Construction & Design

Do you need to know when, where, and how to place things such as speed bumps or signage to slow down traffic on your local roadways? Traffic calming uses physical design and other measures to improve safety for motorists, pedestrians and cyclists.

This course, similar to our Work Zone Safety Awareness Program, is specifically being offered to New Jersey municipal and county public works and utilities participants who require an overview of working safely in the roadway.

The course will go through the entire section including clear zone, warranting obstructions, guide rail height, clearance from traveled way, rubrail, reduced post spacing at obstructions, guide rail at structures, end treatments, roadside recovery area, grading treatment, and many other topics.

This course is designed specifically for project engineers, project inspectors, supervisors and those in responsible charge of federal aid construction projects. It presents essential requirements and procedures for insuring conformance with contract plans and specifications including records and documentation necessary to

This course reviews the basic regulations and engineering guidelines for the installation of pavement markings and properly establishing and posting regulatory, warning, and guide signs.

This course provides participants with (1) a basic understanding of intersection safety issues, (2) “how to” information for common safety tasks and low cost safety improvements that do not require an engineered design, and (3) background information on safety tasks that do not require an engineer.

This course is for municipal or county employees and those that work with them who are involved in the planning, inspecting and placing of asphalt pavements. The course will provide the information needed to properly plan and monitor a hot mix asphalt paving project.

Safe Transportation for Every Pedestrian is a Federal Highway Administration Every Day Counts initiative designed to provide an overview of the pedestrian safety crossing problem and provide resources for addressing it. The “Spectacular 7” safety treatments to address pedestrian safety crossing problems will be reviewed.

This course, similar to our Work Zone Safety Awareness Program, is specifically being offered to New Jersey municipal and county public works and utilities participants who require an overview of working safely in the roadway.

The February 2018 issue of CE magazine featured THMPER—a portable, rapid testing device for bridge load-bearing capacity. THMPER is a breakthrough because it does this critical task faster, cheaper, and with less traffic disruption than other current methods.

David Orr from the Cornell University Local Roads Program is working on a tool to help towns with low-volume rural/local roads plan and build them in keeping with the traffic loads they carry.

The Region 2 UTC consortium is focusing on developing practical tools and methods to improve infrastructure health, durability, and resilience. Partners are: Atlantic Cape Community College, Columbia, Cornell, NJIT, Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico, Princeton, Rowan, SUNY–Farmingdale, and University at Buffalo.

News from the USDOT Region 2 University Transportation Center led by Rutgers Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation. Includes stories on recent conferences, research, and faculty accomplishments and activities.

The Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) is accepting applications for projects relating to surface transportation. TAP provides federal funds for community-based “non-traditional” projects designed to strengthen the cultural, aesthetic, and environmental aspects of the nation’s intermodal system.

FHWA acting administrator Brandye Hendrickson has announced the fifth round of the agency’s Every Day Counts (EDC) program, 10 selected proven, yet underutilized innovations to enhance safety, reduce congestion, shorten project timelines, and improve sustainability.

FHWA and the National Association of County Engineers helped 25 counties in California, Colorado, Florida, Nevada, Ohio, and Wisconsin develop Local Road Safety Plans. LSRPs provide a framework for local agencies to identify specific conditions that contribute to severe crashes.

FHWA announced that it is withdrawing its interim approval of Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons. The concerns that led to this decision are not related to the functionality or safety of the device, but with the proprietary nature of hardware. Photo: ©Ryan Gillespie/Orlando Sentinel.

The December 31, 2018, sunset date for “new permanent installations and full replacements of cable barriers, cable barrier terminals and crash cushions” now only pertains to crash cushions. See important clarification on MASH Implementation site. Photo: WSDOT.

FHWA has developed a comprehensive set of programs, strategies, and tools for managing safer, smarter, more efficient temporary traffic control. How can you start using them?

At 62 years and counting, the region’s longest-running asphalt pavement conference was attended by nearly 320 pros from research, transportation agencies, and private industry.

The New Jersey Department of Transportation and the New Jersey Turnpike Authority are advancing more than $1.1 billion in construction contracts for 2019.

The Murphy administration announced that the New Jersey Transportation Infrastructure Bank is now offering low-interest loans to municipalities and counties to help them reduce the overall cost of local transportation projects.

NJ STIC held its annual spring meeting on April 4, 2018. Presentations included updates on status of STIC projects, overviews of select projects and outreach efforts, and a roundtable discussion. Presentations are posted on the NJDOT tech transfer website.

FHWA has been rolling out pavement technologies for construction and maintenance of roadway surfaces that can potentially save money, increase safety, and improve performance. The agency also is facilitating their use across the country.

Although roundabouts have been in widespread use in other countries for a number of years, it is only during the past few years that their application in the United States has received increased attention by both the public and transportation professionals.

New Jersey's conference observing National Work Zone Safety Week celebrated its 20th year in 2019 and drew more than 250 transportation professionals from construction, public works, maintenance operations, engineering, utilities, and public safety.