Scroll down to review prior years.

MOST RECENT - YEAR 2004

Maine Department of Transportation Assumes Directorship of the NETC Policy and Advisory Committees:

In accordance with the policies and procedures of the Consortium which provide for the rotation of the Directorships of the Policy and Advisory Committees among the Consortium's agencies, David Cole, Commissioner of the Maine Department of Transportation was appointed Chairman of the Policy Committee and Dale Peabody, Director of Research for the Maine department of Transportation was appointed Chairman of the Advisory Committee. Their term of office is July 1, 2004 through
June 30, 2006.

Research Program for Fiscal Year 2005:

The Consortium's Advisory Committee has selected nine research projects to address the region's transportation research needs in the following areas:

Development of Base resistant Load-Displacement Curves for the Design of Drilled Shaft Rock Sockets

Safety of Reflective Median Barriers

Analysis of Roundabout Operational Characteristics Utilizing Microscopic Simulation Modeling

Characterization of the Rate Constant of Pozolan Available Alkalis

Measurement of Work of Adhesion Between Paint and Metalized/Galvanized Steel

Employing Graphic-Aided Dynamic Message Signs to Assist Elder Drivers' Message Comprehension

Warrants for Exclusive Left Turn Lanes at Unsignalized Intersections and Drive Ways

Evaluation of Alternate Traffic Simulation Models, Including CA4PRS, for Analysis of Traffic Impacts of Highway Construction, Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Projects

Financing Intermodal Transportation in New England

---

YEAR 2002

Massachusetts Highway Department Assumes Directorship of the NETC Policy and Advisory Committees:

In accordance with the policies and procedures of the Consortium which provide for the rotation of the Directorships of the Policy and Advisory Committees among the Consortium's agencies, John Cogliano, Commissioner of the Massachusetts Highway Department was appointed Chairman of the Policy Committee and Stephen Pepin, Manager of Research, Massachusetts Highway Department was appointed Chairman
of the Advisory Committee. Their term of office is July 1, 2002 through June 30, 2004.

Funding Approved for New Research:

The NETC Policy Committee, upoin recommendation of the Advisory Committee, approved seven research projects, totaling $560,000, to address high priority regional transportation research needs in the following areas:

Ability of Wood Fiber Materials to Attenuate Heavy Metals Associated with Highway Runoff

Field Studies of Concrete Containing Salts of Alkenyl-Substituted Succinic Acid

Feasibility Study of an Erosion Laboratory in New England

Measuring Pollutant Removal Efficiencies of Storm Water Treatment Units

Evaluation of Field Permeameter As a Longitudinal Quality Control Indicator

New England Land Grant University Consortium Transportation Research
Challenge

Basalt Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composites

Findings From Three Research Projects Published and Distributed:

Final reports from the following projects were published and distributed to New England's state transportation agencies and universities, the Federal Highway Administration, and the AASHTO Region 1 Research Advisory Committee, and the National Transportation Library:

NETC 99-6: "Analytical and Experimental Investigation of the Effects of Concrete Removal Operations On Adjascent Concrete That Is To Remain"

NETC00-2: "Evaluation of Permeability of Superpave Mixes"

NETC00-5: "Guardrail Testing - Modified Eccentric Loader Terminal (MELT) at NCHRP 350 TL-2"

Technology Transfer:

PROCESSED 21 REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION and/or NETC RESEARCH PROJECT REPORTS

Requests for information and/or research project reports were received from a variety of sources including:Ohio DOT, Washington State DOT, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Texas Natural Resources Commission, Yukon Territorial Government (Canada), The Highway Institute (Belgrade, Yugoslavia), and a number of consultants and private citizens.

PRESENTATIONS AT MEETINGS AND CONFERENCES

American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials Washington Briefing

At the invitation of AASHTO, the NETC Coordinator attended the AASHTO Washington Briefing held in February. The briefing provided transportation officials with an opportunity to hear about current transportation issues and discuss them with personnel and staff of transportation-related Senate and Congressional committees.

Connecticut Transportation Research Showcase

The NETC Coordinator made a presentation on the Consortium's mission, organization, project selection procedures and current research projects at the University of Connecticut on March 19.

Association of General Contractors/American Road Transportation Builders Association/American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials Task
Force 13

Dean Albertson, Texas Transportation Institute, Principal Investigator for NETC Project 00-5 "Guardrail Testing-Modified Eccentric Loader Terminal (MELT) at NCHRP 350 TL-2", presented the results of the crash tests conducted on MELT guardrail terminal to the ACC/ARTBA/AASHTO Task Force 13 meeting in Seattle, Washington in April.

Annual Visit by Transportation Research Board Representative

On May 21, the NETC Coordinator presented on the Consortium's mission, organization, project selection procedures and current research projects, at the annual visit of TRB's representative to the Connecticut Department of Transportation and the Connecticut Transportation Institute at the University of Connecticut.

American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials Annual Meeting

The NETC Coordinator presented an exhibit of NETC research projects at the AASHTO Annual Meeting in Abchorage, Alaska in October.

Northeast Association of State Transportation Officials Annual Meeting

The NETC Coordinator presented an exhibit of NETC research projects at the NASTO Annual Meeting in Newport, Rhode Island in April.

Northeast States Materials Engineers Association

The NETC Coordinator presented an exhibit of NETC research projects at the NESMEA Annual Meeting held in Newport, Rhode Island in October.

Groundscapes Erosion Control Conference

Dr. Kenneth Demars, University of Connecticut, PI for NETC project 97-3 "Wood Waste Compost as an Erosion Control Mulch and Filter Berm," made a powerpoint presentation on "Compost Applications for Erosion Control: New and Improved Methods" at the conference "Putting Compost in the Specs: Practical Applications for Erosion Control" held at the Wrentham Development Center, Wrentham, Massachusetts in October.

2002 National Summit to Prevent Drowsy Driving (sponsored by the National Academy of Sciences, Washiongton, DC)

A presentation entitled "The Efficacy and Use of Continuous Shoulder Rumble Strips: Engineering a Solution," was presented by Dr. Per Garder, University of Maine (Orono) at the summit held in Washington, DC in November. Dr. Garder based his presentation, in part, on the results from the research he conducted for NETC project 99-4 "Quantifying Roadside Rest Area Usage." The summit was covered by CNN Live Today, CNN Live on Location, CBS Early Show, National Public Radio's Market Place, radio networks ABC, CBS, and the Associated Press. Two related stories by nationally syndicated health columnist Jane Brody were carried by the New York Times.

PAPERS PRESENTED AT TECHNICAL CONFERENCES

82nd Annual meeting of the Transportation Research Board

"An Evaluation of Use of Rapid Triaxial Test in Quality Control of Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA)," Mogawer, W.S., presented at the 82nd Annual TRB Meeting in Washington, DC in January 2003.

Other:

NETC begins utilizing video conferencing for Technical Committee meetings: NETC, in cooperation with the FHWA Division Offices in New England, is now encouraging its Project Technical Committees to utilize the FHWA Division Offices' video conferencing facilities for meetings. After completing several pilot meetings utilizing video conferencing, NETC concluded that the use of this technology not only saved travel time and related expenses, but also resulted in more effective meetings.

---

YEAR 2001

Findings from three research projects published:

Final reports from the following projects were published and distributed to New England's state transportation agencies and universities, the Federal Highway Administration, and the AASHTO Region 1 Research Advisory Committee:

Implementation and Evaluation of Traffic Marking Recesses for the Application of Thermoplastic Pavement Markings on Modified Open-Graded Hot Mix Asphalt Pavement

Guidelines for the Development of Priority Based Statewide Scour Monitoring Systems in New England

Properties, Standards and Performance of Wood Waste Compost as an Erosion Control Mulch and as a Filter Berm

Technology Transfer:

PRESENTATIONS AT MEETINGS AND CONFERENCES

Annual Visit by Transportation Research Board Representative

In June, the NETC Coordinator presented on the Consortium's mission, organization, project selection procedures and current research projects, at the annual visit of TRB's representative to the Connecticut Department of Transportation and the Connecticut Transportation Institute at the University of Connecticut.

American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials Annual Meeting

The NETC Coordinator presented an exhibit of NETC research projects at the AASHTO Annual Meeting in Fort Worth, Texas in December 2001.

Northeast Association of State Transportation Officials Annual Meeting

The NETC Coordinator presented an exhibit of NETC research projects at the NASTO Annual Meeting in Portland, Maine in May 2001.

Connecticut Joint Highway Research Advisory Council Meeting

The NETC Coordinator presented a report on Consortium activities to the CT Joint Highway Research Advisory Council at its December 2001 meeting.

American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials Region One Research Advisory Committee Meeting

The NETC Coordinator gave a power-point presentation entitled "the New England Transportation Consortium" at the AASHTO Region One RAC meeting in Providence, Rhode Island in June 2001. The presentation covered NETC's mission, funding, organization, management, and project development procedures; as well as highlights of NETC activities for calendar year 2000.

PAPERS PRESENTED AT TECHNICAL CONFERENCES

International Conference on the Beneficial Use of Recycled Materials in Transportation Applications, Arlington, VA, November 2001
"Use of Wood Waste Materials for Erosion Control," K. Demars, R. Long, J.R. Ives, University of Connecticut; NETC Project 97-3.

SPIE Symposium on Complex Adaptive Structures, Hutchinson Island, FL,
June 2001
"Adaptive Sensors and Sensor Networks for Structural health Monitoring," D. Huston, University of Vermont; NETC Project 94-2.

SPIE Symposium on Smart Systems for Bridges, Structures and Highways, Newport Beach, CA, March 2001
"Inspection of Bridge Columns and Retaining Walls with Electromagnetic Waves," D. Huston, University of Vermont; NETC Project 94-2.
  -and-
"Wireless Inspection of Structures Aided by Robots," D. Huston, University of Vermont; NETC Project 94-2.

American Concrete Institute Fall Convention, Toronto, Ontario, Canada,
October 2001
"On the Use of Combinations of Durability Enhancing Admixtures (Mineral and Chemical) in Structural Concrete," S. Civijan, University of Massachusetts, Amherst; NETC Project 97-2.

Northeast Asphalt Users Producer Group Meeting, Albany, NY, October 2001
"Evaluation of Permeability of Superpave Mixes," W. Mogawer, University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth; NETC Project 00-2.

PUBLICATION IN TECHNICAL JOURNAL

In Smart Materials and Structures, April 2001...
"Wireless Electromagnetic Interrogation of Structures," D. Huston, University of Vermont; NETC Project 94-2.

PROCESSED 34 REQUESTS FOR PROJECT REPORTS

Requests for research reports were received from a variety of sources, including:
the Collation of Northeast Governors; Departments of Transportation in California, New York, Louisiana, New Jersey, Maryland, and Ohio; the U.S. Department Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Ministry of Transport of the Province of Ontario, Canada; the Asphalt Institute; Worcester Polytechnic Institute; University of Mining & Metallurgy of Cracow, Poland; Erosion Control magazine; Ducks Unlimited Canada; and a number of consultants.

Other:

The New England Transportation Consortium, along with WindSat (a Department of the Navy R&D program), and the Northern Virginia Regional Partnership (an alliance of counties and municipalities formed to foster technological development) was selected by a researcher at the University of Southern California School of Policy, Planning and Development, to identify principles for consideration by government managers with responsibility for developing technology-focused partnerships. The study, entitled Interorganizational Dynamics of Technology Partnerships, S. Millick, University of Southern California, School of Policy, Planning and Development, was published as a doctoral dissertation in July 2001.

---

YEAR 2000

Funding approved for new research:

Permeability of Superpave mixes

Composite reinforced timber guardrail