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In Massachusetts Statewide Poll, Half The Respondents Express Openness To Congestion Pricing

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Boston.com reports, a poll commissioned by the Transportation for Massachusetts (T4MA) organization finds that twenty percent of the 1,400 Bay State respondents want to move elsewhere because of concerns about the high costs of transportation and housing. “This survey confirms that housing and transportation are not separate issues; they are deeply interconnected,” commented T4MA executive director Reggie Ramos. She added, “Our public officials must take steps to solve [the intersecting problems] jointly and immediately.”

According to a T4MA news release, the poll results reveal significant public dissatisfaction with the existing transportation system and “some openness to policies that would raise more money for transportation: 50% support studying congestion pricing around Greater Boston; 68% support letting cities and towns put transportation funding on their local ballots; 58% think that real estate developers should pay to support transportation infrastructure near their projects; and 47% think large employers should pay a payroll tax to cover the cost of their employees commuting.”

The Salem News (payment or subscription required) reports, “Transit advocates jumped on the poll’s findings to argue that voters want the state to revisit congestion tolling in the greater Boston region to reduce traffic congestion and tailpipe pollution. ‘With a dire budget shortfall when it comes to transportation, we need a mix of solutions and funding sources to ensure our system works for everyone – and isn’t a crushing financial burden for people across our state,’” Ms. Ramos told the newspaper. “‘Congestion pricing should definitely be on the table as one of those solutions we need to explore,’” she added.

TransCore Technology Facilitated Kansas Turnpike’s Conversion To Cashless Collection

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TransCore issued a news release on this month’s successful launch of its Infinity roadside tolling system at 21 bidirectional toll points along the 236-mile Kansas Turnpike. The new open-road system’s installation marked the turnpike’s conversion to all-electronic, cashless collection. TransCore credited a multi-disciplined project team working in partnership with Kansas Turnpike Authority (KTA) staff with executing a phased design, construction and installation plan on time and on budget. The implementation process aimed to minimize traffic flow impacts and motorist disruption.

KTA selected TransCore’s solution in 2022 through a competitive procurement process that started the preceding year. The firm stated its Infinity system “seamlessly forms tolling transactions for both KTAG users and drivers without compatible transponders by integrating AI-powered automatic license plate recognition (ALPR) technology with a combination of RFID technology to read KTAGs, including TransCore’s multi-protocol readers and transponders.”

“We are proud to partner with KTA to deliver a modern, efficient tolling solution that not only improves driver experiences, but also helps make roadways safer,” said Whitt Hall, TransCore’s president and CEO. Referring to the company’s 30-year-long association with KTA, Mr. Hall added, “We are always grateful for the opportunity to build on our long-term relationships and implement innovative transportation technologies that facilitate our customers’ complex system conversions.”

TransCore is a subsidiary of ST Engineering, a global technology, defense and engineering group.

San Diego Proposes Sales Tax Increase To Fund Infrastructure Renewal

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KFMB reports, the San Diego City Council voted unanimously this week to ask voters to approve a one-cent-per-dollar increase in sales tax. If approved during the November election, the overall sales tax rate would rise to 8.75 percent and bring in an additional $400 million per year. Although the new revenue would be unrestricted, city leaders propose to spend most of it on infrastructure upgrades, including street and sidewalk repairs and street lighting. Officials say the increase is needed to reverse years of budget shortages and offset the rising cost of projects. According to a city report, “Since 2019, the per mile cost of asphalt overlay has increased 173% while the average slurry seal cost[s] have risen by 107%.” The article suggests it may be difficult to convince voters to approve the rate hike.

The San Diego Union-Tribune coverage notes, “San Diego is facing large budget deficits, has a $1.9 billion backlog of infrastructure projects and can’t come close to funding a new plan to comprehensively fix city roads within 10 years.” There is a proposal to sell bonds backed by the anticipated tax revenue “to raise hundreds of millions in immediate capital for paving and infrastructure.”

Axios San Diego and The Bond Buyer (subscription required) also report on the tax proposal.

DRJTBC Toll-Supported Bridge Has Now Been In Operation For 120 Years

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Patch (New Hope-Lambertville, PA) covers a Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission (DRJTBC) announcement that one of its spans — the New Hope-Lambertville Toll-Supported Bridge — is 120 years old this month. The commission acquired the bridge in 1987. The six-span steel structure replaced a wooden covered bridge that was built in 1814 and destroyed in a 1903 flood. DRJTBC last rehabilitated the bridge in 2004. Another project aimed at extending the useful life of the span is currently underway.

Illinois Tollway Awards $96.2 Million In New Contracts

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The Illinois Tollway Authority board yesterday approved four construction and professional engineering services contracts totaling nearly $96.2 million during its July meeting. The firms that received awards were:

  • Plote Construction, for roadway and bridge construction at an interchange on the new I-490 Tollway ($78.5 million);
  • Lorig Construction, for reconstruction of the York Road Bridge on the Reagan Tollway (I-88) ($10.4 million);
  • Czaplicki Lopez/Parsons Transportation Group (Burr Ridge, IL), for railroad bridge reconstruction design services for the Jane Addams Tollway (I-90) ($4.1 million); and
  • Infrastructure Engineering, Inc. (Chicago), for Reagan  Tollway bridge rehabilitation design services ($3.2 million).

The contracts include 25 certified disadvantaged, minority- and women-owned business enterprises, and four certified veteran-owned firms. The authority noted, “With the awarding of the July contracts, the Tollway’s overall commitment to small, diverse and veteran-owned businesses participating in contracts for the Move Illinois Program now exceeds $3 billion as part of nearly $11.5 billion committed since 2012.”