State DOTs
Basics
Senate Commerce Committee Sets the Standard For Transpo Performance
The EPW Committee passed the highway portion of the transportation bill last month. The Banking Committee will tackle transit on Friday. And today, transportation reformers applauded as the Commerce Committee passed its bill dealing with the rail and safety component, including the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
December 14, 2011
No Accountability for State DOTs on Highway Projects
Complete a project on-time and on-budget. Or blow deadlines, run into setback after costly setback, only to return to the funding source with outstretched hands.
December 13, 2011
Ohio: A State DOT That Doesn’t Try to Hide Its Total Disregard for Bike-Ped
Just how highway-focused is the Ohio Department of Transportation under John Kasich? Well, it's not good. In fact, it's sort of laughably, hilariously terrible (if you don't live here, that is).
November 23, 2011
Cash-Strapped Wyoming DOT to Halt Highway Expansion. Will Others Follow?
Further evidence that the highway era in America is coming to a close: Under financial strain, a state DOT has stepped and up said it will stop expanding highways.
November 16, 2011
Who Killed Transit on the New Tappan Zee? Feds and NY State DOT Won’t Say.
Call it the mystery of the missing transit. One of New York state's biggest transit projects, in the works for nearly a decade, was canceled overnight and no one will explain why, or even claim responsibility for the decision.
October 24, 2011
Michigan Puts Road Engineers on Bikes
Do you ever feel like traffic engineers just don't get it? That there is a hopeless disconnect between the world of sustainable transportation and the world of "level of service" and "vehicle throughput?"
August 12, 2011
From Sprawling New Jersey, a New Way Forward for State DOTs
Despite the rather obvious link between transportation investments and development patterns, land use planning is simply not a consideration at your average state DOT.
August 3, 2011
Missouri, Welcome to the Era of the Broke State DOT
Word went out in a press release early last month: The Missouri Department of Transportation would be eliminating 1,200 jobs, closing 135 facilities and selling 740 pieces of equipment.
June 6, 2011
Existing Roads Slide Into Decrepitude as States Splurge on Highway Expansion
Got a road that needs fixing in your state? Don't hold your breath. Chances are your state DOT has been busy building new roads, while neglecting maintenance.
June 1, 2011
Knowing Is Half the Battle: States Lack Data to Make Good Transpo Decisions
As attention turns to performance measures as a way to squeeze every last drop of value out of scarce transportation dollars, states are going to need to do a better job proving the efficiency and effectiveness of their programs. Trouble is, most states don't even bother to collect the information they need to show what actually works.
May 11, 2011