RALEIGH – The following are highlights from this week at the N.C. Department of Transportation. The stories below are also featured in
NCDOT Now, the department's weekly newscast.
NCDOT Works to Protect Environment
While this year’s Earth Day is in our rearview mirror, NCDOT continues to evaluate ways to protect the environment, including with two new electric vehicles for staff.
In another effort right now, NCDOT is teaming up with the town of Cary to introduce this autonomous, electric vehicle to citizens as part of the
Connected Autonomous Shuttle Supporting Innovation program, or CASSI. People can catch a ride at Bond Park while the department explores how these types of vehicles may be used in the future.
The department also supports programs such as
annual wildflower plantings and the
spring and fall litter sweeps.
Also, for the first time ever, the department is leading a project along the coast called a living shoreline. Natural materials are used to protect our highway infrastructure from future storms while also creating habitat for oysters and improve water quality.
“We may have great ideas and big goals. We always try to get small milestones that we can look at, and how do we start small and continue to get towards our goals, that big goal that we all want to achieve to help our environment," Transportation Secretary Eric Boyette said.
To learn more about some of these initiatives, go to our
website.
Trooper Samuel N. Bullard Bridge Dedication
A bridge in Surry County now bears the name Trooper Samuel N. Bullard Bridge. The structure carries traffic on CC Camp Road over Big Elkin Creek in Elkin. Trooper Bullard joined the State Highway Patrol in 2015 and was killed in the line of duty on May 21, 2018.
NCDOT Equipment Roadeo
Hundreds of NCDOT employees from the mountains to the coast participated in Equipment Operators Safety Training Conferences recently.
These events give employees an opportunity to showcase and improve their skills and safety measures while operating heavy equipment on jobs they do daily. The friendly competition also fosters team spirit within individual units in the division and recognizes employees who excel at operating heavy machinery.
Winners from each division will go on to compete in a statewide competition later this year.