Coalition Letter Continues to Urge Repeal of Rescission
editor@aashto.org September 13, 2019 0 COMMENTSA group of 41 transportation organizations called for the repeal of $7.6 billion rescission of Federal-aid highway contract authority as part of any Continuing Resolution or CR is issued to help Congress wrap up Fiscal Year 2020 funding efforts. In a September 12 letter sent to Congressional leadership – Sen. Mitch McConnell, Majority Leader, R-Ky.; […]
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Tolling, Congestion Pricing Debated at House Hearing
editor@aashto.org September 13, 2019 0 COMMENTSMembers of the House of Representatives Transportation and Infrastructure Committee cast doubt on the efficacy of broader tolling and congestion pricing plans at a hearing on September 11 to either generate enough funding to support transportation infrastructure needs or improve traffic flows on major urban roadways. “The division you see on this panel is representative […]
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A multi-organization letter sent to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce on September 12 stressed that implementing a successful national autonomous vehicle or AV policy requires finding the “appropriate balance” between state, local, and federal government responsibilities – ensuring that appropriate funding and […]
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EPA, Dept. of the Army Formally Repeal 2015 WOTUS Rule
editor@aashto.org September 13, 2019 0 COMMENTSState departments of transportation are set to benefit from the formal repeal this week of a 2015 rule that aimed to expand the definition of “waters of the United States” or WOTUS under the Clean Water Act. [Above photo by the Delaware DOT.] The Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of the Army – representing […]
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A study conducted by INRIX Research indicates that 48 percent of all car trips in the most congested metropolitan areas across the United States cover less than three miles – representing a “major opportunity” for “micromobility” such as shared bicycle, e-bike, and e-scooter services to reduce traffic congestion and decrease vehicle emissions while boosting “local […]
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The Federal Highway Administration provided $871.2 million in Emergency Relief or ER funds to help 39 states – as well as American Samoa, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Northern Mariana Islands, and tribal governments – make repairs to roads and bridges damaged by storms, floods, and other unexpected events over the last three […]
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After a six-month search process, the Oregon Transportation Commission selected Kris Strickler (seen above) to be the next director of the Oregon Department of Transportation. Currently the agency’s highway division administrator, Strickler joined the Oregon DOT in 2018 after serving as the southwest region administrator for the Washington State Department of Transportation as part of […]
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The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded autonomous vehicle or AV research funds to three states this week – Ohio, Michigan, and Virginia – to boost further study of AV operation in rural areas, on city streets, and in the trucking industry. [Above photo from the Transportation Research Center.] An Ohio-based team of industry, academia, and […]
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Nebraska DOT Releases Draft of 2020 Construction Program
editor@aashto.org September 13, 2019 0 COMMENTSThe Nebraska Department of Transportation is planning to spend $782 million on a variety of transportation projects outlined in its 2020 Construction Program, released on September 10 for public comment. [Above photo by Jake Daniels for the Nebraska DOT.] That includes $153 million in “emergency expenses,” added Nebraska DOT Director Kyle Schneweis in a statement […]
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Maryland DOT Unveils Six Year Capital Investment Plan for Transportation
editor@aashto.org September 13, 2019 0 COMMENTSThe Maryland Department of Transportation revealed a 299-page draft of its Fiscal Year 2020-2025 capital investment program for transportation infrastructure on September 10, with the agency noting in the report that it plans to invest $15.3 billion over the next six years in a variety of projects aimed at “improving access to jobs as well […]
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