In This Issue:

Congratulations Sgt. Baldis!

Stay tuned for the December Crossroads issue to read about the 2022 T2 Graduation Ceremony.

Pavement marking visibility is an important safety measure for road users. When drivers can adequately see center lines, edge lines, crosswalks, and other pavement markings they can make safe and appropriate decisions. Faded, non-reflective markings can create a hazardous situation for all roadway users. On August 5, 2022, Revision 3 to the 2009 Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), referred to as “Maintaining Pavement Marking Retroreflectivity” was published as a final rule in the Federal Register. The effective date was September 6, 2022, and compliance is required by September 6, 2026.

The new requirement establishes minimum levels of retroreflectivity for certain pavement markings on roadways that meet specific criteria. In an effort to assist municipalities with understanding the new ruling, the T2 Center held a virtual Coffee and Conversation on October 25, 2022, “Minimum Pavement Marking Retroreflectivity Final Rule: A Conversation with FHWA CT Division.” This webinar was recorded and can be found on our T2 Center YouTube channel, here.

Additionally, in June 2022, we introduced a new piece of equipment available for free loan – the pavement marking retroreflectometer. In an effort to provide additional information on this tool, we have put together a tutorial video which can be found on our website, here.

If you’re interested in testing your pavement markings, fill out our equipment loan request at: T2 Center Equipment Loan Program | T2 Center (uconn.edu).

For more information on the Safety Circuit Rider Program and assistance with local road safety, contact Melissa at [email protected].

2022 Creative Solutions Award Winner - City of Waterbury's Sand/Salt Loading Ramp

This year, we recognized three towns for their initiative and innovative thinking to increase safety, reduce costs, improve efficiencies, and improve the quality of transportation in their communities. This month, we will be showcasing the City of Waterbury's Sand/Salt Loading Ramp, which was named one of the 2022 Creative Solutions winners.

Why Was It Necessary? We needed to improve the efficiency of loading sand and salt into our trucks during winter operations.

How Does It Work? The loader operator collects a load of material in the bucket and drives up the ramp. The truck driver drives along the side of the ramp and parks in the delivery area. The equipment operator delivers the payload into the back of the truck.

How Does It Perform? It works really well. The loader operator has a better line of sight at the higher elevation and can load the trucks more efficiently.

Benefit to Your Operation: Our loading operation is streamlined with less spillage and less chance of overloading the truck. It worked so well at our old facility that we incorporated it into the build at our new facility.

Cost Estimate: Use of in-stock materials and millings made this very low cost.

Next month we will be highlighting the Town of Ellington's Creative Solutions Award winning Electronic Daily Work Order Display.

Since its inception, the South Windsor Invasive Plants Working Group has met 32 times, with an average participation of 12 volunteers (at 4 hours shifts) they have invested almost 1,536 hours or 64 days of work at the open space behind the Town Hall! This does not include all of the educational efforts they have made at local Town events like the Farmers’ Market, or the time invested from the local Eagle Scouts and other civic groups. Over the past 4 years they have helped stem the tide of invasives. Removing burning bush, oriental bittersweet, Japanese knotweed and barberry, along with educating many students and residents on invasive control techniques. This group continues their efforts adding informational kiosks on control techniques for the invasives it has brought into control, creating an educational invasive species trail.

“I think it’s great that local government and volunteer groups can collaborate in this fashion and get so much accomplished together. Be it from realizing funding opportunities from grants which are then passed through to the group to leverage educational opportunities. Or from the volunteer group capitalizing on its relationships with other civic groups in Town like the Eagles Scouts or Garden Club. It truly is a team effort and a perfect example of how much good may be accomplished through dedicated volunteers and a committed organization that will support these initiatives that positively impact the community.

From raising awareness at the local farmers market to physically removing invasives, the South Windsor Invasive Plant Working Group is a prime example of how a little bit of effort from a lot of different folks can accomplish so much. I for one am humbled to be part of the process and am grateful for meeting Bill Marshall at an Invasive Species Class many years ago where we planted the seed of this idea over lunch after learning how to control Japanese Barberry with a flamethrower.” - Vincent Stetson, Director of Public Works, Town of South Windsor.

You can visit the South Windsor Invasive Plant Working website, here.

To continue reading, click here.

A big thank you to the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) Safety Patrol, sponsored by GEICO. The CTDOT Safety Patrol is an integral part of the state’s incident management program. Each year, the Safety Patrol responds to nearly 15,000 service calls in Connecticut.

Talking TIM typically takes place the fourth Wednesday of each month from 1:30 PM – 3:00 PM. Click here to view upcoming webinars.

Visit the Talking TIM Webinar Series website to access previous recorded sessions.

Each Winter Storm Event operation depends upon many elements: weather conditions, staffing, budgets, material costs, and environmental impacts. In this panel, the discussions emphasize the metrics of materials, staffing, budget, and optimization. Today, the buzz words of “sustainability, optimization, and efficiency” are very much a part of every Public Works Agency. The panel provides examples (including successes and failures) of how they have embraced and implemented technology, here in New England.

Visit T2Center.uconn.edu for more information and resources.

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