Regulations defining theresponsibilities of municipalities and

the railroad have been in short supplysince the 1920’s. Questions about who isresponsible for materials, maintenance,signing, etc have not. As of April 2006,there are new regulations in place thatdefine the responsibilities ofmunicipalities and of the railroad.

The Code of Colorado Regulationsdefining who is responsible for upgradingand replacing railroad crossings can befound at http://www.dora.state.co.us/puc/rules/723-7.pdf. Part 7, Rule 7211 (A) states,“The roadway authority shallbear the cost of materials tomaintain, repair, or replace thecrossing surface. The railroad,railroad corporation, rail fixedguideway, transit agency, orowner of the track shall bearthe cost of installation,maintenance, repair, or replacement of thecrossing surface.” This means thatgovernmental and quasi-governmentalentities are responsible for paying for thematerials needed to replace the crossing.

The railroad is responsible for the repairsand for maintenance of the crossing.Governmental and quasi-governmentalentities are responsible for maintainingand paying for the maintenance of thehighway approaches to the railroadcrossing. This includes the cost ofimprovements to the highway, includingthe approaches and the “initial cost of thenecessary crossing surface extension”when the railroad crossing is widened.This regulation is outlined in Part 7, Rule7211 (B).

As a general rule, thecrossing warning devices atrailroad crossings shall bemaintained by the railroad.The regulation states that theentity that owns the track atthe crossing is responsible forkeeping the warning devicesin good operating conditionand in Colorado this is

usually the railroad. If there is a spurtrack, there is a chance that this mightbelong to a municipality. Allgovernmental and quasi-governmental

February 2007 Serving local transportation agencies throughout Colorado Spring Issue

Colorado LTAP

COVER STORYRegulations for Railroad

Crossings

Traffic SignRetroreflectivity 3

Safety SoftwareInitiative 4

Kids In Public Works 7

Pedestrian Summit 8

Equipment Maintenance 10

Recent TrainingProgram Graduates 14

Upcoming Events 15

FREE MATERIALS 16

In This Issue

After reading this issue ofColorado LTAP, please initialbelow and pass it along to therest of you staff.

Return to:

Routing Slip

...continued on page 7

LOOK LOOK INSIDEINSIDE

Sign InventoryManagement

Systems

RBy: Lindsay Nathaniel, Colorado LTAP

Who’Who’s Responsibility Is It? s Responsibility Is It? Regulations for Railroad Crossings

PPaagge e 22 ColorColorado Lado LTTAP/ Spring 2007 AP/ Spring 2007

PrProogg rram Manaam Managger’er’s Cors Cornerner

STSTAFFAFF

YYunping Xiunping XiUniversity Administrator

RRenée Kenée KollerollerProgram Manager

LindsaLindsay Nay NathanielthanielTraining Coordinator

MarMarty Butcty ButcherherLibrary Assistant

JJererememy Goldsmithy GoldsmithWebmaster

The Colorado LocalTechnical AssistanceProgram is sponsored bythe Federal HighwayAdministration, theColorado Department ofTransportation, and theUniversity of Coloradoat Boulder.

The Colorado LTAPNewsletter is publishedquarterly. Articles,pictures and commentsare welcome.

For more information,contact:

Colorado LTAPUniversity of Coloradoat Boulder3100 Marine St., A-213UCB 561Boulder, CO 80309-0561

Office: (303) 735-3530Toll Free: (888) 848-LTAP

Fax: (303) 735-2968

Email:cltap@colorado.edu

Website:http://ltap.colorado.edu

Visit Colorado LTAP online todayfor online training, class registration,

free lending library, and more.

http: / / l tap.colorado.edu

Colorado LTAP

Winter’s not over yet...We’ve been enjoying some warm

weather lately. Let’s not fall into a falsesense of security. Winter’s not over yet.Agencies could still be hit hard. So let’sbe prepared. Agencies should take thisopportunity to make sure all equipmentand labor forces are up for the task. I’vebeen made aware of several accidentsoccurring lately due to failing equipment,plows falling off, etc. Don’t let thishappen to you. Included in this issue are afew safety tips and inspection checklists.Be safe and take the time to checkimportant aspects of your major vehicles.

This Spring Colorado LTAP will bepartnering with the Colorado Contractor’s

Association to offer the Traffic ControlSupervisor-TCS certification. It is a two-day certification program designed to trainthose who will be actively involved indesigning or setting up and maintainingtemporary traffic control in a work zones;and covers how to read and implementtraffic control plans along with techniquesfor installation and removal.

An additional list of upcoming trainingprograms is listed in the back. Don’t missthe FREE flagger certification classes.

But then again, I hear the answer to theultimate question of Life, the Universe,and Everything is.....42.

Many people have revered Albert Einstein as a genius.Well then let’s take some of his words of wisdom to heart!

“Everything should be made as simple as possible, butno simpler.”

“A person who never made a mistake never triedanything new.”

“Any fool can make things bigger, more complex, andmore violent. It takes a touch of genius - and a lot ofcourage - to move in the opposite direction.”

I came across this one by Einstein and just couldn’t resist:

“Any man who can drive safely while kissing a prettygirl is simply not giving the kiss the attention itdeserves.”

QQ uu oo tt ee ssQQ uu oo tt ee ss

oo ffoo ff

tt hh eett hh ee

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ColorColorado Lado LTTAP/ Spring 2007AP/ Spring 2007 PPaagge e 33

ColorColorado Lado LTTAPAPAdAdvisorvisory Committeey Committee

MemberMemberss

MarMarlene Crlene CrosbosbyyGunnison County

JJohn Bakohn BakererTown of Snowmass

Adam LancasterAdam LancasterCity of Cañon City

RicRicharhard McKd McKeeeeCity of Longmont

TTammie Crammie CraawfwfororddRoutt County

DoDoyle yle VVillerillerssLaPlata County

KKeevin Scottvin ScottPhillips County

Beth MoorBeth MooreeCDOT

CrCraig Laraig LarsonsonFHWA

YYunping Xiunping XiUniversity of Colorado

at Boulder

RRenée Kenée KollerollerColorado LTAP

lthough there is no legal date forsetting minimum levels of

retroreflectivity for traffic signs, theFederal Highway Administration (FHWA)has posted a scheduled date of 11/30/07for publication of the final rule. Thecomment period for the proposedminimum levels listed below was closedon 11/6/06 nearly three and a half yearsafter the rulemaking initiated in 2003.

The proposed minimum levels are outlinedin Table 1, which identifies acceptablesheeting types and minimum levels ofretroreflectivity as a function of the colorof the sign, whether they are groundmounted or overhead, and the text andsymbol types, either bold or fine. Finesymbol signs are those not listed as boldand not covered in the special casessection.

MaintMaintaining aining TTraffic Sign Retroreflectivityraffic Sign RetroreflectivityTools and Guidance

ABy: Stuart Thompson, Utah LTAP Center

...continued on page 8

Table 1: Proposed Minimum Levels of Retroreflectivity

PPaagge e 44 ColorColorado Lado LTTAP/ Spring 2007 AP/ Spring 2007

he LTAP community has beenchallenged for 20 years to provide

low-cost, easy to use, sustainable publicworks software programs. Building on thehistoric 5,000 RSMS user base, LTAP is inthe process of updating current softwareand programs to meet today’s everchanging technical and data needs, in asustainable manner.

The New Hampshire and Utah LTAPcenters are working closely with the LTAPExchange, LLC and professional softwaredevelopers in a public/private partnershipfor the development of sustainable GIS-enabled Public Works ManagementSoftware (PWMS) modules.These modules are the nextgeneration software toolsfrom those that wereoriginally introduced by theLTAP centers. They include:

> Road Surface> Road SurfaceMaintenance System:Maintenance System:Pavement managementsystem (evolved from aninitial distribution started in1982.)

> DrainsMS:> DrainsMS: Data collection andreporting tool for EPA’s phase 2 NPDEScompliance.

> Road Safety > Road Safety Audit/Signs: Audit/Signs: Projectlevel safety analysis and sign inventorymanagement.

> GPS > GPS TTracker: racker: Pick and place assetson a GIS map via stylus or GPS receiver.Useful for graphically representing assets,conditions, etc.

> Network Safety > Network Safety Analysis: Analysis: Overalldata analysis tool utilizing informationobtained in each of the modules collected,along with other pertinent localityinformation (i.e., schools, hospitals, etc).

These modules will all be spatiallyenabled, meaning they will be tied to aGIS map and database. The suite ofmodules is being programmed to Windowsinterface standards. They are designed to

allow non-proprietary data exchange viaACCESS, Excel, Shapefiles, etc.

An internet user forum has beenestablished at www.ltapexchange.net.

Interactive Poll Interactive Poll The developers are encouraging

feedback and comments on modulecontent from everyone. We would like toopen communications with allmunicipalities across the country.Feedback on state of technology, whatyour current needs are, and what youfuture needs will be. We want to inviteyour participation in this new user forum.

Software Rollout Schedule:

June 1: GPS Tracker

July 15: DrainMS

July 30: RSMS

September 15: Road SafetyAudit/Signs

November 1: NetworkSafety Analysis

Projected Cost Model:The individual module retail pricing is asfollows:

RSMS $2,000Drains $1,000RSA/Signs $1,000GPS Tracker $500Network Safety $850 Total Suite Retail: $5,350

Discounted Action PackSuite/Subscription Price: $1,100*

*The discount pack includes a 12-monthlicense, data archiving on an LTAPExchange server, and technical support.Maintenance, future product upgrades, allincluded for this annual subscription rate.

We invite everyone to provide feedbackand to contribute to the success of thiseffort!

www.ltapexchange.net

Public WPublic Works Management Systemorks Management SystemSafety Software Initiative

T

As an incentive forparticipating in the

interactive poll,there will be a

raffle for an I-PodI-Podgive away!

NationalNationalWWork ork ZZoneone

AAwareness Wwareness Weekeek

April 2 - 6, 2007April 2 - 6, 2007Scheduled in April eachyear, National Work ZoneAwareness Week is anational campaign thathelps increase publicawareness of work zonesafety. Local communityactivities help educate thenation on work-zonerelated injuries andfatalities and the hazardsand dangers that can beencountered and avoidedwhen driving through aroad construction zone.The theme for this year'sNWZAW will focus on theimportance of signing -

"Signs of Change""Signs of Change"www.atssa.com/cs/work-zone-safety-awareness

NationalNationalPublic Public WWorks orks

WWeekeekMay 20 -26, 2007May 20 -26, 2007

NPWW is a celebration ofmen and women in NorthAmerica who provide andmaintain the infrastructureand services collectivelyknown as public works.Instituted as a publiceducation campaign bythe APWA in 1960, NPWWcalls attention to theimportance of publicworks.The week has beencelebrated in manydifferent ways fromparades to open houses tomedia events. To learnmore about activities topromote this event, tolearn how other agenciesare celebrating, or todownload an How ToGuide visit online.Moving Life ForwardMoving Life Forwardhttp://www.apwa.net/About/npww/

ColorColorado Lado LTTAP/ Spring 2007AP/ Spring 2007 PPaagge e 55

PPaagge e 66 ColorColorado Lado LTTAP/ Spring 2007 AP/ Spring 2007

ColorColorado Lado LTTAP/ Spring 2007AP/ Spring 2007 PPaagge e 77

In March 1933, Germany’sfirst concentration campfor political prisoners wasestablished near Munich,Germany. It served as amodel for all subsequentcamps. In its 12 years ofexistence, over 200,000persons from throughoutEurope were incarceratedhere and surroundingsubcamps. Although thecamp was only originallydesigned to hold ~8,000prisoners, Dachaureached its peak in 1944and held more than60,000 prisoners. On April29, 1945, U.S. troopsliberated the remaining32,000 survivors. Theprisoner camp became aMemorial Site in 1965.

All arriving prisoners hadto pass through the gateshown above with itsinscription

“Arbeit macht frei” (“Work brings freedom”).

LTAP Program ManagerRenée Koller had thefortunate/unfortunateopportunity to visit theDachau camp onChristmas Eve. Thehistory behind the site isdisturbing and humbling tosay the least. Signs arean important part of ourlife in Public Works. Let’sremember that signs canoften be harmful, and let’swork toward a safer worldwith our signs.

ntroduce young people in your life toGo! Go! This entertaining, free, online

magazine produced by CTRE (a part of theIowa LTAP) will open their eyes to thevariety of careers in transportation. Go!Go!includes upbeat feature articles, up to fiverotating departments - School Spotlight,Train your Brain, Historically Speaking,Green Scene, and Mystery Photo- puzzlesand quizzes.

The January–February 2007 issuefocuses on winter-related topics like “Howdo they do that?” (keeping airplanes andrunways clear of snow and ice) and“Learning to drive a snowplow” (studentsstruggle to maneuver a virtual snowplowvia a state-of-the-art driving simulator). Inaddition to being fun, even a little quirky,feature articles provide basicinformation—general qualifications,educational requirements, workingconditions, etc.— about specifictransportation careers.

Go!Go!’s advisory board includes highschool and college students who help keepthe editor, Michele Regenold (still a kid atheart), in touch with their interests andissues. For more information, contactMichele at the Iowa LTAP center, 515-296-0835, mregenol@iastate.edu.

Several Iowa organizations are

sponsoring this startup effort. So, initiallythey are focusing their efforts towardMidwest subscribers and featuringMidwest educational programs.HOWEVER, the sponsors want to know ifthis service would be of interest/valuenationally. So, tell us what you think,and spread the word.

Do not let your kids pass Go!Go!http://www.go-explore-trans.org/

The Winter Works issue can be accessedat http://www.go-explore-trans.org/2007/jan-feb/index.cfm

If you'd like to promote this no-costservice in your area, feel free to use theattached newsletter article available at:http://www.ctre.iastate.edu/pubs/Tech_News/2006/nov-dec/go_magazine.pdf

I

Encouraging Encouraging Kids Into Public WKids Into Public WorksorksTel l them to

Who’Who’s Responsibility Is It? s Responsibility Is It? Regulations for Railroad Crossings

agencies should know the ownership ofany spur tracks in their jurisdiction. This isaccording to Part 7, Rule 7301 (A).

Section (B) of Rule 7301 addresses thehighway traffic signals that areinterconnected with crossing warningdevices. The governmental and quasi-governmental agencies are required tomaintain the highway traffic signals only.The railroad crossing warning devices arestill the responsibility of the railroad.

This article addresses just a few of thequestions Colorado LTAP has receivedfrom agencies recently. More informationon these topics can be found at the Public Utilities Commission website at

http://www.dora.state.co.us/puc/. The rules that regulate the railroad are athttp://www.dora.state.co.us/puc/rail/RailRules.htm.

For additional information or questions,contact Pamela Fischhaber, the Chief ofRail and Transit Safety Section, at 303-894-2529 orpamela.fischhaber@dora.state.co.us.

continued from page 1...

PPaagge e 88 ColorColorado Lado LTTAP/ Spring 2007 AP/ Spring 2007

20072007COLORADOCOLORADO

PEDESTRIANPEDESTRIANSUMMITSUMMIT

September 20-22Vail, Colorado

Colorado Walks ishosting the 2007Colorado PedestrianSummit in Vail, CO.The Summit will bringtogether electedofficials and citizensfrom communitiesthroughout Coloradowith professionals fromhealth, fitness, schools,& transportation tolearn the critical stepsnecessary to createstrong communitycoalitions to ensurethat pedestrians of allages and abilities havethe opportunity to walksafely throughout theircommunity. The formatof the Summit is ashort lecture followedby roundtablediscussion of actualColorado case studies.You will leave theSummit withknowledge of thephysical, political, andeconomic componentsof making communitieswalkable and the toolsnecessary toimplement change inyour community. A fewof the workshop topicsinclude: BuildingMultidisciplinaryPartnerships,Walkable CommunityPolicies, ActionPlans, &ImplementationStrategies, andSustaining WalkableCommunities.

ColoradoWalks.org

MaintMaintaining Taining Traffic Sign Retroreflectivityraffic Sign RetroreflectivityTools and Guidance

Highway agencies may exclude thefollowing signs from the retroreflectivitymaintenance guidelines.

A. Parking, Standing, and Stopping signs(R7 and R8 series)

B. Walking/Hitchhiking/Crossing signs(R9 series, R10-1 through R10-4b)

C. Adopt-A-Highway signs

D. All signs with blue or brownbackgrounds

E. Bikeway signs that are intended forexclusive use by bicyclists or pedestrians

Maintaining Minimum Retroreflectivity

FHWA offers the following managementand assessment methods for use byagencies to aid in the maintenance of theirtraffic signs. Combining two or more ofthe proposed methods may prove usefuldepending on the agency size andavailable resources.

A. Visual Nighttime Inspection – Theretroreflectivity of an existing sign isassessed by a trained sign inspectorconducting a visual inspection from amoving vehicle during nighttimeconditions. Signs that are visuallyidentified by the inspector to haveretroreflectivity below the minimum levelsshould be replaced.

B. Measured Sign Retroreflectivity –Sign retroreflectivity is measured using aretroreflectometer. Signs withretroreflectivity below the minimum levelsshould be replaced.

C. Expected Sign Life – When signs areinstalled, the installation date is labeled orrecorded so that the age of a sign isknown. The age of the sign is compared tothe expected sign life. The expected signlife is based on the experience of signretroreflectivity degradation in ageographic area compared to the minimumlevels. Signs older than the expected lifeshould be replaced.

D. Blanket Replacement – All signs in anarea/corridor, or of a given type, should bereplaced at specified intervals. Thiseliminates the need to assessretroreflectivity or track the life ofindividual signs. The replacement intervalis based on the expected sign life,compared to the minimum levels, for theshortest-life material used on the affectedsigns.

E. Control Signs – Replacement of signsin the field is based on the performance ofa sample of control signs. The controlsigns might be a small sample located in amaintenance yard or a sample of signs inthe field. The control signs are monitoredto determine the end of retroreflective lifefor the associated signs. All field signsrepresented by the control sample shouldbe replaced before the retroreflectivitylevels of the control sample reach theminimum levels.

Whether or not the proposed publicationdate proves true, data shows thatassessment and management of trafficsigns when coupled with crash analysissaves lives, suffering, and reduces propertydamage. One example of this is theMendocino Model whereby a local agencywas able to realize a 50% percent decreasein fatalities over six years with a costbenefit of one-hundred and fifty dollars forevery dollar spent improving signing.

Realizing that implementation of thesemethods is costly, the Utah LTAP Centerhas worked to identify low cost userfriendly tools that agencies may choose touse. One tool that local agencies may finduseful is a safety software suite availablefor download at:http://waylon.engr.usu.edu/. This suiteis royalty free; it is GIS based and includesa sign management module as well as acrash analysis module. Technical supportis handled through a forum where userscan post and respond to queries sharingtheir experience with other users. On siteimplementation may be available throughcontractors or student help facilitated byvarious LTAP Centers. Alan Green, the

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...continued on page 9

ColorColorado Lado LTTAP/ Spring 2007AP/ Spring 2007 PPaagge e 99

VILLAGE MILEVILLAGE MILEWWALK / RUNALK / RUN

Sat, September 22

The ColoradoPedestrian Summit willconclude on Saturdaymorning withconference attendeesjoining Vail residentsand visitors in theVillage Mile Walk/Run.The Village Mile is thefinal event in America'sDowntown Mile RaceSeries(http://www.americasdowntownmile.com/) andColorado Walks Miles2007 season. Summitattendees areencouraged to bringtheir families for thisexciting and fun one-mile walk/run in theheart of Vail'spedestrian district.

For more information,regarding thePedestrian Summit orVillage Walk/Run,contact:

Gay PagePresidentColorado WalksPO Box 24007Denver, CO 80224303-549-5081Fax 303-756-3063Email: gaypage@ColoradoWalks.orgWebsite:ColoradoWalks.org

Safety Coordinator for Grand County, Colorado said, “I think this software is exactlywhat the municipalities need to get a sign program up and running. By using their ownGIS road data they can go right to any given area and see which signs are in place inthat given area. This program is going to be a great tool for Grand County Road &Bridge to use in managing its signs.”

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SIGN INVENTORY SIGN INVENTORY

CRASH ANALYSIS CRASH ANALYSIS with DENSITY GRID

PPaagge e 1010 ColorColorado Lado LTTAP/ Spring 2007 AP/ Spring 2007

VEHICLE VEHICLE ANDANDEQUIPMENTEQUIPMENT

SAFETYSAFETYPreventive maintenanceis safety. Goodpreventive maintenanceinsures the vehicle willoperate with optimumperformance and lessbreakdowns resulting insafer operation. You asan operator are animportant part of asuccessful preventivemaintenance program.

Daily safety checks andpre-trip inspections youmake on your trucks areimportant at any time.Relative to winteroperations: check fluidlevels, tire tread andinflation, brakes,windshield wipers andwiper blades, heater,defroster, cleanwindows and mirrors.

Check all lights! Alllights are needed whileplowing and spreading.You are out therebecause of unsafeconditions. Lights aren’tonly for you to see, but toalso be seen!

.....continued on page 13

ImportImportance of ance of Equipment MaintenanceEquipment MaintenanceEven When Times Get Hectic, Don’t Forget to Check for Necessary Repairs

his winter many maintenanceprograms have been challenged and,

in many cases agencies came up shortwithout necessary resources (equipment,deicing materials, and trained labor) to dothe job. However, if agencies don’treview after large events and find weaklinks in the system, then when MotherNature decides to repeat herself agenciescould be singing the blues and come upshort in the good winter maintenancedepartment.

Accidents caused by malfunctioningequipment can cause hazardous situationsfor operators as well as the motoringpublic, not to mention the liability issues.Don’t wait until it’s too late. Asprofessional snowfighters, safety shouldbe your #1 priority. Provide operators theopportunity to go over their snowplows(truck, motor grader, loader, or backhoe).Is the equipment ready for the challengeof the next big storm? Have equipmentinspections and operational functionalitybeen checked?

The following checklist can help youmake sure your snowplows and othermaintenance equipment are in goodworking condition before the next bigstorm.

Ground Engaging Components Ground Engaging Components

Cutting Edges and Guardsoooo Inspect all cutting edges. Replace thosethat are broken or excessively worn. oooo Inspect wear guards. Replace thosethat are broken or worn.

Running Gearoooo Inspect running gear shoes. Replacethose that are broken, worn, or missing. oooo Inspect adjuster leg components, andreplace all that are damaged. oooo Grease internal threads and slidingmembers.

Hardwareoooo Replace all missing or broken bolts.Use grade 8 plow bolts for steel cuttingedges.

Hydraul ics Hydraul ics

Hosesoooo Plug or cap any QC fittings and anyopen hose ends. oooo Inspect hoses for any leaks or potentialleaks. Replace as needed. oooo Secure hoses with hose clamps.

Cylindersoooo Check for leaks (If V-rod end seals areleaking, try tightening the pack nut 1/4turn. This method will often stop a smallleak.) oooo Inspect the cylinders for any chromerod dents or scratches.oooo Apply a light coat of oil or grease onthe exposed rod surfaces.

Frame and Moldboard Frame and Moldboard

Hosesoooo Check pins, bushings, and pivot boltsfor wear.

DidDidYYouou

Know?Know?

A 10-inch snowstorm can cover a3’ x 100’ sidewalkwith about 1,650pounds of snow!

T

...continued on page 13

ColorColorado Lado LTTAP/ Spring 2007AP/ Spring 2007 PPaagge e 1111

All videos, publications and CDs in the LTAP lending library are available for checkout for a two-week period, free of charge. To check out

materials or request a library catalogue, contact the Colorado LTAP office at 1-888-848-5827.Below is a list of most recent materials added to the library. Our library materials can also be ordered online at:h t t p : / / l t a p . c o l o r a d o . e d uh t t p : / / l t a p . c o l o r a d o . e d u

New CDsNew CDsLocation Title

CD ECCNP Erosion Control Compliance with NPDES Phase II Is development putting enormous pressure on you and your agency's efforts to enforce local erosion and sedimentcontrol ordinances and NPDES Phase II regulations? In this two-hour program, learn tactics for conducting inspectionsand enforcing the ordinances and regulations, get information on EPA's new Construction General Permit andelectronic application system, how to more effectively implement erosion control programs, and much more.

CD GSWBBT Guidelines for the Selection of W-Beam Barrier Terminals This CD provides information for designers and construction/maintenance personnel responsible for selecting andproperly installing the most appropriate terminal design at any site. In addition to showing the actual crashperformance of each terminal type, this CD provides guidance on proper site grading and presents real-world examplesof both appropriate and inappropriate installations.

CD LNAPW Leadership in the New Age of Public WorksDr. John Luthy, long-time public works advocate insists that it is time for public works to step into a new era of visibleand proactive community leadership. This 2-hour program will stimulate leadership thinking at all levels. Don’t missthis opportunity to explore evolving new roles for public works leaders, leadership competencies needed for embracingthese new roles, hard realities of recruitment, retention, and employee development and more.

CD RSP Ready, Set, Plow! Tips and Tasks for Preparing Your Fleet for Snow Season Winter weather is an annual force to be reckoned with. Learn how to plan ahead to ensure that both your equipmentand plow operators are up to the task. This program features checklists, tips on alternate vehicle usage, and how tostretch your budget dollars.

CD TC Traffic Calming In this program, traffic calming experts will provide you with information on traffic calming practices that work;information on new trends, models and devices. They will also cover how to prevent/avoid common pitfalls and howto effectively involve constituents in the process. Equip yourself with the knowledge to make the right traffic calmingchoices for your community. If you want to succeed with traffic calming this program is for you!

CD SSHB Standard Specifications for Highway Bridges In this program, traffic calming experts will provide you with information on traffic calming practices that work;information on new trends, models and devices. They will also cover how to prevent/avoid common pitfalls and howto effectively involve constituents in the process. Equip yourself with the knowledge to make the right traffic calmingchoices for your community. If you want to succeed with traffic calming this program is for you.

What’sWhat’s NewNewi n t h ei n t h e

LIBRARY?LIBRARY?

PPaagge e 1212 ColorColorado Lado LTTAP/ Spring 2007 AP/ Spring 2007

What’s NewWhat’s Newi n t h ei n t h e

LIBRARY?LIBRARY?

New Publ icat ionsNew Publ icat ionsLocation Title

11 FSU Financing Stormwater Utilities Urban storm water management deals with two components--quantity and quality. This booklet covers the user chargeand the utility concept as the most dependable and equitable approaches available to local governments for financingstorm water management.

17 GLD Good Until the Last Drop - A Practitioner's Guide to Water Reuse This book is for the public utility/public works professional, to provide an understanding of the importantconsiderations needed to capture the greatest value from the recycled water resource. The book raises many questionsand provides guidance to help resolve many issues.

11 ICS Incident Command System (ICS)- Pocket Guide Many incidents--whether major accidents (such as Haz-Mat [hazardous materials] spills), minor incidents (such ashouse fires and utility outages), or emergencies and major disasters (such as tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, andearthquakes) require a response from a number of different agencies. All incidents require a coordinated effort to ensurean effective response and the efficient, safe use of resources. To achieve this coordination the Incident CommandSystem was created.

50 QGTTCD Quality Guidelines for Temporary Traffic Control Devices Handbook Quality Guidelines for Temporary Traffic Control Devices is a handy pocket sized handbook which illustrates variouscondition levels of TTC devices. The guidelines classify traffic control devices as acceptable, marginal or unacceptablefor use in work zones.

40 RR RIPARIAN RESTORATION: Road Field Guide The US Forest Service's Riparian Restoration: Road Field Guide addresses practical issues involved with road designand building in relation to riparian areas. Topics discussed include retaining walls, slope rounding and revegetation, soilbioengineering, invasive species, ditch treaments, low water crossings, culverts, fish passage, and many more.

New New VVideosideosLocation Title

V101 SRIS Snow Removal In Safety Snow clearing and removal is a seasonal task that increases accident risk. To reduce these risks, you must trainemployees with the proper health and safety measures before winter. This video covers topics such as planning beforedeparture, road safety, first aid, breakdown of vehicles, clearing out roads and parking lots, collection and loading ofsnow on public roads and sidewalk maintenance.

NEWNEW: : AA Snowplow OperatorSnowplow Operator ’’s Guide to Snow and Ice Equipments Guide to Snow and Ice Equipment

This winter has been one that has brought a lot of snow to the stateand it’s not over yet. Colorado LTAP has an addition to the library thatwill help make the rest of the winter a little bit easier. The IdahoDepartment of Transportation and the Idaho LTAP center developed aninteractive DVD for snowplow operators called A Snowplow Operator’sGuide to Snow and Ice Equipment. Through video clips and interactiveelements, this DVD helps snowplow operators learn about types ofsnow fighting equipment, maintenance, inspection, and operation. TheDVD is self paced and has interactive quizzes at the end.

ColorColorado Lado LTTAP/ Spring 2007AP/ Spring 2007 PPaagge e 1313

VEHICLE VEHICLE ANDANDEQUIPMENTEQUIPMENT

SAFETYSAFETY

Back-up alarm, plowflags, and warning signson the rear of the truckare good safety items foryou and others inpreventing accidents.

Radio communicationsare a necessity forefficient operations butare also a necessity forsafety. Every truck shouldbe required to have amobile radio forcommunications.

With a full fuel tank, anda final walk aroundinspection, your lastsafety practice when youclimb into the cab beforedriving off is to BUCKLEUP. The use of yoursafety belt should becomehabit, a natural actionprior to turning the key inthe ignition. When thatplow hits that raisedmanhole, you will realizethe value of your safetybelt habit.

oooo Make sure all keepers are in place.oooo Make sure shear bolts and pins are thesame grade as those originally in theequipment (usually grade 2 or 5).Although you may be tempted to replacethese bolts with a grade 8 bolt to reducethe need for replacement when plowing,the original-grade bolts are designed toshear, protecting the driver and theequipment.

Weldmentsoooo Check for cracks.

Setup Setup

oooo Replace worn or broken parts found byabove inspections. oooo Position plow in storage/parking spaceon a solid surface.oooo Adjust running gear, if equipped, tohold plow frame at the level needed toreconnect to the truck. This adjustmentwill also properly set the running gear forplow operation.

Replacement SReplacement S tock tock

oooo Check your stores of replacement stock.oooo Order replacement stock by mid-fall toavoid shortages when a storm hits.

VVis ibi l i ty i s ib i l i ty

oooo Check the visibility of your truck.

If your old equipment just can’t hold upto prolonged use during back-to-backstorms or survive an extended snowstormwhich dumps 2-3 feet or more, then downtime should be used to leverage publicawareness for new equipment of moresnowplows. In between storms, repairequipment, or explore any new techniques,material or equipment you want to add toyour winter maintenance resources. Thisis the time to get those items ordered andinstalled so you won’t be in competitionwith all the other highway and streetagencies wanting to add or upgrade thesame equipment or programs.

Don’t forget to evaluate your laborneeds as well. What do you need to do tomake sure that all your labor force isadequately trained on new or borrowedequipment when a storm hits? Youcertainly don’t want to be training the daybefore the Big One hits.

Make the commitment to put your needsin writing and submit them to the powers-that-be (a city council, the countycommissioners, the town supervisors) sothey know exactly toward what type ofwinter maintenance performance youragency is striving.

References:You Survived Last Winter...Did You Learn Anything,Andrew C. Briscoe III, Salt Institute. Pre-Season Winter Maintenance Checklist, Vol. 20,#3, Fall 2004. Safe Winter Operations for ProfessionalSnowfighters, Salt Institute.

ImportImportance of Equipment Maintenanceance of Equipment Maintenance

continued from page 10...

DidDidYYouou

Know?Know?

A falling snowflakemay take up toTWO hours to

reach the ground,and even the

heaviest snowflakefalls at only ONE

mile per hour!Contact CO LTAP for a sample Snow & Ice control inspection sheet.

PPaagge e 1414 ColorColorado Lado LTTAP/ Spring 2007 AP/ Spring 2007

olorado LTAP would like tocongratulate the recent

graduates of our two trainingprograms. The followingparticipants successfully completedprogram requirements of attendingthe nine prescribed courses for eachprogram.

Road ScholarRoad ScholarJohn Carlson - City of ArvadaJim Ellison-City of ArvadaJim Hatheway - City of DeltaAl Gomez - City of LafayetteBob Hosier - City of LafayetteAllen DeBelly - City of LakewoodMike Stadler - City of LongmontMark Tafoya - City of LongmontRobert Zufelt - City of GoldenDawn Fosket - City of Greeley

Alfred Rios - City of GreeleyMarcos Dominguez-Cty of GreeleyClarence Sandoval-City of GreeleyWill Binegar - Snowmass VillagePaul Trujillo - Snowmass VillageMike Garretson - City of ThorntonRob Dinnel - City of WestminsterRob Winter - City of WindsorKeith Wilcox - Woodland ParkDonna Pisel - Arapahoe CountyKenneth Ross - Arapahoe CountyMark Krumpelmann-Arapahoe CntyRussell Babcock - El Paso CountyMike Vander Pol - Garfield CountyJames Fahrni-Gilpin CountyBill Clark - Grand CountySteve Prather - La Plata CountyKen Briar - La Plata County

Gerard Gurule - La Plata CountyPatricio Montoya-Las Animas CntyDavid Livingston - Mesa CountyBrent Denney - Otero CountyEd Ehrlich - Otero CountyDarryl Schulz - Otero CountyJim Linn-Park CountyEugen Swick - Phillips CountyMike Borland - Phillips CountyBill Ziegler - Pitkin CountyBryan Kincaid - Teller CountySteve Vahsholtz - Teller County

SupervisorSupervisor y Skills Pry Skills ProgramogramMike Stadler - City of LongmontMike Hillis - Weld CountyBob Snidow - Weld County

Congratulations Congratulations Recent Training Program Graduates

C

EntirEntire Se Strtreet Division Cereet Division CertifiedtifiedThe City of Golden’s Streets Division recently accomplished a goal, set for itself several years ago, of havingthe entire crew certified as “Road Scholars” through Colorado LTAP. “We were very close many times but,with employees coming and going, we were just never able to hit our target,” said Streets Superintendent RonReavis. Pictured above from left to right, Robby Zufelt, Dale Seitz, Mike Councilman, Rob Gibson, BryanWellensiek, Dan Garramone, Dave Ackley (the tall one), Chad Mills, Scott Ota, Dave Henkel, Mark Dugan andSteve Kurtz are all certified. Kurtz and Ackley also have completed the Supervisory Skills and DevelopmentProgram courses. There are currently five other employees that are attending the Supervisory Skills Program.Both of these programs have been a tremendous asset to our training and education programs, according toReavis. The crew is wearing jackets that were given to them as awards in 2005 for having reduced propertyclaim losses by 20% from the previous year.

ColorColorado Lado LTTAP/ Spring 2007AP/ Spring 2007 PPaagge e 1515

Upcoming EvUpcoming Eventsents

NOTE: Please contact the ColoradoLTAP office for an updated schedule, orcheck online at http://ltap.colorado.edu.

Road Scholar Core ClassesRoad Scholar Core Classes

Roadway Safety & Work Zone TCMarch 7, 2007 – Castle RockMarch 9, 2007 – La JuntaMarch 12, 2007 – Glenwood SpringsMarch 14, 2007 – Durango

Road Scholar ElectivesRoad Scholar Electives

Low Cost Safety ImprovementsMarch 27, 2007 – LongmontMarch 28, 2007 – Colorado SpringsMarch 30, 2007 - Grand Junction

Construction Grade Stake & Blueprint April 23, 2007 – Fort MorganApril 24, 2007 – Colorado SpringsApril 26, 2007 – Montrose

Roadside Vegetation MaintenanceSpring 2007 - 3 Locations

Heavy Equipment TrainingMay 14, 2007 – Byers, COMay 15-16 - In-field Group 1May 17-18 – In-field Group 2

TTraffic Control Supervisor raffic Control Supervisor Certification (TCS)Certification (TCS)

May 9-10 - EnglewoodMay 9-10 - Englewood

Supervisory Skills ClassesSupervisory Skills Classes

Developing the Leader WithinMarch 16 - Denver

EthicsApril 16 - South Denver

Written CommunicationsApril 17 - South Denver

Flagger CertificationMay 7, 2007 – SterlingMay 8, 2007 – GreeleyMay 10, 2007 – FriscoMay 11, 2007 – Grand Junction

This spring brings conferences you don’twant to miss! Come visit the LTAP boothat the following events.

Concrete Pavement WorkshopMarch 21 - 22, 2007Greeley, COwww.paveconcrete.org/workshop.php

APWA-CARMA Street ConferenceApril 18-20, 2007Grand Junction, COhttp://ltap.colorado.edu/

APWA N. American Snow ConferenceApril 22-25, 2007St. Paul, MNhttp://apwa.net/snow

Conferences

Workshops

Upcoming Training

Our center iscontinuing its programto encourage localparticipation in thepublishing of ColoradoLTAP’s quarterlynewsletter. We wouldlike the recipients ofour newsletter tobenefit from all theknowledge localagencies have in theareas of roadwaymaintenance, design,and construction. Weare offering $50.00 tocity, town, or countyemployees that submitan article that ischosen to be publishedin our newsletter.Articles can addresscurrent methods andprocedures, bestpractices, innovativetechniques, or projectsin the transportationindustry. Contentshould contain asmuch detail aspossible, but we canprovide assistance inediting and writing thefinal version. Werequest articles notpromote any particularproduct. Photos areencouraged. To submitarticles and/or photos,include author nameand contact info, andmail or email to

cltap@colorado.edu

Need a little Need a little EExtra cash?xtra cash?

Yourknowledge is

worthsomething.

WW eb Based Teb Based Training Opportunit iesraining Opportunit ies

March 22 - Advanced Construction Inspection Part 1: Project Management

April 5 - Advanced Construction Inspection Part 2: New Technology

April 12 - Advanced Construction Inspection Part 3: Contract Administration

April 19 - State-of-Art Technologies for Stormwater Management

For more information visit: http://apwa.net/Events/

Nonprofit Org.U.S. Postage

PAIDBoulder, CO

Permit No. 257

Colorado LTAP

Nat

iona

l LTAP & TTAP Program

s

Serving America’s Local Road & Brid

ge A

genc

ies

University of Colorado at Boulder3100 Marine St, A-213UCB 561Boulder, CO 80309-0561

FF RR EE EE MM AA TT EE RR II AA LL SSFF RR EE EE MM AA TT EE RR II AA LL SSF11 FSU Financing Stormwater Utilities Urban storm water management deals with two components--quantity and quality. Thisbooklet covers the user charge and the utility concept as the most dependable andequitable approaches available to local governments for financing storm watermanagement.

FCD GSWBBT Guidelines for Selecting W-Beam Barrier Terminals This CD provides information for designers and construction/maintenance personnelresponsible for selecting and properly installing the most appropriate terminal design atany site. In addition to showing the actual crash performance of each terminal type,this CD provides guidance on proper site grading and presents real-world examples ofboth appropriate and inappropriate installations.

F11 ICS Incident Command System (ICS)- Pocket Guide Many incidents--whether major accidents (such as Haz-Mat [hazardous materials]spills), minor incidents (such as house fires and utility outages), or emergencies andmajor disasters (such as tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, and earthquakes) require aresponse from a number of different agencies. All incidents require a coordinated effortto ensure an effective response and the efficient, safe use of resources. To achieve thiscoordination the Incident Command System was created.

F50 QGTTCD Quality Guidelines for Temp. Traffic Control Devices This pocket sized handbook illustrates various condition levels of temporary trafficcontrol devices. These guidelines classify traffic control devices as acceptable,marginal or unacceptable for use in work zones.

F5 RSG Roadway Safety Glossary Handbook The purpose of this glossary is to foster the use of commonly used business termsuniformly used throughout the roadway safety industry and to provide a tool to facilitateeffective communication among roadway safety workers. .

The following is a list ofFREE materials

available to Colorado localgovernment agencies in the

transportation field.Quantities are limited andavailable on a first-come,

first-serve basis.

Contact the Colorado LTAPoffice to put in a request for

these free publications.

**Check out our website for additional free materials

not listed here.

http://ltap.colorado.edu