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HARRISBURG, Pa. — Republicans in Pennsylvania’s Senate are trying to make Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration start over on its plans to toll up to nine major bridges, approving a bill Tuesday, April 27, to require the state Department of Transportation (PennDOT) to undergo a new process that includes approval from the Legislature. The bill passed the Republican-controlled chamber, 28-19, with the backing of every Republican and one Democrat. The bill now goes to the Republican-controlled House of Representatives, but it may have a short life: Wolf opposes the bill, and the Senate lacks a veto-proof majority. Republicans contend that the unilateral process leading to PennDOT’s announcement in February has lacked transparency and was never envisioned by lawmakers when they created the Public-Private Transportation Partnership Board in 2012. Successful transportation funding efforts have historically required buy-in and cooperation from lawmakers, Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Pat Browne (R-Lehigh) said during floor debate. “This initiative and the way it is being advanced is totally counter to that legacy,” Browne said. Democrats, however, say Republicans are stepping back once again from their obligations to adequately fund the state’s growing transportation needs, and say PennDOT’s Major Bridge initiative is squarely within the scope of the 2012 law. “As much as I loathe to tax my constituents to fix a bridge, I’d rather tax them than have them in some sort of catastrophe when the Girard Point Bridge falls down,” Sen. John Sabatina (D-Philadelphia) said during floor debate. Sooner or later, Sabatina said, “a bridge is going to collapse and we’re all going to look at each other and say, ‘how did that happen? How could we have prevented that?’” Opponents of the 2012 law warned its backers during floor arguments that year that it would create an avenue for an unelected commission to approve tolling projects. The bill would require PennDOT to start the process over by providing more information about its proposals, publicly advertising them, taking public comment and seeking approval from both the governor and the Legislature. In a statement, Wolf’s office said the bill undercuts the benefits of public-private partnerships, politicizes a process designed to foster innovation and efficiency and adds unnecessary bureaucracy that the 2012 law was designed to avoid. In any case, the bill’s requirements around public input are already part of PennDOT’s normal process under state and federal law, Wolf’s office said. PennDOT has not made final decisions on which of the bridges to toll. Republicans opposing the projects say such tolls will damage the local economies, taking money from businesses and commuters. Wolf counters that it will stimulate the economy, generating more in economic investment by putting crews to work fixing bridges that are badly in need of repairs. The fight comes amid a deepening stalemate over financing highways and public transit, prompting Wolf to propose phasing out Pennsylvania’s gasoline tax, the second-highest in the nation, and appoint a commission to recommend alternative ways to pay for the state’s needs. Pennsylvania Transportation Secretary Yassmin Gramian has told lawmakers that the aging bridges are in need of major reconstruction and the department needs billions more to meet its public safety obligations. Tolls would be between $1 and $2, probably both ways, to help pay for about $2.2 billion in construction work and last from the start of construction in 2023 for three or four years until construction is finished, PennDOT officials have said. The Public Private Transportation Partnership board gave PennDOT the go-ahead in November to pursue the tolling concept, the first time it had approved a plan involving user fees since it was created, and requires no legislative approval. By Marc Levy, The Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) earlier this month released its 2021 Most Wanted List, and some of the items directly impact the trucking industry. The biennial list serves as an action guide to remind the transportation industry of what needs to be done for safety. The 10 items on this year’s list include: Require and verify the effectiveness of safety-management systems in all revenue passenger-carrying aviation operations. Prevent alcohol- and other drug-impaired driving. Require collision-avoidance and connected-vehicle technologies on all vehicles. Eliminate distracted driving. Implement a comprehensive strategy to eliminate speeding-related crashes. Install crash-resistant recorders and establish flight data monitoring programs. Protect vulnerable road users through a safe system approach. Improve pipeline leak detection and mitigation. Improve rail worker safety. Improve passenger and fishing vessel safety. Shortly after the NTSB release, the National Safety Council (NSC) compiled its top picks from the list, noting that several of the items align with the Road to Zero strategy to end roadway deaths, such as eliminating distracted driving, preventing impaired driving, requiring collision-avoidance/connected vehicle technology, stopping speed-related crashes and implementing a safe system approach. “Despite the drop in miles driven in 2020, roadway fatality estimates were the highest they’ve been since 2007, as motor-vehicle crashes remain a leading cause of death for people of all ages. NSC recognizes some of the primary causes of crashes continue to be speeding, distraction, as well as impairment, and we know more than half of those killed in crashes are unbelted,” according to a statement from NSC. “To achieve zero traffic deaths by 2050, we need to embrace a safe system approach, implement and develop life-saving technologies, and double down on proven countermeasures and strategies.” Trucking associations also weighed in on the NTSB’s picks. “ATA appreciates the NTSB highlighting a number of safety risks on our highways — including distracted driving, speeding and impaired driving,” said Sean McNally, vice president of public affairs for the American Trucking Associations (ATA). “We share their goal of zero highway fatalities and finding effective strategies to reduce these types of behaviors for all road users would go a long way toward achieving that.” David Heller, vice president of government affairs at the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA), said he is in support of the measures eliminating distracted driving. “Distracted driving has certainly crept up on the boards of causation for accidents and is a serious endeavor right now that needs to be considered in the elimination of any distracted driving,” he said. “It should be first and foremost when it comes to accidents on the roadways today.” Although Heller said he believes infrastructure priorities should have been included on the list, he is pleased about the introduction of assisted-driving technologies on NTSB’s list. “One thing I’m certainly excited that’s on there are the technology aspects of collision avoidance and connected vehicle technologies,” he said. “I think that’s great, and we can take it a step further.” Data generated by collision-avoidance and connected-vehicle technologies could provide useful in furthering legislation that will help promote the trucking industry, he said. However, some associations, including the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA), are in opposition of collision avoidance measures and technologies on the list. “In short, we oppose all proposed mandates that apply to our members,” said Norita Taylor, director of public relations at OOIDA. “That would include speed limiters, AEB (autonomous emergency braking) and collision avoidance.” AEB, which brakes when sensors show slower-moving or stopped traffic ahead, is proposed as a part of the requirements for collision avoidance on NTSB’s list. “The two technologies, AEB and adaptive cruise control, required for the 70 miles per hour allowance come at a significant cost, and it will be mostly large carriers that can afford to use them,” Taylor said. “It’s not just the installation cost of these mandates. These systems can fail and require maintenance and other work leading to significant downtime and repair costs. Even worse, our members’ experience with AEB has shown that it doesn’t improve safety, but creates new challenges and dangers, such as false or unexpected system activation,” she continued. “These costs and challenges hit small businesses particularly hard, jeopardizing the existence of many of our members, who are often the safest drivers on the road.” While OOIDA agrees that distracted driving is an issue, the technologies are a concern. Speed limiters, which would put a cap on the top speed of a vehicle, are a concern to OOIDA for control issues. “We know that some companies use them to control the fuel consumption of their employee drivers,” Taylor said. “Otherwise, we know of no other benefit. We … have yet to see any proof that they reduce crashes or improve safety. We know of no carrier citing their use of speed-limiting devices as having improved their safety.” Since 1990, the NTSB has used its Most Wanted List as the principal advocacy tool to build support for the implementation of NTSB-issued safety recommendations. “Board members of the NTSB and our advocacy team continuously seek opportunities to communicate about items on our Most Wanted List,” said NTSB Chairman Robert Sumwalt. “As we begin advocacy efforts for 2021 to 2022, we call upon our advocacy partners to amplify our safety messages and help us bring about the safety improvements that will make transportation safer for us all.” The NTSB’s 2021 to 2022 plan draws attention to more than 100 safety recommendations associated with the 10 items on the Most Wanted List. If implemented, these recommendations could save lives, reduce and prevent the number of transportation accidents and crashes, according to a statement from the NTSB.

LAREDO, Texas — U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the Interstate 35 checkpoint north of Laredo, Texas, last week stopped a human-smuggling attempt involving a commercial truck. The incident occurred April 16, when a commercial tractor-trailer, driven by a U.S. citizen, approached the checkpoint. A nonintrusive scan of the trailer revealed multiple anomalies. Agents opened the sealed cargo area of the tractor-trailer and discovered a total of 149 undocumented individuals locked inside. None were wearing personal protective equipment (PPE); all were medically screened and provided PPE. The undocumented individuals were determined to be in the U.S. illegally from the countries of Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Venezuela, El Salvador, Peru and Ecuador. All 149 people, along with the truck driver, were all placed under arrest pending further investigation by Special Agents of Homeland Security Investigations. The U.S. Border Patrol seized both the tractor and trailer.

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden wants Congress to know he’s sincere about cutting a deal on infrastructure, but Republican lawmakers have deep-seated doubts about the scope of his proposed package, its tax hikes and Biden’s premise that this is an inflection point for the U.S. as a world power. Biden met April 12 with a bipartisan group of lawmakers and tried to assure them that the Oval Office gathering was not “window dressing.” One of the core disputes is over what counts as infrastructure in his $2.3 trillion proposal. “I’m prepared to negotiate as to the extent of my infrastructure project, as well as how we pay for it,” Biden said. “It’s going to get down to what we call ‘infrastructure.’” Republican Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi indicated after the meeting that he was willing to negotiate with Biden and called it a “good discussion.” But a more fundamental disagreement also emerged about whether the United States is losing its status atop the global economy because of its deteriorating infrastructure. “He says that we’re a declining superpower; the United States is no longer No. 1,” Wicker said afterward. “I just fundamentally disagree with that.” The meeting came as the Biden’s team is making a direct argument for lawmakers to put their constituents ahead of their ideologies. The White House released state-by-state breakdowns April 12 that show the dire shape of roads, bridges, the power grid and housing affordability, among other issues. An appeal to the broader public is unlikely to resonate much with Republican lawmakers who have already blasted the plan. Among the Republicans at the meeting were Sen. Deb Fischer of Nebraska and Reps. Garret Graves of Louisiana and Don Young of Alaska. Democrats attending were Sens. Maria Cantwell of Washington and Sen. Alex Padilla of California and Reps. Donald Payne Jr. of New Jersey and David Price of North Carolina. In the room, “nobody said we didn’t need infrastructure investment,” Cantwell, the chair of the Senate Commerce Committee, said in an interview. The lawmakers said Biden will seek to drive a consensus by having his team revisit with them and others, as soon as Tuesday. Graves said the president talked about how he was open to discussion and open to negotiation on the size, scope and definition of infrastructure. “Those are all the exact words that I wanted to hear going into the meeting. And so that was really encouraging,” Graves, a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, told The Associated Press. “Is this truly going to be a two-way discussion where we talk about better ways to deliver infrastructure, what the appropriate size and scope are, ways of funding, things like that?’ The figures in the state summaries paint a decidedly bleak outlook for the world’s largest economy after years of repairs being deferred and delayed. They suggest that too much infrastructure is unsafe for vehicles at any speed, while highlighting the costs of extreme weather events that have become more frequent with climate change as well as dead spots for broadband and a dearth of child care options. Drawn from an array of private and public data, the state reports show there are 7,300 miles of highway in Michigan alone that are in poor condition. Damaged streets in North Carolina impose an average yearly cost of $500 on motorists. Iowa has 4,571 bridges in need of repair. There is a roughly 4-in-10 chance that a public transit vehicle in Indiana might be ready for the scrap yard. Pennsylvania’s schools are short $1.4 billion for maintenance and upgrades. Most states received a letter grade on their infrastructure. West Virginia earned a D. So did Biden’s home state of Delaware. Of the states rated, the highest grade went to Georgia and Utah, which each notched a C-plus. The lowest grade, D-minus, went to the territory of Puerto Rico. The administration is banking that the data will confirm the everyday experiences of Americans as they bump over potholes, get trapped in traffic jams and wait for buses that almost never correspond to published schedules. There is already a receptive audience to the sales pitch, and the strategy is that public support can overcome any congressional misgivings. “We don’t have a lot of work to do to persuade the American people that U.S. infrastructure needs major improvement,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said on Fox News Channel’s “Fox News Sunday” ahead of the reports’ release. “The American people already know it.” Republican lawmakers have been quick to reject the infrastructure proposal from Biden. They say just a fraction of the spending goes to traditional infrastructure, as $400 billion would expand Medicaid support for caregivers and substantial portions would fund electric vehicle charging stations and address the racial injustice of highways that were built in ways that destroyed Black neighborhoods. The reports give some data to back up the GOP’s argument that more money should be spent on roads and bridges. Biden’s plan would modernize 20,000 miles worth of roadways, but California by itself has 14,220 miles of highway in poor condition. Republican lawmakers also object to funding the package by increasing the corporate tax rate from 21% to 28% and increasing the global minimum tax, among other tax changes including stepped-up IRS enforcement being proposed by the Biden administration. “This plan would impose the biggest tax hikes in a generation when workers need an economic recovery. It would gut right-to-work protections for blue-collar workers,” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said in an April 12 floor speech. “It would throw hundreds of billions at the far-left’s ‘green’ fads.” Yet the state-by-state reports make clear that many of the people in Mississippi that Wicker represents could benefit from the package, an aspect of the Biden effort to engender the backing of voters across party lines. Mississippi needs $4.8 billion for drinking water and $289 million for schools. Nearly a quarter of households lack an internet subscription, and a similar percentage lives in areas without broadband. Mississippians who use public transportation have to devote an extra 87.7% of their time to commuting. Mississippi’s infrastructure received a grade of D-plus. By Josh Boak, The Associated Press. Associated Press writers Lisa Mascaro and Kevin Freking contributed to this report.

For the National Coalition of Truck Parking, the end of 2020 brought the end of an assessment ordered by Jason’s Law. Jason’s Law, adopted in 2012, is named for the late Jason Rivenburg, who was murdered during a robbery in 2009 after being unable to find safe parking. Ahead of schedule on his deliveries to South Carolina, Rivenburg had to find a place to park overnight, and knew a nearby abandoned gas station could be used for parking. It was the last parking decision he ever made. The National Coalition on Truck Parking, which includes stakeholders from the public sector, transportation organizations, the freight industry and other groups, overviewed the heart of the problem in Rivenburg’s murder — truck parking shortages. The 2020 Jason’s Law survey revealed that 98% of truck drivers report problems in finding safe parking. Since the law was enacted, the survey has been conducted by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). There are currently 313,000 truck parking spaces in the U.S., with 40,000 at public rest stops and 273,000 at private rest stops, according to the 2020 FHWA report. The coalition found there are not many new facilities or parking spaces being developed, with challenges in planning, funding and accommodations. Also, based on the freight analysis framework from the FHWA, freight activity in the U.S. is estimated to grow about 40% in tonnage in the next 30 years. With this in mind, the U.S. House of Representatives has introduced legislation to fund up to $755 million to help states finance projects that would increase the nation’s number of truck parking spaces. It’s not clear when or if this legislation — known as H.R. 6104, or the Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act — will pass. However, trucking associations and groups such as the National Motorists Association, the Institute for Safer Trucking and others, have been quick to support the bill. In the meantime, state department of transportations, as well as businesses, are working to increase parking options for trucks. Businesses address parking shortage To help alleviate the parking shortage, designated truck stops such as Love’s Travel Stops, TravelCenters of America (TA) and Pilot Flying J Centers are opening new locations and new truck parking spaces in 2021. Combined, these truck stop chains are planning to add approximately 5,600 locations this year. TA, which operates TA, Petro Stopping Centers and TA Express stores, plans to open 20 new locations this year with an approximate combined total of 2,000 truck parking spaces. “Providing a safe haven for drivers is part of who we are,” said Tina Arundel, communications director for TA. “It’s important to TA that reliable parking options are available at our sites because professional drivers rely on us for so much more than just a place to stop their clock for the night.” Last year TA opened 10 new locations, adding about 700 parking spaces. In January 2021, TA added a travel center in Huntington, Oregon, that brought 150 truck parking spaces to the area. According to Arundel, challenges associated with creating additional truck parking when opening a new store are due to construction considerations. “In regard to design of truck parking, width, angle and overall orientation of the spaces is crucial to facilitate easy parking,” she said. “Ample, bright lighting on the lot is extremely important from a safety perspective, and we also strive to have our travel center in close proximity to the parking spaces, so drivers can easily access our services.” Another prominent truck stop chain, Pilot Flying J, is working on new upgrades and locations to become more consistent. “In 2021, we are planning to build more than 15 new locations, add approximately 600 parking spaces to the industry and are targeting to upgrade and reimage more than 150 existing locations to provide drivers with more locations and a great guest experience,” according to a statement from Pilot Co. Love’s Travel Stops added 3,000 spaces in 2020 and continues to add new locations with more parking. As of February 2021, Love’s has already opened 335 truck parking spaces, with 300 additional spaces to be opened near the end of March. A total of 50 new Love’s locations with more than 3,000 parking spaces are planned in 2021. “Because Love’s offers free parking at all locations, we do see lots at full capacity,” said Rick Shuffield, vice president of real estate for Love’s. “In 2020, we added more than 3,000 truck parking spaces across the country and plan to add the same amount in 2021. Love’s will continue to add spaces to serve its core customer, the professional truck driver.” In addition to other concerns when breaking ground on a new location, space constraints can be challenges, dictating the number of spaces that can be included along with a new location. “Sometimes space constraints prevent us from adding as many parking spaces as we’d like,” Shuffield said. “One of the most important things is providing enough space for professional drivers to safely turn their trucks into and out of the parking lots.” In addition to parking spaces being added by truck stops, there are technological advances that allow drivers to find other safe parking options. Anthony Petitte, CEO of TruckPark, said his business is a marketplace between partnered operators to help drivers find safe parking. The TruckPark app helps drivers find and reserve parking spaces before reaching their destination. Petitte said TruckPark’s goal is to have as many locations and parking spaces as possible. “The more parking facilities you onboard is how you control the market,” he said. “The biggest challenge is getting the operators on board and them understanding that this market is predicated. We [have to make sure] that drivers are safe and secure and not endangered.” In total, the TruckPark network includes 42,000 truck parking spaces in 265 locations in the U.S. and Canada, according to Petitte. On average, a partnered TruckPark facility has 250 parking spaces. TruckPark partners include DAT, FourKites and Nexar. TruckPark locations offer fenced perimeters and guards to watch the facilities. In some cases, there are automatic gate codes or industrial locks drivers can use. The bottom line is that each location TruckPark partners with has security cameras and fences, according to Petitte. A problem he has noticed is that industrial parking facilities are in high crime areas without safety measures. When working with partners for new locations, Petitte said he has to find operators who are willing to have secure facilities. “Putting in an extra $5,000 to $10,000 in capital to build a fence around your site is going to be an absolute killer for your drivers,” he said. “If they have a good experience and feel safe, they’re going to come back.” Government agencies address the issue Private businesses are not the only entities working to create more safe truck parking. Some state governments are also making truck parking a priority. Iowa and Wyoming, for example, are constructing new rest areas and parking spaces for truck drivers. As a part of its master plan, the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) is adding parking spaces and climbing lanes along Interstate 80. The project will add nearly 100 new truck parking spaces to two sites along I-80, bringing the total number of spaces at the two locations to nearly 200. The Fort Steele rest area is about 7 miles east of Sinclair, Wyoming, at mile marker 228, and the Quealy Dome truck parking area is 20 miles west of Laramie, Wyoming, at mile marker 290. “We wanted to add the truck parking because there was a need,” said Keith Fulton, chief engineer for WYDOT. “There’s a lot of trucks that cross I-80. About 50% of the traffic, for us, is trucks, so we knew we had to have an area for them.” In addition to parking spaces, signs noting the number of available spaces will be added, along with roadside radio installations that communicate current weather conditions on the highway. That way, truck drivers can prepare for any potential inclement weather and can find spaces despite fog, or a snowstorm. Two truck climbing lanes, each 2 miles long, will be added on I-80, according to Keith Fulton, chief engineer for WYDOT. The climbing lanes will allow slow-moving vehicles to break up traffic on the interstate’s steep slopes. “On our steeper slopes, in the past, we’ve seen trucks that have had trouble or slowed down trying to get up the hill, especially in inclement weather,” Fulton said. “We wanted to add that additional lane so vehicles are safer and to keep traffic moving.” The bulk of the construction is to start this spring, with the completion of parking spaces expected in October 2022. The Iowa Department of Transportation has been working on a rest area management plan since 2012, and released the final plan in August 2020. The plan includes upgrading buildings and expanding truck parking at 12 aging full-service rest areas beginning in 2022, with a projected completion date of 2033. Rest areas are considered “aging” when the sites are close to 50 years or older. Six parking-only sites in Iowa will receive additional truck parking spaces, and eight rest areas will close, according to the final version of the plan. In total, the plan will create approximately 247 additional truck parking spaces, a 30% increase for Iowa. However, implementation of the plan may not happen soon. “It’s a long-term thing,” said Bryan Bradley, deputy director for the location and environment bureau for the Iowa DOT. “One of our goals is to not take out more spots than we’re adding, so that we’ll always be net positive. We have it all laid out in a plan right now, but it has got to be fluid.” Bradley noted the financial aspect of these modifications is the top issue in implementing the rest area management plan — the upgrades to 12 full-service rest areas will cost approximately $7.2 million. “Our funding can be very fluid,” Bradley said. “To put a plan that’s long term [in place] when you’re unsure of your finances — because it costs money to shut them down, it costs money to build them, or to refurbish — funding is a big consideration.” Iowa’s rest area management plan also calls for the closure of 10 small parking-only sites that offer less than six truck parking spots each. Cumulative savings of program and operations for closures is approximately $38.2 million. The first draft of the plan proposed closing 11 of the state’s 38 full service rest area stations and all 16 of its parking-only sites. “The response to this wasn’t great, and we listened,” an August 2020 report from the Iowa DOT stated. “The public comments we received after the initial release convinced us that we needed to take a closer look, particularly at truck parking, which was identified as an issue in the majority of comments received.” The agency shifted, conducting freight truck parking and public input studies, and released a final report available at iowadot.gov. The FHWA does offer the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act to provide long-term funding efforts for infrastructure planning and development. Former president Donald Trump extended the FAST Act in Oct. 2020, with an additional $13.6 billion added to the nation’s Highway Trust Fund. Initially signed into law by President Barack Obama, the act ensures long-term funding for surface transportation programs to improve highways and ease congestion on the nation’s interstate system and major roads. “The FAST Act provided a new freight-specific category, which constituted new money for the states that they could theoretically program for truck parking in addition to other projects,” a spokesperson from the FHWA said. The act also provides grants programs that are eligible to be used for truck parking spaces. “Truck parking shortages are a national safety concern,” according to the FHWA’s freight management and operations website. “An inadequate supply of truck parking spaces can result in two negative consequences: First, tired truck drivers may continue to drive because they have difficulty finding a place to park for rest and, second, truck drivers may choose to park at unsafe locations, such as on the shoulder of the road, exit ramps or vacant lots, if they are unable to locate official, available parking.” The FHWA has conducted numerous studies to find a way to provide sufficient truck parking. According to the agency’s website, the studies have common results — there has been a growth in truck activity with shortages of truck parking. The results find a lack of information on how to create spaces as well as challenges in rest requirements.

PITTSBURGH — President Joe Biden outlined a huge $2.3 trillion plan March 31 to reengineer the nation’s infrastructure in what he billed as “a once-in-a-generation investment in America” that would undo his predecessor’s signature legislative achievement — giant tax cuts for corporations — in the process. Speaking at a carpenters union training center in Pittsburgh, Biden drew comparisons between his hard-hatted proposed transformation of the U.S. economy and the space race — and promised results as grand in scale as the New Deal or Great Society programs that shaped the 20th century. “It’s not a plan that tinkers around the edges,” Biden said. “It’s a once-in-a-generation investment in America unlike anything we’ve seen or done since we built the interstate highway system and the space race decades ago. In fact, it’s the largest American jobs investment since World War II. It will create millions of jobs, good-paying jobs.” White House officials say the spending would generate those jobs as the country shifts away from fossil fuels and combats the perils of climate change. It is also an effort to compete with the technology and public investments made by China, which has the world’s second-largest economy and is fast gaining on the United States’ dominant position. “I’m convinced that if we act now, in 50 years people are going to look back and say this is the moment when America won the future,” Biden said. The Democratic president’s infrastructure projects would be financed by higher corporate taxes — a trade-off that could lead to fierce resistance from the business community and thwart attempts to work with Republican lawmakers. Biden hopes to pass an infrastructure plan by summer, which could mean relying solely on the slim Democratic majorities in the House and the Senate. The higher corporate taxes would aim to raise the necessary piles of money over 15 years and then reduce the deficit going forward. In doing so, Biden would undo the 2017 tax overhaul by President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans and lift the corporate tax rate to 28% from the 21% rate. “Ninety-one Fortune 500 Companies, including Amazon, pay not a single solitary penny in income tax,” Biden said. The March 31 announcement will be followed in coming weeks by Biden pushing a companion bill of roughly equal size for investments in child care, family tax credits and other domestic programs. That nearly $2 trillion package would be paid for by tax hikes on wealthy individuals and families. “Wall Street didn’t build this country,” Biden said. “You, the great middle class, built this country. And unions built the middle class.” Biden’s choice of Pittsburgh for unveiling the plan carried important economic and political resonance. He not only won Pittsburgh and its surrounding county to help secure the presidency, but he launched his campaign there in 2019. The city famed for steel mills that powered America’s industrial rise has steadily pivoted toward technology and health care, drawing in college graduates in a sign of how economies can change. The White House says the largest chunk of the proposal includes $621 billion for roads, bridges, public transit, electric vehicle charging stations and other transportation infrastructure. The spending would push the country away from internal combustion engines that the auto industry views as increasingly antiquated technology. An additional $111 billion would go to replace lead water pipes and upgrade sewers. Broadband internet would blanket the country for $100 billion. Separately, $100 billion would upgrade the power grid to deliver clean electricity. Homes would get retrofitted, schools modernized, workers trained and hospitals renovated under the plan, which also seeks to strengthen U.S. manufacturing. The new construction could keep the economy running hot, coming on the heels of Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package. Economists already estimate it could push growth above 6% this year. To keep companies from shifting profits overseas to avoid taxation, a 21% global minimum tax would be imposed. The tax code would also be updated so that companies could not merge with foreign businesses and avoid taxes by moving their headquarters to a tax haven. And among other provisions, it would increase IRS audits of corporations. Biden appealed for Republicans and the business community to join him in negotiations on the bill, but the legislative prospects for Biden’s twin proposals already appear to hinge on Democrats coming up with the votes on their own through the budget reconciliation process, which requires just a simple majority in the 50-50 Senate. “I’m going to bring Republicans into the Oval Office, listen to them, what they have to say and be open to other ideas,” Biden said. “We’ll have a good faith negotiation. Any Republican who wants to help get this done. But we have to get it done.” Democratic leaders embraced Biden’s plan. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said it would create millions of jobs. “I look forward to working with President Biden to pass a big, bold plan that will drive America forward for decades to come,” Schumer said at an event in Buffalo, New York. But Republican opposition to Biden’s ambitious proposal came swiftly, and with resolve for the long brawl ahead. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell dismissed the package as nothing more than a “Trojan horse” for tax hikes. Republicans on Capitol Hill view the fight as a defining moment for the parties, framing it as a choice between Democrats intent on relying on government to solve the nation’s problems and a GOP that believes the private sector can best unleash the nation’s potential. Smarting over Biden’s intent to undo the 2017 tax cuts has only solidified what could amount to a wall of GOP opposition. The business community favors updating U.S. infrastructure but dislikes higher tax rates. U.S. Chamber of Commerce Executive Vice President and Chief Policy Officer Neil Bradley said in a statement that “we applaud the Biden administration for making infrastructure a top priority. However, we believe the proposal is dangerously misguided when it comes to how to pay for infrastructure.” The Business Roundtable, a group of CEOs, would rather have infrastructure funded with user fees such as tolls. Trump, in a statement, blasted his successor’s proposal, claiming it “would be among the largest self-inflicted economic wounds in history.” Infrastructure spending usually holds the promise of juicing economic growth, but by how much remains a subject of political debate. Commutes and shipping times could be shortened, while public health would be improved and construction jobs would bolster consumer spending. Standard & Poor’s chief U.S. economist, Beth Ann Bovino, estimated last year that a $2.1 trillion boost in infrastructure spending could add as much as $5.7 trillion in income to the entire economy over a decade. Those kinds of analyses have led liberal Democrats in Congress such as Washington Rep. Pramila Jayapal to conclude, “The economic consensus is that infrastructure pays for itself over time.” But the Biden administration is taking a more cautious approach than some Democrats might like. After $1.9 trillion in pandemic aid and $4 trillion in relief last year, the administration is trying to avoid raising the national debt to levels that would trigger higher interest rates and make it harder to repay. Biden’s efforts may also be complicated by demands from a handful of Democratic lawmakers who say they cannot support the bill unless it addresses the $10,000 cap on individuals’ state and local tax deductions put in place under Trump and a Republican-led Congress. With a narrow majority in the House, those Democrats could conceivably quash any bill that doesn’t significantly lift the cap or repeal it entirely. By Jonathan Lemire, Kevin Freking and Zeke Miller, The Associated Press. Miller and Freking reported from Washington. AP writers Lisa Mascaro, Josh Boak and Padmananda Rama also contributed from Washington.

President Joe Biden says his proposal for an aggressive series of infrastructure investments would require $2 trillion in spending over eight years but could create millions of jobs. It would be funded by higher corporate taxes. Here’s a closer look at where the money is going and where it’s coming from: Infrastructure projects $115 billion to modernize the bridges, highways and roads that are in the worst shape. The White House outline estimated 20,000 miles (32,187 kilometers) of roadways would be repaired, while economically significant bridges and 10,000 smaller bridges would get fixed. $85 billion for public transit, doubling the federal government’s commitment in an effort to shorten the repair backlog and expand service. $80 billion to modernize Amtrak’s heavily trafficked Northeast Corridor line, address its repair backlog and improve freight rail. $174 billion to build 500,000 electric vehicle charging stations, electrify 20% of school buses and electrify the federal fleet, including U.S. Postal Service vehicles. $25 billion to upgrade air travel and airports and $17 billion for waterways and coastal ports. $20 billion to redress communities whose neighborhoods — typically nonwhite — were divided by highway projects. $50 billion to improve infrastructure resilience in the aftermath of natural disasters. $111 billion to replace lead water pipes and upgrade sewer systems. $100 billion to build high-speed broadband that provides 100% coverage for the country. $100 billion to upgrade the resilience of the power grid and move to clean electricity, among other power projects. $213 billion to produce, preserve and retrofit more than 2 million affordable houses and buildings. $100 billion to upgrade and build new schools. $18 billion to modernize Veterans Affairs hospitals and clinics, and $10 billion for federal buildings. $400 billion to expand long-term care services under Medicaid. $180 billion invested in research and development projects. $300 billion for manufacturing, including funds for the computer chip sector, improved access to capital and investment in clean energy through federal procurement. $100 billion for workforce development. Tax increases Biden’s plan would finance projects by: Raising the corporate tax rate from 21% to 28%, one of the measures that over 15 years would cover the cost of the infrastructure program and then help to reduce the budget deficit. Imposing a 21% global minimum tax, so that companies cannot avoid taxes by shifting income to low-tax countries. Making it harder for businesses to merge with foreign companies to avoid U.S. taxes, a process known as inversion. Eliminating tax breaks for companies that shift assets abroad, and denying deductions for offshoring jobs. Imposing a 15% minimum tax on the income that corporations report to shareholders. Eliminating tax preferences for the fossil fuels sector. Increasing IRS audits of large corporations.

BATON ROUGE, La. — The latest bid to boost Louisiana’s gasoline tax has ended without a legislative vote. Rep. Jack McFarland said Thursday, March 25, he’s shelving the tax hike proposal ahead of the legislative session that starts April 12, as billions of dollars in federal coronavirus aid that could be used for road and bridge work is headed to Louisiana. The Winnfield, Louisiana, Republican, who spent months traveling the state to pitch the gas tax proposal to organizations and colleagues, said he’ll continue pushing legislation to rework financing for the transportation department, steer more money to projects and add more oversight of spending. “I’m restructuring my bill. I’m going to take the revenue-raising measure out of it,” McFarland said. The north Louisiana lawmaker faced significant opposition from within his own party for his phased-in, 22-cent tax hike, which eventually would have raised an extra $600 million-plus yearly by 2033. Both Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards and Republican Senate President Page Cortez said March 24 that they didn’t see enough support to raise the gas tax this year. Supporters of an increase point to Louisiana’s $15 billion backlog of road and bridge work and its list of $13 billion in projects to improve traffic flow and lessen gridlock. But critics, including the chairman of the state GOP, slammed the tax hike as unaffordable, particularly in a pandemic. It would have taken a two-thirds vote to pass, a hurdle that has stalled previous gas tax hikes sponsored by other lawmakers in 2017 and 2019. McFarland’s tax hike proposal was further undermined by an influx of federal coronavirus aid pushed by President Joe Biden and passed by Democrats in Congress earlier in March. Louisiana state government expects to receive more than $3 billion from the federal package, and local government agencies are slated to get $1.8 billion. Those dollars could be steered to roads, bridges and other infrastructure projects. “It is extremely hard to make the pitch to legislators and even the public when they see this much money coming to the state from the federal government,” McFarland said. The lawmaker’s decision to scrap the gas tax hike was first reported March 25 by political reporter Jeremy Alford. Motorists in Louisiana pay 38.4 cents in taxes per gallon of gasoline, including 20 cents in state taxes. The state rate hasn’t changed since 1990. Louisiana ranks 43rd in the nation for what it charges drivers to fuel vehicles, according to The Tax Foundation. McFarland had proposed to raise the state tax 22 cents by 2033, starting with a 10-cent per gallon increase in 2021, then 2 additional cents every other year for the next 12 years. The hike was estimated to raise $300 million annually in the first year and grow to $660 million yearly by 2033. New fees also would have been charged on electric and hybrid vehicles. Rather than the tax increase, McFarland said he’ll propose moving all the current gas tax revenue to projects and prohibiting it from being spent on transportation department administration — a shift that would require lawmakers to find other dollars to pay for agency operations. He’ll propose fee increases for the department to help cover some of those administrative costs and seek to earmark all vehicle sales taxes to the agency, stripping the dollars from other state spending areas. By Melinda Deslatte, The Associated Press

LANDOVER, Md. — On Monday, March 15, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg touted the American Rescue Plan as he toured a UPS facility in Landover, Maryland, that is delivering vaccines to the District of Columbia and Maryland. During the tour, Buttigieg, along with Sens. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Rep. Anthony Brown (D-Md.), met with UPS drivers who are delivering vaccines and saw demonstrations of how the vaccine is packaged and delivered across the area. “It was an honor to meet and thank the workers at UPS who are stepping up every day to deliver vaccines during this pandemic,” Buttigieg said. “As President Biden has said, help is on the way. The American Rescue Plan is a historic accomplishment that will help our national vaccination program get shots into people’s arms quickly and equitably. This will save lives.” Cardin stressed the importance of federal coordination in the vaccine effort, and thanked drivers for their service, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. “We need to get vaccines into the arms of every adult in this country and that can only be accomplished with critical coordination at the federal level,” Cardin said. “Thank you to all the delivery drivers and other essential workers who have shown bravery and dedication throughout the pandemic and now are on the frontlines delivering vaccines safely to state and local health departments for distribution. This is an incredibly complex task, but we will get it done and it will save lives.” The American Rescue Plan contains nearly $160 billion to provide the supplies, emergency response, testing and public health workforce to stop the spread of COVID-19, while distributing vaccines as quickly as possible and addressing racial disparities in COVID-19 outcomes. The transportation network plays a vital role in the success of the vaccination program, with drivers across the nation ensuring the vaccine and medical supplies are delivered in a safe, timely manner. “Today’s visit was a great opportunity to see firsthand how the Biden administration’s actions are leading to more vaccines on the ground and how Maryland’s workers are helping deliver on our top priority of getting these vaccines into the arms of Americans quickly,” Van Hollen said. “With the passage of the American Rescue Plan, it’s crucial that the state immediately deploy this historic federal support to improve vaccine access and reduce disparities in Maryland. We’ll be pushing to ensure just that, and I appreciate the efforts of Secretary Buttigieg and UPS, as together, we work to secure the timely delivery of vaccines across our state and country.” Brown, a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, described the passage of the rescue plan as “historic,” pointing to the prioritization of quick, equitable administration of vaccines to the general public. “UPS facilities like the one in Landover are critical to ensuring states like Maryland get the vaccine supplies they need to protect the lives of our residents and defeat the COVID-19 pandemic,” Brown said. “This is a nationwide effort, requiring close cooperation and partnership between the public and private sectors. Working alongside Secretary Buttigieg and the tireless employees at UPS we will deliver for the American people and ensure better days are ahead.” Vaccine distribution has required significant innovation in the shipping and logistics industry, as well as partnership with federal, state, and local government to enable a massive delivery effort of vaccines, including some that need to be transported and held at super-cold temperatures, to every corner of the U.S.

People in Colorado, Wyoming, Nebraska and Iowa were digging out Monday, March 15, from a powerful late winter snowstorm that led to airport and road closures, power outages and avalanche warnings. The storm dropped 27.1 inches of snow at Denver International Airport by the end of Sunday, March 14, making it the fourth biggest snowfall in the city’s history, the National Weather Service said. The storm had largely moved out of the region by Monday morning but large sections of interstates in Wyoming and Colorado remained closed, as well as runways at Denver’s airport. The weather service in Wyoming, which called the storm “historic and crippling,” said travel would remain dangerous for the next several days in parts of Wyoming and Nebraska because of slick and snow-covered roads. Major roads from the southwest corner of Wyoming to its northeast corner remained closed, including routes in and out of the cities of Cheyenne and Casper. Interstate 70 across the eastern half of Colorado was also among the roads closed. Plowing operations in the Casper area were suspended Sunday because of heavy snow and a lack of visibility, the Wyoming Department of Transportation said. “We had several plows drive off the roadway due to limited to zero visibility,” the agency said on its Facebook page. Farther south, a record of more than 2 feet of snow had fallen just outside Cheyenne by noon Sunday, the weather service reported. A measuring site at Windy Peak in the Laramie Range reported 52 inches of snow in a 24-hour period ending Sunday morning, the weather service said. A person who answered the phone at the Love’s Travel Stop in Cheyenne, but declined to give his name, said 98 trucks were stranded there. They were taking fuel out a can at a time to fill up generators on the trucks to keep their refrigerators or freezers running, he said. Interstate 25 was closed in northern Colorado to its end at Buffalo, Wyoming while Interstate 80 was closed across southern Wyoming and into the Nebraska panhandle, where 19 inches of snow were reported just south of Gering, Nebraska. Nebraska’s transportation department asked people across the state to stay home to avoid strong winds and rain on the eastern side of the state and blizzard conditions in the west, the Omaha World-Herald reported. Traffic from Interstate 80 was routed into nearby cities and towns. On Monday, school was canceled in Denver, Cheyenne and Casper, and some government offices announced closures. At Denver’s airport, the runways were closed just before noon Sunday due to blowing snow and poor visibilities. “Many flights have already been canceled so the runway closures have minimal impacts,” airport officials said in social media posts. The Northern Colorado Regional Airport that serves the Fort Collins and Loveland areas was closed Sunday morning after receiving a foot of snow, according to the airport’s social media accounts. An avalanche warning was in effect Sunday for the Rocky Mountains west of Fort Collins, Boulder, Denver and Colorado Springs where “intense snowfall will cause large and destructive avalanches,” according to the Colorado Avalanche Center. The center warned that avalanches could happen in unusual locations and recommended against traveling in the backcountry. An avalanche blocked Colorado Highway 14 in north-central Colorado on Sunday, the agency said. Heavy snow blanketed much of northern Iowa on Monday, snarling traffic and closing schools and services, as a late winter storm moved through the region. Online reports issued by the Iowa Department of Transportation showed snow and ice covering roads in north-central Iowa and partially covering roads for much of the rest of the northern half of the state. The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning for three dozen counties in Iowa’s northern half and a winter weather advisory for several more counties in the region. Some areas were expected to see up to 8 inches of snow by late Monday afternoon, the weather service said. Winds with gusts up to 35 mph drastically cut visibility, making travel dangerous, the service reported.

PERU, Ind. — Following a traffic stop earlier this week, an Indiana man has been arrested and is facing multiple charges, according to the Indiana State Police (ISP). At about 5:54 p.m. Tuesday, March 9, ISP Lt. T.J. Zeiser stopped a 2010 Volvo tractor, which was pulling an enclosed trailer, on U.S. 31 near Miami County Road 200 North near Peru. The driver, later identified as Omar Muhammad, 48, of Indianapolis, was reportedly not wearing a seat belt. During the traffic stop, Muhammad allegedly provided a driver’s license identifying him as someone else. Further investigation revealed that the person identified on the license was wanted on a criminal arrest warrant from Texas. This prompted Muhammad to provide his true identity, along with the information that he was allegedly driving without a valid commercial driver’s license (CDL). Muhammad was arrested and booked into the Miami County Jail to face criminal charges for synthetic identity deception, forgery, obstruction of justice and having a counterfeit government-issued identification.

A letter sent March 3 to the new Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg by the American Trucking Associations and Road Safe America has reignited a debate about requiring the use of speed limiters on large commercial trucks. The letter, signed by ATA president and CEO Chris Spear and Road Safe America president and co-founder Steve Owings, notes the organizations’ support of the proposed Cullum Owings Large Truck Safe Operating Speed Act of 2019. If passed, the bill would require all new commercial motor vehicles weighing more than 26,000 pounds to be equipped with speed-limiting technology, that speed-limiting technology already installed in heavy-duty commercial vehicles be used, and that the speed be set at a maximum of 65 mph. This support is a reversal of ATA’s stance on a 2016 notice of proposed rulemaking published by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. “Much has changed since 2016. Technological advancements have increasingly enabled motor carriers to adopt proven safety technologies, prompting ATA to support new and safer approaches to speed management,” the letter notes, pointing to motor carriers’ adoption of automated emergency braking and adaptive cruise control systems on commercial vehicles. “The integration of these devices with speed governing technology is showing enormous promise for transportation safety,” the letter continues. “Given the rapid development and widespread adoption of this integrated technology and the safety benefits they produce, we believe the issue of speed governing should be addressed with a 21st-century solution to ensure maximum adaptability.” Just one day later, on March 4, the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) responded, sending its own letter to Buttigieg decrying the mandated use of speed limiters. OOIDA has long opposed efforts to mandate speed-limiting devices, saying the technology actually makes roads less safe, increasing traffic congestion and speed differentials between commercial and passenger vehicles and ultimately leading to more crashes. In its March 4 letter, OOIDA cites studies showing the detrimental effects of speed limiters, including increased equipment cost and added stress on truck drivers who would potentially be forced to drive at a speed lower than the posted speed limit. “Studies and research have already proven what we were all taught long ago in driver’s ed classes: Traffic is safest when vehicles travel at the same relative speed,” said Todd Spencer, president of OOIDA, in a prepared statement. “What the motoring public should know is that when they are stuck behind trucks on long stretches of highway, those trucks are limited by a device to a speed well under the posted limit. This proposal would make that the norm for every truck on the road.” OOIDA’s letter calls the proposed legislation “nothing more than an attempt to eliminate one of the few economic advantages small-business truckers currently enjoy” — the ability to let drivers operate at posted speed limits, reducing the risk of hours-of-service violations by drivers attempting to make scheduled deliveries while traveling at slower speeds than surrounding traffic. “Drivers hate speed limiters because of the operational and safety problems they create,” Spencer explained. “Large carriers would love nothing more than to ensure every truck and carrier is stuck with these devices, so their drivers stop fleeing for jobs at more trucker-friendly carriers.” Spencer also noted that ATA has pushed for speed-limiter mandates in the past, only to oppose the legislation later. “To be frank, it is difficult to keep track of what ATA and its members think about speed limiters,” Spencer said. “We would recommend that DOT hold off on a mandate, if only because we’re not sure where ATA will be on this by the time the agency could produce a proposal.”

AUSTIN, Texas — America’s infrastructure has scored near-failing grades for its deteriorating roads, public transit and storm water systems due to years of inaction from the federal government, the American Society of Civil Engineers reports. Its overall grade: a mediocre C-. In its “Infrastructure Report Card” released Wednesday, March 3, the group called for “big and bold” relief, estimating it would cost $5.9 trillion over the next decade to bring roads, bridges and airports to a safe and sustainable level. That’s about $2.6 trillion more than what government and the private sector already spend. “America’s infrastructure is not functioning as it should, and families are losing thousands of dollars a year in disposable income as a result of cities having to fix potholes, people getting stuck in traffic or due to repairs when a water line breaks or the energy grid goes down,” said Greg DiLoreto, one of the group’s past presidents. “It’s critical we take action now,” he said, expressing optimism that the federal government is now making it a “top priority.” During Donald Trump’s four years in the White House, his administration often held “Infrastructure Week” events and touted transportation improvements. But it was not able to push Congress to pass any broad plan to update the nation’s roads and bridges, rails and airports. The overall C- grade on America’s infrastructure — reflecting a “mediocre” condition with “significant deficiencies” — is a slight improvement from its D+ grade in 2017. The group cited in part state and local government and private-sector efforts, which have turned to new technology to pinpoint water main leaks and prioritize fixes. But of the 17 categories making up the overall grade, 11 were in the D range that indicated a “significant deterioration” with a “strong risk of failure.” They included public transit, storm water infrastructure, airports, and roads and highways, which make up the biggest chunk of U.S. infrastructure spending at $1.6 trillion, according to the group. Four areas got Cs: bridges, which dropped from a C+ to a C in 2021, energy, drinking water and solid waste. Just two areas — ports and rail — scored higher, with a B- and B, respectively. President Joe Biden’s administration and lawmakers in recent weeks have begun laying the groundwork for a long-sought boost to the nation’s roads, bridges and other infrastructure of $2 trillion or more, to be unveiled after Congress approves legislation on COVID-19 relief. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who has been meeting with lawmakers about the effort, has said the aim would be to rejuvenate the post-coronavirus pandemic economy and boost crumbling roads and bridges while encouraging alternative forms of transportation to cars, as well as create thousands of green jobs by making environmentally friendly retrofits and public works improvements. “This report card is a warning and a call to action,” Buttigieg told The Associated Press. “A generation of disinvestment is catching up to us, and we must choose whether to allow our global competitors to pull ahead permanently, or to invest in the safety, equity, resilience and economic strength that superior infrastructure can bring to Americans.” Buttigieg announced on March 2 the first low-cost federal transportation loan in the Biden administration, up to $448 million to Texas for toll-road projects in Austin to ease congestion, touting bike-friendly features such as a planned 10-foot-wide paved sidewalk for cyclists and pedestrians with access to trails. “As communities across the country continue to battle the pandemic, we are committed to being a partner to help them save money, reduce congestion and improve mobility, safety, and accessibility,” said Buttigieg, a former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, who will address the engineers group later Wednesday. In its report card, the group said years of inaction has had consequences. It cited growing costs being passed along to consumers as cities and states grapple with funding shortages to fix roads and bridges and delay other major upgrades to infrastructure. The nation’s weak infrastructure has been a problem for communities, including Texas’ recent struggles with power outages and water shortages after a brutal winter storm. Unusually frigid conditions led to frozen pipes that burst and flooded homes, and millions of residents lost heat and running water. According to the report card, the nation is only paying about half of what it needs to lift overall U.S. infrastructure to an acceptable “B” level. Left unaddressed, America’s overdue infrastructure bill by 2039 will cost the average American household $3,300 a year, or $63 a week, the group said. It urged strong leadership, greater investment and “new approaches,” such as taking into account the reality of climate change in longer-term capital improvement plans. “Big and bold action from Washington, as well as continued prioritization by states and localities, is needed to bring all our infrastructure to a state of good repair,” the report card said. By Hope Yen, The Associated Press