As President Trump and members of Congress tout the possibility of pulling together a national infrastructure investment package, several states are already gearing up to continue and in some cases speed up a wide variety of transportation projects. [Above photo by the Michigan DOT.] The president supported a $2 trillion infrastructure investment stimulus bill in […]

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released the Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient or SAFE Vehicles Rule on March 31 – establishing corporate average fuel economy or CAFÉ standards as well as setting carbon dioxide (CO2) emission standards for model year 2021 through 2026 passenger cars and light trucks. [Above photo […]

A new 30-page study compiles sets of research-tested themes and messages that state departments of transportation can use to communicate with different audiences about the economic and quality of life benefits generated through transportation infrastructure investment. Requested by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials and conducted as part of National Cooperative Highway […]

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials Committee on Transportation System Security is sponsoring a series of “virtual panel discussions” to help state department of transportation leaders stay up-to-date on the latest news regarding the COVID-19 or Coronavirus pandemic. The panels will feature updates from the Federal Highway Administration, Transportation Security Administration, and […]

To keep the nation’s transportation network functioning in the face of the Coronavirus pandemic, state departments of transportation across the country are engaging in broad array of operational efforts, from expanding overweight truck permits and keeping rest areas open to keeping infrastructure projects on track. [Above photo by the West Virginia DOT.] To help ensure […]

The Senate passed the $2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security or CARES Act on March 25 by a vote of 96 to zero, which the House of Representatives then passed on March 27 by voice vote before heading to President Trump’s desk, who signed it that afternoon. Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., noted in […]

A spate of reports indicates that the Coronavirus pandemic is slashing gross domestic growth rates worldwide, and where the United States is concerned, that’s increasing the financial risks associated with revenue-backed infrastructure projects such as airports, toll roads, and ports. [Above photo by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.] “The level of world GDP is […]

In separate conference calls held March 25 and March 26 with transportation industry stakeholders, U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao (seen above) praised the “tremendous resilience and heroic action” of transit workers, truck drivers, and trucking companies in the face of the Coronavirus or COVID-19 pandemic. “Please pass along my sincere thanks to your […]

Even as transit ridership falls and highway travel declines due to the Coronavirus outbreak, state departments of transportation are making adjustments to toll collection and rest area protocols to help prevent further spread of the disease while at the same time altering construction and maintenance schedules where necessary. [Above photo by Caltrans.] For example, the […]

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials is seeking Congressional support for the creation of a fiscal “backstop” for the transportation sector due to the economic impact of the Coronavirus pandemic, along with “an immediate and temporary” nationwide waiver of federal truck weight restrictions. [Above photo by the Virginia DOT.] The organization said […]