Texas Department of Transportation’s Post

Kicked off #InfrastructureWeek with more progress along the Northeast Corridor! FRA Administrator Amit Bose was proud to join representatives from New Jersey, New York, Amtrak, and U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) yesterday to mark 50% completion on the new Portal North Bridge, a project that will reduce disruptions and delays while increasing train speeds, reliability, and safety.   Once complete, the Portal North Bridge will no longer be known as a major chokepoint on the Northeast Corridor but rather as the link connecting people and communities across the East Coast. Funding from several USDOT programs over many years is helping to replace the current bridge.   At 114-year-old, the current swing bridge is one of several bridges and tunnels along the Northeast Corridor that are over a century old. Thanks to President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we are finally making progress to replace and upgrade these aging structures. Last November, FRA announced more than $16 billion in FRA Fed State-NEC grants for 25 projects of national significance to modernize and improve America's busiest passenger rail corridor. 

Interesting video on high-speed rail in Texas. In the abstract, it’s clear that linking up cities like Dallas and Houston is a good idea, but navigating issues like property rights and hostile interest groups (say airlines) have made it difficult to get this project built. In this video, NEPA is framed up as an obstruction, which is an interesting choice! Texas Central’s EIS advanced more quickly than Brightline West (aka DesertXpress) and some of CA HSR’s EISes. No matter, we can still do better. Seth Moulton is one of the most effective HSR advocates in the country. One thing about Texas Central that has always seemed off, and is highlighted in this video, is that it doesn’t quite hit Houston as centrally as it should. Always on the look out for how to build HSR faster. Let me know what you think: https://lnkd.in/eJEXjm8Y

📊 We gathered insights from 50+ transportation industry professionals on a hot topic: “What’s the biggest challenge facing public transportation today?” 🚀💬What do you think is the real game-changer in public transit? Is it a challenge we missed, or do you have a unique perspective on the results? #transportationindustry #poll #mobilityfuture #transitunplugged

Next week, Iteris' John Albeck and Pete Yauch, PE, PTOE, RSP-2I, IMSA III will be presenting an online workshop hosted by Tennessee Transportation Assistance Program titled "Preemption of Traffic Signals Near Railroad Grade Crossings" This workshop is open to all traffic signal practitioners, and will dive into preemption of traffic signals at intersections adjacent to a railroad grade crossing, including a basic overview of the preemption process, two case studies, a description of the infrastructure requirements, a review of preemption strategies, and the development of preemption timing parameters. Sign up here: https://hubs.li/Q02TVZmr0

Interesting video that I recommend all watch! These are real time efforts to create the United States FIRST High Speed Rail Line! Will it be Texas Central, Brightline West or California HSR that takes the title???

Join ITE—A Community of Transportation Professionals on August 8th, for a webinar on the "Improving Equity in Transportation Operations Toolbox," supported by Federal Highway Administration. Learn how to integrate equity into transportation ops, featuring case studies and a toolbox demo. •Learn more and register: https://bit.ly/3WWMIs0

Interested in working towards a zero-emissions fleet, but don’t know where to begin? Connect with transit expert John Jackson next week at the 2024 Conference of Minority Transportation Officials in Houston, where we’ll explore strategies to help transit agencies with preplanning and determining the best time to initiate a long term zero-emissions transition plan. Click here to learn more: https://bit.ly/3XQ5zWn #KimleyHorn #COMTO #Transit

Now (rather, 2026) is the time to do it, especially for a better, more connected network! #SB1031 would make MTC responsible for implementing a seamless transit experience throughout the Bay Area, and would require the Commission to adopt and update rules and regulations to promote the coordination of fares, fare-payment methods and fare integration among various transit agencies. This includes schedule coordination; mapping, wayfinding and real-time transit information as well as other customer-facing operations. New legislation aims to put future Of Bay Area transportation in voters’ hands | The Bay Link Blog (bayareametro.gov)

Our partnership with The Global Network Network for Popular Transportation is a testimony of our commitment to work with like-minded orgs in "popular transportation" which they define as "privately provided, publicly serving local transportation services & systems." #NMAMatatuSummit2024

We agree with the HSRA: We are encouraged by talk of growing the national passenger rail network's long distance routes; however, the trains must be faster, more frequent (2-3 trains/day), and more reliable. We also need a better federal rail program: https://lnkd.in/gxf6k-BE