January 2022
Issue 92
In This Issue:
  • Safety Matters: Mini-Roundabouts
  • Innovation Station: FHWA's Free Workforce Development Marketing Toolkit
  • Town Crier: Town of Ellington Starting the Year Off Right! Internal Training to Keep Their Employees Safe
  • CTDOT Announces Launch of New Vision Zero Council Website for Traffic Safety Information and an Invitation for Public Engagement
  • What Gets Measured Gets Managed: A Step-by-Step Guide to Evaluating Safe Routes Projects from Beginning to End
  • New England APWA Scholarship Opportunities
  • New England APWA Chapter Connects: Snowplow Drivers Needed A Discussion (Video)
Mini-Roundabouts
Mini-roundabouts, while smaller than standard roundabouts, function similarly. Roundabouts are circular, unsignalized intersections where all traffic moves in a counterclockwise direction around a central island. Unlike regular roundabouts, mini-roundabouts have an Inscribed Circle Diameter (ICD) of 90 feet or less. With this smaller ICD, the central island and all splitter islands are of a mountable design that is typically two and a half to three inches in vertical height, making them traversable, or they are painted.
Mike Vaughn of the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) references an old adage when explaining mini-roundabouts. “As the saying goes, ‘There is a time and place for everything.’ Mini-roundabouts are small and the small footprint means a mini-roundabout cannot process as many vehicles per hour as a regular sized roundabout…Mini-roundabouts work best in locations with low overall traffic volumes, low truck traffic, and low speed.”
To continue this article, click here.

For more information and assistance with local road safety in your community, contact Melissa Evans, Safety Circuit Rider, at melissa.evans@uconn.edu.
FHWA's Free Workforce Development Marketing Toolkit
It is no secret that many industries across the United States are experiencing worker shortages. This problem is especially critical in highway construction.

According to a 2021 survey by the Associated General Contractors of America, 90 percent of construction firms said they have open positions and 89 percent said they are having a hard time filling them. Seventy-two percent of respondents said the reason they were having a hard time filling positions is because potential employees "are not qualified to work in the industry."
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) formed the Strategic Workforce Development implementation team as part of Every Day Counts round six (EDC-6) to help remedy this massive problem. The group’s mantra and central theme is "Identify, Train, Place." Attract applicants, get them the training they need, and place them in long-term construction careers.

"We as a Nation have to fill the pipeline with qualified workers," said Karen Bobo, Director of the FHWA Center for Transportation Workforce Development and co-lead of the EDC-6 strategic workforce development team. "That means not only attracting applicants but being intentional about improving their skills and getting them right into jobs."

To continue reading, click here.
Town of Ellington Starting the Year Off Right! Internal Training to Keep Their Employees Safe
Gold star to the Town of Ellington for developing presentations and dedicating time for internal training on dealing with hazards. Focusing on your employees’ skill development helps your entire agency be more successful, efficient, safe and productive.
CTDOT Announces Launch of New Vision Zero Council Website for Traffic Safety Information and an Invitation for Public Engagement
Vision Zero Council launched its new website and invited the public to participate in working to eliminate roadway injuries and fatalities.
Commissioner Joseph Giulietti announced that the Connecticut Department of Transportation has launched the Vision Zero Council website, a new site that hosts the work of the Vision Zero Council, provides a wide-variety of traffic safety information, and encourages the public to participate in eliminating roadway injuries and fatalities.

Established in 2021 by the Connecticut General Assembly, the Vision Zero Council is an interagency work group tasked with developing statewide policy to eliminate transportation-related fatalities and severe injuries involving pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, motorists, and passengers. The Vision Zero website was developed to keep council members, safety stakeholders, and members of the public appraised of all CT Vision Zero activity. Meeting materials such as upcoming meeting schedules, recordings of past meetings, meeting presentations, meeting minutes, press releases, and other related Vision Zero Council news can be found on the site.
To continue reading, click here.
What Gets Measured Gets Managed: A Step-by-Step Guide to Evaluating Safe Routes Projects from Beginning to End
This factsheet offers evaluation techniques for all phases of safe routes efforts as well as how and when they can be most useful so that you can incorporate evaluation from the beginning, rather than solely at the end.

Improving safe routes throughout communities takes more than completing discrete projects; it takes sustained commitment to making continuous improvements over time. Evaluating both the process of creating safe routes and the outcomes can help build momentum toward change that extends beyond one stretch of sidewalk or a new stop sign.
New England APWA Scholarship Opportunities
The New England APWA has scholarship opportunities available for public works employees and for students.
 
Three scholarships are available through the New England APWA chapter. All are reimbursable scholarships. Applications can be found here.

1. Tim O'Leary for students attending an undergraduate degree program, graduate degree program or vocational technical school. $1,250 per semester for a total of $2,500. There are five of these scholarships to be awarded.
 
2. Crombie PWX a $2,500 scholarship to attend the National Convention in 2022 in Charlotte, North Carolina. There will only be one award per year.
 
3. Career Advancement Opportunity – to promote and improve financial assistance to individuals committed to the public works profession who are seeking opportunities to advance within their department. Awards will be up to $1,000 per state in the New England Chapter: Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut. Single awards in each of the five states may be possible.
 
All applications must be submitted by April 1, 2022.
New England APWA Chapter Connects: Snowplow Drivers Needed A Discussion (Video)
Throughout New England, state DOT’s and municipalities are experiencing a shortage in experienced snowplow drivers. With the onset of winter, agencies are looking for solutions. On December 16, 2021, the New England APWA Chapter held a virtual roundtable as part as of the NE Chapter Connects webinar series. New England state and local transportation professionals met virtually to have an open discussion about the shortage. Participants brought innovative and creative solutions to share with others. Some of the topics that were discussed:
  • Creative solutions to finding snowplow drivers
  • Strategies for setting realistic level of service expectations with your community
  • Training and technical resources available to get drivers ready for snow fighting
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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 regina.hackett@uconn.edu