NYS LTAP Center - Cornell Local Roads Program

A paraphrased line of dialogue from the 1948 film The Treasure of the Sierra Madre

Road Chatter

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

September 2023

It's all to do with the training: you can do a lot if you're properly trained.

- Queen Elizabeth II

Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.

- Benjamin Franklin

We know that training pays for itself, but what with the demands on everyone’s time, it can be challenging to actually get to training. There are plenty of folks who think that if you are not at work, you are not doing your job. We see training differently. Going to training allows you to find out what is new, improve your social network, and share your knowledge with others. If you have a hard time getting approval for training, here are some proven methods that may get you to that training session.

Promise to write up the lessons learned that can be implemented in the short, medium, and long term. This could be anything from replacing old hard hats to developing a pavement management plan, or changing your paving practices to incorporate a safety edge which improves durability while also making roads safer. The idea does not have to come from the class directly, it may be something you learn about over a break from a fellow attendee. All ideas matter. If you are the manager providing approval, try to implement at least one of these ideas. This will improve your team morale and confirm that you value training.

Invite those who are reluctant to attend to come with you. This will show them the value of the training and that it is important to learn new ideas. Bring with you some questions you would like to see answered. Even if not part of the training you can often get the answers when you talk with others. It is important that we are always learning and more knowledge is always a good thing.

We hope to see you this fall and into the future.

- David Orr, P.E.

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Fall workshop registration is now open!

Promotional Videos:

Federal Aid 101 - Virtual Workshop - 3 PDH credits

September 12, 2023 - register via Zoom

9:30 am - 3:00 pm
Workshop fee - Free
PDH fee - $20

Getting federal aid is only the first step in the process to complete a local project. To make a project successful, the local agency needs to understand the steps and the federal and state requirements. During this 4-hour online workshop, David will walk through a federal aid project from start to finish, discuss the steps to a successful project, and review issues that have led to problems in the past. Attendees will learn the roles and responsibilities of the various parties involved and ways to reduce stress for themselves and the agencies overseeing the work.

Bridge Conference Registration

Scheduled to be held on October 25 & 26, with the training session on October 24.

The 2023 conference will be held in Albany.

The 2023 conference is anticipated to be worth 7.5 PDHs, while each training is anticipated to be worth 4 PDHs.

View the conference agenda

Upcoming Events and Conferences

FHWA Construction and Project Management Series

9.25.2023 - Digital As-Builts Forum City of Lincoln, NE, Mr. Marc Rosso, Senior Construction Engineer (3:30pm - 4:30pm)

Road Safety Champion Module 1: Introduction to Safety

Nevada LTAP extends an opportunity to join this free web conference on September 12, 9-11 am PT / 12-2 pm ET.

The overall Road Safety Champion Program provides a high-level overview of road safety in the United States through seven modules. Core Module 1: Introduction to Road Safety includes an introduction to the concepts that will be covered throughout the Road Safety Champion Program. Register here.

New York State Association of Town Superintendents of Highways, Fall Conference

Tuesday, September 26 - 29, 2023

at the Turning Stone Resort & Casino

Grant Writing - How to Get Started

Date: September 28, 2023

Time: 11:00 am - 12:00 pm ET

Writing a grant or funding application can seem like an impossible task if you have never completed one before. It can seem daunting even if you have completed one or more but weren’t given any guidance on how to approach the project. During this webinar, learn the basics of how to tackle and complete a grant or funding application.

Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) Regulation - One-Time Fleet Reporting Requirement

New York State adopted California's Advanced Clean Trucks Rule in December 2021. The regulation includes a one-time reporting requirement for large entities that operate or dispatch vehicles with a manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) greater than 8,500 lbs. in New York. The due date for the one-time fleet reports from applicable fleets has been extended to December 1, 2023.

Join one of the two webinars hosted by the DEC to learn more.

Resources

Community Corner Infographics

These infographics were created to help the 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!

Can street name signs be installed on the same post as a STOP sign?

Yes, the Guidance of Section 2A. 16 ‘Standardization of Location’ of the MUTCD provides guidance on when signs can be grouped together. It states that:

“signs should be individually installed on a separate post except where......

Read the full answer here.

New York State LTAP Center -

Cornell Local Roads Program nysltap.clrp.cornell.edu