MnDOT uses alternative deicer brines containing potassium chloride, magnesium chloride and calcium chloride for winter road maintenance. The alternatives are more effective in melting roadway ice than sodium chloride alone when temperatures are below 15 degrees Fahrenheit.
Continue reading New Project: Alternative Deicer Performance Characterization: Know Before the SnowTag Archives: LRRB
Revised Stormwater Maintenance Guide Updates Common Practices and Offers Innovative Options
Practices for managing stormwater runoff have evolved over the years. Changes to regulations, land use and weather patterns impact how transportation agencies integrate stormwater control options into road and waterway networks. Local agencies have used a stormwater maintenance guide produced by the Local Road Research Board (LRRB) in 2009. Over a decade of new research and the development of new tools for stormwater control necessitated revisions to the guidance document. The updated Stormwater BMP Inspection and Maintenance Resource Guide provides recommendations for enhancing traditional stormwater practices and presents new, innovative strategies and guidance on stormwater best management practices (BMPs).
Continue reading Revised Stormwater Maintenance Guide Updates Common Practices and Offers Innovative Options
New Project: Assessing Effectiveness of Pond Sediment Removal for Phosphorus Management in Stormwater Ponds
MnDOT manages rainwater runoff to keep pollutants like phosphorus from Minnesota’s lakes and streams. Stormwater retention ponds, an established management strategy, allow phosphorus to settle to the pond’s bottom but do require periodic cleanout.
Continue reading New Project: Assessing Effectiveness of Pond Sediment Removal for Phosphorus Management in Stormwater Ponds
New Project: Transitioning to EV Fleets: Best Practices and a Decision Tool
Minnesota agencies are evaluating how to meet the U.S. electric vehicle (EV) target of at least 50% by 2030. Numerous technical, social and coordination considerations are inherent in a transition to electric fleets.
Continue reading New Project: Transitioning to EV Fleets: Best Practices and a Decision Tool
New Project: Roadside Feature Placement and Pedestrian Safety on Low and Intermediate Speed Roads
Guidelines for designing and placing roadside features have traditionally focused on automobile safety on higher-speed roads. Research has also shown feature placement can have safety benefits for pedestrians and bicyclists on lower-speed roads.
Continue reading New Project: Roadside Feature Placement and Pedestrian Safety on Low and Intermediate Speed Roads
Using Mobile Device Data to Estimate Bicyclist and Pedestrian Traffic
MnDOT relies on estimates of annual average daily traffic volumes to plan and maintain safe, effective transportation network infrastructure for all travelers. Estimating traffic volumes for nonmotorized road users such as bicyclists and pedestrians has been challenging because monitors are limited compared to vehicle traffic counters. Data from mobile devices, routinely collected through a variety of platforms, offers a potential source of traveler routes. Using monitored nonmotorized traveler data to validate mobile datasets, researchers produced a data visualization tool to estimate bicyclist and pedestrian counts within the Twin Cities area.
Continue reading Using Mobile Device Data to Estimate Bicyclist and Pedestrian Traffic
Lower speed limits signal a commitment to safety in St. Louis Park.
Reprinted from Catalyst, September 5, 2024
What’s the right speed limit for local roads? Legislation passed in 2019 makes it possible for Minnesota cities to set speed limits below 25 mph without special approval. As a result, it’s a question many local transportation officials have been considering.
Continue reading Lower speed limits signal a commitment to safety in St. Louis Park.
Testing High Friction Aggregates using SCRIM Technology at MnROAD
High Friction Surface Treatments (HFST) are pavement treatments that involve applying a high-quality aggregate and binder to pavement surfaces to help maintain friction. The treatment has significantly reduced crashes and injuries in wet and dry road conditions in high crash areas. However, HFST can be a costly treatment. Researchers, funded by MnDOT and the Local Road Research Board, are evaluating if taconite, a readily available Minnesota byproduct, can be an effective alternative treatment in low volume areas.
Continue reading Testing High Friction Aggregates using SCRIM Technology at MnROAD
Measuring the Effects of Road Features on Driving Speeds
The Complete Streets approach to roadway design uses site characteristics to create a safer, more accessible environment for all road users. New research demonstrates that roadway design features have a measurable impact on driving speeds. The development of speed reduction factors (SRFs) that estimate the impact of road features on speed reduction provides a data-driven approach to highway design.
Continue reading Measuring the Effects of Road Features on Driving Speeds
Using AVL/GPS Telematics to Optimize Snowplowing
Republished from MnLTAP News, February 2, 2022.
Automatic vehicle location (AVL) systems using GPS are creating opportunities for local agencies to improve their operations even in real time. A five-page guide and a video from the LRRB highlight the features and benefits of such systems for snowplowing.
Continue reading Using AVL/GPS Telematics to Optimize Snowplowing
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