Page 7 - Conference 2025

TCAPWA Sessions steep grades, sharp curves, changes NDOT engages applicants to identify
in elevation, or remote locations. potential right-of-way impacts—
Reasonable Care, Best Practices Prioritizing these areas is essential saving time, preventing conflicts, and
and the Tolerance Zone for an effective winter maintenance improving public safety.
Year after year, the number two plan. This session will highlight winter Another major innovation is the
complaint to the Tennessee Public operations across the city of Memphis creation of the Multimodal Access
Utilities Commission is for “reasonable and obstacles encountered. We will Closure (MAC) Committee: a
care” violations of state law when review real-world scenarios from monthly roundtable that brings
excavating near marked utilities. This events this past winter, and how the together emergency services,
also is the number two root cause of city was able to enhance decision- transit providers, utility companies,
utility damage nationwide, resulting making utilizing localized data through developers, accessibility advocates,
in over 42,000 damaged utilities new technology. The audience will and other key stakeholders. This
reported across the United States learn about Memphis’ new road sensor group collaboratively reviews major or
in 2023. Using real life examples program, how it helped to advance long-term closures to ensure that all
of damage caused in Tennessee, winter maintenance strategies, and perspectives are addressed.
Tennessee 811 will discuss what how it has made improvements The enhanced process also includes
reasonable care looks like with best practical and achievable. coordinated planning for special
practice recommendations to avoid Eric Faulkner, Meteorologist, events, involvement of Metro Council
damaging utilities in the tolerance Vaisala Xweather members in key closure decisions,
zone. Jonathan Whitfield – Manager of and ongoing meetings with merchants
Marcus Bartholomew; Tennessee 811 Street Maintenance, City of Memphis and contractors to proactively resolve
9:00 a.m. Bobo Gequais – Engineer Coordinator concerns. Additionally, the newly
10:00 a.m. established NDOT Traffic Management
Lessons Learned from Center (TMC) monitors closures in
Experiencing an EF-3 Tornado Efficient, Safe, and Inclusive: How real-time and supports permit staff
I want to share my experience going NDOT Modernized Traffic Control with rapid, data-driven coordination.
through an EF-3 tornado. Before this in a Rapidly Growing City This presentation will offer practical,
tornado hit, we were at a preparedness As Nashville experiences replicable strategies for public
level of 0 and now I believe we’re at a unprecedented growth, managing agencies seeking to modernize
7-8. I don’t think you can ever be fully temporary traffic closures while traffic control permitting, improve
prepared for events like this. We now ensuring safety, ADA accessibility, transparency, reduce delays, and
have a contract with a disaster cleanup and efficient mobility has become a create safer, more inclusive urban
company and a monitoring company. critical challenge. This session will mobility systems.
This talk’s topics include how we upfit highlight the strategies implemented Dr. Anas Alrejjal, Ph.D., P.E.
and stock trucks, and what FEMA does by Nashville Department of Traffic Control Manager, Nashville
and does not cover. Things happen Transportation (NDOT) to streamline Department of Transportation (NDOT)
in an event like this you never plan and modernize the closure permitting (Embedded in NDOT)
for, such as 5,000 people arriving to process— making it faster, more Derek Hagerty P.E.
help clean up a neighborhood that effective, safer, ADA-compliant, and Traffic lead manager, Nashville
has no power. Where do they use more inclusive of pedestrians and Department of Transportation (NDOT)
the restroom? Some things you can cyclists. 10:00 a.m.
only learn by going through the fire, Dr. Anas Alrejjal, who leads a team of
and maybe my experience can help three traffic engineers, has overseen Connecting the Dots: A Guided
someone from getting burned. a full transformation of how closure Look into the TN Chapter of APWA
Toby Toombs, Operations Manager, permits are reviewed and approved A clear understanding of an
Mt. Juliet within NDOT’s urban core. The process organization’s structure and
9:00 a.m. now includes a fully digital permit leadership roles is essential for
system and significantly reduced effective communication and
City of Memphis Snow Response review times. These improvements organizational growth. This
City of Memphis Unlocks Critical Data have led to fewer unauthorized session will strengthen your
for Winter Maintenance Challenges: closures, enhanced contractor organizational knowledge of APWA,
Winter maintenance is inherently communication, and safer, more with a major focus into the TN
challenging, and it becomes even more organized work zones. Chapter. Attendees will learn about
complex when addressing difficult A standout feature of this opportunities to serve on committees
areas. Most communities face unique transformation is the implementation of professional interest and leadership
obstacles on their road networks of early coordination meetings with opportunities at the local, state and
that can drastically impact road contractors and developers. Before
conditions such as water influences, traffic control plans are submitted, Continued on page 8

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