Monthly Archives: February 2019

Regulatory TREND. High Speed Rail. Learning from tall HSR bridges in California

Where are these bridges on the HSR route? roads that cross the HSR path

What measurement stanadard was used? 27 feet clearance above the top of the rails

How tall is that? You could double stack Shinkansens trains beneath them

How does this compare to other HSR projects?

  • TEXAS
    • Center for Transportation Research at the University of Texas: “at least 19 feet of clearance.” 
  • FRANCE
    • operate with 21 feet of clearance

 

Slate | Why Did California Build Such Tall Bridges Over Its…

Gas Tax Increase. 2 Governors. 1 Republican. 1 Democrat.

The Republican:

  • Ohio Governor Mike DeWine
  • 18 cents a gallon increase
  • current gas tax: 28 cents a gallon
  • A State Commission recommended the gas tax increase in this  89-page report

The Democrat:

  • Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz
  • 20 cents a gallon increase
  • current gas tax: 28.6 cents a gallon

Governing | 18 Cents a Gallon? 20 Cents? Two Governors Float Major Gas Tax Hikes

TX Attorney General Opinion. County Roads v. Public Roads.

KP-0240 is about whether a pulic road with a gate on on it, can the county open the gate, effectively treating the road as a county road. 

What did the Attorney General Opinion say about what the county can or cannot do with the gate on the public road? Until the road is a county road, or the county is party ot a court order, the county cnanot open the gate

What do I need to know about public roads and county roads from a regulatory/legislative approach?

  • Texas statutes use “county road” and…

Lege Trend. Anatomy of a Statewide Scooter Bill. Applies liability to Operator.

Indiana’s HB 649 (2019 | IN) would:

  • exempts schooters from motor vehicle requirements
  • classifies e-scooters as bicycles- stop lights and bike lanes matter
  • exempts e-scooter firms from financial responsibility for accidents
  • liability is on the operator
  • sets standards such as:
    • maximum speed
    • number of wheels
    • proper lighting
    • weight 

Nuvo Indy | E-Scooter Bill Zips Out of House

Lege TREND. Anatomy of a Gas Tax + Its Alternative in a Red State with Trucking Association Support

Ohio Governor proposes raising the gas tax by 18 cents from the current 28 cents.

Supporters of the gas tax increase:

  • Ohio Trucking Association

The alternative: pay as you drive.

Opponents to Pay as You Drive say:

  • Pay as your Drive has high administrative costs
  • isn’t well vetted
  • hard to implement

Government Technology | Ohio Looks to Oregon’s Mileage Tax Plan to Fund Transportation

Lege TREND. Legalizing Consumption of Roadkill

State: California

The legislation: SB 395 (CA | 2019)

Specific animals: deer, elk, antelope and wild pigs

How does it work?

  • Permits a person to retroactively, at no cost, apply for any necessary hunting license
  • It also applies to seriosuly injured animals may be killed “in a safe, legal, and humane manner”

Supporters say:

  • “translates into hundreds of thousands of pounds of healthy meat that could be utilized to feed those in need”

Sacramento Bee | You kill it, you grill it? New California…

Lege TREND. State legislation to remove speed limits on highways.

The State: California

The bill: SB 319 (CA | 2019)  by  Moorlach, R-Costa Mesa

Parameters of the bill:

  • Limited to 2 lanes each to the north- and south-bound lanes of I-5 & Highway 99
  • there will be a lower speed limit
     

Supporters say:

  •  “traffic congestion increases the emissions of greenhouse gases as it causes automobiles to idle longer while on roadways.“
  • A 2008 Purdue University report found that “raising the speed limit on an interstate highway in Indiana had not increased the…

Regulatory TREND. 3 Recommendations. Regulatory Report. Utility Investment in EV Charging.

Who is making recommendations? Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection

What are the 3 recommendations for utilties to invest in EV?

  • transportation electrification
  • establishing statewide sales goals
  • expanding an alternative fuel investment grants program for municipalities, businesses and organizations

3 Ways the EV investment can benefit utilities:

  • invest in EV infrastructure to benefit drivers and the grid
  • support fleet EV purchases for government
  • Innovative financing…

Lege TREND. Sate of the State Calls for Curbing High Speed Rail. 5 Bits informed intel.

Gavin Newsom’s first State of State called for curbing California’s high speed rail project because it:

  • extending the rail would cost too much and take too long
  • project’s persistent cost overruns, mismanagement and delays
  • a San Diego to San Francisco train doesn’t appear viable
  • little oversight
  • not enough transparency

Governing | Breaking From Predecessor, California Governor to Scale Back High-Speed Rail Project

Lege TREND. No Eminent Domain for Homes in Transportation Projects. The bill:

HB 663 (MD | 2019) prevents the use of eminent domain for:

  • state transportation projects
  • if the property is taken is residential
  • and if the project is in a public-private partnership

How did this get triggered in Maryland? The Governor’s proposed plan would include toll lanes, and this  bill was filed in response.

 

Bethesda Magazine | Governor’s Highway Widening Plan Gets Another Potential Roadblock