Dan is Governing’s transportation and infrastructure reporter. Dan developed a deep knowledge of government generally, and of states specifically, as a reporter for the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin and for Stateline. He has a master’s degree in public affairs reporting from the University of Illinois Springfield and a bachelor’s degree in English and German from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Too often, the debate over transportation funding in Congress revolves around dollars and cents. But many advocates say we should agree on big goals first, so we know what we’re getting for the money we spend.
At one point, there were 18,000 rental bikes in Dallas. Now, they’re all gone.
Secretary Leslie Richards is trying to re-engineer the engineering process by making community engagement a top priority.
Hawaii recently passed a law allowing police to ticket pedestrians for starting to cross a street when the countdown starts. Other states let the walkers decide if they can make it.
Lawmakers failed to override the Republican governor's decision to cut 40 percent of the university system's state funding.
Dave Bauer, the CEO of the American Road & Transportation Builders Association, says the Trump administration and Congress need to pitch in to help states accomplish their transportation goals.
The Trump administration is rolling back carbon dioxide emissions regulations. Meanwhile, states are divided on whether to raise their clean air standards.
As the EPA and Congress debate PFAS regulations, local governments are taking action to protect people from toxic chemicals used in the production of practically everything.
As transit agencies move away from fossil fuels, they are figuring out which environmentally friendly option is right for them.
States are wading into what used to be a local issue, and styrofoam containers are their next target in the effort to reduce waste that pollutes the environment.
More than half of mayors discussed it during their annual State of the City addresses this year -- double the number four years ago.
The Supreme Court, once feared by tribal advocates, ruled twice this year in favor of tribal rights. It’s set to decide another case soon.
The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach have set an audacious goal: reducing their greenhouse gas emissions to zero.
The Trump administration is pulling some federal funding from California. But that project and others like it are quickly moving forward.
Roads and bridges get most of the attention, but America’s public housing is crumbling too, advocates told Congress on Tuesday.
State and local officials are striking long-term deals with private companies to upgrade airports, college campuses and prisons.
“They’re trying to think from a new perspective. My hope is that we’ll see more of this boldness.”
The airline industry has changed, forcing cities to rethink the role their airports play. Pittsburgh has.
Gov. Doug Ducey signed a bill that makes it easier for people to move there by letting them automatically transfer their occupational licenses from other states.
Charging $4 to drive in certain parts of Los Angeles could cut incoming traffic and greenhouses gases by a fifth, according to a new study.
State transportation departments are often criticized for being too highway-centric. Here are some suggestions for changing that.
This marks the third time Gwinnett County has rejected a plan to expand the city's public transit. But advocates hope the defeat is only temporary.
Is the strong job market hiding a growing skills gap?
Fargo, North Dakota’s most populous city, faces the threat of flooding nearly every spring. It’s taken a lot of creativity and cooperation to agree on a solution.
Pedestrian deaths continue to climb, even as other traffic fatalities decline. Nearly half of the deaths occurred in just five states.
Three governors -- two Democrats and a Republican -- say the big tax hikes are needed to address their road and transportation problems.
Faulty septic systems are making pollution and health problems worse in much of the country. What we don’t know is how much worse.
A case over a Hawaii wastewater treatment plant could redefine the scope of the federal law that regulates pollution in lakes, rivers, streams and oceans.
While the transportation industry is pushing Congress to pass a new infrastructure plan, a Brown University economist warns that new construction might not get the bang-for-the-buck that proponents claim.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti both told members of Congress how they campaigned to raise their constituents’ taxes for infrastructure, and emerged victorious.
Officials increasingly want to move away from underground waste storage systems, which can leak chemicals that fuel toxic algal blooms.
Cities' efforts to get tough on crime can make it harder for low-income residents to find good jobs and housing.
Decades of local zoning regulations and land-use policies have kept racial segregation firmly rooted in place.
The black-white divide is still a major problem. Government policies are partially to blame.
Segregated schools aren’t just the products of segregated neighborhoods. In many cases, predominantly white schools are driving the racial divide.
America has seen little progress in reducing speeding deaths for decades.
Local transit agencies are being hit harder than state highway departments. But the shutdown is only part of the problem for transportation funding.
Federal regulations neither require schools to test their water nor have a single health standard for drinking water. The resulting patchwork of state policies can have a big impact on how -- and whether -- they respond to lead found in water.
Changing the way Americans open their car doors can help prevent cyclist injuries and fatalities.
Maryland’s Mike Miller has been in charge for more than 30 years.
Should jumping the turnstile be treated as a crime or a civil violation akin to missing a toll?
Seemingly overnight, e-scooter companies have set up shop in more than 100 cities.
Supporters of additional funding for transportation have plenty of reasons to smile after last week’s elections, but that doesn’t mean they can stop worrying.
A handful of Democratic wins in governors' races resulted in a Midwest that's more politically balanced than in recent years.
For the second time in two years, Washington state voters opted not to tax greenhouse gas pollution.
The Trump administration expects to release a new draft of the proposal to expand offshore drilling "by year's end." Meanwhile, Florida voters sent a message expressing their opposition.
Both Democrats and Republicans are talking about infrastructure investment on the campaign trail, but only one party tends to have more detailed and ambitious plans.
Voters in Colorado, Missouri and Utah rejected new money sources for roads, while Californians opted to keep a recent gas tax hike.
Their purchasing pledge is a small but symbolic step toward reducing greenhouse gases.
Advocates say the Federal Transit Administration is sitting on nearly $1.8 billion that’s supposed to help build light rail lines, streetcars and subway improvements. Delaying these projects, they argue, could increase costs for local transit agencies.
Voters in Connecticut approved a transportation "lockbox." But historically, they do little to address transportation funding problems.
The job of a firefighter has changed almost beyond recognition. That, combined with lagging pay and personnel problems, is making it difficult to recruit enough of them.
Wisconsin's longtime transportation secretary stepped down last year but is still feuding with lawmakers.
His vision for a network of tunnels in Los Angeles and Chicago shows that even the newest technology has its limits.
After years of fights between Washington state and the Yakama Nation, the debate is heading to the U.S. Supreme Court.
One official in Pennsylvania wants to make it easier for municipalities to disincorporate.
The state and county have failed to fix the unsanitary conditions for years, and at times threatened to arrest citizens over them. An outbreak of a once-eradicated disease has prompted the United Nations to get involved.
Gina Raimondo, a former venture capitalist with blue-collar ties who has made job creation her No. 1 priority, could face a tough reelection.
The 5-4 decision -- that employees can opt out of paying fees to unions that represent them -- could invalidate laws in more than 20 states and significantly weaken unions across the country.
Federal law makes it hard for states to capitalize on one of their biggest assets: their highway systems. But that hasn’t stopped state officials from trying.
On Tuesday, the state became the first to use ranked-choice voting, a system that could prevent “spoiler” candidates from causing havoc in crowded races.
New traffic signals in Detroit are designed to help pedestrians, cyclists and ambulances get through intersections, while helping traffic planners test safety improvements quickly.
Tuesday's primaries were a win for the California GOP and women, who advanced in four of the five states voting on candidates for governor.
Michigan regulators want to eliminate lead service lines by 2040. But water utilities say that would be too costly, unrealistic and maybe even unnecessary.
Comments about "labor peace" during the February hearing didn't attract a lot of attention at the time. But since then, labor protests have spread across the country.
Mississippi is about to find out. Decades of neglect have closed hundreds of bridges, putting the state at the forefront of America's infrastructure fight.
The Trump administration, though, doesn't appear willing to bring the state to the table when crafting new standards. That puts automakers in a tough spot.
Local leaders are trying to figure out how to respond to the growing number of SUV-related fatalities while more Americans are choosing bigger cars.
The city's new mayor has vowed to start working on a new transit proposal, just days after voters rejected a $5.4 billion plan by a 2-1 margin.
In their first year, dockless bike-share services helped double the number of shared bikes on the street. But those bikes are barely used, compared to station-based cycles.
Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza must determine who the cash-strapped state pays and who has to wait. A long-running feud with Gov. Bruce Rauner -- she calls him "a madman running this state into the ground" -- makes things decidedly more difficult.
Bar-hopping party bikes, which let a dozen or more people pedal through popular destinations, don’t fit neatly under traffic laws.
The justices pressed attorneys on Tuesday about the potential consequences of overturning the court’s 26-year-old ruling.
Under CEO Dara Khosrowshahi, the company wants to partner with cities and be more than just a rideshare.
More lower-income households have access to cars now than they did before the Great Recession. That’s good news for their access to jobs, but it may cause cities to rethink their assumptions about transportation.
Many advocates say the deadly bridge collapse in Florida and driverless car incident in Arizona show how poorly transportation networks handle pedestrians.
The transit agency has long been divided along regional lines. But it looks like local leaders may be able to put aside those differences to provide the troubled agency with long-term funding.
Paying an extra toll for rush hour driving isn’t a popular idea with many motorists. But its time seems to have come. Is it here to stay?
Neither Gov. Bruce Rauner nor his Democratic opponent, J.B. Pritzker, are keen on talking about a topic both wealthy men purportedly know a lot about: money. At least not as it relates to the state's perennial budget problems.
"There’s an important principle here that affects not just Gateway but every major project in the country," says the head of the project that advocates call one of the nation's most crucial.
Gov. Jay Inslee couldn’t get the votes in time to pass one of his top priorities: a tax on carbon dioxide pollution. It would have been the first tax of its kind in the country.
The high court revisited an issue that has divided its members several times. The viability of public-sector unions could hang in the balance.
Housing prices in California continue to soar, in part because many cities have discouraged dense development. That’s led to a big fight in Sacramento over whether the state should force cities to allow apartment and condo buildings near transit stations.
In moments of disaster, local and federal resources are rarely enough. But another answer is emerging.
Most dockless bike-share companies want to work closely with cities. In Florida, Ofo has bigger plans that involve the state.
The president’s long-awaited infrastructure plan pushes state and local governments to spend more but offers them a smoother path to getting federal regulatory approval.
An idea that flopped a decade ago -- to charge people who drive into the center of New York City -- now has powerful backers.
The roll-out of autonomous vehicles will be gradual, Gov. Rick Snyder said recently. But that doesn’t mean states should wait to address some of the technology’s potential downsides.
A new study, done in Los Angeles, suggests that higher car ownership is actually most to blame.
Mayors gathered in Washington last week worried that the White House’s plan would drain their resources. But they were hopeful that the new money could come directly to cities, instead of through the states.
Even though the project will cost $2.8 billion more than planned, Gov. Jerry Brown still thinks it's worth it: "It'll last for 100 years, after all you guys are gone."
Some say South Florida's Brightline can serve as a model for infrastructure development. But first, it has to be completed and prove it can make money.
At a time when many state transportation officials are clamoring for more financial help from Washington, an outline of the president’s infrastructure plan depends heavily on an influx of state and private funds.
Ralph Northam and Phil Murphy, both recently sworn in, are already making history.
The idea of charging drivers for the miles they drive instead of the gas they burn is not new. But states are still sorting out how it might work.
The Trump administration's sudden reversal on Tuesday sparked a backlash among the other state leaders who have voiced opposition to the plan to drastically expand oil and gas drilling off their coasts.
The milestones come at a time for New York and San Francisco when the number of traffic deaths nationwide has been on the rise.
Any new windfall for states is certain to set off a battle in legislatures about how to spend it.
A major bike share company is rolling out a new service that it says offers the best of both dock-based and dockless systems.
After several private companies tried -- and failed -- to deliver on-demand group transit, some cities are now building those services themselves.
The Illinois legislature was one of the first in the country to confront the fallout of the #metoo movement. Lawmakers there worry that going too fast could result in faulty policies.
Distilleries? Homeless shelters? Museums? There are lots of creative ideas for repurposing old lockups. But finding one that's good for the economy -- and wins approval -- isn't easy.
Congressional Republicans are pushing a major overhaul of the country’s tax code. Many of the ideas they’re debating could have a big impact on infrastructure.
With new technology, passengers get the convenience of using either their phones or a versatile fare card. But making things simpler for customers is no easy task.
The state is poised to receive hundreds of millions of dollars from BP, ExxonMobil, Shell and Sunoco.
Poised for settlement money from gas companies, New Jersey voters will decide next month whether it should be spent on the environment -- or balancing the state budget.
One of the most expensive infrastructure projects in American history is also one of the most vital. But no one knows how to pay for it.
The public approved changes to how future gas tax money can be spent. But it’s largely a symbolic measure unless lawmakers approve a hike in the state’s gas tax.
Women in state capitols are saying #MeToo.
A major highway expansion is now on hold because Wisconsin Republicans couldn’t agree on how to pay for it.
Local governments and private contractors can't find enough people and equipment to haul away debris.
At issue is how to decide when legislative voting maps are illegally partisan. At Tuesday's hearing, Chief Justice John Roberts expressed concerns about how the case could impact the "status" and "integrity" of the Supreme Court itself.
Governing: State and local government news and analysis
A new wave of companies could disrupt the way city bike-share programs are run.
While Texas and Florida recover from hurricanes, other communities are looking at what they can do to prepare for flooding and other disasters. We talked to an expert in disaster planning to get her advice.
After decades of avoiding the pollution they cause, New York's Suffolk County is finally taking on the issue.
The White House said this week that it also aims to cut red tape. Many state and local officials like the idea of less regulations but fear less funding.
Technology, declining ridership and changing demographics have spurred cities across the country to redesign bus systems that are more convenient. It's no easy task.
A judge’s last-minute demand for new ridership projections for a light rail line in the Washington suburbs could make investors think twice about working with the government.
The state's budget cuts target "colonias," makeshift subdivisions of mostly poor people outside city limits.
The National Transportation Safety Board wants governments to crack down on speeding, which claims as many traffic deaths as drunk driving. But the hard question is: How?
Garbage workers are killed on the job more often than police or firefighters.
Dangerous heat isn't new to Phoenix, but its efforts to keep people safe in triple-digit temperatures are.
The state's transportation chief calls a new $54 billion transportation package monumental. But the projects it funds will be more mundane than monumental.
As cities push to become more environmentally friendly, transportation planners are being asked to consider how both traffic and water flows through their streets.
Native Americans who live on the reservation in Utah are used to having to fight for basic government services. But they’d at least like roads that can reliably transfer patients to the ER and kids to school.
Other studies have found no significant effect in the number of crashes since the first three states legalized marijuana sales.
“Pedestrian scrambles” surged in popularity half a century ago. Some places are bringing them back.
The Vision Zero traffic-safety campaign depends on using data to identify dangerous conditions. Now that data is getting even better.
A refugee center in Twin Falls has endured many months of anti-immigrant hostility -- and emerged stronger as a result.
St. Louis International could become the largest airport in the country under private control.
Nearly half the states have increased fuel taxes in the past five years, suggesting it's perhaps not the political risk it was once thought to be.
A utility's novel attempt to force farmers to curb pollution in rivers failed. Now the utility is on the hook for millions of dollars to protect the region's drinking water.
Critics say suburban headquarters for companies like Apple and Google contribute to traffic and sprawl. The solution may lie in better connections to transit.
Many municipalities are forming public-private partnerships to bring high-speed Internet to long-neglected places. Their approaches, however, vary widely.
As the demands on fire departments have grown in recent years, modern firehouses have had to change with them.
Gov. Greg Abbott, an outspoken critic of federal overreach, recently suggested that his state should adopt a "ban across the board" on local regulations.
The president's budget proposal has many in the industry worried that he might break his promise to spend $1 trillion on infrastructure.
Non-white pedestrians die at significantly higher rates than their white counterparts. Recent studies suggest drivers' prejudices may be to blame.
The state wants to expand an already hated highway in an impoverished Denver neighborhood. The neighbors are fighting back.
The White House's push to build more infrastructure -- and quickly -- will likely bring changes to some of the country's most iconic environmental laws.
But it's not all bad news. The American Society of Civil Engineers reports that some types of infrastructure have improved.
Before the new laws, utilities let residents unknowingly drink toxic water for months.
Brooklyn, N.Y., has one of the most innovative courts in the country -- not just for its approach toward defendants but also for its success in reducing recidivism.
The story starts with a trip to Scandinavia.
Even though Denver and Austin came up just short in the federal technology competition, both are moving forward with their ideas.
Some states are seeking to fill funding holes and potholes with toll money. But it's an uphill battle.
As dozens of cities try to emulate Sweden's success, they're learning what works and what doesn't.
Outgoing Anthony Foxx says the industry needs to work more cooperatively to plan for the future.
Eric Garcetti has big plans for Los Angeles, and he's not letting the new administration get in the way.
As the new administration likely backs away from Obama's commitment to reduce greenhouse gases, mayors are stepping up their efforts.
It's one of the many ideas and practices that Craig Fugate, the agency's outgoing leader, hopes the Trump administration will adopt. Among the others: rescuing pets.
Two cities are testing a new, safer way to immobilize vehicles when their drivers haven’t paid parking tickets.
Los Angeles is spending billions to revamp its airport. The move is spurring other cities to make similar investments.
And it's getting one, in part thanks to the nation's largest public-private partnership.
As delays and safety issues continue on privatized transit systems, that arrangement is getting new scrutiny.
The ballot measure to make the state’s electric utility compete for business was backed by a group of heavy hitters in Nevada politics.
Voters rejected a controversial measure that pit environmentalists versus electric utilities.
The victors in down-ballot races could determine what approaches states take toward fixing up rundown roads and infrastructure in the years to come.
The ballot measure, which was meant to curb pollution, had even divided environmentalists.
Washington, D.C.’s Metro has many daunting problems, partially because of the unique way it’s funded and managed. Its new management team is tasked with fixing all of them.
Business leaders and Republican legislators want to make laws that limit the power of labor unions permanent. In one state, they just did.
An evenly divided court could decide the fate of many cases watched closely by state and local officials.
Judges are starting to strike down the laws, calling them racist. But their survival depends on the outcome of the November election.
The federal government told states to take a backseat. While some will likely listen, others may push their plans full speed ahead anyway.
Illinois and New Jersey are joining the growing number of states that restrict how transportation money can be spent.
The water crisis in Michigan highlighted major problems with not just federal regulations but the way localities enforce them. That's all likely to change soon.
The proposals could reshape several large U.S. cities for decades to come -- if they pass.
Advocates around the country are weighing in on ballot measures that would drastically change South Dakota's elections, weaken the state’s Republican Party and send a message all over.
Washington, D.C., will be the first U.S. city to let a European company test its technology that replaces delivery drivers.
Hillary Clinton's running mate is one of the few people in American history to serve as a mayor, governor and U.S. senator. (Oh yeah, he was also a city council member.)
New York is set to become the first state to require schools to regularly test their water for lead. But it's far from the only place with the problem.
At a time when the job of elections administration is becoming more complex and more scrutinized, a major university has started formal training.
Governors seem like obvious vice presidential candidates. But Indiana Gov. Mike Pence is only the second governor to run for VP since 1972.
The most important election news and political dynamics at the state and local levels.
The governor said it's time to confront racism. Groups like Black Lives Matter have been trying for years.
Smaller communities are increasingly adopting bike-sharing programs. But they look a lot different than those in big cities.
The most important election news and political dynamics at the state and local levels.
The Ohio capital beat out 77 other cities, including techie San Francisco, with its plans to use technology to solve transportation problems.
Sometimes the most efficient thing to do is to not do something.
Uber and Lyft have stopped or threatened to stop serving cities around the country. When they actually do, start-ups and riders scramble to fill the hole.
Missouri is driving the push to make state highway maps more accurate and easier to update.
Slow to build and expensive to operate, streetcars could be the most maligned mode of transportation in America. Still, cities keep building them.
States haven’t been the willing political partners President Obama once hoped they would be. He’s found some ways to work around that.
As the gas tax brings in less and less revenue, states are watching Oregon and California as they experiment with different ways to charge by mile.
The city is spending hundreds of millions of dollars to help keep certain neighborhoods affordable. But it might be making things worse.
Ride-hailing companies argue it's not, which is why they refuse to do it and are backing out of cities that try to make them. But security experts and public officials think otherwise.
He’s not the governor. He’s not a lawmaker. But thanks to the way he runs his state’s pension plans, David Bronner may be the most powerful man in Alabama.
The most important election news and political dynamics at the state and local levels.
Seattle’s struggle to attract riders reveals what makes a bike-share program thrive -- or in the Emerald City’s case, barely survive.
How people in Austin, Texas, vote next month on background checks for ride-hailing drivers could have big consequences for cities across the country.
New Mexico is holding on to more than $4 million in tax refunds from thousands of undocumented immigrants. They're suing the state to get their money back.
In an effort to help people become less car-dependent, cities like Denver are getting directly involved in the creation of transportation apps.
In Minnesota, women will be paid to persuade resistant farmers to care and do something about the state's increasingly polluted waterways.
A panel appointed by Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder acknowledges missteps at all levels of government, but says the state's governor, agencies and emergency managers are chiefly to blame.
The state’s secretary of transportation, Stephanie Pollack, is a liberal in a conservative administration and an advocate in an administrative post. But she’s making it work.
The city may build an aerial gondola to shuttle people into and out of its oldest neighborhood.
Public transit rarely competes for riders with the likes of Uber, Car2Go or bike sharing. Instead, the different transit modes help each other.
The most important election news and political dynamics at the state and local levels.
Here’s what some places are already doing to accommodate self-driving and connected vehicles.
One of the nation’s most prominent libertarian legal activists is the newest member of the Arizona Supreme Court.
In order for driverless cars to conquer the road, someone has to write the rules for their use. Right now, it’s not clear who that someone will be.
Rhode Island is likely the first U.S. state to toll truckers and use the money to fix its bridges, which are in the worst shape of any state.
The deal between the governor and lawmakers makes the state's driver's licenses compliant with federal law and more secure but also lets unauthorized immigrants drive legally.
The city has created a path for other municipalities to make it easier than ever for agencies to share information with the public and each other.
There are more than 7 million lead service lines nationwide, and replacing them isn't easy or cheap. But Flint on Tuesday pledged to join the few cities that have gotten rid of the dangerous infrastructure.
Anthony Foxx wants to tear down infrastructure that isolates communities and overhaul the way federal transportation funding is distributed to states and cities.
Republican governors have fought the president’s vision for America since he first took office. But he continues to push even their most-resisted policies.
The technology could help agencies make bus and train routes more efficient and spur more public debate.
States that tie their taxes to the price of gas are in a tight spot as fuel prices hit six-year lows.
Colwyn, Pa., is a perfect example of what happens when virtually every aspect of local government breaks down.
Just like in Washington last year, Pennsylvania state lawmakers are still struggling to produce a state budget and avoid a partial government shutdown.
After voters eased penalties for several common crimes, opponents claim the reforms have led to a crime wave.
Here's how the new bill, which has been signed by Obama, will impact states and localities.
Hoping to keep pollution out of the water, agencies are looking for ways to convince -- sometimes compel -- property owners to inspect and repair them.
Alternative weekly newspapers are going out of business all over the country, leaving a huge void in local government coverage. Who will scrutinize city halls now?
Advocates and states disagree over the effectiveness of ignition interlocks, which are basically car breathalyzers, versus 24/7 sobriety. Congress, though, will soon weigh in.
After the terrorist attacks in Paris, more than half of the nation's governors -- almost all Republicans -- refused to accept Syrian refugees. Whether they have the authority to do so is questionable.
Voters approved a way to increase transportation funding without raising taxes or tolls. But some say it's a bad approach.
Businessman Bruce Rauner, the first Illinois governor with no prior political experience, promised to "shake up Springfield." Now he and lawmakers are locked in the state's longest budget showdown -- with no end in sight.
To avoid a traffic nightmare for millions of Americans, Congress is giving railroads more time to install a safety system to prevent deadly crashes.
Voters agreed to invest taxpayer money into infrastructure but rejected a measure to divert money from the state's rainy day fund toward transportation.
A leader in urban innovation in both the public and private sectors, Gabe Klein offers lessons for local leaders around the country.
With the support of both Democrats and Republicans, voters ended some of the tactics that political parties use to increase their advantage in redistricting. It could be a big deal.
The state's notoriously overcrowded prisons are finally seeing some relief. But it wasn't the state that catalyzed the change -- it was the voters.
The candidates promise to improve the roads and traffic -- but they haven't said how they'll find money to do it.
The ‘complete streets’ movement is reshaping urban boulevards, small-town main streets and even rural highways. But there are still plenty of bumps in the road.
Before constructing new infrastructure, government agencies are starting to evaluate projects' potential economic, environmental and social impacts first to prevent problems down the road.
Washington, D.C., is turning to taxi cabs to help improve disabled people's access to transportation. But advocates worry the move may prove pointless because it exempts the ride-hailing industry.
Most cities contract out for jobs driving people with disabilities. The people in these positions often earn low wages, work long hours and sometimes even qualify for food stamps and Medicaid.
Some states are looking to prevent more derailments and spills, but the freight industry doesn't want more regulation.
The challenges that the nation's capital faces to provide accessible and affordable transportation for people with disabilities reflect a nationwide struggle to live up to the ADA's promise.
While other cities have struggled to finance their existing transit, Sun Belt cities like Phoenix have embraced light rail as a way to transform urban life.
Historic snowstorms brought the city's buses and trains to a standstill for weeks. Is new leadership enough to get the agency back on track?
Even in a state that helped defeat the Confederacy, legacies of the Civil War era are raising tough questions in the state capitol today.
Highway agencies are increasingly using humor and wit to try to get people to drive safer.
A federal law enacted in the late days of the Bush administration is starting to force states to take a closer look at local Amtrak routes that they subsidize.
After a few high-profile setbacks, the state that's been a model for others interested in public-private partnerships is tempering its enthusiasm for them.
One Maryland county is testing a unique public-private partnership that would not only save money but also help the environment and local economy.
The White House finalized a rule last week to strengthen the Clean Water Act. But it doesn't resolve the fights going on between urban and rural interests in Iowa and elsewhere over how to clean up.
According to a Governing analysis, two-thirds of states' fuel taxes have failed to keep up with inflation, forcing lawmakers to revisit the politically fraught issue of raising taxes.
A new survey tries to quantify for the first time how much it costs state transportation agencies to cope with snow and ice.
"Judges are not politicians," wrote Chief Justice John Roberts in a 5-4 ruling.
Transportation advocates all agree on the need to boost the country's spending on roads, bridges and transit. But they, like Congress, are split on how to pay for it.
Cities are supposed to implement positive train control by the end of this year, but many are lagging. Los Angeles, however, got a head start years ago.
Transit agencies and companies have tried raising toll prices at peak times, but even that's not keeping drivers away, so they're looking for new ways to reduce congestion.
For most Americans, especially the poor and minorities, the number of jobs near home is declining.
The 15-year effort required help, money and patience from two countries, one state and a railroad operator.
In a bid to give more jobs to residents of Akron, Ohio, Mayor Don Plusquellic wants to create a private entity to help the city build $1.4 billion in sewer improvements.
Rhode Island’s first female governor won support for her leadership during historic snowstorms, but it’s unclear whether courts or lawmakers will side with her on major pension and budget issues.
The U.S. Supreme Court sided with a freight railroad in its efforts to avoid paying sales tax on diesel fuel, but the legal challenge isn't over yet.
Mayors say the U.S. Department of Transportation pilot program would help boost their local economies.
The use of the once-popular traffic devices has been in decline since 2013.
North Carolina is trying to recruit girls for careers in engineering not only to fill anticipated vacancies but also because hiring more women could make the roads safer.
Illinois' new Republican governor wants the U.S. Supreme Court to reconsider the constitutionality of public-sector unions' funding sources.
Fueled by low gas prices and deteriorating roads, at least a dozen states -- Democrat and Republican -- are considering increasing gas taxes this year.
The president's budget would be a boon in a host of areas but also includes cuts to popular programs.
Poverty in suburbs now outnumbers poverty in cities, a shift that’s put a major strain on public services and is easily visible in Austin, Texas.
After several years, Gov. Rick Snyder has finally convinced lawmakers to spend more money on roads. There's one hitch: The state's voters have to approve the deal in May.
With pedestrian and cyclist deaths on the rise, Anthony Foxx challenged mayors to make the roads safer for both.
Officials discussed the upcoming challenges earlier this week.
Governors are busy preparing their agendas for state legislatures, but they have a to-do list for Congress too.
A proposal to build a park over the Anacostia River would add a new landmark to the nation's capital and maybe help unite a long-divided city.
Water bills have increased faster than any other and show no signs of slowing down, hitting low-income Americans the hardest.
Transit advocates say the commuter parking benefit increases congestion and disproportionately benefits wealthy workers. But getting rid of it won't be easy.
That’s what the U.S. Supreme Court will decide in a case that could make judicial elections even more like other political races.
Several victorious governors promised to find more money for transportation, while the Republican takeover of the U.S. Senate may slow progress on a federal surface transportation bill.
Constitutional protections for transportation money passed with overwhelming margins in Maryland and Wisconsin, but a bid to create an infrastructure bank in Louisiana failed again.
The state that once pioneered get-tough approaches on crime with its “three strikes” law is now headed in the opposite direction.
One of the biggest criticisms of the gas tax in most places is that it doesn’t keep up with inflation. Massachusetts voters decided they like it that way.
Environmental groups spent nearly twice as much money as their opponents to set aside some oil revenue for protecting the land, but the ballot measure lost by a landslide.
Voters approved a constitutional amendment to increase transportation spending.
An analysis by the Governors Highway Safety Association that called attention to an increase in cyclist deaths caused an uproar among bike advocates.
Most of the fatalities in the past three years happened in a handful of states and were adult men, according to a new report from the Governors Highway Safety Association.
Voters in Louisiana, Maryland and Wisconsin will all weigh in on proposals that, supporters say, will make existing transportation resources go further.
A growing share of statehouse reporting in state capitols across the country comes from conservative groups, blurring the lines between journalism and advocacy.
The Occupy movement may be over, but some of its activists are still gaining influence in local government.
Conservation groups want to use oil taxes to protect the state's environment, but schools, businesses and the oil industry have different priorities. Voters will decide in November.
The state's economy is attracting 1,500 new residents a day, but growth is costing billions of extra dollars in road and traffic maintenance every year.
Law enforcement says Proposition 47 is the wrong way to lower the state's prison populations.
After two decades of leaving its gas tax untouched, Massachusetts tied the rate to inflation. In November, voters could join the list of states that repealed the automatic increase.
Factoring in the lifetime cost of new construction is considered good practice in the transportation industry, but surprisingly few government agencies do it.
According to a new report, states' spending on transportation has dropped far more than the federal government's in the last decade.
Millions of dollars of tax revenue are at stake in a long-running dispute between Alabama and CSX. The decision could affect state tax systems nationwide.
Keith Parker took over one of the most beleaguered and least loved transit systems in America -- and almost instantly reversed its course.
Public-private partnerships are still relatively new for most U.S. states, but analysts anticipate they will become more common.
Lacking substantial state or federal support, local governments throughout the country are using natural disasters as a way to get their infrastructure, personnel and budgets better prepared for the next.
As severe weather becomes more common, microgrids are gaining popularity as a way to keep the power on at critical facilities during widespread blackouts.
In a state with an economy and government reliant on diminishing oil revenue, voters will decide whether to repeal a law that's designed to spur oil development but help the at-times corrupt oil industry.
The Arizona city is likely the only in the country to pay for wildfire prevention with bond money and is being looked to as a national model for leveraging federal funds.
Missourians will decide Tuesday whether to raise the state's sales tax to boost transportation funding.
The Obama administration is taking action to help state and local governments prepare for climate change and natural disasters.
After court rulings muddied up the law, new federal rules seek to clarify which bodies of water have to abide by the Clean Water Act.
While newspapers continue to cut their coverage of state capitols, a new study shows students and nonprofits are picking up some of the slack.
Garbage trucks get as little as 3 miles per gallon, making them prime targets in cities’ efforts to trim costs and curb greenhouse gas pollution.
Cities across the nation have teamed up with professional and minor league soccer teams to host public viewing parties to cheer on the United States.
That’s what a growing number of cities are asking themselves -- Syracuse being the latest that may tear down its elevated urban expressway.
With elections looming, state lawmakers mostly left transportation funding alone.
Regional planners showcased a neighborhood with easy access to transportation, health services and entertainment. But it only lasted two days.
A new report claims there's an historic shift in suburbs from being car-dependent to walkable places, blurring the lines between "urban" and "suburban."
Two years ago, Congress cut local leaders' role in deciding how federal money should be spent.
All but nine states have decreased the number of "structurally deficient" bridges since the fatal Minneapolis bridge collapse in 2007. But experts warn that if Congress doesn't find the money to continue or increase current funding levels, the number of troubled bridges could start climbing again.
A new survey highlights the different approaches states take to manage long-term construction budgets.
Flexibility, public engagement and predictability help attract outside money for infrastructure, experts say.
After the Silicon Valley city that Facebook calls home slashed its police services, Facebook put funding down for a new police officer.
Cooler weather contributed to the rare dip, but safety experts say universal helmet laws are the best way to save lives in the long run.
As states and localities burn through federal fire-fighting funds faster than predicted, they worry the federal government will once again cut fire prevention programs to make up the difference.
Transit agencies and public universities have a lot at stake while corporate heavyweights clash over state and congressional efforts to rein in “patent trolls.”
With the "Grow America Act," the Obama administration wants to spur Congress to find money for roads, rail and transit before the federal government runs out of transportation money this summer.
Both environmental and budget concerns are prompting American municipal transportation agencies to turn away from diesel.
After a dramatic increase in earthquakes that puts it behind only three other states in seismic activity, the Sooner State is worried about its bridges.
Concerned that Congress won't find enough money for planned projects by summer, Arkansas and Tennessee have scaled back transportation work. Other states are pondering similar moves.
This year, lawmakers in 22 states have filed more than 100 bills dealing with traffic cameras.