AASHTO Journal - State DOTs Highlight Innovations by Employees

The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) and South Carolina Department of Transportation recently highlighted several innovations developed by their respective employees that improved safety and saved money for both agencies.

[Above photo by the ITD]

On October 1, the ITD held its annual “Best of the Best” awards ceremony, touting innovations across five categories – Safety, Mobility/Economic Opportunity, Resource Stewardship, Ideal Workplace, and Customer Service – that delivered $5 million in savings and efficiencies to the agency for fiscal year 2025; allowing those savings to be re-routed to critical improvements to roads and bridges statewide.

Key innovations noted by the agency at the award ceremony include:

The use of Nordik Move Plow Blades that adapt to road surfaces for better snow removal. The blades have proven to be longer-lasting, quieter, and more cost-effective; earning strong support from operators and improving winter operations.
The first use in Idaho of Recycled Asphalt Pavement or RAP sealcoat that helps reduce paving costs and conserve construction materials.
Repurposing an old wing plow camera to monitor salt levels from inside snowplow cabs. The “Salt Seeing Eye” reduces the need for manual checks and risky climbs onto equipment, improving operator safety.
Use of a new Environmental Systems Research Institute or ESRI map layer for easier access to property, right of way, and parcel data. The new tool saves $60,000 annually and improves efficiency.

“These categories represent the core pillars of our innovation strategy and align with key departmental priorities,” noted Scott Stokes, ITD’s director, at the awards event. “Innovation is transforming the way ITD works – making our jobs safer, streamlining processes, and saving customers both time and money.”

Meanwhile, SCDOT recently held its 2025 Innovations Showcase; an event that Merrill Zwanka, a materials and research engineer for agency, said is important because it “makes us more efficient, makes us safer, and helps us share innovations across district and office lines.”

SCDOT noted that this event originally began in 2024 just within the agency’s maintenance department, expanding to include all of the agency’s field operations in 2025. For 2026, every employee at SCDOT will now receive an opportunity to participate in the agency’s Innovation Program – whether they work in the field, at a district office, or behind the scenes at headquarters.

“Innovation is defined as the process of bringing about new ideas, methods, products, services, or solutions that have a significant positive impact and value,” said Rob Perry, a research engineer with SCDOT, at the event.

“It involves transforming creative concepts into tangible outcomes that improve efficiency, effectiveness, or address unmet needs,” he explained. “Innovation is not just confined to research because innovation happens all the time, and especially out in the field.”

Perry added that “thinking outside the box” and not being deterred by “this is the way we’ve always done it” isa major reason why SCDOT sponsors this annual showcase.

“By fostering a culture of innovation, we aim to encourage ongoing creativity and collaboration, leading to even more innovations in the department,” he said.