USDOT Issues $23M in Thriving Communities Funds

The U.S. Department of Transportation recently awarded $23.6 million in Thriving Communities Program or TCP grants to three national “capacity builders” and six regional providers that will provide roughly 112 communities – including 12 tribal nations – with technical assistance so they can access federal infrastructure funding and resources.

[Above photo by the USDOT]

Managed by the Build America Bureau within USDOT, the program’s “technical assistance” includes a variety of tasks, from preparing application materials and predevelopment activities, to deploying innovative community engagement, workforce development, and clean technology strategies.

The agency said the overall TCP initiative – created by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act or IIJA – provides two years of no-cost technical assistance to help advance projects that improve health outcomes, reduce housing and transportation cost burdens, improve housing conditions, preserve or expand jobs, and increase reliable mobility options for “disadvantaged communities,” especially small, rural, and tribal ones.

USDOT noted that, out of the 64 communities selected to receive $22 million in TCP grants in 2023, some 37 have now also won federal funding for their communities through various USDOT discretionary grant programs such as Safe Streets and Roads for All program, the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity or RAISE program, and the Rural and Tribal Assistance pilot program.  

“The Thriving Communities participants have proven that this technical assistance model can tremendously impact their success rate not only in competing for federal grants, but also in better utilizing innovative solutions to deliver their projects more efficiently and cost-effectively,” said Morteza Farajian, executive director of the Build America Bureau, in a statement.

The three national “capacity builders” receiving fiscal year 2023 TCP funds are:  

  • Rural Community Assistance Partnership Incorporated, in partnership with Community Engineering Corps, Communities Unlimited, Great Lakes Community Action Partnership, Midwest Assistance Program, National Association of Development Organizations, RCAP Solutions, and Rural Community Assistance Corporation, received over $4.2 million to support 16 “main street” programs. USDOT said “main street” funding is focused on tribal, rural, and small-town communities and the interconnected transportation, community, and economic development issues they face.
  • Abt Associates Inc., in partnership with EPR, P.C., Equitable Cities, Morgan State University, Nelson\Nygaard, Safe Routes Partnership, and Smart Growth America, received over $4.9 million to support 20 “complete neighborhoods communities” projects. Those projects focus on urban and suburban communities located within Metropolitan Planning Organization planning areas working to better advance complete streets policies and coordinate transportation with land use, housing, and economic development.
  • The Conference of Minority Transportation Officials or COMTO, in partnership with AECOM, Intelligent Transportation Society of America, Accelerator for America, Two Degrees, ReConnect Rondo, and MWDBE Training Academy, received over $4.2 million to support 16 “networked communities” projects. Those projects are focused on communities located near ports, airports, freight, and rail facilities to address mobility, access, housing, environmental justice, and economic issues.

USDOT also provided $1 million to $2 million in funding each to six projects benefiting 60 communities in total through a new TCP Regional Pilot Program; a program that allows participants to support TCP activities to communities within their jurisdictions at a state or regional scale. Two projects overseen by state departments of transportation received funds as part of this TCO pilot program, USDOT noted:

  • The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities in partnership with the Alaska Municipal League, receiving $2 million to support 18 communities, four of which are tribal nations.

The New York State Department of Transportation, in partnership with the with New York State Department of State and ICF Incorporated, received over $1 million to support five communities: the Town and Village of Alfred, the Village of Dolgeville, the Village of Margaretville, the Town and Village of Massena, and Wyoming County. 

Michigan DOT Launches Household Travel Survey

The Michigan Department of Transportation has launched a statewide household travel survey, dubbed “MI Travel Counts,” to help the agency determine how travel behavior has changed over the past decade; helping the agency plan future changes and improvements to the state’s transportation system.

[Above photo by Michigan DOT]

Last conducted in 2015, the survey aims to help Michigan DOT planners account for the many changes in travel that have occurred, like the prevalence of remote work, the increase in online shopping, and greater use of ridesharing and delivery services. Data from the survey will also be used to plan out transportation infrastructure investments for the next 20 years, the agency added.

Michigan DOT noted in a statement that randomly selected households will receive an invitation to participate in the survey via U.S. mail and, upon accepting the invitation, household members will provide demographic data and then report their travel either via a smartphone application, the internet, or by telephone. The information provided to MI Travel Counts will be anonymized and aggregated to calculate statistics for study purposes, the agency added.

The agency added that the “MI Travel Counts” survey – conducted on its behalf by national research firm Resource Systems Group – will be conducted in three phases, with the first scheduled to run from April 15 through early June, with additional phases anticipated in spring 2025 and fall 2025.

Several other state departments of transportation are also in the midst of similar statewide travel survey efforts.

For example, in March, the Colorado Department of Transportation partnered with local and regional agencies across the state to conduct a “Colorado Travel Counts” household survey. The agency said insights gained from this survey – officially launched at end of February 2024 and slated wrap up in February 2025 – will help Colorado DOT and regional planning agencies prioritize local transportation projects, improve mobility, provide valuable transit services and reduce roadway congestion.

Households selected for participation will be offered up to $10 per person as compensation for the time and effort needed to join and complete the survey.

The survey results should help create a “snapshot” of how the transportation system is used statewide, Colorado DOT noted; enabling its planners to use that information as a foundation for future mobility planning and development efforts.

Environmental News Highlights – April 17, 2024

FEDERAL ACTION

FHWA Issues $830M in PROTECT Resiliency Grants -AASHTO Journal

Court upholds California’s authority to set nation-leading vehicle emission rules –AP

Senate rebukes Biden administration on effort to reduce vehicle pollution -Route Fifty

 

SOLAR ECLIPSE

See Maps of Where Eclipse Seekers Flocked and the Traffic That Followed -New York Times

These US Cities Benefited Most From Solar Eclipse Tourism –CityLab

Traffic gets eclipsed in Texas -Texas Department of Transportation (media release)

Thousands Travel to NH to View the Solar Eclipse -New Hampshire Department of Transportation (media release)

 

COVID-19

APTA: Transit-ridership levels continue post-pandemic recovery -Progressive Railroading

 

RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

Colorado pumps $21 million into fast-charger expansion for electric vehicles -Powers Journal

This Florida highway will wirelessly charge electric cars on the go -Tampa Bay Times

Port of Albany awarded $9.9M in funding for rail and maritime infrastructure improvements from NYS DOT -American Journal of Transportation

This lamppost EV charger just went commercial in the US –Electrek

Biden urged to ban China-made electric vehicles -BBC News

 

AIR QUALITY

California’s Clean Air Act Exemption Targeted in Lawsuits Challenging Truck GHG Rules -HDT/Truckinginfo

 

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE/EQUITY

Civil engineering researcher looks to remedy inequities in traffic safety -University of Arizona

Extra Step Added For Transit-Oriented Housing -New Haven Independent

Biden’s environmental justice scorecard offers more questions than answers –Grist

 

NATURAL RESOURCES

Boy Scouts Join Tennessee DOT Litter Cleanup Campaign -AASHTO Journal

Resilience to Natural Hazards and Historic Buildings -National Park Service

Urban planning should consider building height, shape, and arrangement to best protect pedestrians during severe precipitation and wind -Physics of Fluids
WYDOT Widens Access to Road-Closure Data to Save Lives in Severe Weather -Wyoming DOT (media release)

 

CULTURAL RESOURCES

An Ode to the Northeast Corridor, the Rail Line That Keeps Amtrak Alive –CityLab

Jersey Shore hangout spot for 4×4 beach vehicles could disappear without more sand -NJ.com

UTA plans to expand, redesign transit by possible 2034 Olympics -KSTU-TV

 

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

WVDOT Helps Develop Unique ‘Rail Bike’ Offering -AASHTO Journal

Houston’s New Mayor Pumps the Brakes on Street Safety Projects –Governing

Metra sees surge in bikes on trains following change in policy –Trains

How climate change is beginning to be built into employee pay and benefits –CNBC

Minnesota touts e-bike rebates worth up to 75% off cost of new purchase -WCCO-TV

 

TRB RESOURCES/RESEARCH/ANNOUNCEMENTS

Transformational Technologies and Mobility Inclusion Playbook –NCHRP

Airport Lessons Learned from the COVID-19 Pandemic -TRB (webinar)

 

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES

National Public Transportation Safety Plan -FTA (Notice of availability and response to comments)

Public Transportation Agency Safety Plans -FTA (Final rule)

Advisory Committee on Transportation Equity (ACTE); Notice of Public Meeting -Office of the Secretary, Department of Transportation (Notice of public meeting)

Pipeline Safety: Meeting of the Gas Pipeline Advisory Committee -Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (Notice; extension of comment period)

Renewal Package From the State of Arizona to the Surface Transportation Project Delivery Program and Proposed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Assigning Federal Highway Administration’s Environmental Review Responsibilities to the State -FHWA (Notice, request for comments)

Renewal Package From the State of California to the Surface Transportation Project Delivery Program and Proposed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Assigning Environmental Responsibilities to the State -FRA (Notice, request for comments)

Notice of Adoption of a Fish and Wildlife Service Categorical Exclusion Under the National Environmental Policy Act -EPA (Notice)

 

Oklahoma DOT Plans EV Charger Network Expansion

The Oklahoma Department of Transportation is moving forward with the first phase of an effort to expand electric vehicle or EV infrastructure statewide.

 [Above photo by Oklahoma DOT]

The agency awarded more than $8 million in federal funds to Love’s Travel Stops, Francis Energy LLC, and Tesla Inc. to build 13 charging stations along Oklahoma interstates. Those three firms will also contribute a combined $7 million in private funding to construct those charging facilities. Through this public-private partnership, the private partners will design, build, operate, and maintain the charging stations and should have them open for business by 2025.

The agency said those stations will be within 50 miles of preexisting or planned sites in designated corridors, equipped with at least four charging ports capable of simultaneous 150 kilowatt (kW) or higher charging, accessible 24/7/365, and have broadband or cellular capability.

Once installed, these 13 stations will complete the EV charging corridors on I-35, I-40 and I-44 in Oklahoma, said Jared Schwennesen, multimodal division engineer for Oklahoma DOT.

“Range anxiety is a real concern for electric vehicle owners here in Oklahoma and nationwide,” he explained in a statement. “We believe this will be a major step toward cutting down on that anxiety and providing a reliable charging network across Oklahoma.”

The Oklahoma DOT noted that the federal money it has issued to build and support those EV charging stations comes from the $5 billion National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure or NEVI formula program, established by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act or IIJA.

Other state departments of transportation across the country are engaged in similar efforts.

In March, the Virginia Department of Transportation allocated $11.3 million in federal funding to assist in the statewide construction of EV charging stations that would also help close existing alternative fuel corridor gaps along I-64, I-77, I-81, I-85, I-95, and I-295.

The Illinois Department of Transportation also recently released the first official notice of funding opportunity for round one of grants sponsored by NEVI program funding; grants that will provide up to $50 million for the construction of 46 charging stations across the state.

Other state DOT EV charging network initiatives include:

  • The California Department of Transportation – known as Caltrans – received some $63.7 million from the Federal Highway Administration to fix and install more than 1,000 chargers at 300 sites statewide.
  • The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation plans to repair or replace dozens of existing EV charging sites using a $5 million federal award. The agency also oversaw the completion and opening of Pennsylvania’s first federally-funded EV charging station in late December 2023 and is now making $20 million in NEVI funding available to build more new EV charging facilities.
  • The Ohio Department of Transportation also opened its very first NEVI-funded EV charging locale for operation in December 2023.
  • The New York State Department of Transportation is getting $13 million from FHWA to enhance the reliability of EV charging ports across the state.
  •  The Arizona Department of Transportation began seeking bids from private entities in January to build or upgrade EV charging stations along several interstate highways.
  • The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet broke ground on the first NEVI-funded EV fast charging station in the southeastern United States in February. The agency is currently seeking proposals to install up to 16 additional stations along interstates and parkways statewide using NEVI funding – all part of Kentucky’s longer-term effort to add up to 40 new fast charging stations by 2025.

Boy Scouts Join Tennessee DOT Litter Cleanup Campaign

The Nobody Trashes Tennessee litter prevention campaign operated by the Tennessee Department of Transportation has expanded its youth group partnerships with the addition of all six Boy Scouts of America councils in Tennessee to the program – allowing scouts the opportunity to earn a Nobody Trashes Tennessee or NTT patch.

[Above photo by the Tennessee DOT]

The Boy Scouts join Tennessee’s three Girl Scout councils, as well as additional youth groups, in offering the NTT patch, the agency noted.

“Boy Scouts are known for their commitment to community and partnering with Nobody Trashes Tennessee underscores their dedication to instilling values of environmental stewardship, civic responsibility, and leadership in young people,” said Brittany Morris of Tennessee DOT’s Beautification Office in a statement. “We are thrilled to have participation from all six councils representing the state.”

Boy Scouts of all ages have multiple ways to earn the patch by completing Nobody Trashes Tennessee educational worksheets and participating in litter cleanups in their community, coordinating their own cleanup in their neighborhood or school grounds, or through existing beautification and service projects.

For Boy Scouts ages 12 and older, the agency said its Adopt-A-Highway program is an opportunity to earn both a patch and a roadway recognition panel for committing to quarterly pickups. Patches are provided by Nobody Trashes Tennessee at no cost to the councils or individual scouts.

“Community service is woven into the fabric of our program,” added Casey Norwood, CEO and Scout executive of the Boy Scouts of America’s Chickasaw Council. “I believe the goals of the Nobody Trashes Tennessee campaign align well with our Scouts giving back to the communities in which we all love and live.”

State departments of transportation across the country are involved in a variety of litter cleanup and removal efforts. 

For example, the North Carolina Department of Transportation is gearing up for its annual “Spring Litter Sweep” event, to be held April 13-27 statewide.

The Spring Litter Sweep – one of NCDOT’s many roadside litter removal initiatives – engages local communities to tackle the issue of roadside litter. During the two-week period, residents are encouraged to participate in local efforts to help clean up North Carolina’s roadsides.

In addition to volunteers, NCDOT maintenance crews devote one week of their time picking up litter and collecting trash bags that are filled by volunteers, the agency noted.

The Mississippi Department of Transportation launched a new anti-litter webpage as part of a renewed statewide anti-littering campaign that kicked off in August 2023 – a “one-stop hub” that contains information about the state’s Adopt-a-Highway program, Mississippi litter statistics and resources, stormwater pollution information, anti-litter resources for school teachers, and much more.

On another front, to make roadway debris removal operations faster and safer, the South Carolina Department of Transportation started installing “lane blades” on select highway incident response vehicles in 2023.

And in April 2023, the Illinois Department of Transportation launched a new public outreach effort called “Think Before You Throw!” as part of its ongoing awareness campaign to reduce littering on state highways and roads.

That “Think Before You Throw!” initiative aims to reduce roadside litter along the state’s more than 150,000 miles of roads by raising awareness of the negative environment impact of trash, for both state residents and the nearly 100 million tourists who visit annually, the agency said.

Environmental News Highlights – April 10, 2024

FEDERAL ACTION

AASHTO Issues New ‘Commuting in America’ Reports -AASHTO Journal



AASHTO Seeks ‘Balanced’ EV Charging Network Effort -AASHTO Journal

AASHTO Comments on Low Carbon Construction Material Rules -AASHTO Journal

States seek Supreme Court intervention on smog plan split -E&E News

Key takeaways about the condition of US bridges and their role in the economy –AP

Buttigieg rejects critics of EV future: Like people in 2000s saying we could have landlines forever -Fox News’ America Reports

Interactive Playbook Helps Communities Plan for Transportation Electrification -Joint Office of Energy and Transportation (media release)

 

SOLAR ECLIPSE

Shadows in Motion: Emergency Management Post a Solar Eclipse with Illinois DOT –The Stream by AASHTO (podcast)

Traffic delays and other issues mark total solar eclipse day -USA Today

Eclipse flights swarm airports: ‘We had to close the runway to park planes –CNBC

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

Maine seeks to curb ‘range anxiety’ with new EV charging stations -Spectrum News

Cargo ships are getting bigger, but can our infrastructure keep up? -WWL Radio

A collapsed bridge, a new Amtrak tunnel, the Red Line: Baltimore is an infrastructure epicenter -Baltimore Banner

Unused “T” lines could be revived during massive improvement project -KDKA-TV

Few Stations and $200 to Fill Up: Life on California’s ‘Hydrogen Highway’ –CityLab

PennDOT Announces $20 Million in Funding for Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure -Pennsylvania DOT (media release)

 

AIR QUALITY

Ship Speed Reduction Lowers California Coastal Air Pollution -Maritime Executive

Emissions model for aviation fuel will be ready ‘in the very near future’, says EPA administrator –Reuters

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE/EQUITY

Atlantans call for equity and access in transit and mobility –WABE Radio

How NJ school uses virtual reality to help kids with autism prepare for airport stress -The Record

People with disabilities must be included in climate planning and responses, say Harvard researchers -Harvard Law Review



USDOT Announces Latest Step Toward Launching New Reconnecting Communities Institute -USDOT (media release)

US EPA and New York State DEC Launch Statewide Environmental Justice Listening Tour -EPA (media release)

 

NATURAL RESOURCES

State DOT Landscape Projects Transforming Infrastructure -AASHTO Journal

 

WYDOT Video Highlights Value of Roadway Snow Fencing -AASHTO Journal

Adapting stormwater management to extreme weather requires innovation, professor says -Ohio State University

CULTURAL RESOURCES

New York governor orders transit agency to drop bid to charge NYC Marathon $750K for use of Verrazzano bridge –AP



Japanese Businesses Fight to Stay as Metro Stop Transforms LA’s Little Tokyo –CityLab

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

Connecticut to launch 13 microtransit services within four-month period -Mass Transit

Silence the Roar: Noise Pollution in Aviation –Airways

E-bikes are Transforming Urban Mobility and Cities Need to get Onboard: Study –Momentum

Safety concerns prompt Tampa to enact new e-scooter rules, including fines -WUSF Radio

Greensburg, PA seeking public feedback on city walking, cycling for Active Transportation Plan -Tribune-Review

2022 was the ‘worst year ever for bicyclist deaths,’ new data shows -Route Fifty

TRB RESOURCES/RESEARCH/ANNOUNCEMENTS

Airport Lessons Learned from the COVID-19 Pandemic -ACRP (webinar)

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES

Air Plan Approval; District of Columbia; Removal of Stage II Gasoline Vapor Recovery Program Requirements -EPA (Final rule)

National Boating Safety Advisory Committee; Vacancy; Correction -Coast Guard (Notice; request for applications; Correction)

National Chemical Transportation Safety Advisory Committee; Vacancies -Coast Guard (Notice; request for applications)

National Maritime Security Advisory Committee; May 2024 Virtual Meeting –Coast Guard (Notice)

Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Council; Public Meeting –Fish and Wildlife Service (Notice)


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Vineyard Northeast Project on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf Offshore Massachusetts; Corrections -Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (Notice)

Notice of Public Meeting of Scientific Earthquake Studies Advisory Committee -Geological Survey (Notice of teleconference meeting)

 

State DOT Landscape Projects Transforming Infrastructure

Across the country, state departments of transportation are investing in a variety of landscaping projects to help transportation infrastructure become more “eco-supportive” of native habitats.

[Above photo by TxDOT]

For example, since mid-2023, a team of landscape architects from the Washington State Department of Transportation has worked with the University of Washington’s Botanic Gardens and Seattle Parks to select and plant native flora and create habitats for wildlife on Foster Island – an area that previously served as a construction zone for the 520 bridge project.

In a blog post, WSDOT noted that its work crews spent the last year moving topsoil, boulders, and trees into the former bridge construction zone – as well building irrigation systems and crushed rock paths to mark trails for park visitors.

Those crews are now planting native ferns and Oregon grape plus evergreen, dogwood, and willow trees – among other flora – that will be monitored for the next three years to ensure they thrive.

Crews placed habitat logs in the landscape to provide homes for insects that birds and small mammals will feed on; logs that also provide a great home for frogs and salamanders. The logs serve a long-term purpose, too, WSDOT noted, providing nutrients as they decay and creating fertile new ground for more plants to grow.

Meanwhile, the Texas Department of Transportation is gearing up to support wildflower season along roadways statewide.

The agency has been planting and maintaining wildflowers on highway right of way since the mid-1930s and TxDOT Vegetation Specialist Travis Jez said the agency’s wildflower program works not just in springtime, but throughout the year.

“Our overall objective is to have a regenerative side of the road that takes care of itself and is able to maintain itself,” Jez noted in a statement.

More than 5,000 species of wildflowers and native grasses decorate Texas roadsides. While part of their benefit is for beautification, they’re also important pollinator plants. Monarch butterflies rely on the wildflowers during their migrations, as do 900 other species of butterflies, bees, birds and various creatures, the agency said.

To ensure the habitats are available for the ecosystems they support, TxDOT has a delayed mowing schedule during certain times of the year to let the plants grow strong and tall.

Delayed mowing not only helps the environment, but it also is a cost-effective move that allows TxDOT to focus labor force and funding on other projects for a couple of months, the agency said.

When TxDOT does mow the fields, the agency said that helps disperse seeds into the ground to sprout up the next season. In addition, it helps clear any debris covering the soil to allow for the seeds to make better contact. Depending on the need for more wildflowers in a certain area, TxDOT said it will plant up to 30,000 pounds of seeds each year.

And in Tennessee, a new $3 million-plus state DOT landscaping project will seek to beautify a long stretch of highway in the Chattanooga area.

The Tennessee Department of Transportation said the U.S. 27 landscaping project – awarded to Stansell Electric Company – will include the planting of trees, shrubs, prairie grasses, wildflowers, and a variety of other ground cover crops as well as the installation of an irrigation system.

“This landscaping project is the first of its kind, and we’re delighted it’s been let to construction,” noted Daniel Oliver, Tennessee DOT’s Region 2 assistant chief engineer, in a statement.

Work on this landscaping project is scheduled to begin in mid-2024 and should be wrapped up by December 2025.

“Our partnership with the Tennessee Interstate Conservancy has played a critical role in the advancement of this project,” Oliver added. “Upon completion, the project will beautify an important corridor in the Chattanooga area and enhance the natural scenic beauty of the Tennessee landscape.”

Michigan DOT Talks ‘Complete Streets’ Policies

For the first time in 12 years since its initial adoption by the State Transportation Commission, the Michigan Department of Transportation is reviewing the state’s “Complete Streets” policy.

[Above image by the Michigan DOT]

As part of that review, Amy Matisoff – the tribal liaison at Michigan DOT – is working on a survey to get as much public input and engagement as possible before making any changes to that policy.

As part of the outreach effort for that survey and the overall “Complete Streets” review effort, Matisoff recently sat down with the Michigan DOT’s “Talking Michigan Transportation” podcast.

“I explain ‘Complete Streets’ to folks as creating a transportation environment or transportation system that feels safe and is usable for everyone,” she said during the podcast interview. “It does get complex really quickly when you start talking about the concept of complete streets, because I think what people see in their mind is different than what actually ends up on the ground.”

Matisoff noted that ultimately “Complete Streets” is more an “iteration of a process” and involves a lot of community engagement.

“That’s the part I think sometimes we miss is the front end, which is the engagement component of it,” she pointed out. “People are just thinking about the end goal of whatever is constructed. But engagement is such a key element of finding out what communities and what people need from their transportation system.

Matisoff added that one of “misconceptions” regarding the state’s road network is that Michigan DOT is “supposed to be the one providing all of that to everyone,” whereas in reality the agency is only responsible for about 11 percent of all the roads crisscrossing the state.

“So it is in partnership with our local transportation agencies that we provide [for] every transportation user on the streets,” she pointed out. “Also it’s about doing little things that don’t have to be big and flashy; things that I think a lot of communities are realizing that they can do fairly easily, that doesn’t take a lot of additional cost. So you’re going to start seeing more bike lanes painted or, you know, brighter crosswalks with better lighting; those types of things.”

There is also the “economic development” side of “Complete Streets” that many people overlook, Matisoff added.

“For example, look at the connection to trail systems, particularly in those more rural areas,” she said. “That is critical to communities that need tourism. So the folks that look at a full system, and really include recreation and transportation and the overlap, I think see a lot more benefit.”

Environmental News Highlights – April 3, 2024

FEDERAL ACTION

Federal Judge in Texas Vacates FHWA’s GHG Rule -AASHTO Journal

EPA’s new heavy-duty vehicle emissions standards are effort to fight climate change -ABE News

EPA extends credits for automakers, further relaxing car rule -E&E News

NYC becomes first U.S. city to approve congestion toll with $15 charge to drive into part of Manhattan –AP

U.S. losing valuable wetlands at alarming rate -States Newsroom

USDOT Opens Applications for More than $5 Billion in Funding for Significant National Infrastructure Projects -USDOT (media release)

 

SOLAR ECLIPSE

States Prepare For Solar Eclipse Traffic Tie-Ups With Advanced Tech –Forbes

Arkansas Department of Transportation releases traffic forecast map for eclipse – KTAL-TV



Texas restricts oversize truck loads on the day of the eclipse –CHRON

VDOT: Make plans to rotate travel around solar eclipse -WTOP Radio

Solar Eclipse 2024 – Illinois Department of Transportation

Solar Eclipse Oversize Restrictions -Medallion Transport and Logistics

COVID-19

CTA to restore bus service on some routes cut during the pandemic -Chicago Sun-Times

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

Virginia DOT Allocates $11.3M for EV Chargers -AASHTO Journal



FHWA Administrator: EVs a Charged Topic With High-Level Support -Government Technology

Cars are king of the commute. But employers may have a once-in-a-generation chance to change that. -HR Dive

Cool paint coatings help pedestrians feel up to 1.5°C cooler in urban setting, field study finds -Phys.org

Greenlane announces LA to LV charging corridor for commercial trucks– Electrek

The benefits of bridge-tunnels -WAVY-TV

 

AIR QUALITY

Understanding the Federal Highway Administration’s Greenhouse Gas Rule -Environment and Energy Leader

Colorado air quality bills call for summer fracking pause, ‘repeat violator’ crackdown -Colorado Newsline

Air quality at many train stations is alarmingly bad. Here’s how to improve it -The Conversation

Carlsbad Caverns, White Sands rank among worst national parks for air quality -The Santa Fe New Mexican

FAA Invests $27 Million on Research to Reduce Emissions and Noise -FAA (media release)

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE/EQUITY

A Number Of States Adding Native American Translations To Road Signs Promoting Awareness -Milwaukee Independent

Transit called ‘lifeline’ for rural Pennsylvania residents -WVIA Radio

Disabled People Are Dying in America’s Crosswalks. We Need to Protect Them. -Governing (commentary)

NATURAL RESOURCES

NCDOT Prepping for Annual Litter Cleanup Effort -AASHTO Journal


These glowing orbs can tell you if water is clean or polluted -Fast Company

Floating wetlands bring beauty, benefits to South Carolina ponds -The Times and Democrat

Alaska’s New Robotic Dog Will Be Used To Haze Wildlife At Fairbanks Airport -Anchorage Daily News

New approach to monitoring freshwater quality can identify sources of pollution, predict their effects -University of Cambridge

PennDOT Invites Pennsylvanians to Share Feedback on Winter Services -Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (media release)

EPA announces $12M to protect salmon by reducing toxic tire dust, other pollutants in stormwater -EPA (media release)

CULTURAL RESOURCES

Florida legislature passes bill easing demolition, replacement of old buildings with bigger structures -Florida Politics

Georgia DOT and We Are Teachers Launch Free K-12 Car and Road Safety Program -Georgia Department of Transportation (media release)

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

TxDOT Launches Pedestrian & Bike Safety Campaign -KIAH-TV

Cyclist group launches crash-tracking survey after rise in DC traffic fatalities -GW Hatchet

How can more U.S. cities become more walkable? Here’s one urban planner’s approach -NPR’s TED Radio

Residents Taking It Upon Themselves To Update Maps Showing Raleigh’s Walkability -WRAL-TV

Deadly fires from phone, scooter batteries leave lawmakers playing catch-up on safety –Stateline

Pennsylvania Taking Steps to Combat Human Trafficking -Pennsylvania DOT (media release)

TRB RESOURCES/RESEARCH/ANNOUNCEMENTS

When Our Technology Solutions Do Not Work for Everyone -TRB (webinar)

Homes on Track: Building Thriving Communities Around Transit -Regional Plan Association (webinar)

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES

Petroleum-Equivalent Fuel Economy Calculation -Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (Final rule)

Proposed Consent Decree, Clean Air Act Citizen Suit -EPA (Notice; request for public comment)

National Boating Safety Advisory Committee; April 2024 Meetings -Coast Guard (Notice)

Lithium Battery Air Safety Advisory Committee; Notice of Public Meeting -Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (Notice)

Notice of Availability of a Joint Record of Decision for the Proposed Sunrise Wind Farm Offshore New York, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island -Bureau of Ocean Energy (Notice)

National Boating Safety Advisory Committee; Vacancies -Coast Guard (Notice; request for applications)

 

Virginia DOT Allocates $11.3M for EV Chargers

The Virginia Department of Transportation said it has allocated $11.3 million in federal funding to assist in the statewide construction of electric vehicle or EV charging stations.

[Above photo by Virginia DOT]

The agency added in a statement that this funding will also help close existing alternative fuel corridor gaps along I-64, I-77, I-81, I-85, I-95, and I-295.

That $11.3 million is the first allotment under Phase 1-A of its statewide effort over the next four years to distribute $100 million worth of National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure or NEVI formula program funding; money that will help facilitate the deployment of third-party owned and operated EV charging stations at 18 sites across 13 counties, adding a total of 66 fast charging ports.

Notably, Virginia DOT said 14 of those charging stations are located within a half-mile of federally designated disadvantaged communities. Proposed locations were screened against federal requirements, with awardees selected through a competitive scoring process that evaluated location, station cost, level of applicant match funding, applicant qualifications, nearby amenities such as restrooms, dining, and shopping, and other customer experience-focused factors.

Other state departments of transportation across the country are engaged in similar efforts.

For example, the Illinois Department of Transportation recently released the first official notice of funding opportunity for round one of grants sponsored by NEVI program funding; grants that will provide up to $50 million for the construction of 46 charging stations across the state.

The Illinois NEVI program aims to accelerate the adoption of EVs by providing reliable access to charging on Illinois interstates and is part of a series of comprehensive initiatives to achieve the state’s goal of becoming a leader in manufacturing and deploying electric vehicles.

“This funding opportunity puts us one step closer to achieving [our state’s] goal to have one million EVs on Illinois roads by 2030,” said Illinois DOT Secretary Omer Osman in a statement.

Meanwhile, other state DOTs are deploying federal funds to either expand EV charger networks along highways under their purview or upgrade existing systems. Those initiatives include:

  • The California Department of Transportation – known as Caltrans – received some $63.7 million from the Federal Highway Administration to fix and install more than 1,000 chargers at 300 sites statewide.
  • The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation plans to repair or replace dozens of existing EV charging sites using a $5 million federal award. The agency also oversaw the completion and opening of Pennsylvania’s first federally-funded EV charging station in late December 2023.
  • The Ohio Department of Transportation also opened its very first NEVI-funded EV charging locale for operation in December 2023.
  • The New York State Department of Transportation is getting $13 million from FHWA to enhance the reliability of EV charging ports across the state.
  •  The Arizona Department of Transportation began seeking bids from private entities in January to build or upgrade electric vehicle or EV charging stations along several interstate highways.
  • The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet broke ground on the first NEVI-funded EV fast charging station in the southeastern United States in February. The agency is currently seeking proposals to install up to 16 additional stations along interstates and parkways statewide using NEVI funding – all part of Kentucky’s longer-term effort to add up to 40 new fast charging stations by 2025.