NYS LTAP Center - Cornell Local Roads Program

Road Chatter

From the New York State LTAP Center - Cornell Local Roads Program

January 2026

View from the Road

View from the Road - David Orr, PE

January 2026

And now we welcome the new year. Full of things that have never been.

- Rainer Maria Rilke (read more at https://www.brainyquote.com/search_results?x=0&y=0&q=welcome)

We send a hearty welcome to the new Highway Superintendents who started January 1. You are now part of a larger community that helps everyone get from home to work, school, or play.

Here at the Cornell Local Roads Program, your NYS LTAP Center, we are ready to help you make the best of 2026. Whether you are a brand-new Highway Superintendent who got to start with a major snow event or a more experienced Superintendent with 20 or 30 years under your belt, our goal is the same as your goal: better roads and streets for our local communities.

If we can do that by answering a question, coming out for a field visit, or setting up a workshop session that meets your needs, just let us know. As we start the new year, we want to let you know that together we can have a great year.

- David Orr, PE

Stay up to date with the NYS LTAP Center - Cornell Local Roads Program.

Click here to be added to our mailing list.

Webinars

Winter Foundational Webinars

Tuesdays - 9:00 am -10:00 am

January 6, 2026 - Basics of a Good Road*
January 13, 2026 - Departmental Duties
January 27, 2026 - Worker Safety
February 3, 2026 - Culverts*
February 10, 2026 - Work Zones*
February 17, 2026 - Traffic Safety*
February 24, 2026 - Grants, State Aid, Federal Aid and other sources of revenue*
March 3, 2026 - Snow & Ice Overview*
March 10, 2026 - Pavement Maintenance*

*Anticipated to be worth 1 Engineering PDH credit

Spring Workshops

Rights &

Responsibilities

3/11 - Delaware County (Delhi)

3/12 - Rockland County (Chestnut Ridge)

4/15 - Wyoming County (Warsaw)

4/16 - Onondaga County (Clay)

Local Roads Done Right

*3/17 - Ontario County (Canandaigua)

3/18 - Cortland County (Cortland)

5/12 - Greene County (Windham)

5/13 - Essex County (Jay)

Running Your

Highway Department

3/24 - Orange County (New Hampton)

3/25 - Albany County (Voorheesville)

3/26 - Oneida County (Oriskany)

4/21 - Chemung County (Elmira)

4/22 - Monroe County (Rochester)

4/23 - Cattaraugus County (Ellicottville)

Pavement Maintenance

4/14 - Nassau County (Westbury)

4/15 - Ulster County (Kingston)

4/23 - Warren County (Warrensburg)

5/5 - Niagara County (Lockport)

5/6 - Allegany County (Belmont)

5/14 - Jefferson County (Watertown)

Roadway &

Roadside Drainage

4/28 - Dutchess County (Millbrook)

4/29 - Fulton County (Johnstown)

4/30 - St. Lawrence County (Gouverneur)

Well Rounded Roads

2026 Locations...

Schoharie County (Cobleskill)

Oswego County (Williamstown)

Yates County (Penn Yan)

Dates: TBA

*Workshop Sponsorship

The New York State LTAP Center – Cornell Local Roads Program thanks those groups who contribute to making our workshops successful by providing sponsorships.

Workshop sponsors generously contribute a flat fee of $1,800/workshop, which enables participants from all municipalities to attend the workshop at either a reduced rate or free of charge. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor for one or more of our workshops, please reach out to us at clrp@cornell.edu / 607-255-8465. We look forward to working with you!

Thank you to our 2026 sponsors!

*Ontario County Towns and Village Highway Superintendents' Association

2026 Build A Better Mousetrap Competition is open for submissions!

All local transportation agencies in New York State are welcome to enter—multiple submissions are allowed!

We're looking for in-house innovations: anything your team designed, built, or implemented to improve safety, cut costs, boost efficiency, or enhance transportation quality.

Submissions don’t need to be physical tools—new tech uses, asset management ideas, or public engagement strategies all count.

Need inspiration?

Take a look at last year’s entries!

Online submission form

Develop a Pavement Management System through the Local Roads Program

Get your community’s roads on the right track this summer with the Pavement Management Intern Program—pairing municipalities with skilled college interns and expert support from NYSLTAP–Cornell Local Roads to build stronger, smarter roadway plans.

Find out more here.

Upcoming Events and Conferences

2026 Training School and Annual Meeting

This year’s conference will take place in New York City at the Marriott Marquis from Saturday, February 14^th – Tuesday, February 17^th, 2026.

Join fellow municipal leaders from across New York State at this year’s annual conference, where we honor the 250th anniversary of America's founding—a moment to reflect on our shared history while preparing for the challenges ahead.

NYS LTAP Center - CLRP Resources

The Nuggets & Nibbles Newsletter

Opt In for a Hard Copy & Fall 2025 Link

Do you know that you now have to opt in to get a hard copy of our quarterly newsletter,

Nuggets & Nibbles?

If you would like to receive a hard copy in the mail, please complete the online form.

Click the link below to check out the electronic version of latest Nuggets & Nibbles.

Fall 2025 Nuggets & Nibbles

On the road and have a question?

Check out our new question submission section! Send us a picture or drop us a note! Let us know what we can do to help you.

We are one click away!

Quick and Easy Social Media Posts

If you are looking for seasonally relevant topics to post, check out our carefully curated posts related to spring!

Flagger Tutorial

Looking for something to help your crew freshen up for flagging? Check out the revamped NYSLTAP-CLRP flagging tutorial. Broken down into 4 lessons; the MUTCD, Work Zone Safety Responsibility, the Work Zone and Flagging, Equipment and Procedures.

Check out the tutorial.

Community Corner Infographics

These infographics were created to help highway and DPW crews communicate effectively with the community on items of concern.

Click here to view our Community Corner Series.

Instructors needed!

The New York State LTAP Center - Cornell Local Roads Program is looking for seasonal or part-time instructors.

Do you have a passion for public works

or highway management, and want to pass on your knowledge and experience to others? Contact us!

Visit our website for more information!

New York State LTAP Center -

Cornell Local Roads Program nysltap.clrp.cornell.edu