The 20th Annual NJDOT Research Showcase was an opportunity for the New Jersey transportation community to learn about the broad scope of academic research initiatives underway and share technology transfer activities being conducted by institutions of higher education partners and their associates. The annual event serves as a showcase to present the ongoing initiatives and benefits of the NJDOT Research program. NJDOT Commissioner of Transportation, Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti, delivered a keynote address that included remarks on innovation, noting the importance of fostering an organizational workplace culture that is conducive to risk-taking and learning from past mistakes to advance innovative solutions in transportation.
The morning's featured speakers included representatives of the Ray C. Anderson Foundation which funds "The Ray," an 18-mile stretch of Interstate 85 in western Georgia. This highway segment is an ambitious proving ground for how the highways of the future can be free of carbon, waste, traffic and accidents. Highways currently dominate the American landscape, and design of “The Ray” is based on the belief that, with the adoption of the right technologies, highways can become models for environmentally and economically sustainable practices. For example, in addition to leveraging solar power to contribute to the energy grid, the Ray is focused on demonstrating technologies that could decarbonize the highway system, such as harvesting wind energy created by heavy trucks and growing perennial wheat that sequesters carbon. See this overview video about "The Ray."
During the event, several awards were given in recognition of research, innovation and implementation efforts. Below is a listing of the award winners presented at this year's showcase:
- 2018 NJDOT Research Implementation Award - Dr. John R. Schuring and Dr. Robert Dresnack (Scour Evaluation Model Implementation Phase)
- 2018 Best Poster Award - Weina Meng (Stevens Institute of Technology for Design and Performance of Cost Effective UHPC for Transportation Infrastructure)
- 2018 NJDOT Build a Better Mousetrap Award - Crew 333 (The Roncovitz Post Pusher & Post Pulller)
- 2018 Outstanding University Student in Transportation Research Award - Jingnan Zhao (Rutgers University)
The Build a Better a Mousetrap Award, for the Roncovitz Post Pusher and Post Puller, was given to NJDOT Crew 333 which devised a way to put posts in the ground without using a sledge hammer and pounding cap. The approach is a very efficient way to handle placement of post stubs while reducing the risk of injury.
The 20th Annual NJDOT Research Showcase was organized and sponsored by the NJDOT Bureau of Research in partnership with the New Jersey Local Technical Assistance Program (NJLTAP) at Rutgers Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation (CAIT) and co-sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration.
Below are some of the presentations and other information from the 20th Annual NJDOT Research Showcase. All the files below are in PDF.
20th Annual NJDOT Research Showcase Program
NJ Transportation Research Ideas
Capital Program Management
90 Minute Rule: Is It Time For A Change?
Planning, Multimodal and Grant Administration
New Jersey Marine Channel Usage Research and Analysis
Transportation Operations Systems & Support
Analysis of Incident Injury Severity on NJ Roadways
Calibration / Development of Safety Performance Functions for New Jersey
Use of Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) in Transportation Operations
Poster Presentations
Validation of Paratransit Skills Assessment for Using Paratransit Services
Fiber Optic Sensors for Real-time Monitoring of Civil Infrastructure
Keynote from NJDOT Commissioner Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti
Allie Kelly, Executive Director of "The Ray"
Accepting the Better Mousetrap Award on behalf of Crew 333, James Nunn, Crew Supervisor and Ronald Dagostino with Assistant Commissioners Michael Russo and Andrew Tunnard
Audience members at the 20th Annual NJDOT Research Showcase
Poster Award Recipient Weina Meng: Design and Performance of Cost-Effective Ultra-High Performance Concrete for Transportation Infrastructure