Road Progress

California’s Department of Transportation (Caltrans) announced the creation of 1,100 new jobs within the agency as a direct result of the funding approved April 28 in Senate Bill 1. Read More>>

The South Carolina Department of Transportation on Aug. 6 announced a list of 247 paving projects, which would total 260 miles of road across 30 counties. Read More>>

Vehicle-Miles Traveled Programs

Pennsylvania will join Delaware in the I-95 Corridor Coalition’s vehicle-miles traveled (VMT) pilot program beginning in 2018 or 2019. This program is the first East Coast VMT pilot test, and the only multi-state effort to study the viability of a road-usage charge system. The Federal Highway Administration  awarded an August 2016 grant for the program, though only two of the four eligible states  are moving ahead with the pilot. Read More>>

The Hawaii Department of Transportation is seeking a consulting firm to create a vehicle-miles traveled pilot system for testing. Read More>>

Funding Shortfalls

The Mississippi Department of Transportation terminated existing contracts on a bypass project due to lack of funding. The project would have  added more capacity to existing roadways, removing commercial traffic from  downtown Philadelphia, Mississippi. Officials had hoped the additional capacity would attract new businesses and industries  and improve  safety conditions. Transportation Commissioner Dick Hall said  that the agency needs to use  its current funds to maintain  the existing highway system.The department would need an additional $400 million annually for improvement and expansion projects. Read More>>

Many Wisconsin road workers are looking for employment on private projects due to the  growing number of state transportation project delays and uncertainty over long-term funding prospects, warned the  International Union of Operating Engineers Local 139. Read More>>

Louisiana officials are warning that state transportation revenue will be insufficient to receive the full federal funding match for infrastructure and transportation projects by 2019. Read More>>

State News

The Sierra Club filed a lawsuit against Oklahoma on Aug. 8 to challenge legislation  establishing a $100 electric motor vehicle registration fee and $30 hybrid motor vehicle registration fee, with revenue credited to the State Highway Construction and Maintenance Fund. Read More>>

Illinois traffic deaths rose by 4 percent in the first half of 2017  compared to the same time period last year, according to a report released by the National Safety Council on Aug. 15. Nationally, traffic fatalities decreased by 1.32 percent in the first half of 2017 when compared to the same time period last year. Read More>>