Pub. 2 2019-2020 Issue 2

35 T he Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has been working to develop sensorsthatcanbeembeddedinaroad to do the following: • Monitortheconditionofthepavement,even before that damage is visible. • Collect loading history data. • Give commercial broadband services to vehicles and nearby buildings, both busi- ness and residential. • Charge electric automobiles as they drive. UDOT has plans tomake Utah the first smart state in the U.S. To accomplish that admit- tedly ambitious goal, it intends to implement a programcalledUtah Connected. This work shouldbeof interest topeople in the asphalt industry because the technology will help roads function more effectively. Also, UDOT often bores fiber beneath pavements or off- the-road shoulders. The foundation for Utah Connected is already in place because of work done during the last two decades. UDOT has a network of fiber across the state and an advanced transportation infrastructure. It has been testing the use of connected vehicles within the state’s urban areas, has information systems and services for trave- lers, and has built strong relationships with educational institutions, technical organi- zations, and private businesses. UDOT is interested in smart roads because theycanimprovethreespecificproblemareas throughout the entire state: • Mobility: • Safety • Traffic congestion One of UDOT’s current strengths is its state- wide common traffic signal management system. It has already interconnectedmore than 89% of city, county, and state signals that include the capabilities of Automated Traffic Signal PerformanceMetrics (ATSPM). UTAH’S SMART ROADS