Latest news with #DepartmentOfTransportation
CBS News
11 hours ago
- General
- CBS News
Video shows semi crashing into Lowry Hill Tunnel near downtown Minneapolis
Minnesota transportation officials say a serious rollover crash involving a semi shut down Interstate 94 at the Lowry Hill Tunnel for hours on Friday. The Minnesota State Patrol says the truck, which contained ammunition, crashed into a tunnel wall, causing it to roll over. Troopers responded to the crash around 10:55 a.m. State officials say the truck driver suffered injuries that are not life-threatening, and no other vehicles were involved. The westbound lanes of I-94 were closed until around 4:30 p.m., according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation. The westbound lanes reopened just before 1 p.m. State officials say the semi lost its cargo in the crash.
Fox News
a day ago
- Business
- Fox News
Sec. Duffy tells 'Fox & Friends' that closed Newark airport runway could reopen within a week
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told Fox News' Steve Doocy on Friday that Newark Liberty International Airport's closed runway could reopen in less than two weeks — a move that he hopes will ease the ongoing delays caused by its closure. Duffy said Newark's closed runway will be reopened "very quickly" and that the runway could be ready "maybe in the next week." After being asked what is being done to alleviate the delays and cancellations facing airports across the country, Duffy gave a rundown of what he thinks are the major issues causing these delays. "So listen — what's happening is we have weather — it happens at this time of year, number one. Number two, we have a limited amount of controllers with 3,000 short nationally. And then, specifically in Newark, we have our runway that's been shut down. It's gonna open up very quickly," he told Doocy. "The Port Authority has crushed it on speed." Duffy continued by noting that while it can be frustrating for air travelers to have their flights delayed or canceled, stating that the Department of Transportation's (DOT) top priority remains ensuring passenger safety. "Whether it's weather, we might have some shortages of air traffic controllers. You know that we had telecom issues in Philadelphia, or in Newark, out of the Philly TRACON. So those factors all come into play. And the key is your safety," Duffy said. "A lot of the questions that come though — is it safe to fly? And of course it is. We have so many redundancies in place, but we have to fix the system." The transportation secretary then dove into the details of how he predicts departures out of Newark Airport will improve after the runway and other improvements are complete. "So 28 departures an hour. It used to be 50-54," he claimed. "So when the runway opens, we'll get to 34." Another issue plaguing Newark Airport, according to Duffy, is the fact that new air traffic controllers from other airspaces can't simply be brought in to alleviate the shortage; they must first be trained on Newark's airspace. Duffy said there are currently 16 air traffic controllers in training at Newark, and that it typically takes six months to a year to become certified in a new airspace. "Again, I can't just snap my fingers and fix the problems that Pete Buttigieg and Joe Biden left for me," he said. After being asked by Doocy about another issue facing the air traffic controller industry – the large numbers of controllers retiring – Duffy laid out his plan for incentivizing retirement-age controllers to stay on the job. "Air traffic controllers can retire after 25 years of service. I've offered them a 20% upfront bonus to stay on after their eligible date of retirement," he said. "This is a government job where you are paid very well. So to give them that bonus, I think it matters." Duffy said his goal is to keep experienced controllers while also expanding the pipeline to get more young people into the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Academy and working in the industry.
CBS News
a day ago
- General
- CBS News
Semi crash at Lowry Hill Tunnel near downtown Minneapolis shuts down Interstate 94
Minnesota transportation officials say a serious crash involving a semi has closed down Interstate 94 at Lowry Hill Tunnel late Friday morning. According to the Minnesota Department of Transportation, the road will be closed in both directions for several hours. Traffic cameras show a mangled semi at the entrance of the tunnel. MnDOT MnDOT says the semi lost its cargo in the crash. Details are limited. This story will be updated. MNDOT
CBS News
a day ago
- General
- CBS News
New text message scam claiming to be PennDOT puts drivers on alert, "Do not click on any of it."
Another day, another scam to be worried about, and once again, it's coming in by text message, claiming to be from PennDOT. The "warning" from the Pennsylvania Department of Motor Vehicles is dire: pay by today or else. "All of those texts are not from PennDOT, and they are a scam," said PennDOT's Aimee Inama. She said, despite the text message claiming that you have an outstanding ticket, and if you don't pay the balance, your vehicle registration will be suspended, your driver's license will be suspended for a month, and even more, know that PennDOT doesn't send texts about traffic violations or fines. Screenshot of the PennDOT text message scam KDKA So, if you get the text, drive happily on your way, and ignore the threat that you will be prosecuted. "Do not click on any of the links and just report it as spam," Inama said. "Just delete it, get rid of it, and just know that it didn't come from PennDOT." The text even claims that your credit score will be affected. While it sounds very intimidating and authentic, there is one tell above all to be on the lookout for showing that it's a scam. The message not only claims to be from PennDOT, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, but also the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Motor Vehicles. There is no such department in Pennsylvania. The closest thing is the PennDOT Division of Drivers and Vehicle Services. If you've received this message, you can report it to PennDOT on their website right here.
CNN
2 days ago
- Business
- CNN
New fiber optic cable in place to help fix communications problems plaguing flights to Newark, DOT says
A new fiber optic cable is now in place between Philadelphia and New York to improve air traffic control telecommunications at the facility that handles flights in and out of Newark Liberty International Airport, following a busy Memorial Day weekend, the Department of Transportation said Wednesday. 'That was the troubled portion of the line that's been laid,' Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy said at a press conference. 'We're doing some of the connections right now, and then we have to test it. I don't want to over promise and under deliver.' Duffy said the Federal Aviation Administration is using 'an abundance of caution' with testing and hopes the fiber line will be in use by the start of July. Air traffic controllers in Philadelphia have repeatedly lost contact with Newark flights, including on April 28, when the existing cable failed, silencing radios for 30 seconds and blanking radar scopes for 90 seconds. Three more outages have occurred since then, CNN previously reported. The improvements come after the system survived a busy travel holiday. Less than 1% of flights were canceled throughout the US air travel system over the holiday period and less than 3% of flights were delayed, Acting Administrator of the FAA Chris Rocheleau said. The Transportation Security Administration screened more than 3 million people across the country on Friday at the start of the Memorial Day weekend. More than 2 million were screened on each of the other days. United Airlines reported the busiest Memorial Day weekend ever, with 553,000 people traveling worldwide each day. At the airline's key Newark hub, no departures were canceled on either Sunday or Monday, United said. Rocheleau added the agency will continue to work with the airlines and airport to slow traffic at Newark to ensure safety and avoid delays. Last week the FAA cut 25% of the flights there to help with congestion from understaffing and runway construction, as well as the aging air traffic control infrastructure and technology. 'We will continue to work with the airlines, with the airports to make sure that as we manage traffic, we do so safely and efficiently throughout the system,' Rocheleau said. Duffy is asking Congress to support a plan for a brand-new air traffic control system but has not put a price tag on it. He noted Wednesday that it will be higher than the $12.5 billion in a House bill currently being considered. 'It's a substantial piece of work and will take a substantial amount of money,' Duffy said.
