Will 2017 be the Year of Driverless Cars?
You’ve heard about driverless cars, right? We’re talking about real cars that can actually drive themselves around, thanks to radar, lidar and other technological devices. Things are moving fast in the automotive industry, and many believe that 2017 will mark a new beginning for connected and automated vehicles. Still, on Facebook, comments on autonomous vehicles articles show that people have mixed feelings. Some just don’t want to give away their freedom to drive, others don’t trust these f...
Honolulu Rail Transit Project Makes Roads & Bridges’ 2016 Top 10 Bridges List
The Honolulu Rail Transit Project ranked No. 4 on Roads & Bridges 2016 Top 10 Bridges list. HNTB Corporation led design for the first 10 miles of an elevated guideway and a maintenance and train storage facility on the project, which includes a new 20-mile transit line connecting West O’ahu with downtown Honolulu and the Ala Moana Center. A Roads & Bridges article explained that urban density made work challenging, and more than seven miles of the guideway were built on shoulders or m...
Technology Companies Move into Transportation
(Pleasanton, CA) December 05, 2016—Tech companies are moving to the automotive market, because that’s where the money is. In mid-November, Brian Krzanich, CEO of Intel Corporation, took the stage at the Los Angeles Auto Show to deliver his company’s first keynote address at an automotive event. The headline news in the widely anticipated speech was that Intel Capital will be investing $250 million in autonomous (i.e., computer-controlled) driving over the next two years. Technologies that will b...
ITD Engineers Find $700,000 Savings, Traffic Efficiencies in Replacement of Owsley Canal Bridge in Eastern Idaho
RIGBY - In a tight budget environment where every dollar counts, Idaho Transportation Department engineers again found a way to safely stretch resources and still perform a needed replacement of an old bridge in the small, eastern Idaho town of Mud Lake. The project review also will reduce traffic impact during the four-month-long project starting next fall after water leaves the canal. Grading the roadway instead of installing guardrail will enable farmers to move large farm equipment...
Federal Highway Administration Opens Phase 2 of Johnson County Gateway Project in Kansas City Area
LENEXA, Kan. – Deputy Federal Highway Administrator David S. Kim today joined state and local officials to cut a ceremonial ribbon to open the Johnson County Gateway project’s second phase outside Kansas City, which includes two brand new interchanges linking Interstates 35 and 435 and state highway K-10. When completed, the project will relieve congestion and improve safety in the cities of Lenexa, Olathe and Overland Park. “This project will strengthen the connections between these communit...
Federal Highway Administration Opens Phase 2 of Johnson County Gateway Project in Kansas City Area
Deputy Federal Highway Administrator David S. Kim today joined state and local officials to cut a ceremonial ribbon to open the Johnson County Gateway project’s second phase outside Kansas City, which includes two brand new interchanges linking Interstates 35 and 435 and state highway K-10. When completed, the project will relieve congestion and improve safety in the cities of Lenexa, Olathe and Overland Park. “This project will strengthen the connections between these communities throughout...
Michael Baker Uses Mobile LiDAR to Collect Data from 8,600 Traffic Signals to Aid PennDOT’s Planning Efforts
Michael Baker International, a global leader in engineering, planning and consulting services, recently completed a nearly $7-million project for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) to collect data from more than 8,600 traffic signals across the state. During the course of one year, the Michael Baker team—working with PennDOT’s Traffic Signal Asset Management System (TSAMS)—collected nearly 20 million data fields for each of the 8,623 traffic signals analyzed, which populate...
AASHTO Supports Nomination of Elaine Chao as U.S. Transportation Secretary
WASHINGTON - The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials looks forward to working with Transportation Secretary Nominee Elaine Chao and the administration of President-elect Donald Trump to fully fund the nation's critical transportation needs and ensure a healthy and robust national transportation system. "Former Labor Secretary Chao is a respected leader who, based on her previous service at the U.S. Department of Transportation and in other roles, has a strong un...
Latest Data on Positive Train Control Implementation Show Uneven Progress across Railroads
The Federal Railroad Administration today released third quarter 2016 data submitted by railroads on their progress in implementing Positive Train Control (PTC). The data show uneven progress across the country and across railroads toward activating the life-saving technology. Freight railroads now have PTC active on 12 percent of their tracks, up from 9 percent last quarter. Passenger railroads increased their percentage to 23 percent this quarter compared to 22 percent last quarter. The mea...
Texas Mobility Summit Seeks to Advance Innovation
Teams from 10 Texas cities will meet Thursday and Friday at the first Texas Mobility Summit to foster collaboration on a transportation strategy to advance the creation of a Smart State Consortium. The initiative aims to encourage public-private investment in the development of innovative and technology solutions to address the state’s mobility challenges. The event, hosted by the Texas Technology Task Force, will be held at the Hilton Austin Hotel. Teams consisting of a cross section of lead...
Stormwater Interview with Robert Page, P.E., Vice President, HNTB
Santa Barbara County North Branch Jail Expansion
February Issue 2026
