From implementing federally funded projects to keeping highways clear of snow, state DOTs are in need of additional staff capacity and technical expertise to keep the country moving.
freight
Highway widenings are losing steam in some states
A small but growing number of state DOTs are putting planned highway expansion projects on hold as they work to stretch their available funds and assess how to meet ambitious environmental goals. Certain environmental organizations, cities, and equity-focused advocates interested in rebuilding communities damaged by urban freeways are among those pressuring DOTs to change their long-standing practices.
Building more rail could help bring down its cost
One of the main reasons that heavy rail projects are more expensive to build in the U.S. is that we build too few projects, too infrequently, to optimize our engineering, review, and land acquisition policies.
Surging demand for goods increases pollution risks to vulnerable communities
Low-income neighborhoods and communities of color are burdened disproportionately with pollution from the transportation sector, say researchers and journalists. Often these neighborhoods, sometimes clustered in proximity to high traffic or industrial areas, show elevated disease levels when compared to majority white communities located in areas of lower emissions.
Ecommerce fulfillment centers increasing freight pollution, congestion in rural towns
In order to keep up with ever-increasing ecommerce demand, companies such as Amazon are building sprawling new fulfillment centers on the outer edges of major U.S. metro areas to aid in their logistical operations. While these warehouses can provide a windfall in economic development for the rural towns where they are being constructed, a recent article found that, increasingly, communities are finding these facilities are more trouble than they’re worth. Specifically, the jobs and tax revenue being generated don’t outweigh negative impacts caused by freight pollution and traffic congestion.
Will advances in autonomous technology degrade job quality in the trucking industry?
While advances in autonomous technology may net additional jobs in the trucking sector, without thoughtful public policy and a commitment to equitable private practices, they may end up being some of the worst the industry has to offer, and come at the expense of jobs at the higher-end of the pay spectrum, so says a new report by University of Pennsylvania researcher Steve Viscelli.
Federal grant to increase efficiency in Midwest rail network, untangle Chicago bottleneck
Chicago has become a notorious rail bottleneck, responsible for delays that impede freight delivery, Amtrak, Metra passenger service, and even drivers trying to cross rail lines. Now, one of the worst tangles—the 75th Street corridor—is about to get a little better thanks in part to a federal grant.
Many variables in play as deadline for maritime fuel sulfur reduction approaches
Maritime shipping remains the most efficient way to transport goods, considering its weight to fuel-economy ratio. Still, an average container ship running on typical high-sulfur fuel emits nearly the same amount of sulfur oxides (SOx) as 10 million diesel passenger cars. By some counts shipping contributes over 5 percent of global sulfur emissions. Beginning in January 2020, the United Nations International Maritime Organization (IMO) is requiring the maritime industry to reduce the sulfur content of its fuels from 3.5 percent to 0.5 percent, in an effort to reduce SOx, particulates, and other pollution.
Many variables in play as deadline for maritime fuel sulfur reduction approaches
Maritime shipping remains the most efficient way to transport goods, considering its weight to fuel-economy ratio. Still, an average container ship running on typical high-sulfur fuel emits nearly the same amount of sulfur oxides (SOx) as 10 million diesel passenger cars. By some counts shipping contributes over 5 percent of global sulfur emissions. Beginning in January 2020, the United Nations International Maritime Organization (IMO) is requiring the maritime industry to reduce the sulfur content of its fuels from 3.5 percent to 0.5 percent, in an effort to reduce SOx, particulates, and other pollution.
Washington State bill will require trucks serving ports to be cleaner
The Washington State legislature and the ports of Tacoma and Seattle are struggling to balance the air quality and health concerns of neighborhoods close to port facilities with protests from independent truckers who cannot afford to upgrade their equipment. The deadline to require all trucks serving the port to have newer, cleaner engines has twice been extended. Other states have tried to set rules for clean engines, with varying degrees of success.