‌ ‌ ‌

View as Webpage

October 2018 Issue 53

2018 Workshop Calendar Click here to view training opportunities available in 2018. 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:

T2 Center Custom Training Program Tips from Tony: Determining Proper Traffic Cone Size Town Crier: Cheshire Public Works on the Benefits of Using Interns New Tailgate Talk: Working in Confined Spaces Innovation Station: Building Community Connections, Big and Small Hike to the Heublein Tower on Talcott Mountain in Simsbury 35th Annual CASHO-CIRMA Snow Plow Safety Roadeo Tips from Tony: Answer

T2 Center Custom Training Program The Connecticut Technology Transfer Center Custom Training Program offers a variety of affordable safety training options to meet the needs of your workforce. We will customize a session for your organization based on the needs of your employees. The Benefits of the Custom Training Program: Training on a variety of important employee safety topics, including OSHA standards and Flagger Certification, to help meet your training requirements. Training right at your location—no additional time and expense needed for travel and overtime. We will handle the paperwork and invoice you once the class is completed.  Customized training—we will work with you to develop a class on a topic that you feel is important for the safety and education of your workforce, by focusing on your specific areas of need.  High quality instructors that are experts in their field and vetted by the CT Technology Transfer Center to provide the latest best practices and technology. Earned credit toward our certificate programs. For more information on the T2 Center Custom Training Program click here to view the new flyer.

Tips from Tony: Determining Proper Traffic Cone Size

Do you know what the minimum height should be for traffic cones in your temporary nighttime work zones?

Find the answer at the bottom of the newsletter. If you have roadway safety questions, please contact: Anthony Lorenzetti, P.E. - Safety Circuit Rider (860) 486-5847 or [email protected]

Cheshire Pubic Works on the Benefits of Using Interns The inclusion of interns can offer a great opportunity for students while also greatly benefiting municipal programs. We conducted an interview with the Cheshire Department of Public Works & Engineering's Assistant Town Engineer, Daniel J. Bombero Jr., to discuss the benefits of using interns in their department. Question #1: Where do you find your interns? We listed a job posting on the Town's website and, for the first time, this year we also listed on Indeed.com. The posting was specific to seeking currently enrolled engineering students. This year we received three applications for the position, all which were through Indeed.com. All applicants were given formal interviews, after which we offered two applicants positions for the summer. In years past, there was only one of these positions offered; however, with several projects to tackle and an unfilled full-time position, we decided to bring two of the candidates on. Click here to continue reading this article.

New Tailgate Talk: Working in Confined Spaces 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.

Working in a confined space is a unique and serious hazard. There is no partial problem: either there is or isn't one. By one definition, a confined space is one that is large enough and arranged so that an employee can fully enter and work, has limited or restricted entry or exit, and which is not primarily designed for human occupancy.

Click Here for the Latest Tailgate Talk

Innovation Station: Building Community Connections, Big and Small The next time you go for a walk or bike ride, think about the infrastructure that makes it possible. In some cities and towns, pedestrians and bicyclists aren't able to get to where they want to go. For example, "Before the 11th Street Bridge project in Washington, DC, if you didn't own a car you couldn't get across the Anacostia River," said Robert Mooney, head of the Federal Highway Administration Preconstruction Team and leader of the Every Day Counts round four (EDC-4) team championing community connections. "Now there is a 16-foot-wide pedestrian-bicycle bridge." The EDC-4 community connections initiative offers tools and strategies for developing inclusive, interconnected transportation systems through planning, designing, and managing public spaces that promote people's health, happiness, and well-being. The focus is on retrofitting, rehabilitation, and removal options that turn aging infrastructure into opportunities for reestablishing community connections and cohesion. Click here to continue this article.

Hike to the Heublein Tower on Talcott Mountain in Simsbury The Heublien Tower Trail, located just inside the Talcott Mountain State Park entrance off of Route 185 in Simsbury, CT, is a short 1.25 miles. While the hike isn't long, the first 1/3 of a mile is a steep incline that will get your heart pumping. This is a short hike with a nice payoff—the view! There are some tables, grills and restroom facilities at the top for the hikers. The tower is beautiful example of early 1900's architecture (the interior of the tower and summer home are accessible during the day only).

The trail itself is very well kept, and although it is steep, it is not technical. It is a family friendly hike through classic Connecticut deciduous forest. The trail has some additions meant to improve the Talcott Mountain experience, such as benches for hikers to rest along the steep section. Once you get to the first overlook, you have the option to continue on the main trail to the Tower, or follow a secondary trail closer to the cliff edge for the incredible views! Click here to learn more about the Heublien Tower Trail and click here to find more great things to do in Simsbury.

35th Annual CASHO-CIRMA Snow Plow Safety Roadeo On October 11th, the T2 Center had the honor of volunteering at the Connecticut Association of Street & Highway Officials Inc. (CASHO) and the Connecticut Interlocal Risk Management Agency's (CIRMA) 35th Annual Snow Plow Safety Roadeo, in Wallingford, CT. Despite the weather, it was a great day!

The overall winner of the event was the Town of Vernon. The Best In Show category winners were: 100 - Bloomfield - Tom Wilson 200 - West Hartford - Tim Rolland 300 - Bloomfield - Adam O'Neil 400 - Ellington - Patrick Roy 500 - Bloomfield - Mike Degen Congratulations to all of the winners! For a complete listing, check the CASHO official website.

Tips from Tony: Answer 28 Inches. The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) states in section 6F.64 that: "Cones...shall be predominantly orange and shall be made of a material that can be struck without causing damage to the impacting vehicle. For daytime and low-speed roadways, cones shall be not less than 18 inches in height. When cones are used on freeways and other high-speed highways or at night on all highways, or when more conspicuous guidance is needed, cones shall be a minimum of 28 inches in height." In addition the MUTCD defines a highway in section 1A.13 (83) as: "Highway - a general term for denoting a public way for purposes of vehicular travel, including the entire area within the right-of-way."

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]