John LattaRoadbuildingHighway expansion and local traffic: oil and water?The highway, that venerable American institution–that core value, that industry and community building institution–is under assault again. Better Institutions, a blog about transportation and urban planning policy, joins a chorus of blogs addressing what it calls, “The self-defeating nature of highway construction and expansion,” and specifically, “Lost in the discussions of induced demand (focused on […]July 12, 2013RoadbuildingFHWA pushes dynamic management of transportation networksThe Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is trying to help agencies strapped for transportation infrastructure funding dollars. One way FHWA says it is doing this is by “working to promote a dynamic approach to manage the transportation network.” Which means? According to FHWA: “The approach seeks to optimize performance and increase efficiency throughout the entire trip […]July 11, 2013RoadbuildingIs Alaska’s “Bridge to Nowhere” going somewhere?Maybe someone is getting ready to take the “dead end” sign off America’s most infamous non-bridge. According to the Associated Press, Alaska has “proposed six ‘build’ alternatives to improve access between the Southeast Alaska community of Ketchikan and Gravina Island, where the Ketchikan International Airport is located. The alternatives include two bridge and four ferry […]July 10, 2013RoadbuildingComing up: Major bridge detoursMost people who are aware of the inadequate funding available for America’s highways and bridges probably figure that deteriorating road surfaces will be the most common problem drivers face. But maybe detours could challenge for the top spot first. As funds for repairing and maintaining bridges continue to be very, very hard to find, and […]July 9, 2013RoadbuildingParking ItI remember being in Paris once and after a few days it occurred to me I had not seen an available parking space. Ah yes, the parking space. Surely there is a commodity exchange for those? And anger management courses? Well, the city of Los Angeles has a new system where you would pay more […]July 5, 2013RoadbuildingWhat flavor fuel?You know when you enter an ice-cream shop you are probably going to falter when you get to the front of the line and see the stuff up close. Pistachio or vanilla? Mango-strawberry or cookies ’n cream? Oh, and I was so sure when I walked in here. And don’t get started at the Mr. […]July 3, 2013RoadbuildingYour Swine Airlines flight is ready for departureThis is a fact: Gas taxes go up. All across the country they go up. Despite what you might think from listening to Washington politicians, they do go up. This week they go up. And they go up for a variety of reasons. But they go up. For politicians elected to national office to dig […]July 1, 2013RoadbuildingAll in all you’re just another deer on the wallLet’s say you have a wall separating a street from people or offices or houses or factories or maybe a ballpark. And it looks like, well, a wall. What can you do to it to make it less of a wall? What can your town do to make it more special for your residents, more […]June 28, 2013RoadbuildingYou Can’t Always Get What You WantBut if you try sometimes, you might just get Amtrak what it needs. And a little street cred is what it needs. I wrote a column for the print issue of Better Roads not too many months ago with the headline “Angelina Jolie.” Within that column I suggested, not entirely facetiously, that the transportation infrastructure […]June 27, 2013RoadbuildingCreepy platesDrones. NSA phone spying. License tags. This has to be a story that will set fire to some heated conversations. South Carolina is considering switching from metal license plates to e-tags. So the plate (actually electronic paper) could suddenly read STOLEN if somebody swipes the car. It could read SUSPENDED, or UNINSURED if the owner […]June 26, 2013Previous PagePage 3 of 43Next PageTop StoriesSkid Steer LoadersFirstgreen Launches New Rockeat Line of Remote-Control Electric Skid SteersThe cabin-less Rockeat 700 and 1200 can work in tight, hazardous areas with their low clearance, 360-degree cameras and remote operation.Collectors CornerScrappy Collector Rescues, Restores Vintage Equipment in YouTube VideosCompact equipmentVideo: A Closer Look at Yanmar’s V7 Compact Wheel LoaderMarket PulseBest-Selling Used Construction Equipment of 2023Contractor of the YearThe 2024 Contractor of the Year: Going Above Industry Standards in Everything