Latest news with #FHWA
Axios
06-08-2025
- Business
- Axios
SEPTA faces final countdown to avoid service cuts
SEPTA has one week to fill its $213 million budget shortfall and avoid massive cutbacks — a reality the transit agency is facing without a once-reliable plan B. Why it matters: The impending service cuts will impact commuters and students returning to schools later this month, and they could interrupt the city's planning for big-ticket events in 2026. The big picture: Pennsylvania's divided government is weeks late in hammering out a budget deal. Amid the biggest sticking points: state transportation funding, including the money SEPTA needs to avert its doomsday service cuts. While Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro and the Democratic-controlled House have backed more SEPTA funding, the Republican–controlled Senate has balked at the proposal and called for more agency oversight. Threat level: SEPTA faces an Aug. 14 deadline to get state funding to shore up its budget gap, agency officials said Wednesday. Barring that, a 20% reduction in service across rail, buses and trolleys will begin Aug. 24. What they're saying: SEPTA general manager Scott Sauer said during a Wednesday news conference that the deadline is necessary to schedule service changes across the system, set staff assignments and prepare vehicles. "Time is of the essence," he said. Sauer warned that even if state funding arrives after Aug. 14, SEPTA will need at least 10 days to restore full service. Meanwhile, it appears unlikely that Shapiro can count on an alternate plan to fund SEPTA, as he did last year. Flashback: In 2024, after SEPTA failed to secure more funding in the state budget and faced service cuts, Shapiro directed the transfer of $153 million in federal highway funding to the agency in a maneuver known as " flexing." Shapiro didn't need state lawmakers to sign off on the transfer. But the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), then under former President Joe Biden, had to review and sign off on the transfer. The intrigue: Now without a fellow Democrat in the White House, Shapiro could face a chillier reception to such a request — especially considering Shapiro and President Trump have sparred in the past. SEPTA has not heard of flexing federal funding for the agency being an option so far, agency spokesperson Andrew Busch tells Axios. FHWA spokesperson Angela Gates declined to discuss hypothetical flexing requests. But Gates noted that the federal agency has approved four requests from the state this year for flexing federal funding, but declined to identify them. A spokesperson for Shapiro declined to comment. The spokesperson referred Axios to Shapiro's previous comments in which the governor said budget negotiations were making slow progress. The bottom line: It's likely state budget or bust for SEPTA.
Yahoo
23-07-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Elon Musk's Tesla Reveals Jaw-Dropping Stat on Autopilot Technology
There has been an ongoing debate about how safe Autopilot technology is in cars as compared to when humans drive. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has been adamant that Autopilot technology is safer. As Musk fights a pair of lawsuits over Autopilot technology after settling at least four lawsuits over deadly accidents involving the feature in the past, Tesla released numbers showing Autopilot is safer. According to tech reporter Sawyer Merritt, Tesla found that in the second quarter of 2025, there was just one crash recorded for every 6.69 million miles that were driven by the company's self-driving feature. Meanwhile, human drivers who didn't use it were responsible for one crash for every 963,000 miles driven. "By comparison, the most recent data available from NHTSA and FHWA (from 2023) shows that in the US there was an automobile crash approximately every 702,000 miles," Merritt added. Tesla just began rolling out its robotaxis last month, so showing the safety of Autopilot technology is especially important for the company. While many have recorded a positive experience with Tesla's robotaxis, others have shared instances of the vehicles breaking traffic laws and experiencing other issues, which has led to obvious concerns. "Tesla self-driving will be far safer than human driving," Musk said earlier this year. Musk and Tesla have won a pair of lawsuits in California that looked to blame accidents on the company's technology, so not all of the filed lawsuits against Tesla have led to a settlement. It's still far too early to make an exact determination on how much safer self-driving cars are compared to humans, but the early returns suggest Musk is Musk's Tesla Reveals Jaw-Dropping Stat on Autopilot Technology first appeared on Men's Journal on Jul 23, 2025
Malaysian Reserve
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Malaysian Reserve
Court Sides with Advocates for Derry Rail Trail Tunnel in Lawsuit Over Historic Rail Corridor
Complaint Cited New Hampshire Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration in Violation of Federal Regulations in Plans for Construction of Exit 4A I-93 Expansion CONCORD, N.H., July 1, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The Committee to Save the Derry Rail Trail Tunnel and Rails to Trails Conservancy celebrated a victory today in response to their lawsuit against the New Hampshire Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration challenging construction of Phase 2 of the Exit 4A I-93 expansion in Derry in order to protect the Manchester & Lawrence Railroad Historic District and the Derry Rail Trail. The complaint, filed in August 2024, centered on a design change, proposed by NHDOT and approved by FHWA earlier that year, that removes a previously approved tunnel that would have protected the historic right-of-way from a six-lane exit road, replacing it with steep approaches, an at-grade crosswalk across six lanes of traffic, and a circuitous route that abandons the historic railroad corridor. Ruling in the advocates' favor, United States District Judge Paul J. Barbadoro 'enjoin[ed] the defendants from performing construction in the immediate proximity of the Historic District that would in any way foreclose or substantially hinder the completion of the' original design, which included a tunnel to preserve the Manchester & Lawrence Railroad Historic District and allow further development of the Derry Rail Trail. 'This is an important turning point. The court's decision validates the Committee's concerns that NHDOT and FHWA violated federal law when they abandoned the original design plans for the expansion of Exit 4-A on I-93 that included the underpass. This has caused unnecessary delays and expenditures that could have been avoided if the agency had taken the time to engage with tunnel supporters. We're looking forward to more intentional engagement as the updated designs for the corridor are pursued,' said Dave Topham, president of the New Hampshire Rail Trails Coalition and a member of the committee that brought the lawsuit. 'We are pleased that the court agrees the actions NHDOT and FHWA took were in direct violation of federal law. Their proposed design obliterated the historic rail corridor, while introducing unnecessary safety hazards to people who will use the trail and those on the road. As we work with NHDOT to pursue the common-sense approach that the underpass offers, the necessary engagement with concerned citizens can be ensured if a staff person at NHDOT competent in rail trail design is made responsible for the many rail trails the Department is involved with,' said Alex Vogt, a retired NHDOT engineer. In response to the court's decision, the Committee will seek to coordinate with NHDOT to implement the originally proposed design that includes an underpass in the project to allow for the planned expansion of the Derry Rail Trail through the Manchester & Lawrence Railroad Historic District. This decision prioritizes minimizing harm to the historic railroad corridor by providing a tunnel for the Derry Rail Trail along the corridor's original alignment. This design also provides significant safety benefits to the many thousands of people who are expected to use the Derry Rail Trail. 'As NHDOT and FHWA take the next steps outlined by the court, the Committee looks forward to engaging directly with agency staff to ensure that the historic corridor is protected and safety is prioritized for everyone who uses the trail and the roadway. NHDOT has a policy requiring this outreach, which has never been followed, and the state's Rail Trail Plan calls for a person at NHDOT to be responsible for the state's rail-trails. Assigning this responsibility now will help to ensure that this project is implemented effectively and efficiently,' said Topham. The Court held that FHWA's 'spaghetti loop' design violated historic preservation protections provided by federal law—specifically, Section 4(f), which forbids using federal funds for transportation projects that will damage parks or historic sites, unless there are no prudent and feasible alternatives that would avoid the historic site and the project includes all reasonable measures to minimize harm to the site. The court held that FHWA and NHDOT did not properly consider whether its new design minimized harm to the same extent as its original design plan, which advocates say will also improve the safety of the future rail-trail connection and create better trail system linkages. 'The court's decision is an important victory for rail-trails across the country, underscoring the importance of ensuring that transportation projects are designed in ways that minimize harm to historic places and trails. Federal laws like Section 4(f) are important tools in the protection of many rail-trail corridors, which create access to safe spaces to walk, bike and be active for millions of Americans—preserving these historic assets as spaces that make it safer for people to get outside and get around their communities,' said Ryan Chao, president of RTC, the nation's largest trails, walking and biking advocacy organization, and the foremost legal advocate for rail-trails in the U.S. The Committee to Save the Derry Rail Trail Tunnel is a New Hampshire not-for-profit corporation comprised of experienced cycling advocates and cyclists from throughout New Hampshire who are concerned about the safety of rail-trail users and the preservation of historic railroad corridors. Rails to Trails Conservancy is the nation's largest trails advocacy organization—with a grassroots community more than 1 million strong—dedicated to building a nation connected by trails, reimagining public and historic spaces to create safe ways for everyone to walk, bike and be active outdoors. The Committee and RTC are represented in the lawsuit by WilmerHale, an international law firm. Contact: Committee to Save the Derry Rail Trail Tunnel Contact: Bob Spiegelman, 603.490.0012, robertspiegelman@ Rails to Trails Conservancy Contact: Brandi Horton, 703.307.8891, brandi@
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
DOT streamlining $5.4B for bridge projects
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration on Monday announced $5.4 billion available for major bridge projects in a funding program that Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy says will be relieved of Biden-era approval requirements. The new funding opportunity, administered by the Federal Highway Administration, includes $4.9 billion for major bridge projects through FHWA's Bridge Investment Program and up to $500 million to repair or replace bridges in rural areas through the agency's Competitive Highway Bridge Program. The money will help improve approximately 42,000 bridges across the country 'that are in dire need of repair,' according to the administration. 'The previous administration handcuffed critical infrastructure funding requirements to woke DEI [diversity, equity and inclusion] and Green New Scam initiatives that diverted resources from the Department's core mission,' Duffy said in a press release announcing the funding. 'Under the Trump Administration, America is building again.'Applicants – which include state and local governments and metropolitan planning organizations – will no longer have to explain how a project will consider climate change and environmental justice in the planning stage and in project delivery. Under the Biden administration, applicants had to show, for example, how the project would reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector and the extent to which the project avoided adverse environmental impacts to air or water quality and to endangered species. They were also expected to address negative impacts on disadvantaged communities. In addition, under the previous administration's DEI and workforce requirements, applicants had to include an equity assessment evaluating whether a project 'would create proportional impacts and remove transportation related disparities to all populations in a project area,' the U.S. Department of Transportation noted. Applications for the Bridge Investment Program must be submitted by Aug. eligible for the $500 million in rural bridge grants under the Competitive Highway Bridge Program include the state departments of transportation for Alaska, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Utah, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming. Applications for that program must be submitted by Aug. 4. Biden: US will pay to rebuild Francis Scott Key Bridge Top 10 states that won Biden's bridge-fixing windfall US DOT awards $225 million for rural bridges Click for more FreightWaves articles by John Gallagher. The post DOT streamlining $5.4B for bridge projects appeared first on FreightWaves.
Epoch Times
08-05-2025
- Automotive
- Epoch Times
States Sue Trump Admin Over Termination of EV Charging Station Funding
The Trump administration is being sued by a coalition of 16 states and the District of Columbia over claims it is withholding billions of dollars in funding approved by Congress to build electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, according to a federal lawsuit announced on April 7. The It centers on the $5 billion in funding allocated under the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program in 2022 to facilitate electric vehicle charging infrastructure in the states. That funding was established through the Biden administration's Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, amid a push towards achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 and making at least Congress required the $5 billion funding to be distributed among the states over fiscal years 2022 through 2026. So far, an estimated $3.3 billion had already been made available, according to the lawsuit. Related Stories 4/30/2025 5/6/2025 Shortly after taking office in January, President Donald Trump issued an The order stated that America is 'blessed with an abundance of energy and natural resources that have historically powered our Nation's economic prosperity,' but that, in recent years, 'burdensome and ideologically motivated regulations' have impeded the development of those resources, while also limiting the generation of reliable and affordable electricity, reducing job creation, and increasing energy costs. Following Trump's directive, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), an agency under the Department of Transportation (DOT), The lawsuit challenges the FHWA's authority to terminate the funding and claims its actions deprive the states of billions of dollars in appropriated funds and violate the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), the Separation of Powers Doctrine, and the Take Care Clause, among others. 'This infrastructure is critical to the success of plaintiff states' environmental, public health, and transportation programs—projects Congress actively chose to support in enacting the [Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act] and establishing the NEVI Formula Program. The harms to plaintiff states will continue and become increasingly damaging if unabated,' the states wrote in the suit. The lawsuit asks the court to declare Trump's directives unlawful, to vacate the administration's actions, and permanently stop it from withholding the funds. Department of Transportation and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Federal Highway Administration Administrator Gloria Shepherd are listed as defendants. In a 'President Trump's illegal action withholding funds for electric vehicle infrastructure is yet another Trump gift to China—ceding American innovation and killing thousands of jobs,' they said. 'Instead of hawking Teslas on the White House lawn, President Trump could actually help Elon—and the nation—by following the law and releasing this bipartisan funding.' The attorneys general of Arizona, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Wisconsin, and Vermont joined the lawsuit. The Epoch Times has contacted the Department of Transportation and Tesla for comment.
