- MTA Opens 76-Day Public Review Of Congestion Pricing Toll Structure
- Sanibel Causeway Repairs Are “Substantially Complete.” All Lanes Reopen.
- Tennessee DOT Program Recruits, Trains Former Inmates For Construction Jobs
- Several States Test Equipping Snowplows With Ultra-Bright, LED Lights
- These are just some of the toll industry developments TRN is following.
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MTA Opens 76-Day Public Review Of Congestion Pricing Toll Structure
The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTA) yesterday announced the start of the public comment period on the proposed toll structure for the Manhattan congestion pricing program. The proposal, unveiled by MTA’s board on December 6, is modeled on recommendations made by the Traffic Mobility Review Board in November. Between today and March 11, 2024, the public can submit written comments online and by email, mail and fax, and submit audio comments by leaving a voicemail message. The board will also accept comments from people who pre-register to speak at hybrid (virtual and in-person) public hearings it has scheduled at MTA headquarters for February 29, March 1 and March 4. Those hearings will be live-streamed on MTA’s YouTube channel and the program web page. Following its review of comments, the MTA board (sitting as the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority board) will consider adopting a final ratemaking regulation “that includes any updates that may follow the public comment period.” Detailed information about the public review process is available in yesterday’s announcement and on an MTA web page.
Spectrum News NY 1’s report on the MTA announcement includes a high-level summary of the proposed toll structure.
Congestion Pricing ETC Systems Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) New Jersey New York New York City Public Outreach And CommunicationSanibel Causeway Repairs Are “Substantially Complete.” All Lanes Reopen.
Florida DOT announced Friday that the Sanibel Causeway has fully reopened, WGCU reports. Roadwork to repair several sections, which were destroyed by Hurricane Ian in October 2022, is substantially complete. “Work on the islands and in the water surrounding the causeway bridges will continue for another year; major traffic impacts are not expected.” Sanibel officials and FDOT’s construction manager expressed gratitude to the contractors who “worked day and night” after the storm to restore the only road connection between barrier islands and the mainland.
Florida Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) Highway-Tunnel-Bridge Maintenance Lee County (Florida)Tennessee DOT Program Recruits, Trains Former Inmates For Construction Jobs
WKRN reports, Tennessee DOT is partnering with the Urban League of Middle Tennessee on a program that aims to solve two problems at once: a shortage of construction labor and low employment rates among people who were formerly incarcerated. The department’s Reentry Experience Advancement Partnership (REAP) program is accepting applications through January 3 for 12 available slots in a training program that includes six and a half weeks of classroom instruction and a four-week internship. Stipends are provided for the training period, and transportation assistance is offered. A US Department of Justice study in 2021 found that one-third of the people released from federal prisons “did not find employment at any point in the four years after their release from prison from 2010 to 2014.” Information about the program is available via email.
Tennessee Tennessee DOT Transportation And Infrastructure Workforce IssuesSeveral States Test Equipping Snowplows With Ultra-Bright, LED Lights
The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) announced it is conducting a pilot project to test whether equipment-mounted, ultra-bright, LED lighting effectively increases snowplow visibility and thereby reduces the risk of collisions and equipment downtime. ITD chose green and amber lights for testing because they are highly visible in daylight as well as darkness, and the colors tend to penetrate the “clouds of snow and slush” plows (and especially wings) kick up even when it isn’t snowing. The pilot will also determine whether the new lighting can withstand winter road conditions. ITD’s cost for equipping a plow for testing (parts and installation included) is about $300, a fraction of the $10,000 average cost of repairing the damage resulting from a collision. The department notes, “Green lights have been successfully adopted [by] several state transportation departments including Utah and Montana, and in several cities and counties in eastern Washington. They are also currently being considered by Washington, Wyoming, and Oregon state transportation departments.” An ITD official says “uniformity enhances safety by ensuring driver experiences and expectations remain the same from place to place as they travel throughout the Pacific Northwest.”
Highway-Tunnel-Bridge Maintenance Highway-Tunnel-Bridge Safety (Includes COVID-19 Impacts) Idaho Idaho Transportation Department Oregon Washington State WyomingThese are just some of the toll industry developments TRN is following.
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