New Jersey’s Build a Better Mousetrap Competition provides a great opportunity to share new ideas with others in the State and across the country. We are looking for submissions from employees of local or state public agencies (municipalities, counties, parks commissions, NJ Department of Transportation, NJ Transit) that have developed new solutions to problems or found better ways of doing things. We will gather the best ideas from around the state and judge them using a 5-point rating system. The highest scoring entries will be entered into a Build a Better Mousetrap National competition.
For more information and the entry form, click the Build a Better Mousetrap Competition. Share your innovation and get in the game!
2025 NJ BABM Award Winner
The New Jersey 2025 Build a Better Mousetrap Award was given to Jack Longworth, Cheryl Goldman, Vandana Mathur, Michael Juliano, Shawn Mount, and Chrystal Section, from the NJDOT Division of Mobility and Operations, for their Safety Service Patrol—Picture Language Flashcards project.
The team was recognized for developing picture-based language flashcards that enable Safety Service Patrol (SSP) staff to communicate with people with limited English proficiency in emergency situations. The flashcards include descriptive images and translations into 12 languages. As New Jersey prepares for an anticipated influx of visitors to the state for the 2026 World Cup, these cards will help efficiently expand the Safety Service Patrol’s reach to help all road users.
Past Winners
View videos from past winners of the New Jersey competition.
2024 Winner
Replacing Inlet Curb Pieces in Existing Concrete Barrier Curb, Bishoy Abdallah, NJDOT
2023 Winner
Route 71 over Shark River Road Diet, Geraldo Oliveto, NJDOT
2022 Winner
Sawcut Vertical Curb, Gary Liedtka-Bizuga and Henry Jablonski, NJDOT
2021 State Winner
Tire Centerline Bracket, Marc Franco, Technical Specialist, NJ TRANSIT, Bus Material & Technical Support
2021 Local Winner
Inlet Repair Trailer, Art Villano, Montgomery Township, New Jersey
2020 Winner
Anti-Jackknife Device, Scott Ainsley & Mark Crago, NJDOT
2019 Winner
Bridge Fender Navigation Lighting Reflective Backup System, Gerald Oliveto, NJDOT Operations Support and Engineering
2018 Winner
Roncovitz Post Pusher and Post Puller, NJDOT Crew 333
Keep the ball rolling on innovation and join the BABM competition!
Check out our latest social media ready video celebrating the past winners and their ingenious and implemented solutions!
2024 National Winners
FHWA annually recognizes innovation among local agencies and tribes through the Build a Better Mousetrap (BABM) national competition. BABM shines a spotlight on those frontline workers who use their expertise and creativity to solve everyday problems that improve safety, reduce costs, and increase efficiency.
The FHWA Office of Technical Services – Center for Local Aid Support (CLAS) administers the competition to entrants from competitions throughout the country. This year’s winners were selected based on an innovation’s cost savings, benefits to the community or agency, ingenuity, importance and impact, time savings, and ease of transference to other agencies.
Got an Innovative Idea that could help improve transportation in New Jersey?
The NJDOT Bureau of Research, Innovation, and Information Transfer (BRIIT) supports research that leads to real-world implementation—whether through testing and adopting new materials and technologies, improving specifications, or increasing efficiency.