The UDOT Innovation Review Summer 2026 Part Three report highlights the final set of innovations submitted between June 1 and the end of August 2026. This installment focuses specifically on tools and equipment designed to improve maintenance and operational efficiency.
Several equipment modifications were identified to improve field operations. Custom Shur-Flex delineator repair tools were developed to remove broken delineators from their bases or damaged bases from the ground. Additionally, the Twister Tool was created to make repairing metal U-channel delineators easier by allowing steel U-channel posts to be straightened without replacement. A skid-steer accessory trailer was also noted for improving efficiency by keeping tools organized in a custom accessory rack.
Various specialized attachments and systems were also featured. An under-guardrail gravel pusher attachment for skid-steers allows crews to level areas behind guardrails. For vegetation management, a weed sprayer cage facilitates easier installation and maneuverability, while a repurposed brine pump and large rollable hopper inductor create a fast weed spray mixing system. Other improvements include a fixed hose with a backflow preventer for cleaner herbicide tank filling and a modified calcium spray nozzle that reduces clogging by being moved above the gate.
Maintenance station and facility improvements were also highlighted. The Murray Maintenance Station utilized custom 3D printed items to improve storage, productivity, and safety. In another instance, adding a delineator post section to rigid sign bases allowed for the use of existing soft traffic signs. At the Purgatory shed, surplus fire suppression equipment from the DNR was repurposed into a brushfire unit conversion to extend the mowing season into the dry season.
This concludes the three-part report on innovations submitted over the summer. Any implemented innovations submitted to the Innovation Catalog by November 30 will be included in UDOT’s winter random prize drawing for $50.
