Transportation
Fiscal and ridership changes are impacting transportation policies at the state and local levels. These articles focus on innovative and successful transit planning, funding and upkeep for intercity and commuter rail, electric vehicles, mass transit and more.
The Oregon legislature passed a funding bill during a special session to prevent layoffs at the Department of Transportation. Lawmakers on both sides say it’s a short-term fix.
A forthcoming state law will create the single largest new pool of workers with collective bargaining rights in decades.
SEPTA is cutting service and hiking fares amid a budget stalemate in the Pennsylvania legislature. The fight is highlighting regional fault lines.
A wave of downtown streetcars took to the streets in recent years to spur economic development. Many are struggling to prove their usefulness.
Denver’s new sidewalk program shifts the responsibility from property owners to the city. It’s a far-reaching plan to improve thousands of miles of infrastructure.
They raise issues of fairness, and critics claim they’re only about revenue. More speed and red-light cameras, however, would prevent a lot of deaths and injuries.
Congress voted this month to claw back funding from some awards made during the Biden administration, particularly those focused on equity. The rescissions will leave dozens of transportation projects partly planned and without promised funds.
The state is the nation’s electric-vehicle leader. It could step in to keep America’s industry — and the jobs it supports — competitive.
The bill would devote most new funds to highways but transit would also get a boost. The major revenue raiser is a 15-cent increase to the gas tax.
Local transit agencies are facing a budget gap of nearly $800 million. The Illinois Senate has passed a bill to provide nearly double that amount and overhaul the systems but the House has not yet acted.
Chicago-area transit agencies face a $771 million budget gap. Absent state action, they’re warning about a 40 percent reduction in service and 3,000 layoffs.
The plan is to provide more public transportation to move people out of private vehicles to reduce carbon emissions. Critics call the approach heavily restrictive.
The Oregon state legislature is hoping to raise billions for transportation projects from new sources as gas tax revenue dwindles. Democrats are pushing for a focus on maintenance.
The transit agency, which serves 350,000 riders daily, reached an agreement with union leaders. The contract still needs formal approval.
By protecting union labor, it prevents transit agencies from making their workforces more efficient. Privatizing and automating operations would save a lot of money and allow for better service.
Washington State joins Virginia, D.C. and Georgia in requiring the installation of speed-limiting devices on cars belonging to drivers convicted of excessive speeding.
New York City’s congestion pricing program was feared dead last year, and is still subject to threats from the Trump administration. But it’s delivering results, with less traffic and more revenue for the transit system.
Ridership hasn't recovered to pre-pandemic levels, labor and fleet costs are rising and state lawmakers are skeptical about further bailouts.
Engineers want salaries to mirror those in New York. The transit agency warns of potential federal funding cuts.
All states are in compliance with federal REAL ID regulations as the implementation date looms this week, 20 years after Congress passed the mandate. But uptake among residents varies.
Voters approve most transit funding requests put before them, but after passage the measures have drawn legal opposition in places like Austin, Nashville and Phoenix.
Experts argue about whether it’s mostly poor road design or dangerous drivers. But there’s no question that it’s gotten a lot riskier to travel on foot.
A new Virginia law will allow judges to require intelligent speed assistance devices for people with repeat reckless driving offenses. Advocates are pushing for similar policies in other states.
Colorado’s Bustang service provides links between big cities and small rural communities. Approaching its 10th birthday, it has expanded service frequencies and grown its ridership.
A new data dashboard from the Urban Institute fleshes out how the funding is being allocated by category and across states, counties and congressional districts.
Building new highways doesn’t ultimately ease congestion. By changing behavior, reducing capacity is a better solution.
The City Council wants to shift funds toward projects that have been stalled for years or even decades. Sacramento has seen 300 traffic deaths over the past eight years.
The state faces a severe shortfall, but a proposed package would raise or shift $1 billion in taxes to secure funding for various projects.
The state is using roadside tests to check whether drivers have used drugs, similar to tests for alcohol. A pilot program found that 87 percent of tested drivers had used cannabis or illegal drugs.
States are looking for alternate ways to fund transportation infrastructure as gas tax revenues dwindle. Despite years of study, only a few have adopted road user charges.
Pedestrian deaths dipped slightly in the first half of 2024. California’s 13 percent reduction in deaths accounted for most of the net decline around the country.
