President’s FY 2021 Budget Proposes $1T of Total Infrastructure Investment
editor@aashto.org February 14, 2020 0 COMMENTSThe 138-page proposed fiscal year 2021 budget issued by President Trump’s administration on February 10 proposes to reauthorize surface transportation funding to the tune of $810 billion over the next decade, along with an additional one-time payment of $190 billion to support a broad mixture of “infrastructure investments” across a range of industrial sectors. [Above […]
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Safety, Reliability Key Issues at Autonomous Vehicle Hearing
editor@aashto.org February 14, 2020 0 COMMENTSEnsuring that autonomous vehicles operate in a safe and reliable manner – particularly when it comes to navigating complex street networks – were two of the key focal points of a February 11 hearing held by the House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce. “Safety and deployment must come hand in hand – we […]
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Improving Railroad Crossing Safety Focus of House Hearing
editor@aashto.org February 14, 2020 0 COMMENTSRailroad grade crossing incidents are the second leading cause of all rail-related deaths in the United States, according to Federal Railroad Administration data, yet there may not be enough funding available to make such crossings safer – an issue discussed during a House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure hearing on February 5. [Above […]
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Trump Administration Issues PNT Policy for Critical Infrastructure
editor@aashto.org February 14, 2020 0 COMMENTSPresident Trump signed an executive order on February 12 establishing a comprehensive national policy promoting the responsible use of positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) services – such as the U.S. global positioning system (GPS) – to strengthen critical infrastructure resilience. [Above photo by NASA.] “Since the United States made GPS available worldwide, PNT services provided by […]
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FTA Offering New Grant Funding for Transit Bus, Ferry Projects
editor@aashto.org February 14, 2020 0 COMMENTSThe Federal Transit Administration issued two notice of funding opportunities or NOFOs for fiscal year 2020 on February 7; one via its Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities program and the other via its Passenger Ferry grant program. [Above photo via the FTA.] The transit bus NOFO is offering some $454.6 million in competitive grant […]
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USDOT Providing Traffic Safety Funds to American Indian Tribes
editor@aashto.org February 14, 2020 0 COMMENTSThe U.S. Department of Transportation issued more than $8.9 million worth of grants to 80 federally recognized American Indian Tribal Nations on February 11 to support 91 transportation projects; most of them focused on improving traffic safety and quality of life for tribal communities, noted USDOT Secretary Elaine Chao in a statement. [Above photo by […]
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Governor Laura Kelly (D) (seen above) and Julie Lorenz, secretary of the Kansas Department of Transportation, unveiled a new transportation program called FORWARD on February 12; a program designed, in part, to be “flexible, responsive, and rolling” so major transportation projects are selected every two years instead of once a decade. [Above photo by Kansas […]
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In his state-of-the-state address on February 5, Governor Larry Hogan (R) called upon Maryland’s legislature to fund his plan to advance the Howard Street Tunnel project, aimed at “improving Baltimore City’s infrastructure, increase business at the Port of Baltimore, and bring thousands of jobs to the region.” [Above photo by the Maryland Governor’s Office.] That […]
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The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority said on February 6 that it plans to accelerate infrastructure projects for several subway and commuter rail lines during calendar year 2020 in order to improve service, safety, and reliability “on a faster timeline.” [Above photo by the Massachusetts Governor’s Office.] According to the agency’s 2020 Infrastructure Acceleration Plan, work […]
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Oregon DOT Details Public Transit Benefits Generated by New Payroll Tax
editor@aashto.org February 14, 2020 0 COMMENTSRevenue from a new payroll tax implemented as part of HB 2017 Keep Oregon Moving legislation passed three years ago is allowing the Oregon Department of Transportation to beef up investments in public transportation statewide. [Above photo by the Oregon DOT.] In a Statewide Transportation Improvement Fund Report issued by the agency on February 5, the Oregon DOT […]
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