TRB’s “Tell Us Our Story” Initiative: Judith Corley-Lay

The Transportation Research Board’s “Tell Us ‘Our’ Story centennial activity is designed to allow TRB’s volunteers and friends to participate in the TRB Centennial Celebration through the submission of their stories.

October’s question was, “What TRB meeting, report or product has been most influential in your work and why?” Among the responses was one from Judith Corley-Lay, Director of the National Center for Pavement Preservation:

“The report that most effected my career was a NCHRP Synthesis Report “Chip Seal Best Practices” by Doug Gransberg. At the time I read the report, I was in the Pavement Management Unit of North Carolina Department of Transportation. From the report, I created a list of topics that the agency could research to improve our chip seal performance. NCDOT used state research funding over a period of more than 10 years to evaluate aggregates, impact of polymer modification, rolling patterns and equipment, and use of chip seals on higher traffic volume roadways, among other related topics. One result of this was a “Research Pays Off” article that I wrote with colleague Dennis Wofford. I became a member, and then chairman of the TRB Technical Committee on Pavement Preservation. Since retiring from NCDOT, I serve as Director of the National Center for Pavement Preservation and bring the same message of improving preservation practices to agencies across the nation. That single synthesis report impacted my career for almost 20 years!”

Judith Corley-Lay Sets Goals to Advance Pavement Preservation

To read all the responses to October’s question visit the Tell Us “Our” Story portion of the TRB Centennial website. Want to join in on TRB’s celebration? In November, they’re asking “How has TRB affected the way you value transportation research?”