Tag: Better Roads News: Page 40

Roadbuilding

Nevada DOT adds roadway information systems to boost safety on U.S. 395

The Nevada Department of Transportation has begun installing “enhanced information systems” to U.S. 395 in the North Valleys region in an effort to improve traffic safety and mobility. The installation of technologies such as new roadway signage, ramp meters and wrong-way drive detection systems will continue through early 2018, NDOT says, and will require “periodic” […]

April 13, 2017

Roadbuilding

Minnesota DOT donates snowplow to Riverland Community College truck driving program

The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) has donated a snowplow to Riverland Community College in Austin, Minnesota, to use in the school’s truck driving program. The program “offers hands-on and classroom training for careers in the transportation industry,” and equipment such as the snowplow exposes students to real-world equipment and scenarios, the department says. MnDOT also plans to […]

April 13, 2017

Roadbuilding

I-85 collapse update: Atlanta commute times up, but travelers seeking alternate routes, transportation options

The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) says an analysis of traffic patterns on Monday indicates metro Atlanta commuters are following the agency’s recommendations for alternative routes, public transit and telecommuting in the wake of the collapse and reconstruction of sections of Interstate 85. GDOT says there were “comparable volumes” in the area on most major […]

April 12, 2017

Roadbuilding

Missouri state auditor wants overhaul of Transportation Development Districts due to $941 million in unapproved taxpayer debt

A report from Missouri State Auditor Nicole Galloway finds Transportation Development Districts (TDD) have created roughly $941 million in “outstanding project costs” that will have to be funded with sales taxes that state citizens did not approve. Galloway says the TDDs have been “engaging in questionable practices with little oversight or transparency” due to weak […]

April 12, 2017

Roadbuilding

ARTBA Labor Report: February highway and bridge contractor employment grew 8.2% in February

The American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) says workers employed by highway, street and bridge contractors grew 8.2 percent in February compared to the same month in 2016, representing a net increase of roughly 20,300 workers. Total workers employed in this segment reached 267,400, the highest mark for February since 2008. ARTBA points out, […]

April 12, 2017

Roadbuilding

Virginia DOT taps Cary in new CIT role

The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has named Robert H. Cary as its chief of innovation & technology (CIT), and Bart A. Thrasher as Richmond District engineer. Thrasher replaces Cary, as the latter previously served in the district engineer role. The CIT position is new for the agency, says VDOT Commissioner Charles Kilpatrick. “Rob is […]

April 11, 2017

Roadbuilding

TRIP: Rough bridge and road conditions cost Louisiana drivers $6.5 billion per year

The Road Improvement Program (TRIP) reports the rough conditions of Louisiana’s bridges and roads are costing drivers there about $6.5 billion each year—up to $2,466 per driver in urban areas—as a result of vehicle operating, safety and congestion issues. In the state condition report, “Louisiana Transportation by the Numbers: Meeting the State’s Need for Safe, […]

April 11, 2017

Roadbuilding

AASHTO opens nominations for National Transportation Leadership Institute

The American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO) is seeking nominations for the 2017 National Transportation Leadership Institute scheduled for June 4-16 in Indianapolis at the Indiana Historical Society Conference Center. The association says the program is offered by the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) School of Public and Environmental Affairs’ Executive education Program. […]

April 11, 2017

Roadbuilding

California lawmakers pass 10-year, $52.4 billion transportation legislation

California lawmakers have passed Senate Bill 1, also known as the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017, which will invest $52.4 billion in updates to bridges and roads across the state over the next 10 years. The bill moves on to Gov. Jerry Brown for his signature. Brown supports the measure and has indicated […]

April 10, 2017

Roadbuilding

Texas DOT celebrates 100 years with employee event, travelling truck exhibit

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) officially marked 100 years of service April 4 with an employee event at its downtown Austin headquarters, along with the appearance of a travelling exhibit featuring a refurbished 1918 Liberty Truck that’s being used as time capsule of the department’s history. “We are extremely grateful for the century of […]

April 10, 2017

Roadbuilding

FHWA releases $768.2 million in emergency relief funds for 40 states

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has released $768.2 million in emergency relief funds for repairs to bridges and roads in 40 states damaged by “storms or catastrophic events.” “Transportation is a lifeline for communities struggling to recover from floods, hurricanes or other natural disasters,” says Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao. “These funds will help with long-term, […]

April 10, 2017

Roadbuilding

Algorithm powering new Iowa DOT site delivers bridge conditions ‘in nearly real time’

The Iowa Department of Transportation has created an interactive website that provides detailed bridge conditions across the state in a map format covering structures owned by cities, counties and the state. Data provided includes conditions, serviceability based on current design standards and weight restrictions on individual bridges. “Our inspectors inspect bridges year-round, so the data […]

April 7, 2017