October 2024 | Issue 125

In This Issue

Connecticut Public Works Promotions & Announcements
Safety Matters: Pedestrian Safety Zones
Innovation Station: Esri Maps Cause and Effect
39th Annual CASHO Snowplow Safety Roadeo
Farewell to Our Safety Circuit Rider, Melissa Evans
UConn Awarded $1.5M USDOT Grant for Traffic Safety Projects on Storrs Campus
UConn and Eversource Host Third Annual Sustainable Clean Energy Summit
NEAPWA Chapter Connects: Increasing Efficiency in Winter Maintenance: Weather vs. Road Weather (Video)

City of Torrington

Jim Woodward has been promoted to Equipment Operator II in the Public Works - Streets Department. Jim has been with the City of Torrington since 2015.

CT Dept. of Transportation

Chris Griffin, an alumnus of Cohort 7 in the CT Transportation Leadership Program, was honored with the Supervisor of the Year Award.
Jon Graziosa, a graduate of the CT Road Master and CT Road Scholar Programs, received the Safety Leadership Award.

Let us celebrate your department's successes with our CT Public Works community. Please email Regina Hackett your agency's great news and we will publish it in an upcoming newsletter.

Pedestrian Safety Zones

What are Pedestrian Safety Zones?

Pedestrian safety zones are authorized in Connecticut General Statute 14-307a. This statute enables local municipalities and the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) to establish Pedestrian Safety Zones in specific areas. The statute defines these areas as “A clearly defined downtown district or community center frequented by pedestrians or is adjacent to hospital property or, in the opinion of the traffic authority, is sufficiently close to hospital property as to constitute a risk to the public safety.” These zones are designed to help improve the safety of pedestrians and other vulnerable road users in areas where pedestrians must share the road with motor vehicles. Pedestrian safety zones increase safety by using speed management treatments and lowering speed limits in these specific areas. If you’d like to know more about speed management treatments, please visit FHWA’s Traffic Calming ePrimer here.

Esri Maps Cause and Effect

The work of the Connecticut Transportation Safety Research Center means engineers can concentrate on developing more effective safety measures, rather than having to sort out raw crash data.

The Connecticut Transportation Safety Research Center (CTSRC) is one part of the Connecticut Transportation Institute housed in the College of Engineering at the University of Connecticut (UConn). Its primary mission is to support the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) in developing and maintaining a state-of-the-art crash collection and safety analysis system.

39th Annual CASHO Snowplow Safety Roadeo

On October 10, 2024, the 39th Annual CT Association of Street and Highway Officials (CASHO) Snowplow Safety Roadeo took place in Wallingford, CT, where drivers demonstrated their skills in preparation for the upcoming winter season. The event, designed to promote safety and excellence among snowplow operators, brought together participants from various municipalities across the state.

Some of the top performers of the day included:

Mike LeBlanc from New Canaan
Nick DiCioccio from West Hartford
Paul Sylvester from Hebron
JP Bras from Fairfield

Additionally, the winning municipality for the event was New Canaan, showcasing exceptional talent in this year's competition.

Click Here for a Complete List of Winners

Farewell to Our Safety Circuit Rider, Melissa Evans

After five years of dedicated service, we bid farewell to Melissa Evans, the CT Safety Circuit Rider (SCR) at the T2 Center. Melissa's leadership has been instrumental in advancing road safety initiatives across Connecticut’s municipalities, from providing technical assistance to deploying Speed Feedback Signs and managing the Speed Management Training Program. Her work has significantly contributed to reducing traffic-related fatalities and injuries statewide.

Melissa’s efforts extended beyond road safety, as she also played a key role in ADA transition planning and training, enhancing accessibility for individuals with disabilities. The T2 Center team and CT municipalities are deeply grateful for her contributions, and we wish Melissa and her family all the best in their next chapter!

UConn Awarded $1.5M USDOT Grant for Traffic Safety Projects on Storrs Campus

The University of Connecticut (UConn) has been awarded a $1.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) program to enhance bike and pedestrian safety on its Storrs campus. The funds will support the planning and demonstration of seven traffic safety projects aimed at reducing risks for campus pedestrians and cyclists.

The Connecticut Transportation Safety Research Center (CTSRC) at the Connecticut Transportation Institute (CTI) played a key role in securing the grant and will oversee the initiative. Details of the projects will be shared soon, as UConn works to create a safer environment for all campus users.

More Stories

UConn and Eversource Host Third Annual Sustainable Clean Energy Summit

Electric grid decarbonization and emerging technologies in clean energy were the focus at this year’s Sustainable Clean Energy Summit at the University of Connecticut in Storrs. The annual summit, hosted by UConn and Eversource, was a featured event of Connecticut’s first ever Sustainability & Resiliency Week. A keynote address by Gene Rodrigues, Assistant Secretary for Electricity, U.S. Department of Energy kicked off the event. Academic and state leaders as well as energy industry experts led panel discussions on various clean energy topics following opening remarks by UConn President Radenka Maric and Eversource Executive Vice President, Customer Experience and Energy Strategy Penni Conner.

NEAPWA Chapter Connects: Increasing Efficiency in Winter Maintenance: Weather vs. Road Weather

In exploring the relationship between air and road temperatures, the discussion begins to uncover answers to an important question: to what extent do road temperatures differ over short distances? Understanding these variances is crucial for efficient and effective winter maintenance operations. The focus then shifts to the contrast between standard atmospheric weather conditions and those specific to roads, shedding light on the extent of these variations, the factors contributing to them, and why this knowledge is indispensable for winter road maintenance strategies. This discussion emphasizes the value of understanding road temperature variations in enhancing winter maintenance operations.