Volume 4, Number 116, August 30, 2024    

 

Sharing below a roundup of the latest activities and opportunities to engage with USDOT 

and the Biden-Harris Administration. Thanks as always for your interest.  

If you know others who would like to receive these updates, please invite them to sign up here. 

 

Please Note: In conjunction with the Labor Day holiday next week, we will be taking a break and will resume our regular publication schedule the week of September 9.

Best wishes for a safe and rewarding Labor Day holiday weekend!

 

ENSURING EQUITY IN TRANSPORTATION

 

Former Paralympians, Senator Duckworth, and Secretary Buttigieg Team Up

to Highlight Once-in-a-Generation Investments in Accessible Infrastructure

 

As the opening ceremonies for the 2024 Summer Paralympic Games commence in Paris, USDOT has released a new episode of its Investing in America short-form video series. The video, “Accessibility for All," highlights how even for some of the greatest athletes in the world and a sitting U.S. Senator, basic transportation can still be a challenge – and what the Biden-Harris Administration is doing to fix that. Featuring Matt Scott, a former five-time Paralympian and gold medalist in men’s wheelchair basketball, Dr. Anjali Forber-Pratt, a two-time Paralympian and bronze medalist in women’s wheelchair racing, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth, and Secretary Pete Buttigieg, the video focuses on how the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) is making once-in-a-generation investments to improve our transportation systems for millions of Americans with limited mobility and disabilities.

 

Retired Paralympian Matt Scott (l) and Senator Duckworth (r) from the “Accessibility for All” video

 

The BIL is one of the largest investments in U.S. history to increase accessibility, by ensuring new infrastructure has curb cuts, building more accessible airports, and adding elevators to some of our nation’s oldest transit stations. And through the stories of Senator Duckworth, Matt, and Anjali, the video demonstrates why these infrastructure investments are so important for the disability community. Projects underway thanks to the infrastructure law range from massive retrofits to legacy rail systems, modernizing and retrofitting airport terminals, improving sidewalks, pedestrian signals, and more. Any project funded by the infrastructure bill is required to be compliant with the Americans with Disability Act – making it the largest investment in accessible American infrastructure in our nation’s history. Additionally, the Department has issued a final rule and proposed a new rule for safe and accessible air travel, supported accessibility guidelines, provided updated educational resources for grant applicants, and more.

 

DOT Releases NPRM on Adoption of Accessibility Standards

for Pedestrian Facilities in the Public Right-of-Way, Seeks Public Comments

 

On August 22, USDOT published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on Adoption of Accessibility Standards for Pedestrian Facilities in the Public Right-of-Way, proposing to amend its rules implementing the transportation provisions under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This notice proposes the adoption as regulatory accessibility standards the Accessibility Guidelines for Pedestrian Facilities in the Public Right-of-Way (PROWAG) issued by the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (Access Board) on August 8, 2023. This proposed rule would adopt the Access Board's PROWAG into the Department's ADA regulations. When adopted, USDOT's public right-of-way ADA standards would apply only to new construction and alterations of transit stops in the public right-of-way. DOT is accepting comments on this NPRM through September 23, 2024 via the Federal Register (Docket Number DOT-OST-2024-0090).

 

Register Now for September 26 AA and NHPI Policy Summit

On behalf of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (WHIAANHPI), please join us in the nation’s capital on Thursday, September 26, 2024, for our AA and NHPI Policy Summit. This daylong, in-person event will highlight the Administration’s commitment to advancing equity, justice, and opportunity for AA and NHPI communities. The summit will be dedicated to continuing progress for the AA and NHPI community on data disaggregation, language access, anti-Asian hate, and more. Speakers will include senior White House and federal agency officials, policy experts, and community leaders from across the country who will have the opportunity to network and dialogue on key AA and NHPI issues. This event is free and open to the public, but individual registration is required. Register here, and please contact WHIAANHPI@HHS.GOV with any questions about the event.

The White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (WHIAANHPI), established by President Biden in May 2021 through Executive Order 14031 - Advancing Equity, Justice, and Opportunity for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders,, is charged with coordinating a whole-of-government agenda to advance equity, justice, and opportunity for AA and NHPI communities. Learn more here.

 

 FUNDING AWARD ANNOUNCEMENTS

FHWA Awards More than $520 Million Dollars for EV Charging Infrastructure Buildout

On Tuesday, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) announced $521 million in grants to continue building out electric vehicle (EV) charging and alternative-fueling infrastructure across 29 states, eight Federally Recognized Tribes, and the District of Columbia, including the deployment of more than 9,200 EV charging ports. This new EV infrastructure will increase access and reliability to communities across the country and provides EV charging to light-, medium- and heavy-duty vehicles along designated highways, interstates, and major roadways. The funds are a part of the Administration’s goals to support the growth of a convenient, affordable, reliable and Made-in-America national network of EV chargers so drivers can charge close to home, at work, and along significant corridors throughout the U.S.  There are now over 192,000 publicly available charging ports nationwide with approximately 1,000 new public chargers being added each week.

FHWA Map of CFI Round 1B Grant Award Recipients (Numbers Indicate Grants Awarded by State)

 

This progress has been spurred by funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and the catalyzing effect it has had on private investments for EV charging infrastructure. The grants were made possible through the BIL’s $2.5 billion Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) Discretionary Grant Program and a 10 percent set-aside from the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program. These historic investments are helping accelerate the country’s transition to a clean energy economy while reducing pollution and harmful greenhouse gas emissions. FHWA is working closely with the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation, providing technical assistance on planning and implementation of a national network of EV chargers and zero-emission fueling infrastructure. The CFI Round 2 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is now open at Grants.gov. Applications are due by September 11, 2024. For more information on the BIL and USDOT’s investments in electric vehicles, please visit FHWA’s BIL website.

 

FMCSA Provides Millions to Boost Trucking Workforce Programs

On Monday, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced awards totaling nearly $3.5 million to 27 colleges and other commercial driver’s license (CDL) training programs  through the agency’s Commercial Motor Vehicle Operator Safety Training (CMVOST) Grant Program. These Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 grants will help improve roadway safety by providing additional training for current CDL holders and creating new pathways for career opportunities as drivers in the commercial motor vehicle industry.

In total, more than 50 percent of FMCSA’s annual budget provides states and local communities with funding to promote CMV safety. In addition to the CMVOST grant program, FMCSA also provides funding through its other discretionary grant programs such as the High Priority Grants Program and the Commercial Driver’s License Program Implementation Grant. Collectively, these programs also support implementation of the Department’s National Roadway Safety Strategy. Read more about FMCSA’s grant programs and review a full list of this year’s CMVOST grant recipients here.  

ANNOUNCEMENTS OF FUNDING AVAILABILITY

 

FHWA Opens Applications for $800 Million to Reduce Climate Pollution

from Transportation, Encourage Cleaner Construction Materials

 

On Tuesday, FHWA announced the availability of $800 million in funding under the Low Carbon Transportation Materials Grants (LCTM) Program to tackle the climate crisis. LCTM will support the use of low-carbon materials and products used in transportation that reduce air pollution, specifically greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). FHWA made $1.2 billion available under this program to state departments of transportation in March 2024 and is now opening funding up to other potential applicants such as cities, metropolitan planning organizations, tribal governments and other federal, state and local agencies that also carry out transportation activities. The LCTM program is one of three new programs at FHWA created by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) – the largest investment in climate action and clean energy in history.

 

FHWA LCTM/IRA Fact Sheet

 

As part of the Administration’s whole-of-government Federal Buy Clean Initiative, and consistent with Executive Order 14057 - Catalyzing Clean Energy Industries and Jobs Through Federal Sustainability, FHWA continues to closely collaborate with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the General Services Administration (GSA) to implement related low carbon programs that were authorized in the IRA. The LCTM program makes $2 billion available under the IRA for state departments of transportation, cities, tribes, Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs), and other agencies to incorporate more materials that create less pollution, including steel, concrete (and cement), glass, and asphalt.

 

EFFICIENCY IN AIR TRAVEL

2024 Flight Cancellation Rate Below Pre-Pandemic Levels Heading into Labor Day Weekend

 

Yesterday, USDOT announced that the year-to-date flight cancelation rate for 2024 is 1.6 percent heading into the Labor Day holiday weekend. Despite significant flight disruptions in July brought on by the global CrowdStrike outage, summer storms, and record-breaking air travel volumes, the year-to-date cancelation rate remains below 2022 and pre-pandemic levels.

FAA chart of cancelled flights to date in 2024 compared to previous years

 

Air travel volumes this summer are the highest on record. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has already screened 239.8 million people since Memorial Day weekend, which is an average of 2.7 million people per day. The top ten busiest travel days in the agency’s history have all occurred this year since May 2024, and a new milestone was reached on July 7, when more than 3 million people were screened in a single day for the first time. Ahead of Labor Day air travel, Secretary Buttigieg shared a video over social media with safety reminders for passengers.

 

ROADWAY SAFETY

You Can Help Prevent Hot Car Deaths - Tips for Keeping Children Safe

As we head into the busy Labor Day holiday weekend, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and USDOT are alerting parents and caregivers about the need to protect children from the potentially devastating consequences of leaving a child unattended in a motor vehicle. Every year across the U.S., around 35 children – especially children under the age of 2 – die in preventable pediatric vehicular heatstroke (PVH) incidents, either because they were left or became trapped in a car or truck. Since 1998, at least 996 children have died in these entirely preventable tragedies, and sadly, 27 such deaths have already occurred in 2024 (see map below). On average, two children die every week during summer months in so-called “hot car” incidents, the majority of which occur when a child is forgotten in a car by a parent or caregiver. Most often, the parent or caregiver forgot to drop the child off at a childcare center or pre-school facility, and the child was later found in the vehicle. A change in routine is also a contributing factor in many of these incidents, which can happen – and have happened – to people from all walks of life, educational backgrounds, and income levels.

 

NoHeatstroke.Org map. Numbers indicate PVH fatalities in chronological order to date in 2024

 

Hot car deaths aren’t just a summertime concern, however; in fact, according to No Heat Stroke.org, the first fatality each year tends to occur in March. The temperature inside a vehicle can reach over 115 degrees when the outside temperature is just 70 degrees, so parents and caregivers need to be especially vigilant about the whereabouts of the children in their care year-round. Children gaining access to unattended vehicles and then being unable to get out is the second leading cause of these deaths. We urge parents and caregivers to get in the habit of always checking the back seat of your car before locking the doors, to always lock your car doors and trunk, year-round, and to keep keys and key fobs safely out of children’s reach. These are other tips and background information is included in the fact sheet below, and NHTSA urges consumers to Once You Park, Stop. Look. Lock.

 

ENSURING MEANINGFUL PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT IN TRANSPORTATION DECISIONS

 

OPE to Conduct Virtual Public Engagement Workshop

 

The Office of the Secretary’s Office of Public Engagement (OPE) will be holding a virtual public involvement workshop on September 9 from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. eastern time, building on a series of three in-person workshops delivered across the country, between April and July 2024. This workshop will engage community leaders and members of the public on the transportation decision-making process and how they can ensure their voices are heard. Participants will learn how their involvement can make a difference in the transportation system in their communities. The content in this workshop is based on Transportation Decision-Making: A Guide to Getting Involved, which provides community leaders and the public with an overview of the transportation decision-making process and provides information about how to get involved to make a difference in transportation in their community.

OPE Graphic

 

Whether you have engaged in the transportation decision-making process before, or this is your first time learning about it, we encourage you to consider attending this workshop. As more people like you learn and get involved in the decision-making process, more informed and beneficial transportation projects can come to your communities. Please visit the Public Engagement Workshop web page for more information and to register for the workshop. Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. The deadline to register is Friday, September 6 at 5 p.m. eastern time, and the deadline to request an accommodation is Friday, August 30 at 12 p.m. eastern time.

 

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP 

Registration Now Open for New Volpe Thought Leadership Series

Registration is now available for a new thought leadership series from the USDOT Volpe Center: Making Good on the Potential of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). Hosted by the Volpe Center, this series is sponsored by the USDOT Project Delivery Center of Excellence. The three-part series will run from September 18 to October 22, 2024, and will explore lessons learned and best practices from projects that are making good on the potential of the BIL. The series will feature transportation thought leaders on three panel sessions: “Project Delivery Lessons Learned from Emergency Response Following an Infrastructure Catastrophe;” “Best Practices to Get Big Infrastructure Projects off the Ground;” and “Project Acceleration for the Public Good.” Register for the series here.

 

RESOURCES

Tracking BIL Investments and Progress

USDOT is tracking the historic progress of the BIL and its impact on America’s transportation systems. The Department recently released a fact sheet highlighting how BIL-funded projects are repairing old bridges, making roadways safer, upgrading ports to be more efficient, modernizing airport terminals, and expanding public transit and passenger rail services. To date, nearly $461 billion in BIL funding has been announced for over 60,000 specific projects and awards across over 4,500 communities in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and all U.S. territories. These projects range from repaving roads and water system upgrades funded through formula grants to states to competitive funding for massive bridge and transit projects. State-by-state fact sheets, which provide more detailed information about announced funding and projects in each state, are available here.

 

The DOT Navigator – USDOT’s Home for Funding and Technical Assistance Resources

 

The DOT Navigator is an online resource designed to help communities apply for grants, and plan for and deliver transformative infrastructure projects and services. The Navigator features detailed information on Technical Assistance Resources and Federal Grant Opportunities available from USDOT. You can review a detailed listing of anticipated dates for upcoming Notices of Funding Opportunity (NOFOs) for key programs authorized by the BIL and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), as well as other programs that support BIL and IRA objectives. The USDOT Discretionary Grants Dashboard provides communities with an overview of competitive grant opportunities that can help meet their transportation infrastructure needs.

 

Free USDOT Newsletters and Bulletins:   ·        Build America Bureau e-mail updates – subscribe here. ·        Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) e-mail updates. Subscribe here. ·        DOT Navigator biweekly bulletin – subscribe here. ·        FAA News – subscribe here. ·        FHWA Office of Tribal Transportation mailing list - sign up here. ·        FHWA’s Public Roads quarterly magazine - subscribe here. ·        FHWA’s Safety Compass newsletter - subscribe here. ·        FTA e-mail updates – subscribe here. ·        NHTSA’s Traffic Safety Marketing website – subscribe here. ·        Office of the Secretary Climate Change Center updates - subscribe here. ·        Office of the Secretary Counter-Human Trafficking Initiative updates – subscribe here. ·        Office of the Secretary Office of Public Affairs press releases – subscribe here. ·        Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) Small Business updates – subscribe here. ·        Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology (OST-R) Research Roundup monthly newsletter – subscribe here. ·        Rural Opportunities to Use Transportation for Economic Success (ROUTES) Initiative monthly newsletter – subscribe here. ·        Transportation Equity updates – subscribe here. ·        Volpe Center e-mail updates – subscribe here.

 

 

 

 POSTS OF THE WEEK

 

Today is expected to be the busiest day for air travel as we head into Labor Day weekend. Before you fly, bookmark http://FlightRights.gov to stay informed about your rights in case of delays or cancellations. And remember, always be kind to crew members and fellow passengers. (@SecretaryPete, 8-29-2024)

FAA Graphic

We're making historic investments in accessibility to ensure everyone can get where they need to go. As we cheer on our Paralympians in Paris, let's continue to improve transportation at home so that all Americans can navigate our communities. Go, Team USA! (@SecretaryPete, 8-28-2024)

We took a major step toward safer roads by announcing the nation’s first vehicle-to-everything (V2X) deployment plan, "Saving Lives with Connectivity." By accelerating V2X technology, we aim to bring roadway deaths down to the only acceptable number: zero. (@USDOT, 8-27, 2024)

FHWA Administrator Shailen Bhatt speaking at August 23 USDOT V2X Press Event

With investments in small and midsized ports, the Biden-Harris administration is empowering local economies and boosting agricultural exports. Strengthening our supply chains is good for Midwest growers and producers. (@USDOT, 8-27-2024)

###

 

As always, please reach out to us with questions, feedback, and suggestions at engage@dot.gov.         

 

Thank you!       

 

Kala Wright  

Director of Public Engagement  

Office of the Secretary