Elaine Chao (above) stepped down as U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary on January 7, with her resignation to take effect January 11, due to the Capitol Hill riot that occurred on January 6. “Our country experienced a traumatic and entirely avoidable event as supporters of the President stormed the Capitol building following a rally he […]
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The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials recently analyzed the $10 billion in emergency aid provided to state departments of transportation as part of the $900 billion COVID-19 relief measure signed into law on December 27 along with the appropriations package for all of fiscal year 2021. [Above photo by the West Virginia […]
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Narrow Runoff Victories in Georgia Give Senate to Democrats
editor@aashto.org January 8, 2021 0 COMMENTSThe Reverend Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., and Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., both won narrow U.S. Senate runoff election victories in Georgia on January 5, splitting the U.S. Senate 50-50 between the Democratic and Republican parties – making incoming Vice President Kamala Harris the key tie-breaking vote in the upper chamber of Congress. With the runoff victories in […]
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AASHTO Comments on NEPA Revisions, Highway Design Standards
editor@aashto.org January 8, 2021 0 COMMENTSThe American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials sent two comment letters to the U.S. Department of Transportation on December 22, 2020: one concerning the July 2020 overhaul of National Environmental Policy Act or NEPA regulations and the other responding to proposed changes to highway design standards. AASHTO’s 10-page NEPA letter relates to the […]
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White House Unveils National Maritime Cybersecurity Plan
editor@aashto.org January 8, 2021 0 COMMENTSOn January 5, the White House issued a 36-page National Maritime Cybersecurity Plan that sets forth how the federal government will defend the nation’s economy via enhanced cybersecurity coordination, policies and practices, aimed at mitigating risks to the maritime industry – promoting prosperity through information and intelligence sharing, and preserving and increasing the nation’s cyber […]
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The Federal Railroad Administration announced on December 29, 2020, the full operation of positive train control or PTC technology on all 57,536 required freight and passenger railroad miles mandated by Congress in the Rail Safety Improvement Act (RISA) of 2008. [Above photo via the FRA.] FRA said it also certified – as required by RISA […]
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The Federal Highway Administration awarded $49.6 million worth of Advanced Transportation and Congestion Management Technologies Deployment or ATCMTD grants to 10 projects using advanced intelligent transportation systems technologies designed to improve mobility, safety, and support vehicle connectivity. [Above photo by the Georgia DOT.] “The program selections this year look to the future to help ensure […]
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USDOT Promotes ‘Mobility for All’ With Innovation Grants
editor@aashto.org January 8, 2021 0 COMMENTSFifteen “teams” in 15 states will receive a combined $41 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation via two agency-sponsored “design challenges” that seek to improve transportation access to persons with disabilities and individuals with mobility issues. [Above photo by MARC.] USDOT said in a statement that it split more than $38 million in grant […]
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The Federal Aviation Administration recently established an Airport Coronavirus Response Grant Program to distribute some $2 billion in COVID-19 relief funding included within a legislative package passed by Congress and signed into law by President Trump on December 27. [Above photo by the FAA.] The agency said in a statement that those funds are available to “all […]
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The U.S. Department of Transportation issued a call for proposals for its fiscal year 2021 Small Business Innovation Research or SBIR program. The agency said it is providing a pre-solicitation “preview” of the 13 topics expected to be featured in its FY2021 program, with an opportunity to submit questions via the its SBIR Q&A website. […]
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