STIC Year-End Report

Stormwater Management Training and Field Guidebook

Better Equipping Workforce for Stormwater Management

Reducing pollutants carried through storm sewer systems during major weather events has a direct effect on the quality of Pennsylvania’s waterways and its citizens’ quality of life. For this reason, among others, it is important that Stormwater Control Measures (SCMs) are incorporated into state and local transportation projects and adequately maintained over the long term. SCMs, such as retention ponds, sand filters, pervious pavement and constructed wetlands, are installed in compliance with state and federal regulatory requirements. They require different types and levels of maintenance beyond their initial construction.

The Maintenance TAG is developing a Stormwater Management Facility Training and Field Guidebook to help maintenance forces. The training component will provide maintenance employees with the necessary tools for the installation and maintenance of SCMs. It will review the different types of SCMs, the characteristics of each, and their related maintenance needs. The field guidebook will serve as a quick reference guide to staff while performing stormwater related duties in the field. It will include visual examples and checklists for easy use.

The training and guidebook may also be beneficial to municipalities who, in a recent PennDOT survey of local governments in Pennsylvania, indicated that stormwater management innovations would be beneficial to help them affordably achieve and maintain effective regulatory compliance.

Automated Traffic Signal Performance Measures

Fine Tuning Signal Performance and Reducing Congestion

Automated Traffic Signal Performance Measures (ATSPMs) is an EDC-4 innovation that involves the use of data to analyze and optimize traffic signal performance. Poorly timed traffic signals are the most significant contributor to traffic congestion on arterial roadways. Analyzing the operation of traffic signals will help PennDOT and local governments improve the flow of traffic and reduce congestion to move people and goods more safely and efficiently.

Most traffic signal controllers collect data manually. Training and knowledge transfer on how to interpret data collected through ATSPMs is critical to the success of this innovation. The Safety and Traffic Operations TAG plans to develop guidance and training to help users interpret the data and use it to produce better signal timing and reduce congestion.

Predictive Work Zone Analysis

Getting Ahead of Work Zone Delays

No one likes being stuck in a work zone, especially when you have places to go and people to see. Whether you are running late for work or on your way to pick up the kids at school, there is never a good time to be stuck in a lengthy work zone backlog. The Safety and Traffic Operations TAG is looking at a software tool that will help PennDOT better predict when and where work zones should be considered, and ensure that construction work is performed at the appropriate times to minimize the effects on the traveling public.

The tool that PennDOT is considering is called FREEVAL (FREeway EVALuation) developed by North Carolina State University and already successfully in use in Florida and Massachusetts. FREEVAL produces real-time data quicker than systems that PennDOT is currently using. This will provide an opportunity to make any adjustments necessary in the initial stages of a project to ensure the best use of resources, and the safest, most efficient travel conditions for motorists. Additionally, this tool could potentially save PennDOT significant amounts of money, as costs from work zone delays can extend into the millions depending on the project.

Pervious Pavement

An Environmentally Friendly
Pavement Choice

For transportation planners, the choice between the desirability of a paved surface and the environmental consequences caused by pollution and water runoff is often a delicate balancing act.

Pervious pavements provide a valuable stormwater management benefit to help offset the costs of constructing and maintaining traditional Stormwater Control Measures, like retention basins. Stormwater flows through the porous surface layer, filtering out many pollutants, before temporarily settling in an underlying stone reservoir to infiltrate into the ground. Pervious pavements are especially useful for locations such as parking lots, pull-offs or light vehicle access areas, sidewalks, and walking or biking trails.

The cost to install pervious pavement is about $7 per square foot. Maintenance of pervious pavement is critical to its durability and overall function. Annual pressure washing or vacuuming are recommended as are regular inspection and testing to ensure proper permeability.

Cement Slurry for Full Depth Reclamation

Using Cement Slurry to Stabilize Local Roads

Cement Slurry for Full Depth Reclamation (FDR) is a new technique to assist PennDOT, local governments, and FDR contractors by providing a widely available and dust-free method for stabilizing pavements.

Introduced by the Construction and Materials TAG in 2017, the "Supplying Cement Slurry for Full Depth Reclamation (FDR) in Ready Mixed Concrete Trucks" innovation allows for cement slurry to be applied in liquid form to the ground road base during FDR projects to provide base stability. This process requires less equipment, expedites the FDR process, and provides environmental benefits by reducing the amount of dust created during application.

The cement slurry is supplied to FDR projects through a network of PennDOT-approved concrete plants and delivered in ready-mixed concrete trucks. Cement slurry can be used to replace or augment the practice of spreading dry cement on the roadway base.

The addition of cement slurry into the existing FDR specification is designed to improve upon and expand the use of FDR, which has been proven to be a cost-effective, long-term improvement for Pennsylvania roadways.

To put this innovation into practice, the Construction and Materials TAG completed revisions to Section 344 (Full Depth Reclamation) of PennDOT Publication 408, Section MS-0370-0035 of PennDOT Publication 447 and Appendix J of PennDOT Publication of 242 to incorporate the specification change. With approval received from the FHWA, the specification change will be published in late 2019. A special provision has been granted in the interim to allow PennDOT and local governments to begin using this technique.