PHIA News Digest – Vol. 3, No. 2
RabbitTransit will manage CAT by month’s end
RabbitTransit will provide management services to Capital Area Transit come the end of January, under an agreement approved today by CAT’s board. York-based RabbitTransit will provide administrative functions to CAT, which is joint operation of Dauphin and Cumberland counties, and the City of Harrisburg.
5 questions for autonomous car pioneer Chris Urmson
After leaving a leadership post at Google’s autonomous car unit, Chris Urmson and two other self-driving vehicle pioneers are back in the race with a new company that will rival their former employers.
Rail industry warned of brake-system deadline
The Trump administration has fired a warning shot to the nation’s railroads, saying it plans to hold them to a December deadline to install an automatic braking system that might have prevented last month’s fatal Amtrak accident in Washington, the Philadelphia derailment that killed eight passengers in 2015 and scores of other train wrecks.
Audit to examine impact of toll hikes on Pennsylvania Turnpike traffic, revenue
The state auditor general’s office will conduct a performance audit on the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission in light of concerns that annual toll hikes will cause traffic to decline and generate less money for important construction projects. Read more
PHIA News Digest – Vol. 3, No. 1
Pennsylvania’s Shuster to join GOP exodus
House Transportation Committee Chairman Bill Shuster announced Tuesday that he’s stepping down at the end of his term, joining a fast-growing wave of GOP lawmakers heading for the exits.
Year-end report: PennDOT says it’s delivering transportation value
PennDOT Secretary Leslie S. Richards this week issued a year-end report on the department’s performance in 2017. Richards said the Wolf Administration is taking seriously its responsibility to care for the transportation assets used by Pennsylvanians every day.
Driving on the PA Turnpike is about to become a bit more pricey in 2018
Starting January 7, tolls will go up 6 percent. The price hike applies to both those paying cash and those using E-ZPass.
Pa. Auditor General Eugene DePasquale launches Turnpike audit
Auditor General Eugene DePasquale announced the launch of a performance audit of the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission. The audit will cover between June 2015 and May 2017 assessing the performance, procedures, operating and capital budgets, debt and accounts of the Turnpike Commission. Read more
PHIA News Digest – Vol. 2, No. 49
Official: Improved bayfront connections priority for Erie
Pennsylvania’s Secretary of Community and Economic Development visited Erie Friday to help announce state funding that will go toward improvements along the Bayfront Parkway.
Officials cut ribbon on transit CNG station under Pa. program
Pennsylvania’s Wolf administration has announced the start of service at another of the 29 compressed natural gas fueling stations already built or planned as part of a statewide Public-Private Partnership (P3) project.
Senate panel OKs tough new DUI standards, targets repeat offenders
The Senate Transportation Committee unanimously passed a measure to address egregious DUI offenses, including persistent DUI offenders. The bill now goes to the full Senate for consideration.
SEPTA marks Philadelphia trolley’s 125th anniversary
It has been 125 years since the first trolley started rolling through the streets of Philadelphia. SEPTA will mark the occasion Friday by unveiling a specially wrapped 125th anniversary trolley at its Elmwood District. Read more
PHIA News Digest – Vol. 2, No. 48
Rep. Shuster honored with AAR award
The Association of American Railroads (AAR) and industry advocacy group GoRail recently presented Rep. Bill Shuster (R-PA) with its Railroad Achievement Award. The award recognizes Congress members who show bipartisan leadership on issues pertaining to the rail industry and who recognize the role railways play in the U.S. economy.
PennDOT announces the completion of bike lanes on 3 state highways
In its ongoing effort to enhance the bicycle experience across the state, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) has completed new bicycle lanes on three suburban state highways in the Philadelphia region.
Administration’s infrastructure plans point to 2018 investment debates
President Donald Trump’s administration this week confirmed it will provide its long-anticipated infrastructure proposal to Congress in January. The federal package would be split into four buckets: funding for states and localities that promise to take on more of the financial burden of infrastructure building and upkeep; block grants for rural areas; existing federal loan programs; and money for high-impact, “transformational” projects.
Penn researchers are using Grand Theft Auto to help test self-driving cars
The popular video game Grand Theft Auto is helping Penn researchers test new autonomous vehicle technology. Rahul Mangharam, an associate professor in Penn’s Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering, is leading a team of six to test an autonomous driving software.
Tea Party insurgent weighs another bid to oust GOP Transportation chair
Tea party insurgent Art Halvorson is weighing yet another bid to oust veteran Rep. Bill Shuster (R-Pa.), he told The Hill. Halvorson unsuccessfully challenged Shuster, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, in the past two election cycles, including running as a Democrat in the 2016 general election after Shuster narrowly won the GOP primary.
Pennsylvania Turnpike tolls going up again in January
Pennsylvania Turnpike tolls are scheduled to go up 6 percent early next month in what will mark the 10th straight year of rate increases along the nation’s oldest superhighway.
PHIA News Digest – Vol. 2, No. 47
Beyond roundabouts, PennDOT plans diverging diamond interchanges
If PennDOT rocked the boat when it began building roundabouts, expect things to get even stranger when diverging diamond interchanges start appearing in the midstate over the next few years.
Start gathering your identifying documents now for 2019 REAL ID rollout, PennDOT says
As PennDOT brings its driver-licensing systems in line with the federal “REAL ID” standards, the agency is urging residents to start gathering the required identifying documents now or check with the state in a few months to see if they’re already on file.
5 things to know about the stretch of I-78 slated for $175 million project
If you’ve ever driven west of the Lehigh Valley on Interstate 78, then you know how the large expressway shape-shifts as you enter Berks County. Elevations change, curves become curvier and an encroaching claustrophobia takes hold. Suddenly the tractor trailers sharing the road seem too close for comfort.
Uncertainty mounts over timing of Trump’s infrastructure plan
Uncertainty is growing on Capitol Hill over whether the Trump administration will immediately turn to an infrastructure package after Congress finishes tax reform. President Trump has promised to unveil his long-awaited rebuilding plan after taxes, but he may be eager to first revisit the health-care debate, according to a top Republican. Read more
