Road Chatter

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

January 2025

View from the Road

We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths. - Walt Disney

As kids, trying to stay up for midnight on New Year's Eve was a challenge that we usually could not meet. As we get older, we realize going to bed early may be the better option. January 1 will be there in the morning.

Some lessons we learn through experience and others by learning from others. The ones we learn ourselves are usually more painful. This year we are offering lots of ways to learn in a less painful way.

This spring we are offering eight different workshop topics including a series of work zone workshops which are part of our 2024-25 work zone package grant. Our foundational webinar series is continuing with nine webinars over the winter and eleven over the summer. We will also be presenting at conferences across the state.

If you would like us to look at a road issue in your area, just let us know. We will be glad to help you solve your problems on-site. We enjoy looking at these challenges and helping find solutions. Just give us a call or send us an email.

If you have an issue that is keeping you up, please let us know. We would like for you to only stay up when you want to see the clock strike midnight.

- 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.

Our 2025 Spring workshop season is open for registration!

Free Work Zone Workshops!

These workshops are free to all attendees, thanks to a grant received from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC).

Foundational Webinars

Tuesdays from 9:00 am -10:00 am

1/7/2025 - Department Duties
1/14/2025 - Road & Street Legal Issues*
1/28/2025 - Drainage Law*
2/4/2025 - Worker Safety
2/11/2025 - Highway Liability*
2/18/2025 - Culverts*
2/25/2025 - Work Zone
3/11/2025 - Pavement Maintenance*
*New Date* 8/26/2025 - Employee Handbooks (panel)

*Anticipated to be worth 1 Engineering PDH credit

Upcoming Events and Conferences

NYSCHSA's Winter Conference

January 20-23, 2025

An educational and networking opportunity that will appeal to all Superintendents and Commissioners working to improve their county highway department and services.

2025 Training School &

Annual Meeting

February 16 - 19, 2025

An educational and networking opportunity for town officials, including supervisors, clerks, highway superintendents, and other municipal leaders.

Upcoming USDOT Funding Resources and Opportunities

Applications will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis beginning March 4, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. ET. The application portal will close on April 3, 2025, at 4:59 p.m. ET. T

There will be a free webinar on Tuesday, January 14, 2025, at 3:00 p.m. ET. about the application process and what activities can be funded through the program. Register for the webinar here

NYSDEC Issues REVISED Limited Enforcement Discretion for ACT and Heavy-Duty Omnibus

The applicability under the limited enforcement discretion has not changed: it continues to apply to heavy-duty vehicles used for snow plowing purposes (both dedicated plows and intermittent plows, such as refuse trucks and dump trucks that are converted for plowing purposes as needed) and for street cleaning (e.g., street sweepers and catch basin trucks). This enforcement discretion action will allow New York State and Local Agencies to purchase internal combustion models for model years 2025 and 2026 to fulfill emergency needs.

DEC Finalizes Regulation Implementing Amendments to the Freshwater Wetlands Act

DEC has committed to hosting at least one webinar to help navigate the changes and address questions about the newly adopted Freshwater Wetlands program regulations.

This webinar is scheduled for January 15, 2025, at 2:00PM.

NYS LTAP Center - CLRP Resources

Winter Storm Tracker

If your highway agency is looking for a no-cost entry to tracking storm data, resource costs, and material use, the UNH Technology Transfer Center's Excel-based Winter Storm Tracker may be what you are looking for!

Quick and Easy Social Media Posts

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

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? Or want to pass on your knowledge and experience to others?

Visit our website for more information!

The 2025 Build a Better Mousetrap Season is open!

Do you have a creation that helps make your job easier? The Build a Better Mousetrap competition helps local agencies solve everyday problems with innovation. From adding pool noodles to your plow to creating a culvert cleaner, we have seen it all.....or have we?

You can submit your creation online or download the entry form.

Submission deadline: March 14, 2025.

For more information, please visit our website,

or contact Amanda Caughey at ael234@cornell.edu

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.

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!

New York State LTAP Center -

Cornell Local Roads Program nysltap.clrp.cornell.edu