- Safety Matters: Celebrate Bicycle Safety Month with Tips and Advice from Watch for Me CT's Anna Stern
- Connecticut Public Works Promotions & Announcements
- Innovation Station: Innovative Density Profiling of Asphalt Pavement
- Town Crier: East Lyme Enhances Communication and Accountability with New Technology
- Transportation Radio: What's New in the 11th Edition of the MUTCD with Kathy Falk, Vice President, Kimerly-Horn
- Complete Streets Policy Action Guide
- Facilities and Grounds Anchor a Community
- NEAPWA Chapter Connects: Growing and Greening Municipal Solid Waste & Recycling Programs (Video)
- REMINDER: TLP Cohort #10 Applications Due May 31st
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Celebrate Bicycle Safety Month with Tips and Advice from Watch for Me CT's Anna Stern |
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With May being bicycle safety month, we’d like to take this opportunity to hear from our partners at Watch for Me CT who work tirelessly to help promote bicycle and pedestrian safety throughout Connecticut. We’d like to introduce the newest member of the Watch for Me CT team, Anna Stern, who has some great advice for cyclists as they take advantage of the warmer weather.
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Riding a bike is a great way to both get some exercise and travel in an environmentally friendly way. Cities and towns across the state are becoming more bicycle friendly with the installation of bike lanes and other measures meant to keep everyone safe. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), not yielding the right of way and not being visible to cars are the biggest contributing factors in fatal bike crashes.[1] As the warmer weather approaches, keeping a few safety tips in mind will ensure your ride is a safe one.
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Always wear a helmet. Using a helmet is much like wearing a seatbelt when riding in a car. It is one of the most important things you can do to prevent a serious injury. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), three out of four crashes involving bikes result in some kind of head injury. Wearing a helmet drastically lowers the likelihood of a severe injury.[2] Make sure your helmet fits using the 2-V-2 rule. The helmet should sit level and two finger lengths above your eyebrows. The side straps should make a “V” shape on either side of the ear, with the adjustable clip below the earlobe. Finally, you should be able to fit two fingers in between the strap and your chin to ensure proper fit. In Connecticut, Conor’s Law requires all children under the age of 16 to wear a helmet when bicycling, skateboarding, or roller skating/blading (C.G.S. 14-286d).
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Paul LaFauci recently celebrated 35 years with the Watertown Highway Department, starting as a laborer in 1989 and advancing to Working Foreman. Known for his extensive knowledge of the town's infrastructure and his dedication, Paul is a vital leader guiding his crew and mentoring the next generation of employees. Congratulations, Paul!
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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.
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Innovative Density Profiling of Asphalt Pavement |
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The Nation’s pavement network consists of more than 8.8 million lane-miles. The integrity of this network is critical to support the mobility of more than 282 million registered motor vehicles, with each vehicle traveling at an annual distance of, on average, about 11,000 miles. Under such a travel demand, numerous technologies and innovations have emerged to ensure the safety, resiliency, and sustainability of our transportation infrastructure. Among these innovations, density profiling technologies have gained considerable attention from highway agencies. |
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The density of asphalt pavement is a measurement reflecting the pavement compaction, a critical element in asphalt pavement construction. Adequately compacted asphalt pavement can meet the desired strength and reduce the risk of water penetration through excessive air voids. Adequate and uniform compaction can increase the pavement’s long‑term performance and durability, maximizing the return on investment in pavement construction.
Challenges in Pavement Density
The current state of practice for density measurement relies on drilling cores in the field. The drilling process is labor intensive and only feasible for a few random locations. Scattered measurements from random locations introduce the risk of failing to detect improperly compacted areas. Furthermore, core drilling is a destructive process, which brings added risks that may compromise the integrity of pavement structure. In some cases, highway agencies use nuclear gauges for density measurement. While nuclear gauges offer advantages in terms of nondestructiveness, they come with their own set of complexities. Specifically, the requirement of special licenses for handling nuclear gauges can add layers of regulation and potential liabilities.
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East Lyme Enhances Communication and Accountability with New Technology |
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East Lyme is embracing modern technology to improve public communication and departmental accountability. The town has launched the Notify EL Public Works, a community platform for sharing concerns and reporting local issues. Whether it's a pothole, a broken streetlight, or a clogged storm drain, their community-driven approach empowers their residents to make a difference.
While the rollout has been challenging, particularly for administrative staff adapting to new methods, East Lyme is optimistic about the long-term benefits. The town believes these advancements will lead to more efficient and effective operations, ultimately benefiting all residents.
By leveraging this technology, East Lyme is stepping into the 21st century and ensuring better communication between the residents and the Public Works Department.
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What's New in the 11th Edition of the MUTCD with Kathy Falk, Vice President, Kimley-Horn |
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Listen to the ITE Talks Transportation Podcast, here.
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Complete Streets Policy Action Guide |
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This Action Guide is a resource for elected leaders, policymakers, and advocates interested in creating or improving a Complete Streets policy. Whether you’re sitting at the policy drafting table or calling for change as an advocate, this guide is designed to help you build a strong policy that protects and benefits all users. |
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Complete Streets is an approach to planning, designing, and building streets and communities that allow all people — regardless of age, ability, income, race, or ethnicity — to safely, comfortably, and conveniently access homes, employment centers, schools, shops, health facilities, and other destinations by foot, bicycle, public transportation, car, or truck.
Download the full guide here.
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Facilities and Grounds Anchor a Community
by W. Gary Losier
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I am fortunate to work in a community committed to providing its residents with public facilities they can be proud to have and are excited to use. |
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Their excitement and enjoyment, in turn, build a sense of pride amongst the public works and recreation crews that work hard to maintain these facilities. Facilities and grounds give a city its character as they demonstrate to our constituents, residents, and business owners what we strive to be.
In winter, I can look directly out of my office and see a brightly decorated skating rink. I also know that over the years, I have seen families evolve and grow, with little ones learning to skate by leaning on chairs or their parents. The next winter, they are back a little steadier, still wobbly, but definitely improved. A few years later, they are in full face cage and hockey gloves, zooming around the ice, dreaming of scoring goals. I would not be surprised to hear of some future professional hockey player getting their start on this ice!
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NEAPWA Chapter Connects: Growing and Greening Municipal Solid Waste & Recycling Programs (Video) |
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Learn how municipal waste management programs are growing and greening – from innovative regional recycling programs that prevent foam going to landfills, to connecting and engaging with community members to improve recycling operations and success, and furthering strong customer service through a super-star transfer station team, our presenters shared the programs, initiatives, and best practices in their communities to elevate municipal waste management and recycling services! |
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REMINDER: TLP Cohort #10 Applications Due May 31st |
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A friendly reminder that applications for the Transportation Leadership Program's Cohort #10 are due by Friday, May 31, 2024.
For the program application and overview, click here.
Don't hesitate to contact Donna Shea if you have any questions or would like to discuss potential candidates. |
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Along with our Facebook page, the T2 Center now has an Instagram page! Click on the icons below to like the T2 Center on Facebook and follow the T2 Center on Instagram! |
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If you have any ideas or suggestions for future Connecticut Crossroads topics, please feel free to email the designer Regina Hackett at regina.hackett@uconn.edu
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