This article was originally published in Catalyst, July 2020.
Local government contributions for Minnesota’s roadway system have increased in recent years. This includes local spending on trunk highways—the roads under MnDOT’s jurisdiction—that are part of local transportation systems.
Continue reading Cooperative Agreements Bring Benefits and Risks for Local GovernmentsThis article was originally published in Catalyst, July 2020.
The City of Ramsey is wearing down its roads faster than it can fund their maintenance and construction. In light of this, the city is investigating ways to fund road projects sustainably, and it partnered with the University of Minnesota’s Resilient Communities Project (RCP) to advance the investigation.
Continue reading Student Project Analyzes Road-Funding Tools for Small Suburban CitiesMnDOT has successfully piloted a European knowledge retention method to preserve the expertise of retiring workers who are subject matter experts. The agency has produced interactive multimedia books that use graphics, video and written material to present valuable information on concrete pavements, asphalt pavements and steel bridges, learned over a person’s entire career, for use by future engineers.
Continue reading Knowledge Books Preserve Expertise of Retiring Workers
This article was originally published in Catalyst, May 2020.
Waymo and Uber have started trials of shared autonomous vehicle (SAV) service in several US cities. Without the expense of drivers, autonomous service could one day make the cost of a ride so low that people choose SAVs for their daily transportation needs instead of owning a vehicle.
Continue reading Shared Autonomous Vehicles: Dispatch Model Optimizes ServiceThe Minnesota Local Road Research Board (LRRB) has added pavement condition forecasting technology to an existing, web-based roadway inventory tool that will enable counties to generate low-cost maps and reports that help them prioritize their work by showing how roadway conditions will look under different construction scenarios for decades to come.
Continue reading Low-Cost Pavement Condition Forecasting Software Eases Local Road PlanningSlope failures can block roads, damage pavement and cause safety hazards. They can also be costly to repair.
Continue reading New Project: Proactive mapping helps MnDOT identify and respond to risk of slope failure along Minnesota highwaysThe Minnesota Local Road Research Board has published a new guidebook to help local agencies get started on developing a consolidated asset management system. The guide addresses the particular needs of smaller groups to effectively and optimally manage their roadways, buildings, vehicles, equipment and other assets.
Continue reading Asset Management Guide Addresses needs of Local AgenciesUsing an existing county road project as context, researchers examined the digital technologies and processes associated with civil integrated management (CIM). A comparison of CIM with the traditional methods used in the proposed county project demonstrated the advantages of CIM.
Continue reading Implementing CIM in Preliminary Design of InfrastructureIn a recently completed project, funded by the Local Road Research Board, researchers developed a reference tool and compiled a literature review that local agencies could use to anticipate the infrastructure needs of connected and automated vehicles. Agencies can use these resources to plan for infrastructure upgrades and maintenance activities.
Continue reading Resources Help Local Agencies Plan for CAV Roadway NeedsThe Minnesota Local Road Research Board recently funded a project to survey and analyze the use of Geographic Information System (GIS)-based asset management tools for city and county public works departments.
Continue reading New Project: GIS Tools and Apps – Integration with Asset Management
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