ROUTES Initiative September 2023 Newsletter

Nation’s Top Highway Official Celebrates Opening of 200 New Truck Parking Spaces to Improve Safety Along Interstate 80 in Wyoming 

Federal Highway Administrator, Shailen Bhatt, joined federal, state and local officials in Laramie, Wyo., to unveil 200 new truck parking spaces along Interstate 80. These new truck parking spaces will improve safety during winter snow and ice storm operations and facilitate safe and efficient freight movement along one of the busiest Interstates in the U.S. The U.S. Department of Transportation provided $27.7 million toward this project, including a $20 million grant from the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant program (now known as the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant program). 

With the transport of goods by truck on the increase, the single most-used mode of freight transport in the nation, the newly launched Freight Analysis Framework (FAF) Data Visualization Tool makes it easier to view and work with a variety of private sector freight data at national, state and local levels to understand these growth trends. The FAF tool combines data in a variety of ways, including by dollar value, tonnage, mileage, commodity, and mode of transport–reflecting goods movement by truck, rail, air, water or pipeline. 

FHWA Making $100 Million Available to Improve EV Charger Reliability 

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has opened applications for the Electric Vehicle Charger Reliability and Accessibility Accelerator which will provide up to $100 million in Federal funding to repair and replace existing but non-operational, electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure. These targeted investments will complement hundreds of billions in private sector investment, support good paying jobs across the country installing, maintaining, and repairing EV infrastructure, and make our current charging network more reliable.  

The first round of funding will focus on improving the reliability of the current network by repairing or replacing existing EV charging infrastructure. Based on initial estimates of non-operational chargers, FHWA anticipates that the available $100 million in funding will likely cover the repair or replacement costs of all eligible projects, which will be awarded through a streamlined application process. This includes both publicly and privately owned chargers – so long as they are available to the public without restriction. 

Eligible applicants and projects for the EV Reliability and Accessibility Accelerator are outlined in the Notice of Funding Opportunity. Applications are due by November 13, 2023. For more information on President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and investments in electric vehicles, please visit FHWA’s BIL web site. 

PHMSA Invests Nearly $15 Million to Improve Pipeline Safety 

USDOT Announces Next Phase of Thriving Communities Grant Program 

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has released a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for up to $22 million in grants to provide technical assistance and a Call for Letters of Interest from communities seeking support through the Thriving Communities Program. Earlier this year, DOT announced that four Capacity Builder teams received $21.15 million to provide technical assistance to 64 communities.   

The Thriving Communities Program (TCP) provides intensive technical assistance to under-resourced and disadvantaged communities to help them identify, develop, and deliver transportation and community revitalization opportunities. Those communities receive in-kind support from Capacity Builders funded through the TCP to prepare grant application materials and undertake pre-development and project delivery activities including deploying innovative community engagement, workforce development, and clean technology strategies. 

The call for Letters of Interest (LOI) from communities seeking support from the program is open until November 15, while the NOFO for Capacity Builders is open until November 28. More information on how to submit a LOI to participate in the Thriving Communities program can be found here. DOT will host a series of webinars to provide more information both to interested communities and capacity builders. 

FHWA & NPS Celebrate Completion of Roadway Safety Improvements Along Natchez Trace Parkway 

Officials from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and National Park Service (NPS) celebrated the completion of a 40-mile roadway rehabilitation and safety improvements project along the Natchez Trace Parkway in Alabama and Mississippi. Funding for the project was made possible with $54.3 million provided by FHWA’s Nationally Significant Federal Lands and Tribal Projects program. 

The project includes new safety features along Natchez Trace Parkway with raised pavement markings to help prevent lane departures and crashes. Additionally, the project brings the pavement and road condition up to a state of good repair, allowing for more cost-effective preventative maintenance to take place in the future. 

FHWA is currently accepting applications for the next round of funding under the Nationally Significant Federal Lands and Tribal Transportation Projects program. More information about the availability of $88 million in FY 2023 funds can be found in the Notice of Funding Opportunity. Information on how to apply is available at Grants.gov. 

FMCSA Announces More Than $80 Million in Grants to Improve Highway Safety, Including Better Access to Truck Parking 

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has announced more than $80 million in grant awards from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This historic funding will help reduce the frequency and severity of commercial motor vehicle crashes on our nation’s roadways and support truck drivers by expanding access to truck parking, investing in critical technology, improving safety in work zones, rural areas, and high crash corridors, and more. Grant recipients include states, local governments, non-profit organizations, and academic institutions across the country.   The High Priority (HP) grants include a 65% increase in funding for truck parking projects over last year and enhance critical efforts to support truck drivers and improve safety. This builds on the Biden Administration's continued investment in truck parking and safety on our nation’s roadways, which includes over $80 million invested in new truck parking spaces across the country. 

MARAD Announces Grants to Support More Efficient Supply Chains Running on Our Marine Highways 

The Maritime Administration (MARAD) awarded nearly $12 million in grants to eight marine highway projects across the nation under the United States Marine Highway Program (USMHP). The funding will improve the movement of goods along our navigable waterways and expand existing waterborne freight services in Alaska, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin, which will strengthen supply chains and ultimately cut costs for consumers. Of the nearly $12 million in awards, $5.8 million supports projects within Historically Disadvantaged Communities. 

United States Marine Highway grants can be used to purchase low-emission U.S.-manufactured equipment, such as container reach stackers and cranes, with the condition that all iron, steel, manufactured products, and construction materials are produced in the United States. In addition, funds can be used to purchase intermodal equipment that can alleviate supply chain bottlenecks. 

FHWA Provides $4.575 Million in ‘Quick Release’ Emergency Relief Funding for Flood Damage Repair Work at Death Valley National Park and other Federal Lands in California and Nevada 

FMCSA Announces Grants to Improve the Commercial Driver’s Licensing Process and Get More Safe Truck Drivers on the Road 

A Guide for Traffic Safety Practitioners: Best Practices for Increasing Seat Belt Use in Rural Communities 

Rural motor vehicle occupants are at an increased risk for crash-related deaths compared to their urban counter-parts. One contributing factor is the lower use of seat belts in rural areas compared to urban areas. Seat belts are one of the most important strategies for reducing crash-related injuries and fatalities among road users. Preventing crash-related injuries and fatalities requires programs that promote seat belt use among rural drivers and passengers. Rural traffic safety practitioners can implement best practices, including evidence-based and promising programs, to increase seat belt use in rural areas.  

The Best Practices Guide for Increasing Seat Belt Use in Rural Communities is designed for rural traffic safety practitioners to plan, implement, and evaluate programs to increase seat belt use in rural communities. The guide describes evidence-based and promising seat belt programs, and shares lessons learned from traffic safety practitioners and experts. It also includes examples of seat belt programs that have been successfully adapted for use in different settings, including rural communities. The guide was informed by a literature review and environmental scan, and discussions with traffic safety practitioners and experts. It contains four modules to help traffic safety practitioners develop, implement, and evaluate rural seat belt programs: understanding seat belt use in rural communities; selecting evidence-based or promising rural seat belt program models; implementing a rural seat belt program; and evaluating a rural seat belt program. 

MARAD Selects the Center for Naval Analyses to Examine the Future of the U.S. Maritime Industry