Making room for the slugs

The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is now taking slugs—otherwise known as “casual carpoolers”—into account when designing commuter parking lots. Although Virginia law prohibits people from soliciting rides on the side of the road, when it comes to slugging, VDOT has recognized the congestion benefits and does not interfere.

App crash leaves Washington Metro riders in the lurch

Like most large transit system, the Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority makes its real-time data available to third-party developers, with the expectation that they will provide and update smartphone bus-arrival apps. In December, however, one of the most popular apps, NextBus DC, suddenly died. This failure highlights the emerging relationships between public agencies, private data service providers, and app developers. The public is often not aware who is responsible for the services they use.

Bike share programs’ support of transit constrained by FTA funding rules

New bike share programs offer another opportunity to provide better access to public transit, bridging the important “last mile” between trip origins and destinations. In the U.S., however, Federal Transit Administration funding for the installation of bike-sharing stations adjacent to transit services has stalled, in part due to funding eligibility rules. Currently, FTA funds may pay for planning and construction of the bike share station itself, but not the purchase of actual bicycles. Bicycles can be purchased using FHWA funding, however. FTA and USDOT officials have acknowledged the need to change eligibility rules to embrace the rapidly growing demand for bike share, but as yet no changes have been made.

Strategies for using value capture to fund transit

Recent work documents the results from communities utilizing value capture mechanisms shows the increased popularity of value capture strategies for funding the nation’s growing transit systems. Seventy-five percent of transit funding comes from state and local sources, pointing to a clear need to develop diverse revenue sources to support transit service. As vehicle miles traveled (VMT) continue to decline while transit use increases, the need for new revenues grows in importance

Accelerated Bridge Construction offers less hassle for drivers and faster implementation for DOTs

Accelerated bridge construction (ABC) techniques are transforming the replacement and construction of bridges across the country, and commuters are benefiting from shorter construction schedules. The central component of accelerated bridge construction is the use of prefabrication technologies which allow the production of bridge components off-site.