Championing innovations: roundabouts and ITS technologies in work zones are just two of the state-of-art technologies that FHWA and AASHTO encourage State and local agencies to adopt.

Developing innovations that can save lives, money, and time on the Nation's highways is a vital research goal, but state-of-the-art technologies benefit the traveling public only when they become everyday practice. Putting prototype into practice is the idea behind the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) new list of 28 priority, market-ready technologies and innovations.

The list is one of the outcomes of the FHWA Corporate Master Plan for Research and Deployment of Technology & Innovation (T&I), the agency's new vision for fulfilling the Federal government's role in the Nation's highway research and technology efforts (see "Moving Technologies and Innovations Forward--A Master Plan" on page 2).

"It all comes down to assuring that we are investing in those areas that have the highest payoff for achieving agency goals, including the 'vital few,'" says FHWA Associate Administrator for Research, Development, and Technology Dennis Judycki, facilitator of the Research and Technology (R&T) Leadership Team.

The 28 technologies on the list may be cutting-edge, he adds, but they are ready for application and have proven benefits. "This list is an important statement of technologies and innovations that agencies should be looking at as they advance their highway programs," Judycki says.

An FHWA working group of field and headquarters representatives distilled the final 28 from nearly 60 technologies and innovations submitted by FHWA offices. The FHWA Research and Technology Leadership Team endorsed the working group's selections, and the list was advanced to the agency at the September FHWA business meeting in Minnesota. The priority list further reinforces one of the agency's key business processes of technology deployment.

The working group evaluated submissions on several criteria, including whether they support FHWA goals of enhancing safety, reducing congestion, and improving the environment. The group also determined if the technologies filled a demonstrated need in the Nation's highway system, whether or not the technologies are ready for the market, and if FHWA or partners have the tools and expertise available to support their implementation.

Advancing the Master Plan

The need for a list of priority technologies and innovations was first identified during the FHWA Restructuring Assessment that led to the corporate master plan. A call for the priority list was reinforced by requests from FHWA field offices--including Resource Center locations, Divisions, and Federal Lands Highway Divisions--looking for a definitive corporate statement of priority technologies and innovations.

FHWA field offices are responsible for deploying the priority technologies and innovations, and marketing them to State and local agencies through special programs and everyday communications.

"The priority list helps FHWA field offices focus on high-payoff items," says Robert Callan, FHWA Georgia Division Administrator and a member of the R&T Leadership Team. "We can gear up and allocate resources appropriately with a finite list. It helps us match agency initiatives and priorities with the tools necessary to achieve results."

FHWA plans to create a fact sheet on each technology or innovation that describes the technology, where the technology was applied, its effect, and the materials and resources available to help agencies implement it. That information will be included on a Web site being developed to track FHWA progress on the corporate master plan.

The priority list will be a living document, one that can be updated as new market-ready, high-payoff technologies are identified.

The FHWA list incorporates all of the focus priorities selected so far by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) through its Technology Implementation Group (TIG). AASHTO created TIG to identify ready-to-implement technologies with significant potential to benefit the Nation's transportation system and champion their use throughout the country.

Working with State Partners

The nature of the longstanding partnership between FHWA, FHWA's Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center, and AASHTO; the close match in philosophies; and the common goal of enhancing the Nation's transportation system make it practical and valuable to combine efforts in deploying innovations and technologies. Therefore, part of this Federal initiative also includes the priorities at the State level represented by TIG's approved technologies.

Since the group's launch in 2000, TIG has chosen to support nine focus technologies that are likely to yield significant economic or qualitative benefits, and the group organized teams of lead States to accelerate widespread adoption.

"TIG's vision is to create a culture where rapid advancement and implementation of high-payoff, innovative technologies is the expectation of the transportation community," says Ken Kobetsky, AASHTO's engineering program director and a TIG member.

A key selection factor for a TIG focus technology is that at least one State is willing to take the lead in championing it to others. "What we want to know is that they believe in the technology, they've proven its effectiveness, and they're willing to do the work necessary for others to adopt it," Kobetsky says.

Similar to the manner that FHWA used to identify priority technologies, TIG examines: whether or not a technology meets a need or solves a problem in the transportation system, the effectiveness of the technology, the costs, and the ease of implementation on a widespread basis. "By focusing on the low-hanging fruit [easiest and most cost-effective technologies], TIG is able to increase agencies' return on their investment for the technologies that TIG promotes," says Kobetsky.

The AASHTO group selects three or four technologies per year from submissions it receives from State and local agencies, AASHTO units, and FHWA offices. Information on nominating a technology is available at www.aashtotig.org.

Buy-in [favorable reception] from State departments of transportation (DOTs) is critical to the group's success, Kobetsky says. "Another key element is the composition of TIG members, consisting primarily of senior-level State DOT decision-makers, who can make a difference in implementing best-in-class practices [benchmarking with a specific product, practice, technique, process, or procedure considered to be superior within a certain category] for their agencies." The group also includes representatives of FHWA, local transportation agencies, organizations such as the Transportation Research Board, and other industry entities.

Implementation panels develop strategic plans for delivering each technology to users. Tactics may include sponsoring workshops, developing training materials, and sending experts from lead States to agencies to advise them on application of the technology.

FHWA and AASHTO held a joint workshop in September 2003 on "Advancing Effective Technology Implementation" to discuss their priority technology lists and develop ways to coordinate their efforts. The workshop explored the roles that State DOTs, TIG, FHWA, and industry organizations play in technology and innovation deployment, along with outreach and communication strategies.

One outcome of the workshop was to identify ways to share good ideas about market-ready technologies and innovations, and how both sides can better manage and operate their processes.

Improving Intersection Safety

Associate Administrator of FHWA's Office of Safety and member of the R&T Leadership Team George Ostensen cited roundabouts as one market-ready technology. "Safety is one of our 'vital few' priorities at FHWA," says Ostensen, "and the bottom line is that roundabouts can be an effective way to improve intersection safety." Every year almost 9,000 Americans lose their lives and 1.5 million Americans are injured in intersection-related crashes, which cost our society more than $90 billion annually.

Roundabouts are circular intersections with two key characteristics: (1) entering traffic yields to circulating traffic, and (2) geometric constraints slow entering vehicles. Improved highway safety and congestion as well as aesthetics and cost savings have made roundabouts an attractive alternative to traditional intersection traffic control. A number of studies have shown that roundabouts can he sate and effective, and as a result they are now widely used internationally. Proper site selection and pedestrian channelization are keys to making roundabouts accessible to all users.

According to a status report published on May 13, 2000, a recent study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Satiety showed that roundabouts can reduce crashes by 39 percent. Roundabouts also re suited in an 80 percent reduction in injury crashes and a 90 percent reduction in fatal crashes. These findings are consistent with a study conducted by the Maryland State Highway Administration and are summarized in Maryland Roundabout Safety Experience, published in October 2001. The overall crash rate was reduced by 60 percent and the injury crash rate was reduced by 82 percent at eight intersections in Maryland where traditional intersections were replaced by roundabouts.

For more information on roundabouts, FHWA published Roundabouts: An Informational Guide, which is available oil the Web at www.tfhre.gov/safety/00068.htm.

Reducing Work Zone Congestion

As rehabilitation work on the Nation's aging highway system in creases, so does the need to move drivers through work zones safely and with minimum frustration. More than 1,000 people the and more than 40,000 people are injured each year in work zone-related crashes. In addition, work zones account for nearly 24 percent of nonrecurring congestion on roadways, causing 482 million vehicle hours of delay per year.

State and local agencies are applying intelligent transportation systems (ITS) technology in work zones to increase safety for both workers and road users and to ensure more efficient traffic flow.

"Congestion mitigation and safety are FHWA priorities, and one way to address these issues in work zones is through the use of ITS technologies," says FHWA Associate Administrator for Operations Jeff Paniati, a member of the R&T Leadership Team.

These technologies include metering systems and cameras that monitor traffic conditions in work zones. Traffic operation centers use the data generated to manage traffic through such techniques as variable speed limits. The data also enables the centers to provide real-time information to motorists through changeable message signs, Web sites, and traveler advisory radio.

"ITS technology can be used to better communicate with motorists on what to expect in a work zone," Paniati says. "It can provide them with information on alternate routes or, if that's not an option, at least give them an idea of how long it's going to take them to get through the work zone."

These technologies were one factor that enabled the Illinois DOT to complete a 64-kilometer (40-mile) bridge reconstruction and pavement resurfacing project on I-55 near Springfield, IL, with no significant traffic backups, a reduced rate of speeding citations, and only two crashes. The ITS technologies helped the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department provide delay information at strategic locations during an 1-40 reconstruction project in West Memphis, AR, so travelers could choose alternate routes.

FHWA is cooperating with the TIG implementation panel to create an inventory of projects from various States that will serve as the basis for publications, videos, workshops, and presentations.

FHWA also has developed QuickZone, traffic analysis software that agencies can use to reduce congestion and increase safety in work zones. QuickZone compares the traffic effects of work zone mitigation strategies and estimates the costs, traffic delays, and potential backups associated with these impacts.

"Work zones are something that highway agencies create intentionally, and QuickZone is a tool to better understand their impact," says Paniati. "It helps do the 'what if' analysis necessary to evaluate different alternatives."

Using feedback from seven State DOTs that used an early version of the software, FHWA now is working on an updated version. QuickZone is available from the McTrans[TM] Center for Microcomputers in Transportation, a clearinghouse for highway transportation software, at http:// mctrans.ce.ufl.edu/index.htm.

Another resource on the use of ITS in work zones is the intelligent Transportation Peer-to-Peer Program, an initiative by FHWA, the Federal Transit Administration, and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to provide technical assistance to public agencies on deploying ITS technologies. Information on the program, which matches agencies in need of short-term technical assistance with experts, is available at www.its.dot.gov/peer/peer.htm.

Streamlining Environmental Reviews

Geographic information systems (GIS)--data collection and communication tools that store, manipulate, and display geographic data--can enhance decisionmaking during transportation planning. Applications range from creating inventories of highway assets to analyzing traffic safety to streamlining the environmental review process.

"FHWA chose GIS as a priority technology because of its potential to advance environmental stewardship and streamlining," says FHWA Associate Administrator for Planning, Environment, and Realty Cynthia Burbank. She adds, "But it is valuable for other reasons as well, such as asset management, safety analysis, planning, and right-of-way."

For environmental stewardship and streamlining, GIS gives Federal and State agencies equal access to information in a common framework, normally over the Internet. "A shared GIS database helps build trust and partnerships," Burbank says. "It also saves time and money by making all data for a project available upfront. This avoids delays and misunderstandings about location of key resources and enables agencies to focus quickly on alternatives that will best serve our common goals of mobility and resource protection."

"This database will be valuable across government--EPA [Environmental Protection Agency], Corps of Engineers, Fish and Wildlife Service, Indian tribes, and others--so we are working with these partners and States to build national GIS databases for transportation and environmental resources," Burbank adds.

A GIS application being funded by FHWA will help the agency and States meet a Federal requirement for consultation with federally recognized Indian tribes on federally funded highway projects. FHWA joined with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) to invest in a GIS database that identifies Indian tribes that have historic and cultural interests in counties in Colorado, Louisiana, and New Mexico. Users can click on State maps, key into a particular county, and bring up information on all the tribes that have a historic or cultural interest in that county. This information currently is available to the public on the ACHP Web site. FHWA and ACHP are seeking funding from other Federal agencies, like EPA, Fish and Wildlife Service, and the National Park Service, to expand this GIS database to all States and counties in the continental United States.

The GIS tool is part of the Florida DOT's process for efficient transportation decisionmaking, helping the agency involve environmental and cultural resources, and permitting agencies earlier and continuously in the process. The screening tool database is an Internet-accessible GIS application that integrates data from multiple sources and analyzes the environmental effects of proposed highway projects. This tool enables planners to perform screening events, or "screens," to document agency and community feedback on projects much earlier in the planning process than in the past. Modifying project plans in response to those early screens enables the Florida DOT to avoid or reduce costly changes later in the process.

"Having a system that eliminates controversy based on lack of information or conflicting data enables agencies to identify other issues earlier and focus on coming to a consensus," Burbank says.

In cooperation with the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, FHWA has developed a course, "Applying Spatial Data Technologies to Transportation," that provides an introduction to GIS and how it can he used in transportation planning applications. Information is available at the FHWA National Highway Institute Web site at www.nhi.fhwa.dot.gov.

Air Void Analyzer

Many States experience premature deterioration and damage of cement-based concrete pavements and structures from repeated freezing and thawing. Multiple applications of deicing salts accelerate the cracking, deterioration, and surface sealing, which decrease the life of the concrete.

Deterioration also places a tremendous financial burden on many transportation agencies, and adversely affects national economic productivity by increasing repair times, decreasing structural integrity, and placing motorists at risk. Improving the ability of concrete to endure these repeated freeze-thaw cycles and salt applications significantly increases the potential life of the concrete.

Closely spaced air voids in concrete are commonly singled out as the primary factor in improving the freeze-thaw resistance of concrete. The air void analyzer (AVA) offers an efficient, real-time method for assessing the distribution of these air voids in fresh concrete. The device can characterize the air void distribution in less than 30 minutes. With this information, adjustments can be made in the concrete batching process to assure that air voids are spaced properly.

Since 1999, FHWA has used AVA technology on infrastructure pro-jeers in nine States. Roughly half of the concrete samples tested had air void spacing factors outside the generally accepted limits for durable concrete, even though air content specifications (using conventional QC tests) were met. These results, albeit from a limited data set, highlight the importance of implementing the use of the AVA, in an effort to prevent appreciable quantities of concrete being placed with inadequate frost resistance.

The Kansas DOT began using the AVA in 2001 because it was experiencing premature pavement joint deterioration. In 2002, the Kansas DOT developed a concrete specification based on the AVA. The agency now uses the AVA for concrete mix qualification, with job site acceptance based on total air content. Kansas estimates cost savings from reduced repairs at $1.1 million.

Repairing Hazardous Sign Structures

Overhead sign structures support the familiar green interstate signs that make travel safer by providing information on upcoming routes and exits. But these signs--which are exposed to tremendous wind and vibration loads--can become serious hazards if not maintained properly.

When the New York State DOT launched a sign inspection program in 2000, inspectors were startled to find that 10 percent of the State's overhead sign structures were damaged. The most common problem was cracking of the joint between the internal trussing and the main chords of the sign structure, with some joints totally severed.

After a manufacturer suggested a fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) material to repair the cracked truss joints, the New York State DOT joined forces with the Utah DOT to study the feasibility of using the FRP material.

Samples of cracked joints were salvaged from overhead sign structures that had been taken out of service. The samples were wrapped with FRP and sent to the University of Utah for tests. Results showed that the repaired joints were as strong as if they had been fully welded.

A second round of testing is underway to determine the effectiveness of FRP repairs in resisting fatigue loads. If results are positive, the New York State DOT plans to use FRP to rehabilitate overhead sign structures with fatigue stress problems.

The FRP repair method is relatively quick and economical, enhancing its attractiveness as a priority technology for both AASHTO TIG and FHWA. Repairs can be done in place, with only the lanes below the repair area blocked off. A typical repair takes three workers 3 hours to complete at an estimated cost of $3,000 per joint. (See PUBLIC ROADS, November/December 2003, page 25.)

Screening for Faulty Brakes

Safety on the Nation's highways is a priority for transportation agencies, and statistics show that commercial vehicles with defective brakes are likely to have other safety-related problems. That fact sparked TIG's interest in a thermal imaging safety screening system (TISSS) that enables weigh station operators to test the brakes on commercial vehicles quickly and easily to determine which trucks should receive a safety inspection.

The Georgia Tech Research Institute, working with the Georgia DOT, developed the system. An infrared camera and computerized video enable an operator to view, store, and print images that show the relative temperatures of brake drums through a vehicle's wheel rims.

If the brakes are operating correctly, all of the drums look white-hot--that is, about the same temperature. If a brake is defective, the telltale sign is an infrared image in which the drum appears darker and cooler.

When researchers tested TISSS at an Interstate 20 weigh station near Atlanta, GA, they found that it was effective in detecting brake problems. They also determined that the training required for operators running the system was minimal. And the system consists of off-the-shelf components, which minimize acquisition and maintenance costs.

The goal of FHWA and AASHTO TIG in promoting a system like TISSS is not only to detect immediate safety hazards, but also to improve compliance with safety systems. During the Georgia test, weigh station personnel noted that once word got out that they were screening brakes, they saw an increase in the percentage of trailer-trucks with operational brakes.

Accelerating Project Delivery.

Accelerated construction--an approach that uses an array of innovative techniques and technologies to get the job done faster, more safely, and with better long-term results--is another technology on both the FHWA and AASHTO TIG lists.

Following two successful accelerated construction workshops in Indiana and Pennsylvania in 2002, the TIG implementation panel worked with the California, Connecticut, and Texas DOTs to schedule similar workshops in 2003. The panel plans sessions in other States hi 2004.

The strategy for major highway projects is to bring together experts from the host DOT and other State agencies, industry, academia, and FHWA to develop an accelerated construction plan. In addition to design and construction, areas of expertise may include right-of-way procurements, prefabricated elements, long-life pavements, safety in work zones, and innovative financing and contracting.

The result of the Indiana workshop was an accelerated plan to rebuild a section of Interstate 465 on the west side of Indianapolis. The plan reduced estimated construction time by 5 years, while maintaining traffic flow and accommodating traffic generators such as the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Workshop recommendations included using prefabricated highway components, innovative work zone traffic control, and long-life roadway and bridge designs.

The Pennsylvania workshop focused on accelerating rehabilitation of a section of Route 28 in Pittsburgh. Experts determined that the estimated 4-year construction time could be cut to 2 years. Traffic disruptions could be minimized with such tactics as transporting construction materials by river barge instead of trucks and using multiple construction teams to build retaining walls and travel lanes.

The Connecticut DOT used accelerated construction techniques to minimize disruptions to both traffic and train service while constructing a bridge over rail lines in New Haven, CT After months of work building the structure alongside the rail lines, the bridge was lifted and set into place during one weekend-night operation. The Connecticut DOT estimates that it saved about 1 year on its overall contract time and more than $1 million by using accelerated construction methods on the project.

Benefiting the Driving Public

Although these are just a few examples of the 28 technologies on the FHWA priority list, they represent an important advancement in the way FHWA encourages the adoption of technologies that can enhance the Nation's highway system and, ultimately, benefit the driving public.

"Technologies and innovations are not an end in themselves," says FHWA Associate Administrator Judycki. "We need to look at each of them in the context of improving our transportation system for our customers and enabling us to meet the important transportation goals we've set."

The concept is the same for AASHTO TIG. Although the group can promote only a small number of technologies, the big picture is that others will adopt the collaborative model and apply it to a broad range of innovations, says AASHTO's Kobetsky.

"Our hope is that through TIG's efforts, the transportation community at large can see that barriers to innovation and implementation can be overcome." Kobetsky says. "Our early feedback is that the model is successful in fostering a problem-solving attitude and that with fairly minimal resources, TIG focus technology teams can promote their product or activity at the national level."

By making technology deployment a key aspect of the FHWA corporate master plan, Judycki concludes, "We are truly taking a corporate, agency-wide view of delivering innovations all the way from the beginning of the research process to the implementation in the field. It's just good business."

For more information, contact the FHWA staff person listed for the specific technology or innovation in "FHWA Priority Market-Ready Technologies and Innovations" (see pages 8-9) or visit www.fbwa.dot.gov/rnt4u. For information on ASSHTO TIG technologies, see www.aashtotig.org.

FHWA Priority, Market-Ready Technologies and Innovations

511 Traveler Information--An easy-to-remember three-digit telephone number available to State and local transportation agencies nationwide so that they can readily provide information and highway and transit conditions to travelers by telephone. Contact: Bob Rupert, 202-366-2194.

Asset Management Guide--The guide illustrates asset management principles and identifies techniques and methods for adopting the decisionmaking framework in transportation agencies. Contact: Stephen Gaj, 202-366-1559.

Augered Piles--The technology is characterized by the drilling of a hollow-stem auger into the ground, pumping grout or concrete into the hole, and installing reinforcement in the pile. This eliminates the need for a temporary casing. Contact: Silas Nichols, 410-962-2460.

Border Wizard--A PC-based software model that accurately simulates all cross-border movements of autos, buses, trucks, and pedestrians, using customs, immigration, and security procedures. Contact: Mike Onder, 202-366-2639.

Dispute Resolution Guidance for Environmental Streamlining--These procedures present strategies for interagency collaborative problem solving during the transportation development and environmental review process. Contact: Ruth Rentch, 202-366-2034.

Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) Geofoam--Lightweight material that can be used as fill behind walls and other support structures. Contact: Peter Osborn, 410-962-0702.

FHWA Traffic Noise Model (TNM), Version 2.1--By improving the ability to predict noise impacts in the vicinity of highways, this model improves the quality of project development decisions. Contact: Bob Armstrong, 202-366-2073.

Highway Economic Requirements System, State Version--A software model that is designed to evaluate the implications of alternative programs and policies on the conditions, performance, and user cost levels associated with highway systems. Contact: David Winter, 202-366-4631.

Improved Decisionmaking Using Geographic Information Systems--A software program that allows for manipulation, analysis, and display of geographically referenced data. Contact: Mark Sarmiento, 202-366-4828.

Interagency Funding Guidance for Environmental Streamlining--Guidance provides transportation and resource agencies with options for using Federal funds to support Federal resource agency coordination for streamlining environmental reviews. Contact: Ruth Rentch, 202-366-2034.

Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) SpecWizard--A software tool that can help transportation agencies write specifications for the National Transportation Communication for ITS Protocol (NTCIP) standards-based ITS equipment. Contact: Jason Hedley, 202-366-4073.

Load and Resistance Factor Design and Rating of Structures--An AASHTO Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) and Rating (LRFR) bridge specification provides for more uniform levels of safety, which should lead to superior serviceability and long-term maintainability. Contact: Firas Ibrahim, 202-366-4598.

Pavement Smoothness Methodologies--The new pavement smoothness specification covers smoothness test methods, smoothness equipment specifications, and equipment-certification programs. Contact: Mark Swanlund, 202-366-1323.

QuickZone--A user-friendly computer software tool for estimating and analyzing length of queues and delays in work zones. Contact: Scott Battles, 202-366-4372.

Red Light Camera--The traditional enforcement of violations for running red lights is automated by using camera systems at light-controlled intersections that detect an offending motorist, capture an image of the license plate, and issue a citation by mail. Contact: Hari Kalla, 202-366-5915.

Roundabouts--A circular intersection that requires entering vehicles to yield to existing traffic in the circulatory roadway. Contact: Hari Kalla, 202-366-5915.

Rumble Strips--Shoulder rumble strips are continuous grooved indentations in roadway shoulders that provide both an audible warning and a physical vibration to alert drivers that they are leaving the roadway. Contact: Dick Powers, 202-366-1320.

Safe Speeds in Work Zones--Two technologies that can improve safety in work zones are portable speed limit signs that automatically display the safe speed based on traffic conditions and the nature of the roadwork, and feedback displays that show the speed of approaching vehicles. Contact: Davey Warren, 202-366-4668.

Transportation, Economics, and Land Use System (TELUS)--This information-management and decision-support system helps State DOTs and metropolitan planning organizations prepare their annual transportation improvement programs and statewide transportation improvement programs. Contact: Fred Ducca, 202-366-5843.

AASHTO Technology Implementation Group Approved Technologies

Accelerated Construction--This undertaking promotes creative techniques to reduce construction time and enhance quality and safety. Contact: Dan Sanayi, FHWA, [e-mail].

Air Void Analyzer--The air void analyzer can be used to provide real-time evaluation for measuring air content, specific surface, and the spacing factor of fresh portland cement concrete. Contact: John Wiakowski, Kansas DOT, [e-mail].

Fiber-Reinforced Polymer--This material can be used to repair cracks in overhead sign supports by wrapping the support with the fiber-reinforced material. Contact: Paul Wells, New York State DOT, [e-mail] state.ny.us.

Global Positioning System (GPS) Surveying--The GPS uses satellites that transmit signals continuously; it has many highway applications, including surveying pavement conditions and inventorying highway assets. Contact: Charlie Brown, North Carolina DOT, [e-mail].

Ground-Penetrating Radar--Vehicle-mounted, ground-penetrating radar can be used to collect information about underlying highway pavement layers without incurring the time and labor costs and traffic delays associated with traditional methods of drilling for core samples. Contact: Mike Murphy, Texas DOT, [e-mail].

Highway Rail Warning System--A low-cost active warning system used at low-volume, highway-railroad at-grade intersections, most often mounted on standard crossing poles. The technology is solar battery-powered with wireless communications between the device and the locomotive. Contact: Dave Hurt, South Dakota DOT, [e-mail].

ITS Technologies in Work Zones--The use of ITS technologies in work zones, such as ramp-metering systems, intrusion alarms, and queue-detection information (sensors/cameras), is aimed at increasing safety for workers and road users and ensuring a more efficient traffic flow. Contact: Doug Rose, Maryland State Highway Administration, [e-mail].

Prefabricated Bridge Elements and Systems--These systems minimize traffic impacts of bridge construction projects, improve construction work-zone safety, and make construction less disruptive for the environment by minimizing the need for lane closures, detours, and use of narrow lanes. Contact: Mary Lou Rails, Texas DOT, [e-mail].

Thermal Imaging Safety Screening System--The system allows an operator at a weigh station to view the relative temperatures of brake drums through the wheel rims of commercial vehicles, using infrared images to detect whether brakes are functioning properly. Contact: Gary Hoffman, Pennsylvania DOT, [e-mail].

Gene K. Fong is the director of FHWA Field Services-East. He assists the executive director in the leadership of 18 FHWA Federal-aid Divisions and the Resource Center, Baltimore, MD, location. Fong's primary responsibility is to assure the accomplishment of the FHWA mission, vision, and the strategic goals, and development of partnerships with modal counterparts and other Federal agencies. He is a member of the FHWA Leadership Team and TIG.

Gary L. Hoffman is the deputy secretary for Highway Administration at PENNDOT. He directs a team of more than 9,600 employees involved in the maintenance, operations, restoration, and expansion of transportation infrastructure. Hoffman has authored or coauthored more than 40 published technical papers and articles focusing on transportation materials, pavement designs, construction practices, and management systems. He is active in strategic planning and innovation implementation at the national level and serves as chairman or as an active member of several National Academy of Science and AASHTO-sponsored boards and committees. He chairs the AASHTO TIG and the AASHTO Subcommittee on Materials.

William ("Tony") Sussmann has worked for FHWA since 1966 and currently serves as FHWA Louisiana Division Administrator. He has held various field positions in the New York, Virginia, and Washington, DC, divisions as well as headquarters positions in the Bridge Division and Construction and Maintenance Divisions. Sussmann has a BSCE from Norwich University and an MSCE from West Virginia University.