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LTAP/TTAP E-news
Fall 2007

We had a busy summer at the FHWA LTAP/TTAP Clearinghouse and it's hard to believe that it has been a year since we starting working with the the LTAP/TTAP community. We enjoyed meeting center staff at conferences, regional meetings and here in D.C. and we look forward to our second year. If by chance you have not met us, we encourage you to give us a call or visit www.ltapt2.org and view the 2007 Regional Meetings Presentation for an overview from FHWA and the Clearinghouse about our activities.

Center and Community News

• The New Jersey LTAP Center was one of ten ARTBA 2007 Roadway Work Zone Safety Awareness Award winners for their NJ Traffic Control Coordination Program.
• Leonard (Bud) Darby, passed away in August. Bud was a friend to LTAP and previously held positions at FHWA's OPCD office, and NICET.
• Denise Saunders has been named as the LTAP/TTAP Program Manager for OPCD. Hear what she has to say in a recent interview.
• Cheri Marti is now the Director of the Office of Traffic Safety for the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.
• Long-time LTAP/TTAP trainer and friend David Grouchy has moved to Covington, LA.
• Sandy Greenwood, assistant director for the Florida LTAP has left to pursue new opportunities.
• The Connecticut Technology Transfer Center held a very successful Technology Transfer Expo in September with 90 booth spaces reserved and 600 participants. For more information contact Donna Shea at shea@engr.uconn.edu.

For other center information, visit our Center Locator page. Send your news to lmccluskey@artba.org.

Highlights From the National LTAP/TTAP Conference

The National LTAP/TTAP Conference held July 23-26 featured technical and professional development programs, plenary sessions and business meetings for the National Local Technical Assistance Program Association (NLTAPA). Each year the 58 centers that comprise the Local Technical Assistance Program/Tribal Technical Assistance Program and their partners gather together to learn and network in a laid back manner—no jackets or ties permitted. And they mean it.

For more information, view the conference highlights article that ran in the September/October issue of ARTBA's Transportation Builder Magazine.

Articles and Reports of Interest

• 2007 NLTAPA Annual Report
• Working to Keep Drivers on the Right Side
  New Mexico tries various methods to warn wrong-way motorists.
• FHWA's Pedestrian Forum Newsletter for Fall 2007
• Monthly U.S. Transportation Construction Market Report
• AASHTO has released a new report entitled Combating Congestion through Leadership, Innovation, and Resources. This report is a summary of the 2007 National Congestion Summits, which brought together federal, state and local transportation experts to identify and share practices to ease delays occurring on the nation's transportation system.

Meetings and Events

• November 2007
  • Nov. 6-9, 10th Annual National Tribal Transportation Conference, Golden, Colo.
  • Nov. 13-17, National League of Cities, New Orleans, La.
  • Nov. 29-30, Vision Safe Drive Conference, Bismark, N.D.
• December 2007
  • Dec. 1-31, National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month
• January 2008
  • Jan. 12-17, TRB 87th Annual Meeting
  • Jan. 12, NLTAPA Members Meeting at TRB (Roundtable discussions in the morning, business meeting starts at 1:00 PM)

For more information about upcoming events, visit our Events page.

*Notes events that the FHWA LTAP/TTAP Clearinghouse will exhibit all LTAP/TTAP staff are welcome to help man the booth, for more information contact lmccluskey@artba.org.

Washington Update

• The final rule on Work Zone Safety and Mobility was published in the Federal Register (69 FR 54562) on September 9, 2004 with an effective date of October 12, 2007. The purpose of the update is to address the changing times of more traffic, more congestion, greater safety issues, and more work zones.
• Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.) wants an inspector general investigation and congressional hearings into whether one company has a monopoly on providing traffic data to state and local agencies with the help of federal funds.
• House Panel Hears Broad Consensus on Transportation Financing. Witnesses at an October 25 House Budget Committee hearing from the Congressional Budget Office, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and Brookings Institution, a Washington D.C. based think-tank, agreed a federal motor fuels tax increase should be considered to raise the resources necessary to improve the nation's transportation infrastructure.
• Second Bridge Hearing Held; Technical Concerns Aired. The House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee October 23 held a second hearing on the condition of the nation's bridges in the aftermath of the August 1 I-35W bridge collapse in Minnesota.

LTAP/TTAP Center Directors   request your password to read ARTBA's Washington Update and Newsline anytime by e-mailing Lisa at lmccluskey@artba.org.

New Resources

Unless otherwise noted, contact Sarah at scrane@artba.org for information and assistance on the following resources.

Publications

• Durability of Segmental Retaining Wall Blocks: Final Report - FHWA Research Office.
• Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) for Streets and Highways 2003 edition.
• Railroad-Highway Grade Crossing Handbook - FHWA. Single reference document on prevalent and best practices as well as adopted standards relative to railroad-highway grade crossings.
• Risk Assessment and Allocation for Highway Construction Management - FHWA, AASHTO, NCHRP. Findings of an International Technology Scanning Program study which identifies practices that might be evaluated and applied in the United States to improve construction management.

Exhibit Materials

• Three "touch screen" kiosks that provide information about careers in transportation are now available for loan from the Clearinghouse.
• The new table top exhibit will be ready for check out in January.

Opportunities

• ARTBA is offering OSHA 10-Hour Training for Roadway Construction at no cost for LTAP/TTAP Centers through the FHWA Work Zone Safety Grant.
• The National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) is currently seeking proposals from consulting firms, universities, or research institutes that can successfully undertake NCHRP Project 08-65 - Identification of Results-oriented Public Involvement Strategies Between Transportation Agencies and Native American Tribal Communities.

About the FHWA LTAP/TTAP Clearinghouse

The FHWA LTAP/TTAP Clearinghouse provides program support to the Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) and the Tribal Technical Assistance Program (TTAP). It is operated under contract to the Federal Highway Administration by the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA). The Clearinghouse operates from ARTBA's Washington, D.C. office.

About the LTAP/TTAP E-news

The LTAP/TTAP e-news is published monthly by the LTAP/TTAP Clearinghouse. Articles may be submitted to the editor, Lisa Kelley McCluskey at lmccluskey@artba.org. Current and archived issues of the LTAP/TTAP e-news may be accessed by visiting www.ltapt2.org.