By Chris McCahill The U.S. needs to adopt a “Safe System” approach to reduce traffic deaths and serious injuries, according to the Institute of Transportation Engineers and policy experts at Johns Hopkins University. “Our current …
DOTs
Colorado DOT navigates its legacy mission and clean energy goals
State DOTs are essential participants in the fight against climate change, but also face competing demands. For the Colorado DOT (CDOT), that means navigating its responsibilities to maintain and improve existing highways, improve rural access, and reduce congestion, all while reducing greenhouse emissions.
Three steps toward smarter transportation investments
A new study by SSTI with researchers from the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at the University of Wisconsin-Madison looks at transportation project prioritization programs at 21 agencies across the U.S. The study identifies three overarching strategies to better align investments with policy goals: 1) establishing flexible funding programs; 2) evaluating key outcomes; and 3) maximizing benefits per dollar spent.
Transportation professionals call for improved standards
As the window closes for comments on the eleventh edition of the Federal Highway Administration’s Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD)—the national standard governing all traffic control devices—strong criticism of the manual is coming from industry professionals and safety advocates alike.
Keeping roads and bridges intact requires widespread support
One out of every five miles of road in the U.S. is in poor condition and less than half are rated as “good,” and their condition is just getting worse. Transportation agencies in some states have committed to turning things around by prioritizing maintenance in their spending plans.
Room for improvement in assessing equity in regional TIPs
Many Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) have placed a greater emphasis on equity in their regional planning over the past few years, but that emphasis doesn’t always translate to direct changes at the project level. Transportation Research Record examined how well MPOs serving the 40 largest metro areas in the U.S. incorporate equity criteria in project prioritization decisions for their Transportation Improvement Programs (TIPs) and recommend a broader shift in how MPOs approach equity in project prioritization to reframe transportation inequities in terms of injustices.
Minnesota and California move toward reducing VMT to address climate change
Transportation agencies in California and Minnesota made major advancements, planning for VMT reductions and mitigations as a part of their sustainability and climate change plans.
MnDOT improves critical pedestrian crossings on reservations
A new HAWK crossing shows how transportation agencies can identify safety improvements through an equity lens.
DOTs Can Rein in VMT
SSTI’s final 2020 Community of Practice meeting covered how DOTs can be leaders in reducing vehicle miles traveled (VMT) to reduce emissions.
Caltrans to Begin Phase Four of Usage-based Road Tax Pilot
Caltrans is recruiting volunteers for the fourth phase of its Road Charge Pilot Program, which aims to replace declining gas tax revenue and encourage people to drive less.