A new program to help communities thrive
For the Biden administration to achieve its goals, all communities will need to be able to take advantage of federal funds. But communities with limited resources face a steeper hurdle to accessing these dollars. The Thriving Communities Program is a small step in the right direction to ensure every community is set up for success.
How to engage with new elected leaders
New state and federal leaders will take office in January. Where they stand on transportation will have a significant impact on the future of mobility in America. Here’s how you can engage with your new elected officials to help improve our transportation system in coming years.
A Gulf Coast win opens the door for national long-distance passenger rail service
On Monday, CSX, Norfolk Southern, the Alabama State Port Authority, and Amtrak filed a motion to the Surface Transportation Board stating that they’d reached an agreement to restore passenger rail service on the Gulf Coast
Fix the damn roads: Why politicians should prioritize potholes
Gretchen Whitmer first won election to Michigan’s governorship four years ago on a simple promise: she would fix the damn roads. For Whitmer, and Michigan policymakers before her, this has meant repairing existing roads before building new ones. Unfortunately, not all politicians define “fixing” the same way.
Eliminating driver error doesn’t work. What does? Part II: Designing solutions
Design-based solutions, which accept and plan for human mistakes, can avoid the pitfalls of behavioral solutions. A recent report from New York City’s Department of Transportation sheds some light on which of those solutions work best—and for whom.
How to present at an unconference
TransportationCamp DC is coming back as a hybrid event on January 7, 2023. This “unconference” is a place where attendees get to set the agenda and lead the conversation. Here are the top 4 pieces of advice for people interested in proposing a session.
Eliminating driver error doesn’t work. What does? Part I
Billions of dollars in new federal highway funding are flowing into road safety programs, so we wanted to review the research on which interventions can save lives on America’s roads—and which are failing to do so. All the available data tell us one thing clearly: strategies that fail to accept human error and reduce speeds also fail to reduce road casualties.
SMART grants could make transportation smarter, or not
The Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) competitive grant program offers communities funds to apply new technologies to solve their transportation challenges. How smart this program ends up being depends on whether it treats the application of new technology as a tactic, or as a goal in and of itself.
Electric carshare program meets multiple needs
As the Biden administration invests in transportation electrification, the Twin Cities’ electric carshare program serves as a model for supporting the electric vehicle transition in a way that delivers affordable access to EVs for more people.
No time to lose: Federal rule ready to boost awareness of transportation emissions
Comments close tomorrow 10/13 on a greenhouse gas emissions rule that could reestablish sunlight and accountability for transportation’s impact on climate change. Here’s what’s next for the proposed measure.
Now Hiring — Policy Associate
Transportation for America—a program of Smart Growth America—is seeking a skilled and motivated individual with knowledge and interest in transportation policy with a focus on how it impacts equitable access to jobs and opportunity. This position reports to the Policy Director of T4America.
We’re living in an arterial world
The 99% Invisible podcast discussed the Netflix show Old Enough, where Japanese children run their first errands, explaining how street design lets the show’s participants be both safe and independent from a young age. We explore the flip side of this coin in the United States, where convenience for cars becomes a major inconvenience for anybody who can’t drive one.
Five things to know about TransportationCamp DC
TransportationCamp DC is an annual opportunity to connect with experts, practitioners, and students all at once. It’s coming back on Saturday, January 7, 2023 at George Mason University’s Arlington campus. Here are the top five things you need to know about the popular “unconference.”
Your questions about the Reconnecting Communities Program, answered
The Reconnecting Communities Program is a new program passed under the 2021 infrastructure law, and there’s a lot to learn about what it can accomplish. That’s why we hosted a webinar on the Reconnecting Communities Program last month. Here’s what you asked, and here are our answers.
Following through on the ADA: The All Stations Accessibility Program
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) released a notice of funding opportunity for the All Stations Accessibility Program (ASAP) that allocates $343 million in fiscal year 2022 (FY22). This program offers competitive grants to localities for the upgrading of legacy stations so they meet the standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990.
A blueprint for Amtrak success from T4A Chair John Robert Smith
Amtrak has a workforce crisis on its hands. While the COVID-19 pandemic brought many of these problems to light, it did not create them. Mistakes by Amtrak’s leadership long before COVID-19 led to a slowly diminishing workforce and service impacts, which the pandemic exacerbated. Now, with a historic federal investment in passenger rail, how can Amtrak pivot and get back on the right track? The answer may lie in the company’s recent history.
Recruiting and retaining the best: Transit workforce best practices
Transit agencies now have the federal funding needed to develop a world-class transit workforce, but pulling it off is another question. We’ve compiled strategies for success from agencies that have implemented real solutions to empower their operator and maintenance workforce.
Watch our webinar: How to Reconnect Communities
On Wednesday, September 14 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern join us to learn how to maximize the impact of the new Reconnecting Communities Program.
Four ways states and the Biden administration can curb transportation pollution
Last month, the US Department of Transportation (USDOT) proposed a new rule that will require states to measure and set goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with highways. Here are four ways the administration and the states can lead the way in realizing its full potential.
Congressional appropriations proposals miss the mark
The appropriations process for 2023 determines funding levels for key infrastructure projects set up under the new infrastructure law. Congress’s proposals and the president’s budget aren’t lining up with the administration’s stated goals to improve safety, reduce emissions, and expand the national rail network.
Our three principles
It’s past time to elevate the national conversation about infrastructure beyond just the price tag.
Learn more about our platformLatest From The Blog
A new program to help communities thrive
Dec 1st, 2022
How to engage with new elected leaders
Nov 30th, 2022
A Gulf Coast win opens the door for…
Nov 22nd, 2022
Fix the damn roads: Why politicians should prioritize…
Nov 18th, 2022
You did see that "automated enforcement" or enforcement…
Nov 10th, 2022
Thanks a bunch, Abigail!
Nov 9th, 2022
Sadly, much of this is inaccurate and Vision…
Nov 3rd, 2022
I think you need to look at the…
Nov 3rd, 2022
