Transportation Planning Newsletter

Volume 1 Issue 1 | April 2, 2020

Chair: <vacant> Vice Chair: Lynn Weiskopf, New York State DOT

The Committee on Planning addresses all aspects of the transportation planning process including federal regulations, current industry practices, and emerging approaches and concepts. The committee is dedicated to providing State DOTs the expertise, resources and tools they need to implement a robust planning process within their agencies that is multimodal, multidisciplinary, innovative and consensus-oriented.

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Committee News

AN INTRODUCTION TO OUR NEWSLETTER

We are excited for the launch of the Committee on Planning's new weekly newsletter - our way of providing additional value to you, the valuable contributors to the committee's important work.

This newsletter will be released each and every Thursday. Watch this space for valuable committee insights and updates to come. In the below Industry News you will find an aggregation of transportation news with implications for planners of our communities. And please share your announcements with AASHTO staff via wlusk@aashto.org as well - we'll be happy to add it to the next issue.

COVID-19

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

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

If AASHTO staff can assist you with comments or questions regarding COVID-19, please email us at wlusk@aashto.org.

2020 JOINT POLICY CONFERENCE

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Official’s (AASHTO) 2020 Joint Policy Conference: Connecting the DOTs will bring together six AASHTO committees and councils to meet and discuss critical issues surrounding multimodal freight and passenger transportation. Focus areas will include planning, freight, maritime, security and resilience, environment and sustainability, and active transportation. With an estimated 300 participants from all 52 AASHTO member departments, this is a unique opportunity to reach out and connect with key decision-makers at state DOTs.

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Industry News

ALTERNATE TRANSPORTATION

Cities open up streets to pedestrians as parks overcrowd

Architect’s Newspaper

https://archpaper.com/2020/03/parks-overcrowd-calls-for-outdoor-social-distancing-coronavirus/

Trail Use Way Up as Coronavirus Stifles Other Activities

Route Fifty

https://www.routefifty.com/public-safety/2020/03/trails-high-use-coronavirus/164155/

Scooter companies find dockless riding and pandemics don't mix

Bloomberg

https://www.chicagobusiness.com/transportation/scooter-companies-find-dockless-riding-and-pandemics-dont-mix

FREIGHT

While many truckers rush to handle spot boom, coronavirus begins to freeze most freight sectors

Overdrive

https://www.overdriveonline.com/truckers-handle-spot-boom-coronavirus-freeze-freight-sectors/

FUNDING

CT maintains funds for transportation, port development, amidst pandemic

Connecticut Mirror

https://ctmirror.org/2020/04/01/ct-maintains-funds-for-transportation-port-development-amidst-pandemic/

Pandemic revives hope of federal aid for Texas highways, ports, rural internet

Houston Chronicle

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/transportation/article/coronavirus-pandemic-roads-ports-texas-rural-net-15172054.php

Missouri governor announces $180 million budget restrictions because of COVID-19

KRCG-TV

https://krcgtv.com/news/coronavirus/parson-announces-180-million-dollar-budget-restrictions

INFRASTRUCTURE

Lawmakers look to infrastructure spending to help economy recover from coronavirus

Washington Post

https://www.inquirer.com/health/coronavirus/coronavirus-infrastructure-congress-20200401.html

Trump's ambitious infrastructure vision faces Senate GOP roadblock

The Hill

https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/490707-trumps-ambitious-infrastructure-vision-faces-senate-gop-roadblock

MOBILITY

How COVID-19 could change our approach to mobility

Innovation Origins

https://innovationorigins.com/how-covid-19-could-change-our-approach-to-mobility/

Emerging Trends In Mobility With Annie Chang, SAE International

ITE Talks Transportation podcast

https://transportationradio.wordpress.com/2020/03/31/emerging-trends-in-mobility-with-annie-chang-sae-international/

MPOs

MPOs Use Online Ads To Inform, Encourage Engagement

FHWA’s EDC News

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDOTFHWA/bulletins/282c520 (scroll down)

What is COMPASS? Inside southwest Idaho's regional planner

Idaho Press

https://www.idahopress.com/what-is-compass-inside-southwest-idaho-s-regional-planner/article_3a9d7686-9b4e-5668-93b4-14e3cf16d2f8.html

County considers asking CAMPO for delayed Regional Transportation Plan adoption

Austin Monitor

https://www.austinmonitor.com/stories/2020/04/county-considers-asking-campo-for-delayed-regional-transportation-plan-adoption/

San Luis Obispo COG announced awards to benefit seniors disabled in SLO County

Paso Robles Daily News

https://pasoroblesdailynews.com/slocog-announced-awards-to-benefit-seniors-disabled-in-slo-county/106330/

SANDAG to hold webinars to help businesses shift to working from home amid pandemic

San Diego Union-Tribune

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/story/2020-04-01/sandag-to-hold-webinars-to-help-businesses-shift-to-working-from-home

PLANNING

How Politics Thwarts Alternative Ways of Getting Around

Governing column

https://www.governing.com/community/How-Politics-Thwarts-Alternative-Ways-of-Getting-Around.html

Western PA looks to future of transportation from highways to hyperloops

Ellwood City Ledger

https://www.ellwoodcityledger.com/news/20200326/western-pa-looks-to-future-of-transportation-from-highways-to-hyperloops

North Carolina Transportation Commission Calls for Ideas

Coastal Review Online

https://www.coastalreview.org/2020/03/transportation-commission-calls-for-ideas/

FDOT wants drivers to take transportation survey

WPTV-TV

https://www.wptv.com/about-us/as-seen-on/fdot-wants-drivers-to-take-transportation-survey

Transportation Planning, MOIV, eVTOL And Cybersecurity

IEEE ITS Podcast

https://itspodcast.com/its-podcast-episode-57-transportations-planning-motiv-evtol-and-cybersecurity/

Let's plan well to meet Omaha area's population growth

Omaha World-Herald editorial

https://www.omaha.com/opinion/editorial-let-s-plan-well-to-meet-omaha-area-s/article_bb7700f1-1d1e-598b-833d-ecf85818136c.html

TRANSIT

How to create a viable alternative for cities without public transit access

Metro

https://www.metro-magazine.com/blogpost/737752/how-to-create-a-viable-alternative-for-cities-without-public-transit-access

Study demonstrates that safety is key for passenger satisfaction

Intelligent Transport

https://www.intelligenttransport.com/transport-news/97595/study-demonstrates-that-safety-is-key-for-passenger-satisfaction/

Lindbergh MARTA stop’s transit-oriented community primed for makeover

Curbed Atlanta

https://atlanta.curbed.com/2020/3/30/21199131/atlanta-lindbergh-marta-transit-oriented-redevelopment

How can public transport be more resilient to pandemics?

Metro

https://www.metro-magazine.com/management-operations/article/737979/how-can-public-transport-be-more-resilient-to-pandemics

How Will Public Transit Survive the COVID-19 Crisis?

Capital & Main

https://capitalandmain.com/will-public-transit-survive-covid-19-crisis-0401

TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH BOARD

Transportation planning to the extreme for weather and climate change

National Academies

https://www.nationalacademies.org/trb/blog/extreme-weather