Transportation

Carlos Braceras is the Director and Chief Engineer at the Utah Department of Transportation.  He is the previous  director of UDOT's Region 3, headquartered in Utah County. Mr. Braceras also worked on the Legacy Parkway/I-15 North Project, where he was responsible for development of the environmental documents, design-build contracts and construction of both facilities. Since joining UDOT in 1986, Mr. Braceras has served as the chief geotechnical engineer, the chief value engineer and the Region 2 roadway design engineer. In 1998, he was named "State of Utah Governor's Manager of the Year" and received the "UDOT Leader of the Year" award. Mr. Braceras currently serves as the chair of the AASHTO Subcommittee on Maintenance and is a member of four other committees. Prior to joining UDOT, Mr. Braceras worked as a well-site geologist in the oil and gas exploration and development industry. He received a bachelor's degree in geology from the University of Vermont and a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from the University of Utah.

Summary of Carlos Braceras' Presentation

• Fifty years ago, we celebrated the completion of the interstate system
• Five months ago, we celebrated the completion of the I-15 Core project
• Fifty years ago, extra right-of-way was purchased as part of the interstate system and UDOT was able to fit all of the extra lanes into the existing ROW
• With incredible foresight, they are able to provide for those who came after them
• What are we doing to provide for the future?
• We are the only state in the country with a “Unified Long-Range Plan”. It is a 30-year plan which has taken all long-range plans from the rural and metropolitan areas and combined them into one comprehensive plan. Maintenance, capacity and safety are addressed in the plan
• UDOT has four goals: 1. Preserve infrastructure 2. Improve mobility 3. Zero fatalities through safety 4. Improve economy

Future Transportation Technologies:

• Vehicle-to-Vehicle Communication (no crash intersections with technology to communicate with vehicles that are approaching an intersection)
• Adaptive Cruise Control (knows when slower vehicles are ahead and will automatically slow down)
• Signalized intersections controlled by emergency response vehicles
• Vehicle-to-Vehicle Communication with Infrastructure (installed in the conduit at intersections to help control traffic signals)
• Pedestrian Recognition (vehicles have sensors that identify pedestrians in the vehicle’s path and slows or stops the vehicle before impact)
• Driverless Cars (Three states issue licenses for driverless cars: California, Nevada and Florida; two more are working on it: Michigan and NJ). Driverless cars will allow vehicles to be put bumper-to-bumper at high speed areas on the freeway
• Most transportation costs are covered by gas tax. In the future, it will be based on use, time of day, miles traveled, etc.
• The hope is to use the power of the dollar to influence behavior.

View the slide presentation on transportation.