New England Transportation Consortium

New England Transportation Consortium

Completed

Re-Creating NETC

Project Objectives

The research objectives of this project include:

  • Perform a robust self-evaluation of NETC, incorporating steps to improve the effectiveness of NETC.
  • Conduct a Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats (SWOT) analyses to engage Transportation Agency Advisory Committee members in discussions examining the internal and external factors that are expected to impact NETC’s continued effectiveness in executing its research program.
  • Distribute online surveys to two member groups: NETC transportation agency managers and implementers, and NETC agency subject matter experts.
  • Distribute additional online surveys to pooled fund consortiums, university transportation centers) and cooperative research programs to gather information about administering a research program, selecting and prioritizing research, managing research projects, implementing research and communicating research results.
  • Discuss possible actions NETC could take and move toward consensus on the types of changes NETC could pursue.

Technical Committee Members

  • Melanie Zimyeski, Connecticut Department of Transportation
  • Andrew Mroczkowski, Connecticut Department of Transportation
  • Dale Peabody, Maine Department of Transportation
  • Ulrich Amoussou-Guenou, Maine Department of Transportation
  • Lily Oliver, Massachusetts Department of Transportation
  • Nicholas Zavolas, Massachusetts Department of Transportation
  • Ann Scholz, New Hampshire Department of Transportation
  • Deirdre Nash, New Hampshire Department of Transportation
  • Colin Franco, Rhode Island Department of Transportation
  • Christos Xenophontos, Rhode Island Department of Transportation
  • Emily Parkany, Vermont Agency of Transportation
  • Tanya Miller, Vermont Agency of Transportation

21-3 Initiating Seed Production for Effective Establishment of Native Plants on Roadsides in New England

Project Objectives

The New England Transportation Consortium funded research to move the capacity of native plant establishment along roadsides from 2013-2016. This work trialed seed mixes and methods for establishment and developed a manual with 39 key species for the region identified. Various protocols for site preparation, seeding, and post establishment monitoring and maintenance were also provided. Following this work, a series of next steps were identified as critical for effective implementation. The most important step was the development of local seed sources, which are currently absent in the region. The shift towards planting native plants along roadsides has multiple benefits including: natural defense for invasive plants, habitat for common and rare pollinator species, and the potential to reduce maintenance needs over time. Pollinators play an important role in this country’s agricultural system as well as in maintaining healthy natural ecosystems.

The problem at hand in the New England is the lack of a native seed mix to use in the roadside habitat that includes important species for pollinators. Also, we do not have a consolidated library of best management practices for roadside management to promote pollinators that apply directly to the climate and conditions in the New England.

This project will include two main efforts. First, it will investigate and develop a list of currently available resources for native seed and plant stock throughout the New England region to understand what is currently available. The study will focus on the list of plant species identified in the 2016 New England Transportation Consortium (NETC) study by the University of Connecticut, “Effective Establishment of Native Grasses on Roadsides in New England” (NETC, 2016), as they are known to suitable to the region and are valuable to pollinators throughout the entire growing season of New England. Once an understanding of what is/is not available, the study will look at ways to increase availability of seeds throughout New England. The study will use gathered information on seed stock to draft a plan for developing a native seed source or sources appropriate for use along New England roadsides. The project would also include proof of concept for developing capacity for local seed source and production for the region.

Technical Committee Members

  • TC Chair: Arin Mills, New Hampshire Department of Transportation
  • Adam Boone, Connecticut Department of Transportation
  • Tara Mitchell, Massachusetts Department of Transportation
  • Rebecca Martin, New Hampshire Department of Transportation
  • Susan Votta, Rhode Island Department of Transportation
  • Bonnie Donahue, Vermont Agency of Transportation

AC Liaison: Dee Nash, New Hampshire Department of Transportation

Project Coordinator: Kirsten Seeber, CTC & Associates

Implementation Activities

Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island will develop, or consider developing, guidance for conversation mowing. Connecticut and Rhode Island will increase their mowing height. Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont will add, or consider adding, more native seeds to their seed mixes.

21-1 Quality Review and Assessment of Pavement Condition Survey Vehicle Data Across New England

Project Objectives

Recent changes to the way states collect and report their network condition data to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has created a need for higher-quality calibration of state-owned or consultant-utilized data-collection equipment. Through Data Quality Management Plans (DQMPs) that have been developed by each state (mandated through 23 CFR 490) and approved by FHWA state Division Offices, there is a recurring need for quality measurements and subsequent high-level analysis of survey equipment. The survey equipment (such as profilometers, Laser Crack Measurement Systems, Pavement Friction Testers, Distance Measuring devices, and the like) must be calibrated and checked to ensure the quality of the data being produced meets minimum criteria. In addition, standard protocols for data collection, validation, verification, and other quality management processes must be administered, and strictly followed.

For the states in the New England that own and operate their own survey vehicles, it is critical to ensure that their data collection equipment and operations fulfill the requirements of their DQMP while not creating excessive work for agency officials. For the states outsourcing data-collection surveys, it is critical to ensure any quality management protocols used by the consultant align with both long-term agency needs and FHWA-approved state DQMPs.

Specific goals of this project:

  • Review northeast state Data Quality Management Plans for pavement condition data.
  • Summarize verification sites used in the northeast with potential for inter-agency sharing.
  • Develop recommendations for regional efficiencies in collection and analysis of QC/QA data for each of the participating transportation agencies.
  • Develop or adapt forms and macros as “Best Practices” recommendations to assist states with data reporting requirements for compliance with FHWA approved DQMPs.

Technical Committee Members

  • TC Chair: John Henault, Connecticut Department of Transportation
  • James Havu, Maine Department of Transportation
  • Jonathan Smith, Massachusetts Department of Transportation
  • Eric Thibodeau, New Hampshire Department of Transportation
  • Deidre Nash, New Hampshire Department of Transportation
  • Paul Petsching, Rhode Island Department of Transportation
  • Reid Kiniry, Vermont Agency of Transportation

AC Liaison: Andrew Mroczkowski, Connecticut Department of Transportation

Project Coordinator: Kirsten Seeber, CTC & Associates

20-4 Coordinating State Policies, Laws and Regulations for Automated Driving Systems Across New England

Project Objectives

The objectives of this project are to:

  1. Conduct a literature review of research focused on Automated Driving Systems (ADS);
  2. Analyze existing policy, legal, and regulatory issues to overcome anticipated barriers to multi-state ADS operations;
  3. Recommend coordinated steps for the NE States to take in consideration of the operations of vehicles on the roadway transitioning from human driven to ADS operated;
  4. Develop recommendations towards facilitating testing and deployment of ADS-equipped vehicles operating in multiple states or traveling across state lines; and
  5. Support the development of policy, legal, and regulatory approaches that inform national and other regional ADS efforts.

Technical Committee Members

  • TC Chair, Peter Calcaterra, Connecticut Department of Transportation
  • Daniel Sullivan (Former Chair), Massachusetts Department of Transportation
  • Kara Aguilar, Maine Department of Transportation
  • Kody McCarthy, New Hampshire Department of Transportation
  • Susan Klasen, New Hampshire Department of Transportation
  • Christos Xenophontos, Rhode Island Department of Transportation
  • Joe Segale, Vermont Agency of Transportation

AC Co-Liaison: Nicholas Zavolas, Massachusetts Department of Transportation
AC Co-Liaison: Emily Parkany, Vermont Agency of Transportation

Project Coordinator, Kirsten Seeber, CTC & Associates

Implementation Activities

Tech Transfer Activities

  • March 13, 2023 – 2023 Louisiana Transportation Conference – Greg Rodriguez and Jackie Beckwith, Stantec
  • July 28, 2022 – 2022 AASHTO Research Advisory Committee Meeting – Emily Parkany, Vermont Agency of Transportation

20-3 Investigating Thermal Imaging Technologies and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles to Improve Bridge Inspections

Project Objectives

The overall research objective is to focus on developing UAV-based inspection and analysis protocols using infrared (IR) thermal imaging to determine the existence and extent of concrete delamination, with emphasis on the underside of bridge decks.  This objective will be realized by answering the specific questions:

  1. Can IR technology be used effectively to identify concrete delaminations, especially on the underside of bridge decks where the concrete surface thermal differences may be only subtle due to very little exposure to direct sunlight. What type of thermal resolution is required? Sensor images will need to be “ground-truthed” with actual measured delaminations from tried and true methods. Also is there sensor equipment that can be used in handheld operation and attached to drones for flight operations.
  2. What type of drone hardware, Camera Specifications, Camera Mountings and Testing Attachments would provide the most cost-effective benefit for each type of data capture?  This question will be answered through surveys and test trials of different UAVs.  For optimal information gathering, it is envisioned that several technologies will be concurrently employed, and a significant outcome of the work will be an assessment of the relative value and optimum combination of technologies. (e.g. drone and infrared imaging systems).
  3. What data storage and retrieval systems and hardware are required for managing and easily re-using the potentially enormous volume of digitized information captured?  Data storage and data transfer technologies make this a relatively simple problem. However, universal data sharing formats will need to be established early on.
  4. What software is available or will require development to efficiently process the captured data for human inspection and evaluation?  Many generic systems of machine learning (including computer vision) are available and as such it is relatively easy to develop and train prototype systems.  Once prototypes are tested, they can be turned into application-specific codes with an interface appropriate for field use.

Technical Committee Members

  • TC Chair, John “Sam” Maxim: Maine Department of Transportation
  • Vitalij Staroverov, Connecticut Department of Transportation
  • Bruce Sylvia, Massachusetts Department of Transportation
  • Nicholas Goulas, New Hampshire Department of Transportation
  • Colin Franco, Rhode Island Department of Transportation
  • Evan Robinson, Vermont Agency of Transportation

AC Liaison: Dale Peabody, Maine Department of Transportation

Project Coordinator, Kirsten Seeber, CTC & Associates

Implementation Activities

Tech Transfer Activities

  • Sam Maxim, Dale Peabody and Kevin Ahearn met with Danny Tullier (Bridge Design/Instrumentation, LA DOTD) to provide information from the project, particularly related to IR thermography cameras.

20-2 Current Status of Transportation Data Analytics and Pilot Case Studies Using Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Project Objectives

The objectives of this research include: (1) reviewing the practices of all DOTs in the New England area and developing a comprehensive inventory of data, data needs, and data analysis practices related to traffic operations; (2) providing recommendations on how to better collect, reduce, achieve, and analyze the data to support DOT decision making and how DOTs should prepare for future transportation data collection and analytics considering emerging sensing and analytical technologies such as connected vehicles, loT, Machine Learning (ML) and AI; and (3) conducting a pilot case study of using AI techniques to automatically analyze specifically-identified operations data and perform a thorough evaluation of its capability to generate useful traffic operation and safety performance measures. This will demonstrate how advanced analytical techniques may extend the capability of traditional traffic sensors and produce additional useful information without expensive infrastructure investment.

Technical Committee Members

  • TC Chair, Susan Klasen: New Hampshire Department of Transportation
  • Ed Block, Connecticut Department of Transportation
  • Colby Fortier-Brown, Maine Department of Transportation
  • Chris Falcos, Massachusetts Department of Transportation
  • Kody McCarthy, New Hampshire Department of Transportation
  • Russ Holt, Rhode Island Department of Transportation
  • Ian Degutis, Vermont Agency of Transportation
  • Mandy Shatney, Vermont Agency of Transportation

AC Liaison: Emily Parkany, Vermont Agency of Transportation

Project Coordinator, Kirsten Seeber, CTC & Associates