Minnesota Local Road Research Board
The Minnesota Local Road Research Board recently approved funding for a guidebook on effective practices for converting severely distressed paved roads to unpaved roads. The document will help engineers select roads for conversion, safely conduct conversions and communicate the rationale to the public. No such published document currently exists.
Washout erosion along the wing walls of bridges has been a persistent problem for many local agencies. To address the problem, the Jackson County Public Works Department has developed a bridge approach transition curb.
Washington County is testing four different methods of site preparation and seeding to determine which is the most effective and efficient way to increase floral resources for pollinators along roadsides. Those methods include application of various conventional and organic herbicides, mowing, and broadcast seeding.
by LRRB
A new video produced by the Minnesota Local Road Research Board is designed to help city and county engineers respond to common requests for specialty warning signs, such as children […]
This spreadsheet-based decision-making tool will help local agencies establish effective maintenance practices to preserve pavement markings on low-traffic volume roads.
by LRRB
Recent research shows that the city of Shoreview was on the right path in 2009 when it took the then-unusual step of installing pervious concrete pavement on the streets of the Woodbridge neighborhood to help control stormwater and pollutant runoff into nearby Lake Owasso.
Carver County staff received a grant through the Local OPERA Program to help purchase a brine-making system and support further research into the viability of using pickle brine in winter maintenance operations.
This guidebook compares the eight most widely used fleet management software tools by Minnesota agencies. It also contains a survey of agencies’ fleet practices and replacement cycles.
This guidebook recommends when to install marked crosswalks and other enhancements at uncontrolled locations based on a number of factors, including the average daily vehicle count, number of pedestrians, number of lanes, and average vehicle speed.
Students can learn more about the field of civil engineering and how to become an engineer in a new video and website produced by the Local Road Research Board.
New guidebook available on base stabilization for new construction and Stabilized Full Depth Reclamation (SFDR) and the selection of suitable nonproprietary stabilization additives for individual specific projects.
by LRRB
The handbook is intended to guide local governments about recommended sign maintenance methods that will help them meet FHWA’s adopted retroreflectivity performance measures and implementation deadlines.
by Brian Casey
The LRRB sponsored project System Preservation Guide – A Planning Process for Local Government Management of Transportation Networks has won a prestigious award called the Around the Bend: Response to Change.
A new guidebook provides a best practice approach to addressing citizen requests for common traffic safety concerns.
by Brian Casey
A Clear Roads review of snowplow route optimization projects showed that detailed data about a plow route network and close collaboration between route modelers and the operators who drive the routes are critical factors in an optimization project’s success.
The documents here provide users who are new to Recycled Asphalt Pavements (RAP) with Minnesota’s specifications, the findings from RAP use surveys in MN and nationwide, national trends, and resources to learn more.
Multi-lane roundabouts can be an effective intersection control and reduce injury crashes if the design and layout is carefully considered. Two LRRB-funded studies have recently been conducted to examine failure to yield and improper lane use violations. The findings are summarized here.
by Brian Casey
MnDOT District 6 has developed the Hydraulic Inspection Vehicle Explorer (HIVE), a radio-controlled car that takes lights and a camera into culverts and transmits inspection data wirelessly to a tablet. Each vehicle costs roughly $1,500.
by Brian Casey
The Enhanced Culvert Inspections Best Practices Guidebook is a primer on common culvert inspection technologies and applications. The manual summarizes the advantages and limitations of each technology and provides best practices when planning for and implementing an enhanced inspection project.
by Brian Casey
A peer exchange was held for local agencies on asset management. The meeting focused on the needs and interests of small, rural cities and counties. A summary of the meeting is on the Minnesota LTAP website.