Florida T2 Center: Staying Connected with You in Mind
Welcome to the May edition of the new and improved Florida T2 Center Newsletter. Here at T2, we have been busy making connections around the state and nationwide to collect the most up-to-date and pertinent information that matters to you. Scroll down to read about what we’ve been doing and what’s available to you.
You can also click the menu items to the left for external articles we gleaned on topics from state, national, and international sources. If you see anything missing or would like to know more, feel free to write! We want to stay connected…especially to you! Enjoy!
People
Message from the Director
Chris LeDew, P.E. (left) joined the T2 Center in February and has been traveling near and far learning the ins and outs of what goes on here.
Meet Scott Tison: Your Friendly T2 Liaison
Scott Tison has been traveling around Florida to meet face-to-face with local transportation, safety, law enforcement, and public works personnel, as well as industry professionals to determine what the T2 Center can offer, how we can help, what we’re doing well, and where we can improve.
Workshops
Surveying Methods: Empowering Local Agencies with Knowledge and Skills
Surveying is the science of determining the relative positions of objects or points on the earth’s surface. The T2 Center’s “Surveying Methods for Local Agencies” course is a one-day workshop that trains attendees in some of the basic surveying techniques they can perform in the field.
A Workshop First: Gradall Hands-on
On April 21, Florida T2 Center instructor Gary Norman taught a three-day Gradall Hands-on workshop. The workshop provided 30 FDOT employees with classroom training and hands-on experiences acquainting them with proper road profiles, drainage issues, maintenance methods and new techniques and technologies.
FHWA Work Zone Safety Grant Workshop
The Wayne State University Transportation Research Group, through a grant funded by the Federal Highway Administration, has developed a series of training programs, decision-support guidelines, and tools to assist individuals involved in highway work zone planning, design, implementation, and operation. In order to spread the word about these important new resources, the Florida T2 Center participated in a national train-the-trainer program by hosting an event in Gainesville on March 18.
Staying Connected through Technical Review Teams
Technical Review Teams (TRTs) provide technical advice in each of the Construction Training/Qualification Program (CTQP) subject areas: aggregates, asphalt, concrete, final estimates, geotechnical, and quality control. TRT members are individuals who are considered experts in their fields and are appointed to TRT positions by the Director of the Office of Construction.
Events
GRS-IBS Showcase in Nassau County
Nassau County was the proud host of the latest Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Showcase on Geosynthetic Reinforced Soil Integrated Bridge System (GRS-IBS) technology as part of the Every Day Counts (EDC) Initiative. The Showcase began with presentations from FHWA, FDOT, and Nassau County experts on the technology, and finished with a visit to the site where the new bridge is being constructed (left).
T2 Center Hosts LTAP Regional Meeting
The Florida T2 Center hosted the Local Technical Assistant Program (LTAP) Region 4 Annual Meeting in St. Augustine, FL, May 12-15. Attendees from eight states viewed presentations and participated on hands-on activities focusing on this year’s theme: Partnership.
Intelligent Compaction – An EDC Exchange
Intelligent Compaction is one of the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) Every Day Counts (EDC) Initiatives. On April 3, the FHWA hosted an EDC Exchange for local and tribal agencies. The FHWA Florida Division Office established five remote viewing locations.
Florida News
FDOT Wins 2013 Perpetual Pavement Award
The Asphalt Pavement Alliance (APA) announced on April 24 that the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) won a 2013 Perpetual Pavement Award for a section of State Road A1A (right) in Brevard County, marking the fourth time that FDOT has been awarded this distinction.
Hurricane Season is Coming…Are You Ready?
Hurricane Season is just around the corner! The Atlantic Hurricane Season runs from June 1 to November 30. Although the number of tropical storms and hurricanes typically peaks during August and September, it is important to remember that Florida can be impacted by tropical weather systems at any time during the six-month-long season, and sometimes outside of the official season.
Safety Resource Center Updates
The staff at the Florida Pedestrian and Bicycling SRC and the Occupant Protection SRC work hard to keep you safe and spread the word about safe walking, biking, and driving habits. Click each Center’s logo to read about what they’ve been up to the past few months.