Posts – Page 10 – Environmental Technical Assistance Program Newsletter

FHWA Issues $729M to Support Natural Disaster Recovery

Via its Emergency Relief Program, the Federal Highway Administration is providing $729.4 million to 34 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico to support repairs to roads and bridges due to natural disasters such as hurricanes, flooding and mudslides.

[Above photo by Caltrans]

The FHWA noted that, since January 2022, it has distributed over $1.3 billion in Emergency Relief Program funds to help states repair infrastructure damaged due to a range of extreme weather events.

“These funds will help restore critical transportation connections across the country as communities continue to repair and rebuild infrastructure damaged by extreme weather,” noted Pete Buttigieg, secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation, in a statement.

The FHWA said this round of emergency funding includes support for ongoing repairs to surface transportation infrastructure from flooding in and around Yellowstone Park in 2022; the impact from Hurricanes Ian, Fiona, and Nicole in 2022; the flooding and mudslides that struck Vermont in 2023; and other natural disasters that occurred across the country over the last two years.

[Editor’s note: At the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials 2022 Annual Meeting in Orlando, a panel of state department of transportation and FHWA leaders discussed some of the lessons learned from hurricane recovery efforts undertaken by Florida and Puerto Rico.] The agency noted that this emergency funding aims to support the reconstructing highways and bridges as well as protect the travelling public from further damages and allow for resiliency improvements as infrastructure damage is repaired.

Video: Equity Engagement for Transportation Agencies

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials recently released a video about a knowledge session held at its 2023 Annual Meeting in Indianapolis that detailed ways transportation agencies are working to establish equity more firmly as a core operating principle.

[Above photo by AASHTO]

During that knowledge session, panelists from the Missouri Department of Transportation, Michigan Department of Transportation, Oregon Department of Transportation, Minnesota Department of Transportation, and the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials discussed some of the tools, practices, and processes they used to partner and engage with underserved communities in order to understand their unique values, needs, and priorities.

They also discussed how they applied this knowledge early in the transportation planning process to inform decision-making, particularly related to the equitable allocation of transportation resources.

Tatum Lau, social value practice lead at consulting firm AECOM and the session’s moderator, noted that transportation infrastructure has the power to “uplift communities and improve lives,” so the focus of infrastructure construction going forward should be building a system that benefits everyone.

“Equity is not the destination,” she noted. “The shared outcome is for the transportation system to generate positive results for all citizens.”

Several of those panels also participated in the final episode of a four-part Environmental Technical Assistance Program or ETAP podcast series, which interviews key transportation officials about the ways to make mobility systems across the United States more attractive, equitable, and inclusive for all users. To listen to this episode, click here.

The ETAP podcast – part of a technical service program for state departments of transportation provided by AASHTO – explores a wide array of environmental topics that affect transportation and infrastructure programs.

To listen to the first three episodes in this equity podcast series, click here, here, and here.

Environmental News Highlights – January 31, 2024

CULTURAL RESOURCES

Share Your Historic Route 66 Story! -National Trust for Historic Preservation

Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit Settles Federal Lawsuit Over Bike Path -Marin Independent Journal

Colorado Governor Announces Partnership Between CDOT’s Bustang and X Games -Longmont Leader

Yes, Paris has its own bicycle hearse –Momentum

Portugal home to the oldest traffic sign in the world -Portugal News

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

Baltimore’s bike infrastructure is slowly becoming safer for bicyclists, pedestrians -WJZ-TV

Tampa’s Vision Zero Initiative Gaining National Attention -Tampa Free Press

PA Department of Health Announces Grant Opportunities to Make Communities More Pedestrian-Friendly -Pennsylvania Department of Health (media release)

TRB RESOURCES/RESEARCH/ANNOUNCEMENTS

Container Port Landside Congestion Experiences and Solutions -TRB (webinar)

Evaluation of Change and Clearance Intervals Prior to the Flashing Yellow Arrow Permissive Left-Turn Indication –NCHRP

How AI is Shaping Weather Research and Forecasting: An Interview with Amy McGovern -National Academies

Community-Driven Relocation: Recommendations for the U.S. Gulf Coast Region and Beyond -National Academies

How Are E-Scooter Speed-Limiter Settings Associated with User Behavior? Observed Speeds and Road, Sidewalk, and Bike Lane Use in Austin, TX, and Washington, D.C. -Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES

Federal Share Flexibility Pilot Program –FHWA (Notice)

National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Council – Forest Service (Notice of meeting)

Shipping Safety Fairways Along the Atlantic Coast -Coast Guard (Notice of intent to prepare a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement; notice of virtual and in- person scoping meetings; and request for comments)

National Offshore Safety Advisory Committee; March 2024 Meeting -Coast Guard (Notice)

Public Meeting of the Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Work Group -Bureau of Reclamation (Notice)

National Historic Landmark Nuclear Ship Savannah Available; Request for Information; Period Extension -Maritime Administration, (Notice of vessel availability and request for information period extension)

FHWA Issues $150M in Grants to Upgrade EV Chargers

The Federal Highway Administration recently awarded nearly $150 million to 24 grant recipients in 20 states to make existing electric vehicle or EV charging infrastructure more reliable.

[Above photo by the FHWA]

The agency said that grant funding will go towards repairing or replacing nearly 4,500 existing EV charging ports nationwide and, in some cases, bringing them up to code. The FHWA said those targeted investments complement the billions in federal and private sector funding already issued to help reach President Biden’s ’s goal of bringing at least 500,000 public EV chargers online by the end of the decade.

The funding for this $150 million grant award comes from the new “EV Charger Reliability and Accessibility Accelerator” program within the $5 billion National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure or NEVI formula program created by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

The FHWA initially made $100 million available via a notice of funding opportunity or NOFO in September 2023 to help states and localities repair and replace existing but non-operational EV charging systems.

That NOFO stipulated a 10 percent set-aside for states or localities that require additional assistance to strategically deploy EV charging infrastructure. As a result, the agency said this first round of EV charger repair/replacement funding focuses on improving the reliability and accessibility of the current EV charging network.

“Charging your electric vehicle should be as easy and convenient as filling up a gas tank – and these grants will help do that by making our EV charging network more reliable,” said FHWA Administrator Shailen Bhatt in a statement. “We’re building a bigger and better EV charging network to keep up with driver demand, and we’re also ensuring the existing network works when you need a charge.”

FHWA is coordinating with the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation or JOET – an office overseen by both the U.S. Department of Transportation and U.S. Department of Energy – as it supports the build-out of an EV recharging network across the United States.

“Making it easy for everyone to ride and drive electric means making sure that drivers can always count on EV charging stations to work when they’re needed,” added Gabe Klein, JOET executive director. “Repairing and replacing existing stations gives drivers the confidence they need to choose electric, complementing the buildout of much-needed, new infrastructure while creating good jobs across the country.”

Minnesota Cities Getting Active Transportation Grants

Eight cities across Minnesota are set to receive grants from the Active Transportation Planning Assistance program, which is managed by the Minnesota Department of Transportation.

[Above photo by the Minnesota DOT]

That program aims to help cities statewide increase the number of people walking and biking to destinations in their communities, noted Will Wlizlo, active transportation coordinator for the Minnesota DOT.

“Whether a community wants to reduce pollution, curb traffic, revitalize its Main Street, or increase residents’ health and safety, [our] Active Transportation Planning Assistance program brings together neighbors to dream big and develop a work plan for building their own network for walking and bicycling,” he said in a statement.

The agency noted that the Minnesota legislature provides funds for those grants, which cover the estimated $100,000 cost of technical assistance from a consultant, such as developing an action plan and demonstration project.

The Minnesota DOT added that each community receiving an award is ultimately responsible for implementation and construction costs of their active transportation action plan.

The agency noted that the eight cities receiving grants are:

Minneapolis, for a multi-corridor study for seven neighborhood greenways;
Rochester, for an active transportation connection plan along 2nd Street through the downtown area;
St. Paul, for a neighborhood active transportation study for the West Side neighborhood;
Coon Rapids, for a community-wide active transportation plan;
Roseville, to develop a bicycle master plan;
Alexandria, for a community-wide active transportation plan;
St. Peter, for a community-wide active transportation plan; and,
Cannon Falls, for a community-wide active transportation plan.

State departments of transportation are currently involved in a variety of efforts to increase active transportation across the country.

For example, in November 2023, the Texas Transportation Commission approved over $345 million for new sidewalks, bikeways, and other types of active transportation infrastructure projects statewide.

That funding will go towards 83 projects designed to improve bicycle and pedestrian access while providing safety enhancements and mobility options to schools, jobs, public transit systems, and local destinations, the commission said.

The Texas Department of Transportation noted that funding includes support for 15 active transportation planning studies.

And in Maryland, Governor Wes Moore (D) highlighted the award of $25.5 million in grants to 40 bicycle, pedestrian and trail projects statewide in September 2023.

Those fiscal year 2024 grants include $20.8 million in federal funding for 22 projects through the national Transportation Alternatives Program and the Recreational Trails Program, with $4.7 million in state funding headed to 18 projects via the Kim Lamphier Bikeways Network Program overseen by the Maryland Department of Transportation.

Environmental News Highlights – January 24, 2024

FEDERAL ACTION

State DOTs Outline Ongoing ‘Moonshot Project’ Efforts -AASHTO Journal

TRB Plenary: The Mental Health Needs of Transportation –AASHTO Journal

Supreme Court case could limit executive power on climate, energy –Axios

Governors propose spending billions on overdue infrastructure projects -Route Fifty

EPA Launches Regional Roadshows for Climate Change, Environmental Justice -Waste 360

DOE Announces $34 Million to Improve the Reliability, Resiliency, and Security of America’s Power Grid -US Department of Energy (media release)

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

NY Congestion Pricing Plan Violates US Constitution, NJ Governor Says –CityLab

North Dakota DOT to build EV charging stations -WZFG Radio

A rising tide of infrastructure funding floats new hope for Great Lakes shipping –NPR

Recycled Roadways That Charge EVs Are Closer Than You Think -Government Technology

How innovations in sustainable engineering are shaping the energy systems. -ET Energyworld (opinion)

AIR QUALITY

US air pollution rates on the decline, but pockets of inequities remain -Columbia University

How safe is the air? Here’s how to check and what the numbers mean -WUSA-TV

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE/EQUITY

TRB Session: Protecting for Vulnerable Road Users -AASHTO Journal

America’s Biggest Universal Basic Mobility Experiment Is Taking Place in L.A. -Next City

EV Infrastructure Falls Behind in Rural, Northern Canadian Communities -The Energy Mix

Ten years into Vision Zero, NYC grapples with lack of infrastructure for e-bikes -WNYC Radio

Achieving Inclusivity, Sustainability and Connectivity with BRT Systems -Complete Corridors Conversations (blog)

NATURAL RESOURCES

Michigan using some ARPA money to conserve wetlands to help reduce cyanobacterial blooms -Michigan Public

CULTURAL RESOURCES

Buttigieg Compares Current EV Charger Push To 1930s New Deal Airport Boom –Jalopnik

National Trust For Historic Preservation Launches the Preserve Route 66: Share Your Story Campaign -KAMR/KCIT-TV

To Ease Housing Crunch, Theme Parks Are Becoming Homebuilders –CityLab

Will long-term operation of constructed wetlands become a source of pollution itself? -Frontiers Journals

Saint Petersburg, Russia Metro Offers Architectural Lessons for American Transit -The Urbanist

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

The Best New US Bike Lanes of 2023 -People for Bikes

Town of Ladysmith, BC eyes active transportation requirements at future developments -Ladysmith Chemainus Chronicle

TRB RESOURCES/RESEARCH/ANNOUNCEMENTS

Transportation for People with Disabilities and Older Adults in COVID-19 -TRB (webinar)

Homelessness: A Guide for Public Transportation –TCRP

200 US cities will fall short of sustainable energy goals despite pledging to transition by 2050, says study -Environmental Research: Infrastructure and Sustainability

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES

Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail -Advisory Council/Forest Service (Notice of meeting)

Marine and Coastal Area-Based Management Advisory Committee Meeting -National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Notice of open public meeting)

Shipping Safety Fairways Along the Atlantic Coast -Coast Guard (Notice of proposed rulemaking)

Farm, Ranch, and Rural Communities Advisory Committee (FRRCC); Notice of Public Meeting -EPA (Notice of meeting)

Idaho Seeks to Cut Infrastructure-Related Plastic Usage

The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) is engaged in a broad effort to develop environmentally-friendly solutions that reduce plastic waste from entering the natural environment; particularly where infrastructure projects are concerned.

[Above photo by the ITD]

For instance, the agency is now using biodegradable erosion control loose weave “blankets” without joints that allow snakes and other wildlife to easily move over or through them. Those “blankets” play a key role in the agency’s Erosion and Sediment Control or ESC practices that prevent soil loss and reduce sediment-laden stormwater runoff in and around transportation infrastructure.

Cathy Ford, the ITD’s roadside program administrator, noted that those ESC practices – used in transportation construction, maintenance, and operations activities – can be temporary or permanent.

She noted that biodegradable material will decompose under ambient soil conditions into carbon dioxide, water, and other naturally occurring materials within a time period relevant to the expected service life to the material.

“As more DOTs require the use of natural, biodegradable products, the upfront costs of purchasing the product are expected to decrease based on efficiency of scale,” Ford added in a statement.

The ITD said that plastics are commonly used as ESC solutions due to their availability, durability, and low cost, but they are rarely recycled, ending up in landfills or breaking down into micro-plastics, which are an emerging pollutant of concern.

Pieces of plastic netting can contaminate waterways and interfere with aquatic resources, the department noted, with plastic erosion control materials potentially ensnaring and killing fish and wildlife, interfering with highway mowing equipment, creating garbage, and resulting in added costs for removal and disposal.

The agency noted that older “photodegradable” plastics can still be intact a decade after construction projects are completed if vegetation prevents sunlight from breaking down the plastic. When these photodegradable plastics do break down, they continue to be a hazard to natural ecosystems as a micro-plastic, ITD explained. By contrast, biodegradable products typically degrade within one to two years into naturally occurring substances.

NCDOT Issues Online Map of EV Charging Locations

The North Carolina Department of Transportation recently published an online map marking the locations for the first batch of electric vehicle or EV charging stations funded through the federal National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure or NEVI formula program.

[Above photo by NCDOT]

The agency said its online map identifies the 11 locations along the alternative fuel corridor that will comprise Phase 1 of the project. NCDOT identified the 11 locations because they will fill the gaps where fewer EV charging stations currently exist and serve a more geographically diverse group of people in both rural and urban areas.

Each location on the GIS map represents a cluster of one or more exits along the alternative fuel corridor, NCDOT said – and applicants must locate proposed charging stations within the designated clusters, with one charging station per cluster.

The agency noted that it received $109 million in NEVI funds to develop the network along interstates, major highways and in communities. The funds are to be used to reimburse businesses for project costs, including procurement, installation and operation of EV charging stations.

NCDOT said Phase 1 of its EV charging network buildout will involve installation of DC Fast Chargers along interstates and major highways, along the alternative fuel corridors designated by the Federal Highway Administration. Those DC Fast Chargers will be able to charge an electric vehicle in about 20 minutes.

Phase 2 will then involve the build out of community-based DC fast chargers and Level 2 chargers that take between four and eight hours to fully charge an EV.

The agency added that expects to fully build out the state’s EV charging infrastructure over the next seven years.

“The build out of the EV charging stations will help our state advance clean transportation and be a great economic opportunity for businesses of all sizes,” said Paula Hemmer, NCDOT’s statewide initiative senior engineer, in a statement. “The map gives businesses an opportunity to determine where it would be economically feasible to build and operate EV charging stations,” she noted. “There are a lot of things to consider like whether a site is easily accessible to all travelers and a site’s proximity to amenities like restaurants and hotels.”

In February, NCDOT said it expects to issue a request for proposals for people interested in applying for funds for Phase 1 of the EV charger installation.

Environmental News Highlights – January 17, 2024

FEDERAL ACTION

FHWA Issues $623M in Charging/Fueling Grants -AASHTO Journal

$32.5 Million in Funding to Advance Transportation Electrification in USA –CleanTechnica

What you need to know to access the $14 billion from the EPA’s National Clean Investment Fund –GreenBiz

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

Idaho governor sets school buildings, water infrastructure and transportation as top priorities –AP

LA on a Mission to Electrify Transportation By the 2028 Olympics -Government Technology

California Pushes Electric Trucks as the Future of Freight -New York Times

Maryland Governor Joins U.S. Department of Transportation and Federal Partners to Announce $15 Million in Funding for New Electric Vehicle Charging Stations Across Maryland -State of Maryland (media release)

AIR QUALITY

How 3 states are attacking carbon emissions from transportation -Smart Cities Dive

Embracing the Advanced Clean Trucks Rule, or Not? -Advanced Clean Tech News

Ohio Law Bans State Adoption of California Emission Rules -Transport Topics

Electric school buses are a breath of fresh air for children –Grist

Separating myth from reality on climate change -Aspen Daily News

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE/EQUITY

Colorado’s environmental justice efforts need a boost from lawmakers, advocates say -KCDO-TV

Hawaiʻi Seaglider Initiative hopes to provide low cost, accessible kamaʻāina transportation -Kauai Now

NATURAL RESOURCES

How clean is the upper Mississippi River? New report finds signs of improvement and emerging threats -Milwuakee Journal Sentinel

CULTURAL RESOURCES

No joke: Feds are banning humorous electronic messages on highways –AP

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

NYCDOT’s “Smart Curbs” Test on Upper West Side Will Pit Car Owners Against Bikes and Pedestrians -West Side Spirit

Chicago panel gets earful about need for greater bicycle safety -WBBM Radio

Richmond Bridge Bike Path Has an Amazing View – and an Uncertain Future -KQED Radio

TRB RESOURCES/RESEARCH/ANNOUNCEMENTS

Public Health Research and Surveillance Priorities from the East Palestine Train Derailment Proceedings of a Workshop – in Brief -National Academies

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES

National Maritime Security Advisory Committee; February 2024 Meeting -United States Coast Guard (Notice of open Federal advisory committee meeting)

Request for Nominations for the Working Group on Covered Resources to the Federal Highway Administration -FHWA (Notice)

Mississippi Trustee Implementation Group Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Final Restoration Plan 4 and Environmental Assessment: Restoration of Wetlands, Coastal, and Nearshore Habitats; Nutrient Reduction (Nonpoint Source); and Provide and Enhance … -Natural Resources Conservation Service (Notice of availability)

Solicitation for Annual Combating Human Trafficking in Transportation Impact Award -Office of the Secretary of Transportation (Notice)

Restoration Planning To Address 1999 Oregon-Washington Coast Mystery Oil Spill -Fish and Wildlife Service (Notice of intent to conduct restoration planning)

Notice of Availability of a Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for Expected Wind Energy Development in the New York Bight – Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (Notice; request for comments)

Notice of Availability of a Draft Environmental Assessment for Commercial Wind Lease Issuance and Site Assessment Activities on the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf Offshore Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia -Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (Notice; request for comments)

Environmental Management Advisory Board -Office of Environmental Management, DOE (Notice of renewal)

MassDOT Touts 2023 Multimodal Trail Construction

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation noted it built and opened approximately 20 miles of shared use paths in 2023, while also expanding multimodal connectivity and opportunities for recreation statewide as well as enhancing pedestrian and bicyclist safety.

[Above photo by MassDOT]

The 20 miles of shared paths that opened in 2023 was the result of completed projects, either constructed by MassDOT or jointly funded through the MassTrails program, along 14 different trails across Massachusetts.

In May 2023, the MassTrails Team officially launched its Priority Trails Network map. By the end of 2024, the agency said 25 additional miles of shared paths are expected to open statewide, further expanding multimodal connectivity for Massachusetts.

Throughout the course of 2023, MassDOT said it also completed dozens of roadway projects that added new bike lanes, sidewalks, shared use paths, and crosswalks. Additionally, MassDOT continued to support improvements in school zones and the expansion of shared paths and trails through programs like Safe Routes to School, Shared Streets and Spaces, Complete Streets, and MassTrails, which have all helped to prioritize investments in municipalities to create safer, multimodal travel.

“I want to commend our dedicated teams at MassDOT for the progress they made over the course of 2023 to give our communities more miles of multimodal connectivity,” said MassDOT Secretary and CEO Monica Tibbits-Nutt in a statement.

“These projects are designed to make our transportation network safer, more practical and more inclusive for all users,” she added. “We have many achievements to be proud of – and great momentum for 2024.”

“When we expand and enhance our inventory of multimodal paths, we are not just removing barriers to biking and walking, but setting the foundations for healthier, safer, more prosperous communities,” noted Peter Sutton, MassDOT bicycle and pedestrian coordinator.

“This success was possible thanks to our team’s great dedication, as well as the invaluable collaboration of the community leaders and advocates who continue to work with us on behalf of those who rely on our transportation systems,” he said.

MassDOT noted the MassTrails Team consists of MassDOT, the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, and the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs.

Continuing efforts to support the state’s growing network of trails, in 2023 the Healey-Driscoll Administration announced $11 million in its fifth annual round of MassTrails Grants to 68 projects across Massachusetts.

The grants provide assistance for the construction, maintenance and improvements for a variety of public trails throughout the state trails system, such as hiking trails, bikeways and shared-use paths, MassDOT noted.