The Traffic Group, Inc.’s Post

Sadek Wahba, I would imagine you would agree that this is the same frustration President Eisenhower, Lucius Clay, Steven Bechtel, Sloan Colt, and Frank Turner faced in the 1950s trying to convince the nation that Interstate Highways would transform the United States and provide $billions in economic commerce and protect our national sovereignty. Curious Richard Mudge, what value do these highways have on our nation? Texas, the State of the Future, knows Logistics moves the world, and INTELLIGENT INFRASTRUCTURE will refactor the North American Supply Chain - Canada - USA - Texas - Mexico. https://lnkd.in/gCiDhbzk Infrastructure investors and the Federal Infrastructure Bank (William T. Nolan) are mobilizing $billions in private capital to underwrite Intelligent Infrastructure Economic Zones, Building a Stronger and More Connected Nation. https://lnkd.in/gWnJD877 INTELLIGENT INFRASTRUCTURE (the foundation of ARPA-I) will be the brains of our economy. Enabling solutions like Artificial Intelligence, Spatial Computing, Intelligent Transportation, Autonomous Systems, advanced city services, and, most importantly, securing data for people, cities, and governments. Ted Miller on Intelligent Infrastructure: https://lnkd.in/gZ2_7_rj William T. Nolan on Intelligent Infrastructure: https://lnkd.in/gxi38Cdg Texas SH130 is the nation's Route 66. https://lnkd.in/e5iwTNPR INTELLIGENT INFRASTRUCTURE is supercharging the $142.3 billion Texas Department of Transportation UTP buildout. Autonomy Institute Building the Infrastructure for the Next 100 Years. https://lnkd.in/gwv2pnXe #infrastructure #future #transportation #arpa-i #arpax #cybersecure #jobs #bank #digital #innovation #data #people #visionzero #continuumofcapital #dataexchange #partnerships #supplychains #digitaltwin #privacy #investment #p3programs

Infrastructure needs are always present, but they are not inexpensive. Several local governments have measures on this November's ballot to improve infrastructure. Time will tell how voters will decide. Infrastructure proponents note the importance of improving the transportation grid, but they may need to fend off conservatives who cite wastes and too little return on investment. It's important to monitor spending over time and to make good decisions about vendors, etc. Public relations efforts are also necessary to demonstrate money spent well or explanations for rising costs. Infrastructure opponents who argue about the poor return on investment may undervalue what improved infrastructure can do. They also may have vested interests in not improving infrastructure. One example of that vested interest is politicians who play off prejudices to say that cities are bad/evil and infested with unwanted individuals. The counties surrounding Atlanta have failed to support a better metro Atlanta transit system with some constituencies preferring to not mix with certain elements. Good governance is sometimes a function of informed and enlightened voters. #infrastructure #infrastructureimprovement #revenuesforinfrastructure #governance #goodgovernance https://lnkd.in/eMxGsMtn

🚍 Exciting Progress for Denver's Public Transit! 🌟 The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has awarded a $149.9 million grant to the Regional Transportation District (RTD) in Denver, moving the city one step closer to launching a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line along the East Colfax Avenue. This project is a significant development for Denver’s public transportation infrastructure, funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The East Colfax Avenue BRT will provide faster, more frequent, and more reliable transit for residents and commuters, connecting downtown Denver to the Colfax light rail station in Aurora. With dedicated bus-only lanes, traffic signal prioritization, and 24-hour service, this new line will save riders up to 30 minutes daily while reducing congestion and emissions. U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg emphasized the importance of this investment: "Americans rely on public transit every day to get to work, go to school, and connect with loved ones - and through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we’re making the biggest investments in public transit in U.S. history. The Biden-Harris Administration is proud to help deliver Denver's first bus rapid transit line." https://lnkd.in/gVXgE5-C #PublicTransit #BRT #Infrastructure #Denver #Sustainability #BipartisanInfrastructureLaw #BetterMobility

Those who follow the goings-on around Charlotte are probably aware of the desire to eventually build a second light rail line (called the Silver Line) to help combat increasing vehicular traffic congestion.  Despite not even being anywhere close to starting construction, the history behind the Silver Line is fascinating, and is definitely worthy of exploring more closely in a later post.  But for now, the planned 29-mile route would travel from Matthews to Belmont, with 31 stations in total. As with many things, the biggest hurdle will be funding.  With cost estimates cresting $2 billion, this would be one the most expensive transportation projects in North Carolina history.  However, there is widespread unwillingness from the state level to help foot the bill, and state leaders recently voiced their preference of a “roads first” approach instead. Unsurprisingly, “roads first” directs funding and other resources towards building and upgrading the road network.  This is generally a relatively easy approach due to minimal public resistance as well as its perception of addressing a widespread inconvenience.  The main problem with roads first, however, is that it directly translates to “cars first”, and assumes that road construction is a one-size-fits-all fix, when in reality it is much more complicated than that. As ridiculously simple as it sounds, “build it and they will come” has been extremely evident in Charlotte.  By 2035, our current light rail line (the Blue Line) is expected to have fueled about $44 billion in development, much of which has rapidly revitalized previously dormant areas such as South End in a manner that allows residents to get around without needing a car for everything.  On the other end of the spectrum, I-485 was gradually built section-by-section around the outer reaches of Charlotte, and rapidly fueled a boom of subdivisions and shopping centers in its wake, quickly necessitating several widening projects in an attempt to keep up with rapidly increasing traffic volume.  At the time of this post, the 17 mile section of I-485 between I-77 and US 74 (Independence Blvd) is undergoing a $346 million project to add more lanes, and is already the second widening project within this section of I-485 since 2010. And therein lies the dilemma.  As the cost of infrastructure continues to rise, so too does the cost of getting it wrong.  State leaders are on record saying they don’t want Charlotte’s traffic to rival Atlanta’s legendarily bad traffic, while simultaneously being seemingly unwilling to do anything differently than Atlanta.  Obviously, there are areas where we need new roads, but there are also areas where it is evident that more lanes will not fix the root of the problem. Something has to give.

The Editorial Board of the Baltimore Sun offered on Thursday February 29, steps for improving transit in the City of Baltimore. Per the article: [One long-discussed possibility is that Baltimore transit might in the future be governed by an independent authority instead of a state agency. In that spirit, we would like to offer our priorities: First, raise staffing on the various MTA modes to national standards ... Second, speed up the procurement process. Third, and this may prove the most challenging goal, every jurisdiction in the region needs to be contributing toward transit funding.] #baltimore #transit #redline #rail #bus #construction #design #project #jobs #infrastructure #funding #investment #environmental #alternative_delivery #transit_equity

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration is investing $272.4 million in the Miami/Fort Lauderdale area, marking it as the eighth-highest funding allocation nationwide. 🚇 This funding, allocated based on population and service data, underscores a commitment to bolstering public transportation infrastructure in our region. The investments will support various aspects of public transit, including maintenance, operations, modernization, expansion, and accessibility enhancements for disabled and senior travelers. With this substantial investment, we can expect to see improvements in subways, light rail, buses, ferry systems, and the overall transit experience for residents and visitors alike. It's a significant step towards creating more efficient, accessible, and sustainable transportation options for our community. 🚍 #transitinfrastructure #publictransportation #southflorida

Public transportation is not necessarily a partisan issue, but is probably more complicated than a party vs. party argument. Much of the debate may be framed in a rural vs. urban perspective. And not all people in rural areas have access to private transportation that make travelling from place to place an easy choice. All stakeholders need to be considered and consulted in the development of our transportation systems. Like broadband, much public transportation takes a long time to get to many rural areas. My native Eastern Shore of Maryland has lost some bus service and my hometown station was even moved out of town. Passenger rail left with the emergence of the automobile as well as the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. Funding is another big issue with poorer rural counties having less money to invest on major transportation infrastructure upgrades. #publictransit #transportation #governance #localgovernment #stategovernment #federalgovernment #infrastructure https://lnkd.in/eSxc9dTA

Great article and many folks need to read it and absorb what is being said. Highways will never reduce traffic; people reduce traffic. Let's start integrating our thinking. #nationalinfrastructurebank

Of reported funds dispersed to states, more than half – around $70bn – have been spent on the resurfacing and expansion of highways, a process that researchers have consistently found only spurs greater use of cars and therefore more congestion. Just a fifth of the money has gone so far to public transit, with much of the remainder also facilitating more car driving, such as the refurbishment of bridges. “We’re seeing investments that are not too conscious of the climate across the board from states,” said Corrigan Salerno, policy associate at Transportation For America. “Nothing is fundamentally changing in terms of modes of transport. This much money going into highway expansion is, for one, a liability into the future, and two, it just doesn’t work. We’ve been expanding highways for decades on decades, and everyone consistently finds themselves stuck in traffic.” https://lnkd.in/gcQhkZMF

Federal transportation policy is at a crossroads. Our roads, bridges, transit, and sidewalks are in disrepair; pedestrian fatalities and emissions are rising; and many people lack safe, affordable access to jobs and services. Yet, Congress continues to throw more money at the same failing system. With the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act expiring in 2026, it’s time for a smarter approach. We're calling on Congress to prioritize maintenance, design for safety over speed, and invest in a full, multimodal transportation system that works for everyone. Learn more about our three principles for for future federal investments in our nations infrastructure ⤵ t4america.org/platform