Category: Public Works

September 8, 2023

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recently authorized two additional companies to operate drones beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS). The agency asked for public input on four BVLOS requests and is reviewing one request. Phoenix Air Unmanned was authorized to […]

September 6, 2023

Electric vehicles could drive a 38% rise in U.S. electricity consumption by 2050. To prepare, utilities and other energy companies are partnering with auto manufacturers and other stakeholders to explore how to manage grid stress, use EVs as distributed resources […]

September 6, 2023

EVs could drive a 38% rise in U.S. electricity consumption by 2050, according to National Renewable Energy Laboratory estimates. The demand will provide utilities with new revenues, but it will also require distribution system upgrades and load management strategies to […]

August 21, 2023

Intense flooding in the Northeast, extreme heat waves in the Southwest — across the U.S., we’re seeing an increase in weather-related disasters that cause damage to electricity grids. A recent study found that between the years 2000 and 2021, 83% […]

August 18, 2023

U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced the U.S. Marine Highway Program would add two new Marine Highway routes during a visit to Alaska Wednesday. In Alaska, M-11, a route covering more than 6,500 miles will be added to […]

August 17, 2023

Electric vehicle (EV) adoption is proceeding faster than anticipated even a year ago. Recent projections say EVs could account for 30 to 42 million light-duty vehicles on U.S. roads in 2030. That does not include municipal and school buses, delivery […]

August 15, 2023

On Friday, Gov. Josh Shapiro announced that the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) had awarded 77 grants totaling nearly $36 million for the state’s “Green Light-Go” program. The program, which provides reimbursements to municipalities for updates that improve efficiency and […]

August 14, 2023

Anticipation is building for utilities as they await decisions on their applications for Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA)/Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) federal funding. The gravity of the task ahead cannot be understated—and one truth learned from the 2008 Smart […]

August 10, 2023

The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) recently opened the application period for the Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) Grants Program. The program will provide up to $500 million in grants over five years to projects focused on advanced smart […]

August 4, 2023

On Wednesday, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced it had invested nearly $4 million into three airports in the western part of the state. The investments in the Pittsburgh International, Allegheny County and Washington County Airports are part of […]

July 31, 2023

The extreme weather landscape is changing, and utility operations and incident commanders are seeking new solutions to adjust to the volatile landscape. Case in point is last year’s hurricane season, which, despite an average hurricane season, saw the third-highest number […]

July 27, 2023

U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE) introduced legislation this week that would improve highway safety and implement motor carrier standards. The Motor Carrier Safety Selection Standard Act would require the U.S. Department of Transportation to establish a Safety Fitness Determination test […]

July 26, 2023

U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Rep. Sam Graves (R-MO) and Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chairman Sen. Tom Carper (D-DE) want the U.S. Department of Transportation to update them on the status of alternative means to fund […]

July 25, 2023

A proposed Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) rule would expand the definition of Light Sport Aircraft. The Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certification rule would put performance safety standards on larger aircraft and would expand the type of aircraft sport pilots can […]

July 21, 2023

Port of San Diego personnel are touting the recent delivery of a pair of new all-electric Gottwald Generation 6 Mobile Harbor Cranes to the Port’s Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal (TAMT). “These all-electric mobile harbor cranes are a game changer for […]

July 17, 2023

There have been 12 billion-dollar weather or climate disasters in the United States as of July 2023, and electric utilities are bracing for further impact. The growing threat of increasingly severe weather due to climate change will continue to test […]

July 14, 2023

Rail Passenger Association (RPA) and Amtrak officials are raising concerns regarding the House Committee on Appropriation’s draft Fiscal Year 2024 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) legislation. The RPA indicated the bill would reduce Amtrak’s budget 64 percent from what […]

July 3, 2023

The U.S. Department of Transportation recently awarded more than $2.2 billion in Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grants to 162 infrastructure projects nationwide. The RAISE program helps fund critical freight and passenger transportation infrastructure projects. “Using the […]

June 29, 2023

The Federal Highway Administration and its partners recently completed an environmental review of Manhattan Central Business District Tolling, a congestion pricing program. The agency concluded the program should meet its objectives of reducing congestion and overall vehicle miles traveled. The […]

June 28, 2023

COMMENTARY | Federal leaders must take lessons learned from network protection efforts to empower state and local governments and critical infrastructure operators. Read More on FCW