Minnesota Local Road Research Board
by Micaela Resh
The City Engineers of Minnesota Annual Conference will be Jan. 29 – 31, 2020 at the Early Brown Heritage Center in Brooklyn Center. Make sure to check out the “LRRB Update” at 9:20 a.m. on Thurs. Jan. 30, 2020.
by Micaela Resh
The Minnesota County Engineers Association Annual Conference will be Jan. 21-24, 2020 at Cragun’s Resort and Hotel on Gull Lake. Make sure to attend “The Pavement Doctor Has Left the Building” at 10:30 a.m. on Wed. Jan 22, 2019.
The City of Edina Engineering Department has developed a temporary roadside turf irrigation system with inexpensive common parts for the roadsides of smaller city road and utilities reconstruction projects as a more efficient and cost-effective alternative to water truck irrigation.
by Micaela Resh
Keeping Minnesota’s roadsides green is about more than just aesthetics—healthy turfgrass can improve water quality, reduce erosion and road noise, and provide animal habitat. However, harsh conditions such as heat, drought, and salt use can make it difficult for roadside turfgrass to thrive. Researchers tested a wide variety of turfgrass cultivars over several growing seasons in five states to help agencies select the right specifies for their roadways.
by Micaela Resh
This November 2019 LTAP workshop covered all aspects of rehabilitation for concrete pavements, concrete curb and gutter, and median sidewalk pavement.
by Micaela Resh
A new LRRB-sponsored workshop will provide an overview of the available technology and tools that make implementing a pavement preservation program feasible.
Researchers showed that cold in-place recycling and full-depth reclamation with chip seals are often more cost-effective than full pavement reconstruction of rural asphalt roads. Check out the research report for other cost-effective alternatives.
by Micaela Resh
The Local Road Research Board hosted “A Guide to Successfully Convert Severely Distressed Paved Roads to Engineered Unpaved Roads” on Oct. 29, 2019 from 10 – 11:30 a.m.
The LRRB was featured on Edina TV on Sept. 16, 2019. The City of Edina’s Engineering staff is testing a new irrigation system in hopes of finding a more efficient and cost-effective way of replacing grass and vegetation following a road reconstruction project.
A new guidebook, video and handout provide best practices for successful establishment of boulevard turfgrass after road construction.
A feature article in the July 2019 edition of Roads & Bridges shares the importance of applied research at the local level. Iterative research, the research cycle, and integrated communication strategies are all essential components to understanding the needs of your customers, implementation barriers, and developing clear outreach tools.
The LRRB is featured in the spring newsletter (Page 4) of the Michigan Local Technical Assistance Program. The story covers the LRRB’s history and benefits, as well as its new […]
Rich Sanders, former LRRB Chairman and Polk County Engineer, has completed his term as president of the National Association of County Engineers. Sanders advocated on behalf of county engineers in […]
The League of Minnesota Cities has awarded Steve Bot, City of St. Michael Administrator/City Engineer, the James F. Miller Leadership Award, the top honor for non-elected public servants in the state. Bot is an LRRB RIC member.
The National Association of County Engineers awarded its 2018 Rural Engineer of the Year Award to John Brunkhorst, McLeod County Engineer and LRRB Research Implementation Committee Member
The LRRB recently funded an update to a popular workshop on corridor management for paved trails. The workshop focuses primarily on the management and maintenance of the trail pavement but also includes other elements such as vegetation, drainage, signing/striping, lighting and amenities.
This brief video highlights the topics covered in the LRRB’s guidebook, including Steps for Successful Base Stabilization, How to Choose the Right Additive, and Research on Why Base Stabilization Works.
A new spreadsheet tool was designed to help local agencies manage their gravel roads. It can be used to track maintenance and construction data, as well as to track costs and optimize spending.
The University of Minnesota will review the City of St. Paul’s efforts to improve pedestrian safety and investigate whether a similar program to a NHTSA-supported study could be applied to change the driving culture and improve yielding to pedestrians and speed compliance on arterial and collector roads on a citywide basis.
The LRRB board and its Research Implementation Committee have had the following staff and membership changes: Research Implementation Committee Kristine Elwood has replaced Ted Schoenecker, now Ramsey County Engineer, as MnDOT State […]