| Virginia’s new transportation funding law pumps additional $4 billion into Draft Six-Year Transportation Program |
| May 16, 2013 Virginia Department of Transportation |
| RICHMOND, VA. — Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell said that HB 2313, the transportation funding bill he recently signed into law, went into immediate action when the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) released the state's working draft of the Fiscal Years 2014-2019 Six-Year Improvement Program. The program allocates $15.4 billion, a $4 billion increase, in funding to transportation improvements over the next six fiscal years beginning July 1, 2013. Improvements include highway, road, rail, transit, and bridge projects and other improvements across the state. Each year the six-year program is updated to reflect the latest projected revenues and transportation priorities. |
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| Virginia Governor signs $3.4 billion transportation funding bill |
| May 15, 2013 Virginia Department of Transportation |
| RICHMOND, VA. — Surrounded by legislators and community and transportation leaders from across the Commonwealth, Governor Bob McDonnell ceremonially signed Virginia's Road to the Future (HB 2313), the state's first comprehensive transportation funding plan approved in 27 years. Following on the heels of nearly three decades of inaction on the critical challenges facing transportation funding in Virginia, this historic bi-partisan legislation supported by Republicans and Democrats from each chamber will provide more than $3.4 billion in additional statewide transportation funding, more than $1.5 billion in additional funding for Northern Virginia, and more than $1 billion in additional funding for Hampton Roads, over the next five years alone. |
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| SR 99 tunneling machine launch pit complete |
| May 15, 2013 Washington State Department of Transportation |
| SEATTLE — Last spring, a field of unturned dirt marked the spot where Bertha will begin digging the two-mile State Route 99 tunnel beneath downtown Seattle. One year and 86,000 cubic yards of soil later, it’s a pit fit for the world’s largest tunneling machine. Crews finished building Bertha’s 80-foot-deep launch pit on Sunday after nearly a year spent building its underground walls, removing soil and building the infrastructure needed to support the nearly 7,000-ton machine. Its completion clears the way for tunneling to start this summer, once Bertha’s 41 pieces have been reassembled and tested at the bottom of the pit. |
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| KDOT announces shortlist for JOCO Gateway Design-Build Project |
| May 10, 2013 Kansas Department of Transportation |
| KANSAS CITY, KAN. — The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) announced the shortlist of the most highly qualified design-build teams to pursue the Johnson County Gateway: I-435/I-35/K-10 Interchange Phase 2 Design-Build Project. As one of the most congested interchanges in the state, improvements are needed to ensure commuters and commercial traffic can continue to safely and efficiently travel through the area. |
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| MnDOT Office of Traffic, Safety and Technology highlighted as a Transportation ‘Champion of Change’ |
| May 10, 2013 Minnesota Department of Transportation |
| ST. PAUL, MINN. – On Wednesday, May 8, 2013, the White House honored Sue Groth, Minnesota Department of Transportation’s (MnDOT) state traffic engineer, as one of 12 people who are Transportation “Champions of Change.” The Champions event, “Transportation Technology Solutions for the 21st Century,” focused on individuals or organizations that have provided exemplary leadership in developing or implementing transportation technology solutions to enhance performance, reduce congestion, improve safety and facilitate communication across the transportation industry at the local, state or national level. |
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| California Transportation Commission approves $878 million for 114 projects |
| May 10, 2013 California Transportation Commission |
| SAN BERNADINO, CALIF. — The state’s vast transportation system received a major infusion of cash as the California Transportation Commission (CTC) allocated $878 million in funding to 114 projects that will support job growth, alleviate traffic delays, and repair aging roads and bridges. The allocations include $476 million from Proposition 1B, a 2006 voter-approved transportation bond. In total, nearly $15.5 billion in Proposition 1B funds have been put to work statewide. |
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| CDOT Mobile receives award from the White House |
| May 10, 2013 Colorado Department of Transportation |
| DENVER — Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) representatives were honored as a “White House Champion of Change for Transportation Innovation” at a ceremony in Washington, D.C., for CDOT’s new Smartphone mobile application. CDOT Mobile, which provides travelers with real-time information such as highway conditions, speeds, and traffic information surrounding major projects, allows travelers to make better decisions about travel mode and route. |
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| VDOT selects contractor to advance traffic management technology |
| May 9, 2013 Virginia Department of Transportation |
| RICHMOND, VA. — The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) issued a Notice of Intent to Award to Serco, Inc. to operate the state’s five transportation operations centers and manage the Safety Service Patrol. The contract is up for consideration by the Commonwealth Transportation Board, which will make a decision on whether to award the finalist during its meeting in June. The six-year contract is worth $355 million. |
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| Honolulu International Airport modernization begins construction |
| May 9, 2013 Hawaii Department of Transportation |
| HONOLULU — With the groundbreaking for a new Aloha Air Cargo facility, the state Department of Transportation today celebrated the start of approximately $750 million in improvement projects for the Honolulu International Airport, as part of the statewide Hawaii Airports Modernization Program. |
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| TxDOT unveils first-in-Texas, high-tech warning system to increase work-zone safety |
| May 3, 2013 Texas Department of Transportation |
| AUSTIN, TEXAS — With more roadway construction underway than ever in the Lone Star State, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is introducing a first-in-Texas highway safety feature that incorporates an End-of-Queue Warning System and temporary rumble strips to reduce work-zone collisions. Last year, nearly 17,000 statewide work-zone crashes resulted in 132 fatalities and many more injuries. To date this year there have been 4,713 work-zone crashes, resulting in 24 fatalities. |
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| NYSDOT announces Transportation Enhancement Program |
| May 3, 2013 New York State Department of Transportation |
| ALBANY, N.Y. — New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) Commissioner Joan McDonald announced that applications are available for transportation projects, such as construction of bicycle paths and streetscape improvements, through the federally funded Transportation Enhancement Program (TEP). Municipalities and non-profit incorporated groups are eligible to apply for funding. |
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| PennDOT accepting unsolicited P3 transportation proposals |
| May 2, 2013 Pennsylvania Department of Transportation |
| HARRISBURG, PA. — Taking another step in modernizing Pennsylvania’s transportation funding options, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s (PennDOT) Office of Public Private Partnerships (P3) announced that it is accepting unsolicited proposals for transportation projects through May 31. During this period, the private sector can submit proposals offering innovative ways to deliver transportation projects across a variety of modes including roads, bridges, rail, aviation and ports. Proposals can also include more efficient models to manage existing transportation-related services and programs. |
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| New MoDOT program focuses on roadway maintenance |
| May 2, 2013 Missouri Department of Transportation |
| JEFFERSON CITY, MO. — Every year, the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) releases its Statewide Transportation Improvement Program, which lists all transportation projects planned by state and regional planning agencies for a five-year period. Several years ago, the STIP contained over a billion dollars worth of road and bridge construction projects each year, generating jobs, boosting the economy and expanding the safe and efficient movement of people and goods across the state and the country. A dramatic reduction in transportation funding, however, makes today's STIP look very different. |
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| VDOT announces four key leadership positions |
| May 1, 2013 Virginia Department of Transportation |
| RICHMOND, VA. — Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) Commissioner Greg Whirley announced four key leadership positions within the agency. Three of the four positions are new district administrators: Helen L. Cuervo, P.E., will lead the Northern Virginia District; James S. Utterback, PMP, will head the Hampton Roads District; and Christopher L. Winstead, P.E., will take over the Lynchburg District. Whirley also named Barton A. Thrasher, P.E., as the new state location and design engineer, based out of VDOT’s Central Office in Richmond. |
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| FHWA approves Sakonnet River Bridge tolling proposal |
| May 1, 2013 Rhode Island Department of Transportation |
| PROVIDENCE, R.I. — The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) announced that the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) issued a Revised Record of Decision (RROD) approving the addition of an All Electronic Toll Collection (AETC) for the new Sakonnet Bridge. The RROD concurs with RIDOT's Final Environmental Impact Statement that the imposition of tolls on the bridge does not create any new significant environmental impacts. |
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| U.S. EPA requires ADOT to reduce stormwater pollution |
| April 24, 2013 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency |
| SAN FRANCISCO — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reached an agreement with the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) to improve the state’s stormwater management program as part of EPA’s national effort to reduce pollution of waterways by runoff from cities and statewide transportation agencies. ADOT manages 18,000 travel lane miles across the state, and stormwater runoff from its roads and maintenance facilities contain pollutants such as metals, sediment, oil, grease, pesticides and trash. |
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| NYSDOT presents annual GreenLITES awards |
| April 24, 2013 New York State Department of Transportation |
| ALBANY, N.Y. — New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) Commissioner Joan McDonald celebrated Earth Day by presenting awards to staff for incorporating environmental sustainability into project designs and maintenance operations through the first-in-the-nation Green Leadership in Transportation and Environmental Sustainability (GreenLITES) program. |
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| DelDOT issues annual report |
| April 24, 2013 Delaware Department of Transportation |
| DOVER, DEL. — The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) posted its 2012 Annual Report on its website. This is the first annual report issued by the department in several years, and it is available online as a cost-efficient way of providing this information to the public. |
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| AASHTO opens national photography competition |
| April 22, 2013 AASHTO |
| WASHINGTON, D.C. — The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) began its ninth annual Faces of Transportation photography contest. The national competition asks state transportation department employees and private citizens to photograph those people and projects which are making communities better, while emphasizing the importance of transportation. |
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| WSDOT tests LED lighting on state highway |
| April 22, 2013 Washington State Department of Transportation |
| OLYMPIA, WASH. — Drivers on US 101 west of Olympia will notice changes to roadway lighting as a pilot project to test the first light-emitting-diode (LED) lighting system on a state highway moves into its second phase. Beginning Sunday, April 21, Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) crews reduced the light level for all LED roadway lights on US 101 near Black Lake Boulevard and turn off 75 percent of the lights from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. Lights at the ramp connections and intersections with Black Lake Boulevard will remain on overnight. |
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| Virginia moves major transportation projects forward |
| April 22, 2013 Virginia Department of Transportation |
| RICHMOND, VA. — Virginia Governor McDonnell announced that the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) advanced over $150 million in long-sought transportation improvement projects at its recent meeting in Richmond. These projects are being funded as a result of the Governor's 2011 Transportation Funding and Reform Package. |
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| NJDOT announces a $3.8 billion program for transportation improvements |
| April 22, 2013 New Jersey Department of Transportation |
| TRENTON, N.J. — The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) announced a proposed capital program for Fiscal Year 2014 that supports $2.6 billion in NJDOT investments and another $1.2 billion in NJ TRANSIT improvements, for a total program of $3.8 billion. The proposed capital budget focuses on safety and maintaining existing assets in a state of good repair while at the same time promoting programs that ease congestion and which fund grants that enable local governments to advance transportation projects without burdening property taxpayers. |
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| PennDOT reduces state vehicle fleet, saving $4 million annually |
| April 22, 2013 Pennsylvania Department of Transportation |
| HARRISBURG, PA. — The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced that efforts to better manage staff vehicle usage has resulted in a 30-percent reduction in staff-assigned vehicles and $4 million in savings on mileage reimbursements. By focusing its vehicle assignments to those employees who regularly log the highest number of business-related miles each year PennDOT has been able to substantially decrease employee mileage reimbursements. Overall, the department has reduced its number of staff-assigned passenger vehicles (sedans and sport utility vehicles) by nearly 30 percent since 2003. |
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| AASHTO releases 2012 Salary Survey |
| April 22, 2013 AASHTO |
| WASHINGTON, D.C. — The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) recently released its 2012 AASHTO Salary Survey. The Salary Survey provides job classifications and salary information on positions currently held in the transportation industry. It is intended as a tool for human resources administrators and other professionals whose work involves studying and analyzing job classifications, writing job descriptions, and developing and designing pay structures unique to state departments of transportation. |
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| NYSDOT projects honored for engineering excellence |
| April 22, 2013 New York State Department of Transportation |
| MANHATTAN, N.Y. — New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) Commissioner Joan McDonald announced the receipt of engineering excellence awards for nine projects and a diamond award for an additional project, all from the American Council of Engineering Companies New York State chapter (ACEC NY). An awards ceremony was held on April 6 at the Waldorf Astoria in Manhattan. |
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| Illinois unveils six-year, $12.62 billion transportation construction program |
| April 19, 2013 Illinois Department of Transportation |
| SPRINGFIELD, ILL. — Illinois Governor Pat Quinn and Illinois Transportation Secretary Ann L. Schneider unveiled a six-year, $12.62 billion construction program that will improve roads and bridges throughout Illinois while making major investments in public transportation. The upcoming highway, public transit, rail and airport projects will address critical infrastructure needs while making major transportation improvements throughout the state. |
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| Tennessee releases transportation improvement plan for 2013-2016 |
| April 19, 2013 Tennessee Department of Transportation |
| NASHVILLE, TENN. — Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) Commissioner John Schroer released the three-year transportation program, featuring approximately $1.5 billion in infrastructure investments for 80 individual project phases in 47 counties, as well as 15 statewide programs. Tennessee is one of only five states that do not borrow money to fund transportation projects, and the program continues TDOT’s “pay as you go” philosophy, carrying no debt for any transportation initiatives. |
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| Iowa DOT celebrates 100th anniversary |
| April 19, 2013 Iowa Department of Transportation |
| AMES, IOWA — Iowa’s earliest road system was a network of dirt, wooden plank, and gravel and crushed clamshell roads. During periods of rain or snow, the roadway system turned into a mire of mud. To assist Iowans out of the mud, on April 9, 1913, a new Iowa law was enacted to create the Iowa State Highway Commission as a state governing body over highway construction. In 1974, all modes of transportation were added to the purview of the agency and it was renamed the Iowa Department of Transportation (Iowa DOT). |
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| Caltrans details efforts to fight climate change |
| April 19, 2013 Caltrans |
| SACRAMENTO, CALIF. — Caltrans released a comprehensive report detailing its efforts to fight climate change by curbing greenhouse gas emissions and embracing new technology such as low-energy cement and efficient LED lighting. The report also describes the department’s efforts to adapt to the negative effects of climate change, such as more frequent and intense flooding and heat waves. |
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| CDOT and HPTE select concessionaire to complete the US 36 Express Lanes P3 Project |
| April 8, 2013 Colorado Department of Transportation |
| DENVER — The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and the High Performance Transportation Enterprise (HPTE) selected Plenary Roads Denver as the Concessionaire for phase II of the US 36 Express Lanes/Bus Rapid Transit project between 88th Street and Table Mesa, which will complete improvements to the entire US 36 corridor between Denver and Boulder. The project is CDOT’s first public-private partnership (P3), an innovative partnership where the public and private sectors team together to provide transportation improvements and services to the traveling public. |
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Department of Transportation makes steps to ensure the structure's ecological footprint is as small as possible, leaving room for natural habitats to flourish.
