State DOTs Battling Series of Winter Storms Blanketing Country
editor@aashto.org February 19, 2021 0 COMMENTSState departments of transportation across the country battled back-to-back winter storms that hit during the week of February 15, hitting Texas particularly hard with snow, ice, and sub-zero temperature knocking offline much of the state’s energy grid. [Above photo by the New York State DOT.] According to the Weather Channel, snow covered the ground in 73.2 […]
READ MORE
Former AASHTO Executive Director Francis Francois Dies
editor@aashto.org February 19, 2021 0 COMMENTSFrancis B. Francois, who served as executive director of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials from 1980 to 1999, passed away on February 17 in Chicago at the age of 87. [Above photo by M. D. Francois.] He assumed the duties as AASHTO’s executive director at a time when the association faced […]
READ MORE
IIHS Explains Why Women are at ‘Heightened Risk’ in Crashes
editor@aashto.org February 19, 2021 0 COMMENTSNew Insurance Institute for Highway Safety research indicates women are much more likely to suffer a serious injury than men when involved in a motor vehicle crash. However, much of that “heightened crash risk” relates to the types of vehicles women drive and the circumstances of their crashes, rather than physical differences between the genders. […]
READ MORE
AASHTO President Victoria Sheehan Profiled in New Video
editor@aashto.org February 19, 2021 0 COMMENTSNew Hampshire Department of Transportation Commissioner Victoria Sheehan’s election in October 2020 as president of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation made her only the second woman in the association’s 107-year history to hold that position. In the presidential profile video below, AASHTO traces Sheehan’s roots to Ireland, where she said her love […]
READ MORE
The U.S. Department of Transportation is seeking applicants for $889 million worth of fiscal year 2021 Infrastructure for Rebuilding America or INFRA grants. [Above photo by the USDOT.] The FY 2021 INFRA notice of funding opportunity – which will remain open through March 19 – also creates an “INFRA Extra” program, which will identify competitive […]
READ MORE
Nearly $2 billion in federal grant funding is now available to help airports affected by COVID-19 under the Federal Aviation Administration’s Airport Coronavirus Response Grant program. [Above photo by the Indianapolis International Airport.] “President Biden has made it a priority to deliver immediate relief to our transportation sectors and their workers, ensuring they can continue […]
READ MORE
FHWA Names Host of New ‘America’s Byways’ Designations
editor@aashto.org February 19, 2021 0 COMMENTSThe Federal Highway Administration added 49 new designations to the America’s Byways roadway collection, including 15 All-American Roads and 34 National Scenic Byways in 28 states. Those additions increase the number of America’s Byways to 184 in 48 states, the agency said. [Above photo of the Arkansas Great River Road Archway by Dennis Adams of […]
READ MORE
Study: New Mobility Options Leaving Many Older Adults Behind
editor@aashto.org February 19, 2021 0 COMMENTSA new report authored by the American Association of Retired Persons’ Public Policy Institute, Urbanism Next Center, University of Oregon, and RAND Corporation finds that a “large population of harder-to-serve older adults” are being “left out” of the “new mobility revolution” that encompasses ride-sharing and autonomous vehicles or AVs. [Above photo via the National Aging […]
READ MORE
New Jersey to Invest $100M in ‘Clean’ Transportation Projects
editor@aashto.org February 19, 2021 0 COMMENTSGovernor Phil Murphy (D) (seen above) noted in a statement on February 16 that New Jersey aims to invest more than $100 million in “clean, equitable transportation projects” that will improve air quality and reduce the effects of climate change. [Above photo by the New Jersey Governor’s Office.] Leveraging proceeds from New Jersey’s participation in […]
READ MORE
University Helps Minnesota DOT Plan Tribal Pedestrian Projects
editor@aashto.org February 19, 2021 0 COMMENTSResearchers from the University of Minnesota are helping the Minnesota Department of Transportation plan pedestrian-focused transportation projects on tribal reservations across the state. [Above photo via the University of Minnesota.] Minnesota’s Native American population is among the priority populations identified in Minnesota DOT’s statewide pedestrian system plan. In order to learn more about pedestrian behavior […]
READ MORE