The Every Day Counts named the ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) as the innovation of the month Thursday. UHPC is created from ultra-high strength steel to create fiber-reinforced concrete. Using UHPC heightens the durability of the structure and simplifies the construction of connection, which is one of the most important parts of prefabricated bridge elements. Read More »

Although President Obama signed the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act last week, the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of America hopes to see continued Congressional support for the nation’s infrastructure in the coming years. The measure, which will allocate $305 billion toward infrastructure projects over the next five years, was the first long-term highway funding bill since 2005. Read More »

The Subcommittee on Aviation held a roundtable discussion Tuesday concerning the policies for hiring, staffing and training air traffic controllers with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). With the roundtable starting at 10 a.m., the discussion will be held at the Rayburn House Office Building, Room 2167. Attendees will include the Aviation Subcommittee, Matthew Hampton. Read More »

Congress recently approved a long-term federal transportation funding bill that includes two high priority corridors along Interstate 11 in Arizona. The Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act, which is designed to last for the next five years, is a sign of significant progress. Now local departments of transportation can plan their infrastructure projects for years to come. Read More »

The Federal Highway Administration released analysis Wednesday of data that shows there is a rise in elderly drivers within the United States. The statistics show that one of the fastest growing groups of drivers are people who are 50 years old and above. As of 2014, there is currently a record-breaking amount of 214.3 million people who are licensed to drive inside the United States. Read More »

The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) published its plan Friday to more efficiently track the life cycle of research projects.  Read More »

The Washington State Department of Transportation recently gained $35.3 million from federal airport aid to improve local airports. In 2015, WSDOT received more backing for public-use airports. In order to gain the $35.3 million, WSDOT officials needed to leverage $1.3 million in funds from the state. In addition, WSDOT gained $637,000 in aircraft excise tax fees. Read More »

WSDOT will hold an open house discussion Dec. 20, regarding the roundabout project that is planned for No See-Um Road and State Route 150. The event  will start at 4 p.m. and end at 6 p.m. at the Manson Parks and Recreation building (142 Pedoi Street, Manson). The open house gives the public the chance to learn about plans, construction schedule and traffic control. Read More »

NHTSA unveiled a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) Monday about underride protection for drivers of trailers and semitrailers. The proposed rulemaking would modify the current federal motor vehicle safety standards (FMCSSs), particularly for the underride protection that is needed for light-vehicle crashes that collide with the rear of trailers and semitrailers. Read More »

USDOT recently partnered with Vulcan to launch a Smart City Challenge. The goal of the Smart City Challenge is to develop a fully integrated, unique city that will apply technology, data and creativity to transportation and infrastructure. This will change mobility for the better in the future. Officials will choose the winning city to apply the ideas to its transportation system. Read More »

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA), a branch of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), awarded $19.1 million in funds Monday to the Jacksonville Bus Rapid Transit Southeast Corridor Project in Florida. The new corridor will be 11.1 miles long. It is the third portion of the new First Coast Flyer BRT system, which has been carried out in five phases. Read More »

Two projects and upgrades were recently completed on East 55th Street in Manhattan and in Sunnyside, Queens. A subterranean ventilation facility is now located underneath East 55th Street. This new construction has slip-resistant surfaces that will help keep people safe. There are also openings measuring a half-inch wide among the cross-bars that will benefit high-heel wearers. Read More »

U.S. Rep. Bill Shuster (R-PA) released a statement Tuesday on a GAO report. The GAO report offers an analysis of how past budget uncertainty has impacted the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The report is available online. The analysis evaluates how the uncertainty concerning Congress’s authorization, appropriations and budget process has affected the FAA’S role. Read More »

Lake County’s Interstate 65 will be widened due to heavy traffic. The interstate will be expanded to include three lanes in both directions between Merrillville south to State Road 2. This announcement is just the first step in the governor’s highway program titled "Major Moves 2020." This program is designed to fast track the rehabilitation and widening of highways. Read More »

The Federal Transportation Administration (FTA) recently partnered with Smart Growth America to host an informational webinar Thursday at 1 p.m.  Read More »

The Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) published airline cost and consumption of fuel data Tuesday for the month of October. For the airline industry’s scheduled services, the cost of fuel per gallon was $2.68 in October 2014. In September 2015, this cost fell to $1.58. During October 2015, the airlines’ scheduled services spent $1.65 for each gallon of fuel. Read More »

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released its updated 5-Star Safety Ratings Tuesday called the "New Car Assessment Program" (NCAP).NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings help customers purchase vehicles based on safety. The ratings consider how vehicles perform during crash tests. NHTSA offers extra credit to vehicles with better or advanced safety features. Read More »

Officials from the FMCSA proposed a rule to make all passengers of large commercial trucks buckle their safety belts. This Notice of Proposed Rulemaking would effectively eliminate the safety gap for passengers who are traveling in commercial motor vehicles that carry property. Commercial drivers have had to buckle their safety belts due to 49 CFR 392.16, which is a federal rule. Read More »

The FMCSA accepted a Final Rule Thursday, requiring all commercial truck and bus industries to use electronic logging devices (ELDs). The purpose of the rule is to improve the safety of U.S. roadways. Using the new technology will help drivers comply with the specific hours-of-service regulations, preventing drivers from growing fatigued and compromising safety. Read More »

In honor of Older Driver Safety Awareness Week, the Federal Highway Administration, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Roadway Safety Foundation introduced a new safety resource for transportation Thursday. The resource, entitled the "Clearinghouse for Older Road User Safety" (ChORUS), is designed to address safety concerns specifically for elderly drivers. Read More »