High Speed Rail Audit in California. Biggest Cost Driver?

Not acquiring land prior to beginning construction is cited as the largest cost driver according to an audit of California’s High Speed Rail project.

Rushed construction contributed to $600 million in cost overruns in a single segment of the high spped project. 

What happens if the project fails to accelerate the project? It will be forced to repay up to $3.5 billion to the federal government

Sacramento Bee | Rushed construction cost high-speed rail $600 million and delays mount, audit finds

3 Proactive Transportation Planning Needs of Texas Rural Highways.

  • Producers guide transportation needs by forecasting the changing truck travel to match advances in energy development 
  • Creative engeinnering. 
    • converting an existing two-way frontage road to one-way traffic
    • temporary use of bypass lanes until an overpass is built
  • Data TxDOT and TTI experts study accident data to reduce accidents

Trib Talks | William R. Stockton | Texas A&M Transportation Institute | Rural Texas highways give us a reliable path to the pump

+1 State Adopts Gas Tax Increase. 3 Pieces of Informed Intel

California voters approved a legislative increase in fuel taxes and vehicle fees by rejecting a rollback of those revenue sources in Propsoition 6. 

55% of voters approved the increased taxes and fees.

The 3 reasons attributed to the win? (see the reasons Missouri failed, ying and yang):

  • clearly detailing how the levies would be spent to fix deteriorating roads
  • fix  bridges
  • improve mass transit

A clear detailed plan won.

LA Times | California voter approval of gas tax increase gives hope to other groups that want to fund state priorities

What I need to know about a study that Says Ride Share Made Traffic Worse in an Urban Area?

Who conducted the study?  San Francisco County Transportation Authority

What urban area was studied? average speeds

What did the study reveal:

  • Slower Morning traffic. 26% decrease in average morning speeds since 2009
  • Slower Night traffic. 27% for evening traffic speeds during the same time
  • More traffic jams.  vehicle hour delays increased by 40,000 hours on an average day
  • More road wear and tear. miles traveled on local roads jumped 630,000 miles

The Car Connection | Study: Uber, Lyft have made traffic worse in San Francisco

2 Reasons Transportation Funding Failed in the Mount Laurel State

Colorado voters rejected by more than 20 points each 2 transportation funding mechanisms this November:

  • increased funding through a sales tax increase backed by Denver Chamber of Commerce 
  • $3.5 billion bond package paid through existing tax revenue and backed by a libertarian think tank

2 transportaiotn funding options that could get more Colorado support:

  • more specific funding proposals
  • encouraging regional solutions to provide matching funds

 

Thr Journal | Colorado transportation funding faces winding road ahead

Regulatory TREND. Gender X Option on Drivers Licenses.

Colorado residents can choose, Gender X, non binary, on their driver licenses. 

How did it happen?

  • Emergency rule by the Colorado Department of Revenue
  • Result of 1 year of work with  Gov. John Hickenlooper’s Joint ID Task Force to discuss adding a third gender option on the state’s driver licenses and identification cards

Governing | Gender X Comes to Colorado: Residents Can Choose Non-Binary Option on Driver’s Licenses

+1 Red/Purple State Voters Defeat Gas Tax. 4 legislative options to fix it.

Missouri voters defeated a gas tax increase 54:46. The gas tax under this proposal would have increased gradually for a total 10 cent increase.

The gas tax increase had bipartisan ledership support in Missouri.

Options on the table for legislators to increase transportation funding in Missouri:

  •  increasing various license and registration fees for Department of Transportation
  • a gas tax increase of 2 cents that would not require voter approval
  • dedicating  online sales tax revenue to transportation
  • implement pay as your drive

 

St. louis Dispatch | Gas tax defeat means Missouri lawmakers will be seeking money for roads

Refreshing our Recollection | READ THE BILLl | Procurement for Electric License Plates

Where are digital license plates being tested? Sacramento city cars are pilot testing digital license plates.

Are other locations on the horizon?  Yes, Texas & Florida

The company pushing digital license plates: The 

What else can digital license plates do?

  • track mileage
  • set geofence notifications

Cost of a digital license plate: $699 for individual consumers, plus installation, as well as a monthly fee of about $7.

The 2013 California legislation: A DMV bill calling for a study of  “alternatives to stickers, tabs, license plates, and registration cards.”  SB 806 (2013 | CA)

NPR | Digital License Plates Roll Out In California. 

Refreshing our Recollection | READ THE BILL | State Drivers Licenses via Phone App

Louisiana became the first state to allow citizens to use an App to show their state ID to law enforcement.

the Louisiana App: LA Wallet app on iOS and Android platforms

What about safety or hacking?

  • If the user’s phone is lost or stolen, the ID can be unlinked
  • The app contains a feature similar to the holograms & seals printed on the state’s physical ID cards

The company behind th eproduct: Envoc,

The Bill: HB481 (2016 | LA)

State Scoop | Drivers in Louisiana can now show police their ID on an app, instead of a card

Refreshing our Recollection | READ THE BILL | Tax Credit for EV use by Ride Share

California’s SB 1014 (CA | 2018) would credit Ride Share use of Electric Vehicles, including the use of bikes and scooters through ride share apps.

Ride share comapnies would be encouraged to invest in and encourage bike share and scooter share programs.

Here’s California PUC’s white paper on increasing EV use.

StreetsBlogCAL | Bill to Increase Use of Zero-Emission Vehicles Could Credit Uber, Lyft for Bike Miles