To watch a video about the new safety website, click here.

“We are excited to be able to provide this tool for motorists, especially on the eve of one of the busiest travel days of the year,” said TDOT Commissioner John Schroer. “The features we’re providing can help travelers avoid congestion and have a safer drive to their holiday destinations.”

The home screen for the TDOT SmartWay App is a map, which will locate your current position. Users will see icons on the left hand side of the map for traffic speeds, incidents, cameras, road construction, road conditions, and dynamic message signs. Map views can be customized by simply clicking on those icons.

The bottom of the screen shows the TDOT SmartWay App’s other features:

• Near Me – Allows users to see traffic incidents, construction, and road conditions near their current location.
• Notifications – Allows users to set up customized alerts about traffic incidents, construction, and road conditions. Alerts can be set up either by start and end point, or by choosing the county and route. Users can select the time frame to receive notifications, and create multiple notifications.
• Favorites – From the map screen, users can select a camera, and click “Add to Favorites.” Once selected favorites have been added, users will have the ability to scroll through to see real-time images of their route.

The TDOT SmartWay App was developed by NIC, the state’s chosen eGovernment portal vendor. NIC will provide user support for the application. The Help Desk can be reached 24 hours a day by calling 615-313-0300 or 1-866-8TN-EGOV. For more information, please visit http://www.tdot.state.tn.us/tdotsmartway/mobile.htm.

TDOT asks motorists to use the TDOT SmartWay App responsibly. Drivers should “know before you go!” by checking traffic conditions

3M’s WorkGloves are made with the manufacturer’s proprietary Gripping Material, which is said to provide up to a 270 percent improvement in friction when used as a two-part system, which mates the gloves with tools or piece of equipment wrapped with 3M Gripping Material tape improving friction over traditional leather gloves and wraps.

The Gripping Material makes the gloves ideal for wet or oily conditions and helps to enhance traction and hold on tools and pieces of equipment. The gloves are also resistant to abrasion and punctures.

All are toll road projects that are currently undergoing or have been through a restructuring – or even bankruptcy.  While traditional restructuring tools are certainly available in restructuring toll road deals, toll road restructurings also present unique considerations that warrant special attention.

Toll road revenues have been adversely affected by the economic recession and  rising gas prices, which drove down traffic overall.  The availability of alternative, free public roads has also dissuaded drivers from using toll roads.  In some instances, toll roads have not achieved revenue projections because they were built in anticipation of new housing and commercial developments that never materialized.

Traditional Restructuring Tools

The traditional tools employed with respect to the restructuring of any project finance deal — such as an amendment to the financing documents and/or a conversion of debt to equity — may also be used for toll road matters. In a restructuring of the finance documents, the key constituencies may agree upon extended maturity dates, revised interest rates and amended financial covenants, for example. In the San Joaquin Hills toll road deal, $2.06 billion in toll revenue bonds were restructured by extending maturity dates, revising the debt-service coverage ratio and reducing annual debt service.  Debt restructurings were also implemented for the Dulles Greenway (VA) and Southern Connector (SC) projects.

As an alternative to or in conjunction with a debt restructuring, lenders may seek to convert their debt, in whole or in part, to an equity stake in the project.  The lenders to the South Bay Expressway project in southern California converted part of their debt into equity following the project’s chapter 11 bankruptcy filing in 2010.  Among the factors that lenders will consider in evaluating whether to convert their debt to equity are: (i) whether they want to be in an ownership position; (ii) whether existing equity holders will agree to part with ownership or control and (iii) whether change of control provisions impact the ability to convert.

If the parties seeking to restructure cannot obtain the requisite consents under the governing agreements, they should explore whether the consent requirements under the Bankruptcy Code would permit the proposed restructuring to be achieved.  Confirmation of a reorganization plan under the Bankruptcy Code requires the consent of one-half in number of creditors and two-thirds in dollar amount of each creditor class voting on the plan.  This threshold may be more lenient than the voting thresholds under the applicable credit agreements or bond documentation.

Unique Challenges in Restructuring Toll Road Projects

To have meaningful restructuring negotiations, the parties must develop a collective view about the stabilized cash flow for the project.  Many toll road projects never achieved initial revenue projections; yet, there are various impediments to increasing toll road revenues.  The ability to raise tolls may be limited by applicable concession agreements (discussed below) or by the need to obtain government or regulatory approval.  Of course, toll road operators must consider elasticity of demand and recognize that raising tolls may cause drivers to use alternate routes.

A concession agreement is a grant by the local authority to the toll road operator to operate the road on certain terms.  The terms of any applicable concession agreement may limit the operator’s ability to increase the toll rate, constrain the ability to extend the final maturity date, and render a debt-to-equity conversion unfeasible.  If a concession agreement confers the right to operate a toll road for period of years, the maturity date of the project’s financing obviously cannot be extended beyond the expiry date of the concession agreement.  The local authority may or may not agree to extend the concession; for example, the concession period for the Dulles Greenway was extended from 2036 to 2056 as part of a debt restructuring.  Change of control provisions may likewise impair the ability of debt holders to control the equity in the public-private partnership.  The concession agreement may present other impediments to a restructuring and, therefore, will need to be reviewed and analyzed carefully.

Bonds issued in connection with toll road projects are frequently insured, or “wrapped,” by monoline bond insurers.  The wrap is only as good as financial strength of the wrap provider.  Also, the wrap agreement may exclude individual creditors from participating in the restructuring process or otherwise taking action unless the wrap provider is in default.  Thus, it is essential that investors also scrutinize the wrap agreement in order to forge a means for participating in the process.

“Completion of what will become the new southbound lanes and bridge on Illinois Route 47 is a great sign of progress for this important interchange project,” said Illinois Tollway Executive Director Kristi Lafleur in a written press statement.. “Not only will this project improve access for Tollway customers traveling to and from Huntley, it will also offer opportunities for new jobs and economic development in the area.”

With completion of the traffic shift from Del Webb Boulevard to Big Timber Road, the Illinois Tollway will be able to begin work this winter to demolish the old bridge and roadway pavement and begin construction of a new bridge that will carry northbound Illinois Route 47 traffic when the new interchange opens in 2013. In addition to building the new bridge structures, the project also includes the reconstruction and widening of 1.5 miles of Illinois Route 47 from Big Timber Road to north of Jim Dhamer Drive and Freeman Road.

A work zone will be put in place on Illinois Route 47 and local traffic will continue to have one lane open in both directions on the new southbound bridge during construction. Existing ramps providing access for drivers traveling to and from the east on I-90 will remain open to provide access throughout the project.

About the Illinois Route 47 Interchange Project
The Illinois Route 47 Interchange Project includes construction of six new ramps with all-electronic toll plazas, reconstruction of the bridge carrying Illinois Route 47 over I-90, as well as local traffic signal installation and lighting improvements to provide full access between I-90 and Illinois Route 47.

The $61 million project is being built in partnership with the Village of Huntley, Kane County, McHenry County and the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) as part of the Tollway’s 15-year, $12 billion capital program, Move Illinois: The Illinois Tollway Driving the Future. The interchange is scheduled to be completed in 2013.

Building Green
The project features several new green construction initiatives, including a geothermal water piping system that makes use of the earth’s natural heating and cooling abilities to help heat and cool nearby plaza buildings in a more cost-effective and sustainable manner, reflective roofs and trellised vegetation for plaza buildings to further reduce heating and cooling costs, as well as ramp shoulder pavement that will allow water to seep through and reduce stormwater runoffstormwater runoff.

Getting Tollway Construction Information
The Illinois Tollway has a variety of ways customers can get the latest construction and roadway information, including:

• www.illinoistollway.com – Construction/Planning section and Tollway Trip Calculator
• 1-800-TOLL-FYI – Daily lane closure information
• www.travelmidwest.com – Real-time travel times
• www.nbcchicago.com – Up-to-the-minute traffic by roadway
• www.twitter.com – Real-time roadway incident information at Tollway Trip 90, Tollway Trip 88, Tollway Trip 355 and Tollway Trip 94/294

Like RoadSafe, LyndCo is a full-service provider of temporary traffic control and pavement marking services. LyndCo uses its state-of-the-art equipment combined with expert crews to service its customers in the heavy highway and gas exploration industries. This strategic acquisition allows RoadSafe to continue its expansion into key geographic regions and end markets.

The book also has 394 materials specifications and test methods commonly used in the construction of highway facilities. The specifications have been developed and maintained by transportation departments through participation in AASHTO’s Subcommittee on Materials. The book edition is organized in two volumes, Materials and Testing, and each volume has consists of two books. Also included is the single-volume AASHTO Provisional Standards, 2012 edition, which contains eight revised and 14 new provisional standards. To access the publication, go to https://bookstore.transportation.org/collection_detail.aspx?ID=115.

Image courtesy of the Ohio Department of Transportation, http://www.ohturnpikeanalysis.com

Wow. No layoffs and a solid plan to generate funds. Imagine that!

Public-private partnerships have become all the rage and are an excellent, sound opportunity to generate funding to accomplish transportation projects. They are becoming the new norm (outside of the transportation realm as well).

However, I must say, it’s refreshing to hear that the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) has found a way to generate nearly $3 billion for highway and road construction without leasing the Ohio Turnpike – and without laying off Turnpike employees.

The Ohio Jobs and Transportation Plan would generate $1.5 billion in new funds for Ohio highways from bonds issued by the Ohio Turnpike Commission and backed by future toll revenues, according to ODOT. Up to an additional $1.5 billion could be generated from matching local and federal funds coming to a combined total of about $3 billion for Ohio’s major highway construction projects, ODOT says. (To see the complete study, click here for a downloadable PDF.)

Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) Director Jerry Wray notes that bonding against future Turnpike revenue generates enough money to erase Ohio’s highway budget.

ODOT has cut the agency’s $1.6 billion highway budget deficit by $400 million, but the agent contends that more money and more innovation is needed. Money generated from the Ohio Jobs and Transportation Plan will help fill budget gap. The launch of the new plan concludes a year-long study of options for the revenue generated by the Ohio Turnpike.

ODOT tells Better Roads that the agency looked at forming a public-private partnership. However, after the results came in from an Ohio Turnpike study ODOT determined that bonding was the best way to generate funds for the overall transportation system in Ohio.  (Look for coverage of the study results in an upcoming blog post on BetterRoads.com and via our social media platforms.)

“This plan just makes sense as we continue Ohio’s economic resurgence, grow jobs and make our state prosperous once again,” Ohio Gov. John R. Kasich said in a written press statement. “Billions of dollars in new highway funds further strengthens Ohio’s jobs-friendly climate and keeps our state moving by delivering more projects faster.”

Kasich, Wray and Ohio Turnpike Director Rick Hodges have started a two-day state tour to unveil what ODOT is  calling its “first-of-its-kind plan” to generate the nearly $3 billion.

“Bonding against future Turnpike revenue generates enough money to erase our highway budget deficit,” Wray said in a press statement. “Combined with ODOT’s work to reduce our cost of doing business and improve service to the state’s motoring public, this plan puts the resources we need into our major construction budget.”

ODOT has cut the agency’s $1.6 billion highway budget deficit by $400 million thanks to new savings and operational efficiencies, but more money and more innovation is needed.  Money generated from the Ohio Jobs and Transportation Plan will help fill budget deficit without raising taxes that would kill jobs. The launch of the new plan concludes a year-long study of options for better using the revenue generated by the Ohio Turnpike.

Phillip L. Parker, president & CEO of the Dayton (Ohio) Area Chamber of Commerce says he commends ODOT “for identifying new revenue opportunities to advance statewide infrastructure projects.” Parker notes that “it is critical that we have an efficient highway system. ODOT has proven that [it is] committed to identifying new and innovative revenue generating opportunities for statewide projects that do not over burden the Ohio business community.”

The proposal by Gov. Kasich’s Administration to keep the Ohio Turnpike in state control while issuing bonds to raise $1.5 billion to fund critical new construction is the kind of innovative thinking that will continue moving Ohio forward, said Chris Runyan, president of the Ohio Contractors Association.

“The governor listened to the people of Ohio,” Runyan said. “He did what he said he would do at the beginning of this process – gather as much data as possible, study it carefully, and reach decisions that are best for all Ohioans.”

Runyan says that  having the Ohio Turnpike Commission (OTC) and ODOT work collectively to address transportation issues “is a huge step forward for the state.”

Under the governor’s plan, the OTC will remain an independent agency, but the two agencies have pledged to work collaboratively on projects outside the OTC’s traditional role, according to the Ohio Contractor’s Association.

The Ohio Jobs and Transportation Plan at a Glance

• No long-term, private lease;
• A continued public, independent Turnpike with expanded authority and renamed the “Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission”;
• More than 90 percent of new bond money will go directly to northern Ohio highway projects, including the Turnpike itself;
• Rebuilding the Ohio Turnpike will occur decades sooner than planned;
• Tolls for local trips paid with an EZ Pass are frozen for 10 years;
• All other toll rates are capped at inflation, which is significantly less than historic toll increases;
• No Turnpike employee lay-offs are anticipated.

They have grown to trust us, because they have learned that when they ask us something – we listen and then we do something about it.

For the past few years, demand in the market for a vacuum based lifter designed for handling and placing concrete traffic barriers has continued to grow. The need for the same level of capability realized in all other Vacuworx lifters has been a constant – and we have heard you – we have heard you loud and clear. And so now for the first time ever you can enjoy all of the same benefits that you have always experienced from all of our other heavy duty lifting products – in a lifter specifically designed for working with these difficult to maneuver barriers. Both on site and in the yard handling and placement have just become a non-issue. You can now realize the same levels of increased safety and productivity by cutting both your overall install time and ground personnel by more than half.

The lifter is designed for use with a large variety of host equipment and is intended to be used in confined spaces with mobility restrictions. Off loading and installation is extremely fast meaning that your turn around time and ground personnel are reduced significantly – and both personnel and equipment have a dramatically reduced amount of time of exposure.

The lifter can work effectively with all sizes of barriers and has a four to one safe working load capacity of 7500 lbs. The lifter is completely self contained with an integrated diesel engine and operates with a matched tolerance gearing system that permits optimum operation for both the engine and vacuum pump helping to create maximum continuous output and longer run life.

When you put all of this together – you can see pretty quickly that just like the rest of the Vacuworx Lifting systems, the math gets pretty simple real fast – no wonder Vacuworx vacuum based technology heavy-duty lifting equipment continues to be the preferred choice around the world.

For a demonstration or to arrange to see and work with the new Concrete Barrier Lifter contact us at www.vacuworx.com or call us at 1-866-664-3450

The Cool Hard Hat is a revolutionary pantented air-cooled hard hat developed by Tom English, a general contractor for over 30 years. English claims than in all of his years and experience in construction, The Cool Hard Hat is the best tool he has ever used and couldn’t imagine having to work without it. The rechargeabe batteries (with the recharger built into hat) power two fans to blow air on the of the neck and top of the head at a rate of over 8 cubic feet of air per minute. This lowers the interior temperature of the hard hat by more than 20 degrees. Watch the Video on the Company’s website to see the incredible cooling demonstration. The natural evaporation cooling process helps workers stay cool, fight fatigue and increase productivity. Vented hard hats are now obsolete as the popular cooling option. The hat can run up to 12 hours per charge of the batteries and can be recharged overnight.

The Cool Hard Hat meets all OSHA  and ANSI standards and is Intrinsically Safe.