Innovation at UDOT

Statewide Innovation Program

The UDOT Innovation Catalog features innovations created or adopted by UDOT.

You can also view UDOT’s live Innovation Efficiencies Report, Impact Dashboard, Award Winners, and Maintenance Innovations by clicking on the links along the top of the catalog.

2025 Innovation and Efficiencies Report

**Highlights Report**
^{(click to open .pdf)}

What is Innovation at UDOT?

This three minute video will get you started!

Annual Innovation and Efficiencies Reports (current and previous)

2025 Innovation and Efficiencies Report

Check out some of UDOT’s groundbreaking innovation. The 2025 Innovation and Efficiencies Highlights Report features 15 implemented innovations that save time and money, improve safety, and Keep Utah Moving! Topics include maintenance, data visualization, process improvements, safety, and construction.

For all innovations, visit the Innovation Catalog. See the “Efficiencies Report” tab of the catalog for up-to-date efficiency numbers.

Previous Year Reports

*Reports are now published towards the end of the calendar year and do not receive broad circulation until the next calendar year. As a result, reports are now labeled in the year where they receive broad circulation. The 2020 report was not skipped, rather the 2021 report covers the preceding year which is 2020.

Submit an Innovation

UDOT consultants, contractors, and partners are encouraged to submit innovations they have implemented at UDOT.

STEP 1: Verify that you are submitting an implemented innovation

Please submit implemented innovations, not ideas.

An implemented innovation is something that 1) is already tested, approved, and in use, 2) has not already been reported, 3) solves a problem, and 4) results in value for UDOT, its stakeholders, and/or customers.
Ideas are thoughts or suggestions about what is possible and should be submitted on the Ideas Portal (open to employees only).

STEP 2: Download, fill out, and submit the worksheet

Download a copy of the Innovation Submission Worksheet, fill it out, and then send it to the contacts listed in the worksheet.

What’s Next?

Your submission will be reviewed according to the criteria in step one above. We will work with you to answer questions and draft an innovation story. This process may include the calculation of efficiency and ROI values. Approved stories are published in the UDOT Innovation Catalog.

Innovation Award Nomination

Published innovations are automatically considered for one of the annual UDOT Innovation Awards. While non-employees may win an award, they are not eligible for the associated monetary prize.

Innovation Award Winners

2025 Innovation Awards

Innovation of the Year

Winner – Tire Anomaly Readers

The Motor Carrier Division wins the 2025 Innovation of the Year Award for implementing sensors that help port of entry inspectors detect flat, under-inflated, threadbare, or damaged tires before they cause harm to motor carriers and the public. UDOT congratulates Chad Sheppick, Lane Murphy, Dan Hunter, Kim Banks, Howard Trexler, Rick Clark, Stephen Goodrich, and PrePass for their excellent work. For the full story, read Tire Anomaly Readers Improve Highway Safety

Finalists

Central Traffic and Safety: Innovative Intersections Design Tool and Storymap Improve Safety
ITS Program, TMD: Intelligent Transportation Systems Toolbox Offers Solutions to Designers
Region 3 Design and Central Structures: MVC Beef Hollow Buried Structure Reduces Short- and Long-term Costs

Spark Award for Inventive Innovation

Winner – Fencer 3000 Rotating Repair Platform

The Scipio Maintenance Station in Region Four wins the Spark Award for Inventive Innovation of 2025. They designed and fabricated a fence repair platform that makes it easier, faster, and safer to replace different types of fence along the freeway. Join us in congratulating Kasey Brunson, Ellis Gentry, Kenny Sorensen, McCrae Thatcher, and Paul Johnson. Read Fencer 3000 Rotating Platform Makes Fence Repair Easier for the whole story.

Spark Award Finalists

Escalante Station, Region 4: Crack Seal Air Hose Boom Saves Backs, Hoses, and Hoods
Panguitch Station, Region 4: Interchangeable Traffic Control Trailer Deck
Parowan Station, Region 4: Wildlife Fence Stretcher Saves Time

Enhance Award for Adaptive Innovation

Winner – Mountain View Corridor Partnered Design

Region Two, in cooperation with Regions One and Three, wins the Enhance Award for Adaptive Innovation of 2025. Oanh Le-Spradlin, Preston Adamson, Josh Stapley, Dilshad Yasmin, and Nick Hafen pulled together engineers from their respective regions for design work on the Mountain View Corridor. Cooperating on such a large project gave internal and consultant designers a chance to work together, learn from each other, and the project benefited from their knowledge of local infrastructure. To read more, see Mountain View Corridor Partnered Design Increases Collaboration and Skills.

Enhance Award Finalists

Incident Management Team, TMD: Incident Management Vehicles Equipped for Every Situation
Junction Station, Region 4: New Approach to Detention Pond Evaporation Saves Money
Cottonwood Station, Region 2: Remote Avalanche Mitigation Improves Safety

Flow Award for Process Innovation

Winner – Right of Way Review Tracker System

Central ROW and Region Four win the Flow Award for Innovative Process of 2025. The Right of Way Review Tracker system was designed in-house and implemented statewide. The new process and tools reduce the effort and time it takes to execute ROW documents. Thanks go to Bracken Davis, Riley Lindsay, and Derek Peterson for a job well done. See Right of Way Tracker System Streamlines Review Process for details.

Flow Award Finalists

Preconstruction, Region 2: Bluebeam Software Speeds Design QC Process
Central Traffic and Safety: Latent Pedestrian Demand Now Considered in Crosswalk Guidelines & Tools
Central Structures and Region 4: Real-time Structure Monitoring Improves Condition Assessment and Asset Management

2024 Innovation Awards

Innovation of the Year

Winner Keeping Utah Beautiful – Litter Collection Application

In recognition of the innovation that advances safety, saves costs, and/or improves public service, the Central Maintenance Division wins the 2024 Innovation of the Year Award for replacing the Adopt-a-Highway program with a new app-driven process that enables community volunteers to effortlessly sign up for a one-time litter pick-up project. Participation has increased, UDOT is saving money, and the roadways are cleaner and safer. UDOT congratulates, Ryan Ferrin, Shawn Lambert, Ed Graves, Christopher Meredith, Jennifer Hall, Camber Wilkey, Cheryl Marz, Karyl Keanaaina, Ashlee Matthews, Josephine Archuleta, Matt Patterson (ESRI), and Adrian Sellers (HDR) for their excellent work. For the full story, read Keeping Utah Beautiful – Litter Collection Application.

Finalists

Region Three: Deeper Hot-In-Place Recycled Asphalt Saves Money and Time
Central Maintenance: Mobile Pavement Marking Data Collection Made Safer
Region One: Composite Quality Organization and Digital Tools Developed for US-89 PDB Project
Region Four: Void Reducing Asphalt Membrane (VRAM) Expected to Prolong Pavement Lifespan

Spark Award for Inventive Innovation

Winner – Region Four Program Tracker Application

In recognition of creativity in developing novel processes, tools, or technologies to solve problems and make improvements, Region Four wins the Spark Award for Inventive Innovation of 2024. They developed an FME (Feature Manipulation Engine) application to automatically provide data from ePM and other sources to Program Management, Design, Environmental, Traffic and Safety, and Public Information groups. Each user group has the information they need to track projects and is less reliant on the program manager to create special reports. Join us in congratulating Braken Davis, Cameron Gay, Kurt Marchant, Jordan Jarrett, Anne Ogden, Rashelle Crowther, Rachel Morris, and Kevin Kitchen. Read Region Four Program Tracker Application for the whole story.

Spark Award Finalists

Region One: Paint Tank Level Indicator Tool Reduces Health Risk for Crew
Motor Carrier: Time of Duty Calculator Saves Time and Improves Quality
Environmental Division: Utah Roadkill Reporter App Helps Guide Mitigation Efforts

Enhance Award for Adaptive Innovation

Winner – Super Capacitors Power Signal and ITS Devices in Challenging Environments

The Enhance award honors ingenuity, adoption, adaptation, or resourceful problem solving using available resources. The Traffic Management Division wins the Enhance Award for Adaptive Innovation of 2024. Tyson Larson, Jayden Smith, Graig Ogden, Troy Torgersen, Catherine Jones, Devin Routson, Chris Smith, Tyler Laing, Craig Wagner (Econolite), and Tracy Cope (Econolite) implemented super capacitor technology to power off-grid ITS devices at night or when there is insufficient solar power. This keeps Utah moving even in challenging locations where traditional batteries do not perform well. To read more, see Super Capacitors Power Signal and ITS Devices in Challenging Environments.

Enhance Award Finalists

Traffic Management Division: Fiber Optic Network Used for Early Detection of Avalanches
Region One: Continuous Flight Auger Piles Are the Right Solution for 5600 S Pedestrian Bridge
Central Materials: Hydrated Lime Test of Extracted HMA Using FTIR

Flow Award for Process Innovation

Winner – Winter Operations Center Provides Situational Awareness and Cost Analysis

The Central Maintenance Division wins the Flow Award for Innovative Process of 2024. This award recognizes the implementation of a new or redesigned process that achieves excellence results. UDOT’s Winter Operations Center allows for real-time management during a storm event and provides accurate information for planning and budget-making. Thanks go to Ben Teran, Corey Unger, Shawn Lambert, Ryan Ferrin, Andrea Moser (BioWest) and, Kevin Wells (BioWest) for a job well done. See Winter Operations Center Provides Situational Awareness and Cost Analysis for details.

Flow Award Finalists

Performance Management: Highway Performance Management System (HPMS) Data Management and Reporting Process Improvements
Risk Management: New Paperless Claim Appeals Process Enhances Transparency and Efficiency
Strategic Technology: Evolution From Road Usage Charge (RUC) 1.0 to RUC 2.0 Saves Money and Time

2023 Innovation Awards

Innovation of the Year

Winner

Wrong Way Driving Project Improves Safety at Freeway Ramps

Finalists

Spark Award for Inventive Innovation

Winner

Pedestrian Crossing App Enhances Accessibility and Safety

Spark Award Finalists

Enhance Award for Adaptive Innovation

Winner

Interstate Lighting Maintenance From The Cloud

Enhance Award Finalists

Flow Award for Process Innovation

Winner

Smart Use of Smartphones Speeds Up and Improves Port of Entry Inspection Process

Flow Award Finalists

2022 Innovation Award Winners

UDOT Innovation of the Year Award – Incident Management Team’s Use of Drones (2:57 video)
Spark Award – Inventive Innovation of 2022 – Saddle Lift Tool for Sign Repair (2:19 video)
Enhance Award – Adaptive Innovation of 2022 – Valve Body Location (2:10 video)
Flow Award for Innovative Process of 2022 – ROW Water Rights Tracking System (2:30 video)

Government Reform, Innovation & Transparency - UDOT Improvement Project

UDOT GRIT Improvement Project

UDOT supports the governor’s executive order launching GRIT — Government Reform, Innovation & Transparency — a statewide initiative to improve efficiency and deliver better results for the people of Utah. As directed in Utah Code 63J-1-904 – Efficiency Improvement Process, the department has identified Keeping Utah Beautiful Litter Mitigation as the UDOT GRIT improvement project.

Photo of roadway approaching Arches Natoinal Park. The area is litter free. An orange trash bag leans against the sign that says "Arches Nat'l Park 1 mile"

More information about the program can be found on the Keeping Utah Beautiful – Volunteer Litter Pick Up Program page.

Internal Efficiency Improvement Project: Impact Attenuator Improvement

Impact attenuators – those big, yellow crash cushions you see on highways – are super important! They absorb energy during a crash, making accidents much less severe and saving lives. UDOT maintains over 10,000 impact attenuators across the state.

When they’re broken or missing, they can’t do their job, and that turns a fender bender into something far more dangerous. UDOT is working hard to reduce the amount of time impact attenuators are damaged. Getting them fixed quickly means our roads stay safe, and everyone has better protection.

UDOT Innovation Videos

What is innovation at UDOT?

This three minute video will get you started!

Get inspired with these brief innovation example videos!

Digitized Customer Feedback Process for IMT Vehicles (4:54min.)
Virtual Heavy Equipment Simulators (4:18min.)
Custom Lock Bolt Puller (3:41min.)
Port of Entry Workstation Efficiency (3:08min.)
Loader Multitool (4:08min.)
Median Barrier Saddle Lift (3:55min.)
Curb Design Collaboration (4:19min.)

UDOT Innovation Council

Organizational Chart & Contact Info

Innovation Council Charter

About the Innovation Program | Contact Information

UDOT’s Statewide Innovation Program is led through the Research and Innovation Division via UDOT’s larger Technology and Innovation Group. At UDOT, innovation efforts are an essential part of everyone’s job. Many employees are hired and promoted based, in no small part, on their ability to influence innovative outcomes. This page is dedicated to continuing UDOT’s proud tradition of being a world-class leader in the transportation innovations space. Please review this content to learn more about how UDOT continues to invest in a better tomorrow, and how you can accelerate these efforts by actively participating today!

Program Management

Winston Inoway
Innovation and Implementation Program Manager
801-455-3911
winoway@utah.gov

Quinten Klingonsmith
Innovation and Implementation Program Coordinator
801-386-0473
qklingonsmith@utah.gov

Additional Resource Links

UDOT Multi-State Innovation Peer Exchange Report

FHWA Center for Accelerating Innovation

NCHRP Implementation Support Program

AASHTO Innovation Initiative

Other Research & Innovation Links

National Committee Membership

Research and Innovation Division

Research and Innovation Toolbox

UDOT Library