Without timely reauthorization of surface transportation funding legislation, revenue for the Highway Trust Fund will become uncertain. That uncertainty presents a problem for state departments of transportation, which will find it “nearly impossible” to plan future infrastructure investments without knowing if they will have the necessary multi-year funds available. Those are some of the arguments […]
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Hawaii DOT’s Sniffen: Formula Funding Critical for Resilience
editor@aashto.org May 21, 2021 0 COMMENTSFormula funding mechanisms are critical to building more resilience into the nation’s transportation system, argued Edwin Sniffen (seen above), deputy director of highways for the Hawaii Department of Transportation, during a May 13 Senate Committee on Appropriations. Appearing before the subcommittee on transportation, housing and urban development, and related agencies, Sniffen said transportation resilience is […]
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Reshaping Workforce Strategies within the State DOT Community
editor@aashto.org May 21, 2021 0 COMMENTSIndustry experts joined state department of transportation managers to discuss new workforce management strategies in a knowledge session hosted during the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials 2021 virtual spring meeting. [Above photo by the Alaska DOT&PF] “The last 18 months has given us new perspective on our workforce and what we want […]
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A panel of state department of transportation executives and managers, as well as a team leader from the Federal Highway Administration, recently shared their insights on infrastructure resilience via a peer exchange during the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials 2021 virtual spring meeting. [Above photo by the Hawaii DOT] “We are seeing […]
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Infrastructure Negotiations Continue Between Democrats, Republicans
editor@aashto.org May 21, 2021 0 COMMENTSSen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., noted in a Bloomberg TV interview on May 19 that major sticking points on crafting a bipartisan infrastructure investment bill center on what gets called “infrastructure” and how to pay for it. Yet President Joe Biden also signaled his willingness to compromise with Republicans on his infrastructure proposals during a […]
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GAO Issues ‘Disaster Resilience Framework’ for Infrastructure
editor@aashto.org May 21, 2021 0 COMMENTSThe U.S. General Accounting Office recently issued a “Disaster Resilience Framework” to serve as analytical guide for federal actions aimed at promoting resilience to natural disasters and changes in the climate across many policy areas, including transportation. [Above photo by the Michigan DOT] According to a GAO highlights document, that framework centers on three guiding […]
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Operation Lifesaver, Inc., and the Federal Highway Administration recently issued $200,000 in grants to help fund a variety of rail-grade crossing safety public education projects in 11 states – many conducted September 20-26 in conjunction with the nonprofit safety group’s observance of Rail Safety Week. [Above photo by the NTSB] Funded by FHWA, those grants are going […]
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Five state and local government entities – including three state departments of transportation – recently signed agreements with NASA to study how cargo-carrying drones and passenger-carrying air taxis can best be included in local and regional civic transportation plans. [Above image by Lillian Gipson and Kyle Jenkins for NASA] The five government entities that have […]
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On May 19, President Joe Biden noted in a statement that he plans to nominate Jennifer Homendy (seen above) to become the next chair of the National Transportation Safety Board. Earlier in the week, news reports noted that NTSB’s current chair, Robert Sumwalt, announced via an emailed to the agency’s workforce that he intends to […]
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Distracted driving is an increasing problem on U.S. roadways, with crashes involving a distracted driver killing 3,142 people in 2019 – the latest year for which data is available – which is up nearly 10 percent from 2018. [Above photo by the Ohio DOT] Every state currently has restrictions in place to address distracted driving, […]
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