John Hennessy III,
P.E.
Transportation systems nationwide are undergoing significant change. Emerging technologies and innovative mobility options are changing all modes of transportation, and soon both people and freight will be transported differently. Intelligent transportation systems use sensors to monitor vehicles, control traffic flow, reduce congestion and improve safety. Some types of technology provide real-time data that is used […]
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by Mary Scott Nabers Here’s something that may surprise you! Statistics tell us that American roads are more dangerous than those of other developed countries. The U.S. roadway fatality rate has hovered around 12 deaths per 100,000 motorists for the past 15 years, while other developed countries have traffic fatality rates of under 5 per 100,000. […]
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by Mary Scott Nabers TIPs and STIPs are acronyms for transportation improvement programs at the local and state levels of government. The formal names are ‘Transportation Improvement Program’ and ‘Statewide Transportation Improvement Program.’ They both fund transportation projects and allow for the coordination of federal, state, and local funding. TIPs are locally approved plans which have […]
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by Mary Scott Nabers Bridge projects currently in the planning phases are abundant throughout the country. Most are large and complex and the majority fall into the category of critical infrastructure. The examples that follow point to commonalities that can be found in planning documents. All projects are likely to launch late this year or early […]
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SMART GROWTH AMERICA
Appropriate pricing strategies can raise revenues and manage demand, keeping costs down. On the other hand, when transportation system users do not see appropriate price signals, demand is artificially high, increasing congestion and pressure for new capacity. State departments of transportation generally cannot impose price signals on their own, but they can work with a variety of stakeholders and decision-makers, from legislators to insurance companies, to accomplish these goals.
SMART GROWTH AMERICA
Scarce transportation dollars need to be spent where they do the most good. But making changes to long-standing practices, some of which are ensconced in law, can be difficult and present a hurdle to state departments of transportation (DOTs) looking to get the best bang for their buck. Pressing forward with revenue allocation and project selection reform represents a major way in which DOTs can deliver projects with greater impact more quickly. Many agencies are now reforming project selection and formula funding processes for sub-state units of government, often tying proposed spending to state, departmental, and/or local goals and objectives.
The era when fuel taxes alone could cover robust highway construction and maintenance programs is over. Even then, non-highway modes often struggled for support. Funding transportation out of general revenue is problematic, both be-cause it is subject to changing budget priorities and because it underprices transportation, creating excess demand. State departments of transportation (DOTs) need new sources of dedicated revenues, preferably tied to user fees in cases where excess demand—which is both economically and environmentally costly—can be curtailed through the market-style discipline that such fees impose. User fees may also appeal to stakeholders’ sense of fairness, making them more politically palatable than “subsidies” from general tax revenues.
View this complete post...Written by Shane Phillips
The U.S. Department of Transportation is reporting that driving is at a six-year high, but beware the hype. As James Brasuell at Planetizen notes, these numbers are not adjusted for population and thus don’t account for the growing number of residents living in the country. As always, the better question to ask is how much the average American is driving, and the answer to that is the same as it’s been for years: less and less.
SMART GROWTH AMERICA
State officials across the country are facing the same challenges. Revenues are falling and budgets are shrinking while transportation demands grow. The traditional means of funding and delivering transportation services are no longer adequate, jeopardizing the path to tomorrow’s economy. The only answer is innovation.
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