This is the second year of the Transportation Innovation Program (TRIP). Last year, NDDOT picked several submittals to implement, including:
- Using a Texas underseal on hot bituminous pavement (HBP) overlay projects
- Studying the use of fiberglass rebar and dowels bars in bridges and pavements
- Using fiber-reinforced HBP
- Installing culvert movement monitoring/instrumentation
- Using URETEK deep polymer injection on frost heaves
- Monitoring traffic flows with distributed acoustic sensing
- Using geogrid reinforcement under aggregate base for flexible pavement
- Using a MIT Scan T2 for collecting concrete pavement thicknesses
- Using hydrated lime as an anti-stripping agent in new full-depth HBP pavements
- Developing a digital driver’s license application process
- Using TheSmartCone technology for security, work-zone safety and surveillance applications
- Using Jointbond to address longitudinal HBP joint deterioration
- Using WatershedGeo HydroTurf® for drainage way armoring
“As the dynamics of North Dakota’s economy and industry evolve, it is more important than ever to continue to find new and better ways to do business,” says NDDOT Director of Operations Wayde Swenson. “The Transportation Innovation Program is a valuable way to introduce new thinking into the Department and provide for innovation in all aspects of the agency’s responsibilities.”
NDDOT and UGPTI suggests submissions for the following areas:
- Bridges and structures
- Construction
- Operations and Maintenance
- Roadway surfacing
- Planning
- Environmental
- Safety
- Service delivery
- Transit
- Multi-modal
- Innovative or currently underprovided transportation training
- Innovative research
“Ideas should address a specific transportation issue, component, process or service,” NDDOT says in its submission guidelines. “This program may not result in funding projects that are already in a jurisdiction’s CIP (Capital Improvement Plan) or the STIP (State Transportation Improvement Plan). However, innovation ideas that could be implemented and funded as part of an add-on to existing CIP or STIP projects are eligible. The selection committee may reject ideas that do not satisfy the eligibility, guidelines and selection criteria.”
The TRIP program has up to four submission times each year. This round’s deadline is Aug. 16, and additional information is available at https://www.dot.nd.gov/business/innovate/.
