Top 5 Issues for 2016: Transportation (Expanded Version & Resource Guide)

Monday, January 4, 2016 at 12:00 AM

With the passage of the FAST Act by Congress in late 2015, states have some of the long-term certainty they have long sought in the federal transportation program. But can a mostly status quo, five-year transportation bill help states make up for years of inadequate investment in the nation's infrastructure. More than likely, more than a few will still feel compelled to follow in the footsteps of eight states that raised gas taxes in 2015. Some may also turn to tolling and public-private partnerships to help fund projects, although those tools in the toolbox have seen increasing scrutiny and criticism in some parts of the country. State officials face a variety of other challenges as well including how to plan for the technological and demographic changes that could radically alter the transportation landscape in the years ahead and how to deploy and enhance the kinds of transportation options that will make communities into livable, sustainable, economically vital places. Here are my top five transportation issues for 2016 along with more than 500 links to resources from CSG and a variety of other sources where you can read more.

Federal Funding Uncertainty and Underinvestment in Infrastructure

As 2015 wound down, Congress gave states something they had asked for since 2009—long-term legislation to authorize and fund federal transportation programs. But while the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act, or the FAST Act, will give states the greater certainty about federal transportation funding levels they haven’t had, which may give them greater confidence to authorize investment in long-term transportation projects, it mostly maintains a status quo many say has been inadequate for many years. With no significant increases in funding, no new revenues identified to sustain the Highway Trust Fund long term and little in the way of transformational policy changes, the bill appears likely to challenge states anew to address their backlogs of deferred maintenance and delayed projects and to meet future needs.

Further Reading

CSG Resources

“Welcome to the FAST Act era in transportation. Time to get back to work,” CSG Blog Post, December 8, 2015.
“Transportation Policy Academy 2015 – DC – James Corless, Transportation for America and Jeff Davis & Emil Frankel, Eno Center for Transportation,” Meeting Summary, June 19, 2015.
“Transportation Policy Academy 2015 – DC – Brian Pallasch, American Society of Civil Engineers,” Meeting Summary, May 21, 2015.

Other Resources

FAST Act

"Outlook: Highway Revenue Hunt a Focus in 2016," The Bond Buyer, December 24, 2015.
“Bipartisan highway bill offers hope for infrastructure,” The Hill, December 15, 2015.
“Obama, Foxx Press for Higher Transportation Funding; FAST Act Draws Caveats,” AASHTO Journal, December 11, 2015.
“States praise Congress for passing long-term highway bill,” Better Roads, December 10, 2015.
“$95 Million in FAST Act for User Fee Testing,” Mileage-Based User Fee Alliance, December 10, 2015.
“The disappointing FAST Act,” Reason Foundation Surface Transportation News, December 10, 2015.
“States Assess Effects of Federal Surface Transportation Bill,” Transportation Investment Advocacy Center, December 9, 2015.
“FAST Act Summary Part Two: Highways,” American Society of Civil Engineers, December 9, 2015.
“What the New Federal Highway Act Means for U.S. Cities,” The Atlantic Citylab, December 7, 2015.
“Mileage-based gas tax backers tout $305B highway bill,” The Hill, December 7, 2015.
“FAST Act Summary Part One: The Funding,” American Society of Civil Engineers, December 6, 2015.
“Better transportation funding sources pushed,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, December 5, 2015.
“Advocates exhale after passage of ‘monumental’ highway bill,” The Hill, December 4, 2015.
“FAST Act Breakdown: The Sum of All Lobbies,” Switchboard: Natural Resources Defense Council Staff Blog, December 4, 2015.
“Lawmakers Pass 5-Yr Authorization/Funding Bill for Highway, Transit, Rail Programs,” AASHTO Journal, December 4, 2015.
“Obama signs $305B highway bill,” The Hill, December 4, 2015.
“Amtrak Could Be the Real Winner in the Federal Transportation Bill,” Transportation Nation, December 4, 2015.
“A new federal transportation bill rejects the long-standing consensus on revenue but preserves the policy status quo,” The Transport Politic, December 4, 2015.
“Going Nowhere FAST: Highway Bill Exacerbates Major Transportation Funding Problems,” Heritage Foundation, December 3, 2015.
“Senate sends $305B highway bill to Obama,” The Hill, December 3, 2015.
“Transportation Bill is Full of Little-Heralded Changes,” The New York Times, December 3, 2015.
“In the Highway Bill, Some Find Road to Riches, Others Hit a Pothole,” NPR, December 3, 2015.
“The Best and Worst of the New 5-Year Transportation Bill,” Streetsblog USA, December 3, 2015.
“A Highway Bill We’ll Regret,” Bloomberg View, December 3, 2015.
“AASHTO’s Leadership Thanks Congress for Passage of Historic, Bipartisan Surface Transportation Legislation,” Press Release, December 3, 2015.
“5 Year, $300 Billion ‘FAST Act’ Will Extend Transpo Policy Status Quo to 2020,” Streetsblog USA, December 2, 2015.
“New transportation bill has list of items for industry, safety advocates,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, December 2, 2015.
“U.S. Ports Pleased with $305 Billion Plan,” The Maritime Executive, December 2, 2015.
“5 Fast Takes on the 5-Year, $305 Billion FAST Highway Bill,” The Atlantic Citylab, December 2, 2015.
“Think FAST—the good, the bad and the ugly in Congress’ new five-year transportation bill,” Transportation for America, December 2, 2015.
“WH: Obama will sign $305B highway bill,” The Hill, December 2, 2015.
“A Decade in the Making, Congress Strikes a Deal on Transportation Funding,” Governing, December 2, 2015.
“Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act,” December 1, 2015.
“Summary of the FAST Act,” December 1, 2015.
“Joint Explanatory Statement of the Committee of the Conference,” December 1, 2015.
“$305B highway bill taps Fed, oil reserves,” The Hill, December 1, 2015.
“Negotiators strike deal on five-year highway bill,” The Hill, December 1, 2015.
“Lawmakers Near Deal on Highway-Funding Bill: Measure would fund transportation infrastructure improvements for at least five years,” The Wall Street Journal, November 29, 2015.
“Funding highway bill atop Rep. Shuster’s agenda,” Pittsburgh Tribune Review, November 28, 2015.
“Let States Finance and Maintain Roads and Bridges,” (op-ed), The New York Times, November 24, 2015.
“Answers to Transportation Ills Need to Come from Unexpected Funding,” Mobility Lab, November 24, 2015.
“Is America’s Deficient Bridge Problem Getting Better or Worse?” Route Fifty, November 23, 2015.
“Heritage Foundation pans highway bill ‘gimmicks,’” The Hill, November 20, 2015.
“Inadequate Transportation Bills in Congress,” (editorial) The New York Times, November 17, 2015.
“The Looming Transit Breakdown That Threatens America’s Economy,” Streetsblog USA, November 16, 2015.
“The state of bridges will only get worse, ARTBA warns,” Roads & Bridges, November 13, 2015.
“Who gets left out when we talk about highway spending,” The Hill, November 10, 2015.
“Before recent transfer, Highway Trust Fund had reached its lowest level in years,” U.S. Energy Information Administration, November 2015.
“Transportation Infrastructure: Information on Bridge Conditions,” U.S. Government Accountability Office, October 29, 2015.
“The Need for Greater Federal Investment in Metropolitan Rail: A Crisis for the American Economy,” Regional Plan Association, October 2015.
“Road to Growth: The Case for Investing in America’s Transportation Infrastructure,” Business Roundtable, September 2015.
“Where America’s worst roads are—and how much they’re costing us,” The Washington Post, June 25, 2015.
“U.S. Infrastructure Has Been Neglected for Decades,” The Philadelphia Inquirer, May 19, 2015.

State Impacts

Connecticut

“Malloy: Connecticut Can’t Afford Not to Replace I-84 Viaduct,” Hartford Courant, November 17, 2015.
“CT faces daunting transportation issues,” Hartford Business Journal, November 16, 2015.
“Connecticut’s Top Transportation Issues,” TRIP, November 2015.
“Malloy: National Lack of Spending on Transportation ‘Gigantic Problem,’” Hartford Courant, October 3, 2015.
“Nearly 450 bridges in Connecticut are structurally deficient,” Better Roads, May 25, 2015.

Florida:

“Florida to get $12 billion for roads, bridges, transit,” The News Press, December 5, 2015.

Georgia

“Georgia’s gas-tax hike makes it a winner in federal transportation bill,” Morris News Service, November 9, 2015.

Iowa

“Federal transportation plan will help Iowa, DOT director says,” The Gazette, December 13, 2015.

Maine

“Report identifies Maine bridges in dire need of repairs: The annual TRIP report says 15 percent of Maine bridges are structurally deficient, a percentage unchanged from last year,” Portland Press Herald, October 28, 2015.

Massachusetts

“America’s Great Infrastructure Stagnation: The entire system of fixing old roads and rails and financing new ones is breaking down—just ask Boston,” The Atlantic Citylab, August 27, 2015.

Minnesota

“Congress passed a long-term transportation bill for the first time in a decade—what’s in it for Minnesota?” MINNPOST, December 10, 2015.
“Transportation conversation: Roads could soon be in dire state, MnDOT commissioner says at roundtable in Worthington,” Daily Globe, November 9, 2015.
“Hundreds of Minn. bridges deficient says new report,” KARE-TV, May 22, 2015.

Missouri

“DOT in Crisis: MoDOT faces funding shortfall for new road projects,” Roads & Bridges, July 8, 2015.

New Jersey

“Days of expanding highways are over until we fix N.J. roads, commish says,” NJ.com, November 10, 2015.

Ohio

“Ohio facing $11.6B backlog in unfunded transportation improvements,” Columbus Business First, June 18, 2015.

Pennsylvania

“Pennsylvania’s aging infrastructure gets a boost,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, November 9, 2015.

States Explore Transportation Revenue Options

Eight states—Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Michigan, Nebraska, South Dakota, Utah and Washington—raised their gas taxes in 2015. Two other states—Kentucky and North Carolina—made adjustments to their gas tax mechanisms to make revenues more reliable. Delaware meanwhile enacted legislation to raise several vehicle and license fees in order to fund road repair and maintenance. And states such as Maine and Texas approved ballot measures that will result in more money going to transportation. In 2013, six states produced major transportation revenue packages.

But a large number of states also could join the club in 2016, particularly if states that have come close to passing revenue-raising legislation or examined revenue options in recent years move forward. Gas tax increases are at least in the conversation in Alabama, Colorado, Indiana, Mississippi, Missouri, South Carolina and Wisconsin ahead of 2016 legislative sessions. And while such increases have been declared all but dead for this year in Minnesota and Tennessee, lawmakers in those states could be poised to consider other transportation funding options. Meanwhile, tolling is getting a close look from policymakers in Connecticut, Indiana, Missouri, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, West Virginia and Wisconsin. And Connecticut and Louisiana are among the states looking at constitutional protections for transportation revenues. Maryland and Wisconsin both approved such lockboxes in 2014 to prevent the use of transportation funds to fill other budget holes.

Further Reading

CSG Resources

“How and Why States Turned to the Gas Tax in 2015 to Fund Transportation,” Blog Post, December 8, 2015.
“States to Watch in 2016: Transportation Funding,” Blog Post, November 25, 2015.
“State Gas Tax Increases, 2015,” Capitol Research brief, July 10, 2015.
“Michigan Tax Hike Fails; Oregon Hosts Road Usage Charge Conference; CSG Supports Infrastructure Week Activities and Upcoming P3 Conference,” Blog Post, May 7, 2015.
“States Explore Mileage-Based User Fees,” Capitol Research brief, April 8, 2015.
“Interest Grows in Mileage-Based User Fees to Fund Transportation,” Meeting Coverage, January 21, 2015.

Other Resources - General

“To Avoid Losing Millions, States Tweak Gas Tax Laws,” Governing, December 21, 2015.
“State Transportation Funding,” Transportation for America.
“Capital Ideas II: State Transportation Funding Lessons from 2015—Challenges for 2016,” Transportation for America, December 2015.
“Campaign Case Studies,” Transportation Investment Advocacy Center.
“States to Watch in 2016 for Transportation Funding Legislation,” Transportation Investment Advocacy Center, December 17, 2015.
“Despite Locked-In Federal Funds, Many States Scramble to Find Revenue for Projects,” AASHTO Journal, December 18, 2015.

Other Resources – State Activities

Alabama

“Gov. Robert Bentley says he’ll support gas tax increase,” AL.com, December 11, 2015.
“Alabama roads falling apart,” Montgomery Advertiser, November 9, 2015.
“Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley pushes gas tax hike to pay for road improvements,” AL.com, November 7, 2015.
“Alabama House committee approves gas tax increase,” Associated Press, September 10, 2015.

Arizona

“Lawmaker: Road funding depends on public support,” Casa Grande Dispatch, October 9, 2015.
“Auditor General says state faces $62.7 billion gap in highway funding,” Arizona Capitol Times, September 28, 2015.
“What Arizona can learn from Utah’s new transportation funding bill,” Phoenix Business Journal, August 17, 2015.

Arkansas

Preliminary Recommendation, Governor’s Working Group on Highway Funding, October 22, 2015.
“Gov. Hutchinson Creates Panel to Develop Arkansas Transportation Funding Options,” AASHTO Journal, May 8, 2015.
“Highway funding stakeholders seek leadership on new ideas,” The City Wire, September 27, 2015.

California

"Repairing California's bumpy roads," Capitol Weekly, December 23, 2015.
“Paying by the mile to fix potholes,” The Bakersfield Californian, December 13, 2015.
“Long neglected road maintenance is now urgent and expensive,” Calmatters, December 12, 2015.
“California transportation funding agreement closer to reality,” Land Line Magazine, November 10, 2015.
“Falling highways: California roads crumble as tax fight wears on,” Bay Area News Group, October 26, 2015.
“Gov. Brown still struggling for GOP support for funding for road repairs,” The Los Angeles Times, October 18, 2015.

Colorado

“Gas tax hike gets new attention but Hickenlooper remains uncommitted,” The Denver Post, August 21, 2015.

Connecticut

“Malloy Will Seek Second Vote on Transportation Lockbox,” McClatchy, December 16, 2015.
“Proposed ‘lock-box’ falls short; state budget changes approved,” CT Post, December 9, 2015.
“Transportation Advocates Press for Constitutional Lock Box,” Connecticut News Junkie, November 5, 2015.
“Should Connecticut bring back highway tolls?” The Record Journal, November 2, 2015.
“Malloy Reiterates His Call for Transportation Lock Box,” CT News Junkie, October 29, 2015.
“Malloy Team: Transportation Is Key to State Economy,” Hartford Courant, October 23, 2015.
“Your money: Gov. Malloy talks about the cost of transportation improvements,” Fox 61, October 9, 2015.
“Malloy gets his transportation bonding—but not his ‘lockbox,’” The CT Mirror, June 29, 2015.
Governor’s Transportation Finance Panel.

Delaware

“Gov. Markell renews push for transportation funding in weekly message,” Delaware Public Media, August 16, 2015.

Indiana

"Republican Road Funding Bill Likely to Include Tolling, But Not Everyone's On Board," WBAA, December 28, 2015.
“Legislator’s highway plan includes toll road interstates,” CNHI News Service, December 19, 2015.
“Lawmakers to mull increase in gas tax,” Daily Reporter, December 18, 2015.
“Study highlights need for long-term Indiana road funding plan,” NWI.com, October 18, 2015.
“Study of Indiana Transportation Infrastructure Funding Mechanisms,” Cambridge Systematics, October 16, 2015.
“Indiana Governor Proposes Raising $1 Billion Over 4 Years for Road Projects,” AASHTO Journal, October 16, 2015.
“Op-ed: My plan will do more for Indiana’s roads” (op-ed by Gov. Mike Pence), Lafayette Journal & Courier, October 16, 2015.
“State, INDOT Exploring How to Fund 2016 Road Projects,” Network Indiana, September 8, 2015.

Kansas

“As Kansas Tax Revenues Tumble, State Highways Are In Jeopardy,” KCUR 89.3, November 24, 2015.

Kentucky

“Proposed Kentucky bill to get road taxes from electric vehicle owners,” KFVS, December 2, 2015.

Louisiana

“(Governor-Elect) Edwards to committee: Protect Transportation Trust Fund,” The News Star, December 14, 2015.
“Louisiana Advocacy Group Calls for 10-Cent Hike in Fuel Fees to Help Fund Projects,” AASHTO Journal, August 14, 2015.

Massachusetts

“Fixing roads, highways would cost state $500M a year,” Boston Herald, December 3, 2015.

Michigan

“Snyder considering bond sales to pay for road repairs,” WLNS, November 23, 2015.
“Gov. Rick Snyder signs $1.2B road funding package,” Detroit Free Press, November 10, 2015.
“Inside Michigan’s new road funding deal: fuel taxes, registration fees, tax relief and more,” Michigan Live, November 4, 2015.

Minnesota

“Fork in the road for MN transportation funding: Gas tax or sales tax?” MPR News, December 17, 2015.
“Mark Dayton’s Minnesota gas tax hike: Dead,” Pioneer Press, December 3, 2015.
“Report: Highway investment aids economy,” Mankato Free Press, December 2, 2015.
“MnDOT chief: Road funding gap growing,” St. Cloud Times, December 1, 2015.
“Lawmakers agree about transportation needs, not funding,” West Central Tribune, November 20, 2015.
“MnDOT Says Long-Term Project Funding Shortfall Getting Significantly Worse,” AASHTO Journal, November 13, 2015.
“Minnesota road costs jump as lawmakers debate how to pay for it,” St. Paul Pioneer Press, November 7, 2015.
“Report: Businesses oppose new transportation taxes,” Transit Talk, October 26, 2015.
“MNDOT Commissioner: Long-range transportation plan a must,” Bemidji Pioneer, October 23, 2015.
“Partisan differences remain on Minnesota road funding,” Minnesota Public Radio, October 13, 2015.

Mississippi

“Tax fairness could be issue for transportation money,” Hattiesburg American, December 20, 2015.
“Business leaders: Raise taxes, fees for roads, bridges,” The Clarion-Ledger, December 18, 2015.
“MEC hopes to spell out state’s transportation issues,” Daily Journal, December 6, 2015.
“Election 2015: Mississippi gubernatorial candidates discuss transportation funding,” Land Line Magazine, October 23, 2015.

Missouri

"Missouri still looking for highway funding solution," The Kansas City Star, December 28, 2015.
“Gas tax hike backed by Nixon,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, December 21, 2015.
“Area lawmakers look to rescue road, bridge funding,” Southeast Missourian, December 20, 2015.
“Gov. Nixon Endorses Missouri Gas Tax Proposal Heading Into Session,” KCUR, December 17, 2015.
“Gov. Jay Nixon endorses small bump in gas tax,” The Kansas City Star, December 17, 2015.
“Commission leader: ‘State must come to the table’ on highway funding,” The Examiner, December 16, 2015.
“Missouri legislative leaders: transportation funding a priority, maybe not a fuel tax hike,” Missourinet, December 15, 2015.
“Editorial: Missouri needs to raise the gas tax to pay for crumbling roads,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, November 25, 2015.
“New campaign to raise Missouri’s tobacco tax could fund transportation projects,” St. Louis Post- Dispatch, August 18, 2015.
“Effort to pass a Missouri transportation funding plan to resume in 2016,” Missourinet, August 6, 2015.
“Funding for Missouri transportation to be a priority in 2016 session,” Missourinet, May 19, 2015.

New Jersey

"N.J. Senate, Assembly leaders negotiating on road funding," NJ.com, December 30, 2015.
“N.J. Assembly Democrats eye transportation fix after election victories,” NJ.com, November 5, 2015.
“Transportation Funding Debate Revolves Around Economic Impact of Tax Cuts,” NJ Spotlight, October 13, 2015.
“GOLDEN: Has gas tax deal hit dead end?” Asbury Park Press, October 5, 2015.

New Mexico

“Proposed increase in gas tax rate to fix roads fails,” Albuquerque Journal, February 6, 2015. (New Mexico will have short legislative session in 2016).

North Carolina

"More tough choices ahead on NC transportation funds," Associated Press, December 28, 2015.

Oregon

“Oregon Leadership Summit: Path to transportation package still unclear,” The Oregonian, December 14, 2015.
“Governor advocates hiring of consultant for ODOT,” Portland Tribune, November 19, 2015.
“Kate Brown puts transportation funding off until 2017—but wants minimum wage hike in 2016,” The Oregonian, November 4, 2015. (Oregon will have short legislative session in 2016).

Rhode Island

“RI Trucking Association warns of legal consequences to Raimondo’s truck-toll plan, proposes alternative,” Providence Journal, October 28, 2015.
“TGIF: 19 Things to Know About Rhode Island Politics & Media,” Rhode Island Public Radio, October 9, 2015.
“GOP Lawmakers Unveil Plan to Fix Bridges Without Truck Tolls,” Rhode Island Public Radio, October 7, 2015.

South Carolina

“This is the year for gas tax increase,” The Greenville News, December 16, 2015.
“State’s revenue growth sets up battle over need for gas-tax hike,” The Post and Courier, November 10, 2015.
“No free fix: Lawmakers agree on roads as priority,” The Times and Democrat, October 31, 2015.
“SC mayors: Hike gas tax to pay for road, bridge repairs,” The Herald, October 16, 2015.
“Senator pushes for transport tax reform,” Columbia Daily Herald, September 24, 2015.

Tennessee

"If there's a Tennessee gas tax increase on the horizon, how much?" Knoxville News Sentinel, December 26, 2015.
“Norris: Gas Tax Proposal Not Happening in 2016,” Daily News, December 22, 2015.
“The Future of Roadway Funding in Tennessee,” The Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy,” November 24, 2015.
“Haslam, transportation commissioner going on tour to promote transportation funding,” The Commercial Appeal, November 8, 2015.
“Tennessee group says state needs $25.7 billion in transportation improvements,” Better Roads, October 26, 2015.
“Gov. Haslam lays groundwork for potential gas tax increase,” Murfreesboro Post, October 13, 2015.
“Gov. Haslam says long-term solution needed for transportation funding,” Times Free Press, October 7, 2015.
“Tennessee lawmakers apprehensive over possible gas tax,” Times Free Press, September 13, 2015.
“Haslam kicks off statewide transportation tour,” The Tennesseean, August 6, 2015.

Utah

“Even with new taxes, state has $7.3 billion shortfall for transportation projects,” The Salt Lake Tribune, November 18, 2015.

Virginia

“Despite tax boost, Va. transportation funds coming up short,” WTOP, December 11, 2015.

West Virginia

“State ending turnpike tolls could up gas tax by 5 cents,” The DPost, November 16, 2015.
“Budget shortfalls pose issues to fix crumbling roads,” Bluefield Daily Telegraph, September 15, 2015.
“State Leaders Won’t Rule Out Tax and Toll Hikes For Roads,” Associated Press, June 26, 2015.
“Investing in West Virginia’s Future,” West Virginia Blue Ribbon Commission on Highways final report, May 2015.

Wisconsin

“Higher gas taxes, toll roads could be considered by local lawmakers of both parties,” WJFW, November 16, 2015.
“On road funding, GOP lawmakers say they’re ready for a real fix,” Wisconsin State Journal, November 13, 2015.
“With $350M approved, what’s next for Wisconsin road spending?” Fox 11 News, November 4, 2015.
“Journal Times editorial: Stop bickering, find way to get road projects done,” The Journal Times, October 7, 2015.

Cloudy Future for Tolling and Public-Private Partnerships

It has been a transitional couple of years for public-private partnerships--also known as P3s--and tolling. Despite the successful closing of P3 deals on key projects in a handful of states, the flow of such deals remains erratic in the U.S., experts say, due to a variety of factors including: political turnover in governorships, a continuing P3 knowledge gap among state officials, the lack of uniformity among state P3 laws, the ballooning costs of some projects, and the increasing complexity of P3 projects and processes. And while states such as Connecticut, Indiana, Missouri, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, West Virginia and Wisconsin point to tolling as a possible solution to their transportation funding needs, anti-toll forces in Texas, North Carolina and elsewhere have made their voices heard and prompted a reassessment of tolling on some projects.

Many believe there is still much untapped potential, untapped capital and untapped innovation in P3s. Virginia, which has used public-private partnerships on a number of high-profile transportation projects, adopted new rules to tighten state oversight of P3s. But the effort to build the Midtown Tunnel project in Norfolk as a P3 has been fraught with challenges, including an escalating price tag. Some wonder whether that experience could cloud a P3 project to widen Interstate 66 outside the Capital Beltway.

In Maryland, Gov. Larry Hogan in 2015 nixed building a new transit line in Baltimore, scaled back plans for the Purple Line P3 light rail project connecting Montgomery and Prince George’s counties and moved to reduce tolls on the state’s bridges, tunnels and toll roads in the name of tax relief, as he promised to do in his 2014 campaign.

Texas, which has used managed lanes and tolling to deal with a burgeoning population, has seen a populist anti-toll backlash supported by Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. A ballot measure approved in November, which diverted some state sales tax revenues to transportation and which was billed as an effort to alleviate congestion by building new roads, included a provision that requires the money to be spent on non-toll roads. But Texas’ largest public-private partnership—the $2.6 billion LBJ Express highway reconstruction project in Dallas—opened three months ahead of schedule in October 2014 and is touted by state officials as the “future of infrastructure development.” The project was financed through a combination of private activity bonds, investor funds, a U.S. Department of Transportation loan and Texas Department of Transportation funds.

In California, Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation authorizing the California Department of Transportation and regional transportation agencies to develop, finance, operate and maintain high-occupancy toll lanes, with no limit as to number of projects or time frame.

Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo has proposed tolling large commercial trucks on some of the state’s bridges and using the toll revenues to back bonds to fund road and bridge projects. But some lawmakers want a constitutional amendment to prevent the future extension of tolls to passenger vehicles.

North Carolina has signed a 50-year contract with Cintra to design, build and operate toll lanes on I-77 but some in the state are still taking issue with the project and anti-toll forces claimed credit for ousting the mayor of Huntersville and two city commissioners in the 2015 election.

Arizona is moving forward with the $1.9 billion South Mountain Freeway Project, the first highway project procured under the state’s P3 statute.

The cash-strapped Missouri Department of Transportation hired a new director, Patrick McKenna, who has said toll roads will be part of the conversation for funding road construction in the state, as they are in the state he most recently came from—New Hampshire.

Following the success of the U.S. 36 express lanes project, the head of Colorado’s P3 office Michael Cheroutes stepped down and was replaced by David Spector, a legal counsel to Gov. John Hickenlooper.

In 2014, the Obama administration directed federal agencies to encourage more public-private collaboration on infrastructure projects. A special Congressional panel also weighed in on encouraging more collaboration. The U.S. Department of Transportation is pledging to be more aggressive in reaching out to states and the private sector in 2016 and in examining which projects move forward. But the TIFIA (Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act) financing program, which helped enable many P3s in recent years was cut by 80 percent in the federal transportation bill. And while some had hoped the federal legislation would allow states to expand tolling including on existing interstates, a provision in the bill would actually make it more difficult for states to add tolls by requiring them to approve legislation prior to participating in a federal pilot program for tolling expansion.

Further Reading

CSG Resources

“Political Turnover, Other Factors Blamed for Lull in Transportation Public-Private Partnerships,” Meeting Coverage, June 17, 2015.
“Transportation Policy Academy 2015 – DC – Maryland Secretary of Transportation Pete Rahn,” Meeting Summary, May 19, 2015.
“Tolling and the Anti-Toll Backlash,” Capitol Research brief, May 4, 2015.

Other Resources - General

“Public-Private Partnership (P3) Model State Legislation,” Bipartisan Policy Center, December 17, 2015.
“Top Public Finance Attorneys Urge Regulatory Changes to Foster More P3’s,” Infra Insight Blog, December 14, 2015.
“$305B highway bill adds new hurdle to tolling expansion,” The Hill, December 2, 2015.
“Three Signs that the U.S. is Growing More Comfortable with Innovative Project Finance and Public-Private Partnerships,” Infra Insight, November 12, 2015.
“House Transportation Bill a Status Quo Disappointment,” Tri-State Transportation Campaign, November 6, 2015.
“House highway bill limits tolling expansion,” The Hill, October 21, 2015.
“Tolls, tolls, tolls: New, updated and proposed toll roads in three states,” Land Line Magazine, October 21, 2015.
“Low gas prices could give toll roads a financial boost,” Route Fifty, September 30, 2015.
“The Untapped Potential of P3s,” Governing, September 14, 2015.
“Major deals hinting at rise of infrastructure in U.S.,” Pensions & Investments, August 10, 2015.
“Toll Collectors: A Disappearing Breed,” Stateline, July 24, 2015.
“Truck-Friendly Tolls for 21^st Century Interstates: How to modernize the Interstate highway system and address the trucking industry’s concerns about tolling,” Reason Foundation, July 22, 2015.
“P3s Another Valuable Tool for Transportation Investment,” Fast Lane: The Official Blog of the U.S. Department of Transportation, July 21, 2015.
“A tale of two states: Comparing PPPs in North Carolina and Ohio,” Brookings Institution, June 30, 2015.
“Toll Roads: A Problem or a Solution?” Urban Land, May 28, 2015.
“An Expanding US P3 Market,” Chadbourne, February 2015.
“Federal Highway Administration rolls out second phase of model PPP language,” Land Line Magazine, January 16, 2015.

Other Resources – State-Specific

Alabama

“Readers suggest toll roads, but roadblocks exist,” The Anniston Star, August 31, 2015.

Arizona

"Controversial South Mountain Freeway takes another step forward," Tucson News Now, December 28, 2015.
“Arizona Department of Transportation Receives Three Proposals for South Mountain Freeway P3 Project,” Infra Insight Blog, November 9, 2015.

California

“More Managed Lanes for California,” Infra Insight blog, October 13, 2015.

Colorado

“Think traffic is bad around the Denver area? Just wait a decade or two,” The Denver Post, December 20, 2015.
“CDOT names new leader over business ventures,” The Denver Post, September 24, 2015.
“Colorado DOT receives 5 statements of qualification for I-70 East Project,” Better Roads, June 25, 2015.
“I-70 East Project Financing and Delivery Options: A Summary of the Value for Money Analysis,” Colorado Department of Transportation, Colorado High Performance Transportation Enterprise, February 2, 2015.

Connecticut

“State mulls using private companies to fix roads, rail and bridges,” CT Post, June 23, 2015.

Delaware

“USDOT Greenlights $211M TIFIA Loan for Delaware Toll Road Project,” AASHTO Journal, August 21, 2015.

Georgia

“New record for I-85 HOT lane toll: $12,” Atlanta Journal-Constitution, November 10, 2015.

Illinois

“New Chicago Skyway owners need long investing view,” Reuters, November 16, 2015.
“Canadian consortium buys Chicago Skyway lease rights for $2.8 billion,” Chicago Sun-Times, November 13, 2015.
“Canadian Pension Funds Buy Chicago’s Toll Road for $2.8B,” Bloomberg Business, November 13, 2015.
“Skyway investors put concession deal up for sale,” Chicago Sun Times, June 29, 2015.

Indiana

“Toll Road looking for bounce back year in 2016,” WNDU, December 10, 2015.
“Key legislator says Indiana should look at many road funding options, including more toll roads,” Associated Press, December 5, 2015.

Kentucky

“Lincoln Bridge opens ahead of schedule,” Courier-Journal, December 7, 2015.
“Abraham Lincoln Bridge opens to northbound traffic,” WHAS, December 7, 2015.
“Gov. Beshear: Downtown Bridge to be open by Christmas,” WDRB, October 12, 2015.
“Synthesis of Public-Private Partnerships: Potential Issues and Best Practices for Program and Implementation and Administration,” Kentucky Transportation Center, University of Kentucky, August 2015.
“Democrats say Bevin changing position on tolls,” The Courier-Journal, August 20, 2015.
“Commuter data hints at bridge tolls’ uneven impact on Southern Indiana,” WDRB, August 14, 2015.
“Kentucky Agency Joins E-ZPass, Getting Ready for Tolling on Bi-State Bridges,” AASHTO Journal, August 7, 2015.

Maine

“Maine ready to put road projects in fast lane if businesses share costs,” Portland Press Herald, December 2, 2015.

Maryland

“Md. receives four proposals to build light-rail Purple Line,” The Washington Post, November 17, 2015.
“Purple Line bid deadline pushed back to November,” The Washington Post, July 9, 2015.
“The ‘gift’ of a toll increase,” The Daily Record, June 11, 2015.
“Md. transportation official says reduced tolls won’t impact road maintenance,” The Baltimore Sun, June 9, 2015.

Massachusetts

“State still mulling express toll lanes for Route 3,” The Boston Globe, October 29, 2015.
“Investors sought for a new Cape Cod bridge; open-road tolls could ease traffic,” The Boston Globe, May 25, 2015.

Michigan

“Senate is considering bills to allow toll roads,” Detroit Free Press, December 9, 2015.

Missouri

“New MoDOT chief says toll roads will be discussed,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, November 5, 2015.

New York

“Tappan Zee Bridge: Cashless tolling coming in April,” The Journal News, November 17, 2015.

North Carolina

"Our Opinion: The political toll," (editorial), Greensboro News & Record, December 24, 2015.
“Governor warns of ‘ramifications,’ costs of killing toll lanes,” Charlotte Business Journal, December 14, 2015.
“Gov. Pat McCrory asks for new I-77 toll lane vote,” The Charlotte Observer, December 14, 2015.
“House panel to study transportation projects, infrastructure,” WRAL, December 4, 2015.
“Gannon: Embrace the tolls,” (column) The Daily Reflector, November 26, 2015.
“Governor: Mid-Currituck Bridge timeline to speed up two years,” The Outer Banks Voice, November 19, 2015.
“House speaker to name select committee on I-77 tolls,” The Charlotte Observer, November 16, 2015.
“Gov. Pat McCrory sidesteps effort to stop I-77 toll lanes,” The Charlotte Observer, November 13, 2015.
“State pols call for governor to stop I-77 toll-lane expansion,” Charlotte Business Journal, November 13, 2015.
“I-77 toll lanes construction to start on Monday,” The Charlotte Observer, November 12, 2015.
“Controversy over I-77 tolls intensifies after election,” WSOC-TV, November 11, 2015.
“Widening I-77 won’t fix root of problem,” (op-ed) The Charlotte Observer, November 11, 2015.
“What’s the alternative to the I-77 toll lanes?” (editorial) The Charlotte Observer, November 11, 2015.
“I-77 groundbreaking won’t silence critics,” Charlotte Business Journal, November 11, 2015.
“Spurred by election, Rep. Charles Jeter calls for toll road ‘summit,’” The Charlotte Observer, November 9, 2015.
“Charlotte Planning Organization Says ‘Yes’ to Managed Lanes,” TollRoadsNews, August 20, 2015.

Ohio

“How to move Brent Spence forward,” Cincinnati Enquirer, July 12, 2015.
“Editorial: Public-private deal appears best for bypass project,” Herald-Dispatch, June 1, 2015.
“State’s share of Portsmouth bypass rises to $1.2 billion over 35 years,” The Columbus Dispatch, May 25, 2015.

Pennsylvania

“PennDOT public-private partnership with PWKP to replace 58 bridges in 2015,” Better Roads, June 24, 2015.

Rhode Island

"Mattiello says tolls could be done without borrowing," NBC 10 News, December 30, 2015.
"Two R.I. legislators say they have issues with RIDOT," Providence Journal, December 29, 2015.
"Raimondo sees more federal money as boon to bridge plan," Providence Journal, December 22, 2015.
“Raimondo: Federal program not sufficient to cover infrastructure needs,” Providence Journal, December 7, 2015.
“Rep. Filippi seeks amendment banning passenger-vehicle highway tolls in R.I.,” Providence Journal, November 10, 2015.
“RI rep wants Constitutional amendment banning car tolls,” WPRI, November 10, 2015.
“Rep. wants truck toll plan to go to voters,” WPRI, November 5, 2015.
“RIDOT: 10-year transportation plan hinges on approval of truck tolls,” WPRI, October 26, 2015.

Texas

“No tolls could mean $2 billion road funding gap,” Corpus Christi Caller Times, November 10, 2015.
“Tollways may take political hit, still have future in Texas,” Journal Media Group, October 31, 2015.
“As Texas shifts how it pays for roads, tide moves away from toll projects,” The Dallas Morning News, September 10, 2015.
“Partnerships meeting Texas’ big urban mobility challenge,” Star-Telegram, September 9, 2015.
“Toll Road Projects in Limbo Following Session,” The Texas Tribune, June 24, 2015.
“Editorial: On highways, tossing a tool out of the toolbox,” The Dallas Morning News, June 12, 2015.

Virginia

"95 Express Lanes mark first anniversary," The Washington Post, December 29, 2015.
“Cantor and Peterson: America’s infrastructure needs private investment,” Richmond Times-Dispatch (op-ed), December 16, 2015.
“Transportation secretary wants high-occupancy toll lanes studied for Hampton Roads,” The Virginian-Pilot, December 15, 2015.
“Petersen and Wexton: I-66 tolls inside Beltway need to go to Beltway improvements,” Augusta Free Press, December 9, 2015.
“Here’s how Virginia plans to pay for the I-66 HOT lanes,” The Washington Post, December 8, 2015.
“Plan for I-66 toll money gets greet light,” WTOP, December 4, 2015.
“Agreement to define use of I-66 toll revenue,” The Washington Post, December 3, 2015.
“Virginia to extend I-95/395 HOT lanes north to D.C. line,” The Washington Post, November 20, 2015.
“Legislation proposed to limit tolls in Hampton Roads,” Daily Press, November 19, 2015.
“New transportation funding plan suggests tolling at HRBT, MMMBT, High Rise Bridge and new Patriots Crossing,” WTKR-TV, November 18, 2015.
“House Republicans’ first bills for 2016 session focus on tolls, clean energy plan,” Richmond Times-Dispatch, November 16, 2015.
“Virginia transportation leaders explain prioritization program,” The Free Lance Star, November 13, 2015.
“Del. Ken Plum: Bumper Sticker Politics,” (op-ed), Reston Now, November 12, 2015.
“Moving More People Without More Lanes: A 21^st Century Highway Plan,” International Bridge, Tunnel & Turnpike Association, November 5, 2015.
“The great northern Virginia toll controversy, explained,” Vox, November 2, 2015.
“Virginia Board Approves Design Concept to Create I-66 Toll Lanes Outside Capital Beltway,” AASHTO Journal, October 30, 2015.
“Virginia transportation chief makes pitch for I-66 HOT lanes,” The Washington Post, October 23, 2015.
“Agreement for new submerged tunnel in Norfolk leaves Virginia underwater,” The Washington Post, October 17, 2015.
“Five private firms are interested in financing I-66 HOT lanes,” The Washington Post, July 15, 2015.
“Virginia Tempers its Enthusiasm for Public-Private Partnerships,” Government Technology, June 3, 2015.
“Recommendations of the Build America Investment Initiative Interagency Working Group,” U.S. Department of the Treasury and U.S. Department of Transportation, 2014.
“Public Private Partnerships: Balancing the needs of the public and private sectors to finance the nation’s infrastructure,” Special Panel on Public-Private Partnerships findings and recommendations, 2014.

Wisconsin

“State lawmakers interested in tolling,” NBC 26, November 11, 2015.

Impacts of Technology and Trends on Planning and Policy

From the current insurance and regulatory concerns presented by rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft to the even more complex issues presented by the promise of driverless cars that communicate with the transportation infrastructure, state policymakers and planners will have their work cut out for them as they seek to stay one step ahead of technology, population growth, demographic shifts, increasing freight volumes, generational preferences and other factors that are reshaping the transportation landscape.

Further Reading

CSG Resources

“CSG-Griffith Forums Bring Light to Rideshare Insurance Concerns,” The Current State, September 28, 2015.
“Congestion, Transit, New Roads, Return on Investment and Millennials Factor Into Project Selection Decisions,” CSG Blog Post, September 10, 2015.
“Transportation Innovations Present Policy Challenges Now and For the Future,” The Book of the States, 2015
“Transportation Project Selection: What’s Driving It Now? What Will Influence It in the Future? Updates from the States,” Blog Post, March 6, 2015.

Other Resources

Autonomous Vehicles

"More Autonomous Cars Coming to Public Roads in 2016," Engineering.com, December 30, 2015.
"Self-Driving Cars on Tennessee Roads? One Lawmaker Thinks It's Time to Allow Them," Nashville Public Radio, December 30, 2015.
"All I Want for Christmas is a Driverless Car," Planetizen, December 28, 2015.
"Driverless Cars: Here's What the Obama Administration Should Do Next," Nextgov, December 28, 2015.
“Tailoring Our Transportation Systems for Self-Driving Cars: In guiding the transformation, governments need to be in the driver’s seat,” Governing, December 21, 2015.
“U.S. vows ‘nimble, flexible’ approach on self-driving car rules,” Reuters, December 17, 2015.
“Self-driving cars are coming, and the technology promises to save lives,” The Guardian, December 17, 2015.
“California Takes Baby Steps Toward Driverless Cars,” Governing, December 17, 2015.
“California D.M.V. Stops Short of Fully Embracing Driverless Cars,” The New York Times, December 16, 2015.
“7 Ways Cities Will Get Better When Driverless Cars Hit the Streets,” Gizmodo, December 16, 2015.
“Can Cars That Park Themselves Reduce Traffic? Somerville, Mass., Will Find Out,” Governing, December 9, 2015.
“Why Aren’t Urban Planners Ready for Driverless Cars?” The Atlantic Citylab, December 8, 2015.
“Self-driving cars could reduce city traffic … or create a lot more: Penn professor,” Technical.ly Philly, December 4, 2015.
“New Research: Planning for Cars That Drive Themselves,” Planetizen, December 2, 2015.
“What happens when cities and states try to prepare for self-driving cars,” The Washington Post, November 25, 2015.
“US officials signal move toward embracing self-driving cars,” Associated Press, November 24, 2015.
“Autonomous Vehicles and the VMT Problem,” Planetizen, November 19, 2015.
“If you think roads are clogged now, wait till the self-driving cars arrive,” The Washington Post, November 19, 2015.
“Here’s what Volvo thinks you’ll do when your car is driving itself,” The Verge, November 18, 2015.
“Autonomous Cars are Coming! How Garcetti’s Prepping L.A.,” Los Angeles Magazine, November 17, 2015.
“Why no one will own a driverless car,” Tech Insider, November 16, 2015.
“Report: Uber, Lyft Poised to Win on Driverless Cars,” U.S. News & World Report, November 13, 2015.
“How Many American Cities Are Preparing for the Arrival of Self-Driving Cars? Not Many,” Tech Crunch, November 10, 2015.
“As the Age of Autonomous Vehicles Nears, Why Are Policy Wonks Focused on the Past?” The Huffington Post, November 8, 2015.
“How We Need to Get Ready for Self-Driving Cars,” Governing, November 5, 2015.
“Will City Regulators Treat Driverless Cars Like They’ve Treated Uber,” Next City, October 28, 2015.
“How Autonomous Vehicles Will Change the Built Environment,” American Society of Landscape Architects, October 14, 2015.
“California DMV official speaks candidly about the headache of regulating self-driving cars,” The Washington Post, October 8, 2015.
“U.S. urged to establish nationwide Federal guidelines for autonomous driving,” Volvo Car Group, October 7, 2015.
“Self-Driving Cars Could Save 300,000 Lives Per Decade in America,” The Atlantic, September 29, 2015.
“As self-driving cars come to more states, regulators take a back seat,” The Washington Post, August 28, 2015.
“Among the States, Self-Driving Cars Have Ignited a Gold Rush,” The New York Times, August 6, 2015.
“Can the Insurance Industry Survive Driverless Cars? Insurers brace for a time when automation reduces accidents—and premiums,” Bloomberg Businessweek, July 30, 2015.
“Self-Driving Cars May End the Fines That Fill City Coffers,” Wired, July 14, 2015.
“Self-driving cars will cost cities, futurists say,” The Arizona Republic, July 2, 2015.
“Will autonomous cars change the role and value of public transportation?” The Transport Politic, June 23, 2015.
“Driverless Cars Are Coming. Is Congress Ready?” National Journal, June 8, 2015.
“The Self-Driving Car and the Coming Revolution in Auto Insurance: Google seems to be laying the groundwork to underwrite its own policies, displacing traditional carriers,” The Wall Street Journal, June 7, 2015.
“How driverless cars will change our lives,” The Denver Post, June 6, 2015.
“Driverless Vehicles May Cut US Auto Sales by 40%, Analyst Says,” Transport Topics, May 20, 2015.

Rideshare Services

“Between Public and Private Mobility: Examining the Rise of Technology-Enabled Transportation Services,” Transportation Research Board, 2015.
“How Should Uber Be Regulated?” Stateline, November 24, 2015.
“Transit Agencies Moving Over to Make Room for Ride-Share Services,” Chicago Tribune, November 23, 2015.
“Lexington, Louisville struggle to regulate cabs in face of new state laws governing Lyft, Uber,” Lexington Herald-Leader, November 21, 2015.
“Is Uber Transit’s Enemy or Its Friend?” The Atlantic Citylab, November 17, 2015.
“Uber and Lyft will be the subjects of an environmental impact study: Uber’s claim that it helps reduce car ownership is being put to the test,” The Verge, November 13, 2015.
“Ride Sharing Will Give Us Back Our Cities,” Tech Crunch, October 30, 2015.
“Cuomo hints at a new de Blasio fight, this time over Uber,” Politico New York, October 22, 2015.
“Carsharing Getting Relatively Easy Regulatory Ride,” State Net Capitol Journal, October 2, 2015.
“Uber: ‘we’ll ease the transition to self-driving cars,’” The Guardian, September 16, 2015.
“Uber’s New Wave of Urban Design. Are Cities Ready?” Mobility Lab, September 8, 2015.

Millennials

“Millennials’ Transportation and Housing Choices Will Shape the Nation,” National Association of Realtors, November 19, 2015.
“Millennials even see transportation differently,” New York Post, October 25, 2015.
“America’s car obsession will not be diminished by Millennials alone,” Transport Politic, October 19, 2015.
“The Transportation Choices That Millennials Want,” Governing, June 24, 2015.

Future of Cities

“4 ways cities will dramatically change in the future—and how we can prepare,” Tech Insider, December 7, 2015.
“Gabe Klein’s Advice for Los Angeles,” Streetsblog LA, November 30, 2015.
“City of the future is closer, calmer than you think,” USA Today, November 13, 2015.
“City of the Future: Technology and Mobility,” National League of Cities Center for City Solutions & Applied Research, November 9, 2015.
“Are Cities Moving Beyond Car-Based Planning?” Chicago Tribune, October 6, 2015.

Connected Vehicle Technologies

“Big Bucks for V2I, V2V in Transport Bill,” Driverless Transportation.
“Connected Vehicle Technology Must Lead to Safer, Less Congested Roads,” (op-ed by Rep. Daniel Lipinski), Roll Call, November 18, 2015.
“Toyota is the First Automaker to Dabble with Vehicle-to-Infrastructure Connectivity,” Digital Trends, November 2, 2015.
“Intelligent Transportation Systems: Vehicle-to-Infrastructure Technologies Expected to Offer Benefits, but Deployment Challenges Exist,” Government Accountability Office, October 15, 2015.
“U.S. Department of Transportation Announces up to $42 Million in Next Generation Connected Vehicle Technologies: New York City, Tampa, FL and Wyoming Selected for Competitive Pilot Programs,” U.S. Department of Transportation, September 14, 2015.
“Connected Vehicles & Smart Infrastructure,” Inbound Logistics, June 2015.
“Cars talking to cars? UDOT about to launch tests to help development,” The Salt Lake Tribune, May 3, 2015.

Future of Transportation - General

“ITS America Statement on the House and Senate Passing the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act Five-Year Reauthorization,” ITS America, December 4, 2015.
“The U.S. Is About to Waste $305 Billion on Roads We Don’t Need,” Gizmodo, December 4, 2015.
“How Transportation Planning is Stuck in the Past,” Governing, November 23, 2015.
“Automakers to Congress: Stay away from the ‘Internet of cars,’” The Hill, November 18, 2015.
“Who gets left out when we talk about highway spending,” The Hill, November 10, 2015.
“After 11 Beyond Traffic forums, one thing is clear: We can do this together,” Fast Lane: The Official Blog of the U.S. Department of Transportation, November 5, 2015.
“Still no flying cars? The future of transit promises something even better,” The Guardian, November 2, 2015.
“Modernizing American Transportation Policy,” Conservative Reform Network, November 2015.
“DoT’s ‘Beyond Traffic’ is a sobering look at the next 30 years,” Federal News Radio, October 30, 2015.
“U.S. Transportation Secretary Foxx, Denver Mayor Hancock Host Forum on Future of Transportation Featuring Colorado Governor Hickenlooper,” U.S. Department of Transportation, October 27, 2015.
“Gabe Klein on Government Experimentation, Uber and Self-Driving Cars,” Governing, October 19, 2015.
“Why the Future of Transportation Depends on Changing Infrastructure,” National Public Radio, October 15, 2015.
“Pollack sees ‘way smarter things’ ahead in transportation,” Boston Business Journal, October 14, 2015.
“Technology Might Kill the Idea of Car Ownership—And That’s a Good Thing,” The Huffington Post, September 28, 2015.
“The future of mobility: How transportation technology and social trends are creating a new business ecosystem,” Deloitte University Press, September 24, 2015.
“Ohio Turnpike’s new director sees driverless trucks and other technological shifts around the bend,” Cleveland.com, September 4, 2015.
“How Data Privatization Will Change Planning Practice,” Planetizen, July 20, 2015.
“How DC is Becoming a Hub for Transportation Startups: The District is a key destination for new approaches to simplifying transportation,” DC Inno, July 1, 2015.
“Tipping Point in Transit,” The New York Times, June 10, 2015.
“With driving down, there’s a growing backlash against unnecessary highways,” Vox, June 9, 2015.
“Beyond Traffic 2045: Trends and Choices,” U.S. Department of Transportation, February 2015.

Fulfilling Transit’s Potential Despite Challenges

Public transit ridership was at an all-time high in 2014 with 10.8 billion trips taken in the U.S. Recognizing the value put on transportation choice by millennials and businesses alike, even car-centric states and cities are making investments in light rail, bus rapid transit, bike lanes and other upgrades and reaping the benefits of development around transit hubs that are building new communities and revitalizing old ones. But in some places, aging, deficient and deteriorating transit systems threaten to turn off riders and challenge the resources of policymakers to maintain a high level of service while keeping transit’s winning streak alive.

Further Reading

CSG Resources