The Federal Highway Administration plans to release a notice of proposed rulemaking on November 12 that would overhaul National Bridge Inspection Standards. Key changes for state departments of transportation within the NPRM center on the implementation of a risk-based approach to determining appropriate bridge inspection intervals and the requirement for the collection and use of […]
READ MOREThe initial state-by-state calculation of the impending $7.6 billion rescission of Federal-aid highway contract authority mandated by the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation or FAST Act indicates states may experience deeper funding cuts than what was called for in that 2015 law. According to Federal Highway Administration data released this week, the total unobligated balances of […]
READ MORENTSB Hearing Seeks Bicycle, Pedestrian Safety Improvements
editor@aashto.org November 8, 2019 0 COMMENTSA National Transportation Safety Board hearing on November 5 called for more “concerted action” from federal and state agencies to improve bicyclist safety – and, by extension, that of pedestrians – via improvements to roadway infrastructure, enhanced bicyclist conspicuity, and the “mitigation of head injuries” to bicyclists through mandatory helmet laws. [Above photo by the […]
READ MOREARTBA Report Highlights Results of Transportation Ballot Measures
editor@aashto.org November 8, 2019 0 COMMENTSVoters approved almost 90 percent of 305 state and local transportation funding measures placed on 19 state ballots during the November 5 election this year. However, voters in Washington State endorsed a measure that will reduce revenues from certain motor vehicles taxes and fees used mainly to fund public transit needs, while Colorado voters rejected […]
READ MOREVideo: Winners of the 2019 America’s Transportation Awards
editor@aashto.org November 8, 2019 0 COMMENTSFollowing nearly eight months of intense competition and thousands of online votes cast, the Missouri Department of Transportation, Illinois Department of Transportation, and the Georgia Department of Transportation walked away as the winners in the 2019 America’s Transportation Awards competition. Sponsored by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, AAA, and the U.S. […]
READ MOREThe American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials is asking AASHTO Journal readers to help evaluate the quality of AASHTO’s communications by completing the 2019 Communications Survey, which can be accessed by clicking here. [Above photo by Rentvine.] This annual poll tracks trends in AASHTO’s communication outreach efforts, examining those print and digital channels […]
READ MOREUPS Completes First Commercial Drone Delivery of Medicines
editor@aashto.org November 8, 2019 0 COMMENTSUPS Flight Forward Inc. and CVS Pharmacy successfully completed two deliveries via drone of medical prescriptions from a CVS pharmacy directly to two separate home residences in North Carolina using the M2 drone system developed by Matternet. [Above photo by UPS.] UPSFF – a subsidiary of United Parcel Service formed in July – said in […]
READ MORELawrence Berkeley National Lab computer scientists are working with the California Department of Transportation to combine high performance computing and machine learning with the algorithms that control traffic management systems. As a result, those algorithms will be able to generate more accurate and timely traffic predictions and to aid real-time traffic control, such as rerouting […]
READ MORERep. Alex Mooney, R-W. Va., introduced H.R. 4896 – known as the Advancing Infrastructure Development (AID) in Appalachia Act – on November 1, which seeks to transfer “unspent” federal transportation funds to West Virginia to help complete the Corridor H Highway Project. [Above photo by the West Virginia DOT.] Rep. Mooney’s bill is “companion legislation” […]
READ MOREUSDOT Holds First Rural Infrastructure Council Meeting
editor@aashto.org November 8, 2019 0 COMMENTSU.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao led the inaugural meeting of the agency’s new ROUTES Council this week USDOT’s headquarters in Washington D.C.; an advisory group that seeks to analyze USDOT’s discretionary funding and financing opportunities to address “disparities” in rural transportation infrastructure. Part of the Rural Opportunities to Use Transportation for Economic Success Initiative Secretary […]
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