State DOTs Helping Out with Hurricane Florence Recovery Efforts
editor@aashto.org September 21, 2018 0 COMMENTSState department of transportation workers, national guardsmen, and a host of other federal, state, and local personnel fanned out across North Carolina and South Carolina this week to assess and start fixing the damage left behind by Hurricane Florence. [Above: Christy Hall, Secretary of the South Carolina DOT, inspecting flood prevention work on U.S. 501 […]
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Federal Court Grants Temporary Stay of Air Quality ‘Do-Over’ Decision
editor@aashto.org September 21, 2018 0 COMMENTSThe U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit agreed on Sept. 17 to delay implementation of a controversial air quality decision it made eight months ago until February 16, 2019; a decision that provides “breathing room” for states and metropolitan planning organizations to receive guidance on how to comply with revised air […]
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Senate’s Opioid Crisis Response Act Provides New Drug Test Options for State DOTs
editor@aashto.org September 21, 2018 0 COMMENTSThe passage of the Opioid Crisis Response Act of 2018 or S. 2680 by the U.S. Senate on Sept. 17 by a vote of 99-1 may provide new drug-testing options for state department of transportation personnel, specifically hair and oral fluid testing, as well as requiring the USDOT to create and manage a publicly-available database […]
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WEF Research Says Robots Will Create More Jobs Than They Eliminate
editor@aashto.org September 21, 2018 0 COMMENTSThe world is going through a workplace revolution that will bring a seismic shift in the way humans work alongside machines, according to new research by the World Economic Forum, with more than half of all current workplace tasks projected to be performed by machines by 2025 as opposed to 29 percent today. Yet in […]
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Report Seeks to Identify Potential Pollution Risks from Hurricane Florence
editor@aashto.org September 21, 2018 0 COMMENTSWith Hurricane Florence dumping in excess of 10 trillion gallons of rainwater on North and South Carolina – enough to fill 15 million Olympic-sized swimming pools – not only is the storm water resulting in floods that are damaging roads and bridges, those floods are releasing petroleum products, chemicals, coal ash, hog manure, and other […]
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New FMCSA Rule to Allow Certain Diabetics to Operate Commercial Trucks
editor@aashto.org September 21, 2018 0 COMMENTSA final rule issued by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration on Sept. 19 will allow diabetic individuals with a “stable insulin regimen” and properly controlled “insulin-treated diabetes mellitus” or ITDM to be qualified to operate commercial motor vehicles or CMVs in interstate commerce. Previously, individuals with ITDM were prohibited from driving CMVs in interstate […]
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FRA Extends $318M Rail Infrastructure Grant Deadline to Oct. 12
editor@aashto.org September 21, 2018 0 COMMENTSDue to the impact of Hurricane Florence, the Federal Railroad Administration extended the application deadline for $318 million in Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements or CRISI grant funding originally opened in July from Sept. 17 to Oct. 12 this year. FRA said in its original statement three months ago that this Notice of Funding […]
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FTA Offers Grants to Boost Healthcare Transport Options
editor@aashto.org September 21, 2018 0 COMMENTSThe Federal Transit Administration made $6.3 million available in competitive grant funds on Sept. 12 via a Notice of Funding Opportunity to foster “transit coordination projects” that improve access to healthcare. The FTA said in a statement that those Access and Mobility Partnership Grants are focused on developing more transportation options for those who rely on public […]
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NJDOT Project Aims to Turn Vehicles into Weather Reporters
editor@aashto.org September 21, 2018 0 COMMENTSThe New Jersey Department of Transportation is using a $322,461 Accelerated Innovation Deployment or AID grant from the Federal Highway Administration to fund a research project that aims to turn vehicles into roving weather reporters – one of 10 such AID grants FHWA recently announced. The agency said on Sept. 17 it will equip up to […]
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PennDOT Pilot Program Aims to Increase Small Business Opportunities
editor@aashto.org September 21, 2018 0 COMMENTSThe Pennsylvania Department of Transportation launched a new pilot program Sept. 14 that aims to increase opportunities for small business enterprises or SBEs, whereby they can compete to work as prime consultants on federally assisted engineering and design agreements on at least six projects. “We are committed to increasing opportunities for small, disadvantaged, and diverse […]
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