As a prelude to its May 27-29 Conference on Data and AI for Transportation Advancement, the Transportation Research Board is conducting a webinar tomorrow afternoon (Eastern time) to provide guidance on effectively integrating AI into transportation institutions. According to the event announcement, “Presenters will focus on identifying high-impact areas for adoption while avoiding less impactful AI applications. Attendees will learn about practical use cases with generative AI along with ways to prioritize quick wins and high-impact results.” Further information and registration is available online.
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Another Wrong-Way Collision Claims A Life In Houston
Authorities in Harris County, Texas, say a 26-year-old woman was intoxicated when she traveled the wrong way on inbound lanes of the Hardy Toll Road near the Sam Houston Tollway early Saturday morning, KHOU reports. She and the driver of the vehicle she hit were both treated at a nearby hospital, where the other driver later died. The wrong-way driver has been charged with manslaughter. The toll road is a Harris County Toll Road Authority (HCTRA) facility.
The article recaps efforts to deal with a recent spate of wrong-way collisions — many of which were related to impaired driving — on metro Houston roadways. TxDOT public information officer Danny Perez describes the department’s prevention strategy as “the three Es:” engineering, enforcement, and education.
MTA Congestion Pricing Has Gained More Acceptance According To New Poll
Bloomberg (via Yahoo! Finance) sums up two surveys gauging sentiment about Manhattan’s newly implemented congestion pricing program. Results of a Siena College poll released today show that statewide, opposition to the program has declined from 51 percent to 40 percent since December, while support is up slightly from 29 percent to 33 percent. Within New York City, resident support (42 percent) now outweighs opposition (35 percent).
“Still, a Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday [March 5] showed 54% of New York City residents oppose congestion pricing while 41% support it. At the same time, 49% disapprove of President Donald Trump trying to end the toll compared with 45% who approve his actions, the poll found.” (TRN inserted a link in quoted text.)
Corps Of Engineers Grants Permit For Francis Scott Key Bridge Replacement
The US Army Corps of Engineers Baltimore District (USCACE) announced last week that it granted the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) a permit to build the replacement bridge reconnecting I-695 over the Patapsco River, WTOP reports. The permit for the approximately $2 billion project was issued prior to first anniversary of the Francis Scott Key Bridge’s March 26, 2024, collapse.
Baltimore District Commander Colonel Francis Pera said, “To have both removed the bridge wreckage and issued relevant permits for its reconstruction on this timetable is a testament to our dedicated regulatory branch and our commitment to support an energetic economy across the Mid-Atlantic.”
Although some geotechnical investigations and demolition work remain, construction is expected to start this summer. The new bridge is targeted for completion by 2028.
The Baltimore Sun also covers this story.
Weekly Review: Week of March 2-8, 2025
Maine Turnpike Halted Connector Study, Handed Congestion Relief Planning Over To MDOT
The Maine Turnpike Authority (MTA) announced Thursday it has engaged Maine DOT “to take the lead in a comprehensive effort to identify transportation solutions for persistent traffic congestion west of Portland.” The authority’s action “follow[ed] feedback from the public and civic leaders” who have called for a “broader, more holistic, and multimodal approach” to congestion than the proposed MTA Gorham Connector Project offers.
MTA board chair Michael Cianchette commented, “There have been some questions raised about a prospective new road connection to Gorham and how it fits into the larger Southern Maine transportation system, including transit and trails. Good questions deserve answers, so the Turnpike has asked MaineDOT to take the lead and use their expertise to examine it holistically. They have graciously agreed to step in and we will standby to help however we are able.”
For its part, the transportation department is “committed to exploring innovative solutions that not only improve mobility but also support affordable housing, workforce development, sustainability, and efficient transit options.” Over a two-year study process, its staff will review past mobility studies, including the Gorham Connector plans, and update them in accordance with current conditions. The turnpike authority might still contribute to an infrastructure solution to the region’s problem. The announcement states, “Based on MaineDOT’s assessment, if needed and requested by MaineDOT, MTA would evaluate any proposed new road options to determine their financial viability.”
Portland Press Herald reported, MTA’s action “follows a year of community conflict over the connector proposal and growing negative feedback.”
Oklahoma Turnpike Resumed Design Work On Controversial Project
The Oklahoman reported, the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority (OTA) announced it will resume design work on a problematic segment of its South Extension Turnpike project, a controversial part of the multibillion-dollar ACCESS Oklahoma initiative. Intended to relieve I-35 congestion near Oklahoma City, the extension project was stalled for months by a lawsuit brought by area residents. Because the US Bureau of Land Reclamation objects to the originally proposed alignment through an environmentally sensitive area, OTA must restart planning, a process that will include new public meetings. “Turnpike officials chose not to appeal the agency’s ruling after discussions about the project.”
During the authority’s Tuesday meeting, OTA staff also reported on a new $25 million project expected to begin by spring 2026. A joint venture with Oklahoma City, the project involves improvements to a Kilpatrick Turnpike segment and nearby municipal roads. Increases in traffic volume around the national headquarters of business services company Paycom are driving the project.
Caltrans Will Open Express Lane Nearing Completion To HOV Motorists
Daily Republic reported that tomorrow, March 10, is Caltrans’ tentative opening date for a partially completed westbound express lane in Solano County. While roadway construction and tolling equipment installation continues during overnight hours, the department will make the lane available to HOV 2+ vehicles during morning and evening peak traffic periods. Outside of those hours, all vehicles will be permitted to use the lane. The facility is expected to be completed and formally opened late this year.
The westbound lane’s construction is part of the $244 million Solano I-80 Express Lanes project that began in 2022. Caltrans is developing two managed lanes — one in each direction — over a congested 18-mile segment of the interstate. One of the lanes is new construction, the other is an existing HOV lane conversion.
Pennsylvania And New Jersey Scheduled Meetings On Turnpike Bridge Project
The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) and the New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA) announced they will host three open house sessions later this month on the Delaware River Turnpike Bridge Project. According to PTC, the meetings provide opportunities to learn more about “ongoing environmental work, the Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) process, the alternatives analysis and preliminary engineering processes, and future public involvement opportunities. Results from [a] public survey, which launched in the fall, will also be shared.”
A bridge replacement alternative was developed and set out in a 2003 Record of Decision. However, in 2017, a fracture of one of the existing bridge approach trusses required an extensive closure, I-95 traffic detour, and repair project. Since then, PTC and NJTA have allocated funding for new environmental and engineering studies of a bridge rehabilitation or replacement project to address the repaired fracture and take account of changes in conditions and federal regulations. The bistate bridge study is stage 3 of PTC’s I-95 Interchange Program, most of which is complete.
These are a few of the toll industry developments TRN covered last week. If you’re not a subscriber to Daily News Briefs, click here for a free, 14-day trial. Read the news as it happens every weekday.
Florida DOT Capped Orlando Express Lanes Dynamic Tolls At $3.00 Per Segment
With little advance public notice, Florida DOT recently transitioned from static to dynamic tolling of I-4 Express Lanes. The department put a base rate of 50 cents per segment into effect and told regular users not to expect a significant change in costs, but provided no additional rate range information before the transition.
Orlando Sentinel and other local media subsequently learned that “tolls in the lanes may float as high as $3 per segment depending on the amount of traffic, meaning it could cost as much as $21 to ride the full length of the express lane. That’s six times higher than the maximum possible charge prior to dynamic tolling — although the agency stresses it does not believe tolls will rise that high very often.” Drivers reported that toll costs remained fairly static at 50 cents per segment during the new system’s first week, rising only as high as 75 cents at some times. However, some of them also commented that the express lanes would become unaffordable if costs eventually approach the $3.00 per segment cap.
PA Turnpike Announced Tollbooth Demolition Plan And New App For Drivers Stuck In Backups
KYW-AM reported on two Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) announcements. According to COO Craig Shuey the demolition of tollbooths made obsolete by the conversion to open-road tolling will begin this spring on the upper end of the Northeast Extension. “In June,” he said, “the Philadelphia area will begin seeing demolition — Norristown to Mid-County and Street Road, with Bensalem being the last of the interchanges to get reconstructed. And that’s going to occur in 2026.”
Mr. Shuey added that later this month, PTC will launch a text service that enables drivers stuck in backups to find out why traffic isn’t moving. “We will tie them to our incident management system and provide real-time information about what’s happening at that particular location,” he explained.
Trump Executive Order “Paused” Major Grant For North Carolina Bridge Project
Port City Daily reported, the Trump administration has “paused” distribution of a federal grant that was expected to cover half of North Carolina’s costs for replacement of the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge in metro Wilmington. Following some initial confusion about the status of the award, NCDOT informed the Wilmington City Council last week that the funding is subject to a February 26 executive order that directs the “DOGE Service” to review and, if necessary, modify or terminate implementations of discretionary federal spending. An NCDOT spokesperson said it isn’t known when the funding might again become available, but the department is committed to continue work on the bridge project’s environmental study.
Meanwhile, bridge replacement funding and design continue to be controversial topics in Wilmington. In a separate article, Port City Daily reported that city council members are concerned that building a proposed 135-foot-tall span could, with inflation, boost the project’s estimated cost from $450 million to $1.1 billion. Although some city lawmakers and interest groups favor a less costly design, they’ve been warned it could affect future availability of the federal grant. Although it’s unpopular, tolling remains a potential element of project financing.
Trump Administration Withholds Funds For Vital Rhode Island Projects
WPRI reported, Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee (D) is stepping up advocacy aimed at getting the Trump administration to release funding from USDOT grants for two vital interstate highway projects, including replacement of the westbound Washington Bridge span in Providence. The state was guaranteed hundreds of millions of dollars in aid from three federal programs during the Biden administration. However, executive orders issued by President Trump are preventing RIDOT from drawing down funds, even though it’s uncertain the executive orders were intended to apply to the transportation grants.
In a Tuesday letter to the president, McKee stated, “While we are confident that we should receive these grant funds, we need the federal government to expedite this signature process and make good on their commitment to Rhode Island.” According to WPRI, the letter also “signals ongoing uncertainty among Rhode Island leaders over whether the state will ever receive the funds.” RIDOT Director Peter Alviti has told state lawmakers he believes there are other sources of money for the projects, but using those resources would short-change funding for other infrastructure projects.
Nova Scotia Will End Halifax Bridges Tolling Sooner Than Expected
PNI Atlantic News reported, tolling of Nova Scotia’s Angus Macdonald and A. Murray MacKay Bridges will end permanently on Monday, March 17, two weeks ahead of the previously announced date, the province and Halifax Harbour Bridges (HHB) announced last week. According to HHB, the schedule change was made so work can begin this month on the removal of toll plaza infrastructure. Neither announcement “addressed the topic of where the money for bridge maintenance will now come from.”
The Macdonald Bridge will be the first to undergo conversion over the weekends starting Friday, March 14, and Friday, March 21, weather permitting. HHB chief executive Tony Wright commented, “Dismantling the toll plazas is a complex process. We are working with industry specialists and contractors to make sure the work proceeds as efficiently and safely as possible and as quickly as possible.”
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FHWA Postponed Effective Date Of Buy America Rule Revision
USDOT has “temporarily” delayed the March 17, 2025, effective date of the Buy America Requirements for Manufactured Products final rule. According to a Federal Register notice published Tuesday, the postponement is in accordance with a January 20, 2025, presidential memorandum that freezes all executive branch regulatory activity pending Trump administration review. The notice issued by FHWA chief counsel James Payne represented that the department has statutory and other grounds for making the delay effective immediately without the necessity of giving prior notice and an opportunity for public comment.
Major UK Bridge’s Conversion To Open-Road Tolling Will Get Underway
Hull Live and BBC News reported that the months-long process of installing an all-electronic, open-road toll collection system on the UK’s Humber Bridge will begin on March 17. The first work phase, which includes gantry construction, will last about ten weeks. Testing will take place throughout the summer before a fall launch. Tollbooth infrastructure removal will follow.
The bridge operator, the Humber Bridge Board (HHB), expects most work to be carried out at night, and it plans to minimize the project’s traffic disruptions by narrowing lanes when necessary instead of closing them. Although the agency will no longer employ toll collectors, some of the displaced workers will be reassigned to fill a need for additional back-office staff.
In January, TRN reported on the collection system change and HHB’s selection of US-based Neology, Inc., to design and implement an end-to-end replacement system.
The Buy America final rule was published in the final days of the Biden administration, on January 14, 2025. It amends FHWA’s Buy America regulation to terminate the general waiver for manufactured products and establish requirements for manufactured products used in federal-aid highway projects.
India Postponed Satellite Toll System Implementation
The Times of India reported, a national transport ministry official informed lawmakers that India will delay implementation of a GNSS-based tolling system until the country can deploy its own navigational satellites. The official said the decision was necessary to ensure the security of government data and the privacy of citizens. The announcement was unexpected because road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari had repeatedly stated in public and in parliament that a transition to satellite-based, multi-lane free flow tolling (MLFF) was close to implementation. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has launched an MLFF system procurement.
Abertis Agreed To Acquire Majority Stake In French Tollway Concession
Abertis, which is co-owned ACS Group and Mundys, announced it has reached an agreement with two French companies to acquire a 51.2 percent stake in the A-63 tollway concession. The facility is described as “a key route between Europe and the Iberian Peninsula for goods transport between Spain and northern Europe, and serves as a link between Bordeaux, with one million-plus inhabitants and home to major scientific and engineering facilities, and the cities of Bayonne, Biarritz, Anglet and Saint-Jean-de-Luz.” The parties are working to close the transaction “as soon as possible.”
The 104-kilometer (64.6-mile) motorway completed in 2013 has a total of six lanes and does not require significant additional investment. The concession term expires in 2051. Last year, the facility generated revenue of EUR 170 million (USD 183.4 million).
The announcement added, “Following the closing of this transaction, Abertis’ shareholders – ACS Group and Mundys – will inject EUR 400 million [USD 431.6 million] of equity to support Abertis’ growth and strengthen its balance sheet, thereby supporting Abertis’ global leadership in transport infrastructure concessions whilst maintaining its current credit rating.”
Philippine Tollways Merger Talks Suspended Until MPTC Raises More Capital
Daily Tribune reported, Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC) announced it is deferring further merger discussions with its principal rival, San Miguel Corporation (SMC). MPTC Chair Manuel Pangilinan told reporters the postponement allows his firm to focus on raising equity for the purpose of reducing its “significant” debt. MPTC is looking to attract an additional PHP 30 billion to 40 billion (USD 520 million to 693.4 million) in investment via bank loans or private placements. Pangilinan estimates it will take two or three months to raise the money, after which the merger talks can resume and possibly be completed this year.
Both Daily Tribune and BusinessWorld looked at the status of the merger negotiations and the respective assets of the two companies, the dominant players in the Philippines toll industry.
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