The COVID-19 crisis has affected every aspect of the transportation systems, with state DOTs and local agencies at the forefront of responding to changes, while continuing to meet core missions of providing safe, efficient, and effective transportation systems. To proactively respond and inform future decision-making related to COVID-19’s impact on the transportation sector, MnDOT is investing in research to answer questions specific to the impact of the COVID crisis on Minnesota’s transportation system.
Continue reading MnDOT Announces COVID-19 Research FundingTag Archives: funding awards
MnDOT, LRRB Pick New Research Projects with Financials in Mind
Minnesota’s transportation research governing boards put a new emphasis on financial benefits when selecting next year’s round of transportation research projects.
MnDOT’s Transportation Research Innovation Group (TRIG) and the Local Road Research Board announced their Fiscal Year 2016 funding awards this week after hearing proposals from researchers in several states. They selected 20 research proposals hall-marked by novel approaches to improving the environment, increasing transportation safety, improving construction methods and boosting the bottom line.
“We asked the principal investigator to present the safety and financial benefits up front, and how they can be implemented to improve the transportation system and economic viability of Minnesota,” said MnDOT Research Management Engineer Hafiz Munir. “We’re making a point early in the process to identify those potential benefits, quantify them and document them in our tracking system.”
Researchers will test new technology that could make crack-free pavements; find better, faster and less expensive ways to reclaim roads; and even explore how to use waste material from road construction projects as part of the landscaping to absorb water runoff.
Links are provided below to brief descriptions of each of the projects:
Bridges and Structures
Environment
- Concrete Grinding Residue: Its Effect on Roadside Vegetation and Soil Properties (MnDOT)
- Comparing Properties of Water Absorbing/Filtering Media for Bioslope/Bioswale Design (MnDOT)
Maintenance
- Salt Brine Blending to Optimize Deicing and Anti-Icing Performance and Cost Effectiveness, Phase III (MnDOT)
- Expanding the Success of Salt-Tolerant Roadside Turfgrasses through Innovation and Education (LRRB)
- Pothole Prevention and Innovative Repair (LRRB/MnDOT)
Materials and Construction
- Evaluation of Stabilized Full Depth Reclamation (LRRB/MnDOT)
- MnPAVE-Rigid 2.0 (MnDOT)
- A Mechanistic Design Approach for Novel Graphene Nanoplatelet (GNP) Reinforced Asphalt Pavements for Low Temperature Applications (MnDOT)
- Performance Monitoring of Olmsted County CR 117/104 (MnDOT)
- Slope Stabilization and Repair Solutions for Local Government Engineers (LRRB)
- Life-Cycle Cost Analysis Tool for Minnesota Pavements (LRRB)
Multimodal
- Exploring the Walking Tolerance of Transitway Users (MnDOT)
- Refining Return on Investment Methodology/Tool for MnPASS (MnDOT)
Policy and Planning
- The Futures Project: Planning for Technology Change (LRRB/MnDOT)
Traffic and Safety
- Examining Signing Options for Improving Safe Driving Behaviors in Work Zones (LRRB/MnDOT)
- Assessing the Impact of Pedestrian-Activated Crossing Systems (MnDOT)
- Development of Travel Time Reliability Measurement System (MnDOT)
- Weigh-In-Motion (WIM) Sensor and Controller Operation and Performance Comparison (MnDOT)
- Investigate the Effectiveness of Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) Technology to Trigger In-Vehicle Messages At Work Zones (MnDOT)
MnDOT announces research implementation projects
Minnesota’s next round of research implementation projects will reduce the spread of noxious weeds along state highways, improve the quality of asphalt on Minnesota roads and enhance the inspection of state bridges.
MnDOT’s Transportation Research Innovation Group (TRIG) has announced 15 projects for funding in Fiscal Year 2015. (Project descriptions below.)
Each winter, MnDOT solicits proposals from staff who want to put local or national research into practice in their day-to-day work.
“Certain departments have problems they’ve been working on for a long time and they’ve spun their wheels or not had the staff resources to get something done,” said MnDOT Research Services & Library Project Advisor Bruce Holdhusen, who helps employees develop their proposal plans.
MnDOT provides the funding needed for equipment, consultant services or researcher assistance. Supervisors also must sign off that they’ll make time for the staff member to implement the practice.
“Implementation means it’s changing the way some practitioner does their job,” Holdhusen said. “It’s not just trying something new; it’s got to stick.”
Highlights of this year’s projects:
- Installation of GPS units on MnDOT mowers to alert highway maintenance crews to areas of noxious weeds. This is anticipated to cut herbicide usage in half.
- Purchase of 3D sonar equipment for underwater bridge inspection, which is currently performed by engineer-divers.
- Selection of an alternative, European-branded center-line rumble strip (Sinusoidal) that produces less stray highway noise.
- Implementation of an innovative asphalt-quality test, developed by MnDOT’s Office of Materials and Road Research, to assess the cold temperature-cracking properties of asphalt mixes proposed by contractors.
- Advertisement of state rest area amenities on highway notification signs. This pilot project will target 13 rest stops.
The complete list of projects, by category:
Environment
Maintenance Operations and Security
- Bridge Maintenance Painting Training and Test Site Implementation (PDF)
- Bridge Maintenance Training Videos (PDF)
- Automated Vehicle Location Data Incorporated wtih Operations Saves Money (PDF)
Materials and Construction
- Implementation of Disc-shaped Compact Tension Test for Asphalt Pavement (PDF)
- Testing of Rock and Composite Pile Sections (PDF)
- Carbonate Aggregate Screening Tool For Concrete (PDF)
Multimodal
Bridge and Hydraulics
- 3D Underwater Laser Scanning Equipment Implementation for MnDOT (PDF)
- Fracture-Critical System Analysis for Steel Bridges (PDF)
Traffic and Safety
- Enhanced Safety Rest Area Advance Signs – Pilot Project (PDF)
- SMART Signal System Implementation in Elk River (PDF)
- Optimizing Automatic Traffic Recorder Network and Improve the Association of Short Count Locations with ATRs/ATR Clusters for Choosing Seasonal and Day-of-Week Adjustment Factors (PDF)
- Auto Flagger Assistive Device Contract Amendment and Moving Work Zone (PDF)
- Sinusoidal Rumble Strip Design (PDF)
MnDOT, LRRB announce new research projects
Minnesota’s next round of transportation research projects will explore using traffic signal data to predict crashes, evaluate various impacts of bicycling on the state and address a range of other transportation issues.
The state’s two transportation research governing boards have authorized funding for a total of 24 new research projects. MnDOT’s Transportation Research Innovation Group (TRIG) and the Local Road Research Board announced their Fiscal Year 2015 funding awards this week after hearing proposals from researchers in several states. MnDOT Research Management Engineer Hafiz Munir said the projects, which are listed below, reflect the needs of state and local practitioners.
“Many of the projects fall under the ‘traffic and safety’ or ‘materials and construction’ categories, which I think reflects MnDOT and local agency priorities,” Munir said. “Ultimately, all of these research projects address business needs of the people who build and maintain our roads.”
Links are provided to brief descriptions of each project (as provided by the researchers who submitted the proposals).
Environment
- Study of De-icing Salt Accumulation and Transport Through a Watershed (PDF) – LRRB
- Culvert Length and Interior Lighting Impacts to Topeka Shiner Passage (PDF) – MnDOT
Maintenance
- DSRC Based Warning System for Workers Safety (PDF) – MnDOT
- Examining the Impact of ASE in Work Zones on Driver Attention (PDF) – MnDOT
-
Minnesota Local Agency Pavement Marking: Mining Existing Data (PDF) – LRRB
Materials and Construction
- Alternate Design Methods to Renew Lightly Traveled Paved Roads (PDF) – LRRB
- Optimal RAP Content for Minnesota Gravel Roads (PDF) – LRRB
- Bio-Fog Seal Evaluation (1) (PDF) – LRRB/MnDOT
- Full Depth Reclamation (FDR) for Urban and Suburban Street Application (PDF) – LRRB
- PCC Pavement Thickness Variation Versus Observed Pavement Distress (PDF) – MnDOT
- Evaluation of Recycled Aggregates Test Section Performance (PDF) – MnDOT
- Bio-Fog Seal Evaluation (2) (PDF) – LRRB/MnDOT
Multimodal
- Traffic Impacts of Bicycle Facilities (PDF) – LRRB
- Assessing the Economic Impact and Health Benefits of Bicycling in Minnesota (PDF) – MnDOT
Policy and Planning
- Barriers to Right-of-Way Acquisition and Recommendations for Change (PDF) – LRRB
- Modernizing Road Construction Plans and Documentation (PDF) – LRRB
- Stakeholder Attitudes, Knowledge and Engagement in Local Road Systems Planning Decision-Making (PDF) – LRRB
Traffic and Safety
- Examination of Driver Performance and Distraction with In-Vehicle Signing (PDF) – LRRB
- Safety Study of I-35W Improvements Done Under UPA Project (PDF) – MnDOT
- Evaluation of Intersection Conflict Warning Systems (PDF) – MnDOT
- Evaluation of Safety and Mobility of Two-Lane Roundabouts (PDF) – LRRB
- Framework and Guidelines for the Development of a Twin Cities Meso-DTA Model (PDF) – MnDOT
- Development of a Queue Warning System Utilizing ATM Infrastructure: System Development and Field Testing (PDF) – MnDOT
- Estimation of Traffic Conflicts at Signalized Intersections Using High-resolution Traffic Signal Data (PDF) – MnDOT
Crossroads 