Oklahoma DOT Names Winners of Student Trash Poster Contest

The Oklahoma Department of Transportation recently announced the 14 winners of its annual “Trash Poster” calendar contest. The original artwork of those 14 kindergarten through 12th-grade students highlighting the consequences and negative impacts of littering will adorn a free 2022 calendar distributed by the agency while supplies last.

[Above image via the Oklahoma DOT]

The Oklahoma DOT sponsors this yearly contest in collaboration with 14 partners including the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality, Oklahoma Turnpike Authority, Oklahoma Department of Public Safety, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and the Oklahoma Highway Safety Office.

The 14 contest winners will receive a monetary award, a T-shirt and facemask with their design, a laminated copy of their poster, and a state legislative citation of congratulations. The teachers of the winning students will receive a monetary award for classroom supplies and a two-day stay voucher to an Oklahoma state park courtesy of the Oklahoma Department of Tourism and Recreation, the Oklahoma DOT said.

“We continue to be amazed by the quality of art we receive from our state’s gifted students and their passion for a healthy, cleaner environment,” said Melody Johnson, Oklahoma DOT’s beautification coordinator, in a statement.

“Their work continues to inspire us in our mission to end littering across Oklahoma. Thank you to all the students for their submissions and to their wonderful teachers for including this important public messaging in their classrooms,” she added.

The agency noted that it spends nearly $6 million annually to combat litter along state highways and interstates while the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority spends an additional $1.5 million yearly to clean up trash strewn along the state’s toll road – totals that do not include the hundreds of volunteer hours spent picking up litter across the state every year.

State departments of transportation across the country are engaged in a variety of anti-litter outreach and cleanup efforts to remove trash and debris strewn along state roadways.

The California Department of Transportation recently launched a new public awareness campaign today dubbed “Let’s Change This to That” to help reduce the amount of litter and other pollutants on highways that end up in California’s water system.

Using visual comparisons of dirty and pristine roadsides and landscapes, the campaign encourages Californians to pitch in to keep highways clean and our water drinkable, swimmable and fishable.

Caltrans also recently released a video detailing the progress of its newly established $1.1 billion Clean California program that is tackling the state’s litter problems. Using before-and-after footage from Clean California events throughout the state, the video shows how Caltrans programs are clearing trash, removing graffiti, and clearing overgrown vegetation to help beautify the state’s roadsides.

Meanwhile, the North Carolina Department of Transportation said its crews, contractors, and volunteers had collected more than 10 million pounds of litter from roadsides by the end of September – close to breaking the state’s record for litter collection set in 2019.  

That announcement came on the heels of the two-week Fall Litter Sweep, which saw more than 418,000 pounds of roadside litter picked up statewide. NCDOT estimates its litter removal efforts for 2021 should exceed the 2019 record of 10.5 million pounds sometime in October.

Environmental News Highlights – October 6, 2021

FEDERAL ACTION

AASHTO Continues Fight to Pass Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill – AASHTO Journal

Transportation Stakeholders Press Congress on $1 Trillion Infrastructure Bill – Transport Topics

Infrastructure bill tangled in D.C. mess – Land Line (link to podcast)

States will decide the climate impact of the US infrastructure bill’s road budget – Quartz

Supreme Court should revisit its 2006 navigable waters decision – The Hill (Opinion)

COVID-19

Copper kills up to 99.9% of bacteria on transit surfaces, study finds – TransLink (Media release)

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

Heartland Port Authority looking at how to use MoDOT funds for New Missouri River port – News Tribune

Freight Groups Press Biden Administration on AV Policy – Transport Topics

Idaho law limits how infrastructure bill can aid transit, leaves future riders waiting – Idaho Statesman

Trying to cool off neighborhoods with a new kind of road surface – Arizona State University

How to Tear Down an Oil Refinery in the Middle of Philadelphia – Bloomberg Green

AIR QUALITY

Can public transit adjust fast enough to meet Vermont’s emissions deadline? – VTDigger

More Companies Pledge ‘Net-Zero’ Emissions to Fight Climate Change, but What Does That Really Mean? – Governing

There’s a major gap in the new methane pledge: Agriculture – Grist

Nuclear power will be critical in race to cut carbon emissions, Dominion Energy CEO says – Fortune

An “attack on American cities” is freezing climate action in its tracks – Vox

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

Existing Laws Offer Environmental Justice Tools, Official Says – Bloomberg Law

What will mobility equity look like in practice? – Cities Today

Baltimore’s first transit equity analysis seeks to guide federal money to the city’s long-neglected ‘Black Butterfly’ – Baltimore Sun

Project Connect panel looks at planning, equity concerns attached to transit system – Austin Monitor

National Environmental Justice Community Engagement Calls – EPA (Media release)

NATURAL RESOURCES

Environmental groups welcome volunteers back to oyster planting in the Baltimore Harbor for the first time since the pandemic began – Baltimore Sun
Could giant yoga mats full of plants help clean North Carolina’s dirty lakes and ponds? – USA Today

Wildlife crossings integral to Colorado’s transportation future, Gov. Polis says – Colorado Newsline

UConn Joins State Initiative to Support Urban Forestry Grant Program – University of Connecticut (Media release)

CULTURAL RESOURCES

Boise proposes new penalties for historic preservation violations – KTVB-TV

New Georgia License Plate Supports Historic Preservation – AllOnGeorgia

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

People Are Walking More Than Ever As Mobility Climbs – GlobeSt.com

Portland, Maine, Considers Long-Term Closure of Two Roads – Portland Press Herald

San Francisco’s downtown bike paths are being remade in the pandemic. This map shows how – San Francisco Chronicle

Flagstaff Releases Draft Active Transportation Master Plan For Public Comment – City of Flagstaff

States Step Up Efforts to Protect People Walking Amid Surge in Unsafe Driving During Pandemic – Governors Highway Safety Association (Media release)

TRB RESOURCES/ANNOUNCEMENTS

Racial Equity Addendum to Critical Issues in Transportation – TRB

TRB Webinar: Air Quality Impact Models for Electric Vehicle Fleets – TRB

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES

Clean Air Act Advisory Committee (CAAAC): Notice of Meeting – EPA (Notice)

Draft FY 2022–2026 Environmental Protection Agency Strategic Plan – EPA (Notice of availability; request for public comments)

National Boating Safety Advisory Committee; Oct 2021 Teleconference – Coast Guard (Notice)

Safety Zone; Columbia River Outfall Project, Columbia River, Vancouver, WA – Coast Guard (Temporary final rule)
Pipeline Safety: Joint Meeting of the Gas and Liquid Pipeline Advisory Committees – Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (Notice of advisory committees meeting)

Georgia DOT Participating in Statewide Pollinator Project

The Georgia Department of Transportation and the Georgia Association of Conservation Districts or GACD are planning to install 15 pollinator habitat sites in designated locations as part of a joint effort to educate state residents about the important role “pollinators” such as bees, butterflies, and other insects play in Georgia’s agricultural sector.

[Above photo by the Georgia DOT]

“This partnership provides Georgia DOT with the unique opportunity to create a place for families and travelers to get up close and personal with the wildflowers and grasses [to] learn about how they impact the world around us,” explained Felicity Davis, a landscape architect manager with the Georgia DOT, in a statement.

“We carefully considered the locations for these gardens and with pedestrian safety in mind, we determined the best option would be at rest areas and Welcome Centers across the state,” she said.

GACD received grant funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Resources Conservation Service to install pollinator habitat sites and promote the further establishment of such gardens by landowners throughout the state. Through a memorandum of agreement, Georgia DOT and GACD entered into a partnership to fulfill the requirements of that grant.

GACD will provide funding to Georgia DOT’s Roadside Enhancement and Beautification Council, with the department installing and maintaining the gardens while GACD provides and maintains “educational signage” about them. The grant requires both agencies to complete the planting work for those pollinator sites by August 2022.
“Pollinator plants and insects not only play a critical role in supporting our state’s environment and agriculture, but with the specific mix of wildflowers and native grass being planted, the gardens will also provide year-round interest and habitat for insects and small animals,” said Mark Masters, GACD president. “We are excited this partnership has come to fruition and look forward to getting the gardens installed.”

State departments of transportation are involved in a variety of pollinator support efforts.

The Tennessee Department of Transportation, along with the Tennessee Department of Environment & Conservation and Tennessee Department of Agriculture, jointly promoted “pollinator health and awareness” in state parks during National Pollinator Week June 21-25.

The three agencies formed a partnership in 2019 to support 64 acres of “pollinator meadows” at eight state parks. Each blooming meadow contains a mix of nectar-bearing plants and milkweed, which sustain pollinators such as bees, moths, butterflies, birds, and small mammals such as bats.

In March 2020, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials sent a two-page letter to the U.S. Department of the Interior supporting “expedited approval” of the voluntary national Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances or CCAA to further encourage the creation of pollinator habitats in highway rights-of-way.

The CCAA – eventually finalized in April 2020 – provides a “huge boost” for the conservation of Monarch butterflies and other pollinators on a landscape scale, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service noted at the time.

“The regulatory protections provided by this CCAA allow transportation agencies to continue vegetation management practices with less concern that these actions will lead to an increase in the costs of regulatory compliance if the monarch is listed under the Endangered Species Act,” AASHTO said in its letter.

In December 2020, the Transportation Research Board highlighted a bevy of resources available to state departments of transportation to support monarch butterfly habitat and migration support efforts.

To that end, a new report from the TRB’s National Cooperative Highway Research Program – Evaluating the Suitability of Roadway Corridors for Use by Monarch Butterflies – provides guidance for roadside managers to determine the potential of their roadway corridors as habitat for monarch butterflies.

The report also includes several tools and decision-support mechanisms to optimize habitat potential in a manner that is compatible with the continued operation and maintenance of the roadside.

Five Midwest States Plan Build-Out of EV Charging Network

Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin have established a partnership to support the build-out of electric vehicle or EV charging infrastructure across the Midwest region.

[Above photo via Wikimedia Commons]

The goal of this agreement – known as the Regional Electric Vehicle for the Midwest Memorandum of Understanding or REV Midwest MOU – is to “accelerate vehicle electrification” in the Midwest, providing for fleet electrification along key commercial corridors. The MOU also ensures the entire Midwest region can effectively compete for new private investment and federal funding for vehicle electrification.

“By working together with our Midwestern neighbors, we can accelerate the region’s growth in the transportation sector, create jobs across our communities, and prioritize the environment that makes the Great Lakes region so great along the way,” said Illinois Governor JB Pritzker (D) in a statement.

Improving access to charging infrastructure and reducing range anxiety will support EV adoption and the next generation of American-made electric automobiles, he added.

Through REV Midwest, those five states said they will work together to remove barriers to electric medium and heavy-duty vehicles and enable EV charging across states by coordinating to optimize charging infrastructure, cooperate on best practices, and support standardization.

“[The] REV Midwest partnership is a bipartisan effort to build the future of mobility and electrification and connect our communities,” said Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D).“Our partnership will enable the Midwest to lead on electric vehicle adoption, reduce carbon emissions, spur innovation, and create good-paying jobs.”

On top of that, the Midwest utility sector needs an estimated 105,000 new jobs to deploy EV charging infrastructure across the region by 2030, she added. As a result, those five state plans address workforce needs in concert with private industry; supporting workforce training programs to build the transportation system of the future.

“The Midwest has the ingenuity and the drive to develop innovative solutions to curb climate change,” said Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (D). “I am proud to work with my fellow Midwest governors to not only reduce pollution, but protect public health, create jobs, and increase consumer choice across the region.”

“I’m proud to partner with our neighboring states to put the Midwest region on the leading edge of providing the charging infrastructure needed to futureproof our transportation network and meet the demand as rapid adoption of electric vehicles continues,” echoed Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb (R).

“We shouldn’t have to choose between building a cleaner, more equitable state and economic development—and thankfully, vehicle electrification is an area where we can do both,” said Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers (D).“This regional partnership [is] critical for addressing emissions from the transportation sector, ensuring folks in every community have cleaner air to breathe and creating jobs to meet our future workforce needs.”

ETAP Podcast: Identifying the Benefits of the Infrastructure Bill

In this episode of the Environmental Technical Assistance Program or ETAP Podcast, Joung Lee (seen above) — director of policy and government relations for the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials – discusses the potential benefits of the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill being debated in Congress.

The House of Representatives currently plans to vote on the infrastructure bill – formally known as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act or IIJA and passed with bipartisan support by the Senate in mid-August – at the end of October. The House delayed votes on the measure originally scheduled on September 27 and then September 30 as factions of the Democratic Party fought over legislative and funding priorities involving the much larger $3.5 trillion reconciliation bill covering social programs.

Late on October 1, the House passed a 30-day surface transportation funding extension measure, which expires October 31, to provide more time for legislators to find a way around the infrastructure bill impasse. The Senate subsequently passed that extension on October 2, with President Biden signing it into law that same day.

Lee – who also serves as the staff liaison to AASHTO’s Transportation Policy Forum – noted in the podcast that AASHTO has successfully represented the interests of state departments of transportation within the infrastructure bill. He noted, for example, that the most recent version of the bill incorporates four out of five of AASHTO’s core priorities.

To listen to the full podcast, click here.

Nevada DOT Supports Stormwater Pollution Awareness Month

The Nevada Department of Transportation and Keep Truckee Meadows Beautiful are teaming up to observe Stormwater Pollution Awareness Month this October to educate the public about the importance of preserving stormwater quality. 

[Above photo by the Nevada DOT]

Stormwater Pollution Awareness Month encourages communities to make smart choices when it comes to preserving the quality of stormwater in the desert, the two organizations explained in a statement – noting that simple actions can make a huge difference in terms of preventing stormwater contamination.

The public outreach campaign includes a poster contest for kids, as well as an educational webinar about how residents can prevent stormwater pollution through the “Love NV Waters” Facebook page. 

The contest is for elementary children in grades kindergarten through sixth, with the winners featured in a 2022 calendar with the first-place poster appearing as the cover art in the calendar. The Nevada DOT will then distribute those calendars to participating schools statewide.

The poster contest wraps up on October 15 with first-, second-, and third-place winners announced on October 22, the agency added.

Editor’s note: The Center for Environmental Excellence developed a practitioner’s handbook to assist transportation agencies in developing and/or implementing a stormwater management program that satisfies the requirements of the Clean Water Act. For those agencies already with a program already in place, the handbook offers useful tips and transportation-specific references to assist program implementation.

Environmental News Highlights – September 29, 2021

FEDERAL ACTION

AASHTO Signs Letter Urging Passage of Infrastructure Bill – AASHTO Journal

Pelosi Says House Will Take Up $1 Trillion Infrastructure Bill Thursday – New York Times

Here’s what’s in the bipartisan infrastructure bill that the House aims to pass – and how it’s paid for – MarketWatch

These Republicans helped craft the infrastructure bill. They might not vote for it. – Politico

States Use Hurricane Ida Damage to Push Infrastructure Bill – Stateline

COVID-19

As COVID-19 restrictions ease, Valley traffic returns and carbon emissions rise – KTAR Radio

SFO becomes first US airport to mandate vaccinations for all workers – The Hill

Longer mass transit commutes in NYC linked to higher coronavirus rates, study says – Staten Island Advance

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

Idaho law limits how infrastructure bill can aid transit, leaves future riders waiting – Idaho Statesman

New Yorkers sound off at MTA’s first congestion pricing public hearing – amNew York

The case for funding bike infrastructure – Vox

Will controversial Book Cliffs Highway proposal increase tourism or boost oil and gas production? – Salt Lake Tribune
Florida needs infrastructure built to last – Herald Tribune (Opinion)

AIR QUALITY

Gov. Wolf Announces ‘Pennsylvania Climate Action Plan 2021,’ Calls for Statewide Action Now on Climate Change – Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

Massachusetts utilities propose plans to ramp up electric vehicle infrastructure – Energy News Network

Growing a zero-emissions transportation network in Cincinnati – GreenBiz

American Airlines Partners with Bill Gates and Puts up $100 Million for Green Tech Research – AviationPros

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

Why the Most Populous U.S. County Just Ended Oil and Gas Drilling – CityLab

D.C.-area leaders consider prioritizing equity in transportation and land use planning – Washington Post

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

NYSDOT Wraps Up Pedestrian Safety Improvement Projects – AASHTO Journal

As SUVs and trucks get bigger, more cyclists and pedestrians die on Colorado roads – KUSA-TV

Bike Paths On Super Highways? – EHS Today

Hardly a peep over return of Bird scooters – Columbia Missourian

King County’s Eastside to receive major multi-modal transportation investment – Bellevue Reporter

County considers pilot program to allow e-bikes on Warren County Bikeway – Post-Star

MDOT State Highway Administration Launches New Project To Enhance Bicycle Safety – WJZ-TV

Regional project seeks to improve walking, bicycle, transit options – News Tribune

Chicago looks to add 100 miles of bike lanes by end of 2022 – Chicago Sun-Times

Active transportation requires a lot of planning, preparation – Daily Herald (Commentary)
Agency of Transportation Announces 2022 Transportation Alternatives Program Grant Opportunity – Vermont Agency of Transportation (Media release)

TRB RESOURCES/ANNOUNCEMENTS

Racial Equity Addendum to Critical Issues in Transportation – TRB

Paths to Biking, Walking Improvements Supported by Wealth of Research – TRB

TRB’s Transportation Explorers Podcast – TRB

Webinar: Transportation Resilience Metrics – TRB

Climate Resilience: Options to Enhance the Resilience of Federally Funded Roads and Reduce Fiscal Exposure – GAO

Fostering Equity in the Practice of Travel Demand Management – Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization and the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (Link to webinar registration)

Ready or Not, Here They Come: Preparing for the electric vehicle transformation. – Texas A&M Transportation Institute Thinking Transportation podcast

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES

Notification of Public Meetings of the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee Particulate Matter Panel – EPA (Notice)

Request for Nominations for the 2022 Clean Air Excellence Awards Program – EPA (Notice)

Hazardous Materials: Public Meeting Notice for the Research, Development & Technology Forum – Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (Notice of public meeting)

Port Access Route Study: Seacoast of New Jersey Including Offshore Approaches to the Delaware Bay, Delaware – Coast Guard (Notice of availability of draft report; request for comments)

Michigan DOT Part of EV Wireless Road Charging Project

A new initiative to develop the nation’s first electric vehicle or EV wireless charging infrastructure on a public road is gearing up in Michigan – and the Michigan Department of Transportation will play a critical role in this new project.

[Above photo of Governor Whitmer via the Michigan Governor’s Office]

The Inductive Vehicle Charging Pilot is a partnership between the Michigan Department of Transportation and the state’s Office of Future Mobility and Electrification that plans to deploy an electrified roadway system that would allow electric-powered buses, shuttles, and personal vehicles to recharge their battery systems while driving – enabling EVs to operate continuously without stopping to recharge.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D) noted that the development of a “wireless dynamic charging roadway” would help address range anxiety among EV users while accelerating the transition to all-electric transit fleets in Michigan and beyond.

“Michigan was home to the first mile of paved road, and now we’re paving the way for the roads of tomorrow with innovative infrastructure that will support the economy and the environment, helping us achieve our goal of carbon neutrality by 2050,” the governor said in a statement. “This project reinforces my commitment to accelerating the deployment of electric vehicle infrastructure in Michigan and will create new opportunities for businesses and high-tech jobs amidst the transition to electric vehicles.”

[Editor’s note: The governor also concurrently launched two other initiatives – the Lake Michigan EV Circuit and the Michigan Revolution for the Electrification of Vehicles or “MiREV” – to continue advancing Michigan’s EV and mobility landscape by building out critical charging infrastructure in the state and ensuring the strong pipeline of talent needed for automotive mobility and electrification career pathways.]

“We know the future of mobility involves connectivity and this initiative dovetails nicely with our other successes linking vehicles and infrastructure through technology,” added Paul Ajegba, director of the Michigan DOT. “This is a model we will build on across the state to further promote the governor’s broad and ambitious vision.”

The Michigan DOT has released a Request for Proposal or RFP to implement the Inductive Vehicle Charging Pilot along a one-mile stretch of state-operated roadway in Wayne, Oakland, or Macomb counties. The firm that wins the RFP will then work closely with the Michigan DOT, the Office of Future Mobility and Electrification, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, and Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy on this project. Michigan DOT added that, to date, it has activated the largest vehicle-to-infrastructure technology deployment – nearly 600 miles – in the United States, including a first-of-its-kind connected and autonomous vehicle or “CAV corridor.” The agency also noted that Michigan is also home to a diverse collection of automated vehicle and drone testing environments.

Several State DOTs Moving Ahead with Active Transportation Efforts

A number of state departments of transportation are pushing ahead with projects that support “active transportation” activity; a catch-all term that refers to infrastructure development that supports pedestrian, bicycling, and other “active” forms of mobility.

[Above photo by the Utah DOT]

The Utah Department of Transportation recently completed a $415 million I-15 Technology Corridor project that not only expanded highway capacity to support “explosive” population and business growth along the border of Salt Lake and Utah Counties but improved existing multi-use trail systems, bike lanes, and transit capacity as well.

Utah DOT said the incorporation of infrastructure “elements” supporting pedestrian and bicycling activity proved key to the overall success of the I-15 Technology Corridor project.

Prior to construction, active transportation in the area had been poor with at-grade sidewalk crossings and minimal connectivity to existing trails, the agency said. Through analysis and collaboration with multiple agencies, Utah DOT created an active transportation network with shared-use paths parallel to the frontage roads and other streets via the construction of pedestrian bridges and under-crossings.

“The Tech Corridor project was much more than just a transportation project for motor vehicles. Along with it, we now have a great looped bike and pedestrian path on each side of the freeway,” explained Kim Struthers, community development director for Lehi City, in a statement.

“This will allow easier commuting to our employment center by alternate modes of transportation. It will also serve recreational users, and allows bikers, walkers, and joggers to tie into the extensive surrounding network of trails including the Murdock Canal Trail, Jordan River Parkway Trail, and the Southern Rail Trail,” she explained. “A key component to the looped trail system is the grade-separated crossings at the I-15 at the S.R. 92 interchange, Triumph Blvd. and State Street that allow people to get across the freeway and major arterial roads in a much safer and comfortable way.” 

Meanwhile, the Oregon Department of Transportation is supporting an effort by the Portland Bureau of Transportation to install the next phase of the $13.7 million Congressman Earl Blumenauer Pedestrian and Bicycle Bridge. During the weekend of October 8, that 450,000-pound and 400-foot-long bridge – spanning I-84 – crews will lift and roll the structure into place.

Following the initial bridge placement, crews will connect the bridge to the north landing as part of the final phase of construction. When complete, the Blumenauer Bridge will connect pedestrians and people biking on NE 7th Avenue between two of Portland’s fastest-growing neighborhoods –Lloyd and the Central Eastside – and beyond. In the future, it will also serve as an important link for Portland’s Green Loop, Oregon DOT said in a statement.

When it opens in summer 2022, the agency said the bridge would also be “seismically resilient” and serve as a backup route for emergency vehicles over I-84 in the event of an earthquake. In addition to the bridge, the project includes two new public plazas and landings on the north and south sides of the bridge.

ODOT supports this effort with the city of Portland as they work to maintain a safe and modern transportation system, part of ODOT’s Strategic Action Plan.

Finally, the Washington State Department of Transportation recently invited the public to comment on the next phase of the state’s active transportation plan. WSDOT – which published part one of its active transportation plan in May – said the deadline for comments on part two of the plan is October 29.

Part one of the plan provided an assessment of the needs for accessible pedestrian and bicyclist facilities, highlighted safety concerns, and detailed the first-ever examination of state right-of-way and its suitability for active transportation. The agency said part two provides an overview of the performance metrics strategy needed to support implementation of the recommendations identified in part one of the plan.

The new phase of the plan comes during a time when motor vehicle crashes resulting in the deaths of people walking or bicycling are occurring at a higher rate in Washington State than the averages for 2010 through 2019. Those fatal crashes made up 22 percent of all traffic deaths in the state in 2020. Early in the pandemic walking and bicycling soared, and WSDOT’s multimodal transportation dashboard continues to show higher use of active transportation than in 2019.

“We analyzed state highway routes in our needs assessment because they now serve as local streets as population centers have expanded. In the past we haven’t had the data to describe the critical characteristics of these highway segments,” noted Barb Chamberlain, director of WSDOT’s Active Transportation Division, in a statement. “We’re now laying out the strategies needed to address the effects of having that mix of uses interacting,” she noted. “We’re especially focused on safety because decreasing the chance of a serious or fatal crash benefits everyone using the system, not just those who are walking or rolling and are more exposed to the consequences.”

Environmental News Highlights – September 22, 2021

FEDERAL ACTION

Infrastructure Bill Aligns With Key AASHTO Principles – AASHTO Journal

Hoyer affirms House will vote Sept. 27 on bipartisan infrastructure bill – The Hill

Democrats Face a Grueling Two Weeks as Infighting Erupts Over Infrastructure – Time

Electric bicycle tax credit makes progress in Congress but gets slashed from 30% to 15% – Electrek
EPA Rescinds Previous Administration’s Guidance on Clean Water Act Permit Requirements – EPA (Media release)

COVID-19

White House announces new system allowing fully vaccinated foreign nationals to fly to US – Yahoo News
Obama’s transportation chief to Biden: mandate vaccines for airline travel – Politico

Feds opt out of quarrel between N.Y. and N.J. over billions in COVID transit funding – Daily News

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

5 critical ways to protect cities from disastrous flooding – Fast Company

DOTD takes steps to prevent flooding, prepares evacuation transportation in case of emergency – KLFY-TV

Building a More Sustainable Car, From Headlamp to Tailpipe – New York Times

This is what happens to all the rats when cities flood – CNN

AIR QUALITY

California drought driving up greenhouse gas emissions: study – The Hill

Infrastructure Bill Could Cut Carbon Emissions By Nearly a Gigaton – Scientific American

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

King County moves toward repealing bicycle helmet law – Crosscut

Attorneys General Urge Congress to Pay Up for Climate, Justice – Bloomberg Law

How the pandemic and a renewed focus on equity could reshape transportation – Washington Post (Commentary)

NATURAL RESOURCES

CDOT ramping up safety on U.S. 550 with wildlife underpass at Billy Creek – Montrose Press
Mudslide on scenic Colorado highway tests limits of aging infrastructure in era of climate change – NBC News

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

State Active Transportation Plan journey continues with Part 2 – Washington State Department of Transportation

South Middleton Township finalizes Active Transportation Plan – The Sentinel

Pensacola pedestrian, cyclist-friendly complete streets model back in focus with $166K boost – Pensacola News Journal

Tempe, With Multimodal Transportation Push, Eyes Higher Ranking On Alternative-Transit List – Wrangler News

New cycling infrastructure launched in New Haven – Yale Daily News

Is There Room for E-Scooters in New York City? – CityLab

TRB RESOURCES/ANNOUNCEMENTS

TRB Webinar: Improving Bus Stops through Transit Agency Relationships – TRB

TRB Webinar: Transportation Resilience Metrics – TRB

Charting A Path Forward In Environmental Justice – The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
Weather Responsive Management Strategies – FHWA Center for Accelerating Innovation

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES

America’s Supply Chains and the Transportation Industrial Base – Office of the Secretary of Transportation (Notice of request for information)

Notice for Comment on Two Strategic Plans for the Subcommittee on Aquaculture Science Planning and Regulatory Efficiency Task Forces and on Updating the National Aquaculture Development Plan – Agricultural Research Service (Notice and request for comments)

Safety Zones; Hampton Roads Bridge- Tunnel Expansion Project, Hampton/ Norfolk, VA – Coast Guard (Temporary final rule)

Drone Advisory Committee (DAC); Notice of Public Meeting – FAA (Notice)

Notice of Final Agency Actions on Proposed Railroad Project in California, on Behalf of the California High Speed Rail Authority – FRA (Notice)

Draft General Conformity Determination for the California High-Speed Rail System Burbank to Los Angeles Section – FRA (Notice; request for comment)

Tahoe National Forest; California; North Yuba Landscape Resilience Project EIS – Forest Service (Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement)

Notice of Proposed Subaward Under a Council-Selected Restoration Component Award – Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council (Notice)

Management of Floating Cabins – Tennessee Valley Authority (Issuance of record of decision)