions, including year, geographic distribution, inventor engagement, award latency, and technological focus.
Researchers at South Dakota State University found that a combination of steel slag and steel chips, two common steel byproducts, can help reduce the levels of E. coli and phosphorus in storm runoff water from transportation infrastructure and other areas.
Yun Zhou, Kimberly Vachal, Kelly Bengtson, Del Peterson, Kshitij Sharma, and Andrew Kubas This study was aimed at understanding winter truck crashes, given the prominence of commercial vehicle travel in the region’s economy. Truck mobility was studied in the Safe System context with an investigation into North Dakota’s primary east-west traffic corridor along Interstate 94.
Researchers at the University of Colorado Denver and Colorado State University have developed computer models that will help decision-makers, such as highway agency staff and building owners and managers, allocate limited financial resources in ways that will most effectively extend the lives of structures such as bridges and buildings.
Researchers at Utah State University examined how the vital connections between bridge components used in accelerated bridge construction react to vehicle impacts and how those impacts affect any subsequent earthquake activity.
Researchers at the University of Utah developed a repair technique that will reduce maintenance costs and sustain the safety of bridges that are suffering from delamination of their concrete bridge decks.
Carbon monoxide, more commonly referred to as CO, is a highly toxic gas, produced by devices that burn fuels – often found in our everyday lives. Carbon monoxide can’t be seen, smelled, or heard, but can be extremely dangerous to humans. Carbon monoxide is only detectable with an electronic carbon monoxide sensor.
Solid-state batteries (SSBs) offer significant improvements in safety, energy density, and cycle life over conventional lithium-ion batteries, with promising applications in electric vehicles and grid storage due to their non-flammable electrolytes and high-capacity lithium metal anodes.
In this issue of the newsletter you will find an article about Adult Treatment Court Best Practice Standards as well as Addressing Addiction with Evidence-Based
Solutions. The usual crash statistics, case law, resources, and training sections are also included.
Researchers at the University of Colorado Denver studied timber bridges as well as computer models to determine how two common load rating methods are related.
Researchers at Utah State University studied the connections between steel reinforcement bars embedded in concrete bridges to help bridge designers improve designs for accelerated bridge construction. The construction technique cuts construction time and costs, reduces risk for workers and the traveling public, improves quality assurance, and is more environmentally friendly.
With winter weather comes snow fighting and with snow fighting comes fatigue. Unpredictable weather can lead to long difficult hours on the road with few breaks and little sleep. However, there are several things agencies and drivers can do to make sure crews are in good shape to combat Old Man Winter, maintain our roads, and get home safely.
Utah State University researchers developed a protective coating to safeguard bridge decks overlaid with polymer concrete, a material that is seeing an increased use because of its high bond strength, short curing times, good resistance to water and chlorine penetration, and excellent skid and abrasion resistance.
UGPTI hosted North Dakota’s first autonomous trucking conference, Autonomous Trucking in North Dakota: Prospects and Challenges, October 16-17, 2024 in Bismarck, ND. The more than 120 attendees included stakeholders from trucking and autonomous vehicle industries, technical experts, highway safety specialists, enforcement personnel, regulatory agency staff, local and tribal government staff and researchers.
Researchers at the University of Wyoming developed a system for establishing passing zones on rural two-lane highways that is more accurate and more efficient that an existing outdated system. The two-vehicle system uses vehicle-to-vehicle communication, video technology, GPS, speed data and machine vision systems to establish passing and no-passing zones.
Researchers at the University of Utah are developing accurate ways of modeling the seismic performance of bridges constructed using accelerated bridge construction techniques that enhance construction quality and speed.
In this issue of the North Dakota Impaired Driving Newsletter we feature the traffic safety partner showcase, continue discussion on plea agreements, and discuss preventing addiction before it starts. Also, review the summer ND Impaired Driving
Conference and include a list of upcoming training and events along with a training resource listing.
Employees encounter risks and hazards to injuring their hands more than they are aware of at their workplace. A statistic from NDACo – 20% of all Highway Department claims involve the hands. How are they injuring their hands?
Research at Utah State University will help guide programs designed to change travel behaviors in a way that will improve air quality. The research provides insight into people’s perceptions of air pollution and how they change (or do not change) their travel behavior in response to episodes of area-wide poor air quality.
Researchers at Utah State University are taking advantage of novel pedestrian push-button traffic signal data to advance pedestrian traffic monitoring and improve pedestrian traffic safety.
North Dakota State University researchers studied walkability on the Fort Totten Indian Reservation to improve pedestrian safety and mobility. In many Native American communities, walking is a significant form of mobility to reach destinations such as schools, stores, parks, and post offices.
Research at Utah State University provides a roadmap for standardizing connected and autonomous vehicle (CAV) crash reporting practices across the United States.
Jeremy Mattson and Dilip Mistry Public transportation plays a fundamental role in the livability of communities of all sizes. The Rural Transit Fact Book provides information on transit service availability and cost to help the transit industry in the United States provide efficient and effective service to meet rural community mobility needs.
Research at North Dakota State University’s Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute shows that a parent advisory letter can be an effective tool for improving teen driver safety.
Jeremy Mattson and Jill Hough This study examines rural transit needs for Jaunt. The objective is to quantify the need for transit services in each of Jaunt's partner jurisdictions. Recommendations and cost estimates are provided.
Safe + Sound Week is a nationwide event held each August that recognizes the successes of workplace health and safety programs and offers information and ideas on how to keep America's workers safe. This year Safe + Sound Week will provide resources for businesses on Job Hazard Analysis (JHA). These materials will be posted before the start of Safe + Sound Week. Please check back soon!
Blind spots behind and around vehicles are not immediately obvious to employees on foot. By training employees on where those blind spots are and how to avoid being in them, employers can prevent some back over incidents.
On July 15, Dr. Chris Pantelides discussed research related to using FRP composites in new bridge structures. Capacity degradation in RC components of existing bridges occurs in harsh weather conditions when corroded steel reinforcement expands, which causes subsequent strength losses in concrete through the development of cracking and spalling.
UGPTI recently partnered with WDAY radio to produce a series of truck safety public service announcements to be broadcast on WDAY affiliates, including its American Ag Network stations, across North Dakota.
The benefits of autonomous trucking to the state and the challenges faced in implementing the technology will be key topics of the North Dakota Autonomous Trucking Conference to be held in Bismarck, October 16-17.
The Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute (UGPTI) has built a web-based traffic data analysis tool. This traffic analysis tool uses existing traffic signal control devices to collect data 24 hours per day, seven days per week, and 365 days per year. The primary purpose of this pilot project was to develop the agency-to-UGPTI connections and build a compatible traffic analysis tool database for the Bismarck-Mandan MPO to collect data from intersections operated / maintained by City of Bismarck.
A new bridge beam design performed well in tests conducted by researchers at Colorado State University. The analysis they used can be applied to design and assess other similar bridge beam designs.
The project, led by UGPTI Director Denver Tolliver, focuses on accelerating the deployment of autonomous trucks in rural areas and also supported by funding from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. The project was recently featured in outreach by NDSU’s Office of Research and Creative Activity.
Researchers at Utah State University are using data collected during a 2020 earthquake near Salt Lake City to help improve models used to design earthquake resistant transportation infrastructure.
Monday, July 15, 2024: 10-11 a.m. Central Time. This research is related to using FRP composites in new bridge structures. Capacity degradation in RC components of existing bridges occurs in harsh weather conditions when corroded steel reinforcement expands, which causes subsequent strength losses in concrete through the development of cracking and spalling.
An extreme heat event is a series of hot days, much hotter than average for a particular time and place. Extreme heat is deadly and kills more people than any other weather event. Climate change is making extreme heat events more frequent, more severe and last longer. But we can take action to prepare. Prepare now to protect yourself and your employees.
On June 12, 2024, Molly Wagner and Manish Skirgaokar, Ph.D. conducted a webinar discussing their findings from MPC research. One objective is to understand how attributes of transportation infrastructure impact the daily mobility of people with disabilities. A second is to understand how the implementation and management of transportation assets impact the accessibility of travel for people with disabilities.
In this issue of the North Dakota Impaired Driving Newsletter we say hello to the state’s new Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor (TSRP) Peter Halbach. Also, preview of the upcoming summer ND Impaired Driving
Conference and include a list of upcoming training and events along with a training resource listing.
In this issue of the newsletter you
will find information on oral fluid detection and the pilot program in our state. There is some information
on DRE detection and an update on the famous Olenowski case out of New Jersey dealing with DRE testimony. Finally, the crash board, case law, and resources listings are found toward the end.
The inaugural National Tribal Road Maintenance Symposium was held May 14-16, 2024, in Rapid City, SD. This event brought together Tribal road maintenance practitioners with Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Division of Transportation and BIA Regional Tribal Transportation Program staff to provide information on administrative and field operations components of federal road maintenance programs and resources for Tribal governments.
Research at the University of Utah will help transportation planners and designers make design choices based on long-term maintenance costs as well as up-front construction and installation costs.
Fatalities caused by falls from elevation continue to be a leading cause of death for construction employees, accounting for 395 of the 1069 construction fatalities recorded in 2022 (BLS data). Those deaths were preventable. The National Safety Stand-Down raises fall hazard awareness across the country in an effort to stop fall fatalities and injuries.
The Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute invites applications for an Administrative Technician position in our Bismarck, ND office. The UGPTI offers an exciting opportunity to pursue administrative and event-coordinating activities that revolve around transportation professionals. The candidate seeking to join us for this position will be involved in a wide range of administrative and program management duties for our Bismarck office. The individual will have the opportunity to utilize his/her strengths in contributing to a growing organization that focuses on providing workforce development through our local technical assistance program to transportation professionals who work in North Dakota.
Researchers at Colorado State University have developed an uncertainty-based bridge inspection planning framework that offers a multitude of advantages. It provides flexibility to adapt inspection schedules, optimizes resource allocation, mitigates risks, and leads to cost savings.
Researchers at Utah State University studied bicyclists’ safety perceptions of and preferences for roundabouts with different characteristics. Their research could lead to updated roundabout design guidelines, resulting in safer roundabouts for bicyclists.
Research at the University of Colorado Denver has the potential to help practitioners in the transportation sector reassess how they plan, design, and implement infrastructure for individuals of all abilities, including children, older adults, and people with disabilities.
MPC researcher and CSU civil and environmental engineering assistant Professor Yanlin Guo was recently awarded a five-year National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER) award of $542,000 to develop new methodologies for assessing wind damage risks to building exteriors.
The University of Utah was awarded approximately $600,000 by the Utah System of Higher Education (USHE) Deep Technology Talent Initiative to introduce a pioneering Transportation Infrastructure Electrification Joint Certificate Program.
MPC researcher Cathy Liu was honored with the Outstanding Educator Award presented by the Mountain District of the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE). The award recognizes Liu's passion for transportation education and her dedication to her students.
The survey, to be completed in April 2024, is designed to better understand views regarding this emerging technology held by motor carriers and others in related industries.
Researchers at the University of Utah developed a web-based platform, named the Utah Advanced Air Mobility Simulator (UAAMS) to enable researchers, planners, and practitioners to record and update assumptions about the distribution of vertiports, traffic, population, and other requirements that may affect the operation of the transportation network.
A journal paper based on MPC research, "Seismic Column-To-Footing Connections Reinforced with Steel/GFRP Bars and GFRP Spirals," was recently published in the April issue of Engineering Structures. The paper was co-authored by Ph.D. student Duc Tran and MPC researcher Chris P. Pantelides at the University of Utah.
MPC researcher and Utah State University Professor Brady Cox is this year's recipient of the American Society of Civil Engineers Prakash Lecturer Award for outstanding research or professional practice contributions in the area of geotechnical engineering or soil dynamics. Only one person is selected annually.
MPC researcher Pedro Romero received the Friend of Industry Award from the Utah Asphalt Paving Association at its annual Utah Asphalt Conference February 27-28.
National Work Zone Awareness Week (NWZAW) is an annual spring campaign held at the start of construction season to encourage safe driving through highway work zones. The key message is for drivers to use extra caution in work zones. NWZAW is April 15-19, hosted by the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT). Learn all about the 2024 theme and poster, find the schedule of events, access event and promo guides, and more.
Asphalt is a petroleum product used extensively in some construction work. When asphalt is heated for use, it releases fumes that can be harmful to workers.