ATSSA honors three with national awards

PHOENIX Feb. 19, 2023 – The American Traffic Safety Services Association awarded Peter Speer of Pexco, pictured at left, with the Industry Achievement Award today during ATSSA’s Annual Convention & Traffic Expo taking place in Phoenix through Tuesday.

The Association also announced Neil Boudreau of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, center, as recipient of the National Safety Award and Jerry Britt, a PPG consultant, as recipient of the Mark of Excellence Award.

Industry Achievement Award – Peter Speer, Technical Business Development Manager, Pexco

The Industry Achievement Award is the highest honor bestowed by ATSSA and is given to a member deemed worthy of special recognition. It honors members who have made significant contributions to ATSSA and left a mark on the roadway safety infrastructure industry.

Peter Speer has spent nearly four decades in this industry and is currently Technical Business Development Manager of Pexco in Washington state. During his career, he has held many leadership roles with ATSSA including serving as president of the Board of Directors, helping found the Northwest ATSSA Chapter and serving on the Chapter Presidents’ Council, the Strategic Highway Safety Planning SHSP Council and the committees for Leadership, PAC Oversight and Temporary Traffic Control.

His interest and expertise in traffic safety led him to develop numerous products including four that received patents: two for temporary road markers (5,327,850) and (5,460,115), one for road markers with concave curved edges (5,392,728) and one for one-way road markers (5,515,807).

Speer also has served as a leader or member of the American Public Works Association APWA, the American Society of Tests and Materials ASTM, the National Transportation Product & Evaluation Program NTPEP and the Vision Zero, Strategic Highway Safety Planning Task Force with the Washington State Department of Transportation.

“For over 38 years, Peter has devoted his time, expertise and dedication to the traffic control and safety industry, making countless, significant contributions along the way. His resume of service to our industry is nearly unparalleled, both in length and breadth, starting with his participation in ATSSA near the time of its inception decades ago,” Shelley Williams of Pexco said in nominating him for the award.

Barbara Ruggeri, president of Sun Safety Inc., said she has worked with Speer for decades, has observed him conduct himself “with honor and integrity of the highest degree” and “brought a prominent level of association recognition to ATSSA during his time” on the Board.

Susan and Barry Moore, leaders of The Work Zone Inc., joined in nominating Speer for the award, noting his dedication to traffic control and roadway safety and his extensive service to the industry including his work in sales, marketing, product development and product testing.

National Safety Award – Neil Boudreau, Assistant Administrator for Traffic & Safety, Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT)

The National Safety Award recognizes an employee or recent retiree of a government agency who made a significant contribution to the safety of our nation’s highways.

Neil Boudreau has been employed by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation MassDOT since 1995 and is currently assistant administrator for traffic and safety. He represents MassDOT on the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials AASHTO Committee on Traffic Engineering where he serves as vice chair, is a member of the National Committee on Uniform Traffic Control Devices NCUTCD where he chairs the Temporary Traffic Control Technical Committee, is co-chair of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Work Zone Data Exchange WZDx Work Zone Device Feed Committee and was instrumental in the review of the proposed Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices MUTCD for both MassDOT and for part 6 for the NCUTCD.

He serves on ATSSA’s Innovation Council, is a friend of the Temporary Traffic Control Committee and serves on the Board of the New England ATSSA Chapter.

“In addition to these committees, Neil has served on [National Cooperative Highway Research Program] panels, been the technical champion of several MassDOT research initiatives and has made local, regional and national presentations on topics such as the MUTCD, work zone safety, in-service performance evaluations of roadside hardware, pavement markings and smart work zones,” Jonathan Gulliver in MassDOT’s Highway Division noted in nominating Boudreau.

Gulliver also noted that Boudreau “has been a staunch advocate for MassDOT to adopt the following safety strategies, among others: Smart Work Zones, Connected Vehicle Infrastructure through the SPaT Challenge, Wet Reflective Pavement Markings, Sequential Flashing Lights in Work Zones, Intersection Control Evaluation procedures, Flashing Yellow Arrow at traffic signals, Accessible Pedestrian Signals, promulgation of the rules, regulations and training standards for Flaggers, and the adoption of the Safe Systems approach in designing roads for target speeds.”

In nominating him, John Leonard of the Utah Department of Transportation noted that Boudreau “is a leader in innovation, using the latest techniques and products to accomplish his mission.”

“Although Neil works for MassDot, he really works for and with many, many more,” said Leonard, who received the National Safety Award in 2021. “He partners with local cities, towns and counties; contractors and suppliers; private businesses and single individuals; national organizations including ATSSA, AASHTO, FHWA and the NCUTCD; and anyone or any entity that is interested in the safe and efficient operation of our nation’s highways.

“Due to Neil’s efforts, our roads are safer for our workers, responders and the traveling public.”

Mark of Excellence Award – Jerry Britt, consultant, PPG

The Mark of Excellence Award is given to an ATSSA member who has made outstanding contributions to the advancement of roadway safety infrastructure through improved pavement markings.

Jerry Britt currently serves as a consultant to PPG after a 45-year career in the pavement marking industry. He spent the first 27 years with Cataphote Inc., a division of Ferro Corp., before joining Ennis Paint. That company later became Ennis-Flint, which was acquired in December 2020 by PPG, which started a Traffic Solutions unit from which Britt retired. During his career, Britt was actively involved with ATSSA as well as the Transportation Research Board TRB, ASTM, AASHTO and NTPEP. He served as the industry expert for the TRB Pavement Marking Materials committee and was involved in specifications and standards with ASTM and AASHTO.

“Jerry has provided outstanding service to these organizations with advice and data that is unbiased and thoughtful,” Paul Carlson with Automated Roads said in nominating Britt. “Those that know me well know that I like to call Jerry the ‘Jedi Master’ of markings because he is so much like Yoda—underwhelming in presence but with more wisdom and knowledge than anyone else in the industry.”

Jason Davis of the Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development also endorsed Britt for the award.

“Jerry has been a part of the ASTM for decades and has brought his expertise in quality assurance and material knowledge to the group. He volunteered countless hours to develop a specification on thermoplastic field performance, a document now published through ASTM,” Davis said. “His contributions to ASTM on this document and other topics have had positive impact on state DOT users as well as international users.”

David Entrekin, owner of Future Labs, said he has known Britt since 1988 and looked to him for guidance on markings issues, including interpretation of state and federal specifications.

“Jerry has spent the last half-century dedicated to the excellence of markings, policies and proper applications. The effect of that dedication to the quality and advancement of highway safety will be felt for decades,” Entrekin said in supporting him for the award.

“Through his collaborative volunteer work with industry policy makers and researchers, Jerry’s impact will be felt for decades to come,” Dane Alsabrook of PPG Traffic Solutions added.

ATSSA’s 53rd Annual Convention & Traffic Expo runs daily through Tuesday. For full details, visit Expo.ATSSA.com.