Transportation

Biden to invest $8B toward vision for nationwide expansion of passenger rail

The long-awaited grants for construction and planning show that the administration is unfazed by attacks in Washington over the popularity of passenger rail, with nearly every state receiving money.

  • By Daniel C. Vock

California wins big as Biden administration doubles down on high-speed rail

The Golden State will benefit from $6 billion in new grants to provide connections in the Central Valley and between the Los Angeles suburbs and Las Vegas. An East Coast route is getting big money too.

  • By Daniel C. Vock

$1.5 billion now available in federal transportation grants

A variety of road, transit, rail and trail projects are eligible for funding under the Transportation Department’s popular RAISE program.

  • By Elizabeth Daigneau

Despite falling gas prices, some politicians push ahead with tax breaks

Governors often suspend gas taxes for an easy political win with voters. But fuel taxes already face an uncertain future.

  • By Daniel C. Vock

White House finalizes rule requiring states to target vehicle pollution

The controversial requirement will almost certainly meet resistance from Republicans both in states and Congress, who question the legal basis for the new rules.

  • By Daniel C. Vock

Ahead of busy Thanksgiving travel, improvements to air transportation touted

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg highlighted a low airline cancellation rate, airport upgrades and the hiring of more air traffic controllers. He also cautioned that funding squabbles in Congress could hurt progress.

  • By Daniel C. Vock

The best and worst states for green, equitable transportation

A new ranking looks at how well states are directing money from the infrastructure law to improve equity and climate outcomes in their transportation networks.

  • By Daniel C. Vock

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

Advocates are tired of “tone deaf” messaging that puts the onus for safety on walkers and not on vehicles.

  • By Daniel C. Vock

A dispute over Amtrak funding derailed a vote on THUD

The House GOP’s Transportation and Housing and Urban Development funding bill would cut $8 billion from the departments. But that’s not what scuttled the vote.

  • By Kery Murakami

Passenger rail gets ‘unprecedented’ $16B investment

The grants to replace aging infrastructure along the Northeast Corridor come as Republicans in Congress look to cut back funding for Amtrak.

  • By Daniel C. Vock

LA explores new options as copper thieves target streetlight wiring

Transportation departments are scrambling to cope with a spike in copper wire thefts that leave their roads darker and more dangerous.

  • By Daniel C. Vock

GOP states embrace Uber, Lyft to take low-income patients to medical appointments

The companies have lobbied states to use Medicaid funding to pay for the trips.

  • By Anna Claire Vollers, Stateline
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Looming ‘fiscal cliff’ shows deeper problems with transit funding, researchers say

A new report from the Urban Institute finds that too many transit agencies rely on a single source of funding, and those revenue streams are often volatile.

  • By Daniel C. Vock

The Biden administration looks to spur office-to-housing conversions

The White House launched a multi-agency effort to encourage states and cities to convert more empty office buildings into housing units. It is putting billions of federal dollars behind the announcement.

  • By Molly Bolan

As e-bikes grow in popularity, so do calls for safety certification

Last month, New York City became the first in the nation to require e-bikes to be tested and certified for safety.

  • By Tik Root, Grist

California suspends Cruise robotaxis, and questions mount

The state Department of Motor Vehicles halted operation of the self-driving cars in San Francisco because of concerns over how the company handled a crash with a pedestrian.

  • By Daniel C. Vock

Legacy programs stymie Biden's efforts to boost equity in infrastructure spending

Communities of color benefit when federal agencies pick transportation projects, but most infrastructure money is doled out using old rules that favor whiter areas, according to a new report from the Urban Institute.

  • By Daniel C. Vock

States pitch mileage tax to bridge gap in federal highway funding

The main source of federal funding for highways and transit could run out of money by 2028, unless Congress finds a way to fix long-standing problems with the gas tax.

  • By Daniel C. Vock

Big federal dollars for small state projects aim to get more cars off the roads

Cycling trails, electric street sweepers and EV charging stations are among the ideas.

  • By Erika Bolstad, Stateline

What transportation officials need to consider when using AI

Artificial intelligence tools are proliferating in transportation. Two tech experts offer advice on how to approach the emerging technology.

  • By Daniel C. Vock

For Boston riders, transit woes continue to pile up

Service and safety have suffered for years on the MBTA, and a change in leadership hasn’t been enough to reverse that yet.

  • By Daniel C. Vock