CDOT rapid debris removal research project.

Details

• Creators:
  Strong, Kelly C. ; Vasques, Rodolfo Valdes
• Corporate Creators:
  Colorado State University
• Corporate Contributors:
  United States. Federal Highway Administration
• Subject/TRT Terms:
  Debris Removal Highway Maintenance Maintenance Equipment Occupational Safety Technological Innovations Traffic Safety
• Publication/ Report Number:
  CDOT-2014-9
• Resource Type:
  Tech Report
• Geographical Coverage:
  Colorado
• Corporate Publisher:
  Colorado. Dept. of Transportation. Applied Research and Innovation Branch
• Abstract:
  Highway debris represents a traffic safety problem that requires a prompt response from state or local transportation
  
  agencies. The most common practice for debris removal currently is for agency personnel to leave their vehicles and
  
  remove the debris by hand in the case of large debris (tires, lumber, freight loss, rock fall) or to sweep traveled lanes,
  
  shoulders, or intersections in the case of crashes, mechanical failure, or embankment erosion. This exposes agency
  
  workers to safety risks, especially on high-speed and/or high-volume roadways. Currently, the Colorado Department
  
  of Transportation (CDOT) has no widely distributed formal guidelines for safely and effectively removing debris
  
  from the roadway.
  
  Equipment modifications and innovations have been developed that can remove debris from highways without
  
  exposing agency workers to moving traffic. Innovative equipment has been introduced to the market which allows
  
  for high-speed debris removal, such as the Gator Getter®.
  
  Through a combination of field observations, interviews with CDOT personnel, equipment manufacturers, and other
  
  state DOTs, the research concluded that the Gator Getter is very effective for collecting tire treads on smooth
  
  (asphalt) pavements where operating speeds can be maintained above 45 MPH. The effectiveness of the Gator Getter
  
  decreases when operating speeds drop below 45 MPH and on rougher pavements such as shoulders or tined concrete
  
  pavements. Both the safety and effectiveness decline when the Gator Getter is used on mixed debris, scattered or
  
  longitudinal debris, and low visibility conditions. The Gator Getter should not be used on segmented pavements,
  
  bridge decks, or railroad tracks, and should not be used to collect rocks, concrete fragments, or metal objects.
  
  Implementation
  
  The Gator Getter is recommended for use in clearing tire debris from smooth asphalt roadways in locations where
  
  speeds can be maintained above 45 MPH.
  
  
• Format:
  PDF
• Collection(s):
  US Transportation Collection
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha256:b36b14bf95c942070b15ce826df0a08a0fb209d4ea779febc1ea6d0da8941c78
• Download URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/27731/dot_27731_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 595.75 KB ]