Digital Commons Network^™

High-Speed Driverless Racing: Lessons For Autonomous Mobility, Justin Gan, Samuel Labi

Center for Connected and Automated Transportation

Driverless racecar competitions are often perceived as recreational. However, their academic, industry, and research benefits are potentially tremendous, as several significant lessons can be learned from these competitions to advance autonomous mobility. This study was motivated (and its conduction facilitated) by the active involvement of the authors in several autonomous racing initiatives in the United States. The study first synthesized and analyzed information from existing literature related to the key modules of autonomous vehicle (AV) operations as part of AV racing competitions and identified some lessons that could be learned in the context of each module – perception and sensing, …

Purdue Early Childhood Competency Tool (Pecct): A Competency-Based Evaluation Tool For Speech-Language Pathology Clinical Education, Anne Gritt, Christi Masters

Purdue University Preschool Language Program

The Purdue Early Childhood Competency Tool (PECCT) was developed by speech-language pathology clinical faculty to support competency-based clinical education (supervision) and evaluation of graduate students during clinical practicum experiences with infants and young children from birth to age six. Grounded in the standards established by the Council for Clinical Certification in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CFCC), the PECCT aligns core professional competencies with skills specific to early childhood clinical practice. The tool is intended for clinical educators to evaluate student clinicians. Graduate students can also use the PECCT as a guide for self-reflection as they develop their clinical skills.

Small Towns, Big Problems?, Meghan Hinkle, Emily Chen, Nicholas Parsons

Purdue Road School

Small-town projects can be incredibly rewarding, offering visible, immediate impacts for the community. However, they often come with unique design and environmental challenges. This presentation will explore transportation projects across small towns in Indiana and share key lessons learned to help you avoid common pitfalls on your next small-town project.

Lessons Learned: Indiana’S First Hybrid Intersection, Nicole Minton, Emily Sprinkle, Jeff Whitaker, Tyler Price

Purdue Road School

This session will highlight Indiana’s first hybrid innovative intersection at TheLloyd4U and Stockwell Avenue, merging a Displaced Left Turn and Boulevard Left Turn. We will share lessons learned from design and implementation, including how collaboration and innovation shaped this unique solution to traffic challenges. A before-and-after perspective will offer practical takeaways for future intersection projects.

Building A Vitalizing Team Culture, Iris Bull, Andrew Cibor

Purdue Road School

Leaders in the public sector face unique challenges in the recruitment and retainage of productive employees. Administrative staff from the City of Bloomington Engineering Department present an analysis of the strategies they employ to shape a high performing team. They examine mutable and designed aspects of their processes for advertising, interviewing, hiring, onboarding, and exit interviewing. Session participants will be provided tested strategies for stimulating professional growth, fostering intradepartmental collaboration, and building resilient culture.

The New 11th Edition Of The Indiana Mutcd, Joseph Bruno, David Boruff

Purdue Road School

The updated 11th edition of the Indiana MUTCD released in January of 2026 has many significant changes from the 2011 edition. This presentation provides an overview of the changes from the previous edition and significant variations between the federal MUTCD and the Indiana MUTCD.

Closing The Loop: How Public Comments Shape Projects, Summer Elmore, Marie Spitler, Andrea Langille, Matt Lee, Joann Wooldridge

Purdue Road School

Have you often heard from members of the public that nothing they say matters? This presentation will focus on how the project owner and designer collaborate to actively address concerns from the public. We will discuss several recent transportation project examples where extensive public participation was sought, evaluated, and utilized. Panelists will demonstrate how to prepare successfully for public involvement and incorporate feedback into final project plans.

From Boomers To Zoomers: Closing The Communication Gap, Cassy Bajek, Mindy Peterson

Purdue Road School

Effective communications help pave the way for success inside (and outside) the workplace. What we say and how we say it matters. Understanding generational communication can make a real difference in reducing misunderstandings and improving collaboration. This short crash course in understanding Boomers to Zoomers can help improve teamwork, productivity, morale, and the work being produced. Improve your communication and improve your relationships!

Management Of Roadway Network Restrictions, Philip Labrash, James Reitz, Ethan Black

Purdue Road School

Fort Wayne Public Works managed more than 2,100 requests to restrict its roadway network in 2024 and was projected to do so again in 2025. This presentation will provide an overview of the permitting system and describe common restriction requests such as construction, utility installations, building maintenance, festivals, and special events. The City has developed a multifaceted communications strategy to convey restrictions to the public which includes development of an interactive website, geographically customizable daily email bulletins, and interlocal coordination.

Taking Advantage Of Utility Coordination With Alternate Delivery, Sandra Jones, Theresa Mendoza, Shandra Huettl, Tricia Graham

Purdue Road School

Indianapolis DPW has started construction on major drainage improvements in one of its oldest neighborhoods, Fountain Square. This urban neighborhood has 150+ years of utilities, trolley tracks, and other nderground infrastructure hiding underneath the streets. Design of a large diameter storm sewer along Shelby Street required a robust utility coordination effort to minimize risk and delays. This session will explore the benefits of utility coordination efforts under the alternative delivery method that DPW used to procure construction.

Us 31 Limited Access: Coordination And Land Challenges, Andrea Langille, Jennifer Beck, Michael Kuehl, Adam Burns

Purdue Road School

This session will explore the US 31 Limited Access Conversion project, offering key insights into planning, stakeholder coordination, and right-of-way acquisition. We will explore the project’s complexities, including business access impacts, excess land management and disposal, and unintended consequences that emerged throughout the process.

Field Implementation Of Lidar For Traffic Signal Detection, Vincent Divaccaro, Jay Grossman, Charles Mckenzie

Purdue Road School

Elkhart County deployed a LiDAR system in fall 2025 for traffic signal detection to replace an aging video system. In this presentation, we will share results of the test implementation, notes on field implementation, integration of the system in signal operations, and comments on system operation and performance since installation.

Are You Listening? Communicating Effectively With Elected Officials, Keith Pugh, Craig Roach

Purdue Road School

In this presentation, attendees will gain practical insights on communicating infrastructure priorities and budget realities to elected officials. We will explore how to craft compelling messages, navigate council dynamics, and use data and storytelling to foster understanding and support. Additional topics include strategies for delivering difficult news; maintaining productive relationships; and becoming confident, influential advocates for Public Works departments.

Public Speaking: Tips, Tricks, And Overcoming The Fear, Richard Gilyeat, Alex Schwinghamer, Mindy Peterson

Purdue Road School

Does the thought of public speaking make you break out into a cold sweat? You’re not alone! This interactive session will help you find your confidence. The focus is on practical tips, tricks, and guidelines to help you conquer your public speaking fears or grow the experience you already have. Strong communication matters and can help you in daily tasks, in growing your career, and in successful project delivery.

Early In Career Panel: The Value Of Industry Involvement, Stephanie Ferzli, Calvin Rizzo, David Musoke

Purdue Road School

A panel of early-career professionals shares the importance and benefits of participating in industry organizations. Learn how involvement can shape careers and foster professional growth.

Should I Approve This? Utility Work Plan Mistakes, Deborah Porter, Katherine Kreienkamp

Purdue Road School

This presentation will highlight common issues with utility work plans and relocation drawings. Mistakes and missed information can result in project delivery delays, design re-work, constructability issues, hit utility lines, and construction delays. Attendees will hear perspectives from INDOT, Indianapolis DPW, and utilities.

Indiana Statutes And Rules For Professional Engineering Licensure, Tim Jensen

Purdue Road School

This session will explain the differences between the Indiana Code and the Indiana Administrative Code, selected statutes and rules applied to the practice of engineering, registration by comity, registrant’s seal, computer-based testing for FE and PE exams, rules for continuing education, audits, board structure, and threats to professional licensure.

Slides On Slides: Multidisciplinary Approach To Landslide Solutions, Joey Franzino, Malek Smadi, Rick Perry, Ryan Whelchel

Purdue Road School

Landslides pose unique technical and logistical challenges for asset managers, engineers, and project managers. Along SR 156 in Switzerland County, landslide corrections were implemented by a team of project managers, geotechnical experts, and structural engineers. This presentation will walk attendees through a multidisciplinary approach to the development of landslide corrections in this real-world example, including the design of a drilled pier retaining wall with tiebacks, working around existing landslide corrections, and risk management.

Test Drive Innovative Intersections—No Car Needed: Public Involvement That Works, Brad Vannoy, Nicole Minton, Trevor Wieseke, Michael Macneill

Purdue Road School

Step into innovative intersection design through immersive, hands-on experiences and real-world public involvement lessons. Get a first-person point-of-view as we show you what it’s like to walk through our 30x50 ft tarps demonstrating a Displaced Left Turn and a Diverging Diamond. Come explore tabletop models of a Reduced Conflict Intersection (RCI), as well as a roundabout, and learn how these experiential tools help drivers and professionals understand how to navigate complex designs. The session will share wins and lessons learned from a proposed rural RCI, highlighting how hyper-local involvement, early grassroots communication, and creative outreach reduced anxiety, built public confidence, …

Telling Your Infrastructure Story Through Lifecycle Planning, Keith Pugh, Craig Roach

Purdue Road School

Local governments face increasing pressure to maintain service levels amid aging infrastructure and limited funding. Lifecycle Planning and Modeling provide a data-driven framework to quantify asset condi tion, criticality, and performance while optimizing long-term reinvestment strategies. This presentation will demonstrate how integrating engineering and financial data enables prioritization of maintenance and capital projects, improves cost-efficiency, and supports transparent communication of service level tradeoffs to decision-makers through visual storytelling and scenario modeling.

Let’S Walk And Talk: Building Trust (And Better Projects) Using Community Walk Audits, Ashlyn Devine, Taylor Firestine

Purdue Road School

This session introduces participants to the benefits gained from engaging in community-centered walking audits as practical tools for advancing quality active transportation projects and building trust with the public. Drawing from Health by Design’s Indiana Road to Zero Academy, participants will join a facilitated walking audit near the Purdue campus to discuss common concerns and questions that these exercises address while demonstrating how collaborative notetaking can translate into better planning, engineering, and policy decisions that reflect the unique needs of the community.

Railroad Coordination 101, Deborah Porter, Kip Bunch, David Farmer, Gregory Fitzsimons

Purdue Road School

This presentation will detail the railroad coordination process to include agreements, review process, schedule, RRA , Railroad Certification, special provisions, and close out. Attendees will hear perspectives from both INDOT and railroad owners.

Tirami-Sue: A Recipe For Using Subsurface Utility Engineering (Sue) Data Successfully, Natalie Parks, Ken Slaninka, Rhett Sloan

Purdue Road School

Leveraging Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE) data as a design tool for conflict management helps to mitigate risk to a project during design. However, SUE data should be utilized from design through construction. Leveraging SUE data during construction can serve as a valuable damage prevention tool. This session will discuss how to share SUE data from design team to contractor, and how SUE data are leveraged by the utility coordinator, designer, contractor, inspector, and project owner.

Pel Stories, Tim Miller, Cameron Schuh, Sandra Flum, Blake Dollier

Purdue Road School

PEL Stories: Bridging Planning and Environmental Review: This presentation will highlight stories from planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) projects, demonstrating how early planning can streamline environmental review and improve project outcomes.

IndyPEL: Advancing Planning through Environmental Linkages: This session explores the IndyPEL project, highlighting how Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) studies are shaping transportation decisions in Indiana. Attendees will learn about stakeholder engagement, data-driven planning, and lessons learned.

Young Professionals As Catalysts: Driving Innovation And Organizational Growth, Dolan Mcmillan, Kusai Contractor, Ryan Delves

Purdue Road School

Today’s young professionals (YPs) enter the workforce fluent in AI and digital tools, bringing fresh insight that reshapes how organizations make decisions and deliver projects. This session will explore how YPs apply classroom-taught technologies to real-world challenges—leading pilots, influencing business strategy, and fostering inclusive cultures. Through the lens of Organizational Citizenship Behavior, we’ll examine how YPs’ voluntary efforts—rooted in community, collaboration, and curiosity—are redefining innovation, leadership, and organizational growth across the transportation industry.

Cost-Effective Critical Path Management Of Utilities And Right-Of-Way, Kip Bunch, Kenny Franklin, Daniel Mcmurtry

Purdue Road School

ROW and Utilities are two essential elements that affect both cost and schedule. Because these disciplines involve third parties who may not always share the project’s goals, significant attention is warranted to minimize unnecessary complications that can result in cost and schedule overruns. This session will focus on the intersections of ROW and utilities, providing participants with tools and tips to reduce project risk and build reliability in delivery.

Enhancing Safe Streets And Roads For All (Ss4a) Safety Plans Through Stakeholder Input, Neal Styka, Aaron Bubb

Purdue Road School

Developing a successful Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) safety action plan requires meaningful collaboration across diverse groups. While technical advisory committees are valuable, participation and feedback are not always guaranteed making outreach to organizations and attendance at community events all the more important to ensure input can truly shape stronger, more responsive safety plans. This presentation will highlight how one-on-one outreach and direct engagement build trust, expand community input, and reveal safety concerns not reflected in crash data.

Marl Madness: Plainfield’S Slam Dunk Solution, Scott Singleton, Mark Butler, Kyle Zak

Purdue Road School

The final link in Plainfield’s Northwest Perimeter Parkway posed a challenge with poor soils. Designers faced a thick layer of organic material beneath an embankment road section and four-sided box culvert, introducing a risk of settlement under construction loads. This presentation will discuss the challenges and how the proposed solution exceeded expectations.

Next Level Leadership, No Matter Your Job Title, Tim Jensen, Pete Olson

Purdue Road School

This presentation will describe how to take your leadership to the next level no matter where you sit in the organization. Attendees will learn simple, effective steps to help them advance their influence and their career.

Smarter Projects With Microsoft 365 And Ai, William Fort, Warren Brown

Purdue Road School

This presentation explores how Microsoft 365 apps—SharePoint, Teams, Planner, and AI—can transform project management and collaboration. Learn how to centralize project information in SharePoint, streamline communication with Teams, and organize tasks through Planner. Discover how AI enhances insights, automates workflows, and supports smarter decision-making. Attendees will gain practical strategies for improving efficiency, accountability, and teamwork across projects, becoming more effective project managers and collaborators in today’s fast-paced, technology-driven environment.