Over the years, I saw more than a few workplace injuries and equipment accidents. Fortunately, most weren't catastrophic, but every one of them had something in common. There was an accident. Someone investigated it. A form was completed. It was filed away. And then...we moved on. What was learn…continue
Every highway department fills potholes. It's one of those jobs that never truly ends and, put plainly, potholes are a massive pain in the ass. As soon as you think you've caught up, another freeze-thaw cycle, heavy rain, or overloaded truck creates a fresh crop of pavement failures that dem…continue
Most drivers have experienced it at least once. You're driving on a familiar road after dark when the rain begins to fall. At first, visibility remains acceptable, but as the pavement becomes saturated, the lane markings seem to fade away or disappear entirely. Suddenly, you're relying on th…continue
Anyone who has driven during a nighttime rainstorm has likely experienced the unsettling feeling of suddenly losing sight of the pavement markings that define the travel lane. The centerline disappears into the darkness, the edge line fades away, and drivers are left relying on muscle memory, roadsi…continue
One of the most common questions asked of highway and public works departments is, “Who is responsible for this?” In many cases, the answer seems straightforward. The municipality maintains the public road, while homeowners and property owners are responsible for their own private proper…continue
Ask ten residents who is responsible for maintaining sidewalks in their town and you may receive ten different answers. Some assume the municipality handles everything. Others believe the adjacent property owner is fully responsible. In reality, sidewalk responsibility is often far more complicated …continue
Sidewalks are among the most heavily used pieces of public infrastructure in any community. Residents rely on them every day for walking, jogging, accessing businesses, reaching schools, and connecting to transit systems. Yet despite their importance, sidewalks are often overlooked until someone tri…continue
Public works and highway departments across the United States are legally required to maintain traffic control devices that meet minimum standards for visibility, condition, and retroreflectivity. According to the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), every public agency must have a pro…continue
Every municipality is responsible for maintaining traffic signs in accordance with the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). While most superintendents recognize the importance of installing the correct signs in the correct locations, the job doesn’t end there. Signs are only effe…continue
Quick-reference guide for rural roads Why placement matters Driver safety & liability - Wrongly placed signs can block sight-lines, be struck by vehicles, or fail to give drivers enough time to react. Compliance - The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) is adopted as law in most st…continue
A practical guide to defensible record-keeping for highway departments When a state auditor, insurance adjuster, or opposing attorney asks for documentation, there is only one safe answer: “Certainly, here it is.” Anything less invites financial penalties, lost grant funding, or courtroo…continue
The scenario is this: a new development is constructed in your town with engineered plans, and all of the stormwater infrastructure was properly inspected and installed as per expectations. Everything appears satisfactory, the homes are built and and the new residents are moving in. Awhile later, af…continue
Why every highway department should treat potholes, faded striping, and clogged drains as potential lawsuit magnets 1 | The public-safety duty In every U.S. state, the agency that owns or controls a roadway has a non-delegable duty to keep it “reasonably safe for travel.” Courts have sai…continue
In highway maintenance and construction, digging is routine, but it should never be done without first contacting Dig Safe or your local "Call Before You Dig" service. Whether you’re replacing a culvert, installing a new signpost, or trenching for drainage improvements, underground u…continue
Keeping roadsides clear and safe goes beyond pavement maintenance. Mowing and vegetation control are essential tasks that help ensure driver visibility and overall roadway safety. Overgrown grass, brush, and tree limbs can obstruct sightlines, block traffic signs, and hide hazards from motorists. A …continue
Highway departments are responsible for maintaining traffic signs so they remain visible and legible to motorists, day and night. A key part of this responsibility is ensuring that signs maintain adequate retroreflectivity, or the ability to reflect light from vehicle headlights back to drivers at n…continue
For highway departments striving to stay compliant, organized, and legally protected, keeping accurate and up-to-date records of traffic signs is critical. Signs are among the most visible and most litigated assets on the road. To ensure accountability, safety, and compliance with federal and state …continue
Maintaining safe and visible traffic signs is one of the most important responsibilities of any highway department. Over time, sign sheeting materials degrade, reducing their visibility at night. The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) requires that agencies maintain sign retroreflecti…continue
As a highway superintendent, managing your department’s workload is a balancing act between limited resources, urgent needs, and long-term planning. With miles of roadway, countless infrastructure assets, and ever-changing weather conditions, knowing what to tackle first can feel overwhelming.…continue
Barricades are a common sight in construction zones, work areas, and emergency detours, but not all barricades are created equal. The orange or red diagonal stripes you see on barricades aren't just there for visibility - they actually convey important directional and safety information to drive…continue
Defending Against Liability Claims Highway departments are on the front lines of public safety, maintaining roads, traffic signals, signs, and other infrastructure that keeps communities moving. But with that responsibility comes liability. If a stop sign is missing, a traffic signal malfunctions, o…continue
The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) is the national standard for traffic signs, road surface markings, and signals in the United States. Maintained by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the MUTCD serves as the backbone of roadway safety and consistency, guiding how informat…continue
Stormwater infrastructure is one of the most overlooked yet essential components of a municipality’s public works inventory. Culverts, catch basins, dry wells, and swales might not make headlines, but they quietly prevent flooding, protect roads, and keep pollution out of local waterways. And …continue
When it comes to municipal liability, a missing stop sign or a damaged guardrail isn't just an inconvenience, it’s a lawsuit waiting to happen. That’s why your municipality’s liability insurance carrier is increasingly urging highway departments to adopt asset management platfo…continue
Highway departments play a critical role in the safety, efficiency, and upkeep of our communities. But in too many cases, particularly in small towns, the methods used to maintain roads, drainage systems, signage, and other infrastructure have gone unchanged for decades. The phrase “we’v…continue
*Disclaimer: This is not a paid product placement. The company Miovision is mentioned in this article solely based on my experience with their product. I cannot make a comparison between them and other companies offering similar products. Artificial Intelligence Behind the Wheel: How Video Detection…continue
Every year, municipalities are required to submit updates to their local road inventory to the state - and for good reason. While it may feel like a mundane paperwork task, this inventory plays a vital role in everything from road funding to infrastructure planning, at both the state and federal lev…continue
It’s not uncommon for concerned residents—especially those with young children—to contact their local highway superintendent with a simple request: “Can we get a speed bump on our street to slow traffic down?” It’s an understandable concern. Everyone wants safer s…continue
Sure, we’re often told to “play nice” with the Town Board, keep things smooth, don’t make waves, go along to get along. After all, they do control the budget, and we get it: without funding, nothing gets done. But here’s the thing - highway superintendents aren’t …continue
Each year, as your fiscal calendar’s winding down, and you’ve got a little bit of budget left over. While it might be tempting to sit on it or scramble to spend it last minute, there’s a smarter way to handle that year-end balance: use it to stock up on the essentials you know you&…continue
Efficient highway management requires meticulous record-keeping on various assets that contribute to the safety, functionality, and longevity of road infrastructure. A well-maintained asset database allows highway departments to plan maintenance schedules, allocate budgets effectively, and ensure pu…continue
Highway superintendents play a critical role in maintaining and improving road infrastructure, ensuring the safety and efficiency of transportation networks. As road construction technologies, materials, and regulations continue to evolve, ongoing education is essential for highway superintendents t…continue
For small highway departments, managing road, sign, drainage, and signal assets can feel overwhelming, especially when you're short on staff, time, and budget. Yet without a reliable system to track the condition and maintenance history of your infrastructure, your department is flying blind. Th…continue
At first glance, "Children at Play" signs seem like a commonsense addition to residential streets. These signs, typically adorned with an image of a child or a playful font, aim to encourage drivers to slow down and heighten their awareness of children in the area. However, despite their w…continue
Ensuring the safety of road users is a top priority for transportation planners and engineers. One effective tool to achieve this is the road safety audit (RSA), a proactive approach to identifying and mitigating safety risks on existing or planned roadways. RSAs play a crucial role in minimizing ac…continue
Sidewalks are a fundamental component of urban and suburban infrastructure, providing safe and accessible pathways for pedestrians. However, poorly designed or neglected sidewalks can pose significant safety risks. To promote pedestrian safety, it is crucial to focus on innovative design strategies …continue
In an era where technology is integrated into almost every aspect of our lives, its impact on road safety is becoming increasingly evident. Distracted driving, once primarily associated with eating or adjusting the radio, has evolved into a much more significant problem, fueled by our reliance on sm…continue
Roundabouts are becoming an increasingly popular feature on roads across the world, and for good reason: they improve safety, reduce traffic delays, and enhance the overall driving experience. By replacing traditional intersections with signals or stop signs, roundabouts offer a more efficient way t…continue
Road cones, also known as traffic cones or safety cones, are highly visible, cone-shaped markers that are used in various situations to manage and control traffic, improve safety, and indicate temporary hazards on roads and other public areas. Here are some common uses of road cones: Traffic Control…continue
*The following information has been copied verbatim from Federal Highway Administration publication FHWA-SA-07-020. Traffic signs provide important information to road users. To be effective, traffic sign visibility must be maintained during daytime and nighttime conditions. In addition to Section 2…continue