| | November 2025 | Issue 137 | |
- Connecticut Public Works Promotions & Announcements
- CTDOT Honored with National Recognition at the America's Transportation Awards
- Safety Matters: Older Drivers Safety Awareness
- Innovation Station: Building the Future — How AI Is Revolutionizing Construction
- Town Crier: Santa, the Grinch, & Buddy the Elf Spotted in Wethersfield
- Introducing Winnie's World: A Fun, Safe Learning Spot for Young Road Users
- NEAPWA Chapter Connects: Leveraging Drones for Public Works Projects (Video)
- Gratitude From the T2 Center This Thanksgiving
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The O&G Industries Volunteer of the Year Award was presented to Sergeant Dustin Baldis of the City of Torrington Police Department in recognition of his remarkable volunteer efforts. His hard work, generosity, and steady commitment have made a meaningful impact.
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The Town of Watertown is pleased to recognize several staffing updates within its Public Works team. Steve Byron has been promoted to Mechanical Equipment Operator Class One (MEO I), reflecting his continued growth and dedication to the department. Franco Pannofino has also advanced, moving from MEO I to the position of MEO I Mason. In addition, the Town welcomes new hire Angelo Gizzi, who has joined the team as a Laborer and has already made a strong, positive impression with his work ethic and commitment.
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Stuart Young, a current participant in the CT Transportation Leadership Program, has been promoted to Operations Manager for the Town of Granby. His advancement reflects his dedication, leadership, and ongoing commitment to professional growth within the public works and transportation community.
Please email Regina Hackett with your agency’s promotions, awards, recognitions, or other great news, and we’ll proudly feature them in an upcoming newsletter.
| | CTDOT Honored with National Recognition at the America's Transportation Awards | A Connecticut rapid bridge emergency repair project and a Delaware project that widened a widely used corridor while adding pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure took home top honors at the 2025 America’s Transportation Awards competition. | | |
The Connecticut Department of Transportation’s Fairfield Avenue Bridge project won the contest’s Grand Prize, while the Delaware Department of Transportation’s SR 299, SR 1 to Catherine Street Widening Project received the People’s Choice Award.
“From reconstructing a bridge in record time following a fiery crash to bolstering traffic capacity and adding transit, pedestrian, and bicycle facilities to better serve a growing population, these two winning projects showcase how state DOTs truly make a difference in their communities,” noted Jim Tymon, executive director of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, in a statement.
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Older Drivers Safety Awareness
Between 2014 and 2023, the United States population of people 65 and older increased by 28%. In the same period, the number of older drivers involved in fatal crashes increased 41%.
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Aging affects everyone differently. It is important to understand that age-related changes in vision, physical fitness, reflexes, and reaction time may cause safety concerns and impact on the way older people drive. Additionally, crashes are more harmful and have a greater risk of injury for older adults than younger people.
One key to safety is knowing when a driver is at increased risk, even if we ourselves are that driver. So, we must know what signs to look for and pay attention to them. We need to understand how our driving environment changes, and what we should do to respond to those changes. For example, driving at night becomes more difficult as we age, so older drivers can plan their trips to end before the sun goes down. Since vision can decline with age, ensure older drivers use their newest prescription while driving and avoid glasses with tinted lenses when driving at night.
| | | | Building the Future — How AI Is Revolutionizing Construction | |
Having places to live, work, shop, and otherwise conduct our daily lives is critical. But someone has to build those structures, and someone has to account for all the various aspects and needs of the construction. Technology has always been a major component of the evolution of the construction industry over the many millenia, and now construction is seeing significant benefit from the use of AI.
There’s significant inherent complexity involved in construction projects that require significant planning and advance preparation. Unlike software projects where you can change things on the fly, construction projects are much more set in advance. If you're building a skyscraper and it has to have a certain amount of windows, you can't just decide to change that on the fly after all plans and materials have been ordered.
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Santa, the Grinch, & Buddy the Elf Spotted in Wethersfield
Holiday magic arrived in Wethersfield as Santa, the Grinch, and Buddy the Elf made a special appearance on Main Street to help light the community tree and usher in the festive season. Their visit brought smiles, excitement, and plenty of cheer to the crowd gathered for the celebration.
| | More Stories and Resources | | Introducing Winnie's World: A Fun, Safe Learning Spot for Young Road Users | Watch for Me CT has launched “Winnie’s World,” an interactive resource designed to help families and children build lifelong road-safety habits. Featuring mascot friends Winnie and her joey Wally, the program emphasizes how grown-ups modelling safe behaviors gives kids the best example to mirror. The site also incorporates developmental research, pointing out that children under ten are still developing the skills needed to assess traffic, vehicle speed, and driver behavior. Winnie’s World provides downloadable materials covering pedestrian safety, bicycling best practices, and age-appropriate tips, making it an ideal tool for parents, schools, and community agencies to engage children in a meaningful and memorable way. Watch for Me CT - Winnie's World | |  | NEAPWA Chapter Connects: Leveraging Drones for Public Works Projects (Video) | This pre-recorded webinar highlights how Public Works agencies can boost project accuracy without the high cost and time demands of traditional land surveys. Experts demonstrate how drone technology offers a precise, budget-friendly alternative that improves decision-making, reduces construction challenges, tracks project progress, and enhances communication through visual updates. Through real case studies, viewers will see how drones streamline workflows, save money, and help municipal teams design and deliver projects more efficiently. This session is an excellent resource for agencies exploring innovative tools to modernize their project planning and documentation. It also offers practical insights that can be applied immediately to improve efficiency on upcoming projects. | | Gratitude From the T2 Center This Thanksgiving | | | | |
Connecticut Training and Technical Assistance Center
University of Connecticut
270 Middle Turnpike, Unit 5202
Storrs, CT 06269-5202
Phone: 860-486-9373
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