Post Tagged with: "AASHTO"

America’s Top 10 Transportation Projects Unveiled: States Vie for “People’s Choice” and National Grand Prize

September 21, 2009 at 1:05 pm

(Source: AASHTO)

On September 8, ten states shared the national spotlight, as AAA, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce announced the top ten finalists in the2009 America’s Transportation Awards competition.

A panel of judges evaluated 50 highway projects from 33 states in three categories: “On Time,” “On Budget,” and “Innovative Management.” Twenty-two winning projects were selected during four regional competitions. The top ten projects scored the highest number overall points during the judging.

Final round of the competition starts anew: America’s Transportation Awards’ Grand Prize will be determined by independent judging and will be presented at the AASHTO Annual Meeting on October 25, in Palm Desert, California. The top ten projects will also compete for the People’s Choice Award, which will decided by popular vote. Each of these awards carry a $10,000 prize.  On-line voting is now underway at the competition’s official website through Oct. 23, 2009:www.americastransportationaward.org.

“These projects show that states are being accountable for every dollar they receive from the taxpayers. They are using the smartest technology in their projects, and they are investing in their communities by reducing congestion, protecting the environment, and enhancing safety. In these tough economic times, the value of rapid and efficient highway construction gets magnified even more,” said John Horsley, AASHTO executive director.

The Top 10 Nominated Projects by category are:

On Time: Accelerated Delivery

  • Dial An Engineer: Maryland Department of Transportation, MD 32 at Burntwoods Road Project.
  • Corridor Updated in Half the Time: Delaware Department of Transportation, I-95 Mainline Widening Project.
  • Smart Bridge Technology: The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MNDOT), I-35W Minneapolis Bridge Replacement Project.
  • Preserving History: Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LADOT), Front Street Natchitoches Restoration Project.
  • Trimming 30 Minutes from Commute: North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT), Clayton Bypass Project.

On Budget: Enhancing Value

  • Improving International Connections: New York State Department of Transportation, I-86 Interchange Project.
  • Website Eases 3.8 Million Detours: California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), Fix I-5 Sacramento Project.
  • Two States Trim Time and Costs on New Bridge: Nebraska Department of Roads (NDOR), Yankton Bridge Project.

Innovative Management

  • Safety First: The Michigan Department of Transportation (MIDOT), M-115 Clare County Improvement Project.
  • Technology Aids Urban Decongestion: Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), 95 Express Miami Project.

Last year, the first annual America’s Transportation Award Grand Prize went to the states of Virginia and Maryland for constructing the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, which spans the Potomac River on I-95 near Washington, D.C.

After 55,500 on-line votes were cast, the People’s Choice Award in 2008 went to the state of Mississippi for the Bay St. Louis Bridge, near Biloxi. The original structure was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina.

Learn more about the projects and the competition at www.americastransportationaward.org.

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AASHTO wants to hear about your “Great American Road Trip”

May 27, 2009 at 10:08 pm

From the AASHTO Press Release:

State transportation officials are asking motorists to take a brief detour down memory lane before setting off on their summer vacations this year.  The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) and its Are We There Yet? We Can Be! campaign are looking for America’s Great Road Trip stories. AASHTO is gathering these stories throughout the summer as part of a nationwide effort to highlight the joys and discoveries associated with the open road.

“It might be your first family vacation or the last one you took together before leaving home. It might be a cross-country adventure to the Grand Canyon or a trip to the ocean for the very first time. Everyone has a great road trip story,” said John Horsley, AASHTO Executive Director. “And no matter what or where you traveled, we want to share your stories in the hopes that they’ll inspire others to discover America.”

To share your “Great American Road Trip,” go to http://AreWeThereYet.transportation.org and tell your story in 300 words or less. Then check back to read what others have posted. Prizes will be awarded through random drawings each month. All great stories are welcome.

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Quantifying the pothole problem – New AASHTO report “Rough Roads Ahead” addresses the costs of poor highways

May 7, 2009 at 11:15 am

(Source: AASHTO)

Rough Roads Ahead:  Fix Them Now or Pay for It Later, a report released today by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) and TRIP, reports that one-third of the nation’s major highways, including Interstates, freeways and major roads, are in poor or mediocre condition.  Roads in urban areas, which carry 66 percent of the traffic, are in much worse shape. 

Extracts from the press release: Driving on rough roads costs the average American motorist approximately $400 a year in extra vehicle operating costs. Drivers living in urban areas with populations over 250,000 are paying upwards of $750 more annually because of accelerated vehicle deterioration, increased maintenance, additional fuel consumption, and tire wear caused by poor road conditions.

 “The American people are paying for rough roads multiple times,” said Kirk T. Steudle, Director of the Michigan Department of Transportation, at a news conference held to release the report. “Rough roads lead to diminished safety, higher vehicle operating costs and more expensive road repairs. It costs $1 to keep a road in good shape for every $7 you would have to spend on reconstruction. It’s another drag on the economy.”  

 The report uses the latest government statistics to show pavement conditions in all 50 states and vehicle operating costs by state and urban areas. The report also finds that:

  • 30 to 60 percent of the roads in the nation’s largest urban areas are in poor condition.
  • 36 percent of the roads in the Detroit urban area are in poor condition compared to the Los Angeles area and surrounding communities, which have 64 percent of their roads in poor condition.   
  • 61 percent of rural roads are in good condition.
  • 72 percent of the Interstate Highway System is in good condition, but age, weather conditions and burgeoning traffic are eroding ride quality.

 “Our nation has invested $1.75 trillion in our public highway system over the past 50 years,” said John Horsley, AASHTO Executive Director.  “We hope Congress will make it possible for the federal government to sustain its share of the increased investment needed to keep America’s roads in good condition.  If not, it will cost the American people billions more later.”

 The report points out that traffic growth has far outpaced highway construction, particularly in major metropolitan areas.  The number of miles driven in this country jumped more than 41 percent from 1990 to 2007 — from 2.1 trillion miles in 1990 to 3 trillion in 2007. In some parts of the country, dramatic population growth has occurred without a corresponding increase in road capacity, placing enormous pressure on roads that, in many cases, were built 50 years ago.  

“The federal stimulus program is providing a helpful down payment towards repairing some of the nation’s rough roads,” said Frank Moretti, TRIP’s Director of Policy and Research. “But it will take a significant long-term boost in investment by all levels of government to provide Americans with a smooth ride.”

 The full report is available at http://roughroads.transportation.org, along with examples from states working to improve their highway systems, charts and photographs.  Rough Roads is part of Are We There Yet?  We Can Be!, AASHTO’s effort to build awareness and support for the nation’s transportation system. 

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President Obama taps John Porcari, Secretary of the Maryland Department of Transportation, to serve as the next Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation.

April 13, 2009 at 1:19 pm

(Source: Washington Post & AASHTO)

Maryland Secretary of Transportation John D. Porcari has been tapped to join the Obama administration. (Photo by Post)

John Porcari, Secretary of the Maryland Department of Transportation, is President Barack Obama’s choice to become the next Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Maryland’s secretary of transportation John D. Porcari will serve as Ray LaHood‘s deputy if confirmed by the Senate. He first served as Maryland’s transportation chief from 1999 to 2002, leading the development and construction of two high-profile transportation projects in the greater Washington region. He led the planning and start of the Intercounty Connectorbetween Montgomery and Prince Georges County, Md., and the development and funding to reconstruct the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, a critical piece of Washington’s infamous Beltway that connects Maryland with Virginia. In between two tours of duty at Maryland DOT, he served as the chief administrative and financial officer at the University of Maryland.

AASHTO Presser offer the following on Mr. Porcari’s nomination: “John Porcari brings tremendous talent and experience to this extremely important and influential Administration position,” said AASHTO Executive Director John Horsley. “Under Secretary Porcari’s leadership, the Maryland DOT has led the way in community sensitive design and smart growth strategies that have improved the quality of life for Marylanders. He was also instrumental in the development of the new Woodrow Wilson Bridge, a $2.4 billion megaproject which was not only delivered on time and on budget; it broke new ground in environmental, contracting, and management innovation. We commend President Obama for this outstanding nomination and look forward to working with Mr. Porcari, once he is confirmed.”

In his current position, Mr. Porcari is responsible for motor vehicle registration and the highway, transit, aviation, and maritime modes of the state’s transportation system. Mr. Porcari also serves as chairman of the entity responsible for operating the state’s bridge and tunnel facilities. He’s in his second tour as Secretary, having previously served in this capacity from 1999 to 2002.

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TransportGooru Headline News Aggregator Dispatch – April 2, 2009

April 2, 2009 at 5:29 pm

LA Taansportation Blog – Transportation Headlines for Thursday April 2, 2009

StreetsBlog – Headline News for April 2, 2009

 

Note:  TransportGooru thanks all the authors for contributing to this headline news summary. This dispatch is made possible by integrating the headline news feeds from the above mentioned sources.  At times, you may encounter a repeat of the same headline news  since they are captured by various individuals working at different organizations.    Please visit the respective source websites if you have any trouble viewing the articles behind the URLs.  

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“Are We There Yet?” – AASHTO launches national campaign to build awareness and provide information on the critical needs of our nation’s transportation system

April 2, 2009 at 4:31 pm

(Source: AASHTO)

Photo: Zen Skillicorn@flickr

Washington, DC – “Are we there yet? The perennial question asked by kids on a long car trip is the same one all Americans should be asking about our entire transportation network,” said John Horsley, Executive Director of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). “Improving our transportation system must be a top priority for all of us since we are only investing half of what it would take to meet the needs of our nation’s growing population, demand for freight, and aging roads, bridges, and transit.”

 With the expiration date looming for the current federal transportation authorization, AASHTO has today launched a national campaign to build awareness and provide information on the critical needs of our nation’s transportation system.

Are We There Yet? We Can Be! is designed to be a one-stop shop for current information on the condition of the country’s infrastructure, state examples of successful projects, innovative technology, and focused solutions that can be shared with the public, the media, business and community groups, and lawmakers. The website highlights AASHTO’s proposals for the upcoming authorization, developed during the past year by representatives of the state departments of transportation.

“By working collaboratively across the nation – using common language and themes, we can ensure that our messages will be heard,” Horsley said.

The campaign stresses three key points: State DOTs are accountable; their projects are community-driven; and their work is performance based – on-time, on-budget and using the most innovative technologies.

The campaign website, AreWeThereYet.transportation.org, outlines the AASHTO authorization proposals and includes facts about America’s transportation infrastructure as well as a host of examples and information on issues ranging from safety and congestion, to freight and transit. AASHTO’s new television webchannel,www.TransportationTV.org, offers interviews with key Members of Congress, information on issues such as the Highway Trust Fund, backgrounders, and a weekly news show devoted to transportation issues.

Click here to explore the campaign.

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House Budget Writers told $545 Billion Needed for Nation’s Transportation Programs

March 18, 2009 at 1:02 pm

The US Capitol Against a Pink and Purple Morning Sky (71/365)(Source:  AASHTO)

Enactment of the FY 2010 budget resolution “will be the starting point as the House considers the new surface transportation authorization bill,” Kansas Secretary of Transportation Deb Miller testified today before the House Budget Committee.

Appearing on behalf of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, Miller outlined a six-year, multi-modal transportation investment that includes:

  • $375 billion for highways;
  • $93 billion for transit;
  • $42 billion for freight, from outside the Highway Trust Fund; and
  • $35 billion for intercity passenger rail, also from outside the Highway Trust Fund.

Miller noted that even before addressing authorization, however, the Congress must ensure that the Highway Trust Fund has sufficient revenue to fund the current program. An $8 billion transfer made by Congress last September may not be sufficient to last through the year, she said.   

Miller’s complete testimony may be accessed at tinyurl.com/miller-2009-03-17. For information on AASHTO’s authorization recommendations go to www.transportation.org.

Click here to read the entire article.

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AASHTO: Budget Change Could Cripple Multi-Year Transportation Contracting Leaders Warn

March 12, 2009 at 5:22 pm

(Source: AASHTO)

In a letter this week which commended President Barak Obama for his “expressed support for significant increased investment in transportation infrastructure,” eight major transportation and construction organizations also warned the President that a proposal contained in the Administration’s budget request to eliminate multi-year contract authority, “would undermine the very fabric of the financing mechanisms” for transportation at the very time that the nation is looking to transportation investments to help rebuild the economy.

Contract authority is a little-known budget keeping mechanism which allows states to plan and execute projects that take several years for completion. It is based upon the fact that transportation programs are funded by dedicated user fees, such as the motor fuel tax, rather than by annual appropriations. The contract authority solution for multi-year capital investment was first enacted in 1956 for highways and later extended to transit and aviation.

In a letter to President Barack Obama, the transportation leaders state, “The predictability that contract authority provides is essential for states and local governments to make long term commitments to major transportation investment projects. In 1998 with the passage of the TEA 21 legislation, Congress recognized this unique budget situation and established funding guarantees tied to the trust funds.”

Click here to read the entire press release and/or click here to download the PDF letter. 

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