- Fitch Reports On Work-From-Home's Impact On Toll Roads Traffic
- USDOT Is Accepting Applications For Second Round Of SMART Grant Funding
- Slow Rollout Of Charging Infrastructure May Hinder Widespread EV Adoption
- These are just some of the toll industry developments TRN is following.
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Fitch Reports On Work-From-Home's Impact On Toll Roads Traffic
Fitch Ratings has issued a new report concluding that the “impact of widespread working from home (WFH) on toll road operators has been far less significant than initially feared.” According to Fitch analysts who have looked at the phenomenon’s high-level effect on tollway traffic, “The prevalence in developed economies of WFH, which exploded during the Covid-19 pandemic, has had knock-on effect on some toll roads. However, it is almost impossible to completely isolate the WFH impact as other factors, including pent-up demand for leisure travel, acceleration of e-commerce and reduced reliance on public transportation, have played a role.” The report, “Toll Roads Ride Out the WFH Challenge,” is available by subscription.
Economic & Social Considerations Affecting Transportation Fitch Ratings Highway-Tunnel-Bridge Safety (Includes COVID-19 Impacts) Transportation and Infrastructure Research & DevelopmentUSDOT Is Accepting Applications For Second Round Of SMART Grant Funding
USDOT announced last week it is accepting applications for the second round of the Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation Grants Program (SMART), which was created through IIJA to “conduct demonstration projects focused on advanced smart community technologies and systems that improve transportation efficiency and safety.” The program will make up to $500 million available to state, local and tribal governments over five years. USDOT stated, “This SMART Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) will accept applications for Stage 1 Planning and Prototyping grants. During Stage 1, the SMART program seeks to fund innovation aimed at solving real-world transportation problems and focused on building data and technology capacity and experience for State, local, and Tribal governments. The program also recognizes that many public sector transportation agencies face challenges finding the resources and personnel to leverage new technologies; so, the program builds in the time and support to enable successful deployment.” Applications are due no later than 5:00 PM 0n October 10, 2023. More information on application criteria and the submission process is provided in the announcement and the NOFO. (TRN inserted a link in quoted text.)
In March, USDOT distributed $94 million to almost 60 applicants in the first round of SMART funding. A list of the recipients and an interactive map of their projects are accessible online.
Highway-Tunnel-Bridge Maintenance Highway-Tunnel-Bridge Safety (Includes COVID-19 Impacts) Information Technology Resources and Acquisitions Intelligent Traffic Management Systems Intelligent Transportation Systems Transportation and Infrastructure Research & Development Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (Drones) US Department of Transportation (USDOT) US Gov't Transportation Funding US Infrastructure Funding And Financing Initiatives V2X and V2V TechnologySlow Rollout Of Charging Infrastructure May Hinder Widespread EV Adoption
“If the rollout of EV charging ports fails to keep pace with the expected growth in sales of the vehicles, the resulting bottleneck could slow the future of EV adoption in the US and their role in reducing emissions in a rapidly warming world,” The Financial Times reports. The Biden Administration is investing $7.5 billion in developing the country’s EV charging infrastructure, but Nick Nigro, founder of Atlas Public Policy, says $39 billion is needed in order to reach the White House’s goal of 500,000 public chargers from today’s benchmark of 150,000. The article points out specific barriers to EV adoption beyond the oft-mentioned issue of charger reliability. Other challenges more specific to the charging companies include an insufficient power grid and the need for improved cell service in more rural areas. Charging companies also may have to invest in amenities like restrooms and WiFi to accommodate the needs of drivers who will spend up to an hour waiting for even a fast-charging station to replenish their car or truck batteries.
Economic & Social Considerations Affecting Transportation Electric and Hybrid Vehicles Service Plazas US Gov't Transportation Funding US Infrastructure Funding And Financing InitiativesThese are just some of the toll industry developments TRN is following.
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