USDOT report lists strategic objectives for work zone safety USDOT report lists strategic objectives for work zone safety Report adds to ATSSA Special Edition on Roadway Worker Protection Pam / Monday, November 13, 2023 0 2031 Article rating: 2.0 The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) published a summary report on “Identification of National Work Zone Safety Objectives and Activities.” The report includes 11 strategic objectives and notes work zone crash trends, providing another resource for ATSSA members. ATSSA recently published its “Roadway Worker Protection Special Edition,” a supplement to the Fall issue of Roadway Safety magazine, which included articles on building a workplace safety culture, insights on situational awareness and information about the teen driver education program, which addresses navigation through work zones, an ATSS Foundation program. Read more
MnDOT, traffic control firms prioritize safety for multi-year I-494 project MnDOT, traffic control firms prioritize safety for multi-year I-494 project Massive Minnesota work zone detailed in Fall issue of Roadway Safety magazine Pam / Thursday, October 26, 2023 0 1684 Article rating: No rating With speeding through highway work zones posing an increasingly prevalent threat, the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) and ATSSA members are taking extensive steps to protect workers engaged in a 3 ½-year project. The Fall issue of Roadway Safety magazine details the steps those partners are taking for this long-term work on Interstate 494. Read about this project and much more in this issue, available online now. The magazine also delves into several other issues including artificial intelligence, looking at how it’s being applied to optimize business and employed to raise the bar with intelligent traffic management systems. Read more
ATSSA & NCUTCD urge publication of MUTCD without delay ATSSA & NCUTCD urge publication of MUTCD without delay Committee votes today for publication without incorporating PROWAG Pam / Friday, August 11, 2023 0 6962 Article rating: 4.0 The National Committee on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (NCUTCD) passed a resolution today recommending the final rule on the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) not be delayed to address this week’s issuance of a final rule for pedestrian accessibility issues. The U.S. Access Board on Tuesday issued its final rule providing minimum guidelines for accessibility of pedestrian facilities in the public right-of-way, known as PROWAG. On May 2, ATSSA President & CEO Stacy Tetschner sent a letter to Federal Highway Administration Administrator Shailen P. Bhatt urging the FHWA to publish the updated Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) by the deadline set forth in the U.S. Code, which was May 15. ATSSA voted in favor of today’s resolution passed by the NCUTCD. Read more
Final rule issued for accessibility of pedestrian facilities in public right-of-way Final rule issued for accessibility of pedestrian facilities in public right-of-way Pam / Tuesday, August 8, 2023 0 4212 Article rating: 2.8 The Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (Access Board) today issued its final rule providing minimum guidelines for accessibility of pedestrian facilities in the public right-of-way, known as PROWAG. These final guidelines have been long awaited, in particular by state and local governments that have sought them for more than 30 years. The final rule for PROWAG was published in the Federal Register and is effective Sept. 7. Once adopted, the guidelines “would ensure that facilities used by pedestrians, such as sidewalks and crosswalks, constructed or altered in the public right-of-way by federal, state, and local governments are readily accessible to and usable by pedestrians with disabilities,” according to the posting. Read more
NCUTCD summer meeting provides traffic signals, VRU, MUTCD updates NCUTCD summer meeting provides traffic signals, VRU, MUTCD updates Pam / Wednesday, July 26, 2023 0 10747 Article rating: No rating The National Committee on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (NCUTCD) summer meeting addressed a variety of topics including traffic signals and vulnerable road users and provided an indication that work is progressing on the updated Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). In May, ATSSA President & CEO Stacy Tetschner sent a letter to Federal Highway Administration Administrator Shailen P. Bhatt urging the FHWA to publish the updated MUTCD by the May 15 deadline set forth in the U.S. Code. Tetschner acknowledged the "tremendous amount of work” needed to update the MUTCD but said he wanted to “stress how vital it is that this statutory deadline is met.” Toward the end of the summer meeting of the NCUTCD, also referred to as “the National Committee,” federal officials made reference to August, suggesting work on the final rule is moving forward. However, there was no commitment that it would be published that month. Read more
Apply for ATSSA’s New Products Rollout by Nov. 1 Apply for ATSSA’s New Products Rollout by Nov. 1 Pam / Thursday, July 20, 2023 0 4986 Article rating: 4.8 Apply by Nov. 1 to participate in ATSSA’s New Products Rollout (NPRO) to discover the future of roadway safety innovations. NPRO will be held during ATSSA’s 54th Annual Convention & Traffic Expo in San Diego, Feb. 2-6. Exhibitors who introduced products after Jan. 1, 2021, are eligible to apply. This year’s earlier deadline is due to the Convention’s earlier date. Entries accepted for NPRO will be included in the New Products Listing, which showcases the products to more than 3,700 roadway safety professionals who attend ATSSA’s Annual Convention & Traffic Expo, including listing on the Convention website and mobile app. Read more
‘Culture of safety’ panel featured at Midyear Meeting ‘Culture of safety’ panel featured at Midyear Meeting Annual meeting outside Chicago includes baseball fundraiser Pam / Tuesday, July 18, 2023 0 4939 Article rating: 5.0 ATSSA’s Midyear Meeting features a panel on “Creating a Culture of Safety in the Workplace.” Panelists include Doug Dolinar of Guidemark Inc., Kathi Holst of D2K Traffic Safety Inc., Chris Brookes of the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) and Cameron Greene of ATSSA. Dave Krahulec of Horizon Signal Technologies will moderate. The Midyear Meeting will be held Aug. 15-18 at the Loews Chicago O’Hare Hotel in Rosemont, Ill. Registration is now available. The hotel block closes July 24. Read more
Worker protection headlines Spring Issue of Roadway Safety magazine Worker protection headlines Spring Issue of Roadway Safety magazine Convention Extra supplement details awards, highlights of 2023 Traffic Expo Pam / Wednesday, May 17, 2023 0 12078 Article rating: 2.0 Roadway Worker Protection Council Chair Doug Dolinar told Roadway Safety magazine it’s time for a “paradigm shift” in how the industry looks at worker safety. The Council spent the past year laser focused on that issue, producing a Worker Protection Toolkit that provides members aids for that effort. Details on the toolkit are included in the latest issue of Roadway Safety magazine. Plus, check out the Convention Extra supplement, packed with highlights from this year’s record-breaking Convention & Traffic Expo in Phoenix where roadway safety and innovation intersected. Read more
ATSSA & TRB announce 2024 Traffic Control Device Student Challenge ATSSA & TRB announce 2024 Traffic Control Device Student Challenge Contest offers opportunity for students to innovate for the future of roadway safety Pam / Monday, April 17, 2023 0 3870 Article rating: 4.8 Fredericksburg, Va. (April 17, 2023) – The American Traffic Safety Services Association (ATSSA) and Transportation Research Board (TRB) Standing Committee on Traffic Control Devices invite students to compete in the 2024 Traffic Control Device (TCD) Student Challenge. The TCD Student Challenge promotes innovation and stimulates ideas in the traffic control devices industry with a goal to improve operations and safety and encourage future generations of roadway safety professionals. As part of the challenge, individuals or student teams submit solutions in the subject area of transportation and roadway safety based on the chosen topic for the year. This year’s topic is “Innovations to Improve the Nighttime Visibility of Traffic Control Devices.” Read more
Blue Vigil ALED Portable Light wins Innovation Award at ATSSA’s Convention & Traffic Expo Blue Vigil ALED Portable Light wins Innovation Award at ATSSA’s Convention & Traffic Expo Three products selected for honorable mention Pam / Monday, February 20, 2023 0 11491 Article rating: 4.5 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. Read more
4Dec2023 Make lasting connections at ATSSA’s Convention & Traffic Expo Monday, December 4, 2023 Read more