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Opinion: An Intelligent Deal for Infrastructure

July 21, 2021
Morning Consult

The United States has more than 4 million miles of public roadways, including 160,955 miles under the National Highway System, one of the longest systems in the world. As the Biden administration and Congress continue to work on a plan to address America’s infrastructure needs, nobody disputes that our roads and bridges need fixing. But what about upgrading?

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FRA publishes final rule for state highway-rail grade crossing action plans

December 15, 2020
American Journal of Transportation

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) published a final rule requiring 40 states and the District of Columbia to develop and implement highway-rail grade crossing action plans to improve public safety.

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“Safety is imperative to FHWA, especially where roads and rails meet,” said FHWA Administrator Nicole R. Nason. “These action plans can help states make highway-rail grade crossings safer for the traveling public.”

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U.S. DOT ANNOUNCES FIRST-EVER PEDESTRIAN SAFETY ACTION PLAN

November 24, 2020
RoadsBridges.com

In 2020, Administrator Nason started a national series of stakeholder discussions about pedestrian safety and launched “STEP UP,” a Safe Transportation for Every Pedestrian campaign, to help states make roads safer for everyone.

The new Pedestrian Safety Action Plan will promote the expanded use of countermeasures, technology, and data-driven practices to address pedestrian fatalities and injuries.

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DOT Releases National Freight Strategic Plan

September 3, 2020
TruckingInfo.com

Federal Highway Administrator Nicole Nason mentioned that technology can play a role in trucking
activity, such as through electronic routing systems and weigh-in-motion sensors. “Freight movement is often intermodal,” Nason said. “Even if airports, seaports or railroads are involved, trucks are still needed to move those products to their final destinations.”

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FHWA, NHTSA Administrators Highlight Work on ADAS, Truck Parking

August 5, 2020
TruckingInfo.com

During the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s 2020 Trucking Safety Summit, held virtually on Aug. 5, Federal Highway Administration Administrator Nicole Nason and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Acting Administrator James Owens lauded the trucking industry for its ongoing work to move essential items across the country during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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FHWA Awards $15.1 Million for Alternative Funding Pilot Projects

July 9, 2020
Transport Topics

The Federal Highway Administration has awarded $15.1 million in Surface Transportation System Funding Alternatives grants.
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“These seven pilot projects will help provide valuable insight into potential new sources of revenue to
support highway and bridge improvements nationwide,” Federal Highway Administrator Nicole Nason said.

NHTSA, FHWA turn to new technologies to improve highway safety

August 6, 2020
Fleetowner.com

Nicole Nason, FHWA administrator, emphasized that the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the demand for e-commerce and just-in-time delivery services, which is expected to grow in the years ahead. “The American trucking industry is carrying more goods on U.S. roads now than ever before, estimated to be around 12 billion tons in 2018, valued at nearly $11 trillion,” Nason said. “These numbers are expected to continue to climb to 14.2 billion tons, worth more than $16 trillion in the next 25 years.”

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FHWA Grants States Broad Emergency Truck Weight Permitting

April 10, 2020
The AASHTO Journal

The Federal Highway Administration is providing state departments of transportation with broad truck weight permitting leeway for shipments of emergency supplies related to the COVID-19 pandemic. “Although Congress has not provided authority allowing states to waive weight restrictions on the interstate system during national emergencies or major disasters, states may currently provide special permits to vehicles carrying relief supplies in response to the COVID-19 emergency,” noted Nicole Nason, FHWA administrator

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FHWA Research Showcase Highlights Transportation Innovations

September 20, 2019
The AASHTO Journal

Nicole Nason, FHWA’s administrator, added that her agency’s autonomous vehicle research has “truly been a multimodal effort” and “only scratches the surface” of what is being deployed to improve the nation’s transportation system. “Our Cooperative Automotive Research Mobility Application or CARMA program is helping make autonomous vehicles of the future ‘road-ready,’” she explained in an interview with the AASHTO Journal at the event.

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Nicole Nason Sworn In as FHWA Chief

May 8, 2019
Transportation Topics

Nicole Nason, the new top officer at the Federal Highway Administration, was sworn in on May 2. Nason expressed a commitment to ensure the safety of the system. As she put it: “Working with our many state and local partners, I look forward to leading the FHWA and to developing a strong, safe and modern transportation network that meets the needs of our 21st century nation.”

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New FHWA Administrator Ready to Tackle Mounting Infrastructure Challenges

May 15, 2019
ForConstructionPros.com

Newly sworn-in Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Administrator Nicole Nason spoke to attendees of the 2019 Transportation for Construction Coalition (TCC) Fly-In. In her first address as Administrator, Nason discussed the growing needs of our infrastructure and FHWA’s vision for the future.