Posts – Page 27 – Environmental Technical Assistance Program Newsletter

New York Issues $23M in Transportation Electrification Funds

Governor Kathy Hochul (D) recently issued $23 million in funding and awards for transportation electrification initiatives across New York State.

[Above photo via the New York Governor’s Office]

That includes $8 million via the third round of the Direct Current Fast Charger or DCFC program funding for installing electric vehicle infrastructure. It also includes $7 million in awards to ChargePoint and EVGateway to improve EV charger access in upstate New York and $8 million to purchase electric school buses and paratransit buses under the New York Truck Voucher Incentive or NYTVI program.

The DCFC program, administered by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, seeks proposals from EV developers and installers that have a minimum of two years of experience and at least 10 fast chargers or 200 Level 2 chargers in operation. Under this solicitation, the state will consider proposals that would develop two or more fast-charging sites, with at least half of all stations located in underserved areas.

Each site must be able to charge at least four vehicles and have a total site capacity of 600 kilowatts or more.

Additionally, each site must be located within 12 miles of Buffalo, Rochester, or Syracuse city centers, and each proposal must have at least one site located within the city limits, the governor’s office said.

Funding for both the DCFC Program and NYTVI program are part of New York State’s $127.7 million portion of the federal Volkswagen Settlement funds administered by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

All of those efforts support the state’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act goals of reducing carbon emissions 85 percent by 2050, with at least 35 percent of the benefits from clean energy investments directed to disadvantaged communities.

“Reducing air pollution across the state is not only crucial for improving the health of our communities, but it also presents an exciting opportunity to invest in clean transportation options,” Gov. Hochul noted in a statement.

“By putting more electric buses on the road and installing fast chargers in underserved areas, we can provide New Yorkers with access to the latest in sustainable transportation,” she added. “This not only advances equity and sustainability, but it also sets the stage for a brighter, cleaner future for all.”

“This announcement on electric charging access for underserved communities in Upstate New York reflects [our] commitment to a cleaner, greener state while providing incentives to support electric school and paratransit buses,” added Marie Therese Dominguez, commissioner of the New York State Department of Transportation. “The green revolution is upon us, and with Governor Hochul’s unwavering support, New York continues to lead the way.”

Environmental News Highlights – December 21, 2022

Michigan DOT Details U.P. Highway Improvements

In 2022, the Michigan Department of Transportation made a series of improvements to the highways crisscrossing the state’s Upper Peninsula or U.P. region, with projects widening road shoulders, upgrading weather sensor stations, installing “smart” traffic signals, and making them more active transportation-friendly.

[Above photo by Michigan DOT]

Those projects are also part of its larger decade-long statewide Toward Zero Deaths or TZD effort to reduce roadway injuries and fatalities, noted Jason DeGrand, Michigan DOT region operations engineer, in a statement.

The statewide TZD safety campaign parallels a national strategy on highway safety. Though motor vehicle traffic declined nationally during 2020 with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, traffic crash deaths increased in 2020 and stayed high through 2021.

For Michigan, preliminary numbers indicate fatal crashes increased 10 percent in 2021, though that the trend reversed slightly in 2022. As of December 6, unofficial data showed that 1,017 people died on Michigan roadways in 2022, a decrease of 50 compared to the same time in 2021. Additionally, 5,304 people sustained serious injuries statewide in motor vehicle crashes, which is 75 fewer compared to the same period in 2021.

Where the U.P. region is concerned, through September 18, unofficial statistics showed 16 people had died on roads in 2022, with 150 seriously injured; some 15 fewer fatalities and 31 fewer serious injuries compared to the same period in 2021.

“Michigan DOT is doing its part in the TZD effort by continuing to invest infrastructure funding into projects that improve the safety of the roadway network,” said Justin Junttila, Michigan DOT region traffic and safety engineer. “The strategy is to address crashes systemically, including at spot locations where a crash pattern has been identified, as funding allows.”

For example, he pointed to an effort begun in 2022 to add more capabilities to its roadside environmental sensor station or ESS network, which is comprised of roadside towers around the peninsula equipped with cameras and instruments.

“The ESS can increase safety by helping MDOT prioritize winter maintenance activities,” he explained – noting that camera images, precipitation, temperatures, wind speed, and other information are available on Michigan DOT’s interactive “Mi Drive Map,” which provides drivers with valuable insight into weather conditions along their planned routes.”

“This year’s sensor upgrades are anticipated to result in less downtime for devices due to age and obsolescence issues,” Junttila said. “Upgraded cameras will provide much better nighttime images, which means our maintenance folks will be able to better prioritize winter snow plowing and road maintenance.”

Michigan DOT also included paved shoulder widening on several U.P. road projects in 2022 to help mitigate lane departure crashes – the number one type of traffic crash in the U.P. In addition, wider paved shoulders provide more room for pedestrians and bicyclists to travel safely on the highway while also helping the agency improve maintenance of the overall roadway area.

“With narrow paved shoulders, we’re constantly adding gravel to deal with the drop-off at the pavement edge caused by erosion,” DeGrand said. “Wider shoulders eliminate the drop-off and result in less worker exposure to traffic dangers.”

The agency also added new traffic detection camera systems at busy intersections in three U.P. counties to help smooth the flow of traffic. Based on the vehicles detected by the camera – which do not record or store video footage, Michigan DOT stressed – in the intersection, sensors adjust traffic signal timing to improve traffic flow.

While those new cameras are not technically safety devices, by improving vehicle detection, they can ultimately boost safety. Those detectors will function better in winter than traditional sensors embedded in the roadway, since snow cannot cover them.

“These projects will create more reliable vehicle detection, which improves the operational efficiency of the intersections,” DeGrand said. “That results in fewer backups and potentially decreases crashes.”

The upgraded traffic signals will also allow MDOT electricians to maintain the equipment remotely or from the roadside cabinet, without having to enter the roadway.”

Tennessee DOT Tallies November Litter Cleanup Numbers

More than 1,300 volunteers statewide removed more than 48,000 pounds of litter in their communities as part of its second-ever month-long “No Trash November” roadway cleanup effort spearheaded by the Tennessee Department of Transportation.

[Above photo by the Tennessee DOT]

The agency sponsors this annual litter prevention campaign – called “Nobody Trashes Tennessee” – with Keep Tennessee Beautiful affiliates and Adopt-A-Highway groups.

“Litter is more than an eyesore. It’s an enormous burden to the state with impacts on public health and safety, the environment, and the economy,” said Denise Baker, who works in the Tennessee DOT Highway Beautification Office, in a statement.

“Our No Trash November partners are passionate about keeping their communities safe, clean, and beautiful and we are thrilled with their continued support for this campaign,” she added. “We encourage all Tennesseans to keep up the momentum by taking personal responsibility for the litter in their neighborhoods and participating in local cleanups or the Adopt-A-Highway program.”

State departments of transportation across the country are involved in a wide range of anti-littering efforts.

For example, in August, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation recently joined several fellow state agencies to help launch a new anti-litter campaign entitled “PA Fights Dirty: Every Litter Bit Matters.”

The creation of this campaign is one of the many recommendations made by Pennsylvania’s first-ever Litter Action Plan, released in December 2021. That plan also won a Pennsylvania Governor’s Awards for Excellence in May.

Meanwhile, in July, Ohio launched a new litter control program launched, one administered by the Ohio Department of Transportation, that seeks to broaden engagement by the business community in its trash removal efforts.

That new Ohio program allows businesses and groups to fund litter removal services along one-mile, one-direction segments of state highways. In exchange for their sponsorship, Ohio DOT displays the name of the business or group on a sign within their sponsored segment.

Concurrently, the Texas Department of Transportation recruited popular singer, songwriter, and actor Joe Jonas to star in a series of Public Service Announcements as part of the agency’s “Don’t Mess with Texas” anti-littering campaign.

The agency said the “show-stopping” performer – a former Westlake, Texas, resident – takes an “over-the-top” approach in the PSAs to remind folks to keep Texas roadways free of litter.

Environmental News Highlights – December 14, 2022

FEDERAL ACTION

ETAP Podcast: AASHTO President Roger Millar – AASHTO Journal

The U.S. wants to slash carbon emissions from power plants. Natural gas is in the way – NPR

BIL-Funded Infrastructure Projects – USDOT (media release)

At White House Tribal Nations Summit, Transportation Secretary Buttigieg Announces New Actions to Support Better, Safer Infrastructure in Indian Country – USDOT (media release)

COVID-19

Face masks may return amid holiday ‘tripledemic’ of covid, flu and RSV – Washington Post

NEPA

Use of DOT Funds for Public Involvement – USDOT (media release)

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

Virginia DOT Releases State’s First-Ever Resilience Plan – AASHTO Journal

Arizona DOT Reusing Highway Materials to Cut Costs – AASHTO Journal

State transportation officials vow better communication in wake of contentious interstate solar project in Augusta – Kennebec Journal

Virginia is studying whether to open a second inland port – Cardinal News

Study Shows The Majority Of California’s Coastal Airports Vulnerable To Increased Flooding Due To Climate Change – Society for Risk Analysis

AIR QUALITY

US Hydrogen Hubs Formed in Southwest, Southeast – Transport Topics

Scientists thought carbon emissions had peaked. They’ve never been higher. – Washington Post

Airlines Are Finally Admitting Contrails Are an Environmental Problem – Dallas Morning News

Colorado’s updated EV plan boosts incentives but avoids California-style ban on gas vehicles – Colorado Public Radio

Airports Will Increment Solar To Match 12x Electricity Demand By 2100 – CleanTechnica (commentary)

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

EPA takes environmental justice push to coal country – E&E News

Supreme Court Admissions Case Could Upend Environmental Justice Laws – Stateline

Norman, Oklahoma community members with disabilities seek improved public transit accessibility – OU Daily

Washington DOT calls law enforcement presence at homeless camp ‘disappointing and harmful’ – KXLY-TV

NATURAL RESOURCES

Drivers not following the rules of the road leading to more closures on Snoqualmie Pass, WSDOT says – KING-TV

CULTURAL RESOURCES

Why activists are targeting famous art to protest climate change – PBS

Roadways for People: The Necessity of Collaboration – Planetizen (commentary)

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

Bozeman planning for ‘bicycle boulevards’ – Bozeman Daily Chronicle

DC officials planning a study to authorize non-vehicular transportation – GW Hatchet

How to Fix the Most Dangerous Streets in America – CityLab

Vision Zero and the struggle to bring down traffic fatalities in Texas – Texas Standard

North Carolina Alliance for Safe Transportation Launched with Focus on Teen Drivers – Up & Coming Weekly

‘The Street Project’ Chronicles The Fight To Make Roads Safer For Bikers And Pedestrians – Seven Days

Oklahoma is first state to offer transportation specific to mental health crisis – KTUL-TV

California Transportation Commission Awards $1 Billion to Disadvantaged Communities to Encourage More Walking and Biking – California Transportation Commission (media release, PDF)

TRB RESOURCES/ANNOUNCEMENTS

Stormwater Research Offers Economic and Green Benefits – TRB

Micromobility Policies, Permits, and Practices – TRB

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES

Local Government Advisory Committee (LGAC) Meeting – EPA (Notification of public meeting)

Safety Advisory 22–4 Suicide Prevention Signage on Public Transit – FTA (Notice of Safety Advisory)

FHWA Launches Seventh ‘Every Day Counts’ Initiative

The Federal Highway Administration recently kicked off the latest round of transportation innovations through its Every Day Counts or EDC program.

[Above image by FHWA]

The agency noted that EDC is a successful state-based program that helps identify and rapidly deploy proven, yet underused, innovations that facilitate greater efficiency in project delivery at the state, local and tribal levels – saving time, money, and other resources to ensure transportation infrastructure is built better, faster, smarter, and more equitably. It began soliciting ideas for the seventh round of this program, known as EDC-7, back in March.

The FHWA and the Federal Transit Administration are promoting this year’s innovations to help improve project delivery across highway, rail, and transit agencies at the state and local level.

“For over 10 years the Every Day Counts program has rapidly deployed proven technologies and processes that can be implemented at the national scale,” said Acting FHWA Administration Stephanie Pollack in a statement.

She added that this year’s EDC-7 innovations would improve safety for all road users, build a sustainable infrastructure for the future and grow an inclusive workforce.

Notably, FHWA and FTA selected several EDC-7 innovations with multimodal state transportation agencies in mind that should interest transit and rail agencies, too.

“Many of the innovations announced today as part of this forward-thinking program will help make the nation’s transit systems safer, greener, and more equitable,” said FTA Administrator Nuria Fernandez. “We look forward to promoting the findings from these initiatives — from reducing greenhouse gas emissions to leveling the playing field for small businesses to compete for design-build contracts — throughout the transit industry.”

This year’s EDC-7 innovations include:

Nighttime Visibility for Safety: The nighttime crash fatality rate is three times the daytime rate. Enhancing visibility along corridors, intersections, and pedestrian crossings can help reduce fatalities. This initiative promotes traffic control devices and properly designed lighting to improve safety for all users, including pedestrians, cyclists, and people who use public transportation and passenger rail services.
Next-Generation Traffic Incident Management: Over six million crashes a year in the U.S. put responders and other vulnerable road users at risk. Next-Generation Traffic Incident Management programs promote emerging technologies such as emergency vehicle lighting and queue warning solutions. These and other tools can advance safety and operations to help keep crash responders safe and mitigate traffic impacts after a crash.
Integrating Greenhouse Gas Assessment and Reduction Targets in Transportation Planning: Transportation is the largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the U.S. This initiative provides resources to help agencies, regardless of transportation mode, quantify greenhouse gases, and set goals to decrease motor vehicle, construction, and lifecycle emissions through planning and project development.
Enhancing Performance with Internally Cured Concrete or EPIC: Cracking in concrete is a limiting factor in achieving long-term concrete performance. Such internal curing can mitigate shrinkage, and cracking, and extend the service life of concrete bridge decks, as well.
Environmental Product Declarations or EPDs for Sustainable Project Delivery: Construction materials such as concrete and asphalt have environmental impacts during their life cycle, whether the transportation facility supports passenger vehicles, transit vehicles, or railroad cars. EPDs document those impacts. This tool helps states support procurement decisions and quantify embodied carbon reductions for “sustainable pavements” via lifecycle assessments.
Rethinking Disadvantaged Business Enterprises or DBEs in Design-Build: Many design-build contracts do not adequately provide opportunities for disadvantaged businesses. New practices are available to support the effective integration of program requirements to help DBEs compete for design-build contracts for highway and transit projects.
Strategic Workforce Development or SWD: The demand for highway workers is growing due to the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act or IIJA, and emerging technologies require new skills. Thirty-two states are using SWD protocols to promote career opportunities in transportation, with six of those states having institutionalized SWD processes in their workforce programs. A continued focus on taking this nationwide will help stakeholders across the country improve their ability to identify, train, and place highway construction workers, FHWA said, with the focus on SWD expanding to rural and tribal communities to increase career opportunities.

Every two years since 2011, FHWA has worked with state departments of transportation, local governments, tribes, private industry, and other stakeholders to identify a new set of innovations to champion that merit accelerated deployment. The first six rounds of EDC have yielded several innovative project delivery technologies, including prefabricated bridge systems, design-build contracting, project bundling, e-construction, safety initiatives, and more.

FHWA credited the program’s success largely on its close collaboration with states and local partners through a process whereby states select innovations they want to pursue, then establish performance goals for the level of implementation and adoption they want to reach over the upcoming two-year cycle. After finalizing the selection and performance goals, implementation of those innovations begins with the support and assistance of diverse technical deployment teams established for each innovation, including federal, state, and local experts.

In addition, FHWA noted that the Accelerated Innovation Demonstration program and State Transportation Innovation Council Incentive program administered by the agency could complement EDC by providing additional funding and resources to help the surface transportation community accelerate the adoption and standardization of innovative technologies in their programs.

Utah Introduces ‘Roadkill Reporter’ App for Motorists

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (Utah DWR) and Utah Department of Transportation recently introduced a free mobile phone application called “The Roadkill Reporter” to make it easier for motorists to report the location and description of any dead animals on or near roads for removal.

[Above photo by Utah DWR]

Available through both the Google Play store and Apple’s App Store, the new Roadkill Reporter app – developed over the last two years with funding from both state agencies – serves another purpose, as well: Pinpointing where the agencies need to build wildlife crossings on state highways.

“It is important for us to understand how many wildlife-vehicle collisions occur in Utah,” explained Utah DWR Migration Initiative Coordinator Blair Stringham in a statement. “This new app will allow us to know exactly when and where collisions occur, which will help us identify hot spot areas on Utah highways. We can then work with Utah DOT and other partners to install underpasses, fencing, wildlife overpasses, and other structures to reduce collisions in those areas and keep wildlife and people safe.”

Along with providing information about potential areas for wildlife crossings, the data collected through the app will also benefit the Utah Wildlife Migration Initiative and its efforts to learn more about the annual migration patterns of different animal species in Utah.

The Utah Wildlife Migration Initiative is a program that tracks and studies the migration patterns of different wildlife and fish species in the state. Most of the data comes from animals wearing GPS tracking devices or from fish tagged with implanted transmitters. The tracking data benefits wildlife because biologists can identify where the animals spend large portions of time and then make habitat improvements in those areas.

“For years, wildlife carcass data has been a key factor in Utah DOT and Utah DWR’s decision-making process to make Utah roads safer and improve wildlife population health,” noted Utah DOT Natural Resource Manager Matt Howard. “The new app will make it easier for the public to use and will give us more and better information to guide future mitigation efforts.”

The most reported wildlife-vehicle collisions in Utah are with deer and elk. So far, in 2022, there have been 4,900 reported collisions with deer, 166 reported collisions with elk, and 20 reported collisions with moose. However, the actual number of collisions is likely twice as high, because many incidents just go unreported, Utah DWR noted.

Many state departments of transportation have beefed up efforts to address wildlife crossing needs on state roads in recent years.

For example, in August, the Colorado Department of Transportation recently completed the state’s newest wildlife overpass and underpass on U.S. Highway 160 in the southwestern part of the state, celebrating the accomplishment with a ribbon-cutting event.

To date, Colorado DOT said it has built more than 60 wildlife mitigation structures crossing above or under highways throughout the state. Additionally, it has installed 400 miles of high big game fencing along state and U.S. highways or next to the interstates.

Meanwhile, a research document recently released by an international pool-funded study led by the Nevada Department of Transportation provides an “authoritative review” of the most effective measures to reduce animal-vehicle collisions, improve motorist safety, and build safer wildlife crossings.

With as many as two million collisions with large mammals in the United States leading to approximately 200 human deaths every year, the review compiled, evaluated, and synthesized studies, scientific reports, journal articles, technical papers, and other publications from within the United States and beyond to determine the effectiveness of 30 different mitigation measures.

Ultimately, the report provides best management practices to reduce animal-vehicle collisions, increase habitat connectivity, and implement cost-effective solutions.

Environmental News Highlights – December 7, 2022

FEDERAL ACTION

AASHTO Helps Develop New ‘Mini Guide’ for EVs – AASHTO Journal

Addressing Transportation Insecurity through Equity – AASHTO Journal

Electric Vehicles Poised To Transform Economy, Says USDOT – Engineering News-Record

TSA Considers Using Third-Party Assessors in Coming Pipeline Regulations – Nextgov

What They Are Saying: Environmental Justice and Congressional Leaders, Advocates Applaud the New Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool – White House (media release)

COVID-19

Still recovering from COVID-19, US public transit tries to get back on track – SciLine

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

Making Truck Stops into EV Charging Hubs Will Take Small-Town Levels of Power – Car & Driver

Will EV Charging Infrastructure Be Ready for Cyber Attacks? – Government Technology

Resiliency, EV evolution expected to be focus of Florida’s next gen transportation infrastructure
– Florida Politics

Interstate Solar Arrays Will Generate Clean Energy And Reduce Costs – Central Maine News (commentary)

VDOT Announces Resilience Plan To Provide Sustainable Future For Transportation Projects And Infrastructure – Virginia DOT (media release)

Simulations show how bridges are damaged during earthquakes, and how we can prevent it – American Association for the Advancement of Science (media release)

AIR QUALITY

New rules put Vermont on the road to phasing out sales of gas-powered cars – WCAX-TV

FHWA Expands Every Day Counts Program Expands To Curb Crashes And Emissions – Bloomberg CityLab

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

Denver International to Build Center of Equity and Excellence in Aviation – Flying

NATURAL RESOURCES

Utah DOT Preps Howitzers For Avalanche Control – AASHTO Journal

Invasive Watch: Osage Orange – T&D World (sponsored content)

CULTURAL RESOURCES

South Chicago Set To Get Raised Bike Lanes, Markers Honoring History To Make Streets ‘Vibrant And Accessible,’ Leaders Say – Block Club Chicago

Three Ways to Explore Environmental Justice Through Art this Week – Washington Informer

Pennsylvania trail towns poised to capitalize on increasing access, popularity of rails to trails – Tribune-Review

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

New Jersey’s first adaptive mountain bike trail opens for riders with mobility issues – Lehigh Valley Live

Another US state adds electric bike subsidy, this time with up to $1,700 rebate – Electrek

Homeless camps being moved out of Little Rock and North Little Rock – KTHV-TV

The Case for Guerrilla Crosswalks – CityLab

How Green Paint Can Save Cyclist’s Lives – Bicycling

TRB RESOURCES/ANNOUNCEMENTS

Developing Employer-Based Behavioral Traffic Safety Programs for Drivers in the Workplace – TRB

It Takes a (Big) Village: How a community of transportation pros is making mobility better. – Thinking Transportation (podcast)

Why ‘activity centers’ are key to greener commutes – Brookings

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES

Delegations of the Prevention of Significant Deterioration Air Permitting Program to the Maricopa County Air Quality Department and the Pima County Department of Environmental Quality – EPA (Notice)

Clean Air Act Advisory Committee (CAAAC) – Notice of Meeting – EPA (Notice)

Availability of Federally-Enforceable State Implementation Plans for All States – EPA (Notification)

Advisory Council for Climate Adaptation Science Establishment; Request for Nominations – U.S. Geological Survey (Notice)

Reopening of Comment Period for Proposed Voluntary Agreement at Statue of Liberty National Monument and Governors Island National Monument – FAA (Notice)

ETAP Podcast: AASHTO President Roger Millar

At its 2022 Annual Meeting, held in October in Orlando, the Board of Directors of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials elected Roger Millar (seen above) as its 2022-2023 president.

[Above photo by WSDOT]

Appointed secretary of the Washington State Department of Transportation in August 2016, Millar – a 1982 graduate of the University of Virginia – is a fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers and a fellow of the American Institute of Certified Planners.

He also serves as president of the American Society of Civil Engineers’ Transportation and Development Institute, is chair of the Intelligent Transportation Society of America’s board of directors, and is a member of the National Complete Streets Coalition Steering Committee.

An experienced land-use and transportation engineer, planner, and program manager – with an international reputation for innovative approaches to conservation and development – Millar’s key emphasis area during his one-year term as AASHTO president is transportation system resilience.

That includes preparing for and adapting transportation infrastructure to changing conditions and climate-related disruptions like wildfires, flooding, excessive heat, sea-level rise, and extreme storm events.

In this ETAP podcast episode, Millar will discuss how his decades-long transportation industry experience led him to make resilience his key focus area as AASHTO 2022-2023 president. Click here to listen.

TxDOT Issues $250M in Transportation Alternatives Funding

In an effort to curb rising pedestrian and bicyclist fatality numbers, as well as foster less carbon-intensive forms of mobility, the Texas Department of Transportation is making roughly $250 million available via its 2023 Transportation Alternatives Call for Projects.

[Above photo by TxDOT]

That program channels federal funds towards sidewalks, bike lanes, shared-use paths, and other projects designed to enhance walking and biking transportation options statewide. TxDOT added that it plans to hold a series of virtual workshops to help municipalities and organizations apply for this funding.

“Making it safer and easier to walk and bike is an important part of our mission of ‘Connecting You with Texas,’” explained TxDOT Transportation Commissioner Robert ‘Robie’ Vaughn in a statement.

“I’m thrilled to see this increase in funding that’ll help communities build impactful improvements for its citizens,” he added. “As a jogger and cyclist myself, I know the value these enhancements can bring to help Texans get to work, run errands, and enjoy the beautiful Texas outdoors.”

The number of pedestrians and cyclists killed on Texas roads has been rising over the past several years with pedestrian fatalities increasing by 15 percent and cyclist fatalities by 14 percent in 2021. TxDOT hopes this program’s funding will help communities plan and build walking and biking infrastructure that could help reduce those incidents.

This funding commitment follows a similar effort by TxDOT focused on the transit sector. In July, the Texas Transportation Commission awarded more than $68 million in federal and state funds to transit providers across the state. Combined with an award received in June, TxDOT is distributing more than $146 million in funding – a 65 percent increase compared to funds approved in the summer of 2021.