USDOT recognizes PennDOT as ‘model’ for highway project innovation

Updated Aug 16, 2016
A wedge-shaped shoe acting as a screed attachment forms what is known as a Safety Edge, a 30-degree bevel that makes it easier for vehicles to return to the roadway in the event of an accident. Photo credit: FHWAA wedge-shaped shoe acting as a screed attachment forms what is known as a Safety Edge, a 30-degree bevel that makes it easier for vehicles to return to the roadway in the event of an accident. Photo credit: FHWA

U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) leaders recently honored the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) for being a “model” for the country “in using state-of-the-art technologies” on highway projects.

Deputy Transportation Sec. Victor Mendez and Federal Highway Administrator Gregory Nadeau recognized the agency during PennDOT’s Innovation Showcase in Harrisburg.

“For many years, Pennsylvania has inspired other states with their transportation innovations,” Mendez says. “The PennDOT team is saving lives, saving time and saving money on roads throughout the state and motivating other states to do the same.”

PennDOT was cited for using on 500 miles of roadways the Safety Edge paving technique, which places a bevel on the edge of pavements that make vehicles less “susceptible” to road-departure crashes. Using a wedge-shaped shoe that acts as a screed attachment, PennDOT says “the edge of the roadway is paved to create a 30-degree angle rather than a vertical drop-off. This seemingly small change not only allows vehicles to return to the roadway smoothly and easily at higher speeds, it also creates a more durable edge that is less prone to cracking, deteriorating, and breaking off.”

The agency was also commended for using high-friction surface treatments on more than 200 high-risk curve and intersection locations.

PennDOT reports these two methods have help contribute to a 12-percent drop in fatal roadway departure crashes since 2010.

“One of the most effective ways to reduce crashes is to ensure that safety features are built in to the roads,” Nadeau says. “PennDOT is proving to the nation just how effective these low-cost elements can be in protecting drivers.”

Nadeau and Mendez also recognized the use of warm mix asphalt (WMA) in the state. PennDOT reports using WMA on 37 percent of its paving projects in 2014 and close to half of all paving projects in 2015.

PennDOT also was praised for using accelerated bridge construction techniques, which has sped up bridge planning and construction times by “years”.

Partner Insights
Information to advance your business from industry suppliers
How High Fuel Prices hurt Your Business
Presented by EquipmentWatch
8 Crucial Elements of a Tire Safety Program
Presented by Michelin North America
Selecting the Correct Construction Tire Solution
Presented by Michelin North America

USDOT and FHWA attribute the use of these techniques in part to FHWA’s Every Day Counts (EDC) initiative from 2009, which aims to “inspire the use of proven, market-ready innovations”. The Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act made the EDC a permanent part of the federal-aid highway program.

FHWA supports the use of 41 innovative technologies, materials and project delivery methods through the EDC.