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

21-1 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.

20-1 In-Service Performance Evaluation of NETC Bridge Railings

Project Objectives

The research objective will be to determine the in-service performance of the NETC bridge railings and transition systems based on the percentage of fatal and serious injury crashes and barrier penetrations. The evaluation should examine all NETC bridge railing sites constructed in each cooperating state. Construction records and bridge inventories will be reviewed to develop an inventory of NETC bridge railings. Crash data for five years (and more if possible) will be collected for all NETC bridge railings identified in the inventory. Traffic data (e.g., posted speed limit, AADT and percent trucks) will also be collected, if available, for each inventoried NETC bridge rail. The crash, inventory and traffic data will be merged into a single database and the fatal and serious injury proportions will be calculated for each type of NETC railing by a variety of potentially confounding factors (e.g., posted speed limit, vehicle type, highway facility type, percent trucks, etc.). Similarly, the crash records will be examined for any indication of bridge railing penetration or rollover. This study should be conducted using the now available NCHRP 22-33 Guidance for the conduct of ISPEs. NCHRP 22-33 (Collaborative Approach to In-Service Performance Evaluations) has outlined an approach to the conduct of ISPEs which uses crash data to mimic the MASH evaluation criteria, thereby providing a direct comparison of actual field performance to the MASH evaluation criteria. Further, the NCHRP 22-33 Guidance was developed with the intent of collaborating across state lines to conduct more robust ISPEs just as is being proposed herein.

Technical Committee Members

  • TC Chair, Jeff Folsom: Maine Department of Transportation
  • David Kilpatrick, Connecticut Department of Transportation
  • TBD, Massachusetts Department of Transportation
  • Chelsea Noyes, New Hampshire Department of Transportation
  • Chris Gagnon, Rhode Island Department of Transportation
  • Chris Mooney, Vermont Agency of Transportation

AC Liaison: Dale Peabody, Maine Department of Transportation

Project Coordinator, Kirsten Seeber, CTC & Associates

Implementation Activities

MaineDOT is using these results to provide evidence that NETC rail performs well. MaineDOT changed their standard details to formally adopt MASH without crash testing because this study and the previous FEA modeling study show good performance.

19-2 Multi-Scale Multi-Season Land-Based Erosion Modeling and Monitoring for Infrastructure Management

Project Objectives

The objective of this research project is to develop a slope stability model that will be used to create an effective multi-scale assessment toolkit that aids in monitoring, forecasting, and prioritizing areas of erosion and slope instability.

Technical Committee Members

  • TC Chair, Neil Olson: New Hampshire Department of Transportation
  • Sara Ghatee, Connecticut Department of Transportation
  • Kate Maguire, Maine Department of Transportation
  • Pete Connors, Massachusetts Department of Transportation
  • Colin Franco, Rhode Island Department of Transportation
  • Callie Ewald, Vermont Agency of Transportation

AC Liaison, Ann Scholz, New Hampshire Department of Transportation

Project Coordinator, Kirsten Seeber, CTC & Associates

Tech Transfer Activities

  • August 17, 2023 – 72nd Highway Geology Symposium – Christopher Snow, GZA