Volume 1 Issue 18 | July 30, 2020
Transportation Planning Newsletter
Chair: Kristina Swallow, Nevada DOT Vice Chair: Lynn Weiskopf, New York State DOT

The Committee on Planning addresses all aspects of the transportation planning process including federal regulations, current industry practices, and emerging approaches and concepts. The committee is dedicated to providing State DOTs the expertise, resources and tools they need to implement a robust planning process within their agencies that is multimodal, multidisciplinary, innovative and consensus-oriented.
Committee News
TPM Target Settings Five-Part Webinar Miniseries
Announcing a special five-part webinar miniseries addressing topics in transportation performance management (TPM). Each session will include an FHWA-led introduction followed by expert presentations and audience Q&A. Register today or learn more on the AASHTO TPM Portal at: https://www.tpm-portal.com/tpmmini

The Transportation Performance Management (TPM) pooled fund project helps contributing members to research and assess training and educational needs, develop and deliver training, and facilitate the sharing and retention of performance management best practices. The TPM Portal website is part of this effort, intended to showcase PM best practices, foster collaboration, and serve as a repository for PM resources.
Episode 4: Target Setting for System Performance Measures
  • August 12, 2020 - 2PM EDT
This webinar covers transportation agency target setting for federal PM3 system performance and reliability, including policy, planning and performance considerations related to target setting. Presentations will address data gaps, modeling and forecasting for system performance targets, and moving the needle on the national system. 

COVID-19

State departments of transportation are actively supporting their residents, businesses and local communities in response to the current COVID-19 outbreak. And in turn, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials is working to support state DOTs in those efforts.

AASHTO remains committed to responsibly following federal and state recommended workplace actions related to COVID-19. We hope you’ll find the resources available at https://www.transportation.org/home/covid19/ useful.

If AASHTO staff can assist you with comments or questions regarding COVID-19, please email us at committeeonplanning@aashto.org.
Industry News
ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

New Orleans mayor releases updated plan on making French Quarter pedestrian-focused
WDSU-TV

Changes being made to improve Tulsa bike lanes
KOKI-TV

How old tires could make bike lanes way safer
Fast Company

ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY

Data vital for state regulators to decide future transportation electrification policies, experts say
DailyEnergyInsider
 
FUNDING
 
Rhode Island governor unveils expanded housing and infrastructure bonding
AP

INFRASTRUCTURE

Wide-Ranging Water Infrastructure Bill Easily Passes House
Bloomberg Law

Rural Infrastructure Grants Easier To Tap Into, Thanks To New Toolkit
AgPro

MOBILITY  

Mobility data foundational for fairer transport systems
Cities Today

MPOs
 
Creating COVID-19 Jobs Through Small Transportation Projects Endorsed
KXAS-TV

Teleworking Can Reduce Car Travel — But Not As Much As You May Think
KPBS

Eastern Shore MPO postpones vote on endorsing toll authority
GulfCoastNewsToday

Regional Transportation Leaders Weigh COVID-19 Impacts In Virginia
Loudoun Now

PLANNING
 
Urban Planning as a Tool of White Supremacy—The Other Lesson from Minneapolis
Route Fifty

New regional transit study proposes multimodal “FAST” vision for the Triangle
North Carolina DOT

RAIL

High-speed rail coming down the track: America's newest, fastest trains, from Acela to Brightline
USA Today
 
ROADWAYS

Critics complain those most impacted by I-45 rebuild left out of group to improve $7B project
Houston Chronicle

Advocates Rally to Tear Down Highways That Bulldozed Black Neighborhoods
Route Fifty

Seattle DOT seeks cheap ways to protect neighborhoods from traffic detoured by West Seattle Bridge closure
Seattle Times

NACTO urges shift from 'outdated' speed-limit planning
Smart Cities Dive

Do bicycles slow down cars on low speed, low traffic roads? Latest research says 'no'
Portland State University

TECHNOLOGY

Self-Driving Technology And Safety With David Harkey
ITE Talks Transportation podcast

TRANSIT
 
TX: Cap Metro proposes $3 billion in cuts to mass transit plan due to coronavirus
American Statesman
 
City of Austin approves $7 billion initial Project Connect transit system
KXAN-TV

Does ride-sharing substitute for or complement public transit?
MIT News

U.S. Department of Transportation Announces Availability of $225 Million for Transit Pilot Program
FTA

TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH BOARD

2021 Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting is going virtual
TRB
 
Webinar: The Relationship between Bicycle Facilities and Increasing Bicycle Trips
TRB