Regional Solutions for a Regional Issue
Hawaii’s Department of Transportation (HDOT) progressive plan for a more resilient highway system has a lot to offer those considering an approach to climatic adaptation and mitigating natural hazard disasters. Considering the MAASTO region’s frequent work to mitigate natural hazard disasters, taking a look at Hawaii’s approach provides insights to asset and hazard identification, and […]
The current 1960s era bridge is an example of critical infrastructure that connects a majority of the U.S. (Source: https://www.modot.org/RocheportBridge.) With nearly 3.6 million trucks crossing the Missouri River at Rocheport each year, the bridge is critical to the national economy and nationwide movement of goods. MoDOT expects to begin construction on a new I-70 […]
“Midwest states continue to work together to ensure residents, businesses and agencies are positioned to take advantage of connected and automated vehicle technology. Wisconsin Department of Transportation Secretary-designee Craig Thompson, Illinois Department of Transportation Secretary Omer Osman and Minnesota Department of Transportation Commissioner Margaret Anderson Kelliher discuss the future of transportation…” Multistate collaboration will be […]
AASHTO provided comments on freight reauthorization to the U.S. DOT this past February. The AASHTO freight policy perspective reflects a continued interest to better define the multimodal freight system, provide funding and program flexibility, allow for technological advances, build on freight performance measures, improve project delivery and re-establish a freight-specific, cooperative research program. The AASHTO […]
A 43-page report issued by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) on October 17 examines whether a federal vehicle miles traveled or VMT tax on commercial trucks can help sustain the Highway Trust Fund, which the CBO projects will be “exhausted” of funding by 2022. Read the AASHTO article at this link. Access the 43-page report on the Congressional […]
The Mississippi River is a critical corridor for transportation of agricultural products and, in turn, is critical to the economies of the states that utilize the river to transport these trade goods. The report assesses the total impact of lock and dam closures along the Upper Mississippi River and then demonstrates how the cost the closures, or improvements designed to mitigate their impact on the highway side, compare with the cost of improving Upper Mississippi River control structures.
MAFC researchers recently completed a short whitepaper entitled Benefits and Limitations of J-Turn Intersections. This report provides a review of the safety and operational dimensions, including benefits and limitations, of J-turn intersection designs. Special accommodations and limitations of J-turn intersections for trucks, buses, and oversize/overweight (OSOW) vehicles. Read the whitepaper.
MAFC researchers recently completed a synthesis report of trucking parking management systems (TPMS) in the Midwest. This report provides a review of the research on truck parking as well as pilot projects developed and implemented to assess truck parking systems. Read the report.
The Mid-America Freight Coalition recently submitted a set of recommendations to the FHWA regarding the proposed designation of the Primary Freight Network (PFN). View the MAFC PFN comments.
The US DOT has released the draft Primary Freight Network. This week’s Talking Freight is also devoted to An Overview of the Draft Highway Primary Freight Network. Update: The presentations and a FAQ from this webinar are now available for download (PDF).