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 PavementTag Archives: LRRB
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
Study recommends biodiversity when planting roadside vegetation
April 24, 2023
Traditional practices for planting and maintaining roadside turfgrass in Minnesota have generally focused on finding a few plant species that do well in combination and blanket-prescribing them across the state. A recent U of M study, however, finds that plantings tend to do better when they are both biodiverse and carefully matched to their ideal growing conditions.
Continue reading Study recommends biodiversity when planting roadside vegetation
Guidance to Help Local Agencies Address Deferred Maintenance
Local government budgets are continually inadequate to meet increasing transportation maintenance needs. In a recent study, researchers analyzed maintenance investment decision-making in local governments across Minnesota, identifying the fiscal conditions that impact road repair spending, recommending steps to close maintenance funding gaps and providing context to inform communications with decision-makers.
Continue reading Guidance to Help Local Agencies Address Deferred Maintenance
Comparing Additives Used in Stabilized Full-Depth Reclamation
Beltrami and Hubbard counties planned pavement rehabilitation on a shared road, presenting a unique opportunity to directly compare two stabilizers: engineered emulsion and Base One, a proprietary mix. While there were some variations in performance and cost, both met design values for pavement strength.
Continue reading Comparing Additives Used in Stabilized Full-Depth Reclamation
Exploring Region-Specific Roadside Turfgrass Varieties
Local agencies need cost-effective and durable turfgrass seed mixes to ensure grass coverage remains optimal along roadsides. In a recent study, researchers analyzed the performance of grass seed mixtures and planting costs, recommended region-specific mixes and developed a cost estimation tool for local agencies to be confident in their roadside vegetation choices.
Continue reading Exploring Region-Specific Roadside Turfgrass Varieties
Putting Research Into Practice: Fog Sealing Chip Sealed Roads Can Improve Performance
Applying a protective surface—or chip seal—to existing asphalt on relatively low-traffic roads is a pavement preservation method used by many transportation agencies. Yet despite its popularity, chip seals can cause various issues. Some agencies have found that applying a fog seal following a chip seal is a cost-effective strategy for improving asphalt performance and public satisfaction.
Continue reading Putting Research Into Practice: Fog Sealing Chip Sealed Roads Can Improve Performance
Investigating Max-Pressure Traffic Signal Timing
Inadequately timed traffic signals at intersections are a major contributor to traffic congestion and increased travel times. Adaptive signal timing can detect and respond to real-time vehicle queues, resulting in more efficient vehicle movement through a corridor than traditional traffic signals. A revised max-pressure traffic signal controller could decrease delays and increase vehicle throughput at intersections.
Continue reading Investigating Max-Pressure Traffic Signal Timing
MnDOT and LRRB Award Funding to New Research
The Minnesota Department of Transportation and the Minnesota Local Road Research Board have funded 28 new research projects through their annual academic research solicitation. To receive updates on any of the funded projects, select “subscribe” on the project webpage.
Continue reading MnDOT and LRRB Award Funding to New Research
Crossroads 