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December 2018 Issue 55

Workshop Calendar  Click here to view training opportunities available. We will continue to update the schedule with dates and locations, so check in with us regularly. If you are interested in hosting a class, please email Shelly Desjardin at [email protected] .  Click Here to Register for Training Online Our mission is to foster a safe, efficient, environmentally sound transportation system by improving skills and knowledge of local transportation providers through training, technical assistance, and technology transfer.

In This Issue:

Congratulations, Graduates! INFO TO GO: Winter Operations Signal Spotlights: CTDOT Traffic Signal Management Plan Workshop New Tailgate Talk: Carbon Monoxide Safety Tips from Tony: New Tech Brief—Safe Transportation for Every Pedestrian Town Crier: Cheshire Celebrates Opening of New Linear Trail Section Innovation Station: 2018 Creative Solutions Winners Experience West Hartford This Winter T2 Center's Holiday Message

Congratulations, Graduates!

On November 15, 2018, we honored 114 transportation professionals who completed one or more of our six certificate programs in 2018. Programs Completed: Public Works Academy Road Master Program Road Scholar Program Legal Traffic Authority Program Transportation Leadership Program Safety Academy Program The T2 Center's website has been updated with graduates' names, programs and more pictures.

INFO TO GO: Winter Operations In this issue of INFO TO GO, we focus on the online Winter Operations Training Courses developed by the Snow and Ice Pooled Fund Cooperative Program and available for free to state and local highway agencies through AASHTO's Transportation Curriculum Coordination Council (TC3) website. These courses are great opportunities to stay engaged in professional development over the winter and contain useful resources for digging into the different aspects of Winter Operations, including best practices and examples of how others have found success. Share Your Experience. When you have a chance to participate in a module, please let us know what you think of this type of learning; e-mail Mary McCarthy .

Signal Spotlights: CTDOT Traffic Signal Management Plan Workshop The Connecticut Department of Transportation held a two-day workshop November 8 and 9, 2018 focused on creating a statewide Traffic Signal Management Plan.

Staff involved in the design, maintenance and operations of the state’s traffic signal system participated in the workshop. These participants included design engineers, signal maintainers, highway maintainers, and operations staff who manage the state’s network of connected signals and cameras. Mary McCarthy, Tony Lorenzetti and Tess Schwartz from the UConn T2 Center took part in the event to represent the interests of Connecticut municipalities. Participants learned about what a traffic signal management plan (TSMP) is, the benefits of creating a TSMP and the process CTDOT will use to develop one.

Prior to the event, CTDOT’s consultant divided attendees into diverse groups that don’t work together on a daily basis. At various points during the workshop, these groups broke out to discuss their experiences and CTDOT’s current process for managing traffic signals. Workshop participants then shared these experiences to create lists of what is being done well and what can be improved. To continue reading this Signal Spotlight, click here .

If you have traffic signal systems questions, please contact: Theresa Schwartz, P.E., P.T.O.E. - Traffic Signal Circuit Rider (860) 486-4532 or [email protected] .

New Tailgate Talk: Carbon Monoxide Safety The T2 Center has published our newest Tailgate Talk informational brief. Each Tailgate Talk focuses on one on-the-job safety topic and is designed to be shared with your crew at the beginning of their day. When employees are presented with safety material in small chunks, in a setting in which they are comfortable, they are more likely to retain that information and put it into practice.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a poisonous, colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas. Although it has no detectable odor, CO is often mixed with other gases that do have an odor. So, you can inhale carbon monoxide right along with gases that you can smell and not even know that CO is present. CO is a common industrial hazard resulting from the incomplete burning of natural gas and any other material containing carbon, such as gasoline, kerosene, oil. propane, coal, or wood. One of the most common sources of exposure in the workplace is the internal combustion engine.

Click Here for the Latest Tailgate Talk

Tips from Tony: New Tech Brief—Safe Transportation for Every Pedestrian (STEP)

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2016 witnessed the most pedestrian fatalities since 1990, accounting for approximately 16% of all roadway fatalities (5,987). In 2016, 72% of pedestrian fatalities occurred away from intersections (e.g., mid-block locations) and approximately 26% occurred at intersections. Cost-effective countermeasures can be systemically applied to reduce these mid-block crashes and save lives. Communities can use countermeasures that are referred to as Safe Transportation for Every Pedestrian (STEP) to reduce pedestrian fatalities and serious injuries in their community. We have developed this Technical Brief that provides information on the seven STEP countermeasures.

If you have any questions about these or other local road safety concerns, please contact: Anthony Lorenzetti, P.E. - Safety Circuit Rider (860) 486-5847 or [email protected]

Cheshire Celebrates Opening of New Linear Trail Section Children who grew up learning to bike on the fledgling Farmington Heritage Canal Trail decades ago can now ride 34 uninterrupted miles with the unveiling of the completed 0.8 mile gap on Sunday, September 9, 2018. "I used to play down there, so it's incredible to see this developing," said Jeffrey Guimond, who grew up near the trail in Cheshire. He is also one of the three co-owners of Ball and Socket Arts, a developingarts center adjacent to the West Main Street trail crossing. "It really is going to create a pedestrian centric entertainment and cultural district," he said. "I think it will bring more awareness to the neighborhood." Pictured Above: James Redeker, CTDOT Commissioner ,cuts the ribbon. Photo Credit: Justin Weekes/Special to Record-Journal Cheshire was one of the first towns to build part of the trail in 1993 with the section from South Brooksvale Road to Cornwall Ave. It now stretches from New Haven to Westfield, Mass., with only one gap in Plainville, which is currently awaiting funding. To continue reading this article, click here .

2018 Creative Solutions Winners The Connecticut Creative Solutions Award Program was developed by the Technology Transfer Center to recognize the initiative and innovative thinking of public agency transportation staff in the development of tools, equipment modifications, and processes that increase safety, reduce cost, improve efficiency, and improve the quality of transportation. This year's 2018 Creative Solutions Awards were presented to two agencies for their innovative creations:  The Town of Cheshire won for their Winter Operations Pre-wetting System Backflush Apparatus. The Town of South Windsor won for their Undercarriage Washing System, which you can view on video here. To read more about both Creative Solutions, click here .

Experience West Hartford This Winter This winter you can channel your inner Olympian at West Hartford's Veterans Memorial Ice Skating Rink, located at 50 South Main Street. Public skates are held at various times daily, with special slots for adults and toddlers, too. To learn more, click here .

To find other fun things to do, see and eat while you're in West Hartford, click here .

T2 Center's Holiday Message

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If you have any ideas or suggestions for future Connecticut Crossroads topics, please feel free to email the designer Regina Hackett at [email protected]