‌ ‌ ‌

View as Webpage

February 2019 Issue 57

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:

Stay Alive: Which Wires Are Hot? Signal Spotlights: Monroe Roundabout Tips from Tony: Stop-Controlled Intersection Signs and Markings Innovation Station: Weather-Responsive Management Strategies CTDOT Secures Additional Funding for Community Connectivity Grant Program INFO TO GO: Traffic Signal Resources 2 Ingredient Homemade Car De-Icer—Removes Ice In Seconds  The ROI of Safety

Stay Alive: Which Wires Are Hot? by Warren Rogers, C.S.P.

You have been sent out to check a road reported as blocked by down wires, the scene at the left, and you clearly recognize the wires are still energized. The scene on the right doesn't appear to be as dangerous, but could it be just as dangerous as the situation on the left? Does no arcing and sparking mean the wire is "dead"? NEVER TRUST A WIRE!

The wires on the right are actually still energized, they just don't have a good path to the ground, yet...until you touch the pole, the wire, the tree, or walk too close, then it's too late. Block the road off several poles back in each direction and report the condition to your utility. Warn residents to stay in their homes. Don't let vehicles drive over the wires. Observe what the wires could also be contacting—guardrails, fencing, water—these could be increasing the size of the danger zone.  No electrical situation is SAFE until the electric utility tells you it is. Only the utility can test, shut off, and ground the wires to make the scene safe. Making good decisions in the field will keep you and your co-workers safe!

Signal Spotlights: Monroe Roundabout Traffic signals are efficient in assigning the right of way for roadway users, but they are not always the optimal solution. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) encourages agencies to consider roundabouts during new construction and reconstruction projects as well as existing intersections that have been identified as needing safety or operational improvements. This month's Safety Spotlight features a proven countermeasure for reducing vehicular collision rates and severity.

Construction on a new roundabout at the intersection of Shelton Road (Route 110) at Monroe Turnpike (Route 111) in Monroe was completed in 2018. The new roundabout, designed by CTDOT at a cost of $4.1 million, replaces an existing stop-controlled intersection with stop signs on the Route 110 approaches and a flashing beacon 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] .

Tips from Tony: Stop-Controlled Intersection Signs and Markings

What should be changed or added here?

Answer: Section references and sign numbers are in accordance with the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), 2019 Edition with Revisions 1 and 2 incorporated. If the street is a one way road, ONE WAY signs (R6-1, R6-2) per section 2B.40 and figure 2B-14 and DO NOT ENTER signs (R5-1) per section 2B.37 and figure 2B-12 should be added. The STOP sign (R1-1) is not on the proper side of the road. Per section 2B.10, "The STOP or YIELD sign shall be installed on the near side of the intersection on the right-hand side of the approach to which it applies." However, section 2A.15B allows the "doubling-up of a standard regulatory, warning, or guide sign by adding a second identical sign on the left-hand side of the roadway." Per section 3B.16, "Stop lines shall consist of solid white lines extending across approach lanes," so either a shoulder line limiting the lane width parallel to the road or an extension of the stop line should be installed to the right edge of pavement.

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]

Weather-Responsive Management Strategies: Maximizing Data Use to Enhance Traffic Operations and Maintenance Decisions - Reprinted from the January/February 2019 Edition of FHWA's Innovator Adverse weather conditions are a factor in one out of five crashes on U.S. roads. Each year, nearly 6,000 people are killed and more than 445,000 are injured in weather-related crashes. Inclement weather also contributes to traffic delays, freight costs, and environmental impacts from road salt use. In Every Day Counts round five (EDC-5), the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is encouraging state and local transportation agencies to adopt weather-responsive management strategies to increase the effectiveness of traffic operations and maintenance when the weather turns bad. The initiative focuses on maximizing the use of mobile and connected-vehicle data about road weather to support operations and maintenance decisions. Click here to continue this article. And as a reminder, municipalities can access Connecticut's Roadway Weather Information System (RWIS) designed to provide real-time condition data to support timely decision making and improve public safety. If a town wishes to gain access, send an email to [email protected] . One username/password will be issued per town.

CTDOT Secures Additional Funding for Community Connectivity Grant Program In 2017, the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) solicited applications for grants from municipalities for projects that ranged between $75,000 and $400,000. Every municipality in Connecticut was asked to submit one application. A total of 80 applications were received. The first round of grants, awarded in fiscal year 2018, funded projects in 40 communities. On December 11, 2018, the State Bond Commission approved additional funding for a second round of grants to construct the remaining 40 projects requested under the original solicitation. The Community Connectivity Grant Program received an estimated $25.8 million in funding to disperse to the 80 towns and cities across Connecticut. The Community Connectivity Program was recently highlighted as a case study by AASHTO. Click here to read the case study. More information on the Program can be found here .

INFO TO GO: Traffic Signal Resources T2 INFO TO GO is a periodic feature that highlights selected materials and resources you might like to take away with you. In this issue , we focus on resources developed for the traffic signal community by the T2 Center's Traffic Signal Circuit Rider, Theresa "Tess" Schwartz, P.E., P.T.O.E. If you would like additional information or technical assistance with municipal traffic matters, please contact Tess at [email protected] .

2 Ingredient Homemade Car De-Icer Spray—Removes Ice In Seconds by Jess Kielman  This 2 ingredient Homemade Car De-Icer spray removes ice from your car windshield in seconds and will melt snow and ice from your car locks too!

When temperatures dip down below freezing, icy windshields and locks can become a real problem. Sometimes you may be in a hurry and need a quick solution for getting your windshield clean quickly without having to scrape the ice away. Locks can also freeze and be a real pain to thaw quickly. I've been making this 2 ingredient DIY Car De-Icer for years now and keep a bottle in each of our cars during the winter months. It melts ice on contact and works within seconds of spraying it. It also thaws frozen locks in seconds! What do you need to make Car De-Icer? 1 cup of water 1 cup of isopropyl alcohol 1 spray bottle For more information and to watch a video demonstration, click here .

The ROI of Safety What to consider when analyzing the economic benefits of safety.

Safety professionals whose employers are reluctant to invest in occupational safety may face an additional challenge when building their case: multifaceted math. Although calculating a return on investment (ROI) in safety lacks a universal formula, many experts agree that the exercise is worth the effort to support an investment that yields positive results. “When improving safety for the merit of just having a safer workplace is not enough, it’s often a very powerful argument with leadership to help explain the cost of safety by showing the economic benefits of safety,” said Ken Kolosh, manager of statistics at the National Safety Council. Here are a few strategies to consider when crunching the numbers.

Follow Us!

Use these links to get more information about the Connecticut Technology Transfer (T2) Center:

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