News

SEPTA leads the way in fare collection technology

By Mary Ebeling SEPTA’s new fare collection system, New Pavement Technologies, transitions SEPTA from being the last large transit agency in the U.S. using tokens to the agency with the most broad-reaching contactless fare system. SEPTA plans to launch NPT with a phased approach, with project

NYPD language change signals increased emphasis on traffic safety

By Robbie Webber Although many law enforcement agencies and media outlets have moved away from using the word “accident” for vehicle collisions, the New York Police Department has only recently made the change, instead substituting the word “collision.” “In the past, the term

Rural routes more dangerous than those in urban areas

By Bill Holloway Following a six-year decline, roadway deaths were up substantially in 2012 with preliminary data indicating a 5% increase over 2011. Texas had the largest increase with a total of 3,339 fatalities in 2012, up more than 400 over 2011. However, annual traffic deaths were up in 38

Economist urges less general revenue, more user fees to support air travel

By Eric Sundquist The use of general revenue to support highways, transit, and intercity rail is familiar. Now with the across-the-board cuts dictated by the federal budget sequester, it’s also clear how much air travel relies on non-user revenue. Disruption in air travel has been one of the

Tennessee DOT Commissioner halts I-69 project

By Chris Spahr In December, Tennessee Department of Transportation Commissioner John Schroer announced that TDOT would stop work on the segment of Interstate 69 in western Tennessee. Citing the high cost of the next segment of the so-called “NAFTA Highway,” Schroer pointed out the need to

ASCE report card coming this month

By Eric Sundquist The American Society of Civil Engineers’ quadrennial U.S. Infrastructure Report Card will be released March 19, and it will be of interest to state DOTs in several ways. For DOTs making a case for revenue, the report card, which should receive mainstream media attention, will

Bill would rein in patent trolling of transit systems

By Eric Sundquist A bipartisan bill pending in a U.S. House committee would put “patent trolls” on the hook for defendants’ legal costs, making unfounded patent-infringement suits less attractive. The Saving High-Tech Innovators from Egregious Legal Disputes (SHIELD) Act, or H.R. 845, was

Call for U.S. DOT to issue own standards causes a stir

By Robbie Webber At an AASHTO meeting February 27th and on the U.S DOT website, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced that U.S. DOT will be issuing its own standards for roadway design to meet the needs of all users, but especially bicyclists and pedestrians. I know that most of you want

Red light cameras still popular with municipalities, but not drivers

By Mary Ebeling Automobile drivers almost universally agree that red light running is unacceptable and dangerous, but many also admit being guilty of it. Almost half the states allow red light cameras and municipalities are increasingly installing red light cameras at intersections as tools to

Senators call for action on freight rail rates and monopolies

By Bill Holloway Early this month, a bipartisan group of senators, led by Al Franken (D-MN), called on the chairman of the Surface Transportation Board to assure that Berkshire Hathaway’s 2010 purchase of BNSF doesn’t result in unfair rate hikes for farms and businesses in Minnesota