The Federal Communications Commission adopted new rules for the 5.9 gigahertz (GHz) wireless communications spectrum on November 18, opening up the lower 45 megahertz portion of the band to unlicensed uses, such as WiFi, while reducing spectrum available for transportation safety needs to the upper 30 megahertz portion of the band. [Above graphic via the […]

The Federal Highway Administration issued $12 million in “quick release” emergency relief on November 13 to help begin repairs on the Brent Spence Bridge after it suffered damage by a fire resulting from a commercial truck crash. [Above photo via the KYTC.] The Brent Spence Bridge is a double decker cantilevered truss bridge that transports […]

The incoming Biden-Harris administration has released the names of the 18-member transition team for the U.S. Department of Transportation, which will also review the National Transportation Safety Board, Amtrak, and the Federal Maritime Commission. The transition team has significant representation from urban transportation, public transportation, and labor. Jeff Marootian – director of the District of […]

The Senate Committee on Appropriations released all 12 of its fiscal year 2021 funding measures and subcommittee allocations on November 10: paving the way for negotiations to begin with the House of Representatives, which released a “minibus” of appropriations bills on July 31. “By and large, these bills are the product of bipartisan cooperation among […]

Out of the 11 state governorships up for election in 2020, incumbents seeking re-election won nine of them – six of them Republican and three Democrat – with two open seats captured by Republican candidates. [Above photo of Gov. Mike Parson (R) by MoDOT.] Meanwhile, voters in 18 states approved a record 94 percent of […]

On November 7, major news organizations declared the Biden-Harris ticket to be the winner of the U.S. presidential election. However, the Trump campaign has launched several legal challenges disputing that declaration and is calling for recounts in several swing states. Meanwhile, as of November 9, control of the House of Representatives is expected to remain […]

The leadership of the House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure has asked the Government Accountability Office to study the safety implications of the Federal Communications Commission plan to open up more than half of the 5.9-gigahertz wireless communication spectrum to non-transportation safety usage. The FCC proposal would shift 30 megahertz of the 75 […]

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials Annual Meeting – held via a virtual format November 9-13 due to the COVID-19 pandemic – will focus on the potential ways the results of the 2020 national elections could affect the nation’s transportation policy agenda. As part of AASHTO’s annual meeting, the organization’s Transportation Policy […]

Several state departments of transportation are facing winter operation challenges created by COVID-19 as the pandemic is leading to budget tightening as well as greater health and safety needs among their snowplow driver corps. [Above photo via the Michigan DOT.] “Over the years, maintenance workers at the state and local levels have handled everything winter […]

Ajit Pai (seen above), chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, issued a draft of new rules on October 28 that would open up the 5.9 gigahertz or GHz wireless communication spectrum to unlicensed services such as Wi-Fi. He added that the FCC would vote on those new rules at its November 18 meeting. [Above photo […]