The Local Road Research Board publishes a wide range of transportation-related educational materials. Our most recent and popular guidebooks, manuals and courses are available below. For all research reports, go here.
Contact our staff at research.dot@state.mn.us for more information.
Thinking About Building A Multi-Lane Roundabout?
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.
Enhanced Culvert Inspections Best Practices Guidebook
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.
Slope Stabilization Guide for Local Engineers
A new user guide provides simple, cost-effective methods for stabilizing locally maintained slopes along roadways in Minnesota. Eight slope stabilization techniques are presented that local government engineers can undertake.
Roundabout Myths (3-myth version)
In this video, we debunk three common roundabout myths and prove they are a viable alternative for intersection traffic control.
ADA Transition Plan for Public Rights of Way
These resources outline the process for Minnesota public agencies to develop an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Transition Plan for public rights of way.
Snow & Ice Calibration Manual and Training
The purpose of this guide book is to provide easy-to-use steps for calibrating snowplow sander controllers. It is an experience-based guide that captures tips and techniques learned by experienced calibrators. It helps agencies calibrate their sander controllers so the correct amount of salt, sand or other solid material is applied to the road when treating roads during winter maintenance. The guide also includes calibration forms, and a general discussion about calibration.
Best Value Procurement Development
This project aimed to develop guidelines, curriculum, and training on the use of best value methods for procurement. The resulting manual promotes a consistent procurement and proposal process for the benefit of both agencies and contractors.
Sign Retroreflectivity: A Minnesota Toolkit
The Minnesota LRRB has developed a Sign Retro Reflectivity Toolkit to provide local governments,
especially small cities and townships, with guidance and resources to meet FHWA’s sign retroreflectivity deadlines.
Intersection Safety Technologies
This guidebook is intended to help engineers select and deploy LED stop signs and ICWS at STOP-controlled intersections. These safety strategies should be included for consideration along with other safety improvements detailed in the TEM and Traffic Safety Fundamentals Handbook.
Snow & Ice Control Guidebook
This handbook summarizes common snow and ice control tools and serve as an introduction to the field of winter maintenance for operators and managers.
Heavy Truck Impact Calculator
This Excel-based tool calculates the impact of a variety of heavy vehicles on local asphalt roads. The tool will help local agencies make informed decisions when developments such as construction, distribution centers or hauling routes create an unexpected increase in heavy vehicle traffic on a temporary or permanent basis, and it will aid in planning if these traffic increases can be predicted.
Training Module for Pavement
Over a period of many years, LRRB and FHWA Investigations have produced information relating to selecting the most effective Pavement Rehabilitation Strategies. In addition to these efforts, the FHWA has produced training modules incorporating Pavement Rehabilitation Selection methods. The objective of this task was to synthesize these efforts and develop a training module summarizing the best practices suitable for use by local agencies in Minnesota.
Implementation of Pavement Management in Minnesota
This resource will help local agencies without a Pavement Management System to evaluate, select, and justify the purchase and operational costs of a PMS; additionally, it will help local agencies who have a PMS to better use and enhance their capabilities.
Minnesota’s Best Practices and Policies for Safety Strategies on Highways and Local Roads
This handbook aims to reduce the number of severe crashes on the state’s highway system by helping agencies design, operate, and maintain their systems of roads and highways. A spinoff from the ongoing County Road Safety Plan efforts, this resource contains traffic safety strategies, sample policies and best practices information to support agencies as they implement their own policies.
Roundabout Myths (10-myth version)
In this video, we address common roundabout myths and demonstrate why they are a viable alternative for intersection traffic control.
Rumble Strips Noise Difference: Traditional vs Sinusoidal Designs
This video, shot near Thief River Falls, Minnesota, shows a comparison between traditional rumble strip designs and the newer sinusoidal rumble strips (a.k.a. “mumble strips”). Researchers are investigating whether sinusoidal rumble strip designs, which are much quieter, are effective enough to combat drowsy or inattentive driving.
Flashing Yellow Arrow Tool for Time-of-Day Use Instructional Video
This video accompanies a spreadsheet tool, which aims to assist local agencies in determining which hours of the day to consider using flashing yellow arrow (FYA) phasing.
Guide for Rural Intersection Safety Technologies
A new guidebook is intended to help engineers select and deploy LED stop signs and ICWS at stop-controlled intersections.
Winter Chemicals for Local Agencies
This video gives an overview of the different types of chemicals available to public works entities to combat the toughest Minnesota winter conditions.
The Road to a Thoughtful Street Tree Master Plan
The manual will assist communities and planners to not only select the best trees for their available planting sites, but to use specific principles of street tree design to most effectively create public green spaces, positively affect traffic patterns, and create healthy living spaces.