Phoenix (Feb. 21, 2023) – A portable lighting system tethered to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) won the Innovation Award at ATSSA’s 53rd Annual Convention & Traffic Expo with three other new products being recognized for honorable mention.

The Blue Vigil ALED Portable Light is a person-portable area lighting system that mounts a high-intensity LED array on a tethered UAV that can be positioned up to 100 feet above a job site, according to Blue Vigil of Sterling, Va. The ALED puts over 8,000 square feet of light on the ground, providing nearly twice as much coverage as the towed light towers commonly used for roadway work zones.

The ALED can remain airborne for as long as needed and is designed to withstand the rigors of use in the field and on construction sites, according to company information.

The innovative light was chosen from among 18 entered in ATSSA’s New Products Rollout. The products represented companies from the U.S., Canada and Australia, and were evaluated by a panel of judges made up of department of transportation personnel.

Yes, there was a big event in Phoenix yesterday but could those guys tackle roadway safety solutions?

Could their front line mount an effective defense against work zone incursions? Could their offensive coordinators come up with a plan to integrate pavement markings and connected vehicle technology?

No, but roadway safety fans can find strategies for those issues and many more in Phoenix Feb. 17-21 at ATSSA’s biggest event of the year – the 53^rd Annual Convention & Traffic Expo.

Attendees will score big through interactions with industry experts, networking opportunities, nearly 50 education sessions and by exploring the 200,000-square-foot exhibit hall (more than triple the size of the gridiron) where new and powerful lifesaving devices will be displayed.

Registration is still open for the Convention & Traffic Expo where roadway safety and innovation intersect so get your name on the roster before it’s too late.

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. (Feb. 9, 2023) – The American Traffic Safety Services Association  announces the lineup for its 2023 New Products Rollout (NPRO), which will include 18 products and be held at its 53rd Annual Convention & Traffic Expo taking place Feb. 17-21 at the Phoenix Convention Center.

Traditionally, more than 3,500 people attend the Convention—the largest roadway safety tradeshow in North America—to see some of the latest innovations in the roadway safety infrastructure industry. The products submitted as part of the NPRO are comprised of a wide range of devices designed to save lives on our nation’s roadways.

“The products for this year’s New Products Rollout address a variety of issues related to safety on the roadways and reflect the diverse issues within this industry,” said ATSSA Manager of Innovation & Technical Services Nagham “Melodie” Matout. “It’s always fascinating to see the products on view for the NPRO and the ways they can help advance roadway safety.”

What issues are front of mind as ATSSA members contemplate 2023? What variables are being used to gauge how things will go in the long-term? What opportunities are on the horizon that are building excitement?

ATSSA asked four members who are leaders in different segments of the roadway safety infrastructure industry for their views on those questions and more for the Winter issue of Roadway Safety magazine, which is online today. Read what they had to say and see how their views compare to your own.

The Winter issue also explores rural road safety solutions, the importance of keeping workers from being distracted on the job, where wider pavement markings are being utilized and much more.

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. (Jan. 11, 2023) – ATSSA in partnership with the National Academy of Sciences Transportation Research Board (TRB), announces the winners of the 2023 Traffic Control Device (TCD) Student Challenge.

Ten teams, made up primarily of engineering students from universities across the U.S., competed in the TCD Student Challenge, which was titled, “Innovative Traffic Control Devices to Improve Vulnerable Road User Safety.”

The team from Arlington High School in Arlington, Mass., won the contest and was the first high school team in the history of the TCD Student Challenge to achieve that honor. The other winners are from Auburn and Michigan State.

ATSSA joined nine groups in releasing a statement today reaffirming support for the rapid, widespread deployment of vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technologies to further improve safety on American roads.

V2X allows communication between vehicles, infrastructure and other road users such as pedestrians and bicyclists and provides drivers with crucial warnings necessary to improve safety.

"We believe that 2023 will be a pivotal year for V2X deployment. Transportation stakeholders have aligned behind one V2X technology, cellular vehicle-to-everything (C-V2X), clearing the way for a unified, nationwide approach to the deployment of this tool," the statement says.

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) will host an executive-level virtual rollout of the Every Day Counts (EDC) program round 7 innovations on Dec. 2. 

These innovations will build upon the already significant legacy of EDC and support FHWA’s efforts to drive innovation around three core priorities:

• Improving safety for all road users;
• Building sustainable infrastructure for the future; and
• Growing an inclusive workforce.

EDC is a state-based program that identifies and rapidly deploys proven, yet underutilized innovations that make our transportation system adaptable, sustainable, equitable and safer for all. Proven innovations promoted through EDC facilitate greater efficiency at the State, Local and Tribal levels, saving time, money and resources to ensure our infrastructure is built better, faster, and smarter.

Register now to attend on Dec. 2 at 1:30 p.m. ET. The Executive Session is open to everyone.

When ATSSA members arrive in Phoenix for the 2023 Convention & Traffic Expo in February they will find themselves in a city that’s made a name for itself as a pioneer in the testing of autonomous vehicle (AV) technologies. The region has embraced the technology and seen multiple pilots for grocery delivery as well as a driverless taxi service.

The Fall issue of Roadway Safety magazine—available online now—details these efforts in Arizona and reveals a resource for members to remove the fear factor from contract negotiations, offers members’ take on the value of in-person advocacy and explains how ATSSA’s ITS Team keeps pace with innovation.

An entire supplement is devoted to roadway worker protection and spells out efforts underway to improve worker safety from multiple perspectives.

Both issues are online now.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) will hold a Sept. 29 webinar to assist individuals interested in applying for a Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) Grant.

Registration is now open for the webinar, which runs from 2:30-4 p.m. ET.

The grants were authorized as part of the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act (IIJA) approved in November. The new grant program offers up to $100 million annually over the next five years. The grants would fund transportation projects that “use data and technology to solve real-world challenges facing communities today,” according to the USDOT announcement.

The SMART Grants Program does not require other funding such as matching or cost sharing, according to USDOT.

ATSSA’s Midyear Meeting kicks off on Tuesday, launching the annual collaboration of industry insiders gathered to address the latest innovations and challenges in the roadway safety infrastructure industry.

This year’s event takes place in Providence, R.I., where Wednesday’s agenda includes a panel discussion on workforce, materials and supply chain issues.

“Construction and transportation industry challenges – potholes on the industry highway” will be moderated by ATSSA Vice President of Engagement Nate Smith. Panelists include Kate Fox Wood, senior director of government relations with the Association of Equipment Manufacturers, Jonathan Starks of FTR, who is a longtime member of the freight industry, and Sterling Wiggins with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The 1-hour session starts at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday and will focus on the state of affairs across the construction and transportation industries and what the path forward may look like.