Every day, road workers operate just feet away from live traffic, facing risks from speeding, distracted, and impaired drivers. In this episode of Unboxed: The SRF Podcast, host Nick Busse sits down with Jon Jackels (SRF Consulting), Reed Leidle (Safety Signs), and Brady Markell (Street Smart Rental) to discuss how portable traffic control signals are transforming work zone safety.

The conversation explores why many projects still rely on traditional flagging operations, despite the availability of proven technology that can reduce worker exposure, improve traffic flow, lower costs, and increase project efficiency. The panel discusses real-world deployments, barriers to adoption, misconceptions about temporary traffic signals, and why designers, agencies, and contractors should consider these systems earlier in project planning.

Topics include:

• Work zone safety challenges
• Portable traffic control signals
• Flagger safety and worker exposure
• Mental health impacts on field crews
• Connected work zone technology
• Real-time signal monitoring and remote management
• Construction staging and traffic control design
• Future integration with connected vehicles and navigation systems

If you're involved in transportation engineering, construction, traffic control, or roadway safety, this episode offers practical insights into a technology that could make work zones safer for both workers and the traveling public.

00:00 Introduction: A Safer Way to Manage Work Zones?

01:11 Meet the Guests

02:17 What Are Portable Traffic Control Signals?

03:04 Why Traditional Flagging Hasn't Changed Much

05:16 The Human Cost of Work Zone Intrusions

08:23 If the Technology Exists, Why Isn't It Used More?

10:10 Why Designers Need to Plan for These Systems Early

12:28 Common Misconceptions About Portable Signals

15:25 Remote Monitoring and 24/7 Traffic Management

17:29 Real-World Success Story From a Major Project

20:00 Why Drivers Respond Better to Signals Than Flaggers

22:08 The Pitch: Why Agencies and Contractors Should Adopt Them

24:25 Final Thoughts on Improving Work Zone Safety

25:46 Outro

At SRF, we are dedicated to creating lasting solutions that strengthen our communities. However, many of the areas we serve face significant challenges, none more pressing than the issue of homelessness. In this episode of Unboxed: The SRF Podcast, we dive into how community partnerships and innovative housing models are making a measurable difference.

Our host, Nick Busse, sits down with Todd Polum, President and CEO of SRF Consulting Group, and Kelly Matter, President and CEO of Avivo. Together, they discuss Avivo’s holistic approach to well-being, which serves more than 11,000 individuals annually through recovery, emergency shelter, and career advancement.

In this episode, we explore:

- Avivo Village: A unique, low-barrier indoor tiny home community designed to provide safety and dignity for those moving from unsheltered environments.

- The "Whole Person" Approach: How Avivo integrates substance use treatment, mental health recovery, and licensed post-secondary skills training to help individuals move from "surviving to thriving".

- The Business of Community: Why SRF’s core values of integrity, solutions, and community drive our support of organizations like Avivo.

- Success Stories: A look at how long-term support leads to permanent housing and meaningful employment.

Get Involved: Addressing homelessness is critical for growing healthy, vibrant communities. You can support Avivo's mission through volunteering, financial donations, or by participating in their Business Partnership Council.

Learn more about Avivo: avivomn.org

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In this episode of Unboxed: The SRF Podcast, host Nick Busse sits down with Cassie Champion (Metropolitan Council) and Abby Moore (Mississippi Watershed Management Organization) to discuss Sacred Water Shared Future. This regional campaign commemorates a century of restoration efforts on the Mississippi River in the Twin Cities.

In 1926, the river was so polluted that a survey found only three living fish in a 42-mile stretch. Today, we explore the engineering marvels, public policy shifts, and community stories that transformed an "ecological disaster" back into a thriving resource.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The harrowing state of the river in the 1920s and 30s.
• The construction of the Metro Water Resource Recovery Facility, the first treatment plant on the Mississippi.
• Modern challenges like microplastics, phosphorus, and chloride.
• How a bass drum auctioned by the band Semisonic helped kickstart the campaign’s branding.

Learn more and share your story: Visit Sacred Water Shared Future to find local events or contribute to the Minnesota Story Collective.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave us a review!

SRF is a leading consulting firm committed to improving the future of public and private infrastructure and transportation systems. Our comprehensive approach integrates planning, engineering, landscape architecture, and project delivery to provide innovative and sustainable solutions. Learn more at srfconsulting.com.

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of SRF Consulting Group. This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional engineering advice. Listening to this podcast does not create a consultant-client relationship. Always consult with a qualified professional for your specific project needs.

Traffic data is more than just numbers on a spreadsheet — it is the invisible current that powers our transportation infrastructure.

In this episode of Unboxed: The SRF Podcast, we explore the evolution of traffic monitoring, from manual clipboards to cutting-edge AI and video technology. We discuss how “quality data for informed decisions” impacts everything from federal funding and pavement design to public safety and commercial real estate.

• The Foundation of Infrastructure: Why traffic volume data is the base dataset for every DOT operation, including design and construction.
• The Shift to AI: How video technology and AI systems now classify over 2,000 vehicle types with high accuracy.
• Predictive Safety: A look at "near-miss" technology that identifies potential crashes before they happen.
• Real-World Impact: Case studies showing how visual data uncovers hidden pedestrian patterns that traditional spreadsheets miss.
• The “Data Wrangler”: The importance of data sharing between agencies to save time and taxpayer dollars.

• Nick Busse, host and Multimedia Manager at SRF.
• Justin Sebens, Traffic Operations and Modeling Lead at SRF.
• Liz Stolz, Director of Traffic Data Programs and national expert on micro-mobility.
• Stephen Jessberger, Senior Project Manager with 30+ years of experience, including time with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave us a review!

SRF is a leading consulting firm committed to improving the future of public and private infrastructure and transportation systems. Our comprehensive approach integrates planning, engineering, landscape architecture, and project delivery to provide innovative and sustainable solutions. Learn more at: https://www.srfconsulting.com/

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of SRF Consulting Group. This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional engineering advice. Listening to this podcast does not create a consultant-client relationship. Always consult with a qualified professional for your specific project needs.

In this inaugural episode of Unboxed: The SRF Podcast, we dive into a groundbreaking study conducted for the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) that explores how modern vehicle technologies — specifically Advanced Driver Assist Systems (ADAS) — interact with the complex environment of highway work zones.

Work zone safety remains a critical issue for the industry. To better understand the risks and opportunities for improvement, SRF Consulting Group partnered with MnDOT, ViaSight, and Safety Signs to test various vehicle models in both controlled and real-world settings.

Our panel of experts discusses the “black box” nature of vehicle technology and how different lane-keeping systems respond to various pavement marking removal methods, channelizers like drums and cones, and transition areas.

• The Origin of the Study: Why MnDOT initiated this research to assess how lane-keeping systems react to varied pavement markings and work zone setups.
• Controlled vs. Real-World Testing: Utilizing the MnROAD research facility for repeatable testing before moving to active highway projects.
• Technical Findings: Discovering how pavement marking removal methods like water blasting, grinding, and blackout tape impact vehicle sensors differently.
• The "Edge Case" Challenge: Why some systems struggle with yellow pavement markings or fail to recognize cones as lane separators.
• Future Implications: How these findings provide critical considerations for work zone designers, field personnel, and public education.

• Nick Busse (Host) is the Multimedia Manager at SRF Consulting Group.
• Erik Minge, PE, is a Director in the ITS/CAV practice at SRF Consulting Group. Throughout his career, Erik has worked on the design and implementation of traffic technology, ITS, and CAV projects throughout the Midwest. Erik has civil engineering degrees from the University of Minnesota and the University of California at Berkeley.
• Jon Jackels, PE, PTOE, is an ITS Project Manager with over 39 years of experience at MnDOT prior to joining SRF. Jon's work at SRF involves developing and deploying innovative technologies to address mobility and safety issues on our streets and highways.
• Uthej Vattipalli is an ITS engineer at SRF. His work encompasses areas such as construction materials, transport law, and autonomous vehicles (AV). He has numerous publications and issued patents on these subjects. Additionally, he has more than four years of industry experience in design, integration, transit station technology and fiber network, and has a proven track record in implementing advanced transportation technologies.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave us a review!

SRF is a leading consulting firm committed to improving the future of public and private infrastructure and transportation systems. Our comprehensive approach integrates planning, engineering, landscape architecture, and project delivery to provide innovative and sustainable solutions.

Learn more at: https://www.srfconsulting.com/

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of SRF Consulting Group. This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional engineering advice. Listening to this podcast does not create a consultant-client relationship. Always consult with a qualified professional for your specific project needs.