Transportation

Tesla indicates that it will proceed with its proposed 1800 mile charging corridor for semi trucks without federal funding. The corridor would offer nine electric semi-truck charging stations between Laredo, Texas and Fremont, California.

Tech Crunch | Tesla still plans to build 1,800-mile charging corridor for semi trucks despite Biden funding snub

Under a new memorandum of understanding with the feds, state Attorneys General now have authority to investigate airline complaints. State Attorneys General have been asking for the power to investigate and report airline issues for several years.

Route Fifty | Under new partnership with feds, state AGs can investigate airline complaints

Studies have found that 1/2 to 1/3 of escooter riders would have walked anyway. On the whole, e-scooters “help reduce overall transportation emissions — often preventing 20 grams of CO2 emissions per mile ridden on a scooter.” Rider Safety issues are increasing 23% a year recently according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Route Fifty | 8 years into America’s e-scooter experiment, what have we learned?

Hawaii is considering HB2748 (2024 | HI) that would establish standards for high speed pursuits. In the last year, Florida, the District of Columbia, San Francisco and Washington state have rolled back high speed pursuit restrictions. A Police Executive Research Form report from late 2023 urged policies that allow for high speed pursuits only in cases of violent crimes.

Route Fifty | In reversal, more areas allow high-speed police chases

 Minneapolis’ City Council is requiring that the ride share companies pay their drivers a higher rate inside the city limits. @abcnews

Bonjour Electreon, an Israeli startup working on roadways that charge EVs. As Stefan Tongur, Electreon’s VP of U.S. business development, says “It’s not just about the technology. It’s about, how does the technology shift impact business models? ” It’s also about stepping out of the gas station model and into thinking differently to charge EVs.

WSJ | Roads That Charge While You Drive: Can This Fuel a Future for EVs?

There isn’t data on transportation safety and disabled persons. “A 2015 Georgetown University study, one of the few of its kind available, found that 528 pedestrians using wheelchairs were killed in traffic collisions between 2006 and 2012.”

Governing | Disabled People Are Dying in America’s Crosswalks. We Need to Protect Them.

A pilot program testing a pay as you go transportation funding mechanism is coming to Kansas. What makes this interesting? 0.13% of Kansas’ vehicles are hybrid or electric. The pay as you drive program may replace the gas tax in Kansas which was last updated in 2003. While multiple states have pay as you drive pilots only Oregon, Utah, and Virginia have implemented a pay as you drive fee system. 

Governing | Kansas Wants Volunteers for Pay-By-Mile Program

Georgia is set to create new lawsuit limits for cases involving large truck accidents.  SB 426 (2024 | GA) seeks to lower insurance rates for the trucking industry by allowing for lawsuits against the insurer only if the company or driver cannot be located or if the trucking company has filed for bankruptcy protection.

US News | Lawsuits Against Insurers After Truck Crashes Limited by Georgia Legislature

WRDW | Legislature votes to limit Ga. lawsuits over truck crashes

Meet concrete made from sugar cane. The brains behind the product say this concrete utilizes “20% less steel and emits 20 times less carbon than concrete bricks.” @dw_environment

Mexico has overtaken China as the United States largest trading partner. Mexico over took China with a 5% increase in trade to a total trade value  of $475 Billion. One of the reasons why this increase in trade with Mexico is that manufacturers are working to locate closer to home. Hello I-35 and trains- we see you. @worldeconomicforum

$3.3 billion in grants are available for communities where highway projects have split communities. Grant recipients include Austin, TX; Atlanta; Dallas; Philadelphia; Syracuse, NY; Jacksonville, Florida; and Portland, Ore. It is said that mix of projects that have been awarded funding indicates that the Biden administration is focusing on fine-tuning existing infrastructure.  

Route Fifty | $3.3B in federal grants announced for communities split apart by highways

Some say Republican opposition to transit and transportation policies may be more about urban-rural transportation spending than partisanship. Look no further than Beth Osborne, director of the advocacy group Transportation for America, who says of transportation spending, ““It’s a state-local split, and it’s often a rural-urban split.”

Governing | What Drives Republican Opposition to Transit?

Texas Attorney General Opinion KP 0458 says that a deputy sheriff in Aransas County has authority to weigh a vehicle if the deputy has “reason to believe” a specific vehicle’s weight is unlawful. However, stopping and weighing all vehicles is not permitted by a deputy sheriff.

MIT Sloan School has mapped various industries AI use. For the transportation industry, AI use is at about 5% of the industry with 2% using AI intensely. @MIT Sloan

MIT Sloan School | The who, what, and where of AI adoption in America

Remember how a record breaking amount was spent to defeat driver classification ballot initiative in California? Same for Massachusetts this year. “Uber, a California-based company, donated more than $2.4 million; Instacart, based in San Francisco, donated $1.7 million; DoorDash, also out of San Francisco, donated $1.6 million; and San Francisco’s Lyft donated $1.1 million, according to state records.”

Governing | Millions from Out-of-State Fund Massachusetts Ballot Measures

CATO Institute says of California’s high speed rail that “[i]f the full high‐​speed rail phase I could somehow be implemented today, it would reduce greenhouse gas emissions statewide by less than 0.2%.” They conclude that high speed rail is not a cost effective way to address climate change.

CATO | New Figures Show That California High‐​Speed Rail Won’t Do Much about Climate Change

Last week it was robots moving cars around parking garages. This week it is wireless charging pads for your EV. @bloomberggreen

On Thursday, the federal government announced an investigation into whether Chinese motor vehicles pose a security risk. Cars are connected to road signs, toll stations, roads, other cars, use a series of cameras, etc…. @cnbc

Denver is considering subsidizing those who commute by bike. The Bicycling Rewards Program will pay bike riders for their contribution to improve the air. @goodgoodgoodco

Arizona Legislature is considering creating the Arizona Space Commission.

KJZZ | Arizona Legislature takes up elected officials’ salaries, E-Verify, Arizona Space Commission

A New York assemblywoman from Queens is proposing legislation to make protesting in roadways an act of domestic terrorism. NYPost

The 2024 Safe Roads Report ranks states by road safety laws. The Top scoring states: LA, MD, NY, OR, RI and WA – and Washington, D.C. The 10 worst states: FL, ID, MI, MO, MT, NE, NV, OK, SD, and WY. 34 states, including TX received yellow, caution.

Miami International Airport sees the most flowers pass through it in anticipation of Valentine’s Day. This year, 18,ooo tons of flowers arrived ahead of Valentine’s Day. That’s 832 MILLION stems of flowers, with more than half arriving from Ecuador and Columbia. 90% of the flowers sold on Valentine’s Day came through Miami.

AP | Love (and 460 million flowers) are in the air for Valentine’s Day, but not without a Miami layover

A New industry group focused on supporting zero-emission truck infrastructure has been created by Daimler Truck North America, Navistar and Volvo Group North America. Meet PACT: Powering America’s Commercial Transportation

What is old is new again. Transportation planning it seems is just like fashion- trends repeat cyclically. The old trend that is new again- 15 minute cities. More cities are planning on the 15 minute city concept in that you can traverse your city within 15 minutes. We can see examples in London, Paris, Philadelphia and Savannah. 

Governing | An Old Idea That’s New Again: The 15-Minute City

California Legislature is considering SB 915 (2024 | CA) that would give cities the authority to pass stronger rules for robotaxis than state regulators establish. Regulation is complex on this issues. In California’s DMV oversees vehicles, the PUC oversees passenger safety, and Department of Transportation oversees roadways.  After recent robotaxi safety incidents expect to see states address safety.

Governing | Reining in the Risks of Robotaxis

ABC 7 News | Here’s how SB 915 aims to make autonomous vehicle regulation safer at the local level

 Electric air taxis, like helicopters but with more propellers, are appearing in the NYC sky. Commercial flights are set to begin in 2025. @reuters

Connecticut is considering reducing the .08 limit to .05 to improve traffic safety. In the first 22 days of 2024, Connecticut saw 17 traffic fatalities.

Governing | Connecticut Proposes Lowering Alcohol Limit to Prevent Traffic Deaths

During the pandemic we saw a lot of free fare transit policies. This week, New Jersey Transit board proposal would increase fares 15%. If approved, it would be the first fare increase in more than a decade.

AP | New Jersey Transit is seeking a 15% fare hike that would be first increase in nearly a decade

Virgin Airways has made the word’s first Trans Atlantic flight with sustainable fuel.  The SAF, sustainable aviation fuel, was comprised of cooking oil and waste animal fat. @globalpositivenews

Brightline high speed rail from Las Vegas to Los Angeles received federal approval for $2.5 billion in private activity bonds for the purpose of laying tracks, creating jobs, and connecting American cities. Brightline has received authority for a total of $6.5 billion worth of bonds, including $3 billion in grants to the Nevada Department of Transportation to build the rail line, and $1 billion in private activity bonds for development in 2020. 

Route Fifty | Brightline gets another big boost from Biden to build Vegas line

California is considering SB 961 (2024 | CA) which would require speed limiters on vehicles to prevent cars from going above 10 mph faster than the posted speed limit. Exceptions will be made for law enforcement and emergency services vehicles. If enacted, it would be 1st of its kind legislation.

The Hill | California bill would make state the first to require in-vehicle speed limiting devices

Oklahoma Department of Transportation Report recommends the state adopt a per mile driven fee for cars to address gas tax revenue declines. The Road User Charge Task Force recommends that the state adopt a per mile voluntary fee system that could charge different rates based on vehicle size. One undecided issue is how to handle out of state drivers. In 2023, roughly 1/3 of states have a pay per mile pilot program.

Governing | Oklahoma Task Force Recommends Implementing Per-Mile Road Tax

Walmart, partnering with Zipline & Wing, will allow Walmart customers to receive delivery by drone in 75% of the DFW Metroplex. That’s 1.8 million households with 30 minute delivery, and 3/4 of the 120,000 items will be deliverable by drone. “This will mark the first time a U.S. retailer has offered drone delivery to this many households.”

Governing | Walmart Will Drone Deliver to 1.8M Dallas-Fort Worth Households

Concrete is responsible for 8% of all global carbon dioxide emissions. We now have carbon neutral concrete,” made from byproducts from steelmaking and desalination plants, that could cure at ambient temperature and actually consume CO2.” @wired

Sweden is planning the world’s longest stretch of EV charging roadway that is slated to open in 2025 connecting two industrial hubs along E20. The roadway will charge both EV cars and large trucks. It will employ 1 of 3 charging methods: overhead cable, a rail in the pavement, or induction charging embedded in the pavement. Meet the future: dynamic charging. @worldeconomicforum

Permitting and utility connections are the two most common hurdles to EV charger installations. The utility connection issue is often tied to older generation software.

Route Fifty | Plans to install EV charging stations are about to run into an ugly wall of permitting and utility delays

At CES in Las Vegas his week, Kodiak Robotics, announced that later this year driverless semi trucks would begin traveling from Houston to Dallas. The company noted “support from the state’s Department of Transportation and Department of Public Safety of the autonomous vehicle industry.”

Houston Chronicle | Texas company says first route for new driverless semi-truck will be from Houston to Dallas

Philadelphia, New York, and D.C. are deploying transit buses with AI mounted cameras to help with parking enforcement to keep bus lanes clear and moving. Philadelphia discovered a total of 36,392 bus lane obstructions in 2 months, on 2 routes, using cameras on 7 individual buses.

Governing | Cities Hope AI Camera Enforcement Can Improve Bus Service

Detroit is home to a 1/4 mile stretch of road that can wirelessly charge EVs. It is the first road of its kind in the US. The 1/4 mile cost $1.9 million to install the necessary inductive-charging coils underneath the pavement that signal EV’s with receivers for charging. CBS Detroit

Governing | Detroit Builds EV-Charging Road Segment, First in U.S.

Consumer Reports claims that EVs have 79% more reliability issues than gas powered vehicles. EV reliability issues are mostly related to electric motors, charging, and battery problems.  For plug-in hybrids the reliability issues are 146% more than conventional vehicles.

ArsTechnica | EVs have 79% more reliability problems than gas cars, says Consumer Reports

New Jersey is moving forward with its Advanced Clean Cars II mandate that will require 51% of new car sales to be electric in 2027. By 2035, all new car sales will be electric.

Governing | New Jersey Will Transition to All Electric New Car Sales by 2035

Truckers looking to comply with zero emission requirements in California are choosing between battery-cell rigs and hydrogen fuel. Hydrogen fuel supporters say it supporters quicker fueling, longer hauls, and heavier hauls.

Wall Street Journal | Hydrogen Fuel Is Gaining Traction With Truckers

When talking about traffic safety, does your message blame pedestrians? cyclists? drivers whose cars are involved in these accidents? A survey of local and state government outreach is targeted to conforming the behavior of pedestrians and cyclists rather than tools for drivers. Recently this conversation is changing and the focus is on how to give drivers more tools to prevent these collisions. A “safe systems” approach focuses on “safer people, safer roads, safer vehicles, safer speeds and better post-crash care.”

Route Fifty | ‘Safety’ campaigns pre-blame pedestrians for getting hit by cars

Pickups, SUVs and vans with hood height greater than 40 inches are 45% more likely to cause fatalities in pedestrian crashes according to a study by Insurance Institute for Highway Safety released this week.

AP | Vehicles with higher, vertical front ends raise risks for pedestrians

Austin, TX is testing an asphalt coating to reduce the heat trapped in the city’s concrete and asphalt during the hot summer months.  There is a name for these hot cities that seer their infrastructure generate even more heat, “urban heat islands.”  @austin_monthly

Local governments are trying to protect street lights from copper theft. From 2018 to 2022 copper theft increased 650%. Options to curb the theft include solar powered streetlights, alarms, and adding cameras. Los Angeles has a current call for innovation for additional solutions.

Route Fifty | LA explores new options as copper thieves target streetlight wiring

If you live in Austin, TX you know city council has dialed back its parking spot requirements. That’s one way to handle parking. Boston, MA is tackling parking with Parking Districts. Parking districts will take meter parking funds and reinvest them in the local parking district for transportation related projects

Governing | Boston’s Parking Districts Would Reinvest Funds in Neighborhood

A 387 kWh lithium iron phosphate battery allows this electric school bus to travel 300 miles on a single charge. The company has been making electric buses for a decade.

Ars Technica | A giant battery gives this new school bus a 300-mile range

San Diego has launched an all electric binational bus with a route to the international border. San Diego plans to make make its fleet all-electric by 2040.

Governing | San Diego Debuts Binational, All-Electric Commuter Bus Line

The future of e-bike legislation is safety standards. Seems as though most e-bike laws and regulations do not cover safety testing and certification. New York City has become the 1st city to require safety testing and certification. In 2022, nationwide there were 25,000 emergency room visits for e-bike injuries. The regulatory gold standard is UL 2849.

UL Solutions | Micromobility Device Safety Testing and Certification

 California has suspended Cruise’s robotaxi permits stating that it is a safety issue and alleging misrepresentation about a robotaxi-human accident. @businessweek

Add Albuquerque to the list of cities that are experimenting with free public transit. Albuquerque has been piloting free fares on certain routes since 2017. Then we all saw it get super popular to consider free public transit, and the wave continues. Supporters say it boosts ridership. Opponents say it harms reliability and service.

Governing | Albuquerque Makes Final Push for Fare-Free Transit

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has proposed increasing the mpg requirements for car manufacturer fleets from  44.2 miles per gallon for passenger vehicles sold in model year 2024 to a fleet average of 57.8 mpg in model year 2032. 26 states have sued including Texas, Utah, Wyoming, Florida and New Hampshire.

Governing | West Virginia, Virginia Join Coalition to Challenge EV Rule

The Eno Center for Transportation started a conversation concerning the guardrails for a.i. use in transportation policy. The guardrails mentioned include: Be clear where the ultimate responsibility lies; regulate carefully; look for ways to use a.i. to recover from cyberattacks; limit the data that is shared; expect a.i. rollout to be a slow start and then to speed up rapidly. 

Route Fifty | What transportation officials need to consider when using AI

A new report from the Mineta Transportation Institute details the ways high speed rail can be an economic driver. The report estimates the economic impact of high speed rail projects, including Las Vegas to Los Angeles estimated to generate $10 billion in economic impact and 35,000 jobs, Dallas to Houston, Los Angeles to San Francisco estimated to create  74,000 to 80,000 job years, $5.6 billion to $6.0 billion in labor income, and $15 billion to $16 billion in economic output between 2006 and 2022, and the  Portland to Vancouver high speed rail project. As an added layer, the Las Vegas – Los Angeles project is also said to be using to all American made products.

Transportation Today | MTI: High-speed rail could be job creator, economic driver

We’ve talked about EV charging roads in Sweden years ago and most recently Michigan’s plan for electrified roadways for EV charging. Michigan transportation officials say the uses extend beyond passenger cars and into  freight and transit. Others point to the benefits for public transportation and fleet vehicles, which often drive on the same repetitive routes. 

CNBC | How electrified roads could help fix America’s electric vehicle charging problem

How did Cruise adapt its protocols after concerns were raised by first responders? The company has included technological innovations including preemptive AV slowing during siren detection, improved emergency vehicle prediction behavior, emergency scene recognition, and first responder emergency access

Cruise | Improving emergency vehicle and first responder interactions

San Francisco Standard | Cruise To Beef Up Its Tech After San Francisco Emergency, First Responder Blowback

KXAN | Driverless cars improve emergency vehicle detection, Austin first responders develop AV training for crews

Houston has an internationally acclaimed traffic system. It wants to add 91 dynamic message signs, but the program has only seen 36 dynamic signs go online. An additional 34 dynamic signs are being integrated into the system. Houston’s current traffic system started in 2017 and includes 650ish traffic detectors, 100+ cameras and the 91 dynamic signs. A work in progress.

Governing | Just 36 of Houston’s 91 Smart Traffic Signs Are Functioning

  $1.6 billion is the estimated cost of wildlife -vehicle collisions in 11 Western states. The Center for Large Landscape Conservation released a new study that found that the cost of building a wildlife crossing structure is less expensive than the cost of letting wildlife-vehicle collisions continue.

Desert News | The costs of wildlife vehicle collisions in the West are astounding. These crossings could help

Polling in the San Francisco Bay Area shows declining support for public transit. Currently 56% say public rail transit is important in the San Francisco Bay Area. That 56% also answered that commuter rail “must be maintained even if it costs taxpayers more money.” So why is 56% said to show declining support for public transit? Because special taxes like for commuter rail must be approved by 2/3 of voters in California.

Governing | Bay Area Residents Are Pulling Their Support for Public Transit

What do cities use to identify permit parkers, if the city moves to virtual parking permits? Glad the you asked —- parking officers will use license plate readers to link a vehicle to its virtual parking permit.

Governing | Pennsylvania Town Switches to Virtual Parking Permits

Governor Newsom vetoed AB 316 (2023 | CA)  by stating  that he supports the ability of DMV to regulate autonomous big trucks, support innovation, and ensure public safety.

Bay Area Rapid Transit is working to stop sexual harassment on its trains and public transit. Kids take public transit to school. Kids get sexually harassed on trains. The public transit agency developed a youth-led campaign to stop sexual harassment on transit. It includes building a community so that people who witness sexual harassment intervene. It’s not just San Francisco Bay Area– it is also Los Angeles, New York, London.

Governing | Sexual Harassment Is Pervasive on Public Transit. Bay Area Youth Are Fighting Back.

This week the The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announced it would begin development of rules to limit speed for trucks weighing more than 26,000 pounds to 68mph. The speed limiting technology that this would require  was first considered by federal regulators in 1995. Supporters include some trucking companies and organizations support speed limiters.

Governing | Transportation Officials Hope Limiting Truck Speeds Will Reduce Deaths 

How is Colorado funding a new passenger rail line to connect those on the East and West side of the Rockies? Probably with a sales tax. 61% of locals support a sales tax increase to fund the rail, and will be on the ballot in 2024 or 2025. The Legislature stepped in and  established a Front Range Passenger Rail District with significant independent powers to help the process along. Development funding came from a grant from the Federal Railroad Administration.

Governing | New Colorado Rail Service Could Come Down to Politics and Timing

 Imagine a bike lane that is covered by a solar roof. The solar panel structure creates a safety barrier for cyclists.  The roof protects cyclists from rain, and on sunny days, it generates solar power. A 20 mile solar covered  bike lane is a reality in South Korea.  The Netherlands created a bike path of solar panels.

Fast Company | This South Korean Bike Highway Has A 20-Mile Solar Roof

Treehugger | Solaroad Opens First Solar Bike Path

Rail… where I dreamily reminisce about being on trains in Sweden. I digress. Back to the good ole USA.  US passenger rail is having a bit of a renaissance. Upcoming rail projects include: the September 22, 2023 launch of the private brightline rail between Orlando and Miami; rail proposals in Texas connecting its major cities, and there’s a private rail planned between Las Vegas and Los Angeles. What’s a driving economic force for these projects? Orlando and Las Vegas are ” top destinations for discount airlines.”

Route Fifty | Can the future of passenger rail be found between Miami and Orlando?

  September 22, 2023 will bring to life Brightline, a private rail service between Miami and Orlando. The trains will reach 125 mph, for the 3 hour trip. The rail line looks to expand to Tampa and the Gulf Coast. Could this work elsewhere? Probably, it utilized public financing options. But, keep in mind that Brightline was created by the company that built the tracks that the rail services uses more than a century ago. Talk about a long game and a pivot.

Route Fifty | Can the future of passenger rail be found between Miami and Orlando?

A Houston based start up, Cemvita, is said to have an agreement with United Airlines to purchase 50 million gallons of sustainable jet fuel. The agreement could reach a billion gallons and cover 20,000 flights between Chicago and Houston each year. The startup utilizes microbes to convert waste into sustainable source of jet fuel.

Houston Chronicle | United agrees to buy sustainable aviation fuel from Houston biotech startup

AB316 (2013 | CA) will require drivers behind the wheel of autonomous big trucks. Effectively the bill bans truly autonomous driving big trucks. It awaits Governor Newsom’s signature. Last month the Governor’s staff sent a letter to the bill’s author explaining that “restrictions on autonomous trucking would not only undermine existing regulations, but could also limit supply chain innovation and effectiveness and hamper California’s economic competitiveness.”

Tech Crunch | California bill to ban driverless autonomous trucks goes to Newsom’s desk

Wind power is being harnessed for cargo ships to reduce cost and emissions. These “wind wings” are said to cut fuel costs by 30%. The EU estimates that can be 1.5 million metric tons of fuel cut each day.  @nowthisearth

@Newscientist data shows that recycled coffee grounds can make concrete 29% stronger. Are you seeing the new partnerships that I’m seeing? Also interested in coffee concrete @popularmechanics

LaGuardia’s Terminal B is the first location in the United States to achieve RHFAC Gold which is  “a rating and recognition program that measures the meaningful accessibility of a site based on the holistic user experience of people with varying disabilities.” This involves not only physical accessibility but also addressing auditory accessibility and making navigation easier with color coding. Who doesn’t love color coding? Never have I wanted to fly into LaGuardia more.

Rick hansen Foundation | LaGuardia Airport’s Terminal B Soars to America’s First RHFAC Gold

Move over cargo vans and cargo robots, make way for e-cargo bikes for deliveries. Boston, Massachusetts is incentivizing the e-cargo delivery system to bring down traffic congestion and improve air quality. It is all part of the Boston Delivers program.

Boston Herald | Allston businesses to begin making deliveries via e-cargo bikes, ditching cars and trucks

San Francisco has approved self driving taxis for 24/7 service. Waymo and Cruise can now charge fares. It is being hailed as a pivotal moment for the autonomous transportation industry.

Washington Post | California just opened the floodgates for self-driving cars 

Arguments that changed minds of Wisconsin lawmakers to support offering drivers licenses for undocumented migrants are: migrant labor is crucial to the economy, especially the dairy industry; drivers licenses will equate to safer driving; and tickets for driving without a license are disproportionately given to people with Hispanic surnames according to a document review by ProPublica.

Route Fifty | Why some Wisconsin lawmakers and local officials have changed their minds about letting undocumented immigrants drive

High speed rail is alive in Texas via a partnership with Amtrak? Supporters say the partnership will  ”accelerate the planning and analysis necessary for the successful implementation.”

Houston Chronicle | High-speed bullet train between Houston and Dallas may happen under new Amtrak, Texas Central plan

Paris is generating energy when metro passengers go through turnstiles. Good for metro to generate a green form of energy.

@good

Canada welcomes the first hydrogen powered train. This is a first for North America. Germany has had an operational hydrogen powered train since 2018.

@good

Georgia Department of Transportation is seeking information about establishing hydrogen fueling stations. The hydrogen stations will power commercial vehicles, tractor-trailers and other large trucks. This ties into Hyundai’s hydrogen fuel cell big rigs and the Department of Energy’s Hydrogen Shot Initiative.

Governing | Will Georgia’s Future Include a Hydrogen Highway?

Where is the fastest speed limit in the U.S.? Texas 130 between Texas 45 near Austin and Interstate 10 in Seguin is a 41 mile stretch with the U.S.’s fastest posted speed limit of 85mph.

San Antonio Express News | The fastest speed limit in the United States is just northeast of San Antonio

Efforts in Massachusetts look to bring another constitutional proposition vote on whether gig drivers are employees or independent contractors. Some gig driver groups support state legislation that would allow them to unionize. The last attempt at a constitutional amendment in Massachusetts was stopped by the state Supreme Court.

GBH | Uber- and Lyft-backed group launches new effort to officially make drivers ‘contractors’ on 2024 ballot

Local governments are looking for ways to cool their cities. Whether it’s a Chief Heat Officer like Phoenix, LA and Miami or adding “solar roofs” to the top of open air parking to both create shade for cars, and also generate electricity.

Governing | We Need Cooler Cities. Here’s How to Build Them.

Data from Chargepoint app, shows that California, New York, Florida, Massachusetts, Texas, Washington, Colorado, Maryland, Ohio and Michigan lead the nation in the number of EV chargers. In the last 3 years, these states have installed more than 1/2 of the U.S.’s new EV chargers. States that have the highest number per capita EV chargers are Vermont, Washington, D.C., Maine, Massachusetts, Colorado, Hawaii, California, Maryland, Oregon and Rhode Island.

Route Fifty | In national race to build EV chargers, a few states emerge as big winners

A 2022 study by Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Asphalt Art Initiative found that rates of crashes involving pedestrians or cyclists dropped by an average of 50% after asphalt art was installed. Safer and prettier streets, a win-win.

Route Fifty | Cities paint the way to safer streets

AB 316 (2023 | CA) would limit the use of driverless big trucks in California. This bill would also require autonomous truck testing companies to report to the Legislature after 5 years of testing and to keep a human on board the vehicle through 2029.

Transportation Dive | California senators advance bill restricting driverless trucks

The Port of Long Beach this week opened the largest big rig EV charging station. The EV charging station, 2404 Pier A Way, is home to 26, 360-kilowatt, charging stations for electric drayage trucks. It is the result of a partnership between WattEV & Southern California Edison. The ultimate goal is add more EV chargers so that the trucks can reduce charge times to 20 to 40 minutes.

Governing | Port of Long Beach Opens Electric Truck Charging Depot 

EV big rigs are hitting our roads, but there’s a dearth of EV chargers for them. WallStreet Journal tells us that PG&E told “charging provider FreeWire Technologies that one of its large fleet customers wouldn’t be able to charge trucks for a few years during summer afternoons when California electricity use peaks.”

Wall Street Journal | Electric Big Rigs Hit the Streets, but Chargers Are Scarce

It’s safer to ride a bike than an e-bike or e-scooter in NYC. In fact the death rate from accidents is 3 times higher on the e-mobility devices. 3 times!

New York Daily News via Governing | NYC E-Bikes and E-Scooters Exceed Bicycles in Deaths

As if bad drivers, road work, and traffic accidents weren’t enough to slow your commute, meet phantom traffic jams. What’s a phantom traffic jam? It is when a slow down occurs because of driver behavior and not an accident or obstruction. Tennessee is testing out a system of cameras to gather data to determine the quantity and rational behind phantom traffic jams. In one 3 hour span during the morning commute, researchers identified 20!!! waves of phantom traffic jams each and every work day.

Route Fifty | Why am I stuck in traffic? A Tennessee project could provide answers

Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate is developing a new wildfire alert system. Emergency alerts will be sent to vehicle infotainment dashboards and mobile apps.

GCN | Researchers demo geotargeted wildfire alerts sent to vehicles

 To help cities plan for the onslaught of vertical takeoff and electric air vehicles, the researchers at the Mineta Transportation Institute at San Jose State University have developed a geographic information system. This information will help cities determine the best place for ground hubs, or vertiports, that benefit passenger boarding, aircraft maintenance and charging as well as takeoff and landing. 

Route Fifty | Air taxis are taking off. Cities should start planning now.

2022 saw the highest number of pedestrian traffic fatalities since 1981 according to a new report from the Governors Highway Safety Association. Since 2010, pedestrian deaths have gone up 77%, far more than the increase in other traffic related fatalities which increased 25% over the same time. Texas saw a 1% increase in pedestrian fatalities between 2021 and 2022. 60.4% of fatalities occur on regular, non-freeway, non-feeder roads.

Governors Highway Safety Association | Pedestrian Traffic Fatalities by State

Transit authorities in San Francisco want to hit the pause button on 24/7 autonomous taxi service. During the pilot program for autonomous taxis problems such as reports surfaced of driverless vehicles holding up traffic, entering construction zones and interfering with transit. Plus, let’s not forget the hit to transit numbers.

Governing | Why San Francisco Transit Wants a Slower Rollout of Driverless Taxis

The National League of Cities has released data mapping train derailments. Between 2013 and 2022 there were 12,000 incidents. On average, 3 trains a day leave their tracks, mostly in a non-dramatic fashion. Since 2000, the number of accidents has fallen by half.

Route Fifty | New Map Shows How Common Train Derailments Are

Pennsylvania isn’t far from the Ohio train derailment tragedy. It is only natural that the Pennsylvania Legislature would consider HB1028 (2023 | PA) to improve train safety. The opponents are the state’s  chamber of commerce that says the bill will burden business’ logistics, disrupt the supply chain, and is preempted by federal law. The bill would limit trains to 8500 feet (yes, that’s over a mile), require 2 train operators on the train, & create a reporting system for hazardous materials.

Spotlight PA | A train safety bill inspired by the East Palestine derailment faces tough odds in the Pa. legislature

Pennsylvania is considering SB595 (2023 | PA) that would treat motorcycle processions like funeral processions. After notifying local authorities this would allow motorcycle processions to do things like proceed through red lights.

Governing | Pennsylvania Bikers Rally for Self-Driving Vehicle Protections

Florida passed a law that will invalidate, in Florida, drivers license of undocumented persons. SB 1718 (2023 | FL) 19 states and the District of Columbia issue drivers licenses to person who are not documented.

Route Fifty | New Florida Law Invalidates Out-of-State Licenses for ‘Undocumented Immigrants’