Georgia roads [Spring 2006]

A newsletter of Georgia's Local Technical Assistance Program

Vol. 16, No. 2 Spring 06

Route To:

National Work Zone Awareness Week

Inside

Page 3

Local Roads Conference

Page 4 LTAP Resources

Page 5 Web News

Page 6

Calendar of Events

The seventh annual National Work Zone Awareness Week (NWZAW) will be held from April 3 to April 9, 2006. NWZAW is a national campaign intended to increase public awareness of work zone safety. The campaign also calls attention to the fact that more than 1,000 men, women and children are killed in work zones each year
The theme for National Work Zone Awareness Week 2006 is "WORKING AT THE SPEED OF NIGHT" in keeping with the idea that work done at night is less likely to interfere with the mobility of the highway users. Working at night will also get projects completed sooner than work which is done when traffic volumes are at their peak.
A national media event to kickoff NWZAW is scheduled for 7:35 pm, on Tuesday, April 4, 2006, at Fourth and Jefferson Streets in the National Mall of Washington, DC. The time was chosen to be after sunset in order to focus on the inherent dangers associated with night work. Representative Bill Shuster of Pennsylvania is scheduled to be the featured guest speaker at the kickoff event. Rep Shuster was one of the co-sponsors of the "Safe, Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient Transportation Equity Act of 2005", also known as SAFETEA-LU.
More information on NWZAW is available at the ATSSA website at: www.atssa.com
Posters are available for NWZAW 2006 from ATSSA. The poster can also be downloaded from the website of the Alabama Technology Transfer Center on the Work Zone Information Resources webpage at: www.alabamat2.org/WZInfoResources.html
NWZAW began with a partnership of ATSSA, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). Since then, other organizations have joined and encouraged local community activities to help educate the nation on work zone related injuries and fatalities. Part of this education effort is informing the public of the hazards and dangers that can be encountered and avoided when driving through a roadway work zone. AASHTO is preparing a media kit of press releases relating to NWZAW. Jennifer Gavin of AASHTO is gathering the documents in pdf file format for distribution by email.

GEORGIA LOCAL TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

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www.dot.state.ga.us/dot/personnel/training/training_ext/index.shtml Spring 2006

Editor's Notes Hello everyone,

Georgia Roads

Well, spring is finally getting here and not a moment too soon. We have an exciting year planned for the Local Technical Assistance Program.

Dennis Rice, Editor
Bobby Vaughn, Reporter
Dennis Rice, Program Director
Beverly Fontenot, Program Training Coordinator II
Adele Samuel, Program Assistant
Address
GDOT, LTAP 276 Memorial Drive, S.W.
Atlanta, GA 30303
The Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) is a nationwide effort financed jointly by the Federal Highway Administration and individual state departments of transportation and/or universities. Its purpose is to disseminate the latest state-ofthe-art technologies in the areas of roads, highways and bridges to municipal and county highway and transportation personnel.
The Georgia LTAP is supported by FHWA and the Georgia Department of Transportation. The Georgia Roads Newsletter is one of the LTAP activities. The opinions, findings or recommendations expressed in this newsletter are those of the Georgia LTAP Center and do not necessarily reflect the views of the FHWA nor the Georgia Department of Transportation.

Look ahead to new programs this year dealing with maintenance, management and engineering principles. Some of the new classes that will be offered are: 7-Habits to Highly Successful People, Asphalt Pavement Maintenance, Small Engine Tear Down, Z-Turn Mower and Trimmer classes. Be sure to look for these classes in your area and sign up. If you are willing, we'll come to your location and provide training also. Give me a call for more information on hosting a seminar.
Be sure to read page four of the newsletter to learn about the new employee for the program. Adele Samuel joined us a short while ago and has already become an asset to the entire office. If you have a chance, give her a call and welcome her to the program.
Also check out page 3 to learn more about the Local Roads Conference in Tennessee this year. Look forward to seeing everyone one soon.

The Georgia Roads Newsletter is distributed free of charge to counties, cities, towns and others with transportation responsibilities.

Dennis S. Rice LTAP Director 404.656.4664 dennis.rice@dot.state.ga.us

LTAP Advisory Committee
Barbara Bennett (Chairperson) Candler County Public Works/ Landfill 912.685.2822
Keith Braswell Bibb County Engineering 478.621.6660
Doug Cheek, P.E. Augusta-Richmond County 706.312.4132
Matthew Hicks Association of County Commissioners of Georgia 404.522.5022
Georgene Geary State Materials & Research Engineer, GDOT 404.363.7512
Tom Gehl Georgia Municipal Association 678.686.6247
Charles McGiboney Rockdale Co. Public Works & Engineering 770.785.6908
David Painter FHWA - Georgia Division 404.562.3658
Eric Pitts Asst. State Maintenance Engineer, GDOT 404.635.8734
Ray Southern City of Cartersville 770.387.5602

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Spring 2006 www.dot.state.ga.us/dot/personnel/training/training_ext/index.shtml

Page 3

10th Southeast Local Roads Conference
The 10th Southeast Local Roads Conference (SELRC) will be hosted by the Tennessee Transportation Assistance Program (TTAP) in Chattanooga, TN. The Conference is targeted for county, city, and public works personnel but should also be attractive to federal and state highway personnel, contractors, vendors, consultants and all those whose work impacts the movement of persons and goods on local roads. It provides the opportunity to share success stories and innovative advances in transportation planning, traffic safety operations, roadway design, maintenance and construction.
The conference combines technical presentations with highway products exhibits to provide a forum for exchange of ideas with the local roads community. The SELRC is a collaboration of the Federal Highway Administration and the southeastern LTAP Centers, which include Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina and Tennessee.

Registration Fees
Before: April 19, 2006 $125.00 After: April 19, 2006 $150.00 On-Site: $175.00
The registration fee is non-refundable if a registrant withdraws less than 10 days prior to the conference. Substitutions may be made at any time. Please notify us in advance. No shows will be liable for the entire conference fee. After April 19, 2006, a $25 cancellation fee will be assessed.
The registration fee covers the reception (with cash bar) on Sunday evening, continental breakfasts, breaks and lunch. If your guests would like to join us for the reception, please indicate on the registration form. ($25 per adult and $12 for each child over 12 years.)
Reception and Golf Outing
If there is sufficient interest, a golf tournament will be held on Sunday morning. Please indicate your handicap/average score on the registration form if you are interested. If you have any questions, please contact Matt Cate at 865-974- 5255.

0.9 Continuing Education Units (CEUs)/9 Professional Development Hours (PDHs) can be granted for this course.
The 2006 Southeast Local Roads Conference will be held at the Chattanooga Convention Center at One Carter Plaza, Chattanooga, TN.
Rooms has been reserved at the Chattanooga Marriott, 2 Carter Place, Chattanooga, TN. The hotel adjoins the Chattanooga Convention Center. The rooms have been reserved at a special rate of $79 (code: utkutkk (single room) or utkutkd (double room).
Please call the hotel directly at 1-800-841-1674 or 423-756-0002 to make your own reservations. This special rate is available until April 19, 2006.

A Reception will be held at the Tennessee Aquarium Sunday, May 21, 2006 between 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm (Guests will be able to explore and view the exhibits at the aquarium (River Journey) till 9:30 pm.)
Vendor displays will cover a wide array of topics intended to make you familiar with technological advances and products.
Who Should Attend?
Local roads agency personnel, local elected officials, contractors and vendors.

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LTAP
Resources
Videos:
1) Making the Effort Works: Reducing Utility Delays During Construction
2) Protecting Our Pavement: Preventative Maintenance
DVDs
1) Fundamentals of Short Term Traffic Control 2) Herbicide: An integral part of IRVM 3) Straight Line Mowing: Procedures and
Methods 4) Deep Patching: Milling 5) Deep Patching: Base Repair 6) Shoulder Building 7) Edge Rut Repair 8) Flagging in the Workzone: Safety in Your
Hands 9) Customer Service Training:
The Irate Caller 5 Forbidden Phrases From Curt to Courteous

New Personnel
There is a new face in the Georgia LTAP community. Adele Samuel is the new Program Assistant for LTAP
Adele was born in Chester Pennsylvania, a small town outside of Philadelphia. She later moved to Atlanta, Georgia in 1975 where Atlanta has been her home ever since. Adele attended high school in Metropolitan Atlanta and attended college at Fort Valley State College and Atlanta Junior College.

Compact Discs:
1) Managing Pavement Edge Drop Offs: to Improve Safety and Reduce Tort Liability
2) Pedestrian/Bicycle Safety Resource Set
Publications: 1) Basic Asphalt Recycling Manual (BARM) 2) Roadside Design Guide 3) A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways
and Streets 4) Full Road Closure for Work Zone
Operations: A Case Study 5) Roundabouts: An Informational Guide
FHWA Publication No. FHWA-RD-00-067 6) Covered Bridge ManualFHWA Publication No.
FHWA-HRT-04-098

Adele has always taken an interest in helping others, where she took her fifteen plus years of work history and education and directed it into a passion for exceeding expectations in administrative services and customer service throughout the hospitality industry and a private multi-family housing development sector.
In her spare time she likes to be still and relax with a good book, listen to music and spend time with her family.
Be sure to welcome Adele to the LTAP family. You can contact her at (404) 656-5364 or adele.samuel@dot.state.ga.us.

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Spring 2006 www.dot.state.ga.us/dot/personnel/training/training_ext/index.shtml

Page 5

Web News
Southeastern United States Fatal Crash Study
The Georgia Department of Transportation has released a report that examines roadway crashes in the southeastern portion of the United States (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee). According to the study, the eight states collectively report approximately 26 percent of the total annual number of fatal automobile-related crashes in the United States. The report recommends countermeasures to address two-lane rural roads, safety restraint use and fixed-object crashes. The report can be found at www.trb.org/new/blurb_detail.asp?id=6077
2004 Traffic Safety Facts FARS/GES Annual Report (Final Edition)
The National Center for Statistics & Analysis has just released the 2004 Traffic Safety Facts FARS/ GES Annual Report (Final Edition). This report combines data from two of our key crash databases, providing statistics on traffic crashes of all severities. The Final Edition replaced the Early Edition released earlier this year and will include the following updated exposure data:
Vehicle miles traveled and fatality rates per vehicle miles traveled by state
Registered vehicles and fatality rates per registered vehicle by state
Vehicle miles traveled for the various vehicle types (passenger cars, light trucks, motorcycles, large trucks, buses)
Registered vehicles for the following vehicle types: motorcycles, large trucks, buses and total
Licensed drivers Child Passenger Protection Laws Key Provision of Safety Belt Use Laws

This report can be viewed and downloaded at the following web address: www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/ pdf/nrd-30/NCSA/TSFAnn/TSF2004.pdf
Simplified Guide to Incident Command
The electronic version of the Simplified Guide to the Incident Command System for Transportation Professionals is now available, in pdf and html formats, at the FHWA Traffic Incident Management web site, www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/incidentmgmt/publications.htm. The purpose of this Guide is to introduce ICS to stakeholders who may be called upon to provide specific expertise, assistance, or material during highway incidents but who may be largely unfamiliar with ICS organization and operations. These stakeholders include professionals at transportation agencies, companies involved in towing and recovery, as well as elected officials and government agency managers at all levels.
Printed versions of the document will be available shortly. For more information or for copies of the ICS guide, please contact Laurie Radow at Laurel.Radow@fhwa.dot.gov
Pedestrian Safety Action Plan
This note is to let you know about a new resource available to you, entitled How to Develop a Pedestrian Safety Action Plan, which is available for download from:
www.walkinginfo.org/pp/howtoguide2006.htm
The Federal Highway Administration`s (FHWA) Safety Office hired the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center (PBIC) to develop a comprehensive guide to provide a framework for state and local agencies to develop and implement a pedestrian safety action plan tailored to their specific problems and needs. How to Develop a Pedestrian Safety Action Plan will help state and local officials know where to begin to address pedestrian safety issues. It is also intended to assist agencies in further

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cont. from previous page
enhancing their existing pedestrian safety programs and activities, including identifying safety problems, analyzing information, and selecting optimal solutions. The guide also contains information on how to involve stakeholders, potential sources of funding for implementing projects and how to evaluate projects
The guide is primarily a reference for improving pedestrian safety through street redesign and the use of engineering countermeasures, as well as other safety-related treatments and programs that involve the whole community. This guide can be used by engineers, planners, traffic safety and

enforcement professionals, public health and injury prevention professionals, and decisionmakers who have the responsibility of improving pedestrian safety at the state or local level.

Event

Calendar of Events

Sponsor/Contact

Date

Introduction to Highway LTAP/Beverly Fontenot

April 18

Construction Inspection 800.573.6445 or 404.463.7886

Introduction to 7 Habits LTAP/Beverly Fontenot

May 2,3

Southeast Local Roads Roundabouts

LTAP/Dennis S. Rice 800.573.6445 or 404.656.4664
LTAP/Beverly Fontenot 800.573.6445 or 404.463.7886

May 21-23 July 20

Locations Macon, GA
Stockbridge, GA Charlotte, TN Atlanta, GA

Call LTAP at 1-800-573-6445 for information
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Spring 2006 www.dot.state.ga.us/dot/personnel/training/training_ext/index.shtml

Page 7

New NPDES Certification Requirements
As a result of HB 285 passed by the General Assembly in 2004 there will be significant changes in the erosion and sediment control certification program. HB 285 revised the State Erosion Control Law by establishing a statewide erosion control certification program. This new certification program is the responsibility of the Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission. The law states, "After December 31, 2006, all persons involved in land development design, review, permitting, construction, monitoring, or inspection of any land disturbing activity shall meet the education and training certification requirements, dependent on their level of involvement with the process, as developed by the Commission ...".
Beginning this year (2006), the Georgia Soil & Water Commission will be in charge of erosion control certification. They will handle the instruction and testing sessions. They will issue certification cards and certificates. Their certification will be valid for three years from the date of issue.
Those that have attended an approved "Qualified Personnel" course (in the years preceding 2006, GDOT's WECS is an approved course) within the last three (3) years and have proof of your attendance (certification card or certificate), can apply to the Commission to take the certification exam only and not be required to take the new certification course entitled, "Fundamentals for Erosion and Sedimentation Control Level 1A". If you take the exam and do not receive a passing score you will be required to attend the course offered by the Commission (currently the Department is not planning on offering this

course) and will have another opportunity to take the exam.
For those of you that are licensed professionals and prepare erosion control plans, and place your stamp on the plans, the Commission is offering a two (2) day course on the Fundamentals of Design for Erosion Control Level 2.
This course is for those individuals that are Licensed Professionals and actually place their stamp on the plans cover sheet, not for individuals that are preparing the plans unless they are the same person.
In 2006 the Department will be replacing the current one day course with a half day course that focuses on the methods of installation, inspection, record keeping and reporting utilized on Department projects. Please note, this half day course DOES NOT replace the Soil and Water Commission certification. This half day course DOES NOT qualify as an approved Certified Personnel course. This is in addition to the Commission certification. This course is mandatory for the WECS and DOT employees (dependent on their level of involvement with erosion control). You only are required to have this card if you are the Worksite Erosion Control Supervisor on a GaDOT construction project. Attendance in this course is not dependent on achieving certification from the Commission.
Additional information about the new certification program can be obtained from the Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission at 706.542.3065 or their website www.gaswcc.org

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Georgia Department of Transportation Local Technical Assistance Program 276 Memorial Drive Atlanta, GA 30303
Sponsors: Georgia Department of Transportation U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration
Georgia Roads
is a technical newsletter about local roads published by the Georgia Department of Transportation Local Technical Assistance Program. It is written for Georgia's municipal and county employees who are responsible for planning and managing rural roads. All of your comments, questions, and suggestions are welcome. Please call us toll free at 1.800.573.6445.