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ALEXANDRIA, Va. — A group of diesel fuel industry stakeholders are urging the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to revise its greenhouse gas standards for heavy-duty trucks and adopt a market-oriented, technology-neutral approach to transportation decarbonization. This comes on the heels of President Biden’s recent veto of a resolution that would have canceled a part of the EPA’s Clean Trucks Plan, which went into effect in March. According to a news release, NATSO, representing America’s travel centers and truck stops, SIGMA: America’s Leading Fuel Marketers, and the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS), have formed a partnership to lobby EPA officials to consider their proposal. Rather than adopting a single approach to emissions reductions, the organizations urged EPA officials to harness the immediate decarbonization benefits of existing lower carbon options, including renewable diesel and biodiesel, the news release noted. “The enormous practical and logistical challenges associated with electrifying trucks necessitate that the agency not rely entirely on a prodigious pace of heavy-duty electrification to decarbonize the trucking sector,” the organizations wrote in public comments submitted to EPA. “Instead of depending on one technology to act as a silver bullet, the agency should adopt an agnostic approach to low-carbon technologies that can deliver substantial emissions savings in the heavy-duty sector, without compromising the market’s ability to gravitate toward electrification as it becomes commercially viable and practical at scale.” With the right alignment of policy incentives, transportation energy providers can facilitate a faster, more widespread, cost-effective transition to petroleum alternatives, including electricity, in the coming years, the groups contend. Fuel retailer representatives say they support the development of electric vehicle technologies and the associated refueling network but are concerned that the current state of heavy-duty electric vehicle charging technology renders the electrification timeline proposed under this rulemaking unachievable. “Renewable diesel and biodiesel represent the best opportunity for reducing carbon emissions from the commercial trucking sector for the foreseeable future,” the news release stated. “Establishing sensible tailpipe emissions in conjunction with strong incentives for renewable liquid fuels will encourage investments in currently scalable technologies that can reduce the carbon footprint of fuels that are in use today.” The groups contend that under EPA’s proposed rule, off-highway refueling locations will need dozens of fast chargers to support 25% of new long-haul trucks being electric by 2032. However, the charging capacity required at a single large truck stop would be equivalent to the electric load of a small town, according to a recent study from RMI. Fuel retailers remain unconvinced that electricity providers will be able to increase generation and transmission activity to service that load at scale within 10 years. “Fuel retailers have provided biofuels to reduce the carbon footprint of the nation’s ground transportation for more than a decade. Compared with petroleum-based diesel, biofuels reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 75%, the news release stated. “Between 2011 and 2019, renewable diesel and biodiesel removed more than 18 million tons of carbon dioxide in California alone.” The fuel retailing sector has urged EPA to increase the blending mandate for biodiesel and renewable diesel under the Renewable Fuel Standard and encourage Congress to eliminate preferential treatment for sustainable aviation fuel, which they say uses the same feedstocks as renewable diesel but produces fewer emissions savings.

PHILADELPHIA — The collapsed stretch of Interstate 95 in Philadelphia will reopen within two weeks, Pennsylvania’s governor said Saturday, after joining President Joe Biden on a helicopter tour over the critical segment of the highway closed to East Coast traffic since last weekend. “We are getting it done here in Philly,” Gov. Josh Shapiro said at a briefing at Philadelphia International Airport after the flyover that included members of Congress and the city’s mayor. Biden outlined the substantial initial federal commitment and longer term support for a permanent fix for the vital roadway. “I know how important this stretch of highway is” to Philadelphia and the Northeast Corridor, he said. “Over 150,000 vehicles travel on it every day, including 14,000 trucks. … It’s critical to our economy and it’s critical to our quality of life.” Shapiro, offering a timeline that would be welcome news to commuters and long-haul truckers alike, said with Biden at his side: “I can state with confidence that we will have I-95 reopened within the next two weeks. We are going to get traffic moving again thanks to the extraordinary work that is going on here.” He said “folks here in Philly have a real renewed sense of civic pride through this project” and that “there’s something special happening in our community” with people coming together. The stretch of the East Coast’s main north-south highway collapsed early last Sunday after a tractor-trailer hauling gasoline flipped over on an off-ramp and caught fire. State transportation officials said the driver was trying to navigate a curve and lost control. “I’ve directed my team … to move heaven and earth to get this done as soon as humanly possible,” Biden said. He said he told the governor, “There’s no more important project right now in the country as far as I’m concerned.” The president described it as an “all hands on deck” project to address a “crisis.” “We’re with you. We’re going to stay with you until this is rebuilt, until it’s totally finished,” he said at the briefing. Pennsylvania’s plan for the work involves trucking in 2,000 tons of lightweight glass nuggets for the quick rebuilding, with crews working around the clock until the interstate is open to traffic. Instead of rebuilding the overpass right away, crews will use the recycled glass to fill in the collapsed area to avoid supply-chain delays for other materials, Shapiro has said. After that, a replacement bridge will be built next to it to reroute traffic while crews excavate the fill to restore the exit ramp, officials have said. Biden said the design was “incredibly innovative in order to get this work done in record time.” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who visited the area Tuesday, promised that the federal government would provide the needed assistance to repair the destruction, although he warned that the wreckage will likely raise the cost of consumer goods in the short term because truckers must now travel longer routes. Joining Biden on the presidential Marine One helicopter were Shapiro, Sens. Bob Casey and John Fetterman and Rep. Brendan Boyle and Mayor Jim Kenney, all Democrats. Later Saturday, Biden was to attend a 2024 campaign event with union workers at the convention center. To view live video of the construction work via the state Department of Transportation, go to: https://www.penndot.pa.gov/RegionalOffices/district-6/Pages/AlertDetails.aspx

WASHINGTON — President Biden has vetoed a resolution that would have canceled a part of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean Trucks Plan that went into effect in March. In his veto, Biden wrote that the resolution “would deny communities these health benefits by resulting in weaker emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles and engines, which are significant sources of pollutants that threaten public health. If enacted, the resolution would squander $36 billion in benefits to society — and an opportunity to lead on the defining crisis of our time.” Texas Republican Rep. Troy E. Nehls, who introduced the resolution, called the EPA’s rule on buttoning up large commercial truck emissions “yet another example of burdensome federal regulation and would unfairly target the trucking industry and pass costs for the American consumer and small businesses, all in the name of the Biden Administration’s woke climate change agenda.” Republican Sen. Deb Fischer of Nebraska, a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, said Biden “chose to prioritize his extreme environmental agenda over bipartisan pushback from Congress.” Fischer further said that the veto “is more than just a slap in the face to truckers, who transport nearly every consumer good. Pushing this excessive regulation forward will also raise prices for families already grappling with inflation. I’ll continue to work with my colleagues on ways to push back against these devastating government mandates.” After the veto, Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association President and CEO Todd Spencer expressed disappointment at the president’s decision. “We thank the Democrats and Republicans in Congress who put politics aside in support of small-business truckers simply trying to navigate wave after wave of EPA regulations,” Spencer said in a statement. “As the White House issues their veto, EPA is working to finalize another round of burdensome emission requirements and pushing for electric commercial trucks without any practical concern regarding purchasing costs, mileage range, battery weight, or charging availability.”

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — U.S. diesel prices are continuing a downward trend for the eighth straight week thanks to shrinking demand and higher storage volumes. According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), the average price as of June 12 is $3.794 per gallon, down from $3.797 per gallon on June 5 and $3.855 on May 29. Prices did show slight increases along the East Coast, Lower Atlantic and Gulf Coast regions, however.

PHILADELPHIA — Pennsylvania will truck in 2,000 tons of lightweight glass nuggets to help quickly rebuild a collapsed section of Interstate 95 in Philadelphia and crews will work 24 hours a day until they can reopen the critical commercial artery, officials said Wednesday. Instead of rebuilding the overpass right away, crews will use the recycled glass to fill in the collapsed area to avoid supply-chain delays for other materials, Gov. Josh Shapiro said. But Shapiro repeatedly declined to estimate how long it will take to get traffic flowing again on the busy East Coast highway. “We’re going to get this job done as quickly as possible,” Shapiro said at a news conference near the site, over the sounds of heavy machinery working to clear wreckage. He said the work would be done with union labor. Investigators continued to look into why a truck hauling gasoline went out of control on an off-ramp and flipped on its side, igniting a fire early Sunday that caused the collapse of the northbound lanes of Interstate 95 and severely damaged the southbound lanes. Workers will fill the gap — which is roughly 100 feet (30 meters) long and 150 feet wide — by piling recycled foam glass aggregate into the underpass area, bringing it up to surface level and then paving it over so that three lanes of traffic can reopen each way, Shapiro said. “This approach will allow us to avoid delays due to shipping and supply chain issues and pursue a simple, quicker path,” Shapiro said. After that, a replacement bridge will be built next to it to reroute traffic while crews excavate the fill to restore the exit ramp, officials said. The Biden administration is pledging its aid as the collapse snarls traffic in Philadelphia while the summer travel season starts. It has upended hundreds of thousands of morning commutes, disrupted countless businesses and forced trucking companies to find different routes. Demolition of both the northbound and southbound lanes in the overpass was expected to finish Thursday. Trucks hauling glass aggregate could start arriving the same day and will have a state police escort, officials said. The company supplying the glass aggregate, AeroAggregates of North America, has a production site just south of Philadelphia along the Delaware River. There, it mills glass bottles and jars diverted from landfills into a powder and heats it into a foam to produce small, lightweight nuggets that are gray and look like rocks — but are as light as Styrofoam, said CEO Archie Filshill. Each one is about an inch or inch-and-a-half wide. Filshill estimated that it will take about 100 box-truck loads to haul about 10,000 cubic yards of the glass nuggets required for the I-95 project. The total weight is around 2,000 tons, a fraction of the weight of regular sand or dirt, meaning that it will take many fewer trucks to bring it to the site, Filshill said. PennDOT was the first to use his company’s product after he began making it in 2017, and it is now approved for use by 23 state transportation departments around the country, Filshill said. AeroAggregates will divert material bound for other, less urgent projects to the I-95 project, he said. The disruption is likely raise the cost of consumer goods because truckers must now travel longer routes, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said. Of the 160,000 vehicles a day that travel that section, 8% are trucks, Buttigieg said. Police say the driver died in the accident. The Philadelphia medical examiner identified him as Nathan Moody, 53. Authorities say Moody was headed northbound on his way to deliver fuel to a convenience store when the truck lost control on a curving off-ramp, landing on its side and rupturing the tank. State police officials said the trucking company had contacted them and has been cooperating. On Wednesday, the National Transportation Safety Board, which is investigating the accident, said federal records showed that the trucking company was “in good operating status and has valid authority” to haul gasoline. The Trucker Staff contributed to this report.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg promised Tuesday, June 13, to help repair the East Coast’s main north-south highway as quickly as possible and said that the destruction of a section of I-95 will likely raise the cost of consumer goods because truckers must now travel longer routes. Speaking near the site where an out-of-control tractor-trailer hauling gasoline flipped over on an Interstate 95 off-ramp and caught fire, Buttigieg said he expected that disruptions in trucking routes will put “upward pressure” on shipping costs along the East Coast. Buttigieg toured the site and then, over the sounds of heavy machinery and demolition, told reporters that “every resource that is needed will be made available” to help Pennsylvania repair the bridge as quickly and safely as possible. The collapse is snarling traffic in Philadelphia as the summer travel season starts, upending hundreds of thousands of morning commutes, disrupting countless businesses and forcing trucking companies to find different routes. Pennsylvania State Police said they believe the driver perished in the accident, although the city’s medical examiner has not identified the body pulled from the wreckage. The resulting fire caused the collapse of the northbound lanes of I-95. The southbound lanes were compromised by the heat from the fire, authorities say. It could take weeks, at least, to replace the damaged and destroyed section. Pennsylvania’s transportation secretary, Michael Carroll, said demolition work is continuing around the clock and that his agency will release a replacement plan Wednesday for the roughly 100-foot (30 meter) section of I-95. Buttigieg said he had not seen any sort of estimate for what sort of cost increases consumers might be facing, but said the trucking industry is working to make the most of alternative routes. He also suggested that the U.S. Department of Transportation is working with route-selecting software firms such as Google and Waze to optimize their products. “At the end of the day, there’s no substitute for I-95 being up and running in full working condition,” Buttigieg said. Of the 160,000 vehicles a day that travel that section, 8% are trucks and “obviously that is a lot of America’s GDP moving along that road every single day,” Buttigieg said. Subodha Kumar, a professor of statistics, operations and data science at Temple University’s Fox School of Business, said it is impossible to calculate the scale of shipping delays and higher costs caused by detours without analyzing all the alternative trucking routes. But, Kumar said, the added cost will not be small, and the impact will last for weeks or longer. It will affect commerce to Canada, and create cascading effects throughout the supply chain, he said. “Any small disruption can multiply exponentially and can make the changes much bigger,” he said. The effect will be immediate on perishable foods, he said. For now, I-95 will be closed in both directions. The elevated southbound portion of I-95 will have to be demolished, as well as the northbound side, officials say. State police officials said the trucking company had contacted them about the accident and was cooperating, although they have declined to identify the company or say whether it was properly licensed for hauling gasoline. Authorities say the driver was headed northbound on his way to deliver fuel to a convenience store a few miles away when the truck went down a curving off-ramp and out of control, landing on its side and rupturing the tank. Rebuilding the stretch is likely to drag into July or August. In California, a similar situation happened with a highway ramp in Oakland. It was replaced in 26 days, Joseph L. Schofer, a retired professor of civil and environmental engineering from Northwestern University, said. In Atlanta, an elevated portion of Interstate 85 collapsed in a fire, shutting down the heavily traveled route through the heart of the city in March 2017. It took authorities there 43 days to replace the span, Schofer said.

PHILADELPHIA — The driver of a tractor-trailer hauling gasoline lost control on an off-ramp and flipped the tanker truck on its side in a wreck that set it afire and destroyed a section of the East Coast’s main north-south highway, Pennsylvania’s top transportation official said Monday. In the first official accounting of a wreck that threw hundreds of thousands of morning commutes into chaos and disrupted untold numbers of businesses, state Transportation Secretary Mike Carroll said the driver was northbound “trying to navigate the curve, lost control of the vehicle, landed on its side and ruptured the tank.” Meanwhile, several Philadelphia media outlets are reporting that the tanker driver’s remains were found in the truck on Monday and have been identified as those of Nathaniel Moody. Authorities have not publicly identified the truck owner or the driver, indicated whether the driver survived or said what exactly fueled the blaze. A Pennsylvania State Police spokesperson said early Monday he had no information about those details and did not indicate when police might disclose more. Initially, reports stated that there were no injuries as a result of the explosion. Interstate 95 will be closed in both directions for weeks at the start of summer travel season. Motorists should expect extensive delays and street closures, and avoid the northeast corner of the sixth-largest city in the country, transportation officials said. The accident also disrupted the car route from Canada to Florida through the Boston, New York and Washington metropolitan areas, increasing Americans’ dependence on air travel and the interstate rail network. Pennsylvania Transportation Secretary Michael Carroll said the I-95 segment carries roughly 160,000 vehicles per day and was likely the busiest interstate in Pennsylvania. Sunday morning’s fire sent plumes of black smoke into the air. The northbound lanes collapsed and the southbound counterparts were compromised, according to the Philadelphia Fire Department. Gov. Josh Shapiro signed a disaster declaration Monday, saying it gives state agencies the ability to skip normal bidding and contracting requirements so that the span can be repaired more quickly. The declaration lasts for 21 days, unless lawmakers agree to extend it. Shapiro said Sunday that no motorists on the highway were injured or died, although videos shared on social media showed some close calls, with people driving through as flames licked upward from the fire below. AAA spokesperson Jana Tidwell warned of a congestion “ripple effect” and that the closure could also mean drivers will incur more costs — like wear and tear on their cars, more tolls and gas — as they navigate detours. Officials said the tanker contained a petroleum product that may have been hundreds of gallons (liters) of gasoline. The fire took about an hour to get under control. High heat from the fire or the impact of an explosion could have weakened the steel beams supporting the overpass, according to Drexel University structural engineering Professor Abi Aghayere. Bridges like the one that collapsed don’t typically have fire protection, like concrete casing, he added. It could have been coated in a fire-retarding paint, but even then the beams could have been weakened. “It just gives you time,” he said. Among many transportation changes across the region, the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority said it was operating three extra morning and late afternoon trains on its Trenton, New Jersey, line, and adding capacity to regularly scheduled lines during peak hours following the collapse. The collapsed section of I-95 was part of a $212 million reconstruction project that wrapped up four years ago, state Transportation Department spokesman Brad Rudolph said. PennDOT rated the 104-foot span as in “good” condition earlier this year, with another inspection set for 2025. Shapiro, a Democrat, said he had been spoken directly to U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and had been assured that there would be “absolutely no delay” in getting federal funds quickly to rebuild what he called a “critical roadway” as safely and efficiently as possible. Shapiro said the complete rebuild of I-95 would take “some number of months,” and in the meantime officials were looking at “interim solutions to reconnect I-95 and get traffic through the area.” The National Transportation Safety Board said it was sending a team to investigate the fire and collapse. Officials were also concerned about the environmental effects of runoff into the nearby Delaware River. After a sheen was seen in the Delaware River near the collapse site, the Coast Guard deployed a boom to contain the material. Ensign Josh Ledoux said the tanker had a capacity of 8,500 gallons (32,176 liters), but the contents did not appear to be spreading into the environment. The fire was strikingly similar to another blaze in Philadelphia in March 1996, when an illegal tire dump under I-95 caught fire, melting guard rails and buckling the pavement. The Trucker Staff contributed to this report.

PHILADELPHIA — Drivers began longer commutes Monday after an elevated section of Interstate 95 collapsed in Philadelphia a day earlier following damage caused by a tanker truck carrying flammable cargo catching fire. Sunday’s fire closed a heavily traveled segment of the East Coast’s main north-south highway indefinitely. Newscasts warned of traffic nightmares and gave advice on detours, urging drivers to take more time to travel. “This is really going to have a ripple effect throughout the region,” AAA spokesperson Jana Tidwell said Monday. She advised people to avoid peak travel times. Tidwell also anticipated that drivers will incur additional costs — “more gasoline, more wear and tear on their cars, additional tolls, in terms of leaving Pennsylvania into New Jersey and then back into Pennsylvania.” The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority said it was operating three extra morning and late afternoon trains on its Trenton, New Jersey, line, and adding capacity to regularly scheduled lines during peak hours “to help support the city and region’s travel needs” following the collapse. Transportation officials warned of extensive delays and street closures and urged drivers to avoid the area in the city’s northeast corner. Officials said the tanker contained a petroleum product that may have been hundreds of gallons (hundreds of liters) of gasoline. The fire took about an hour to get under control. The northbound lanes of I-95 were gone and the southbound lanes were “compromised” by heat from the fire, said Derek Bowmer, battalion chief of the Philadelphia Fire Department. Runoff from the fire or perhaps broken gas lines caused explosions underground, he added. Some kind of crash happened on a ramp underneath northbound I-95 around 6:15 a.m., said state Transportation Department spokesman Brad Rudolph, and the northbound section above the fire collapsed quickly. A massive concrete slab fell from I-95 onto the road below. Gov. Josh Shapiro said his flight over the area showed “just remarkable devastation.” “I found myself thanking the Lord that no motorists who were on I-95 were injured or died,” he said. The collapsed section of I-95 was part of a $212 million reconstruction project that wrapped up four years ago, Rudolph said. Motorists were sent on a 43-mile (69-kilometer) detour Sunday, which was going “better than it would do on a weekday,” Rudolph said. The fact that the collapse happened on a Sunday helped ease congestion. Pennsylvania Transportation Secretary Michael Carroll said the I-95 segment carries roughly 160,000 vehicles per day and was likely the busiest interstate in Pennsylvania. Shapiro said he had been spoken directly to U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and had been assured that there would be “absolutely no delay” in getting federal funds quickly to rebuild what he called a “critical roadway” as safely and efficiently as possible. But Shapiro he said the complete rebuild of I-95 would take “some number of months,” and in the meantime officials were looking at “interim solutions to connect both sides of I-95 to get traffic through the area.” The National Transportation Safety Board said it was sending a team to investigate the fire and collapse. Officials were also concerned about the environmental effects of runoff into the nearby Delaware River. After a sheen was seen in the Delaware River near the collapse site, the Coast Guard deployed a boom to contain the material. Ensign Josh Ledoux said the tanker had a capacity of 8,500 gallons (32,176 liters), but the contents did not appear to be spreading into the environment. The fire was strikingly similar to another blaze in Philadelphia in March 1996, when an illegal tire dump under I-95 caught fire, melting guard rails and buckling the pavement.

PHILADELPHIA — An elevated section of Interstate 95 collapsed early Sunday in Philadelphia after a tanker truck carrying flammable cargo caught fire, closing a heavily traveled segment of the East Coast’s main north-south highway indefinitely, authorities said. Transportation officials warned of extensive delays and street closures and urged drivers to avoid the area in the city’s northeast corner. Officials said the tanker contained a petroleum product that may have been hundreds of gallons of gasoline. The fire took about an hour to get under control. The northbound lanes of I-95 were gone and the southbound lanes were “compromised” by heat from the fire, said Derek Bowmer, battalion chief of the Philadelphia Fire Department. Runoff from the fire or perhaps broken gas lines caused explosions underground, he added. Some kind of crash happened on a ramp underneath northbound I-95 around 6:15 a.m., said state Transportation Department spokesman Brad Rudolph, and the northbound section above the fire collapsed quickly. The southbound lanes were heavily damaged, “and we are assessing that now,” Rudolph said. Gov. Josh Shapiro, who said Sunday evening he planned to issue a disaster declaration Monday to speed federal funds, said at least one vehicle was still trapped beneath the collapsed roadway. “We’re still working to identify any individual or individuals who may have been caught in the fire and the collapse,” he said. There were no immediate reports of injuries. Video from the scene showed a massive concrete slab had fallen from I-95 onto the road below. Shapiro said his flight over the area showed “just remarkable devastation.” “I found myself thanking the Lord that no motorists who were on I-95 were injured or died,” he said. Mark Fusetti, a retired Philadelphia police sergeant, said he was driving south toward the city’s airport when he noticed thick, black smoke rising over the highway. As he passed the fire, the road beneath began to “dip,” creating a noticeable depression that was visible in video he took of the scene, he said. He saw traffic in his rearview mirror come to a halt. Soon after, the northbound lanes of the highway crumbled. “It was crazy timing,” Fusetti said. “For it to buckle and collapse that quickly, it’s pretty remarkable.” The collapsed section of I-95 was part of a $212 million reconstruction project that wrapped up four years ago, Rudolph said. There was no immediate time frame for reopening the highway, but officials would consider “a fill-in situation or a temporary structure” to accelerate the effort, he said. Motorists were sent on a 43-mile (69-kilometer) detour, which was going “better than it would do on a weekday,” Rudolph said. The fact that the collapse happened on a Sunday helped ease congestion, but he expected traffic “to back up significantly on all the detour areas.” Pennsylvania Transportation Secretary Michael Carroll said the I-95 segment carries roughly 160,000 vehicles per day and was likely the busiest interstate in Pennsylvania. He said work would continue through the night to remove the collapsed section as rapidly as possible. Shapiro said he had been spoken directly to U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and had been assured that there would be “absolutely no delay” in getting federal funds quickly to rebuild what he called a “critical roadway” as safely and efficiently as possible. But Shapiro he said the complete rebuild of I-95 would take “some number of months,” and in the meantime officials were looking at “interim solutions to connect both sides of I-95 to get traffic through the area.” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a Twitter post that President Joe Biden was briefed on the collapse and that White House officials were in contact with Shapiro and Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney’s offices to offer assistance. Buttigieg, in a social media post, called it “a major artery for people and goods” and said the closure would have “significant impacts on the city and region until reconstruction and recovery are complete.” The National Transportation Safety Board said it was sending a team to investigate the fire and collapse. Most drivers traveling the I-95 corridor between Delaware and New York City use the New Jersey Turnpike rather than the segment of interstate where the collapse occurred. Until 2018, drivers did not have a direct highway connection between I-95 in Pennsylvania and I-95 in New Jersey. They had to use a few miles of surface roads, with traffic lights, to get from one to the other. Officials were also concerned about the environmental effects of runoff into the nearby Delaware River. After a sheen was seen in the Delaware River near the collapse site, the Coast Guard deployed a boom to contain the material. Ensign Josh Ledoux said the tanker had a capacity of 8,500 gallons, but the contents did not appear to be spreading into the environment. “As far as waterways go, it’s being contained, and it seems like things are under control,” he said. Thousands of tons of steel and concrete were piled atop the site of the fire, and heavy construction equipment would be required to start to remove the debris, said Dominick Mireles, director of Philadelphia’s Office of Emergency Management. The fire was strikingly similar to another blaze in Philadelphia in March 1996, when an illegal tire dump under I-95 caught fire, melting guard rails and buckling the pavement. The highway was closed for several weeks, and partial closures lasted for six months. Seven teenagers were charged with arson. The dump’s owner was sentenced to seven to 14 years in prison and ordered to pay $3 million of the $6.5 million repair costs, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported. More recently in Atlanta, an elevated portion of Interstate 85 collapsed in a fire, shutting down the heavily traveled route through the heart of the city in March 2017. A homeless man was accused of starting the blaze. But federal investigators said in a report that the state transportation department’s practice of storing combustible construction materials under the highway increased the risk of fire.

OMAHA, Neb. — With the rail industry relying on longer and longer trains to cut costs, the Biden administration is handing out $570 million in grants to help eliminate many railroad crossings in 32 states. The grants announced Monday will contribute to building bridges or underpasses at the sites of more than three dozen crossings that delay traffic and sometimes keep first responders from where help is desperately needed. In some places, trains routinely stretching more than 2 miles long can block crossings for hours, cutting off access to parts of towns and forcing pedestrians to attempt the dangerous act of climbing through trains that could start moving without warning. “We see countless stories of people unable to get to work on time, goods being blocked from getting where they need to be and first responders being delayed by these trains that can be slowed or stopped — even seeing images of children having to crawl between or under freight trains in order to get to school,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said. In one case Buttigieg mentioned, a Texas mom called 911 because her 3-month-old baby was in distress, but an idle train kept the ambulance from getting there quickly and the baby died at the hospital two days later. In addition to problems associated with blocked crossings, roughly 2,000 collisions are reported at railroad crossings every year. Nearly 250 deaths were recorded last year in those car-train crashes. In one instance Buttigieg cited, a woman in California wound up stopped on the tracks after traffic backed up and she was killed when a train slammed into her vehicle. In recent years, the major freight railroads have overhauled their operations to rely on fewer, longer trains so they can use fewer crews and locomotives as part of efforts to cut costs. The railroads insist those changes haven’t made their trains riskier, but regulators and Congress are scrutinizing their operations closely after several recent high-profile derailments. And the problems at rail crossings are well documented. These grants are part of $3 billion in funding approved in the $1 trillion infrastructure law for these rail crossing projects that will be doled out over the next five years. A number of the 63 projects that will receive grants involve only planning and design work for eliminating crossings in the future, but most of the money will go toward physical improvements at crossings and eliminating longstanding problems. Buttigieg visited Grand Forks, North Dakota, Monday to highlight a $30 million grant helping to pay for a project near the University of North Dakota campus. It will improve access to the local hospital and eliminate a dangerous crossing the community has been trying to address at least since 1991. Grand Forks Fire Chief Gary Lorenz said closing the crossing will eliminate any possibility of a train-car collision and give first responders “unimpeded access to the northwest section of the city, which currently does not exist.” A grant worth nearly $37 million will help eliminate four rail crossings in Houston, which has the second-highest number of rail crossing deaths in the nation. The four new underpasses to be built will reduce traffic delays and improve pedestrian safety. One $7.2 million grant will help improve access to an area of Fostoria, Ohio, known as the Iron Triangle because it is bordered on three sides by train tracks. A CSX train passes through the community about once every 26 minutes, with warning sirens at the crossings sounding for at least two hours daily. A new bridge will be built over the tracks on one side of the neighborhood to provide a safe route into the area. In each of these grants, states and cities — sometimes with the help of the railroads — must cover at least 20% of the project cost.

WASHINGTON — All three of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) member countries – Canada, Mexico and the U.S. – participated in this year’s Human Trafficking Awareness Initiative (HTAI), a five-day awareness and outreach campaign to educate commercial motor vehicle drivers, motor carriers, law enforcement officers and the general public about human trafficking. Forty-five jurisdictions took part in this year’s Human Trafficking Awareness Initiative, with participation from 3,020 individual law enforcement officers/troopers/inspectors. There were 218 human trafficking awareness and preventions events, and 219 presentations were delivered. In addition, there were 8,352 media contacts throughout North America. CVSA collaborated with Truckers Against Trafficking to offer human trafficking identification and prevention training and reference materials to the motor carrier industry and law enforcement. During the five days of HTAI, 45,972 wallet cards and 21,763 window decals were distributed. After the successful launch of CVSA’s HTAI in 2022 and positive feedback from jurisdictions, CVSA extended the initiative from three days to five for 2023. Different dates were set for each country to align existing human trafficking awareness days with CVSA’s five-day Human Trafficking Awareness Initiative. In the U.S., the initiative took place Jan. 9-13. In Canada, it was Feb. 20-24. And in Mexico, it was March 13-17. If you suspect someone is in a human trafficking situation or you are the victim of human trafficking: In the U.S., call (888) 373-7888. In Canada, call (833) 900-1010. In Mexico, call (800) 5533-000. To find out what your local jurisdiction is doing to increase human trafficking awareness and prevent human trafficking throughout the year, contact the agency/department responsible for overseeing commercial motor vehicle safety within your state, province or territory.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Average diesel prices in the U.S. continue to drop, mostly due to sinking demand and lower oil prices, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA). According to the latest numbers, as of June 5, the average price sits at $3.797 per gallon, down from $3.855 per gallon on May 29 and $3.883 on May 22. The highest prices are in California and along the West Coast, where prices it at $4.765 and $4.470, respectively. Along the East Coast, the average price sits at $3.847 per gallon on average, according to the EIA, while the lowest prices in the nation are along the Gulf Coast at an average of $3.469 per gallon. The second-lowest price can be found in the Midwest at $3.732, while in the Rocky Mountain region, truckers can expect to pay $4.044 per gallon on average, EIA numbers show. Meanwhile, benchmark U.S. crude oil for July delivery fell 41 cents to $71.74 a barrel Tuesday. Brent crude for August delivery fell 42 cents to $76.29 a barrel.  

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has awarded more than $471 million in Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP) grants to help fund initiatives aimed at preventing crashes, fatalities and injuries involving commercial motor vehicles. “Commercial vehicles are an essential part of our supply chains, our economy, and our way of life — and we must ensure that they are as safe as possible,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “This funding will help save lives by making our roads safer for commercial vehicle drivers and everyone who shares the road with them.” The MCSAP is FMCSA’s largest grant program. It supports state, territorial and local transportation offices and law enforcement agencies in the utilization of more than 12,000 officers to increase education, outreach and safety activities. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provided for a 61% increase in the amount of funding available through MCSAP grants, giving states and territories more money than ever before to support roadway safety through enhanced driver and vehicle inspections, traffic enforcement, investigations, data collection, and public education and awareness. FMCSA officials say the goal of the MCSAP is to reduce CMV-involved crashes, fatalities and injuries “through consistent, uniform and effective CMV safety programs that support innovative commercial driver training, safety inspections and enhanced compliance and enforcement initiatives.” “These grants align with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Roadway Safety Strategy and ensure we are all working towards the same goal: zero fatalities on our roadways,” said FMCSA Administrator Robin Hutcheson. “FMCSA’s core mission is safety, and we are committed to working with our state and territorial partners to enhance the safety of our roadways.” Hutcheson and other leaders from FMCSA met with MCSAP grant recipients last month to further align efforts and best maximize the use of grant funding. To be eligible for the grants, a state or territory must have an FMCSA-approved Commercial Vehicle Safety Plan (CVSP). FMCSA partners with grantees to support consistent, uniform and effective CMV safety programs. All states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and U.S. territories receive funding annually through MCSAP grants. A revised MCSAP formula issued in 2020 promotes stability in the size of the awards to ensure that no state’s percentage of MCSAP funding will decrease by more than 3 percent, or increase by more than 5 percent, each year.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) recently launched its new human trafficking awareness campaign — “Your Roads, Their Freedom.” The campaign seeks to give the nation’s 8.7 million commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers the information needed to identify and report suspected human trafficking. “Human trafficking is a heinous crime, and it has no place in the transportation industry,” said FMCSA Administrator Robin Hutcheson. “But the hard-hitting reality is that our nation’s transportation systems are exploited by human traffickers every day, and FMCSA is working to help stop it.” Globally, an estimated 28 million people are currently subjected to human trafficking, and the crime occurs in every state of the U.S. As part of DOT’s Transportation Leaders Against Human Trafficking (TLAHT) awareness campaign, the “Your Roads, Their Freedom” campaign will build on other federal efforts against human trafficking, including the Department of Homeland Security’s Blue Campaign and FMCSA’s grant programs, which awarded millions in funding to support state counter-trafficking efforts. Through the “Your Roads, Their Freedom” campaign and other federal agency efforts, DOT aims “to empower America’s transportation workforce, which is millions strong, to be the eyes and ears of our collective effort,” as highlighted by U.S. Transportation Secretary Buttigieg in his remarks made to the President’s Interagency Task Force on Human Trafficking in February of this year. Truckers made over 1,400 calls to the U.S. National Human Trafficking Hotline from December 2007 through June 2016, and 452 potential human trafficking cases were identified. Truckers reported this information in real time, enabling quicker responses by law enforcement. While the “Your Roads, Their Freedom” campaign will be conducted nationwide, there will be a heightened emphasis across states with the highest reported number of human trafficking cases or a high volume of driver traffic. These states include California, Florida, Michigan, New York, and North Carolina among others.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Average diesel prices across the U.S. have fallen for the sixth straight week. According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), the current price sits at $3.855 per gallon as of May 29. That’s down from $3.883 on May 22 and $3.897 on May 15. Average prices are down all across the country – even in California, where prices are always the highest due to stricter environmental regulations. The average price for a gallon of diesel fuel in the Golden State Is averaging $4.810 per gallon as of May 29, according to the EIA. That’s down from $4.825 the previous two weeks. The lowest prices can be found along the Gulf Coast, where a gallon, on average, is running $3.555 per gallon as of May 29, EIA statistics show.

WASHINGTON — The White House has released the latest numbers on Bipartisan Infrastructure Law spending. So far, more than $220 billion in funds have been made available for more than 32,000 specific projects across more than 4,500 communities in all 50 states, D.C. and territories, according to a White House news release. Projects include money for truck parking and major infrastructure improvements that will be of direct benefit to the trucking industry. Below is a breakdown of some of the top projects across the nation. CALIFORNIA To date, $20 billion in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding has been announced and is headed to California with more than 910 specific projects identified for funding. Since the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed, approximately $15.1 billion has been announced for transportation — to invest in roads, bridges, public transit, ports and airports. In California, there are 1,536 bridges and more than 14,220 miles of highway in poor condition. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will rebuild roads and includes the single largest dedicated bridge investment since the construction of the interstate highway system, according to transportation officials. Based on formula funding alone, California is expected to receive approximately $28.2 billion over five years in federal funding for highways and bridges. So far, $11.1 billion has been announced in California for roads, bridges, roadway safety and major projects. This includes: $10.3 billion in highway formula funding and $1.1 billion in dedicated formula funding for bridges in 2022 and 2023. $119.6 million through the RAISE program, $150 million through the INFRA program, and $25 million through the Rural Surface Transportation Grant Program in 2022 and 2023. PROJECT SPOTLIGHT Palm Avenue/Interstate 805 Bridge The Department of Transportation has awarded the City of San Diego $24 million to rehabilitate and preserve the 50-year-old Palm Avenue overcrossing bridge in San Diego. This bridge is a key connector for the Otay-Mesa-Nestor community and is only a few miles from the U.S.-Mexico border. An estimated 38,160 vehicles per day cross this bridge every day, and this project will reduce traffic delays and increase freight movement, while reducing long-term maintenance costs, transportation officials said. The project sponsors estimate this project will create more than $30 million in benefits from reduced congestion and traffic delays. Otay Mesa Port of Entry Expansion The Department of Transportation awarded $150 million to the California Department of Transportation, an investment that will strengthen the supply chain by constructing a new road and Port of Entry facility at Otay Mesa, according to transportation officials. The new Port of Entry will provide an alternative for nearly 3,600 trucks that cross the existing Otay Mesa and Tecate Ports of Entries daily, which are operating at capacity. The project facilitates freight movement across borders with destinations at nearby distribution centers and warehouses, the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, and the Inland Empire’s mega-distribution centers in Riverside and San Bernardino counties. The project sponsor will establish a local hire agreement targeting disadvantaged groups, as well as a pre-apprenticeship program. FLORIDA To date, $9.2 billion in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding has been announced and is headed to Florida with more than 340 specific projects identified for funding. Since the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed, approximately $6.7 billion has been announced for transportation — to invest in roads, bridges, public transit, ports and airports. In Florida, there are 408 bridges and more than 3,564 miles of highway in poor condition. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will rebuild roads and includes the single largest dedicated bridge investment since the construction of the interstate highway system, according to transportation officials. Based on formula funding alone, Florida is expected to receive approximately $13.3 billion over five years in federal funding for highways and bridges. So far, $5.3 billion has been announced in Florida for roads, bridges, roadway safety and major projects. This includes: $5.1 billion in highway formula funding and $105.3 million in dedicated formula funding for bridges in 2022 and 2023. $85.8 million through the RAISE program and $27 million through the INFRA program in 2022 and 2023. PROJECT SPOTLIGHT I-4 West Central Florida Truck Parking Facility The $15 million grant from the Department of Transportation will help build a new truck parking facility with about 120 spaces, electric charging stations, and pedestrian infrastructure to access nearby amenities. This corridor between Tampa and Orlando carries an average of 18,000 trucks daily, but currently lacks sufficient parking. The facility will be connected to Florida’s Department of Transportation Truck Parking Availability System in order to help drivers identify available parking locations more quickly. By providing reliable parking capacity, the project improves safety for tired drivers and makes supply chain movement more efficient. MicroFreight approach for safer streets The Department of Transportation has awarded more than $1.9 million to the Miami-Dade County to introduce a platform of integrated data sensors and digital infrastructures systems to enable and scale safe, zero-emission last-mile freight and goods deliveries in Miami-Dade County. NEW JERSEY To date, $5.6 billion in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding has been announced and is headed to New Jersey with more than 120 specific projects identified for funding. Since the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed, approximately $4.4 billion has been announced for transportation — to invest in roads, bridges, public transit, ports and airports. In New Jersey, there are 502 bridges and more than 3,995 miles of highway in poor condition. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will rebuild roads and includes the single largest dedicated bridge investment since the construction of the interstate highway system, according to transportation officials. Based on formula funding alone, New Jersey is expected to receive approximately $8.1 billion over five years in federal funding for highways and bridges. So far, $3.2 billion has been announced in New Jersey for roads, bridges, roadway safety and major projects. This includes: $2.7 billion in highway formula funding and $492.2 million in dedicated formula funding for bridges in 2022 and 2023. $25 million through the RAISE program and $26 million through the INFRA program in 2022 and 2023. PROJECT SPOTLIGHT Route 7 drainage improvements The Department of Transportation awarded $26 million in funding to Hudson County to make drainage improvements on approximately two miles on Route 7, including raising the roadway, adding pump stations, raising and improving a bridge approach and installing new pipes, inlet structures, outfalls, and flood walls. This roadway is subject to chronic flooding which often causes roadway closure and detour, compromises the safety of the travelers on the roadway, disrupts normal traffic flow and contributes to pavement deterioration, according to transportation officials. By raising the roadway and improving the drainage, the project addresses safety issues that occur in wet or icy road conditions from flooding and avoids closure and detour during extreme weather events for drivers. NEW YORK To date, $10.9 billion in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding has been announced and is headed to New York with over 269 specific projects identified for funding. Since the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed, approximately $9 billion has been announced for transportation — to invest in roads, bridges, public transit, ports and airports. In New York, there are 1,702 bridges and more than 7,292 miles of highway in poor condition. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will rebuild roads and includes the single largest dedicated bridge investment since the construction of the interstate highway system, transportation officials said. Based on formula funding alone, New York is expected to receive approximately $13.6 billion over five years in federal funding for highways and bridges. So far, $5.4 billion has been announced in New York for roads, bridges, roadway safety and major projects. This includes: $4.6 billion in highway formula funding and $817.9 million in dedicated formula funding for bridges in 2022 and 2023. $59.2 million through the RAISE program, $110 million through the INFRA program, and $959.3,000 through the Rural Surface Transportation Grant Program in 2022 and 2023. PROJECT SPOTLIGHT Kensington Expressway The Department of Transportation awarded $55 million to the New York State Department of Transportation to cap approximately 4,100 feet of the NYS Route 33 (Kensington Expressway) and create a continues greenspace to reestablish community. The project will also provide for a safer alternative for crossing the east-west connection, according to transportation officials. The aim of the project is to restore community cohesiveness, create equity and spur new business activity. Hunts Point Terminal redevelopment The US Department of Transportation awarded a $110 million Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) grant to New York City to support the redevelopment of the Hunts Point Terminal Produce Market intermodal facility with expanded refrigerated warehouse space and electric vehicle charging stations for trucks and cars. The new Produce Market will be an approximately 1 million square-foot state-of-the-art intermodal facility with approximately 824,600 square feet of refrigerated warehouse space with solar panels or a green roof. The project will boost the economy by improving one of the largest food distribution centers in the country, according to transportation officials. It will make the operation safer by separating vehicular, truck, rail and pedestrian circulation and expanding truck queuing and parking areas within the facility. With the new facility, diesel-powered truck refrigeration units will no longer idle on site, resulting in emissions reductions, according to officials. OHIO To date, $7.1 billion in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding has been announced and is headed to Ohio with more than 280 specific projects identified for funding. Since the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed, approximately $5.9 billion has been announced for transportation – to invest in roads, bridges, public transit, ports and airports. In Ohio, there are 1,377 bridges and more than 4,925 miles of highway in poor condition. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will rebuild roads and includes the single largest dedicated bridge investment since the construction of the interstate highway system, transportation officials said. Based on formula funding alone, Ohio is expected to receive approximately $9.9 billion over five years in federal funding for highways and bridges. So far, $3.9 billion has been announced in Ohio for roads, bridges, roadway safety, and major projects. This includes: $5 billion in highway formula funding and $208.6 million in dedicated formula funding for bridges in 2022 and 2023. $52.9 million through the RAISE program and $127.1 million through the INFRA program in 2022 and 2023. PROJECT SPOTLIGHT Brent Spence Bridge The Department of Transportation awarded $250 million for the Brent Spence Bridge connecting Kentucky and Ohio through the Mega Grant Program, part of a total investment of $1.6 billion from the infrastructure law to build a new companion bridge and rehabilitate an existing bridge along a major freight corridor on Interstate 75. Economic officials say the bridge is a vital economic connection that carries a large amount of commuter traffic and more than $400 billion in freight movement annually. This project will contribute to mobility, freight movement and supply chains nationwide. PENNSYLVANIA To date, $8.9 billion in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding has been announced and is headed to Pennsylvania with more than 265 specific projects identified for funding. Since the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed, approximately $6.5 billion has been announced for transportation – to invest in roads, bridges, public transit, ports and airports. In Pennsylvania, there are 3,353 bridges and more than 7,540 miles of highway in poor condition. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will rebuild roads and includes the single largest dedicated bridge investment since the construction of the interstate highway system, according to transportation officials. Based on formula funding alone, Pennsylvania is expected to receive approximately $13.2 billion over five years in federal funding for highways and bridges So far, $5.2 billion has been announced in Pennsylvania for roads, bridges, roadway safety and major projects. This includes: $4.4 billion in highway formula funding and $706.8 million in dedicated formula funding for bridges in 2022 and 2023. $36.3 million through the RAISE program, $20.3 million through the INFRA program, and $69 million through the Rural Surface Transportation Grant Program in 2022 and 2023. PROJECT SPOTLIGHT Vine Street Expressway (Interstate 676) The Department of Transportation awarded $1.8 million to The City of Philadelphia to study the feasibility of constructing a cap across the Vine Street Expressway to reconnect the historical Chinatown community. Funds will go towards feasibility studies, engineering designs as well as community capacity building, according to transportation officials. Tioga Marine Terminal enhancement The Department of Transportation awarded $20.3 million to the Philadelphia Regional Port Authority to construct a 100,000 square-foot warehouse with rail access, employee parking and loading docks and modernize other features. This project with increase the port’s capacity, reduce truck congestion, facilitate the movement of goods and improve air quality in nearby underserved communities, transportation officials said. TEXAS To date, $15 billion in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding has been announced and is headed to Texas with over 589 specific projects identified for funding. Since the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed, approximately $12.6 billion has been announced for transportation — to invest in roads, bridges, public transit, ports and airports. In Texas, there are 818 bridges and over 19,440 miles of highway in poor condition. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will rebuild roads and includes the single largest dedicated bridge investment since the construction of the interstate highway system, according to transportation officials. Based on formula funding alone, Texas is expected to receive approximately $27.5 billion over five years in federal funding for highways and bridges. So far, $10.7 billion has been announced in Texas for roads, bridges, roadway safety and major projects. This includes: $10.5 billion in highway formula funding and $230.7 million in dedicated formula funding for bridges in 2022 and 2023. $101.6 million through the RAISE program and $25 million through the INFRA program in 2022 and 2023. PROJECT SPOTLIGHT Anzaldúas Bridge Expansion Project The US Department of Transportation (DOT) awarded a $25 million grant to build commercial inspection facilities at the Anzaldúas Land Port of Entry, including inspection booths and docks, equipment, roadway, parking, and sidewalks. The project will improve current southbound facilities and construct northbound facilities. Upgrading the Anzaldúas Bridge crossing to full service will address system vulnerabilities, improve travel time reliability, and increase economic competitiveness for commercial freight traffic crossing the border. The project also establishes Non-Intrusive Inspection technologies and innovative inspection design to improve safety and efficiency.