TRAF-tech, a Redding company, markets cone placement and retrieval vehicles based on technology developed at UC Davis. This system and others developed at the university provide road crews with ways to do some of their work without ever leaving their trucks. For example, VacAll Industries of Birmingham, Ala., markets a vaccum rig that picks up debris at roadside or in the road, with the vacuum operated by remote from the truck cab. Still under development are remote-controlled machines to cut roadside vegetation and vacuum the trimmings, and one to seal pavement cracks.

On the Net:

TRAF-tech www.traftech.net

VacAll Industries www.vacallindustries.com

Advanced Highway Maintenance and Construction Technology www.ahmct.ucdavis.edu

Pavement Research Center www.its.berkeley.edu/pavementresearch