White House, Senators Agree on Infrastructure Funding Proposal
editor@aashto.org June 25, 2021 0 COMMENTSPresident Joe Biden (seen above at right) and a group of 21 senators – comprised of 11 Republicans and 10 Democrats – agreed to an eight-year, $1.2 trillion infrastructure investment “framework” on June 24 that includes roughly $579 billion in new funding for roads, broadband internet, electric utilities, and other “traditional” infrastructure projects. [Above photo […]
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Traffic crash fatalities disproportionately affect Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), according to a new report by the Governors Highway Safety Association. [Above photo via Wikimedia Commons] The group’s study, entitled “An Analysis of Traffic Fatalities by Race and Ethnicity,” analyzed data for the five-year period from 2015-2019 and is the first national analysis […]
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As forecasters predict a particularly active hurricane season for 2021, state departments of transportation from Texas to New Jersey are preparing for worst-case scenarios to help citizens get out of town if a big storm ends up heading their way. [Above photo by the Louisiana DOTD] The Atlantic hurricane season began on June 1 and […]
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According to a new 38-page report, as the U.S. Interstate Highway System reaches age 65, it is increasingly congested – particularly by large trucks – and is deteriorating due to a lack of “adequate funding” to make needed repairs and improvements. [Above photo by the Virginia DOT] The report – entitled “America’s Interstate Highway System at […]
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FAA, U.S. Air Force Work to Streamline Commercial Space Activity
editor@aashto.org June 25, 2021 0 COMMENTSThe Federal Aviation Administration and the U.S. Air Force signed an agreement June 15 aimed at eliminating “red tape” governing commercial space activities at ranges operated by the U.S. Space Force, while at the same time re-emplacing safety standards to protect the public. [Above photo by the U.S. Space Force Command] The agreement recognizes common safety standards for […]
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Shortages Impact State DOT Road Striping, License Plate Operations
editor@aashto.org June 25, 2021 0 COMMENTSA national resin shortage alongside a global aluminum shortage are affecting a variety of state department of transportation operations across the country. [Above photo by the Maine DOT] The Maine Department of Transportation said that resin shortage – caused mainly by a catastrophic winter storm in February that shut down key Texas petrochemical plants – […]
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The Federal Aviation Administration is making $8 billion in grants available to keep U.S. airport workers employed, construction airport projects moving forward, and help airports recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. [Above graphic via the FAA] The funding for the grants comes from the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 President Biden signed […]
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A new report issued by the Maritime Administration indicates shipbuilding and repair activity at both the national and state level by private U.S. shipyards in calendar year 2019 supported $42.4 billion worth of gross domestic product. [Above photo by the Georgia Port Authority] MARAD’s new report— entitled “The Economic Importance of the U.S. Private Shipbuilding and […]
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Governor Ned Lamont (D) and Connecticut Department of Transportation Commissioner Joseph Giulietti introduced a new passenger rail plan on June 21 that seeks to make train service safer, faster, and more reliable. [Above photo via the Connecticut Governor’s Office] The plan – entitled “TIME FOR CT” – calls for between $8 billion and $10 billion […]
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Amtrak and the Maryland Department of Transportation are jointly working to replace the critical Baltimore and Potomac or B&P Tunnel and now plan to rename the passenger rail portion of that tunnel after Frederick Douglass, the Maryland-born Civil War-era abolitionist leader. [Above photo by Amtrak] The B&P Tunnel Replacement Program seeks to build two new high-capacity […]
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