West Virginia DOT: Road Damage From Recent Storms at $7M So Far
The West Virginia Department of Transportation's Division of Highways estimated that as of Aug. 1 the state had absorbed about $7 million in flood damages to roughly 200 roads in 11 counties, after heavy rains created sudden flooding July 28 and 29. The total could rise, though, as the announcement said the DOH "continues to make repairs and assess damages." News reports said northern and north-central areas of the state were hit hard, in a region of steep mountains and valleys vulnerable...
Traffic Growth Puts More Pressure on Infrastructure, Highlights Investment Need
New federal data shows that U.S. drivers continue this year to increase their use of the nation's roads to new record levels, and therefore put more wear and tear on that infrastructure. The Federal Highway Administration said its latest monthly "Traffic Volume Trends" report show motor vehicle traffic on all U.S. roads and streets grew by 2.2 percent in May, for an increase of 5.9 billion vehicle miles from the same month a year earlier. That continues a trend in which motorists are stead...
U.S. Airports Need Upgrades
American airports are in dire need of huge infrastructure investments in order to keep up with the rising passenger traffic as well as comply with industry standards and regulations. The urgent need to improve airport infrastructure across the country becomes glaringly evident during major holiday seasons such as Christmas and Easter when American airports tend to be packed with both local and international travelers. Below is a detailed look at this topic. To learn more, checkout the infogra...
Keeping America’s Bridges Safe and Reliable
Each day, thousands of qualified bridge inspectors evaluate the safety and condition of the nation’s bridges. Bridges are inspected on a routine basis, and the results are reported to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). If a bridge is deemed unsafe, immediate action is taken – which could include immediate repairs, weight restrictions or outright closure. While state departments of transportation are on the front lines conducting the inspections, FHWA provides the standards and ove...
Senate Panel Backs Bill That Funds TIGER, Transit Starts Without Highway Program Rescissions
The Senate Appropriations Committee backed a bill to fund the U.S. Department of Transportation for the 2018 budget year that would increase TIGER infrastructure grants, support new transit capital starts and avoid rescinding any highway program funds. That puts it in sharp contrast with the version that House appropriators advanced. Their bill would zero out TIGER, make deeper cuts in transit capital grants and rescind $800 million in contract authority from state DOTs' federal-aid highway f...
Introducing Arkansas Department of Transportation
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - In a historical transition today, the state’s transportation agency begins a new chapter in its more than 100 years of existence. Senate Bill 589, now Act 707 of 2017 – which goes into effect today, changes the name of the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department to the Arkansas Department of Transportation. The 128-page bill was a recommendation of the Legislative Task Force on Intermodal Transportation and Commerce (the length of the bill was the result of ch...
What Has Happened with U.S. Bridges in the 10 Years Since the Minneapolis I-35W Bridge Collapse?
(WASHINGTON)— August 1 marks the 10th anniversary of the I-35W bridge collapse in Minneapolis. The bridge was classified as “structurally deficient” and was undergoing repair at the time. The American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) has looked at federal government data to see what progress has been made in repairing the nation’s bridges in the decade since the collapse. States have devoted significant resources to bridge work, ARTBA says. The value of bridge const...
U.S. Department of Transportation Appoints Two New Members to WMATA Board of Directors
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao announced the appointment of two new Federal representatives, each with considerable transportation and infrastructure expertise, to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) board of directors. Both new appointees to the board will bring extensive backgrounds in U.S. transportation infrastructure, innovative financing, and federal regulatory policy. The two appointed Principal Directors with voting authority...
August Solar Eclipse Has State DOTs Preparing for What May Be Widespread Traffic Disruptions
Many state departments of transportation are launching intensive communications efforts and planning how their operations teams will handle a potentially huge travel-disrupting event that is just a month away – the Aug. 21 daytime solar eclipse that will have the moon totally block the sun across parts of 14 states. Those and other agencies warn that the eclipse could trigger major traffic jams, possibly lead to more traffic crashes, spur more human-caused wildfires at the height of fire seas...
I-4 Ultimate P3 Improvement Project Earns National Envision Platinum Award from the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure
Orlando, FL – July 25, 2017 - The I-4 Ultimate Improvement Project, a roadway reconstruction project in Central Florida and one of the most complex and extensive infrastructure projects in the United States, has received the prestigious Envision® Platinum award from the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (ISI). The I-4 Ultimate Project was recognized at an awards ceremony on July 20, 2017 for its environmental, economic and social sustainability efforts along the 21-mile reconstruction pro...
Stormwater Interview with Robert Page, P.E., Vice President, HNTB
TriMet’s Banfield Type 1 Substation Replacement Project
February Issue 2026
