Caltrans explains construction-related traffic on I-10
Deck:
Series of errors left motorists stranded for more than five hours
The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is facing severe public and political backlash following a botched road repair on I-10 that left traffic backed up 25 miles for five hours or more Feb. 12. On Thursday, the agency explained that a number of errors held up what should have been routine overnight construction, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Categories: Roads
TRIP: Aging population finding inadequate transpo system
Deck:
By 2025, 1 in 5 drivers will be over 65; they will need safer roads
As the baby-boom generation begins to turn 65, the number of older Americans and their share of the overall population will swell dramatically. But, according to a new report, although these older Americans will be more mobile and active than any previous generation, they will face a transportation system that is inadequate to offer the mobility and safety demanded by older Americans and the population in general. The report, “Keeping Baby Boomers Mobile: Preserving Mobility and Safety for Older Americans,” was released Feb.
Share: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Source: TRIP Publication Date: Wed, 2012-02-22 10:25
Categories: Roads
Mendez visits I-85 widening
Deck:
Charlotte Outer Loop features the state's first "turbine"-style interchange and a pair of diverging diamonds
Federal Highway Administrator Victor Mendez joined North Carolina Transportation Secretary Gene Conti Feb. 16 to review progress on the widening of I-85, one of the state's $423 million trio of high-priority projects that will improve safety and reduce traffic congestion along the Charlotte area's major east-west commercial route.
Share: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Source: FHWA Publication Date: Mon, 2012-02-20 10:16
Categories: Roads
TRIP: Wyoming faces $110M/yr funding shortfall
Deck:
Road and bridge conditions will worsen if current funding continues; 20% of major roads were in poor condition in 2011
In order to make needed improvements to Wyoming’s roads and bridges, the state would need to overcome a funding shortfall of $332 million each year—a total of $3.3 billion over the next decade, TRIP concluded in a report released on Feb. 15. This funding would allow for significant improvement in the condition of Wyoming's roads, highways and bridges and needed improvements that would modernize roadways, improve safety and enhance economic development opportunities.
Share: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Source: TRIP Publication Date: Fri, 2012-02-17 10:30
Categories: Roads
Demand for TIFIA loans remains high
Deck:
U.S. DOT received 26 letters of interest exceeding $13 billion
U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced on Feb. 15 that the overwhelming demand for TIFIA (Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act) program loans has greatly exceeded the dollars available, underscoring President Obama’s call for greater transportation investment. The U.S. DOT received 26 TIFIA letters of interest exceeding $13 billion.
Share: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Source: U.S. DOT Publication Date: Wed, 2012-02-15 14:31
Categories: Roads
Report says House transpo bill spells doom for Highway Trust Fund
Deck:
Congressional Budget Office predicts $9.4 billion shortfall by 2021
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) predicts the House transportation bill will sink the Highway Trust Fund into the red by the end of FY 2021.
The six-year measure calls for $260 billion in federal funding, but according to a report released by the CBO the plan would create a $9.4 billion shortfall in the U.S. DOT’s core account in less than 10 years. The analysis also indicates the newly created Alternative Transportation Fund will drop to $68.9 billion over the same time period.
Share: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Source: The Journal of Commerce Publication Date: Tue, 2012-02-14 10:29
Categories: Roads
Sen. Boxer calls for a stop in delay tactics with MAP-21
Deck:
Warns colleagues that failure to pass highway bill will result in “reversal in this very delicate economy”
Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee, was quick and to the point in response to Republican delay tactics. She simply said they were not to be tolerated.
Share: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Source: Sen. Boxer Publication Date: Tue, 2012-02-14 09:57
Categories: Roads
President Obama hopes using Peace Dividend will sweeten repeat transportation budget request
Deck:
White House had same funding demands for FY 2012, but Congress refused to take action
President Barack Obama’s FY 2013 budget request for the U.S. DOT rehashes last year’s request, which was never given consideration in Congress.
Share: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Source: AGC of America Publication Date: Tue, 2012-02-14 09:51
Categories: Roads
Iowa town’s traffic management Central Command
Deck:
Waterloo, Iowa, can keep an eye on traffic from one desktop computer
Waterloo, Iowa, has a Central Command of traffic management that allows signal technicians to keep an eye on 17 locations around town and adjust the signal as needed, according to wcfcourier.com.
The video cameras at the 17 intersections beam back images to a computer in the Traffic Operations department, where technician Matt Vlasak is stationed. He told the Waterloo Courier that he has more flexibility in making a positive difference in traffic by remotely changing the signal instead of driving out to a location.
Share: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Source: Waterloo Courier Publication Date: Mon, 2012-02-13 17:09
Categories: Roads
Unclogging I-66
Deck:
Virginia DOT examines ways to free up one of the nation’s most congested roadways
The Virginia corridor of I-66 is notorious for its heavy congestion, but the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is studying exactly what makes this highway so clogged and how it can be fixed, according to the Washington Post.
Share: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Source: Washington Post Publication Date: Mon, 2012-02-13 16:31
Categories: Roads
House Speaker Boehner not sure if transpo bill can succeed
Deck:
Republican leader admits it might be difficult to pass
Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-Ohio) does not believe the passage of a multiyear transportation bill is a slam dunk. Not by a long shot.
Speaking at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 9, Boehner had some doubt in his tone when talking about the six-year, $260 billion House proposal.
“It’s an awful lot harder to win votes than it used to be,” Boehner said. “Part of it is because this majority listened to the people and banned earmarks.
Share: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Source: The Hill Publication Date: Fri, 2012-02-10 12:01
Categories: Roads
TTI: Energy industry stressing Texas roadways
Deck:
Surface ripples and alligator cracking are just some of the damage caused by heavy traffic around well sites
The Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) recently completed a project to document some of these effects of the recent boom in energy-related activities in Texas.
While these energy-related activities enhance the state’s ability to produce energy reliably, said TTI, many short- and long-term effects on the state’s right-of-way and infrastructure are not properly documented.
Share: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Source: TTI Publication Date: Fri, 2012-02-10 10:24
Categories: Roads
Screws tighten on mass transit
Deck:
Could new federal legislation mean the death of transit?
A piece of federal legislation in the works is making Chicago transit directors very nervous, according to the Chicago Tribune.
The legislation in question would prohibit mass-transit projects from getting gasoline tax revenue––a move that Chicago state and local transportation officials say would be "financially perilous" to Chicago's public transit system.
Share: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Source: Chicago Tribune Publication Date: Thu, 2012-02-09 15:35
Categories: Roads
Senate transpo bill expected to clear another hurdle
Deck:
Measure should receive necessary 60 votes for cloture Feb. 9, setting up final vote next week
The two-year transportation bill pushed by the Senate could be one step closer to a Congressional showdown if it receives enough votes necessary for cloture on Feb. 9.
The Hill is reporting that the $80 billion measure should receive the necessary approval, setting up a final vote on the bill in the Senate next week.
Share: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Source: The Hill Publication Date: Thu, 2012-02-09 11:27
Categories: Roads
N.H., Maine prepare to replace closed Memorial Bridge
Deck:
Funding for the $90M project includes a $20M TIGER grant
Federal Highway Administrator Victor Mendez yesterday reviewed preparations for the construction of the new Memorial Bridge connecting Portsmouth, N.H., and Kittery, Maine.
"President Obama has proposed a six-year transportation jobs plan that puts people back to work rebuilding America's transportation infrastructure," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. "Now is the time to connect people who need work with the work we need to do, like replacing this critical bridge."
Share: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Source: U.S. DOT Publication Date: Thu, 2012-02-09 09:05
Categories: Roads
Detroit pushes for better buses
Deck:
Transit advocates want to connect downtown with suburbs using BRT
Metro Detroit public transit advocates are embroiled in a battle for improved bus service this year as the city and suburban bus systems slog through budget cuts, according to the Detroit Free Press.
Share: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Source: Detroit Free Press Publication Date: Wed, 2012-02-08 17:28
Categories: Roads
Senate Finance Committee approves MAP-21 funding
Deck:
A large part of the funding comes from a transfer of $3B from LUST to HTF
By a vote of 17-7 and one present vote, the Senate Finance Committee on Feb. 7 approved a list of revenue enhancers to provide the $5.5 billion necessary to fund MAP-21, the Senate’s two-year transportation reauthorization legislation. The vote was largely bipartisan with four Republicans joining the committee Democrats in supporting the measure.
Share: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Source: AGC Highway Facts Bulletin Publication Date: Wed, 2012-02-08 10:17
Categories: Roads
Hot debate in San Antonio over streetcar funding
Deck:
A tax that took effect in 2005 could fund the project, despite what voters were allegedly promised
Foes of the planned San Antonio streetcar system said last Tuesday that county officials broke a promise with voters when they agreed to use advanced transportation district (ATD) funds to help fund the project, according to mysanantonio.com.
The group contends that multiple pieces of campaign literature used to promote the ATD tax in 2004 explicitly stated the money would not go toward light rail or toll roads––but the group says streetcars are, more or less, light rail.
Share: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Source: www.mysanantonio.com Publication Date: Tue, 2012-02-07 17:24
Categories: Roads
Kentucky Lake bridge partially collapses
Deck:
2-lane bridge stuck by barge; inspectors evaluating stability
A 322-ft span of the U.S. 68/Kentucky 80 bridge over Kentucky Lake in far western Kentucky collapsed after being struck by a barge Jan. 26. Inspectors and emergency responders from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) rushed to the scene. KYTC engineers are evaluating the stability of the remaining parts of the bridge as well as assessing the damage.
Share: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Source: AASHTO Journal Publication Date: Tue, 2012-02-07 10:03
Categories: Roads
R&B 2012 February issue now available online
The February issue of Roads & Bridges is now available under the Current Issue section of the website.
Share: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Publication Date: Mon, 2012-02-06 16:28 Slideshow Image: Slideshow Text: R&B 2012 FEBRUARY ISSUE NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE
Categories: Roads
