Three state department of transportation executives shared their insights into the strategies they use to address everything from infrastructure resiliency to cybersecurity during the 2021 virtual American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials Washington Briefing. [Above left to right: Carlos Braceras, Margaret Anderson Kelliher, and Ed Sniffen.] Ed Sniffen, deputy director for highways at […]

Leveraging innovation and technology isn’t always about improving the physical parts of transportation infrastructure. In many ways, state departments of transportation can leverage technology – especially in terms of public outreach – to improve connections with disadvantaged businesses and communities. [Above left to right: Yassmin Gramian, Tony Kratofil, and Amy Scarton.] That was the message […]

Cedric Richmond (seen above), senior advisor to President Biden and director of the White House Office of Public Engagement, said a “hard push” is coming on an infrastructure stimulus bill once the administration gets its $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan or ARP is passed. “And we’re going to keep you all very busy as we […]

Key members of Congress provided their outlook on surface transportation reauthorization challenges and opportunities during the 2021 virtual American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials Washington Briefing. Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., chair of the House of Representatives Transportation and Infrastructure Committee stressed that “we certainly have common cause with state DOTs to rebuild the […]

The current acting administrators for the Federal Highway Administration, the Federal Transit Administration, and Federal Railroad Administration, shared the transportation priorities of their agencies during the virtual 2021 American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials Washington Briefing on February 25. [Clockwise from top left: Shawn Wilson, Louisiana DOTD secretary; FHWA’s Pollack; FRA’s Bose; FTA’s […]

Over the last 16 years, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials and the Adventure Cycling Association worked with state departments of transportation and other local transportation agencies to identify and install signage for nearly 15,000 miles of bicycle routes in 31 states and the District of Columbia. Ultimately, the plan is to […]

Despite an ongoing downward trend in highway fatalities, state departments of transportation are looking to refocus their safety efforts, including those related to traffic safety culture; collaboration with safety partners; and a more aggressive approach to implementing safety countermeasures regarding infrastructure and behavior. During a panel discussion held during the American Association of State Highway […]

Leaders from key federal transportation departments re-emphasized how they are focusing on improving infrastructure and safety during a roundtable session at the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials annual Washington Briefing on February 26. “Safety is a focus that unites the entire U.S. Department of Transportation across all of its agencies,” explained Mala […]

A panel of state department of transportation leaders at the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials annual Washington Briefing on February 27 outlined why formula funding – used to disburse federal motor vehicle tax revenues to the states – remains critical to sustaining and enhancing the nation’s transportation network for the future. [Left […]

During her February 26 keynote speech at the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials annual Washington Briefing, U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao (seen above) re-emphasized the need to preserve the 5.9 gigahertz (GHz) wireless communication spectrum for transportation safety needs. It’s a position she’s staked out since the Federal Communications Commission […]