NEWSLETTER

Puente
2021
EL

Volume 35
Number 1

Puerto Rico LTAP

www. prltap.org

UPDATED JULY 2022

2 PUERTO RICO TRANSPORTATION TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER CENTER  prltap.org

Puente
EL

Vol. 35 No. 1, 2021

CONTENTS PAGES

Page 4
Message from the Director 3

RUM Students and Researchers Participate in

the Virtual Centennial of the Transportation 4-6
Research Board

Pages 4-6
Initiatives of Round 6 of the
Federal Program in Puerto Rico 7-10
Every Day Counts (EDC)

Page 8-10
Citizens Pledge
8-10
Compromise to Save Lives Today!

The Puerto Rico Transportation Technology Transfer Center, PRLTAP/T2, is part of a network of 52 Centers throughout the
United States that comprises of a Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) and one National Tribal Technical Assistance
Program (TTAP). The mission of the PRLTAP/T2 Center is to provide training and technical assistance to local transportation
officials in the 78 municipalities that comprises the Government of Puerto Rico and the Puerto Rico Department of
Transportation and Public Works with emphasis on promoting highway safety and implementing the Every Day Counts (EDC)
initiatives of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).
 prltap.org  EL PUENTE NEWSLETTER VOL.35 NO. 1, 2021 3

Message from the Director

W elcome to our first edition of the thirty-fifth anniversary of El

Puente newsletter! In this volume, two articles of interest to our
professionals in the local transportation area are presented.

The first article highlights the experiences RUM students and researchers who
participated in the 2021 Centennial celebration of the Transportation Research Board (TRB)
Annual Meeting, held for the first time virtually. In this event, several students recipients of the
Dwight David Eisenhower Scholarship had the opportunity to present their research and
familiarize themselves with the magnitude of the congress by participating in various technical
sessions. This year there where around 19 thousand professionals who participated virtually in the
platform that was developed for this centennial event.
The second article, A ccelerated Innovations of Every Day Counts (EDC), describes the Highway
and Transportation Authority (ACT, for its acronym in Spanish) selected to implement in Puerto
Rico during the coming two years of the sixth round of said project. This project was established
ten years ago by the Federal Highway Administration Department of Transportation (FHWA-
DOT). The ACT and DTOP have participated in this program since its conception in 2011.

This edition closes with the citizens pledge, together with various s administrative and non-profit
agencies, of saving lives on our public roads. This pledge contains ten fundamental postulates and
principles which show that if they are obeyed and implemented, they contribute to minimizing
potential for collisions if fatal nature and serious injuries saving lives on public roads. United we
can make a difference by committing ourselves with these postulates towards a culture of road
safety!

I hope that the articles featured in this issue will be beneficial to our readers, with the intention to
continuously share and update groundbreaking news related to transportation and roads.

Benjamín Colucci Ríos

4 PUERTO RICO TRANSPORTATION TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER CENTER  prltap.org

RUM Students and Researchers Participate in the Virtual

Centennial of the Transportation Research Board

O
ver the years, the Transportation among others. It should be noted that this
research Board (TRB) has been initiative is highly recognized and valued,
charged with providing leadership in therefore, it has the trust and support of several
the world of transportation. Every year innovative sponsors who help keep this project afloat.
ideas that have been carefully studied and The Cooperative Research Programs Division and
evidenced by a personnel specialized in the Technical Activities Division summon
transportation are presented. Without a doubt, thousands of professionals to determine together
TRB has been a key element in the quality of the which projects should be studied and
daily lives for all users of transport systems implemented including ground transportation
worldwide. TBR publishes through its technical infrastructure, cargo, collective transportation,
publications publish more than 140 articles aviation, among others. As an example, marine
annually and carries out more than 300 research transport investigates how to improve its impact
projects. This entity is undoubtedly responsible in a safe way, trying to take care of the
for providing security and efficiency in current environment, technology, and laws that affect the
and future transportation systems. systems, coastal engineering, and marine
Since 1920, TRB has been active in the governance.
management of innovations that are the norm
today. It is thanks to them that the order and logic
in transportation is known today. TRB has several
programs such as the Consensus Study and
Advice, in which it performs tasks assigned by
the United States Congress, agencies, states,

Source: https://www.ncsl.org/research

During January 2021, the TRB celebrated its
Centenary in a virtual format. During the
conference, more than 19,000 participants from
around the world gathered on the virtual platform
for a period of three weeks. In this event, several
virtual meetings were held where professionals
from the transportation area, met to discuss new
findings in the world of transportation. There were
honoring's for those who have stood out and have
had a great impact on road safety. As a part of this
event, the offering of the Dwight David
Eisenhower scholarship was held where several
extraordinary RUM students stood out and
therefore were recipients of this opportunity.
Source: https://www.saloodo.com
This scholarship constantly helps to improve the
quality of life of future engineering professionals
interested in the world of transportation,
contributing to maintaining the quality and security
of ground transportation safety to all its users.
Participation in this event was given through virtual
conferences. Therefore, this activity was drawn-out
more than usual and the process lasted around three
weeks. This meeting had never been held virtually
before, which made it a learning experience for
everyone, since participants had to adapt to the new
security measures against this global pandemic in
prltap.org  EL PUENTE NEWSLETTER VOL.35 NO. 1, 2021 5
order to fulfill this annual commitment in a safe
way for everyone. This event was a success where
thousands of people participated and did not put
their health or other’s health at risk.
For this celebration, five students from the
University of Puerto Rico of the Mayagüez
Campus (UPRM) received the Dwight D.
Eisenhower Scholarship Award.
Each student made a poster of their project and
presented it in the activity. The UPRM students
who attended the conference and presented their
research were the following; Edgar López, Juan
Flórez, Juan González, Natalia Font and Sebastián
Peña.
It can be confirmed that for these students this
experience was one of great growth in their lives.
Each one expressed how much they thank the
Dwight David Eisenhower Scholarship for the
opportunity to be part of this great honor. These
students demonstrated through their posters the
incredible capacity and talent that each one of them
has. There is no doubt that the future of our country
will be in the hands of trained and competent
professionals, who will undoubtedly put the name
of Puerto Rico out there.
For the students, participating in this activity is also
of great importance, since the exchange with peers
and/or Networking benefits them in their
professional development. This year, students had
the opportunity to remotely connect and do
networking with other students. In this way, they
have kept in contact with students who may
become future colleagues. The students also had
the opportunity to present their research posters and
shared with us their experiences.
6 PUERTO RICO TRANSPORTATION TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER CENTER
Natalia C. Font, one of the r ecipients of this
scholarship, made a poster where she spoke on
identifying and managing the problems and
challenges faced at the Luis Muñoz Marín Airport.
She used a method of interviews and surveys
conducted by airport personnel to determine the
areas of difficulty. For Natalia, this experience in
her own words "gave me the opportunity to work
with qualitative research practices
mentorship of an ‘advisor’ and the leaders in
charge of the scholarship."
Sebastian Peña cr eated a poster which focused
on how the rapid growth of the population of a
specific place affects transportation. The article
studies how vehicular flow and transport of
merchandise can take place in a safe and sustainable
way. Sebastian Peña expressed that for him, "This
opportunity was very useful in my field of study
since I was able to learn about startups, especially
in the development of technology that could be
considered for my research project."
Juan E. Florez, pr esented a poster explor ing the
idea of implementing a transportation system using
“scooters” without a dock in Mayaguez, Puerto
Rico. This experience gave Juan the opportunity to
share his idea with other people, he states in his own
Natalia C. Font-Vélez Sebastián Peña-Otero
 prltap.org
words, “On the day of the poster presentations, I
even had the opportunity to interact with a student
from the Arizona State University to explain the
details of my research, an experience very pleasant
because I felt how I made an impact with my
project."
Juan M. Gonzalez pr esented a poster wher e he
explained the application of machine-learning
with the algorithms to train models that predict trips in a
dockless e-scooter system in Mayagüez, Puerto
Rico. Juan expressed that this event was a
"tremendous experience for anyone who wants to
know more about the field of transportation."
In his poster, Edgar Jr. Lopez presented the problem
of traffic congestion along the main road of the
NHS Highway PR-2. He presented the idea that this
congestion is due to population change in nearby
municipalities. This experience helped him
professionally in a way that "makes you know the
fact that transportation as a work career is more
real than you think and that it encompasses many
other branches than just from Civil Engineering."
Juan M. González-López Edgar Jr. López-Rondón Juan E. Flórez-Coronel
 prltap.org  EL PUENTE NEWSLETTER VOL.35 NO. 1, 2021 7

Accelerated Innovations of Every Day Counts (EDC)

The five stages of implantation include: not
implemented, development stage, demonstration stage,
assessment stage, and institutionalized. After the
summits, the state departments of transportation select all
The Every Day Counts (EDC) initiative was created in of the ideas to be implemented and continue with
2010 by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), establishing performance goals.
with the primary purpose of improving the performance
In the last decade, the EDC program has had a significant
and quality of road networks in the United States and its
impact on the island’s road safety in its highway
territories, including Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands
network, contributing to save lives and reduce potential
(USVI).
crashes of a fatal nature, including serious injuries. The
Since 2011 until the present, this model has presented Puerto Rico Road and Transportation Authority (ACT,
innovative solutions to better road safety, accelerate for its acronym in Spanish) selected the following six
project delivery —saving time, money, and resources— initiatives of the EDC round 6 and its corresponding
in tune with the environment. The implantation of this level of implantation:
initiative contributes to a more sustainable and resilient
NO. EDC-6 CURRENT
infrastructure, bettering the quality of life for current and INITIATIVES PHASE
future users. 1 Crowdsourcing for Assessment
Advancing Operations
Every two years, the FHWA works with state
transportation departments, local governments, tribes, 2 e-Ticketing and Digital Development
As-Builts
and other interested stakeholders to analyze and
3 Next-Generation TIM: Development
determine areas that could be worked on and
Integrating Technology,
modernized. Innovative and cost-effective initiatives Data, and Training
from those areas are identified that could be
4 Targeted Overlay Pavement Development
implemented in a two-year time period. Solutions (TOPS)
FHWA has summits every two years, where 5 Bridge Preservation and Development
representatives and leaders from the departments of Repair Using Ultra High
Performance Concrete
transportation in the United States meet with federal (UHPC)
functionaries and their assessors, in which they present 6 Virtual Public Involvement Not
the new EDC initiatives. The state functionaries, once (VPI) implemented
they have evaluated the different initiatives, they get
together in caucuses and identify the ones that will be
On the next section, the six EDC initiatives that the ACT
selected and carried out in their respective states and
is implementing during the time-period of 2021-2022 are
territories, and the corresponding level of implantation.
described.
8 PUERTO RICO TRANSPORTATION TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER CENTER  prltap.org

1. Crowdsourcing for 2. e-Ticketing and

Advancing Operations Digital As-Builts

Crowdsourcing for Operations is one of the E-Ticketing improves the monitoring, data
multiple EDC initiatives that can be used and exchange, and archiving of tickets for materials
integrated to improve operations. Administration used in construction projects. Also, material
programs and operations of transportation deliveries could be tracked and verified. This
systems, at both local and state level, require process would facilitate inspections and improve
high-quality and real-time highway information, security and contract processing
to gain insight into the causes of traffic
congestion.

The implementation of this initiative in Puerto

Rico will allow the application of entrepreneurial
strategies in a cost-effective way to achieve safer
and more reliable trips. At the same time, this
initiative protects the security and privacy of Safety Time saving Quality
individual user data. Information such as speed,
Transportation departments in ten states
travel time, type of incident, travel behavior,
—Alabama, Florida, Iowa, Kentucky,
public sentiment and vehicle operation can be
Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota,
found in crowdsourced data, such as social
Pennsylvania, Utah, and Virginia— are in the
networks, third party data providers, and mobile
process of implementing electronic ticketing to
applications. Some benefits of this initiative are
asphalt, concrete, and project aggregates of
improved operations, safety increase, reliability,
construction and rehabilitation of highways..
and cost efficiency.
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3. Next-Generation TIM: Integrating Technology, Data, and Training

A new generation of Traffic Incident Management We can implement strategies to reduce congestion
(TIM) was commissioned to train 500,000 first in the aftermath of a crash, as well as provide more
responders to work together and minimize safety for first responders.
collateral damage and reduce the time of clearance
in road crashes. This NextGen TIM initiative
increases the safety of travelers and responders.
Millions of road accidents occur each year, which
affect not only the people involved in the crash,
but also those who are going to provide
first aid assistance. Source: https://www.wvnstv.com/news/accident-shuts-

4. Targeted Overlay Pavement Solutions (TOPS)

Currently, there are hundreds of roads around the necessary arrangements to ensure the stability and
world. These have not been updated as needed or integrity of their structure. This is of the sum
with the necessary reinforcements to keep them in importance, as it can be fatal to use roads that do
adequate and safe conditions for daily use. Specific not meet the safety qualifications to be transited in.
Targeted Overlay Pavement Solutions (TOP) is
responsible for providing these roads with the
10 PUERTO RICO TRANSPORTATION TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER CENTER  prltap.org
5. UHPC for Bridge Preservation and Repair
UHPC is a cementitious composite material
reinforced with fiber and mechanical properties
which offer greater durability to the infrastructures.
This new technology has been implemented in
repairing structural elements in bridges. The
opportunity to update the material can result as
6. Virtual Public Involvement (VPI)
Virtual Public Involvement (VPI) can become one of
the most innovative strategies in the project planning
stage. To engage the public with different State
department agencies with innovative virtual methods
could potentially accelerate planning and project
development processes. VPI makes these interactions
even more efficient and convenient, since this can
reach a much larger network of people using the tools
of technology instead of using the conventional
This article was adapted from U.S. Department of Transportation FHWA: https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/innovation/ever ydaycounts/edc_6/
beneficial, since it can be used anywhere cement is
applied. UHPC can be used to make repairs of
structural bridge components and infrastructure,
due to its high resistance and durability, requiring
less maintenance in the infrastructure life cycle.
method which does not reach the same range of
people. VPI supplements face-to-face information
sharing with the aid of technology, resulting in
benefits such as: efficiency and low cost, accelerated
project delivery, communication and collaboration,
and expanded engagement. Some tools used for VPI’s
are: videos, online meetings, social media followings,
and crowdsourcing.
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PLEDGE TO SAVE LIVES TODAY!

Luis A. Señeriz Foundation

Mothers Against Drunk Driving

Automobile Accident
Traffic Safety
Compensation Administration
Commission
 PRLTAP/T2 Center Staff
PUERTO RICO TRANSPORTATON TECHNOLOGY Director & Editor
TRANSFER CENTER Benjamín Colucci-Ríos
University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez
Department of Civil Engineering and Surveying
Assistant Editors
Call Box 9000, Mayagüez, PR 00681 Marline Z. Pérez-Crespo
Mariana C. Marrero-Santana
787.834.6385 PHONE
787.265.5695 FAX Raquel Ramírez-Torres
www.prltap.org
Keryliz Perez-Luciano

Puente
EL Administrative Staff
Irmalí Franco-Ramírez
Ciara Toro-Rosario
Grisel Villarubia-Echevarría

El Puente Newsletter
Vol. 35, No. 1, 2021

EL PUENTE is published by the Puerto Rico Transportation Technology Transfer

Center at the Civil Engineering and Surveying Department of the University of
Puerto Rico at Mayaguez.

The opinions, findings or recommendations expressed in this edition of the El Puente newsletter are those of the Center Director and
do not necessarily reflect the views of the Federal Highway Administration, the Puerto Rico Department of Transportation and
Public Works or the Puerto Rico Highway and Transportation Authority.
Puerto Rico LTAP