Gresham Smith is proud to announce that several Gresham Smith Transportation experts will present at the Southern District ITE (SDITE) annual meeting, held in Biloxi, MS. Our team’s six presentations will focus on a range of topics including mitigating extreme speeding on rural roads, maximizing the value of routine resurfacing efforts, sustainable funding frameworks and more. Summaries of the presentations are below.
Case Study in Mitigating Extreme Speeding | presented by Mark Doctor, P.E., PTOE
This presentation highlights the Florida Department of Transportation’s innovative pilot study targeting extreme speeding on rural roadways. By installing large thermoplastic speed limit shields that visually reinforce posted limits, FDOT achieved remarkable safety improvements along an 8.8-mile segment of State Route 46. The low-cost, easily installed countermeasure resulted in a 54% reduction in extreme speeding (≥15 mph over limit) and a 36% reduction in vehicles exceeding speed limits by ≥10 mph, with sustained benefits observed six months post-installation. Comparative analysis of different shield spacing revealed that 400-foot intervals delivered optimal effectiveness. Attendees will gain insights into the study’s design, results, and implications for broader application in rural speed management strategies.
Proactive Approaches for Assessing Vulnerable Road User Safety Risk | presented by presented by Mark Doctor, P.E., PTOE and Kofi Ampofo – Twumasi, EIT
This presentation explores proactive strategies rooted in the Safe System Approach to enhance pedestrian and bicyclist safety before crashes occur. Recognizing the limitations of relying solely on historic crash data and prediction models, it introduces four innovative methodologies for early risk assessment and informed, data-driven safety improvements. Attendees will learn about the FHWA’s Safe System Based Framework for intersections, the NCHRP Report 948 “Design Flags” methodology, the MPATH: Empathic Insights platform—which integrates geolocation and wearable device data to quantify user stress—and the FHWA’s Safe System Project-based Alignment Framework. Together, these tools empower transportation practitioners to proactively identify and mitigate risks, fostering safer, more inclusive road environments.
6 for 6 KYTC | presented by Andrea Cull, P.E.
This presentation shares insights from a Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) District 6 pilot project aimed at maximizing the value of routine resurfacing efforts by integrating safety and operational improvements. By proactively reviewing top resurfacing routes every 10-15 years through the lens of traffic operations, crash data, and multimodal accommodations, the project identified targeted recommendations including roadway reconfigurations, pedestrian enhancements, signal upgrades, and more. The initiative required unprecedented coordination across multiple KYTC departments to align maintenance, traffic management, and resurfacing activities efficiently. Attendees will learn how this proactive, integrated approach can lead to more efficient spending, improved safety and operations, and minimized disruption for the public.
Access Management Considerations for a Suburban Arterial | presented by Nithin Gomez, P.E., PTOE
This presentation explores the development of an access management plan for State Route 9 (Roswell Road) in suburban Atlanta, balancing land access needs with through traffic mobility. With over 400 access points along a busy 9-mile corridor serving diverse users, the plan aims to enhance safety and traffic flow by strategically regulating driveway locations, median openings, and pedestrian crossings. Key elements include converting the center two-way left-turn lane into a raised median, optimizing median openings to reduce left-turn conflicts, and introducing mid-block pedestrian crossings. The presentation also addresses the complexities of implementing these improvements near an interchange. Attendees will gain insights into effective traffic analysis, geometric design strategies, and multimodal enhancements for suburban arterials.
Streetcar Success: Unlocking Sustainable Funding for Urban Transit Expansion | presented by Tina Dickenson
This presentation focuses on developing a sustainable funding framework to support the expansion and long-term operation of Dallas’s 2.4-mile streetcar route, which connected downtown to the Bishop Arts neighborhood with nearly 150,000 passenger trips in 2024. As urban populations and transit demands grow amid constrained municipal budgets, Dallas is exploring diverse funding mechanisms to ensure financial viability for future system growth and connectivity to additional destinations. Attendees will learn about the methodology used to identify, evaluate, and implement alternative funding strategies to address both current and future transit funding challenges.
Living in Roundabout Land | presented by James Anderson, P.E.
Drawing on personal experience relocating from Georgia, where traditional intersections dominate, to northern Indianapolis, a region with widespread roundabout use, this presentation offers an insightful perspective on roundabout operations and benefits. It explores the factors that contributed to the popularity of roundabouts in northern Indianapolis and discusses lessons learned that can inform safety promotion programs in other regions. Attendees will gain a unique, firsthand view of roundabout adoption and practical considerations for enhancing traffic safety through innovative intersection design.
More information on the 2026 Southern District ITE annual meeting can be found here.
