The Nation

WASHINGTON — Twelve state department of transportation projects were named finalists in the 2020 America’s Transportation Awards competition by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO); projects that make travel across America safer, better, and more accessible to motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians alike. The 12 state DOT projects in Arizona, Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Minnesota, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington State and Wisconsin earned top honors in four regional contests held across the country. They now compete for two final awards — the Grand Prize and the People’s Choice Award. Both come with a $10,000 cash award for a charity or transportation-related scholarship of the winners’ choosing. “The Top 12 projects are the best of the best. They’re helping to reduce traffic crashes and congestion [while] connecting people to jobs, recreation, and tourism,” explained Patrick McKenna, AASHTO’s 2019-2020 president and director of the Missouri Department of Transportation, in a statement. “I’m privileged to be in a position where I can see how these transportation improvements benefit communities,” he said. “During these extraordinary times, we’re seeing construction workers out there on the front lines continuing to build and repair the transportation infrastructure America depends on,” added Jim Tymon, AASHTO’s executive director. “While many of these projects were completed before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, they are today helping get medical supplies to hospitals and food to grocery stores,” he said. “Transportation is essential, and this contest celebrates the people and the projects that are keeping America moving,” Tymon noted. In the America’s Transportation Awards competition — sponsored by AASHTO, AAA and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce — state DOTs compete in three categories: Quality of Life/Community Development; Best Use of Technology and Innovation; and Operations Excellence. The Top 12 finalists for the 2020 contest are: Arizona DOT: Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway (Best Use of Technology & Innovation Category, Large Project Group); Connecticut DOT: Community Connectivity Grant Program – Boxer Square Revitalization (Quality of Life/Community Development Category, Small Project Group); Georgia DOT: Columbus Riverwalk Project (Quality of Life/Community Development Category, Small Project Group); Hawaii DOT: Kauai Emergency Repairs (Operations Excellence Category, Medium Project Group); Minnesota DOT: Minnesota Connected and Automated Vehicle (CAV) Challenge (Best Use of Technology & Innovation Category, Small Project Group); New Jersey DOT: Route 72, Manahawkin Bay Bridges – Contract 4 (Quality of Life/Community Development Category, Medium Project Group); North Carolina DOT: Drones: North Carolina’s Future of Healthcare Logistics (Best Use of Technology & Innovation Category, Small Project Group); Ohio DOT: I-670 SmartLane Project (Best Use of Technology & Innovation Category, Medium Project Group); Pennsylvania DOT: Automated Work Zone Speed Enforcement Program (Operations Excellence Category, Small Project Group); Virginia DOT: I-81 Corridor Operations Expansion Program – 2019 Activities (Operations Excellence Category, Small Project Group); Washington State DOT: State Route 99 Tunnel Project (Operations Excellence Category, Large Project Group); and Wisconsin DOT: WIS 116 Bridge (Quality of Life/Community Development Category, Small Project Group). An independent panel of transportation industry experts will select the Grand Prize winner, while the public will decide the People’s Choice Award winner through online voting – which begins today and ends at 11:59 p.m. on October 25 – with online votes weighted to each state’s population, allowing for greater competition between states with larger and smaller populations. To view a video overview of the 12 projects featured in this year’s contest, click here. To vote in this year’s People’s Choice contest, click here. AASHTO will announce the 2020 America’s Transportation Award winners at its annual meeting, to be held virtually the week of November 9-13. As published in The Journal, the official publication of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), on Sept. 8. 

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) on Sept. 2 launched a public online tool to improve the safety and testing transparency of automated driving systems. The new online tracking tool provides data on the on-road testing of automated driving systems in 17 cities across the country, expanding the information available to the public about these vehicles, including their on-road testing and safety performance. “This tool gives the public online access to data about the on-road testing of automated driving systems so the public can understand more about this new technology,” said U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao. The tool is part of the Automated Vehicle Transparency and Engagement for Safe Testing (AV TEST) Initiative, which Chao announced in June. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is overseeing the AV TEST Initiative. The Sept. 2 launch event featured remarks by Sen. John Thune (R-South Dakota) and Rep. Fred Upton (R-Michigan). In addition, the agency held a panel discussion on “Automated Driving Systems and Rural Safety,” featuring Finch Fulton, the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy. The Sept. 3 panel, “AV TEST: A Foundational Resource for the First Responder Community,” included a message from Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Illinois). The tool is available at nhtsa.gov/avtest. The online, public-facing platform will allow participants to share testing activities related to automated driving systems and other safety-related information with the public. Online mapping tools may show testing locations at the local, state and national levels, as well as testing activity data, which may include dates, frequency, vehicle counts and routes. Ten companies and nine states have already signed on as participants in the voluntary web pilot, according to a Sept. 2 statement from NHTSA. “The more information the public has about the on-road testing of automated driving systems, the more they will understand the development of this promising technology,” said James Owens, deputy administrator of NHTSA. “Automated driving systems are not yet available for sale to the public, and the AV TEST Initiative will help improve public understanding of the technology’s potential and limitations as it continues to develop. “Given the speed with which this technology is evolving, a volunteer partnership with industry and the states has allowed us to get this information to the public quickly and efficiently,” he continued. “By tapping into the power of the competitive marketplace, nonregulatory tools have proven to be effective in advancing vehicle safety, as evidenced by the success of the Five-Star Safety Ratings program,” he added. The AV TEST Initiative’s online tracking tool will soon be open to all stakeholders involved in the safe development and testing of automated driving system vehicles. At the state and local level, participants may include departments of motor vehicles, departments of transportation, highway safety offices, and city governments. At the automotive industry level, participants may include developers, manufacturers, suppliers, operators, and testers. This initiative aligns with the Department’s leadership on automated driving system vehicles, including AV 4.0: Ensuring American Leadership in Automated Vehicle Technologies.

PHOENIX — Drivers along a portion of Arizona’s State Route 169 are now required to turn their headlights on during daylight hours to help increase visibility and safety, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT). ADOT has installed six signs between State Route 69 in Dewy-Humboldt and Interstate 17 north of Cordes Junction alerting drivers of the headlight requirement. According to crash statistics, State Route 169 has seen eight head-on crashes over the last five years; five of those crashes involved fatalities. “Having headlights on really increases visibility, even during the daytime,” said Bob LaJeunesse, regional traffic engineer for ADOT’s Northwest District. “We want to reduce the number of head-on collisions along this two-lane highway. Increasing visibility through headlight usage can help keep drivers safer.” With the signs up along the corridor, law enforcement now has the ability to issue citations to drivers who do not have their headlights on. The only other corridor in Arizona where daytime headlight signs are located is along State Route 89 between Chino Valley and Interstate 40. Those signs were put up about two years ago.

NORTH SMITHFIELD, R.I. — A Sept. 2 ceremony, held at the intersection of Route 146 and Sayles Hill Road, kicked off the first of the improvement projects planned for the Route 146 corridor, made possible by a $65 million Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) grant secured this summer by Rhode Island’s congressional delegation. Present at the ceremony were Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) Director Peter Alviti Jr., U.S. Sens. Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, Reps. Jim Langevin and David Cicilline, and other state and local leaders. “Today, we are announcing the start of relief for the 170,000 vehicles that navigate the bumps and ruts of Route 146 every day. Help is on the way. This is a critical transportation route that has gone unimproved for far too long,” Alviti said during the Sept. 2 event. “Once again, our congressional delegation has gone to bat for Rhode Island and delivered tens of millions of dollars in grant funding so we can properly address all our concerns with Route 146 in a single project. We owe them a huge debt of gratitude.” The estimated $150 million project will replace multiple bridges along the Route 146 corridor, repave 8 miles of roadway and correct numerous safety and congestion problems, including at the Sayles Hill Road interchange where the event took place. “This federal investment will allow RIDOT to go beyond simply fixing what we have. It will lead to significant safety improvements, including the reconfiguration of the Sayles Hill Road intersection,” said Reed, ranking member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD). RIDOT’s project will remove the traffic signal where Route 146 meets Sayles Hill Road and build a bridge so the highway can pass freely over Sayles Hill Road. The intersection averages more than 85 crashes each year and is a source of significant congestion and travel delay. It is the only signalized intersection on the entire Route 146 highway corridor in Rhode Island. “As anyone who lives in the northern part of the state will tell you, driving on 146 can be a real headache. I’m thrilled that RIDOT won its largest federal grant ever and is ready to get Rhode Islanders to work upgrading Route 146 with new bridges and a modernized design,” said Whitehouse, who authored the INFRA Program in 2015 to help meet the state’s need for large-scale infrastructure investments. More than 171,000 vehicles travel Route 146 between Providence and Worcester each day. “Improving Rhode Island’s roads promotes a robust local economy, enhances quality of life, and creates good employment opportunities,” Langevin said. “I am thankful for Sen. Whitehouse’s leadership in promoting federal investments through the INFRA grant program to address the wear and tear of vital roadways. Going forward, we must guarantee investments in Rhode Island’s future, like this project, proceed even in the face of financial challenges posed by COVID-19.” Langevin also noted the importance of working together with fellow legislators and RIDOT to introduce legislation and funding for infrastructure, adding that the project also provides much-needed jobs. “Rebuilding Rhode Island’s aging infrastructure is one of the most effective ways we can put Rhode Islanders back to work with good-paying jobs, grow our economy and ensure the safety of our commuters,” Cicilline said. “Our congressional delegation works together very effectively to make sure Rhode Island has the funding it needs for vital projects like this. I look forward for this work getting started and the difference it will make for Rhode Islanders when it’s completed.” Other highlights of the Route 146 Project include: Replacing two bridges along the corridor and doing preservation work on four others; Building frontage roads for easy and safe access to businesses at the Sayles Hill Road interchange; Repaving Route 146 from the Interstate 295 interchange to the Massachusetts state line; Adding bus-on-shoulder accommodations along the southern end of Route 146 in North Providence and Providence; Extending existing fiber-optic lines and Intelligent Transportation Systems/traffic monitoring from the Interstate 295 interchange to the Massachusetts state line; Rebuilding the Route 146/Route 146A interchange, replacing dangerous U-turns with a diverging diamond interchange; Extending the weave length for the Route 99 ramp and Route 146 south; Improving the geometry of the Interstate 295 southbound off-ramp to Route 146; Building new drainage systems; and Replacing guardrail and making other safety improvements, such as wrong-way-driving detection systems. RIDOT anticipates advertising for construction in late 2021, with construction starting in spring 2022. The entire project is scheduled for completion in 2025. All construction projects are subject to changes in schedule and scope depending on needs, circumstances, findings and weather. The Route 146 Project is made possible by RhodeWorks, RIDOT’s initiative to repair structurally deficient bridges and bring the state’s transportation infrastructure into a state of good repair, promote economic development, and create jobs.

RICO, Colo. — The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) is working to install remotely controlled avalanche-mitigation equipment above State Highway 145 at Lizard Head Pass, about a mile north of Rico in the southwest part of the state. Work on the project began in August and is expected to be completed this month, depending on weather. The project, expected to cost about $1.4 million, consists of installing five towers on the mountain and ridgeline above the highway. The towers will be used for the preventative, controlled triggering of avalanches at known snow slide paths in the area. CDOT is overseeing the installation of the units, performed by Wyssen Avalanche Control of Switzerland. As part of CDOT’s Whole System — Whole Safety initiative, the new remotely controlled system will ensure a safer avalanche-mitigation program for both CDOT maintenance personnel and the travelling public. Remote systems have proven more reliable and safer for avalanche-mitigation personnel to operate. The new system will also provide more efficient and swift avalanche control operations, making travel in the area safer for motorists. “(State Highway) 145 and Lizard Head Pass is the alternate route for travelers heading north when the U.S. 550 mountain corridor is closed for emergencies,” said Jamie Yount, winter operations program manager for CDOT. “This new avalanche mitigation system will help us keep (highway) 145 open more readily, offering a higher, more dependable level of service for motorists, particularly when avalanche conditions and cycles are occurring in the San Juan Mountains during significant winter storm periods.” During the installation period, motorists should expect minimal traffic impacts because most work will take place off of the highway. However, periodic full traffic closures will be required and will last for no more than 20-minute intervals, to facilitate rock scaling and helicopter operations. In addition, a speed reduction of 40 mph will be enforced through the project work zone. Travelers are advised to visit COtrip.org for updated information through the duration of the project. Click here to visit the project webpage.

GREENBELT, Md. — The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) will be conducting this year’s International Roadcheck Sept. 9-11. During the 72-hour inspection and enforcement initiative, CVSA-certified inspectors in Canada, Mexico and the U.S. will be conducting commercial motor vehicle and driver inspections at weigh or inspection stations, at designated fixed locations or as part of roving mobile patrols. Law enforcement personnel will inspect commercial motor vehicles for compliance with federal regulations and utilize the North American Standard Out-of-Service Criteria to identify critical inspection item violations. Each year, International Roadcheck places special emphasis on a category of violations. This year’s focus is on the driver requirements component of a roadside inspection. According to data from the U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA), of the approximately 3.36 million inspections conducted in 2019, 952,938 driver violations were discovered; 199,722 of those driver violations were out-of-service conditions. “Although the coronavirus pandemic, understandably, shifted priorities and personnel during the spring, the commercial motor vehicle law enforcement community has reasserted its focus on the roadside inspection program and enforcement duties,” said CVSA President Sgt. John Samis with the Delaware State Police. “Jurisdictions are nearly back to their pre-pandemic capacity with a strengthened concentration on identifying and removing unfit vehicles and drivers from our roadways using federal safety standards and the out-of-service criteria.” In the U.S., commercial motor vehicle inspections are conducted to check for vehicle and driver compliance with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, a compendium of rules and regulations applicable to the motor carrier industry. In Canada, inspectors use a combination of the National Safety Code and various provincial/territorial regulations to verify commercial motor vehicle and driver safety compliance. In Mexico, Normas Oficiales Mexicanas are the commercial motor vehicle regulations and standards established by the Mexican government. During International Roadcheck, CVSA-certified inspectors primarily conduct the North American Standard Level I Inspection, a 37-step procedure that includes two main inspection categories: an examination of driver operating requirements and vehicle mechanical fitness. A third category, hazardous materials/dangerous goods, may also be part of a Level I Inspection. Depending on weather conditions, available resources or personnel, or other factors, inspectors may opt to conduct the Level II Walk-Around Driver/Vehicle Inspection, Level III Driver/Credential/Administrative Inspection or Level V Vehicle-Only Inspection. Roadside inspectors will conduct vehicle and driver inspections following their department’s health and safety protocols and procedures in consideration of the challenges associated with the pandemic. For the driver portion of an inspection, the inspector will collect and verify the driver’s documents, identify the motor carrier, examine the driver’s license, check record of duty status and review periodic inspection report(s). If applicable, the inspector will check the Medical Examiner’s Certificate, Skill Performance Evaluation Certificate and the driver’s daily vehicle inspection report. Inspectors will also check drivers for seat belt usage, illness, fatigue, and apparent alcohol or drug possession or impairment. Drivers found to be operating without the proper driver credentials; in possession of or under the influence of drugs or alcohol; operating while ill, fatigued or showing other signs of impairment; or in violation of hours-of-service rules may be placed out of service. The vehicle portion of an inspection includes checking critical vehicle inspection items such as: brake systems, cargo securement, coupling devices, driveline/driveshaft components, driver’s seat (missing), exhaust systems, frames, fuel systems, lighting devices, steering mechanisms, suspensions, tires, van and open-top trailer bodies, wheels, rims and hubs, and windshield wipers. If an inspector identifies critical inspection item violations that meet the North American Standard Out-of-Service Criteria during a vehicle inspection, the inspector will render the vehicle out of service, which means that vehicle will be restricted from traveling until those violations are corrected. The experts at eRoad have compiled a checklist to help fleet managers make sure drivers are prepared for the International Roadcheck; click here to download a PDF of the checklist.

SANTA FE, N.M.— Daimler Trucks and allied vehicle software company Torc Robotics announced this week the expansion of testing for self-driving trucks to public roads in New Mexico along major long-haul freight routes. The companies have established a new testing center in Albuquerque, as they begin automated runs for 18-wheel vehicles with autonomous diving technology on public highways — supported by a human driver and a safety conductor. Daimler’s Autonomous Technology Group has taken aim at commercializing self-driving trucks within a decade, and the new testing location complements ongoing research on roadways in Virginia with milder weather and fewer steep hills. “The reason that we started the test center in Southwest is, one, there’s a lot of cargo that gets transported in that region,” Torc Robotics CEO Michael Fleming said. “We’re not really faced with severe snow and ice like we find it the Northeast, and at the same time, the environmental terrain is a little bit easier as well.” Arizona already serves as a major testing ground for autonomous vehicles, including a public-private partnership involving major public universities that was announced in 2018. Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey suspended Uber’s self-driving vehicle testing privileges in March 2018 in the wake of a pedestrian fatality in a Phoenix suburb. “After one year of collaboration with Torc, we have successfully deployed trucks with SAE Level 4 intent technology on public roads and expanded our test fleet with trucks, miles and learnings,” said Martin Daum, chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler Truck AG and member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG. “Partnering with Torc has created a unique and even more powerful team of innovators at Daimler Trucks.  We remain fully committed to this collaboration and to focusing on the shared goal of bringing highly automated trucks to series production.” Daimler’s testing routes in New Mexico are not publicly disclosed, thought the trucks are prominently labeled as Daimler autonomous-driving vehicles. The on-board, self-driving technology keeps trucks on track by using a combination of sensors that employ radar, cameras and lasers for measuring distances. In a news release, the companies said all automated runs require both a safety conductor and a safety driver who holds a commercial driver’s license and undergoes special training in extreme vehicle dynamics and automated systems. Fleming said that engineering challenges in autonomous trucking revolve around responses to other moving vehicles. “The real challenge comes when we have bad actors or other vehicles on the road doing things that they shouldn’t be doing,” he said. “When you have one bad actor, it’s not that complicated. But when you have clusters of bad actors, things become much more challenging and difficult. One of the things that we’ve spent a lot of time doing is figuring out what’s the most appropriate action or behavior in some of these complex situations.” Torc says it has tested its self-driving vehicle system in many states in the U.S., including a cross country trip in 2017. The New Mexico research center suggests an increasing commitment to autonomous driving by Daimler Trucks & Buses, which delivered roughly a half-million trucks and buses to customers in 2019. “We know this will not happen overnight, but with our priority and vision for safer roads and efficiencies for our customers, we are committed to the journey,” said Roger Nielsen, Daimler Trucks board member and president and CEO of Daimler Trucks North America. “We listen carefully to our customers and we see potential to deliver commercial value to them and to society.”

WINNECONNE, Wis. — The bridge crossing the Wolf River on State Highway 116 in Winneconne, has been selected for recognition in the 2020 America’s Transportation Awards. In 2019, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) reconstructed the bridge to meet current design and safety standards. The new structure also provides safer accommodations for fishing, snowmobiling and river traffic. The project received a regional award in the Quality of Life and Community Development category of the competition. America’s Transportation Awards is sponsored by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), AAA, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. “In addition to an improvement to the region’s transportation system, the new Winneconne bridge represents a unique investment in the community. I applaud the WisDOT staff for their vision and commitment to local partnerships,” said Craig Thompson, secretary-designee for WisDOT. “It was a challenging, imaginative project that was well executed. We congratulate everyone involved.” The previous structure, constructed in 1934, had reached the end of its useful life. In addition, the old bridge was built close to the water and had to be raised and lowed to accommodate river traffic. The new Highway 116 bridge improves traffic flow and safety with the following features: A higher fixed deck, which allows river traffic to pass without raising or lowering the bridge; 6-foot shoulders; A 6-foot sidewalk on the north side; and A 10-foot sidewalk on the south side, which accommodates snowmobiles in the winter when conditions allow. The Winneconne bridge is one of the few state highway bridges on which fishing is legal. The new bridge supports fishing by providing two platforms for anglers, each extending about 220 feet from the shoreline. Significant challenges during construction included environmental protection for migrating fish, extremely high water and the presence of ospreys within the work area. The Winneconne bridge project represents an $11.4 million investment in the region’s highway network and in the community. To minimize traffic impacts during construction, crews kept the old bridge open, eliminating the need for a 25-mile detour. “It is an honor to have one of WisDOT’s projects recognized by America’s Transportation Awards,” said Colleen Harris, director of Northeast region for WisDOT. “We are grateful to everyone in Winneconne for their collaboration during the design process and patience during construction. The result is a very special bridge that maintains the community’s tradition of fishing and using the Wolf River.”

WASHINGTON and BATON ROUGE, La. —The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) on Sept. 4 announced the immediate availability of $5 million in “quick release” Emergency Relief (ER) funds to help Louisiana begin repairs to highways and bridges damaged by Hurricane Laura and Tropical Storm Marco. “This administration is committed to helping the residents of Louisiana recover and rebuild in the aftermath of these hurricanes,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao. Louisiana experienced high winds and heavy rain from the two storms from August 23-29. Storm surge, high winds and flood damage occurred throughout the western half of the state. These “quick release” funds will make it easier for emergency repair work, such as stabilizing and repairing roadway embankments and bridges, rebuilding damaged roadways and repairing or replacing damaged structures, traffic signals and signs, to begin immediately. The $5 million represents only a portion of what the state estimates the cost of repairs to damaged infrastructure to be, according to the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOT). “FHWA is working with Louisiana officials to get roads affected by Hurricane Laura repaired and operating again as quickly as possible,” said Federal Highway Administrator Nicole R. Nason. “These funds can help pay for the work necessary to support the economic well-being in several parishes.” FHWA’s ER program provides funding for highways and bridges damaged by natural disasters or catastrophic events. These “quick release” ER funds are an initial installment of funds used to restore essential traffic and to limit further highway damage, which can help long-term repair work begin more quickly. “Southwest and central Louisiana has seen tremendous damage from Hurricane Laura,” said Secretary Shawn D. Wilson of DOTD. “Thousands of miles of state roadways were impacted by this disastrous storm, and these funds will assist in expediting the reconstruction of any roads and bridges that were damaged. I want to thank Secretary Chao and FHWA Administrator Nason for the swift response to our request.”

BALTIMORE — The rate of congestion, travel volume and pavement deterioration on Maryland’s Interstate Highway System are among the highest in the nation, according to an August report by TRIP, a private nonprofit that researches, evaluates and distributes economic and technical data about surface transportation issues. The report, Restoring Maryland’s Interstate Highway System: Meeting Maryland’s Transportation Needs with a Reliable, Safe & Well-Maintained National Highway Network, reviews the use, condition and benefits of Maryland’s Interstate system. Click here to view or download a PDF of the report. Between 2000 and 2018, traffic on Maryland’s interstate increased at a rate of 18%, nine time faster than the increase in new lane capacity (2%), according to the report. As a result, Maryland’s interstates are the second busiest — and the second most congested at 82% — in the U.S. The heavy use of Maryland’s roads has led to increased deterioration on the state’s interstate highways, and 5% of the state’s interstate pavement is in “poor” condition, placing the state the 11th highest in the nation. Travel on Maryland’s interstate highways is tallied at 20,055 miles per lane per day, the second highest in the U.S. behind California at 86%. While Maryland’s interstate highway system accounts for only 4% of the total roadway lane miles in the state, the system carries 30% of the state’s vehicle travel. TRIP’s report identifies the busiest portions of Maryland’s interstate system, including two sections of Interstate 270, two sections of Interstate 495 and a portion of Interstate 95/495. The TRIP report also identifies the most congested segments of freeways or expressways in Maryland during morning and afternoon peak travel times, the vast majority of which are on the state’s interstate highways. As the aging Interstate system’s foundations continue to deteriorate, most interstate highways, bridges and interchanges will need to be rebuilt or replaced. Continuing to resurface the highways, rather than addressing underlying foundational issues, will provide diminishing returns and result in shorter periods of pavement smoothness, according to TRIP. Six percent of Maryland’s Interstate pavements are rated in “mediocre” condition, 8% are in “fair” condition and the remaining 80% are in “good” condition. The report also shows that 2% of Maryland’s interstate bridges are rated in “poor/structurally deficient” condition. A bridge is rated as “poor/structurally deficient” if there is significant deterioration of the bridge deck, supports or other major components. Seventy-two percent of the state’s interstate bridges are rated in “fair” condition and the remaining 26% are in “good” condition. Twenty-two percent of Maryland’s Interstate bridges need repair or replacement, the report states, and 52% of the state’s interstate brides are 50 years or older. The design of Maryland’s interstate system — which includes a separation from other roads and rail lines, a minimum of four lanes, paved shoulders and median barriers — makes the state’s interstates more than two-and-a-half times safer to travel on as all other roadways. The fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles of travel on Maryland’s Interstate in 2018 was 0.40 compared to 1.03 on the state’s non-Interstate routes. TRIP estimates that additional safety features on the interstate system saved 108 lives in 2018: While Maryland’s interstate highway system carried 30% of the state’s travel in 2018, it accounted for only 14% of the state’s traffic fatalities as a result of superior safety features, according to TRIP. Restoring and upgrading Maryland’s interstate system to meet the 21st-century transportation needs will require strong federal leadership and a robust federal-state partnership to reestablish the Interstate Highway System as the nation’s premier transportation network, TRIP says. The current federal surface transportation program, Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST Act), the primary source of interstate highway funding, expires Sept. 30, and the reauthorization of a new long-term, adequately and reliably funded long-term federal program will be needed to ensure that a strong federal program supports the restoration of the interstate system. However, reductions in vehicle travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic is predicted to reduce state transportation revenues by about $16 billion in 2020 —and by $37 billion over a five-year period — reducing states’ ability to invest in repairs and improvement. Based on the findings of a 2019 report by the Transportation Research Board (TRB) that was requested by Congress, TRIP has provided recommendations for the restoration of Maryland’s interstate system, which include: Foundational reconstruction of interstate highways, bridges and interchanges; Improvement to roadway safety features; System right-sizing, including upgrading of some roadway corridors to Interstate standards; Adding needed additional highway capacity on existing routes; Adding additional corridors; and Modifying some urban segments to maintain connectivity while remediating economic and social disruption. “The long-term vision that helped establish the current Interstate system nearly 65 years ago is needed again today,” said Dave Kearby, executive director of TRIP. “In order to rebuild the nation’s economy, maintain personal and commercial mobility, and improve quality of life, adequate transportation investment and a sustainable, long-term funding source for the federal surface transportation program must remain a priority.”

BEVERLY, Mass. — Holiday weekends are of notoriously high risk for manufacturers and logistics-related organizations, according to the Sensitech Supply Chain Intelligence Center (SCIC). As the Labor Day weekend approaches, organized cargo theft rings will be “extremely active” as more shipments are left unattended for extended periods of time due to the holiday, SCIC warns drivers and shippers. During the Labor Day weekend holidays between 2015 and 2019, Sensitech SCIC recorded 2.2 thefts per day, a 15% higher rate than throughout the year. Pharmaceuticals (+83%), tobacco (+67%), electronics (+55%) and auto and parts (+19%) were all targeted more aggressively during Labor Day weekends compared to the rest of the year. This year, with recent storms battering the Gulf Coast, shippers of building supplies (especially shingles) should be particularly vigilant. During past Labor Day weekends, California accounted for 36% of total thefts, followed closely by Texas (16%) and Florida (15%). The experts at Sensitech SCIC advise logistics and security professionals to make sure security protocols are up to date and in line with industry best practices for both in-transit and warehouse operations. Also, to mitigate criminal attempts to exploit cargo at rest, they suggest confirming that a given receiver’s hours of operation for the holiday weekend are consistent with scheduled delivery times and planning for secure parking locations in the event a shipment will have to stop for an extended period of time. Covert GPS tracking and active monitoring of high-value shipments are highly recommended, as they have proven to be the most effective protocols to both mitigate in-transit theft and facilitate successful recovery of stolen product. In addition, truckers and shippers should follow these guidelines, collectively endorsed by Sensitech, IMUA, PCSC, Travelers Insurance, SWTSC, SETSC, NETSC and the Cargo Security Alliance: Transportation Steps should be taken to verify the authenticity of all shipment-related activity during holiday periods — particularly any entities that have been engaged to either move or store a shipment. Driver and business verification, prior to releasing any shipment, is paramount. Communication between drivers and shippers needs to be firmly established and regularly maintained during shipments. That communication should include drivers’ instruction as to what types of behavior are required and what is not permissible. Truck stops, highway rest areas and distribution centers are traditionally targets for cargo thieves, and even more so over holiday periods. Any location where cargo would either intentionally (or unintentionally) come to rest — even for brief periods of time — should be as secure as possible. Things to consider when selecting a secure area/lot include controlled access, adequate lighting, congestion, any type of personal or video surveillance, how long the conveyance will be left unattended, and past intelligence of localized cargo theft activity. If a cargo conveyance must be left unattended for any period of time, it should be made as secure as possible. Strongly consider using theft-resistant locking/sealing mechanisms for tractors, trailers and cargo compartments; disabling technology for the vehicle’s power units or trailer movements; and parking vehicles and/or cargo compartments in a fashion that make access as difficult as possible. Any tracking technology, such as GPS monitoring, that is available for deployment should be used to its fullest extent possible. This would include tracking technology on the conveyance’s power unit and its cargo area (if separate), as well as within the cargo itself. Storage Conduct a personal inspection of both the outside and inside of storage facilities before securing them. Remove/repair anything that would assist a perpetrator in illicit activity — for example, exterior lighting that doesn’t work, gates/doors/windows left unsecured, keys left in forklifts, etc. Before securing a facility for unattended periods, make sure all alarms, CCTV recording equipment and any sources of auxiliary power are all in good working order. Also, test the batteries in any battery-powered security devices. Treat all premises alarms received, regardless of the number or closeness in frequency, as if they are all actual penetration attempts. Responses should be made accordingly. Make sure all lists of company individuals responsible for contact in the event of suspicious activity or emergency are up to date. All entities that monitor alarm/access activity need to have access to these up-to-date lists. Encourage local law-enforcement agencies to make extra patrols in the areas where cargo facilities are located. In addition, make it as easy as possible for law enforcement to “see” your critical access areas.