Pollinating insect populations are declining worldwide. Revegetating roadsides after construction offers an opportunity to create pollinator-friendly habitat. Local agencies and MnDOT have new tools and strategies to cost-effectively derive multiple benefits from roadside revegetation efforts.
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Updating Load Ratings for Shingle Creek Slab-Span Bridges
Detours around bridges in a critical freight transportation route create costs to the trucking industry, taxpayers and state economy. New load rating factors for the slab-span bridges across Shingle Creek will give MnDOT more flexibility in managing truck traffic and keeping freight moving efficiently.
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Estimating Corrosion of Embedded Steel Rebars in Bridge Structures
Corrosion of steel reinforcement in bridge structures creates uncertainty in the structural capacity. A new prediction tool will help estimate rebar section loss to accurately plan for appropriate bridge maintenance repairs.
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Economic Effects of Complete Streets Projects on Minnesota’s Main Streets
Complete Streets is a national initiative to encourage the design of safe, convenient transportation systems with access to users of all types, ages and abilities. MnDOT’s Complete Streets policy aims to provide a safe and functional transportation system for all users. Perceived and actual economic impacts of these road projects on small cities vary, but MnDOT has new strategies to work with local partners and evaluate economic benefits for smaller communities.
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Research, Updated Tools Help MnDOT Encourage Landowners to Join Snow Fence Program
This article was originally posted on Catalyst, November 2022.
Snow fences are a useful tool for controlling snow and ice on Minnesota’s roads. However, installing them relies on the cooperation of landowners. An ongoing collaboration between U of M researchers and the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) aims to develop outreach tools that can be used to attract more landowners to the MnDOT snow fence program.
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Who’s in Most Danger of E-Scooter Injury Crashes? Women and Sidewalk Riders Top the List
This post was originally posted on Catalyst, November 2022.
Zippy electric scooters—often called e-scooters—have quickly become a common sight on sidewalks, bike paths, and roads in most US urban areas. Americans took 38.5 million e-scooter rides in 2018 and 88.5 million rides in 2019—a 130 percent increase in a single year. However, the rapid rise of the e-scooter has come at a cost, and e-scooter injuries and crashes have become a serious public health concern.
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Uncovering Connections Between Gender and Transportation Safety
This post was originally posted on Catalyst, November 2022.
It’s no secret that the transportation system is an uneven playing field. Understanding disparities related to race, income, and other factors is critical, and much more work is needed. Gender in particular is an under-researched yet important aspect of the design of vehicles, infrastructure, and amenities.
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20 Tips to Up Your Social Media Game
One of the best ways to connect with communities about projects and events that affect them is to reach them where they already are – on social media. But whether you’re a social media newbie or a communications professional, there are always new trends, technology, and platforms to learn, and it can be overwhelming.
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Evaluating Weather’s Effects on the Accuracy of Automated Vehicles
Fully automated vehicles may not be market-ready yet, but one day, they expect to provide a variety of benefits like reduced emissions and greater safety and transportation equity. These vehicles and the complex combination of underlying technologies that power them are continually being tested and improved to ensure the vehicles will meet the highest standards of safety and performance.
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Nondestructive Detection of Pile Length for High-Mast Light Towers
A new testing method will allow MnDOT to determine the underground foundation pile depths of high-mast light towers (HMLTs) without digging or dismantling. HMLTs need to meet design standards to ensure load-bearing stability. By using the new method to evaluate pile depth, MnDOT could avoid costly retrofits or replacements, and prioritize light towers in need of redesign.
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Crossroads 