Thousands of roadway safety advocates filled the Phoenix Convention Center this week for ATSSA’s 53^rd Annual Convention & Traffic Expo, exploring the latest technology and equipment for protecting lives within work zones and on the nation’s roadways.

A record-setting number of people registered, with more than 3,700 for this year's event.

With nearly 50 education sessions to choose from, they gained both practical tips—such as how to negotiate contracts to limit liability—and enhanced their understanding of critical workplace safety and technology issues such as advances in communication between work zones and connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs).

Keynote speaker Scott Wozniak, an organizational leadership expert from Atlanta, addressed a key workforce issue on Sunday when he offered insights for building a successful team by focusing on the essential element of employee engagement.

Check out some of the highlights of this week's event.

Phoenix (Feb. 21, 2023) – A portable lighting system tethered to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) won the Innovation Award at ATSSA’s 53rd Annual Convention & Traffic Expo with three other new products being recognized for honorable mention.

The Blue Vigil ALED Portable Light is a person-portable area lighting system that mounts a high-intensity LED array on a tethered UAV that can be positioned up to 100 feet above a job site, according to Blue Vigil of Sterling, Va. The ALED puts over 8,000 square feet of light on the ground, providing nearly twice as much coverage as the towed light towers commonly used for roadway work zones.

The ALED can remain airborne for as long as needed and is designed to withstand the rigors of use in the field and on construction sites, according to company information.

The innovative light was chosen from among 18 entered in ATSSA’s New Products Rollout. The products represented companies from the U.S., Canada and Australia, and were evaluated by a panel of judges made up of department of transportation personnel.

PHOENIX (Feb. 19, 2023) – The American Traffic Safety Services Association awarded Peter Speer of Pexco with the Industry Achievement Award today during ATSSA’s Annual Convention & Traffic Expo taking place in Phoenix through Tuesday.

The Association also announced Neil Boudreau of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation as recipient of the National Safety Award and Jerry Britt, a PPG consultant, as recipient of the Mark of Excellence Award.

The Industry Achievement Award is the highest honor bestowed by ATSSA and is given to a member deemed worthy of special recognition. It honors members who have made significant contributions to ATSSA and left a mark on the roadway safety infrastructure industry.

The National Safety Award recognizes an employee or recent retiree of a government agency who made a significant contribution to the safety of our nation’s highways.

The Mark of Excellence Award is given to an ATSSA member who has made outstanding contributions to the advancement of roadway safety infrastructure through improved pavement markings.

ATSSA’s 2023 Legislative Briefing & Fly-In offers members the opportunity to play a role in advocating for roadway safety at the national level.

This annual event, which is an exclusive member benefit, takes place April 18-19 in Washington, D.C. Members will have the opportunity to deliver roadway safety solutions to the Capitol Hill offices of lawmakers and their staffs, who craft policy that affects the roadway safety infrastructure industry for years to come.

Both House and Senate office buildings are fully open to visitors this year.

The 2023 Legislative Briefing & Fly-In coincides with National Work Zone Awareness Week (NWZAW), which will be held April 17-21 and has the theme, “You play a role in work zone safety. Work With Us.”

Yes, there was a big event in Phoenix yesterday but could those guys tackle roadway safety solutions?

Could their front line mount an effective defense against work zone incursions? Could their offensive coordinators come up with a plan to integrate pavement markings and connected vehicle technology?

No, but roadway safety fans can find strategies for those issues and many more in Phoenix Feb. 17-21 at ATSSA’s biggest event of the year – the 53^rd Annual Convention & Traffic Expo.

Attendees will score big through interactions with industry experts, networking opportunities, nearly 50 education sessions and by exploring the 200,000-square-foot exhibit hall (more than triple the size of the gridiron) where new and powerful lifesaving devices will be displayed.

Registration is still open for the Convention & Traffic Expo where roadway safety and innovation intersect so get your name on the roster before it’s too late.

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. (Feb. 9, 2023) – The American Traffic Safety Services Association  announces the lineup for its 2023 New Products Rollout (NPRO), which will include 18 products and be held at its 53rd Annual Convention & Traffic Expo taking place Feb. 17-21 at the Phoenix Convention Center.

Traditionally, more than 3,500 people attend the Convention—the largest roadway safety tradeshow in North America—to see some of the latest innovations in the roadway safety infrastructure industry. The products submitted as part of the NPRO are comprised of a wide range of devices designed to save lives on our nation’s roadways.

“The products for this year’s New Products Rollout address a variety of issues related to safety on the roadways and reflect the diverse issues within this industry,” said ATSSA Manager of Innovation & Technical Services Nagham “Melodie” Matout. “It’s always fascinating to see the products on view for the NPRO and the ways they can help advance roadway safety.”

ATSSA’s Annual Report for 2022 is now available online and details the ways the Association spent the year “Connecting & Collaborating” to advance roadway safety.

The report recalls the highlights of a year in which the roadway safety infrastructure industry reunited in Tampa, Fla., for ATSSA’s 52^nd Annual Convention & Traffic Expo after a pause on an in-person event.

The connections made and advanced there helped carry members through the challenges of inflation and supply chains, proving the benefit of networking at this annual event. Collaboration continued throughout the year as members held events to mark National Work Zone Awareness Week in April and gathered in the nation’s capital in June to take the roadway safety message directly to federal legislators during the Legislative Briefing & Fly-In. The Midyear Meeting in Rhode Island in August provided another opportunity to connect and collaborate on solving industry issues. And throughout 2022, ATSSA’s 28 chapters gathered for 83 meetings and events.

Read full details of the past year in ATSSA's Annual Report 2022: Connecting & Collaborating.

ATSSA’s Corporate Training Program has always offered the benefits of developing staff who can deliver high quality training at a company’s site and on its schedule. But with recent changes to the program, the skills of the instructors will be even stronger, ATSSA Training Program Manager Jessica Scheyder said.

The Corporate Training Program, also referred to as CTP, gives companies the opportunity to have an in-house trainer who can meet ongoing needs as staffing changes or personnel switch positions. With the revised program, that person will not only develop stronger skills but also leave with greater confidence.

“We reviewed all of the steps involved in the Corporate Training Program and have revised it from the application process through completion of training,” Scheyder said. “We saw a need to give developing instructors better support and guidance and have taken steps to achieve that.

“Our aim is to see CTP students succeed, which is why we are making an even greater investment in them as they go through training.”