Tennessee Study Charts Six Year Drop in Roadway Litter

A study funded by the Tennessee Department of Transportation and Keep Tennessee Beautiful found that, over the last six years, there’s been a 12 percent drop in litter on state roadways.

[Above photo by Tennessee DOT]

The 2022 Tennessee Statewide Litter Study – conducted by engineering firm Burns & McDonnell as a “follow-up “ to similar litter studies in 2016 and 2006 – helps identify how litter has changed over time, the relationship between litter volume and roadside characteristics, and assess the impact of nearby infrastructure and socioeconomic factors.

The study’s methodology included the random selection of 120 roadway locations split equitably among the following four roadway classifications in both urban and rural areas of Tennessee: Interstate, U.S. highway, state highway, and local roads.

The “sampling plan” used by Burns & McDonnell for this study included the investigation of designated litter “hot spots” in the cities of Memphis, Nashville, Knoxville, and Chattanooga, as well as “at-risk” and “distressed locations” along other roadways statewide.

“The 2022 study is one of several research products that helps [us] evaluate progress on litter abatement and make the most effective use of future litter prevention and cleanup resources,” explained Denise Baker, Tennessee DOT transportation supervisor, in a statement.

“Overall, while encouraging that there has been a 12 percent reduction of litter on Tennessee roadways, there are still more than 88 million pieces of litter on public roads at any given time,” Baker said.

Some of the key findings from Tennessee’s 2022 litter study include:

  • There are roughly 88.5 million pieces of litter on Tennessee roadsides at any given time, down from 100 million in 2016.
  • U.S. highways had the lowest amount of litter-per-mile, at 7,386 items of litter per mile.
  • Local roads – which account for the most road miles (82,538 miles) in Tennessee – in aggregate had the highest percentage (80 percent) of total litter items by roadway type.
  • Most of the litter on Tennessee roadways is smaller than four inches. An estimated 679.7 million pieces, or 88 percent, items of litter were four inches or smaller in size. However, there is still a significant quantity (88.5 million pieces or 12 percent) of larger, and often more visible, litter on Tennessee roadways.
  • Plastic and paper items compose most litter items, while the number of cigarette butts observed per site decreased for interstate and U.S. highway roadway classifications in 2022 versus the 2016 study.
  • Motorists were determined to be the leading sources of litter on Tennessee roadways.

Other state departments of transportation have also conducted or participated in similar roadway litter studies.

For example, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is playing a key role in executing the state’s first ever ‘Litter Action Plan’ unveiled in November 2021; developed after a comprehensive study of roadway litter issues across Pennsylvania.

Subsequently, a group of employees from PennDOT and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) received a Governor’s Awards for Excellence in recognition of their efforts to develop that Litter Action Plan.

PennDOT said it spends roughly $14 million each year on litter cleanup statewide, while DEP has funded “Pick Up Pennsylvania” community litter cleanups and illegal dump site cleanups for over two decades – supporting volunteers in removing many tons of trash from the land and waters.

The persistence of littering is what prompted PennDOT and DEP to collaborate with Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful to conduct the first comprehensive state study to inform development of the Litter Action Plan, with a focus on changing littering behavior.

University Unveils Distracted Pedestrian Prevention App

Researchers at the University of Alabama Birmingham recently unveiled a new smartphone-based application called “StreetBit” that uses Bluetooth beacon technology to prevent pedestrians from becoming distracted while navigating road crossings.

[Above photo by the UAB]

The school said the StreetBit app sends auditory and visual warnings to a distracted pedestrian’s smartphone as they approach a street corner where Bluetooth beacons are installed.

A new study co-written by five UAB researchers shows that the application is not only helpful, but also cost-effective by providing a template of how existing data sources can be leveraged to do cost-benefit analyses for any interventions designed to enhance pedestrian safety.

“We hope the template developed in this study can facilitate large-scale implementation of any intervention designed to prevent pedestrian fatalities and injuries by providing policymakers with information on the net benefits of the intervention,” said Jillur Rahim, first author of the study and statistician II in the UAB School of Public Health, in a statement.

“The findings can lead to significant cost savings for the states and, most importantly, save pedestrian lives by facilitating large-scale adoption of such programs,” Rahim added.

UAB said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has noted that more than 7,000 pedestrians were killed in the United States because of crashes involving motor vehicles in 2020, and that part of this issue can be attributed to excessive smartphone-related distractions.

For its study, UAB researchers analyzed pedestrian injury and death rates, expected costs per injury, and prevalence of distracted walking and estimated that StreetBit, or similar interventions, can potentially save between $18 million and $29 million annually in Alabama alone.

Even under the most conservative scenario, StreetBit could yield an estimated net annual benefit of $11.8 million for the state, the researchers said.

The UAB claimed its analysis – entitled ‘Cost–benefit analysis of a distracted pedestrian intervention’ and published in Injury Prevention – is the first U.S.-based study to demonstrate how existing data can be leveraged to predict the net monetary benefits of distracted pedestrian intervention programs.

Environmental News Highlights – May 17, 2023

FEDERAL ACTION

America’s aging flood control infrastructure is failing – federal funding is coming, but too often new construction relies on old data – The Conversation

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

EPA Developing $4B Clean Port Infrastructure Grant Programs – AASHTO Journal

Congestion Pricing in Manhattan Clears Federal Hurdle – Route Fifty

Norfolk Southern to set up home value reimbursement fund after Ohio derailment – Reuters


Winter Has No Chance Against WYDOT’s Newest Rig That Chews Through 5,000 Tons Of Snow An Hour – Cowboy State Daily


Here’s how the Port of Savannah is preparing to withstand the upcoming hurricane season – WJCL-TV

How a new digital tool could help cities meet key sustainability and mobility goals – World Economic Forum

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

Providing a 5-Minute Pickup Priority for Ridehail Users Agreeing to Pool: Potential Impacts on Curtailing Bus Delay and Enhancing Equity – FHWA Office of Operations

Colombia’s Women-Led Electric Bus Fleet Is Reshaping Bogotá’s Public Transit – CityLab


Racial and ethnic disparities in traffic deaths revealed in NHTSA report – Smart Cities Dive

Los Angeles Metro’s Equity Platform spurs new equity information data hub, encouraging more Angelenos to participate in Metro’s decision-making process – Los Angeles MTA (blog)

NATURAL RESOURCES

This Lawsuit Could Change How the Forest Service Fights Wildfires – The Atlantic

New Hampshire, Vermont Put Measures In Place To Protect Bats At Bridge Worksite – Brattleboro Reformer


What’s Happening to the Trees in New Orleans? – CityLab


SFO is now monitoring airplane wastewater – San Francisco Examiner


FDOT plans state’s first wildlife crossing overpass across I-4 in Polk County – WFTS-TV

Snow fills Colorado mountains. Crews are throwing explosives at it. – USA Today

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

Kansas DOT Issues Revised Active Transportation Plan – AASHTO Journal

Supporters Want E-Bikes Allowed on R.I.’s Bicycle Paths – ecoRI


Key concepts to consider when promoting active transportation – The Lancet


Connecticut DOT campaign promotes pedestrian safety during ‘Older Americans Month’ – News 12 Connecticut

Progress Continues On Virginia Capital Trail Extension – Peninsula Chronicle

Pedestrian bridge linking Crystal City and Reagan National Airport set to move forward – WTOP Radio

RTC of Washoe County, NV Asking For Feedback On Active Transportation Plan – KTVN-TV


CDOT Announces Free “Learn to Ride” Bike Riding Classes for Adults and Children in 2023 – City of Chicago (media release)

TRB RESOURCES/ANNOUNCEMENTS

Air Quality in Transit Buses – TCRP


In Pursuit of Equity: Environmental Justice on Tribal Lands – TRB News


Achieving Highway Runoff Volume and Pollutant Reduction Using Vegetated Compost Blankets: A Guide – NCHRP


Conference on the Marine Transportation System Innovative Science and Technologies Toward Greater Sustainability – TRB


TRB Webinar: Aggregate Sustainability – Production – TRB


A qualitative study of active travel amongst commuters and older adults living in English market towns – BMC Public Health

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES

White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council; Notification of Public Meeting – EPA (Notice)


Release of Volume 3 of the Integrated Review Plan in the Review of the Lead National Ambient Air Quality Standards – EPA (Notice of availability)

2023 Annual Joint Meeting of the Ozone Transport Commission and the Mid-Atlantic Northeast Visibility Union – EPA (Notice; public meeting)


Inland Waterways Users Board; Request for Nominations – U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Notice of request for nominations)

Kansas DOT Issues Revised Active Transportation Plan

A revised active transportation plan or ATP recently issued by the Kansas Department of Transportation seeks to boost walking, bicycling, safe wheelchair use, skateboarding, and non-motorized vehicle mobility options across the state.

[Above photo by Kansas DOT]

Developed with extensive input from state residents – with guidance from various state agencies and partners as well as national and local experts in planning, design, and safety – the new plan is expected to serve as a guide for Kansas DOT and communities statewide on how to include and promote active transportation when planning roads, bridges, and other transportation infrastructure projects.

“Providing access to safe, direct and continuous routes for people whether they are driving, walking or cycling is essential for a healthy multimodal transportation system,” said Calvin Reed, acting secretary for Kansas DOT, in a statement.

“The vision of the ATP is for Kansas to be a place where people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds have safe and convenient active modes of travel available throughout the state,” he noted.

“This plan provides communities with information to develop active transportation opportunities through improved planning, design and partnerships with state agencies,” added Matt Messina, multimodal bureau chief for the agency.

“Whether Kansans use active transportation regularly, rarely or somewhere in between, infrastructure that supports all modes of transportation is critical for residents,” he pointed out.

Kansas DOT plans to host “Bike, Walk, and Roll” webinars starting May 24 to detail how local communities can help implement its new ATP. The agency is also hosting in-person “ATP Summit” Sept. 20-22 to offer more insight on the transportation options within the new plan.

State departments of transportation across the country are beefing up efforts to provide more active transportation options to their residents.

For example, the Oklahoma Department of Transportation is working on its first-ever active transportation plan – a policy toolkit that can be used internally and by Oklahoma counties and towns as engineers and designers look to develop more people-friendly infrastructure.

The plan will address walking, biking, “wheelchairs and mobility scooters, pedal and electric scooters, electric bikes, skateboards, and other similar wheeled vehicles,” according to a website developed by the agency that details the plan’s contents.

The finished product will be more of a policy guide than a rule book, said Shelby Templin, an Oklahoma DOT certified planner who is heading up the plan’s development.

“We’re hoping this will guide our engineers and designers, in-house, as well as provide a starting-off point for smaller communities that may not have the resources,” she said. “It also will give the multi-modal group more of a leg to stand on for project development.”

The agency said its Active Transportation Plan is expected to be completed this summer and opened to a 30-day public comment period. In the fall, Oklahoma DOT expects to submit the plan to the Oklahoma Transportation Commission for approval.

The Washington State Department of Transportation unveiled a formal Active Transportation Plan in December 2021 – a plan that subsequently won the 2022 America’s Transportation Awards contest’s “People’s Choice Award.”

Video: New Jersey DOT’s Use of Foamed Glass Aggregate

The New Jersey Department of Transportation recently released a video detailing how its use of “foamed glass aggregate” provides a multitude of green benefits to the state – especially as the material is made from recycled glass bottles.

[Above photo by the New Jersey DOT]

Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti, commissioner of the New Jersey DOT, noted in testimony before a state assembly hearing on her agency’s fiscal year 2024 budget plan that foamed glass aggregate is one of the “new innovations” her department is using to build resiliency into the state’s transportation projects.

“[We] recently started using ultra-lightweight foamed glass aggregate made from 99 percent recycled glass bottles [as] it is up to 85 percent lighter than traditional aggregate, which makes it a good material for projects that require fill on soft soils, areas with underground utilities, and embankments,” she explained.

She pointed to a recent example of a project – the Route 7 Wittpenn Bridge project, which connects Jersey City and Kearney over the Hackensack River – that used 32,000 cubic yards of foamed glass aggregate, repurposing more than 27 million bottles. 

“As the effects of climate change, sea level rise, and increasingly severe weather continue to impact New Jersey, resiliency projects will become even more important,” Gutierrez-Scaccetti said. “We cannot control Mother Nature, so we are doing more to build resiliency into our projects and to safeguard our infrastructure for the future–not just a few years into the future, but for decades to come.  It is about supporting today’s critical transportation infrastructure needs while laying the foundation for the next generation of transportation advancements in New Jersey.”

Many state departments of transportation are experimenting with ways to use recycled materials in roadway and other pavement designs to help boost their resiliency and sustainability.

For example, the Illinois Department of Transportation began working with the Illinois Center for Transportation in December 2021 to develop more “sustainable pavement practices,” which includes ways to incorporate more recycled materials such as plastic into asphalt mixes.

Both are working on a joint project – dubbed “R27-196-HS: Rheology-Chemical Based Procedure to Evaluate Additives/Modifiers Used in Asphalt Binders for Performance Enhancements: Phase 2” – to investigate methods to “soften” asphalt binder to reduce pavement cracking.

As recycled materials are added to hot mix asphalt, the asphalt tends to harden and become brittle, potentially leading to premature cracking. As a result the project’s researchers began testing the use of different “modifiers” or softening additives to asphalt binders to improve long-term pavement performance, especially when recycled materials are used in the mix.

Meanwhile, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation wrapped up a pilot project in 2021 that used pellets made from grocery bags, milk jugs, and other recyclable plastics in an asphalt reconstruction project.

Those pellets were added to the asphalt in two quarter-mile test sections of the project at the entrance to Ridley Creek State Park, about 15 miles west of Philadelphia.

The expected benefits from this project include diverting waste plastics from landfills, helping to establish a market for recycled plastics, and extending the useful life of asphalt pavements, PennDOT said.

Environmental News Highlights – May 10, 2023

FEDERAL ACTION

FHWA Issues $21.8M in National Scenic Byways Grants – AASHTO Journal


US settles landmark Alabama environmental justice case – Reuters


The Future of Transportation: The Role of Bike Lanes – Momentum Mag


Now Open: PROTECT Grants to Make Transportation More Resilient – National League of Cities

EPA Announces $4 Billion Through the Investing in America Agenda for Clean Port Upgrades and Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles to Improve Air Quality and Protect Public Health – EPA (media release)

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

FHWA Offering Grants for Port Electrification, Efficiency Gains – AASHTO Journal


Texas Wants EV Owners to Pay a $200 Annual Fee for Highway Costs – Jalopnik


NOAA to Improve Storm Surge Predictions Ahead of 2023 Hurricane Season – Nextgov


PHMSA Announces Bipartisan PIPES Act Proposal to Modernize Decades-Old Pipeline Leak Detection Rules, Invests in Critical American Infrastructure, Create Good-Paying Jobs, Improve Safety – Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (media release)

AIR QUALITY

California enacts first-in-the-nation crackdown on pollution from trains – San Francisco Chronicle

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

Troy, New York to audit accessibility of pedestrian infrastructure on city streets – Spectrum News 1

Hidden Treasures: Remote community airports play an essential role in Texas life. – Texas A&M Transportation Institute (podcast)


Pittsburgh Mobility Pilot Builds on Transportation Equity Goals – Government Technology


Pilot Project to Help Patients with Transportation Barriers Get to Appointments – UC San Diego

NATURAL RESOURCES

Supporters plan climate-friendly environment for Lake Superior parks – Capitol News Service

NC Wildlife Commission, NCDOT Renew Focus on Wildlife Passages to Reduce Wildlife-Vehicle Collisions – North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (media release)

CULTURAL RESOURCES

Wisconsin Bike Fed, partners request increased funding for trail infrastructure – Press Times


USDA Announces $36M to Improve Roads, Trails, Water Quality as part of Investing in America Agenda – USDA (media release)

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

Philly will increase policing of bike lanes in effort to improve traffic safety – PhillyVoice


Why cities continue to have a love-hate affair with e-scooters – CNBC


Euclid, Ohio seeking community input on transportation plan – News-Herald

Chicago expands Divvy bikeshare program to operate across entire city – WLS-TV


New Yorkers give low marks to city’s bike infrastructure in new ‘Cycling Census’ – amNew York


Bike boulevards bring hope to Durham, North Carolina cyclists – 9th Street Journal


Blind walkers winning safer road crossings – AP

Denver proved the power of e-bike rebates. Now, the discounts are going statewide – Colorado Public Radio


Comment period open for proposed U.S. Bike Route 37 in Indiana – Indiana Department of Transportation (media release)

CTDOT Celebrates National Bike Month this May – Connecticut DOT (media release)

TRB RESOURCES/ANNOUNCEMENTS

TrainMate Robotic System Making Public Transportation, Public! – TRB (link to PDF)

Committee on Improving the Efficiency and Effectiveness of the Coast Guard Certificate of Compliance Examination Program for Gas Carriers – Meeting 4 – TRB

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES

Official Trail Marker for National Water Trails – National Park Service (Notice of designation)


Safety Zone; Atlantic Ocean, Key West, FL – Coast Guard (Notice of proposed rulemaking)


Area Maritime Security Advisory Committee (AMSC), Eastern Great Lakes, Northwest Pennsylvania Sub-Committee Vacancy – Coast Guard (Notice; solicitation for membership)

Draft National Strategy to Prevent Plastic Pollution: Request for Public Comment – EPA (Notice of availability)


Multi-Pollutant Emissions Standards for Model Years 2027 and Later Light-Duty and Medium-Duty Vehicles – EPA (Proposed rule)


Development of Guidance for Zero-Emission Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles, Port Equipment, and Fueling Infrastructure Deployment Under the Inflation Reduction Act Funding Programs – EPA (Notice; request for information)


Federal Baseline Water Quality Standards for Indian Reservations – EPA (Proposed rule)


Assessment of Biodiversity and Climate Change; Request for Public Comment and Nomination – Geological Survey (Notice)


Climate Adaptation Export Competitiveness Request for Information – International Trade Administration and U.S. Trade and Development Agency (Request for public comments and Information)


Proposals by Non-Federal Interests for Feasibility Studies, Proposed Modifications to Authorized Water Resources Development Projects and Feasibility Studies, and Proposed Modifications for an Environmental Infrastructure Program for Inclusion in … – Army Corps of Engineers (Notice)


Notice of Intent To Amend the California Desert Conservation Area Plan Associated With the Mojave Trails National Monument Management Plan and Prepare an Associated Environmental Assessment – Bureau of Land Management (Notice of intent)


Safety of Underground Natural Gas Storage Public Meeting – Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (Correction)

ETAP Podcast: Oregon DOT Discusses Wildlife Crossings

In this episode of the Environmental Technical Assistance Program or ETAP Podcast, Cidney Bowman (above) – wildlife passage program coordinator for the Oregon Department of Transportation – discuss the different types of projects deployed by the agency to help prevent wildlife-vehicle collisions while at the same time improving habitat connectivity.

[Above photo by the Oregon DOT]

The ETAP podcast – a technical service program for state departments of transportation provided by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials – explores a wide array of environmental topics that affect transportation and infrastructure programs.

During this month’s podcast, Oregon DOT’s Bowman also digs into what the U.S. Department of Transportation calls a “first-of-its-kind” pilot program that makes $350 million available over the next five years.

That includes more than $111 million in grants through its first round of funding in 2023, to support projects that prevent wildlife-vehicle collisions and improve habitat connectivity on a national basis.

[Editor’s note: In the video below, Bowman explains how wildlife undercrossings improve safety for animals and motorists alike.]

That federal funding supports both construction and non-construction projects, Oregon DOT noted – covering research, planning, and design endeavors that increase animal safety on roads.

Wildlife-vehicle collisions represent a major challenge across the country, according to USDOT data, totaling roughly 1 million to 2 million large animal impacts per year, which injure 26,000 people, cause 200 deaths, and results in $8 billion in property damage.

Oregon DOT has successfully enacted a variety of wildlife-collision prevention projects over the past several years, which reduced wildlife-vehicle collisions statewide by 86 percent

To listen to this podcast, click here.

Study Identifies Ways to Help Roadside Plantings Thrive

A recent study conducted by the University of Minnesota and funded by the Minnesota Local Road Research Board determined that roadside plantings, particularly “turfgrass,” tend to do better when they are both biodiverse and carefully matched to their ideal growing conditions.

[Above photo by the Minnesota DOT]

University researchers noted in a blog post that roadside turfgrass serves the important roles of reducing soil erosion, pollutant runoff, and the spread of invasive weeds, as well as adding visual appeal. However, maintaining it along Minnesota roadsides is difficult because of the harsh climate and roadway maintenance practices, such as road salting and snow plowing in the winter.

“That’s why developing tools for practitioners to make better decisions on revegetating roadsides will save financial resources for Minnesota DOT, practitioners, and local communities,” noted Eric Watkins, a professor with the school’s Department of Horticultural Science and the principal investigator for this study.

The university’s researchers set up 14 test plots along Minnesota roadways and tested 44 treatments mixes. What they found matched up with existing literature compiled from similar reasearch: Biodiversity correlates to better vegetation cover and a decrease in weeds.

“The use of species mixtures, compared to monocultures, has been shown to have multiple benefits,” Watkins noted. “These include more coverage of the seeded species, reduced disease frequency and severity, and extended green color.”

The reason is likely because, within the diverse species mix, the plants have a variety of adaptations and tolerances and thus can survive a wider array of conditions than a single species could, he said.

Yet one “immediate downside” of biodiversity is complications arising from every plant species and subspecies having “wildly different germination rates, rooting depths, and moisture and temperature tolerances,” with interaction among species changing those things even further.

To make it easier for practitioners to implement biodiverse seed mixes, University of Minnesota researchers categorized state roads into three “seeding clusters” – regions based on growing conditions such as temperature, moisture, and soil quality. Two of the seeding clusters are geographic (north Minnesota and central/south Minnesota), with the third is categorized as “poor soil quality” or soil that is sandy, low in organic matter, etc.

“Establishing these test plots with seed mixes that vary by region was an important step in finding the most effective and climate-resistant roadside turfgrass,” explained Dwayne Stenlund, erosion control specialist with Minnesota DOT’s Erosion Control and Stormwater Management unit and the study’s technical liaison.

Moving forward, Watkins said his research team plans to make a web-based version of this seeding “budgeting tool” so it’s easier for local government agencies and the Minnesota DOT to use. They also plan to do more long-term studies at the test plots – their current research only lasted two year – as future seed testing will need to take climate change into account.

“Implementing these mixtures will reduce soil erosion, improve aesthetics, save local communities’ financial resources, and improve the overall environment we occupy,” Watkins added.

Many states are involved in an array of roadside vegetation research to make a variety of environmental improvements.

For example, the Illinois Department of Transportation recounted in a November 2022 blog post how it changed its mowing practices over the years to better protect roadside landscapes that are vital to pollinators and native planet life.

The agency said it adopted mowing policies to protect the habitat and migratory patterns of the monarch butterfly and other pollinators that use it as a food source. That policy allows for mowing of the state’s roads in a four-year rotation during the summer.

Meanwhile, ecologists at Idaho State University are working with the Idaho Transportation Department to turn state roadsides into veritable “Swiss army knives” of vegetation so they are both more fire-resistant and more welcoming to pollinating insects.

Those ecologists are working with three different types of ecosystems at those sites, figuring out how to make the land more hospitable to native plants and less so for invasive weeds. That research also includes increasing the habitat’s fire resistance, while becoming a more attractive habitat for pollinators like bees and butterflies.

Environmental News Highlights – May 3, 2023

FEDERAL ACTION

Senate votes to roll back EPA emissions standard on heavy trucks -Commercial Carrier Journal

EPA’s right to mandate EVs disputed -Odessa American

Plan to build N.J. terminal for trains that carry combustible gases hits federal roadblock -NJ.com

FHWA Opens Applications for First Year of $400M Competitive Grant Program to Reduce Truck Air Pollution at America’s Ports -FHWA (media release)

EPA Issues Emergency Fuel Waiver for E15 Sales -EPA (media release)

NEPA

Bureau of Land Management to begin NEPA process for the Bonanza Solar Project Application -Bureau of Land Management (media release)

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

Why Zero-Emissions Fleet Transformation Starts at the Top -Mass Transit

Electrify everything, California says – including trucks and trains -Grist

Counties directly eligible for $848 million through new USDOT PROTECT transportation resilience grants -National Association of Counties (media release)

AIR QUALITY

Connecticut regulators seek more authority to move the needle on climate goals -Energy News Network

The Filthy Truth About Subway Air -Wired

Colorado adopts new zero-emission big truck rules -Land Line

An Oregon City Banned Natural Gas. The Gas Company Fought Back -CityLab

How Tampa Bay’s air quality is declining -Axios

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

Electric vehicle fleet penetration helps address inequalities in air quality and improves environmental justice -Communications Earth & Environment

Over 1 in 5 skip health care due to transportation barriers -Axios

NATURAL RESOURCES

WSDOT crews to use drones to apply herbicides along section of US 12 -Union-Bulletin

EPA proposes settlement with Virginia, other states in Chesapeake Bay cleanup lawsuit -WHRO

Forest Service admits some Clean Water Act violations with use of aerial fire retardants, but says they are still an important tool -Press Democrat

The science to prevent bird strikes at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport -WKYC-TV

When Marylanders Register Their Vehicles, They Can Now Support the Environment and Statewide Tree Plantings -Maryland Department of Natural Resources (media release)

CULTURAL RESOURCES

Detroit Book Depository opening highlights next gen mobility innovation -Axios Detroit

Recreation P.E.I. launches interactive trail map for spring hiking season -SaltWire

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

Plan OK’d for 20-mile-long pedestrian and bicycle trail in Florida -Miami Today

Oregon DOT wants to help bicycle and pedestrian advisory committees build power statewide -BikePortland

North Carolina DOT Creates Web Page Devoted To On-Demand Microtransit -North Carolina DOT

Miami, Seven Other Cities to Test Cargo Bikes -Transport Topics

TRB RESOURCES/ANNOUNCEMENTS

Making Travel More Equitable for People with Disabilities -TRB (blog post)

Truck Parking Strategies, Technologies, and Partnerships -TRB (webinar)


Assessing Airport Programs for Travelers with Disabilities and Older Adults -ACRP

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES

Notice of Intent To Amend the Las Vegas Resource Management Plan and Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Golden Currant Solar Project in Clark County, Nevada –Bureau of Land Management, Interior (Notice)

Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement To Analyze the Potential Environmental Effects From Maintaining Secretary Jewell’s Coal Leasing Moratorium -Bureau of Land Management (Notice)

Joint Federal-State Task Force on Electric Transmission; Notice Announcing Meeting and Inviting Agenda Topics -Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Notice)

City of Nashua, New Hampshire; Notice Soliciting Scoping Comments -Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Notice)

National and Governmental Advisory Committees to the U.S. Representative to the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) -EPA (Notice of meeting)

National Wildlife Refuge System; Drain Tile Setbacks -Fish and Wildlife Service (Proposed rule)

Recommendation for the Western Area Power Administration’s Rocky Mountain Region and Colorado River Storage Project Management Center To Pursue Final Negotiations Regarding Membership in the Southwest Power Pool Regional Transmission Organization, and … -Western Area Power Administration (Notice)

Request for Comments on the Federal Aviation Administration’s Review of the Civil Aviation Noise Policy, Notice of Public Meeting -FAA (Notice)

Public Meeting of the Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Work Group -Bureau of Reclamation (Notice)

Oregon DOT Program Offers EV Charging System Rebates

State residents living in multifamily homes as well as motorists near public parking areas may soon have better access to electric vehicle or EV charging stations, thanks to the new Community Charging Rebates Program being rolled out by the Oregon Department of Transportation.

[Above photo by the Oregon DOT]

The agency said this rebate – which will range from $4,250 to $5,500 per charging port or up to 75 percent of eligible project costs, whichever is less – should help lower the cost of buying, installing, and maintaining Level 2 and Level 1 EV charging stations at multifamily homes and publicly accessible parking areas across Oregon.

[Editor’s note: A recent American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials video of a knowledge session held at its 2022 Annual Meeting featured panelists from the Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Florida DOTs discussing their respective plans for National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure or NEVI program funds.]

The Oregon DOT said this new rebate program, which launches in mid-to-late June 2023, will feature four rounds of funding through at least 2024. The first round runs from June through August and will make $1.75 million available for eligible EV charging projects, with 70 percent of first-round funding reserved for projects in rural areas and disadvantaged communities, where gaps in EV charging infrastructure are largest, the agency said.

People living in rural areas face longer travel distances and fewer EV charging options in Oregon, the agency noted, with 32 percent of state residents living in rural areas while only 12% of EVs are registered in rural areas.

“For many current and prospective EV drivers, reliable and accessible charging where they live, work and play is an important factor,” explained said Suzanne Carlson, director of the Oregon DOT climate office, in a statement. “Our new rebate program will help close gaps in charging infrastructure and increase EV adoption rates.”

She noted that lack of at-home EV charging options is a persistent barrier for people living in multifamily homes. This barrier is reflected in Oregon EV registration data: nearly 80 percent of EVs are registered in areas where most residences are single-family homes as compared to multifamily homes.

Oregon DOT said its rebate program should help lower that barrier. It will apply to Level 2 and Level 1 charger projects at apartment, condominium, co-op, and townhouse locations that have at least five residences, and at least five parking spaces. Meanwhile, so-called “charging-on-the-go” is viewed as both convenient for EV drivers and a potential boon for local businesses.

That part of the agency’s rebate program applies to Level 2 projects in publicly accessible parking areas like restaurants, grocery stores, gyms, coffee shops, libraries, parks, movie theaters, and more. Drivers can park and charge their EV while they go about their day, with Level 2 chargers can adding 25 miles of range per hour on some vehicles, Oregon DOT noted.