U.S. DOT
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Transportation Agencies Will Finally Measure the Movement of People, Not Just Cars
Hundreds of billions of dollars have been spent in the quest for free-flowing vehicular traffic. The result is wider highways, more sprawl, and more people stuck in congestion. But this week U.S. DOT took an important step to change course, releasing new standards to guide how transportation agencies measure their performance. Advocates for transit and walkability say the policy is a significant improvement.
January 12, 2017
3 Highlights From Elaine Chao’s Very Vague Confirmation Hearing
Chao gave a tight-lipped performance that didn't reveal much about how she would use the regulatory and approval power at her disposal, but here are three instances where you can try to read the tea leaves.
January 11, 2017
Trump’s Pick for U.S. DOT Is GOP Insider Elaine Chao
Chao was secretary of labor under George W. Bush and is married to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Her family owns an international shipping empire.
November 29, 2016
Will US DOT’s Self-Driving Car Rules Make Streets Safe for Walking and Biking?
This week, U.S. DOT released guidelines for self-driving cars, a significant step as regulators prepare for companies to bring this new technology to market. Autonomous vehicles raise all sorts of questions about urban transportation systems. It's up to advocates to ensure that the technology helps accomplish broader goals like safer streets and more efficient use of urban space, instead of letting private companies dictate the terms.
September 22, 2016
FHWA’s New Goal: Eliminating Pedestrian and Cyclist Deaths in America
The Federal Highway Administration wants to eliminate pedestrian and cyclist fatalities "in the next 20 to 30 years." In a new strategic plan [PDF], the agency calls for reducing serious injuries and deaths 80 percent in the next 15 years, which would be an intermediate goal on the way to zero.
September 15, 2016
Engineers to U.S. DOT: Transportation Is About More Than Moving Cars
A trade group representing the transportation engineering profession thinks it's high time for American policy makers to stop focusing so much on moving single-occupancy vehicles.
August 26, 2016
Stark Divisions Between Dems and GOP on Climate Impacts of Transportation
How polarized are the two political parties on key questions about transportation policy and climate change? As you can imagine, the answer is "very."
August 22, 2016
State DOTs to Feds: We Don’t Want to Reveal Our Impact on Climate Change
Every year state DOTs receive tens of billions of dollars in transportation funds from the federal government. By and large, they can do whatever they want with the money, which in most states means wasting enormous sums on pork-laden highway projects. Now that U.S. DOT might impose some measure of accountability on how states use these funds, of course the states are fighting to keep their spending habits as opaque as possible.
August 18, 2016
Anthony Foxx to Local Officials: Transport Policy Should Tackle Segregation
Local transportation officials should actively work to reduce segregation and promote equal access to quality schools, three Cabinet members say in a "dear colleague" letter released last week [PDF].
June 16, 2016
Will U.S. DOT Get Serious About Climate Change? Here’s Cause for Optimism.
Last fall, national environmental advocates sat down with officials from U.S. DOT to talk about how federal transportation policy can address climate change.
June 3, 2016