More than 60% of Minnesota’s roadways consists of asphalt pavement. When transverse cracks occur in asphalt, our frigid winters can cause a secondary distress known as pavement tenting, crack heaving, or lipping. As ice accumulates in the base materials underneath, it causes pavement on both sides of the transverse cracks and joints to heave.
Continue reading New Project: Mitigating Tenting of Transverse Cracks and Joints in Asphalt PavementAll posts by Julie Swiler
New Project: Using Apps to Notify the Public of Local Road and Bridge Closures
The traveling public increasingly relies on navigation systems to get to their destinations. Currently, there is not a system, tool, or process being used by cities and counties in Minnesota to report road or bridge closures for use by transportation agencies to display to the traveling public or for use by third-party mapping/navigation companies (e.g., Waze, TomTom, HERE Technologies, Google Maps) to provide to the public.
This project will document up to three best practices for manual local road closure reporting, describe an approach that the Local Road Research Board could use to develop or implement an existing user-friendly road closure reporting system, and provide guidance on how to report closures to third-party mapping/navigation companies.
Objectives
MnDOT already operates and maintains a statewide traveler information reporting system known as CARS. This project will review and summarize the options and approach for adapting it for local road entry. As part of the study, researchers will:
- Develop best practices for reporting systems by documenting four examples used in other states for establishing and operating tools to report local road closures.
- Define three options for how to make a user-friendly system for local Minnesota agencies using the outcomes of the best practices summary.
- Prepare users guide for entering information into existing mapping tools that will assist in understanding the process to submit road closures and mapping updates to established mapping/navigation providers.
Project Details
- Estimated Start Date: 12/19/2022
- Estimated Completion Date: 03/31/2024
- Funding: Local Road Research Board
- Principal Investigator: Dean Deeter
- Technical Liaison: Perry Clark
Details of the research study work plan and timeline are subject to change.
To receive email updates about this project, visit the Local Road Research Board to subscribe.
New Project: Evaluation of Gravel Stabilizer Used on Gravel Roads and Shoulders
Approximately 50% of roads in Minnesota are gravel. The performance and long-term sustainability of such roads depend on the quality of the surface layer. Unbound large particles can form an unstable road surface that becomes rough, developing potholes and corrugations as this material is scattered by vehicles or washed away by rain. As a result, more frequent maintenance and reconstruction is required, which becomes very expensive for Minnesota counties.
Continue reading New Project: Evaluation of Gravel Stabilizer Used on Gravel Roads and Shoulders
MnDOT Library is Among State Government Libraries Recognized by Gov. Walz
Gov. Tim Walz proclaimed April 23-29 Capitol Area Library Consortium Week to recognize CALCO libraries during National Library Week.
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MnDOT Library launches digital library
The MnDOT Library recently got a request for a copy of Minnesota Standard Specifications for Highway Construction from 1938. It might seem obscure, but the request was easy to fulfill because a digitized version of the manual was readily available in the newly launched MnDOT Digital Library.
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New Project: Update of Stormwater Management Best Practices Manual
The Local Road Research Board published the Stormwater Best Management Practice (BMP) Maintenance Resource Guide in 2009, and best practices for stormwater management have since evolved. Much has been learned about the benefits and limitations and inspection and maintenance activities of stormwater ponds, bioretention facilities, underground treatment devices, underground detention, and infiltration. Regulatory requirements have also changed as indicated in the Minnesota Stormwater Manual.
Continue reading New Project: Update of Stormwater Management Best Practices Manual
New Project: Red Light Running Warning System
Red-light violations at traffic signals are a major contributor to crashes and fatalities. Right-angle type crashes typically account for the most serious of these collisions, and most of them are caused by vehicles running red lights. This research will explore technology that could be used to warn drivers when they are about to run a red light.
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New Project: Sustainable Application of Tire Derived Aggregate in Stormwater Infiltration/Treatment
The reuse of old tires that often end up in landfills has a significant environmental benefit. Tire derived aggregate (TDA), a waste product from automobile tires, can be used in stormwater treatment systems and has shown to be effective at retaining phosphate. However, TDA does not prevent the leaching of metals including zinc and copper.
Developing media for stormwater infiltration/filtration that uses TDA in combination with materials that can capture metals has several advantages. It would prevent more pollutants from being released into Minnesota’s lakes and streams, save on landfill space and reduce stormwater management costs.
“The use of TDA has been proposed in the past for use in stormwater treatment. However, local agencies aren’t very familiar with the product being used for this application and have concerns about its potential to contaminate groundwater resources,” said Mark Hansen, city engineer, City of Coon Rapids. “Initial research is showing positive benefits for the use of TDA as a component of the stormwater treatment process, while minimizing its impacts to groundwater. Using TDA for this application provides a great opportunity to redirect old car tires from landfills and beneficially reuse them to assist in providing stormwater treatment.”
Objectives
- Select blend materials identified in literature review and mix them in different ratios with TDA.
- Measure the pollutant removal performance from runoff, leaching of zinc and copper from TDA, and infiltration capacity of each mix.
- Analyze the observed values to choose the suitable blend material/ratio.
- Perform lab batch tests to evaluate the potential leaching or removal of polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAs) by TDA and the blends.
- Determine impact of biofilms on the leaching of zinc and copper from the mix (Biofilms will be grown on an already defined mix of TDA with blend material).
- Conduct outreach on project results and implications to management to key stakeholder groups.
Project Details
- Estimated Start Date: 06/03/2022
- Estimated Completion Date: 06/30/2025
- Funding: Local Road Research Board
- Principal Investigator: John Gulliver
- Co-Principal Investigator: Meijun Cai
- Technical Liaison: Mark Hansen
Details of the research study work plan and timeline are subject to change.
To receive email updates about this project, visit the Local Road Research Board website to subscribe.
Roadside Safe Spaces for Butterflies and Bees
Pollinators such as rusty-patched bumble bees and monarch butterflies, critical to our eco-system, are at risk due to the loss of native habitat. A University of Minnesota research team, with support of MnDOT and the Local Road Research Board, studied whether restored roadsides could provide safe habitats for declining pollinator populations.
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Crossroads 