Page 7 - Conference 2024 Vol 42 No 4

TCAPWA Sessions streamlined data management to potential accidents. So, the answer
assess over 500 miles of sidewalk in a to the question of whether four-way
HOW TO START AND MAINTAIN year. This allowed NDOT to effectively stops are ever the right answer is, “It
A WOMEN IN PUBLIC WORKS identify and repair high-priority areas depends.” The better question to ask
COMMITTEE and continue improving pedestrian is what other alternatives have been
An overview on the importance of and accessibility. considered and analyzed.
how to incorporate and maintain a Joe Martin, GISP Houston Daugherty P.E.
Women In Public Works Committee LDA Engineering Cannon & Cannon Inc.
within your organization. The City Demetrius Frinkley
of Chattanooga’s Public Works LDA Engineering STORM DRAIN LAWS
Department’s Women in Public John Chlarson P.E., C.P.M.
Works Committee is being used as GROWING THRIVING UT Municipal Technical Advisory
a pilot in Tennessee to support the COMMUNITREES: CAPITALIZING Service
incorporation of these committees at ON THE BENEFITS OF TREES TO ISSUES FACING PUBLIC WORKS
the State and National level. ADVANCE COMMUNITY GOALS DEPARTMENTS – ROUNDTABLE
Kimberly Strong This presentation will cover the full- DISCUSSION
Constituent Services Manager with the circle management of community Four Cities within the State will
Office of Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly forests, the numerous benefits of have a representative addressing
and Chairwoman - Women In Public trees, and how public works programs a broad range of questions, issues,
Works Committee- Chattanooga can utilize green infrastructure to and concerns that affect Public
support their efforts and more.
LEVERAGING TECHNOLOGY Ashley Kite-Rowland Works Departments. Issues like
TO CREATE AN ADA ACCESSIBLE TN Department of Agriculture staffing, dealing with the unsheltered
MUSIC CITY population, snow response, how
Nashville Department of FOUR-WAY STOPS, ARE THEY EVER we are dealing with more intense
Transportation and Multimodal THE RIGHT ANSWER? maintenance needs, among many
Infrastructure (NDOT) maintains over The use of four-way stop signs can other things. We will welcome
1,300 miles of sidewalk and related be a contentious issue, with varying questions from the audience, so
pedestrian infrastructure. NDOT’s opinions on their effectiveness and please come and network and ask the
ADA Transition Plan recommended safety compared to other traffic question that you struggle with on a
an ongoing sidewalk assessment control or management methods. daily basis.
within the Right-of-Way to ensure ADA Some experts argue that four-way Todd Hoppenstedt, Public Works
compliance. To meet the requirements stops are safer because they reduce Director, City of Brentwood
of the transition plan, LDA Engineering vehicle speeds at intersections, in turn, Chad Weth, Public Service Director,
collected data points on over 500 potentially decreasing the severity City of Knoxville
miles of sidewalk. The data collection of accidents. However, other experts Matt Brown, Public Works Director,
included ADA compliance of counter with right angle and rear end City of Lakeland
sidewalks, curb ramps, pedestrian accidents are more common in a four- Jerramy Wood, Public Works
signals, crosswalks, and transit stops. way stop condition. Administrator, City of Chattanooga

To accomplish this ADA Transition Regardless, navigating intersections COLLECTION SYSTEM MASTER
Plan goal for NDOT within the required can be confusing depending on a PLANNING
1-year timeframe, LDA Engineering multitude of factors and specific site Many towns and cities are facing the
leveraged spatial field applications, conditions. Toss a few inexperienced combination of an aging wastewater
utilized GNS3 GPS receivers, and drivers and others unfamiliar with system and a steadily growing
coordinated with staff on preferred any given location and the potential population. This presents several
data format. The team used cloud hazards suddenly are compounded. challenges to system owners and
storage and ESRI web-based While common in the U.S., four-way managers. They must ensure that
applications to allow multiple editors, stops are rare and even prohibited in customers (both existing and new)
minimize data processing time, and some countries like the UK. are adequately served by a collection
streamline the final delivery. Using this Critics point out that drivers often system that may be deteriorating,
dataset, LDA then pinpointed high- perform rolling stops or assume undersized, or subject to high I/I. To
priority areas and created a scoping all intersections with any number maximize the benefit-cost ratio of
map template to deploy contractors for of legs or number of stop signs capital improvement projects, one
repair.
are four-way stops, which can be useful and common approach is the
LDA Engineering efficiently met dangerous. Additionally, there can creation and periodic update of a
NDOT’s ADA compliance goals using be confusion about who has the right Continued on page 8
advanced spatial technology and of way, leading to indecision and

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