Florida Local Technical Assistance Program
Thank you for continuing your training with the Florida LTAP Center and making the transition from in-classroom training and activities to our online training format. The challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic since March have disrupted and altered our normal way of life. However, your response and ongoing commitment to education with the Florida LTAP Center has allowed us to reach a milestone during these past months. 

The LTAP Center has planned, coordinated, prepared, and executed online training developed to improve the skills and knowledge of the local and tribal transportation workforce. Through training, technical assistance, and technology transfer, we have trained over 10,000 people in the state of Florida, and across the country, and have reached over 16,000 contact hours!

This newsletter is a method to share our success stories, training opportunities, and relevant events, and also to share your agency's accomplishments, initiatives, or feedback about the types of training we provide. We hope to see you in person at one of our in-classroom trainings and activities in the future. In the interim, we will continue the same quality and service expected of the Florida LTAP Center via online training that would be most beneficial to you. 
 
Don’t forget, in-classroom and online training for our local and state agencies are free, and local agencies are given priority. Fully attending our sponsored trainings will award PDHs or Certificates of Completion.

If you have any transportation-related success stories, feel free to share them with us to be included in our next newsletter, and contact us for any technical assistance needs or feedback via email, phone, or our website.
News
Florida LTAP Center Launches New
2020-2021 Needs Assessment
What Needs, Wants, or Preferences Will Help Your Agency in the Coming Year?
The Florida LTAP Center invites you to participate in our needs assessment survey, which intends to collect information on training and technical assistance needs and preferences from transportation agencies statewide. Your survey input is critical to ensure that the training and technical assistance provided by the Florida LTAP Center meet the needs of local agencies. 

This survey is open to transportation professionals working at an agency in Florida. Complete your needs assessment at Florida Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) Needs Assessment 2020-2021.

If you have any questions or need more information, please contact the Florida LTAP Center at   FloridaLTAP@cutr.usf.edu .
U.S. DOT Announces Pathways to the Future of Transportation
U.S. Transportation Secretary, Elaine L. Chao, released   Pathways to the Future of Transportation   – a policy document intended to serve as a roadmap for innovators of new cross modal technologies to engage with the U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S.DOT)

This policy document lays out a process for innovators and stakeholders to approach the Department with their plans and proposals for emerging technologies. DOT will publish a Request for Comment on Pathways to the Future of Transportation, which will allow the public to comment and provide feedback on the document. More information on the NETT Council’s work can be found at  https://www.transportation.gov/nettcouncil .
HEPGIS  2018 Interstate Pavement Condition Metric Map
The FHWA Office of Planning, Environment, and Realty and Office of Infrastructure have updated the HEPGIS  website  to include Transportation Performance Management (TPM) metric data for the 2018 interstate pavement condition performance measures. HEPGIS is an interactive web geographic information system (GIS) map viewer that allows users to locate and zoom-in to a geographic area of interest, create maps showing various geographic features and themes, and view the metric data for the interstate pavement condition performance measures. The HEPGIS website also has tabular capabilities to retrieve, sort, print, download and email geo-spatial data for these metrics. The source for the data is the metric data submitted by state DOTs to the Highway Performance Monitoring System.

This new HEPGIS metric map is housed under the “Performance Metrics” tab of the HEPGIS website labeled “PM2 Interstate Pavement Condition 2018.”

Advanced Transportation and Congestion Management Technologies Deployment Initiative
The FAST Act established the Advanced Transportation and Congestion Management Technologies Deployment Program to make competitive grants for the development of model deployment sites for large scale installation and operation of advanced transportation technologies to improve safety, efficiency, system performance, and infrastructure return on investment.

Eligible applicants include:

  • State or local government or political subdivision thereof
  • Transit agency
  • Metropolitan planning organization (MPO) representing a population of more than 200,000
  • Multijurisdictional group made up of the above eligible applicants, with a signed agreement to implement the initiative across jurisdictional boundaries
  • Consortium of research or academic institutions

Grant recipients may use funds under this program to deploy advanced transportation and congestion management technologies, including:

  • Advanced traveler information systems
  • Advanced transportation management technologies
  • Infrastructure maintenance, monitoring, and condition assessment
  • Advanced public transportation systems
  • Transportation system performance data collection, analysis, and dissemination systems
  • Advanced safety systems, including vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communications
  • Technologies associated with autonomous vehicles, and other collision avoidance technologies, including systems using cellular technology
  • Integration of intelligent transportation systems with the Smart Grid and other energy distribution and charging systems
  • Electronic pricing and payment systems
  • Advanced mobility and access technologies, such as dynamic ridesharing and information systems to support human services for elderly and disabled individuals

Learn more about this initiative and funding opportunity by attending FHWA’s ATCMTD Program Solicitation Webinar-2020.
Civic Innovation Challenge
The Civic Innovation Challenge (CIVIC) flips the community-university dynamic, by asking communities comprised of civic partners to identify civic priorities ripe for innovation and then partner with researchers to address those priorities. Civic partners may include local, state, or tribal government officials; non-profit representatives; community organizers or advocates; community service providers; and/or others working to improve their communities. Proposals are due by August 3, 2020.

U.S. DOT Inclusive Design Challenge
If you are a Florida local agency that partners with researchers and innovators to develop solutions to solve the most pressing access barriers for people with physical, sensory, and cognitive disabilities, the Inclusive Design Challenge could be a great opportunity to encourage collaboration. 

The Challenge seeks innovative design solutions that can enable people with physical, sensory, and cognitive disabilities to use automated vehicles to access jobs, healthcare, and other critical destinations. The Challenge is a part of a larger set of departmental initiatives on accessibility, announced at the  Access and Mobility for All Summit. Written proposals describing the design solution are due October 30, 2020 , with semifinalists to be selected in early 2021.

FHWA EDC-5 Innovations
FWHA continues to promote 10 innovative technologies and practices in the fifth round of Every Day Counts (EDC-5) in 2019 and 2020. EDC-5 is the state-based program to rapidly deploy proven but underutilized innovations to shorten project delivery, enhance roadway safety, improve traffic operation efficiency, and reinforce infrastructure serviceability and sustainability. Visit the   FHWA website  to learn more about these innovations.

In 2018, the FHWA Center for Accelerating Innovations (CAI) offered a series of orientation webinars on EDC-5. These webinars and presentation slides can be viewed on the   EDC-5 orientation webinar page .

In the future, the Florida LTAP Center will be providing more workshops highlighting two EDC-5 Innovations: Focus on Reducing Rural Roadway Departures (FoRRRwD) and Safe Transportation for Every Pedestrian (STEP). Watch your inbox for more information, or visit the   Florida LTAP training calendar .
TRB COVID-19 Resources
Explore Transportation Resources related to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

Upcoming Trainings
Pavement Management Plan Development and Implementation - Preservation and Beyond
The Florida LTAP Center, in partnership with the Florida Pavement Preservation Council (FPPC), will host a five-part webinar series on Pavement Management Plan Development and Implementation - Preservation and Beyond. This series will provide attendees with a thorough introduction of pavement preservation strategy and its merits. Each part will focus on the various types of pavement preservation techniques and successful forms of planning and programming to implement an effective plan in any organization.

Learning Objectives:

  • Identify the needs of an agency by analyzing the roadway network condition and review how to deploy effective asset management techniques.
  • Review proper distress identification and analysis, and prepare an agency for the transition to needs-based pavement management planning.
  • Define and review specific pavement preservation treatments and highlight success stories from similar agency implementation of pavement preservation strategies.
  • Learn how to ensure a long-term asset management plan and pavement preservation program in any size agency.
Part 1 of 5:
Basics


Tues., August 4, 2020
1:00 - 2:30 PM (ET)
Part 2 of 5:
Distress Identification and
Analysis

Thurs., August 6, 2020
1:00 - 2:30 PM (ET)
Part 3 of 5:
Top of the Curve Treatments and Choosing the Right One

Tues., August 11, 2020
1:00 - 2:30 PM (ET)
Part 4 of 5:
Thin Overlay, In-Place Recycling, and Reclamation

Thurs., August 13, 2020
1:00 - 2:30 PM (ET)
Part 5 of 5:
Q&A Panel Discussion


Fri., August 21, 2020
1:00 - 2:30 PM (ET)
This online training is being provided at no cost and will award 1.5 PDHs per fully attended and completed session.
Up to 7.5 PDHs can be earned for fully attending and completing all 5 sessions.
The Basics of Traffic Signal Timing
The Florida LTAP Center will host a webinar on The Basics of Traffic Signal Timing. There are over 20,000 signalized intersections on public roadways in the state of Florida. The safe and efficient operation of these signals is dependent upon the use of appropriate timing values. 

This webinar will provide participants with information on basic timing intervals at a signalized intersection, an understanding of the different types of traffic signals and their operating characteristics, including free or isolated operation in comparison with coordinated operation, and an overview of coordinated system timing parameters such as cycle, split, offset, and sequence. Participants will also learn about Leading Pedestrian Interval (LPI) and how to successfully implement LPIs to improve pedestrian safety at signalized intersections.

This webinar is ideal for those just entering the field of signal operations, those wanting a refresher training on traffic signal timing, or those that need a basic understanding of traffic signal operations from a supervisory or public contact role .
The Basics of Traffic Signal Timing

Weds ., August 5, 2020
10:00 - 12:00 AM (ET)
This webinar is being provided at no cost. This individual webinar session will award 2.0 PDHs for fully attending and completing the session.
Accelerating the CAV Industry in Central Florida
The Central Florida Transportation Planning Group, in partnership with the Florida LTAP Center, presents this webinar on Accelerating the CAV Industry in Central Florida. Advanced connected and automated vehicle (CAV) technologies can be utilized to achieve precise vehicle trajectory control and render unprecedented opportunities to improve transportation system performance in safety, mobility and sustainability.

However, CAV technologies also bring significant challenges to traffic operators and transportation planners in understanding, managing and planning for CAV traffic, particularly when mixed with human driven vehicles. This webinar will feature presentations on latest research on CAV modeling. RSVP is required for this webinar. Please RSVP by August 12, 2020 .

Presenters:

• Dr. Robert L. Bertini, P.E., Executive Director - CUTR, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering - USF
• Dr. Xiaopeng Li, P.E., Associate Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering - USF
• Dr. Amr A. Oloufa, P.E., Professor of Construction Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering - UCF
• Josh Pedersen, P.E., Project Manager at Florida's Turnpike Enterprise
• Eric Hill, Director of Transportation System Management and Operations - MetroPlan Orlando
Part 1:
  • Presentations by researchers from the University of Central Florida and University of South Florida.
  • Findings from the MetroPlan CAV Readiness Study.
  • Update on the state-of-the-art CAV testing facility at SunTrax.
Part 2:
  • Moderated panel by a transportation expert, Dr. Robert Bertini.
  • Update on the local, regional and national agencies and what they are doing to coordinate and accelerate the growth of the CAV industry.
Accelerating the CAV Industry in Central Florida

Mon ., August 17, 2020
11:30 AM - 1:30 PM (ET)
This webinar is being provided at no cost. This individual webinar session will award 1.5 PDHs or 1.5 AICP credits for fully attending and completing the session.
Local Agency Program (LAP) Training
LAP Title VI Sub-Recipient Compliance Assessment Tool (SCAT) Training Course (No. BT-05-0153)

This course provides an overview of Title VI Program requirements for sub-recipients of Federal-Aid Highway Program funds. Program requirements and local agency compliance with Title VI and nondiscrimination laws are discussed in detail, along with an in depth look at the Department’s Subrecipient Compliance Assessment Tool (SCAT).
Thurs., September 3, 2020
9:00 – 11:30 AM (ET)
LAP American with Disabilities Act (ADA) Course (No. BT-05-0062)

This course includes ADA regulations and requirements and demonstrates how the Department’s current design standards- FDM and Greenbook- meet or exceed the ADA. Topics include a detailed look at design compliance with the ADA on a typical LAP project, elements of an ADA Transition Plan, and how the Department and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) will monitor these program initiatives from the project perspective.
Thurs., September 3, 2020
1:00 – 4:30 PM (ET)
Florida LTAP Webinars On Demand
Instructor: Trenda McPherson, FDOT
State Bicycle Pedestrian Safety Program Manager

Instructor: Larry Hagen, P.E., PTOE


Instructor: Larry Hagen, P.E., PTOE


Instructor(s): Chris Evers, Florida Pavement Preservation Council
Aron Gerber, The Kercher Group Inc.
A list of Florida LTAP Center recorded webinars are available on our website which is updated regularly. Florida LTAP recorded webinars are provided at no cost, and will award Professional Development Hours (PDHs) or a Certificate of Completion for fully viewing and completing the recorded webinar.

Check out the Florida LTAP Recorded Webinar page to get your on-demand webinar training started!
FHWA Americans With Disabilities Act 30th Anniversary Webinar Series
On July 26, 1990, President George H.W. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) into law. The ADA is the nation’s first comprehensive civil rights law prohibiting discrimination on the basis of disability. The ADA established requirements to remove barriers (physical and otherwise) that limited individuals with disabilities from fully participating in public life.

In the 30 years since the historic passage of the ADA, state and local governments have made great strides in making the transportation system accessible to all citizens through ADA transition plans. This series of webinars will highlight the best practices and emerging technologies that are being used by state transportation agencies to implement their ADA transition plans. Each webinar will focus on a different aspect of ADA transition plan implementation.
Part 1 of 5:
Agency-Wide
Engagement

Weds ., July 29, 2020
2:00 - 3:15 PM (ET)
Part 2 of 5:
 Updating
Inventory

Weds., August 26, 2020
2:00 - 3:15 PM (ET)
Part 3 of 5:
 Incorporating the Transition Plan in the STIP Process

Weds ., September 30, 2020
2:00 - 3:15 PM (ET)
Part 4 of 5:
Dedicated
ADA Funding

Weds ., October 23, 2020
2:00 - 3:15 PM (ET)
Part 5 of 5:
Innovations and Technology for Transition Plan Implementation

 Weds., December 2, 2020
2:00 - 3:15 PM (ET)
FHWA Center for Local Aid Support
Innovation Exchange Webinar 
Emergency Response and Recovery – Local Agencies  


Don’t get caught off guard by a natural disaster! It’s never too soon to prepare or update your emergency response. In this webinar, participants will learn from experienced practitioners about how to get ready. For more information visit Center for Local Aid Support Innovation Exchange webinar page.


Thurs., August 6, 2020
1:00 - 2:30 PM (ET)

FHWA EDC-5 Innovation Webinars
Value of Data Derived from UAS throughout Project Delivery

In this webinar, participants will learn from experienced practitioners about how UAS can serve as a tool across the construction project lifecycle, including pre-construction, construction, and built asset inspections. In addition to highlighting use cases for using UAS in construction applications, this webinar is an opportunity for participants to develop a more detailed understanding of how one DOT implemented UAS policies, protocols, and processes to grow their program over time.
Thurs., August 6, 2020
2:30 - 4:00 PM (ET)
FoRRRwD Countermeasures: High Friction Surface Treatment (HFST) and Continuous Friction Measurement (CFM)

In this webinar, participants will learn more about the FoRRRwD on All Public Roads initiative. More details will be provided closer to webinar date.
Tues., August 11, 2020
1:00 - 3:00 PM (ET)
Upcoming Events
FDOT Transportation Symposium 2020
The Transportation Symposium has been converted to the Transportation Symposium Webinar series (virtual format). To continue to keep staff and our industry partners up-to-date with DOT policies, procedures, and best practices, we will be developing and implementing the Transportation Symposium Webinar Series, which will be providing weekly symposium sessions. Professional Development Hour (PDH) credits will be offered for the live version of the webinar. The recorded version will be posted to view at a later date.

Check out the FDOT Transportation Symposium website for more details.
U.S. DOT and GSA - The Future of Mobility
with Open Source Software
This free virtual event co-hosted by the U.S. Department of Transportation and the U.S. General Services Administration will discuss how open source software (OSS) is spurring innovation in transportation by enabling greater collaboration and ideation. A growing number of organizations including the public sector, private sector, and academia are building OSS to collaboratively advance the research and development (R&D) of new transportation mobility and safety solutions. Recently, OSS has accelerated the R&D of Cooperative Driving Automation (CDA), intelligent transportation systems (ITS), and traveler information systems.

This virtual event will bring together a diverse panel of Government and technical industry experts to discuss the impacts and opportunities of OSS for transportation – with a focus on automated driving technology. The panel will highlight existing OSS platforms, examine opportunities and threats to innovation, and discuss where we go from here to continue this momentum.
Tues., August 4, 2020
1:00 - 2:00 PM (ET)
FHWA 2020 Virtual Road Weather Management
Stakeholder Meeting
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) invites you to participate in a two-day Virtual Road Weather Management Stakeholder Meeting.The purpose of the meeting is to provide a venue for peer exchange between the transportation and weather communities consisting of state and local transportation agencies, academia, vendors, weather service providers (public and private), and consultants.

Topics:

  • Unmanned Aerial Systems
  • Mobile Sensors
  • Crowdsourced Data
  • Performance Management
  • Connected and Automated Vehicles
  • Flood Management
  • Effective Messaging to Road Users
  • Maintenance Decision Support System (MDSS) Applications
  • Road Weather Management Program (RWMP) Applications
  • Expanding Road Weather Information System (RWIS) Applications
August 18 -19, 2020
Each day will run as follows (30-minute break in between meetings):

12:00 – 2:00 PM (ET) and 2:30 – 4:30 PM (ET)
11:00 AM – 1:00 PM (CT) and 1:30 – 3:30 PM (CT)
Lifesavers Conference 2020 Webinar Series
The Lifesavers Conference was canceled due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak. Lifesavers organizers had hoped to proceed with the scheduled conference in Tampa, but the safety and well-being of speakers, vendors, attendees, and event staff is of the utmost importance and always a priority.

Lifesavers is now using this as an opportunity to innovate and continue with their mission to disseminate current information to traffic safety professionals across the country. Lifesavers is excited to announce that for the very first time they will be conducting the Lifesavers Conference 2020 Webinar Series. This series will highlight presentations from various Lifesavers Conference tracks addressing hot-topics, latest trends, and cutting-edge programs.  
2021 Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting Is Going Virtual
The Transportation Research Board (TRB) has announced that the  TRB 100th Annual Meeting   (TRBAM), originally scheduled to take place in Washington, D.C., will be conducted as a virtual event over a series of dates throughout January 2021.The meeting program will cover all transportation modes, addressing topics of interest to policymakers, administrators, practitioners, researchers, technical experts, and representatives of government, industry, and academic institutions. Several sessions and workshops will focus on the spotlight theme for the 2021 meeting: Launching a New Century of Mobility and Quality of Life.

TRB will announce exact dates for TRBAM 2021 as soon as they are confirmed. Registration will open in September 2020. For more information, visit the TRBAM website at  http://www.trb.org/AnnualMeeting/AnnualMeeting.aspx.
Funding Opportunities
Stay tuned for more Florida LTAP-sponsored trainings, and be sure to visit our website or contact us for any technical assistance needs!
The Florida LTAP Center wants to hear from you!

Please take a few minutes to participate in our brief survey. Your input will facilitate our choices regarding future training resources, newsletter articles, and other types of LTAP communications. Take the EDC-5 Innovation Survey .
We want to showcase your success!


Does your agency have a successful project or initiative you would like for us to share? We would like to feature you in our next newsletter. Send us a brief summary and photos of your success story.
Florida Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) Center
(813) 974-4450
University of South Florida
Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR)
4202 E. Fowler Avenue, CUT100, Tampa, FL 33620