Improving IHSDM to Increase Roadway Safety

Safety is at the forefront of all stages of project development, from planning, analysis of alternatives, and design to construction and operations. To help practitioners improve safety in their projects, the Federal Highway Administration has developed a variety of advanced analysis methods and tools. One of these is the Interactive Highway Safety Design Model (IHSDM), a suite of software analysis tools for evaluating the safety and operational effects of decisions related to geometric design.

Support for Successful Transportation Asset Management

Managing transportation assets—for example, roads and bridges—is essential to maintaining the Nation’s vitality. Transportation asset management is a strategic approach for managing physical transportation infrastructure, which results in effective management and greater cost-effectiveness. Using quality data is key to driving decision making that focuses on achieving and sustaining a desired state of good repair over the life cycle of assets.

Communication Product Updates

Below are brief descriptions of communications products recently developed by the Federal Highway Administration’s Office of Research, Development, and Technology. All of the reports are or will soon be available from the National Technical Information Service (NTIS). In some cases, limited copies of the communications products are available from FHWA’s Research and Technology (R&T) Product Distribution Center (PDC).

Rolling Out Pavement Technologies

Innovative approaches to construct and maintain roadway surfaces have the potential to save money and improve performance. FHWA is facilitating their use across the country.

Turning Skeptics Into Adopters

Bridges using geosynthetic reinforced soil–integrated bridge system technology are popping up everywhere. The innovation’s popularity continues to increase, and for good reason.

Public Roads - Spring 2018

These girls participated in FHWA's Take Your Sons and Daughters to Work Day in 2016, a fun day of scientific discovery to encourage children to consider careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). The U.S. Department of Transportation is supporting women in transportation through programs like the Women and Girls in Transportation Initiative. For more information, see "Ready, Willing, & Able" on page 28 in this issue of PUBLIC ROADS.

Building the Future

A Risk Worth Taking

Taking calculated risks is at the heart of innovation. However, government agencies, as custodians of taxpayer dollars, can be especially risk averse. So how can we, in government, manage the risks necessary to innovate, as well as foster a culture of innovation throughout our organizations?

Many Federal, State, and local agencies are leading the way, successfully deploying innovative strategies while maintaining public trust and fiduciary responsibility.

Technical News

Along the Road is the place to look for information about current and upcoming activities, developments, trends, and items of general interest to the highway community. This information comes from U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) sources unless otherwise indicated. Your suggestions and input are welcome. Let’s meet along the road.

Improving Safety and Mobility: ITS in Work Zones

Work zones are a necessary part of maintaining and upgrading the Nation’s highway systems. They are characterized by deviations from normal traffic patterns, narrowed rights-of-way, construction workers in close proximity to traffic, and work vehicles negotiating busy roads on the way to and from construction areas. This combination of factors presents challenges to worker and driver safety, traffic mobility, and project constructability. To help manage these challenges, agencies are increasingly implementing intelligent transportation systems (ITS) in work zones.