By Michael Brenneis The Pennsylvania DOT recently unveiled a report from its Dismantling Systemic Racism and Inequities Working Group that details recommendations to establish anti-racist principles at the core of the work done by the DOT. …
DOTs
DOTs are thinking beyond highways for keeping economies moving
By Rayla Bellis and Chris McCahill Construction of the Interstate Highway System spawned decades of economic growth in the U.S., but building more of the same will have diminishing returns, according to research outlined recently …
Traffic studies drive housing development to the fringe
By Chris McCahill Traffic impact assessments (TIAs) are commonly used by local governments to ensure that new developments do not cause excessive delay on nearby roads. There is growing cause for concern, however, that these tools have …
Small investments can go a long way towards safer, inclusive streets
By Benito Perez There is a growing public clamor for better access by people to the places where they live, work, and spend their recreational time. However, a majority of transportation investments are spent on moving people through places, typically by driving. There is a change in …
Safer systems are needed to curb traffic deaths
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 …
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.