The 21st Annual New Jersey Department of Transportation (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 to highlight the benefits of transportation research, including NJDOT’s own research program. As part of the event, various awards were presented for implementation-minded research, innovation, and outstanding work performed by university students studying in a transportation-related field.

The day’s Research Showcase Program included a plenary morning session with welcoming remarks, a keynote speaker and a knowledgeable panel of industry, university and NJDOT representatives offering their perspectives and fielding questions on how innovations in connectivity today and in the future may affect safety, mobility and equity. The afternoon included several rounds of breakout sessions on innovation, safety, equity and mobility as well as a poster session.

MORNING

The day’s Research Showcase Program included a plenary morning session with welcoming remarks, a keynote speaker and a knowledgeable panel of industry, university and NJDOT representatives offering their perspectives and fielding questions on how innovations in connectivity today and in the future may affect safety, mobility and equity. The afternoon included several rounds of breakout sessions on innovation, safety, equity and mobility as well as a poster session.

NJDOT Commissioner of Transportation, Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti, provided opening remarks along with the Federal Highway Administration’s Assistant Division Administrator in New Jersey, Valeriya Remezova.

The morning’s featured keynote speaker was David C. Woessner, an Executive Vice President for Corporate Development and External Affairs, at LM Industries + Local Motors. His presentation included an overview of his firm’s products, markets and initiatives and its orientation toward addressing the big challenges in the adoption of technology solutions to improve mobility.

His talk included an overview of the research, development and testing of Olli, a Low-Speed Autonomous Vehicle Platform, and the use of 3D printing for its production. During his talk, Mr. Woessner touched upon his firm’s testing and validation activities deploying a shared autonomous vehicle (AV) in a controlled environment and preparing a Voluntary Safety Self Assessment (VSSA) in response to the U.S. DOT’s voluntary guidance on automated driving systems.

In discussing mobility challenges, he explained the long-term vision for deployment of shared autonomous vehicles as a last-mile/first mile connector service with transit nodes, and as an on-demand micro-transit solution to maximize service coverage and serve traditionally underserved populations such as persons with disabilities, the poor or others who live in transit “deserts” who may be inadequately served by existing fixed route transit routes. However, at the current stage of design and testing, Olli is well-positioned for deployment in more controlled campus environments—for example, university campuses, business and industrial parks, military bases, municipalities, entertainment and theme parks, private residential communities, and airports. As the market matures and as testing and validation warrants, the expectation is that Olli will transition from private campuses to public roads.

AWARDS

 During the event, several awards were given in recognition of research, innovation and implementation efforts.  Below is a listing of the award winners recognized at this year’s showcase:

2019 NJDOT Research Implementation Award

Recipient:  Peramulsamy N. Balagauru, Rutgers University, Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation, Protocol for Accepting Over Paint on Steel

The Research Advisory Committee of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) selected this NJDOT project as one of 16 high-value research projects for 2019 in the category of Smart Maintenance and Preservation earlier in the year.

2019 Outstanding University Student in Transportation Research Award

Recipient: Daniel Offenbacker, Rowan University

2019 Best Poster Award

Recipient: Xiao Tan, Stevens Institute of Technology

2025 NJDOT Build a Better Mousetrap (BABM) Award

Recipients: Gerald Oliveto, NJDOT Operations Support and Engineering
Innovation: Bridge Fender Navigation Lighting Reflective Backup System

Retroreflective panels were installed on NJDOT bridges in navigable waters to better identify bridge piers and serve as a backup system for navigation lighting. The backup system avoids the burden of potential fines for malfunctioning navigation lighting and additional costs for emergency work orders and overtime repairs to the bridge fender navigation lighting system. The panels provide an enhanced safety feature to the maritime community by allowing for increased visibility of the bridge fender systems and can safely identify the channel margins should navigation lighting malfunction. The low cost application can be transferred to any other agency with bridges spanning navigable waterways; such as NJ Transit, counties, port authorities/commissions, and other state DOTs.

PRESENTATION OF AWARDS

AFTERNOON

INNOVATION

SAFETY

EQUITY & MOBILITY

POSTERS

(click images for PDF)