2022 Innovations Challenge

Innovators: Chris Enright, Robert Bell

“The Preconstruction Wiki was intended as a place to be a centralized (and unofficial/unsanctioned) location to capture knowledge, practices, procedures, and otherwise be a one-stop-shop for everything the engineering and other program delivery staff needs to reference as they go about work.  Think project delivery manual, CAD workflows, how to advertise projects, how to check plans, SAP procedures, and numerous other things the working staff member needs - all in one place.  Best part - if you have a correction or have material to add or anything that others should see and benefit from, the edit access is set for anyone in the agency to be able to make changes.  Check out the Preconstruction Wiki.” 

Innovators: Chris Enright

“The Seminar Program was created to both continue and expand on a smaller plan reading class that was run out of the Central Program/Local Agency Unit at Region 1, and was implemented as an online class/meeting starting in the early days of the COVID Pandemic as everyone was working from home. Seminars were initially weekly, then bi-weekly, and consisted of a technical lecture or demonstration,  guest speakers on their particular area of expertise, or a roundtable discussion including current projects, engineering state of the practice, and other CDOT topics as a team.  Most if not all topics were recorded, and are available to view at: Seminar Recordings.” 

Innovators: Chuck Kline, Brian Manguso

“We wanted to come up with a tool that would get used, prevent work injuries,  be user friendly, and save money. Every year we spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on plow blade related injuries that could be eliminated by using this tool. It can save employees time by making it a one person job (normally it takes 2 people to get the job done safely), abolish the need of heavy lifting, keeping employees extremities from being exposed to falling blades, and can be built at a minimum cost. By using this tool CDOT will not only save money, it will prevent lost time injuries and keep our maintenance employees on the road where they are making the roadways safe for the traveling public and our families!”

Innovators: Scott Dalton, Cynthia Bailey, Patrick Vigil

“The team developed a performance audit database that ensures CDOT’s audit program assess workmanship on a design-build project. The program centers on compliance with the specifically stated requirements of the contract documents. The database of the auditing requirements was developed to facilitate the assessment process.”

Innovators: Scott Claussen

“The Rumble Strip Basket Installer was a project created by myself. This make installation and storage of the 450 lb basket a one person operation. Before it would take a minimum of two individuals using a forklift or removing the 3 strips weighing 115 lbs each and then replacing them after installation. Now one individual can install and remove complete basket along with being able to roll and store inside of patrol barn.”

Innovators: Bradley Stearns, Donald Black, Micah Daniels

“Our duty is to the traveling public. As we found out while performing these duties fires can be started this provides a tool to midgets the damaged caused by a fire.”

Innovators: Brian Varrella, Kalli Wegren

“Share 2 screens at the same time in Google Meet! Use two calendar appointments with two monitors to allow two people to present their screen simultaneously. This helps with live training, improved communication for remote work, and real-time interactive design.”

Innovator: Norm Lenstrom

“This ‘Innovation’ proved to be invaluable during the past wildfire seasons. Flushing ash and soot from the vehicles became a daily necessity! Thanks for your vote in this challenge!”

Innovators: Gerald Lopez, Richard “Willie” Atencio, Stewart Smith, Les Crowther

“Region 5/Section 7-Alamosa Bridge crew recently recognized the need for a process to safely and efficiently handle the long and heavy steel beams required to complete a recent timber bridge sister beam project  With careful pre-planning and brainstorming, they came up with an idea to fabricate a vast set of tools to help them complete the bridge projects in a safe and efficient manner.”

Innovators: Bradey Varner, Damian Baroz

“The rumble strips are pretty heavy. It takes two people to load them on the crib. This product was intended to prevent shoulder and back injuries. The other benefit would be that it only takes one man to load the rumble strips with the retriever. It is cheaper to make this product rather than paying for an injury. Thanks.”

Innovators: Liia Mai Koiv-Haus, Jennifer Kerns, Veronica McCall

“CDOT planning and environmental staff have the data, programs and skills to run viewshed analyses in-house as part of Visual Impact Assessments (VIAs), but lack a standardized process across regions to implement them. Viewshed analyses are run using GIS software and demonstrate where proposed roadway elements will be most visible. Our data-driven viewshed analysis process has the potential to save CDOT thousands of dollars on each project, help visually communicate impacts to stakeholders and the design team, and add to project buy-in early in the planning phase.”

Innovator: Breanna Payne

“This is a mobile inventorying setup that creates a much more efficient and accurate way to manage the storeroom and warehouse. Items can be scanned in and out of storage as they're moved, labels can be created on the spot as needed, and cycle counts can easily be done by recording the data directly rather than printing it out.”