‘WOTUS’ Redefinition Could Reduce Regulatory Burden for Transportation Projects
editor@aashto.org December 14, 2018 0 COMMENTSA proposal by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of the Army to “clarify” federal authority under the Clean Water Act and redefine the term “waters of the United States” or WOTUS could reduce a significant regulatory burden for transportation projects. [Above photo via Wikimedia Commons.] “Our proposal would replace the Obama EPA’s 2015 […]
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EPA Issues ‘Conformity Guidance’ in Air Quality Court Decision
editor@aashto.org December 14, 2018 0 COMMENTSA 28-page “conformity guidance” circular issued by the Environmental Protection Agency late last month provides some regulatory relief for transportation projects in areas affected by a controversial air quality decision made by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit eight months ago. That decision in a lawsuit brought by the South […]
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USDOT Officially Awards BUILD Grant Money to 91 Projects
editor@aashto.org December 14, 2018 0 COMMENTSNearly eight months after it announced the creation of the $1.5 billion “better utilizing investments to leverage development” or BUILD discretionary grant program, which replaced the TIGER program, the U.S. Department of Transportation awarded funding to 91 projects in 49 states and the District of Columbia; monies supporting a wide variety road, rail, transit, port, […]
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House Hearing Debates Potential of 21st Century Fuels Act
editor@aashto.org December 14, 2018 0 COMMENTSA legislative effort to transition federal transportation fuel standards from current “blend-specific” mandates to “performance-based” standards for so-called “renewable fuels” and the vehicles that use them sparked debate during a Dec. 11 hearing before the House of Representatives Committee for Energy and Commerce. The hearing focused on a “discussion draft” released Nov. 21 called the […]
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A 24-page report issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Office of the Inspector General on Dec. 4 noted that the Federal Aviation Administration has not yet completed “phase 1” of required Continuous Diagnostics and Mitigation program compliance to secure its data systems against cyberattacks. [Graphic via Wikimedia Commons.] “The FAA reported to USDOT that […]
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WHO Report Indicates Global Road Traffic Deaths Keep Rising
editor@aashto.org December 14, 2018 0 COMMENTSA new report by the World Health Organization indicates road traffic deaths continue to increase, now topping 1.35 million fatalities annually. The group’s 2018 road safety report also noted that road traffic injuries are now the leading killer of children and young people aged five to 29 worldwide. [Above photo via Wikimedia Commons.] However, the report also […]
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National Poll Highlights Lack of Transportation Options for Older Adults, People with Disabilities
editor@aashto.org December 14, 2018 0 COMMENTSA poll conducted by the National Aging and Disability Transportation Center indicates that 68 percent of older adults and 79 percent of younger adults with disabilities believe locating “alternative transportation” if they could not drive would be “very difficult” or “somewhat difficult,” as both overwhelming said driving their own vehicle is the primary way they […]
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FAA Appoints Shaffer Associate Administrator of Airports
editor@aashto.org December 14, 2018 0 COMMENTSEffective Dec. 17, the Federal Aviation Administration will appoint D. Kirk Shaffer to be associate administrator for airports; overseeing the agency’s Airport Improvement Program as well as national airport planning, airport safety, standards, airport design engineering, and regulatory compliance. [Above photo by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority.] In a Dec. 12 statement, the FAA said […]
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Video Report: Oklahoma DOT Director Talks Bridges, CAVs
editor@aashto.org December 14, 2018 0 COMMENTSMike Patterson, executive director of the Oklahoma Department of Transportation, recently sat down for a video interview with Transportation TV to discuss his agency’s “multi-year effort” to repair and modernize thousands of bridges across the Sooner State, along with how his department is adapting to handle the needs of connected and autonomous vehicles. Patterson, appointed […]
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California Commission Allocates More Than $600M to Fund Transportation Projects Statewide
editor@aashto.org December 14, 2018 0 COMMENTSThe California Transportation Commission officially allocated more than $600 million on Dec. 7 to fund “hundreds” of transportation projects, including highways, rail, transit, and technology endeavors. That tranche of funding includes $80 million generated from the taxes and fees instituted via Senate Bill 1 or from SB 1 in 2017; legislation also known as the […]
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