Transportation

A Strong Rebound For Shared Bikes and Scooters

New figures show the use of “microbility” services returned to near-record high levels last year after a pandemic dip. City policies to manage the devices are also evolving to cut down on problems like cluttered sidewalks.

  • By Daniel C. Vock

D.C. Would be Biggest City Yet to Make Bus Rides Free

The Washington, D.C. Council is set to vote on a plan next week that would drop the $2 fare for riders on the local bus system. It mirrors programs smaller U.S. cities have adopted in recent years.

  • By Daniel C. Vock

Biden’s Pick to Oversee Highways Moves Toward Confirmation

Shailen Bhatt previously led state transportation departments in Colorado and Delaware. He’d take the helm of an agency that has drawn flak from Republicans over infrastructure law guidance.

  • By Daniel C. Vock

Rethinking How to Solve Transit Problems

New research looks at a city with a legacy of racial and income segregation to explore ways transportation agencies can work with the public to provide better and more equitable service.

  • By Daniel C. Vock

Gulf Coast Passenger Rail to Restart as 17-Year Dispute is Resolved

Amtrak and freight railroads said they struck a deal to revive the route. It’s a bright spot for passenger rail advocates who hope to see service expand as new federal infrastructure funding flows.

  • By Daniel C. Vock

Backlash Over New ‘Buy America’ Rules for Infrastructure Projects

State and local transportation agencies are concerned the feds are moving too fast in imposing tighter requirements, complicating a wave of new construction.

  • By Daniel C. Vock

Are We Building Cyber Vulnerability into EV Charging Infrastructure?

Amid a nationwide push to electrify transportation, observers said that cybersecurity doesn’t get appropriate attention.

  • By Chris Teale

States Test an Electrifying Idea: Roads That Can Recharge Your EV

Some states will embed electromagnetic coils in roads to recharge electric vehicles while they’re moving.

  • By Jenni Bergal, Stateline

The Infrastructure Law, One Year In

Local officials are still expressing appreciation for all the extra federal funding. But some, along with Republican lawmakers, are seeking tweaks on permitting and in other areas to make accessing and spending the money easier.

  • By Kery Murakami

4 Considerations for Building Out Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

COMMENTARY | Policymakers and businesses will need to make important choices about chargers as more EVs hit the road. Here are some key things to keep in mind.

  • By Daniel Ciarcia

In a Rural Corner of the West, a Local Level Push to Revive Passenger Rail

Cuts in the late 1970s ended Amtrak service across southern Montana. Now, a county-led coalition wants to bring it back.

  • By Daniel C. Vock

How California’s Initiative to Fund Electric Vehicles Went Terribly Wrong

Prop. 30 had widespread support. Then Governor Newsom and billionaires got involved.

  • By Blanca Begert, Grist
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It’s Been a Good Election Year for Transportation Funding

Nationwide, voters approved most of the proposals on the ballot to fund roads and transit, unlocking billions in new revenue for projects.

  • By Daniel C. Vock

High Stakes for Transportation in Governors Races

Incoming governors will have big decisions to make about roads and transit and how projects are paid for.

  • By Daniel C. Vock

Fewer Car-Deer Crashes with Permanent Daylight Savings

COMMENTARY | Adopting permanent daylight saving time in the United States would reduce deer-vehicle collisions, report researchers.

  • By James Urton, Futurity

Michigan Test Drives Country’s First Mobility Officer

Trevor Pawl hopes transformations in the automotive industry will also help state government replace “Depression Era departmental structures” with more nimble organizations.

  • By Daniel C. Vock

Should Homeowners or Cities Maintain Sidewalks?

Denver voters are set to weigh in on the question in next week’s election, while also deciding on a tax that could help pay for sidewalk upgrades.

  • By Daniel C. Vock

Beyond Passenger Cars and Pickups: 5 Questions Answered About Electrifying Trucks

As California goes on regulating air pollution, other states often follow – including the Golden State’s ambitious goals for cleaning up emissions from trucking.

  • By Miguel Jaller, Lewis Fulton, Marshall Miller and Daniel Sperling, The Conversation

The Economic Hotspots Outside of Downtowns

Development in and around cities is different than it was a generation ago. New research looks at the emergence of “activity centers,” asset-rich hubs peppered throughout metro areas.

  • By Daniel C. Vock

Feds Call for State-Local Cooperation on Pedestrian and Cyclist Safety

The Biden administration is urging state DOTs to turn to local governments as they plan for projects to make streets safer for people outside of vehicles.

  • By Daniel C. Vock

Why Many Fire Departments Aren’t Ready for Electric Vehicles

When EV batteries go up in flames, they present different challenges than car fires involving gasoline. Route Fifty spoke with an expert about the new risks and how firefighters can prepare.

  • By Daniel C. Vock