When Rep. Peter DeFazio, the new House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee chairman, opened his panel’s first infrastructure hearing in the new Congress, he tapped some buttons on his phone and, on purpose, set off what sounded like a warning klaxon. “That is the alarm sounding for America’s infrastructure,” the Oregon […]
Author: Evan Matthews
FY 2019 Spending Bills Are Finally Law
By Dean Franks, senior vice president, congressional relations, ARTBA The House and Senate Feb. 14 overwhelmingly approved the final seven FY 2019 spending bills after nearly five months of short-term extensions and the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. President Donald Trump Feb. 15 signed the legislation despite the lack of southern […]
Gov. Bevin Announces Road Funding for Ohio County
On Friday, Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin announced $348,672 in discretionary funds for the Ohio County Fiscal for 5.5 miles of resurfacing work on three county roadways. Funding from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) will finance resurfacing repairs to address existing cracks, potholes, rutting, crumbling shoulders, and base failures. “Our Administration […]
California AV Reports Are Out
Apple Inc.’s autonomous test vehicles are relying on significantly more human intervention than Alphabet Inc.’s Waymo or General Motors Co.’s Cruise cars, an indication the iPhone maker may lag well behind on the technology. Test drivers disengaged the autonomous mode on Apple’s cars once almost every mile, based on data the company […]
Gov. Bevin Talks Pension, Infrastructure, and Tourism at Community Forum
HARTFORD, KY (WFIE) – Sharing concerns and creating conversations. Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin opened the floor to field those questions in a community forum in Ohio County. The Governor kicked off the community forum with a bit of good news, announcing a nearly $350,000 investment in discretionary funds for vital […]
Report Cards Have Been Mailed
When I was a child, we used to be issued handwritten report cards. I am sure there are plenty of you that remember exactly what I am talking about. Your parents would receive a handwritten report card in the mail, signed by your teacher. Once the report card arrived, your parents […]
Senate Commerce Committee Holds Infrastructure Hearing
In an effort to “examine how technology, including advances in automation, artificial intelligence, and connectivity” can “revolutionize transportation and mobility,” the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held an informational hearing on Feb. 13. In his opening remarks, Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., the committee’s chairman (seen above), noted that “our infrastructure system […]
New Deputy Commissioner of Kentucky Department of Aviation
FRANKFORT, Ky. — Brad Schwandt has been appointed deputy commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Aviation, Transportation Secretary Greg Thomas announced earlier this month. Schwandt’s aviation career took off as a teen, when he began washing planes part-time at the Riveredge Flight School, as well as spending several hours at a […]
Federal Framework on Autonomous Vehicles Policy Essential, Ups Executive Says
WASHINGTON — Nationwide policy for autonomous cars and trucks has the potential of facilitating the flow of freight while improving safety, according to a senior executive at UPS Inc. on Feb. 12. At a panel hosted by the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, Thomas Jensen, senior vice president of transportation […]
AAR Supports Gas Tax, Vehicle-miles-traveled Measure to Fund Infrastructure
WASHINGTON — A vehicle-miles-traveled tax would present a good long-term solution for funding the nation’s infrastructure, while higher fuel taxes could address more near-term needs, representatives from the Association of American Railroads said. Officials from AAR made the comments during a Feb. 8 news conference held to update the public […]