- Cape Cod Bridges Project Clears Federal Environmental Review
- Opinion: Toll Revenue Would Fund Desperately Needed UK Highway Repairs
- Central Florida Expressway Authority Earns Fitch Ratings Upgrades
- New York State Police Conduct Over-Height Load Education And Enforcement Campaign
- Video Captures Shocking New York Bridge Strike And Resulting Crash
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Cape Cod Bridges Project Clears Federal Environmental Review
Massachusetts DOT announced on August 10 that the federal environmental review of the Cape Cod Bridges replacement program is complete. “Notice of the project’s combined Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Record of Decision was published in the Federal Register on August 7, 2026, formally completing the federal National Environmental Policy Act review process.” (TRN added a link to the quoted text.) The milestone allows MassDOT to move ahead with project design.
The Sagamore and Bourne bridges are more than 90 years old and functionally obsolete. The spans, the only connections to the cape for vehicular traffic, are critical to the local economy.
Environmental Protection Policies Procedures And Initiatives Massachusetts Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) US Army Corps of Engineers US Department of Transportation (USDOT)Opinion: Toll Revenue Would Fund Desperately Needed UK Highway Repairs
Upon returning to the United Kingdom after traveling in France with family, Auto Express deputy editor Richard Ingram made the case in an opinion column that Brits might do well to reconsider their disdain for tolls if doing so would mean roadways as smooth as their European neighbors’.
“In the UK, you can’t drive more than a couple of hundred yards before dodging a crater big enough to buckle a wheel, or a piece of shrapnel capable of obliterating a new tyre,” Ingram writes, asserting that 12.8 million drivers sustain pothole damage to their vehicles every year. He described French motorways, on the other hand, as “pancake-smooth.”
Considering the similar climates in both countries, Ingram concludes that the UK’s “failing road network” stems from a combination of poor workmanship and the physical impact of accommodating the same number of cars on a road network one-third the size.
“So am I advocating road charging? Not necessarily, but if the Government is set on implementing a pay-per-mile tax for electric and hybrid drivers, why not open another can of worms at the same time,” he muses. He estimates that GBP 11 billion (USD 14.8 billion) “would go a long way to resurfacing our 2,300 miles of pockmarked motorways. . . . “
Company and Agency Financial Issues And Reports ETC Systems France Highway-Tunnel-Bridge Maintenance United KingdomCentral Florida Expressway Authority Earns Fitch Ratings Upgrades
On July 24, Fitch Ratings upgraded the ratings of approximately $2.5 billion of Central Florida Expressway Authority (CFX) senior revenue bonds to ‘AA-’ from ‘A+’ and an approximately $203 million CFX subordinated federal TIFIA loan to ‘A+’ from ‘A’. The Rating Outlook is Stable.
Fitch noted, “CFX’s sustained traffic and revenue growth underpins the rating upgrade. Fitch’s improved rating case financial metrics are consistent with the ‘AA’ category, despite conservative debt issuance assumptions associated with the capital plan. The ratings reflect the essentiality of the CFX system to commuters and visitors in the Orlando area, coupled with a demonstrated willingness and ability to implement toll increases even during challenging economic times. The upcoming capital plan, while sizable and requiring additional borrowing, is manageable at the current rating level and will serve to enhance the essentiality of the system.”
In a CFX news release, Lisa Lumbard, the authority’s CFO, commented, “This ratings upgrade reaffirms our approach at CFX of making thoughtful decisions that support both our current system and future investments that position us for the long-term. They give us confidence in our ability to continue delivering on our capital program while maintaining a strong financial position.” (TRN inserted the link in quoted text.)
In June, CFX received other favorable ratings news. Moody’s Ratings assigned its Aa3 rating with stable outlook to $430.56 million of CFX Senior Lien Refunding Revenue Bonds, Series 2026A. S&P Global Ratings assigned its ‘AA-‘ long-term rating to the series 2026A bonds and affirmed its ‘AA-‘ long-term rating on the authority’s outstanding senior-lien revenue bonds.
Central Florida Expressway Authority (CFX) Company and Agency Financial Issues And Reports Fitch Ratings Florida Investment Ratings Moody's Investors Service Orange County FL Metro Area (Orlando) S&P GlobalNew York State Police Conduct Over-Height Load Education And Enforcement Campaign
“New York State Police Troop T participated in the ‘Check Your Height, Know It’s Right’ campaign at the end of July along the New York State Thruway,” New York State Police announced in a news release. “The initiative’s goal is to reduce bridge and overpass strikes involving commercial motor vehicles through education and targeted enforcement.”
The statewide operation resulted in 348 commercial vehicle inspections, with 126 vehicles being immediately taken out of service for safety violations. Nearly 1,000 violations were issued in total, but only five involved over-height infractions.
The Thruway’s maximum height allowance is 13 feet, six inches, beyond which a special permit is required. In the past five years, 375 bridge strikes have been recorded across the Thruway.
Highway-Tunnel-Bridge Maintenance Highway-Tunnel-Bridge Safety (Includes COVID-19 Impacts) New York New York State Thruway Authority Public Outreach And CommunicationVideo Captures Shocking New York Bridge Strike And Resulting Crash
“According to the New York State Police, a 2020 Mack tractor-trailer struck an overpass on the Thruway (Interstate 87) about 12:20 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 10,” “Land Line” reports. “The collision instantly caused the tractor-trailer to tip to its side and slide into a 2025 Toyota sedan that was parked on the right shoulder off the roadway.” A short video, apparently recorded by a vehicle trailing the truck, captures the incident in shocking clarity.
The driver of the sedan was transported to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, and the truck driver was not injured.
Ironically, the bridge strike and resulting crash came close on the heels of the New York State Police’s “Check Your Height, Know It’s Right” educational campaign and targeted enforcement initiative.
Highway-Tunnel-Bridge Safety (Includes COVID-19 Impacts) New York New York State Thruway AuthoritySubscription Information
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