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State Smart Transportation Initiative

@innovativedot.bsky.social
155 followers 28 following 288 posts

SSTI supports state transportation agencies committed to sustainability, equity, and transparent governance. ssti.us

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State Smart Transportation Initiative @innovativedot.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
The White House wants to make it easier to run power, fiber, and other utilities along highway corridors. Learn more about state-led efforts in a recorded SSTI webinar. www.yahoo.com/news/politic...
yahoo.com
Trump’s new affordability push runs on highways, rail
The Transportation Department is proposing building infrastructure like water pipelines and transmission wires alongside existing roads and tracks.
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State Smart Transportation Initiative @innovativedot.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
A commodities strategist says U.S. gasoline prices are likely to reach $5 a gallon, with diesel potentially reaching $7 to $9, adding to record fuel costs for households. www.ttnews.com/articles/hig...
ttnews.com
Strategist sees ‘extremely high’ risk of $5 gas by November - TT
Veteran commodities strategist Jeff Currie also said U.S. diesel could reach $7 to $9 a gallon.
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State Smart Transportation Initiative @innovativedot.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Albuquerque and Portland, Oregon, are using speed sensors at traffic signals to give drivers traveling at or below the speed limit earlier green lights. apnews.com/article/rest...
apnews.com
https://apnews.com/article/rest-red-reward-drivers-portland-albuquerque-bcec5e0fe91dcaaaeb8f60e866ff7a37
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State Smart Transportation Initiative @innovativedot.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
PennDOT and Governor Shapiro are expanding Amtrak service between Pittsburgh and New York City, supported by more than $80 million in state investment. www.pa.gov/agencies/pen...
pa.gov
Gov. Shapiro Announces Expanded Pennsylvanian Train Service Will Begin in Nov.
Gov. Shapiro Announces Expanded Pennsylvanian Train Service Will Begin in Nov.
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State Smart Transportation Initiative @innovativedot.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
New IIHS research finds Waymo’s driverless vehicles had 68% lower police-reportable crash involvement rates than humans, though better national crash and VMT data are still needed. www.iihs.org/research-are...
iihs.org
Rise of the machines: crash experiences of highly automated vehicles and human drivers
'Rise of the machines: crash experiences of highly automated vehicles and human drivers' by Teoh, Eric R. / Kidd, David G. / Riexinger, Luke E.
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State Smart Transportation Initiative @innovativedot.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Federal transportation grants favor merit over politics, but under-resourced areas still struggle to compete. Direct technical support and simpler rules can help close the gap. ssti.us/2026/09/22/g...
ssti.us
Grant success favored the well-resourced, not the well-connected
By Briant Novinska-Lois Competitive federal transportation grants are reaching communities without political bias, but a technical capacity gap is leaving under-resourced areas behind. A recent study…
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State Smart Transportation Initiative @innovativedot.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Texas spent nearly $3 billion widening Houston’s Katy Freeway, but within three years, commute times were up to 51% longer. spacedaily.com/d-houston-sp...
spacedaily.com
Houston spent nearly 3 billion dollars widening a single freeway to 26 lanes to kill its traffic — and within three years the drive was taking up to 51 per cent longer, proof of a rule planners keep r...
The Katy Freeway's 26 lanes and $3 billion price tag offer a cautionary tale: induced demand means more road capacity simply generates more traffic to fill it.
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State Smart Transportation Initiative @innovativedot.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
One year since it opened, Amtrak's Mardi Gras line is set to hit 150,000 riders—more than double the original projections. The service is bringing more visitors and economic activity to cities along the Gulf Coast. t4america.org/2026/08/18/o...
t4america.org
One year in, the Mardi Gras rail line is bringing broader benefits to the Gulf Coast region - Transportation For America
For 15 years, Transportation for America worked with the Southern Rail Commission, federal officials like Mississippi Sen. Roger Wicker, and other partners to restore passenger rail service to the…
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State Smart Transportation Initiative @innovativedot.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
As federal transportation policy shifts away from sustainability, California is putting up $35 million in grants for climate resilience, multimodal transit, and underserved communities. dot.ca.gov/news-release...
dot.ca.gov
Caltrans Seeking Applicants for Sustainable Transportation Planning Grants | Caltrans
State of California
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State Smart Transportation Initiative @innovativedot.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
A new AAA study finds that many drivers view speed limits as appropriate but don’t think strict compliance is necessary. Instead, they often judge safe speeds by the flow of traffic and confidence in their own ability to drive safely. aaafoundation.org/research/att...
aaafoundation.org
Attitudes Toward Speeding: Insights from Focus Groups and a National Survey of U.S. Drivers - AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety
This report explores driver’s attitudes towards speeding and speeding-related countermeasures through focus groups discussions with drivers and provides data on the prevalence of attitudes based on a…
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State Smart Transportation Initiative @innovativedot.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Electric bicycles are a growing concern, but that misses the larger threat posed by cars. Of 310 e-bike-related deaths from 2017 to 2024, just 6% involved a pedestrian, while 55% involved a motor vehicle. www.cpsc.gov/s3fs-public/...
cpsc.gov
https://www.cpsc.gov/s3fs-public/Micromobility_Products-Related_Deaths_Injuries_and_Hazard_Patterns_2017-2024.pdf#page=12
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State Smart Transportation Initiative @innovativedot.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
New York State is putting congestion pricing revenue toward a subway station renewal that will pilot the nation’s first transit thermal energy network. The project could cool subway platforms while capturing excess heat to warm nearby public buildings. www.nyc.gov/mayors-offic...
nyc.gov
Mayor Mamdani, Governor Hochul and MTA Announce Plan to Lower Subway Platform Temperatures and Harness Thermal Energy in Lower Manhattan
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
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State Smart Transportation Initiative @innovativedot.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Electric vehicle adoption is surging worldwide, but the U.S. is falling behind. As states and local governments work to cut transportation emissions, this slowdown is a reminder that cleaner vehicles are only part of the solution. ssti.us/2026/08/31/e...
ssti.us
Electric vehicle adoption is surging worldwide, but not in the U.S.
The New York Times reports that global sales of electric and hybrid vehicles have surged over the past few years, rising from 4 percent of sales in 2020 to 29 percent today. That's good news for…
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State Smart Transportation Initiative @innovativedot.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
New research suggests low-cost, quick-build projects can increase driver yielding and reduce speeds, offering safety benefits similar to more permanent infrastructure in many cases. www.cts.umn.edu/news-pubs/ne...
cts.umn.edu
Research finds pedestrian-focused infrastructure can boost safety | Center for Transportation Studies
Pedestrian injuries and fatalities have significant personal, societal, and financial impacts, making it crucial to identify effective strategies to improve pedestrian safety. A research project by…
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State Smart Transportation Initiative @innovativedot.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
Five Americans die every hour from toxic vehicle pollution. In 2024, vehicle emissions contributed to more than 41,800 premature deaths, and country leads the world in new pediatric asthma cases linked to vehicle pollution. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
theguardian.com
Five Americans die every hour from toxic vehicle emissions, study finds
Research suggests 41,800 premature US deaths in 2024 were attributable to road pollution
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State Smart Transportation Initiative @innovativedot.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
1 in 3 Americans say road accidents are their top daily safety risk, more than crime or violence. news.gallup.com/poll/712673/...
news.gallup.com
Americans Lead World in Viewing Politics as Risk to Safety
The World Risk Poll finds that one in 10 Americans name politics as the top risk to daily safety, with no other country rating it as a greater risk.
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State Smart Transportation Initiative @innovativedot.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
Texas and Oklahoma DOTs agreed to share real-time corridor data. The exchange includes traffic, incidents, and lane-closures to improve operations and traveler information. www.txdot.gov/about/newsro...
txdot.gov
Texas and Oklahoma announce data sharing agreement
The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) today announced the successful execution and implementation of a bi-state data sharing agreement…
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State Smart Transportation Initiative @innovativedot.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
As self-driving cars become more common, larger gaps between vehicles and slower traffic speeds could make it easier for people to cross the street safely. doi.org/10.1016/j.aa...
doi.org
Redirecting
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State Smart Transportation Initiative @innovativedot.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
In California, some communities are calling for bans on drive-throughs citing health, safety, and environmental concerns. www.nytimes.com/2026/08/01/u...
nytimes.com
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/01/us/drive-throughs-california-culver-city-in-n-out.html
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State Smart Transportation Initiative @innovativedot.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
Despite global road deaths falling, the U.S. has made little progress, highlighting shortcomings in how we measure and approach road safety. ssti.us/2026/08/17/a...
ssti.us
As global road deaths are falling, the U.S. is being left behind
Road deaths are declining around the world, even as more than 1 billion additional vehicles have been added since 2011. The U.S., however, is not following this trend, highlighting shortcomings in how...
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State Smart Transportation Initiative @innovativedot.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
75% of Americans support having bike lanes where they live and 33% want more. The support comes as the U.S. DOT redirects $1.73 billion from cycling improvements to city streets. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
theguardian.com
US push to defund ‘DEI bike lanes’ will make roads less safe, advocates say
Trump administration boasts of cutting $1.73bn already allocated for cycling improvements to city streets
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State Smart Transportation Initiative @innovativedot.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
A review of 73 studies found that in-vehicle touchscreens generally perform worse than physical buttons or voice controls for driver safety and usability. doi.org/10.1016/j.tr...
doi.org
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State Smart Transportation Initiative @innovativedot.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
More states are moving beyond widening roads to adopting policies that reduce VMT. Four states already have VMT mitigation laws, and several others are considering similar legislation. www.brookings.edu/articles/why...
brookings.edu
Why more states are passing laws to help people drive less | Brookings
Which states have VMT mitigation laws, why some efforts have failed, and where VMT mitigation policies could become law.
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State Smart Transportation Initiative @innovativedot.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
Florida DOT has signed a statewide agreement to develop floating solar energy panels on stormwater ponds. www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2026/05/flor...
solarpowerworldonline.com
Florida DOT leases potentially all its stormwater ponds for floating solar development
Floating solar contractor D3Energy has signed a master lease with the Florida Dept. of Transportation (FDOT) to serve as the exclusive developer of
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State Smart Transportation Initiative @innovativedot.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
Speeding saves the average driver only about 54 seconds of travel time per day compared to driving the posted speed limit. In return, drivers pay more for fuel and face greater safety risks. doi.org/10.1038/s444...
doi.org
Speeding incurs substantial environmental and economic costs nationwide for negligible travel time savings - Communications Sustainability
Obeying speed limits can save over six million gallons of fuel and fifty thousand metric tonnes of carbon dioxide per day with minimal delay, based on analysis of more than one hundred twenty million…
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State Smart Transportation Initiative @innovativedot.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
In a study of Midwestern DOT roadside planting practices, MnDOT's efforts stood out. Other DOTs can improve functional diversity in seed mixes and include more early blooming plants. doi.org/10.1016/j.tr...
doi.org
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State Smart Transportation Initiative @innovativedot.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
Each year, hundreds of pedestrian deaths in parking lots and driveways are excluded from national crash data, leaving a major gap in how agencies measure and address traffic safety. Counting these crashes could help DOTs target dangerous locations. ssti.us/2026/08/03/f...
ssti.us
Federal numbers understate danger to walkers and bikers
Every year, resources are poured into counting and preventing pedestrian deaths. But because parking lots and driveways are classified as private property, fatal crashes involving people walking in…
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State Smart Transportation Initiative @innovativedot.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
FHWA quietly removed bike lanes, speed safety cameras, and other "Proven Safety Countermeasures" from its website. Fortunately, they are still available in the agency's 2021 report, which NACTO has archived. www.npr.org/2026/07/16/n...
npr.org
Bike lanes and speed cameras disappear from the DOT's list of proven safety measures
The Federal Highway Administration quietly stripped bike lanes and other safety recommendations from a key list of best practices. Critics say those measures are proven to cut crashes and save lives.
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State Smart Transportation Initiative @innovativedot.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
A childcare center opened inside Grand Rapids' main transit hub. The first of its kind in the state, it has direct access to 17 bus lines, making childcare more accessible. www.mlive.com/news/grand-r...
mlive.com
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State Smart Transportation Initiative @innovativedot.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
Vermont will implement a mileage-based road user fee for battery EVs beginning in 2027. The fee is capped at $178 per year. roadpricing.blogspot.com/2026/07/verm...
roadpricing.blogspot.com
Vermont will be the next US state to implement RUC
Road pricing news, congestion charging, congestion pricing, road user charging, toll roads news
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State Smart Transportation Initiative @innovativedot.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
Roundabouts are generally quieter than signalized intersections, according to a review of 38 studies. doi.org/10.1016/j.jt...
doi.org
Redirecting
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State Smart Transportation Initiative @innovativedot.bsky.social · 28/07/2026
A new analysis finds that if current highway-focused spending patterns continue, transportation emissions could increase by 22 million metric tons over the next 15 years, according to Georgetown Climate Center. www.georgetownclimate.org/articles/mor...
georgetownclimate.org
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State Smart Transportation Initiative @innovativedot.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
People in 10 states are driving less than they did in 1994, an updated analysis shows. In Washington, the average resident drives more than 1,000 fewer miles per year than three decades ago. frontiergroup.org/resources/wh...
frontiergroup.org
Updated: Less driving is possible
Residents of several states have driven fewer miles on average in recent years than they did three decades ago. This decline suggests that Americans’ high levels of driving are not inevitable.
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State Smart Transportation Initiative @innovativedot.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
South Carolina has replaced its nine-member DOT commission with a governor-appointed transportation secretary and authorized the state to explore optional toll lanes. www.live5news.com/2026/06/29/s...
live5news.com
South Carolina overhauls transportation agency, opens door to toll ‘choice lanes’
Gov. Henry McMaster signed into law a sweeping overhaul of the state’s transportation system.
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State Smart Transportation Initiative @innovativedot.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
Agencies in California can mitigate a project's VMT impacts through a transit-oriented development implementation fund, which then funds and monitors affordable housing projects near transit. lci.ca.gov/wp-content/u...
lci.ca.gov
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State Smart Transportation Initiative @innovativedot.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
North Carolina has eliminated minimum parking requirements for most new developments, marking a major shift in transportation and land use policy. The change could help reduce traffic, lower development costs, and support more transportation choices. ssti.us/2026/07/20/n...
ssti.us
North Carolina’s new parking law could reshape its transportation landscape
Under a new law in North Carolina, most cities and towns will not be allowed to set minimum parking requirements for new developments or changes in building use. This change comes amid a growing…
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State Smart Transportation Initiative @innovativedot.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
New York's congestion pricing has cut ambulance response times by over a minute, according to researchers. First responders question whether that's enough to combat rising traffic delays. gothamist.com/news/every-s...
gothamist.com
'Every second counts': Congestion pricing speeds up ambulances in Manhattan, study finds
New research indicates that the tolling program has helped people reach the hospital faster during life-threatening emergencies.
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State Smart Transportation Initiative @innovativedot.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
A new study suggests transit agencies can expand services more effectively by using early ridership data to guide future investments instead of relying solely on demand forecasts. Across 25 cities, this approach reached more underserved neighborhoods. doi.org/10.48550/arX...
doi.org
Risk-Aware Planning for Transit Desert Remediation Under Demand Uncertainty
Transit deserts are areas where public transportation is inadequate despite evidence of travel demand, a condition that affects tens of millions of residents across the Americas. Planning for these…
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State Smart Transportation Initiative @innovativedot.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
In small towns, low-traffic, low-speed roads can support bikeability, even without traditional bike lanes. Communities like Old Orchard, PA earned top marks in PeopleForBikes' annual rankings. usa.streetsblog.org/2026/06/26/a...
usa.streetsblog.org
Annual 'Best Bike City' Rankings Yields Small Town Surprises — Streetsblog USA
PeopleForBikes finds which cities are leading the charge in bikeability.
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State Smart Transportation Initiative @innovativedot.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
Vehicles in the U.S. have grown much larger, contributing to higher crash risks, increased emissions, and other unintended consequences. Researchers argue that changes to vehicle regulations could help encourage a shift toward smaller, safer vehicles. ssti.us/2026/07/07/b...
ssti.us
Bigger isn’t always better: The hidden costs of larger vehicles
Vehicles in the U.S. have gotten much larger over the past few decades, and research suggests that this shift has had far-reaching consequences, making roads more dangerous for everyone while…
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State Smart Transportation Initiative @innovativedot.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
A WSDOT maintenance team started scooter-pooling to work. The change has boosted morale and changed their perceptions of bike lanes. wsdotblog.blogspot.com/2026/06/how-...
wsdotblog.blogspot.com
How a maintenance crew turned their commutes into a multimodal adventure
The WSDOT Blog
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State Smart Transportation Initiative @innovativedot.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
Waiting to cross the street can account for more than one-third of the travel time that people with mobility impairments spend getting around. doi.org/10.1016/j.jt...
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State Smart Transportation Initiative @innovativedot.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
North Carolina could be the first state to bar cities from setting minimum parking requirements. This would lower development costs, reduce stormwater runoff, and ease car dependence. www.axios.com/local/charlo...
axios.com
North Carolina could eliminate parking minimums statewide
Legislation would limit local control over parking mandates.
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State Smart Transportation Initiative @innovativedot.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
Vehicle miles traveled (VMT) is a better way to measure traffic impacts from new development than traditional congestion metrics, researchers say. California made the switch, and other states are following its lead. techxplore.com/news/2026-06...
techxplore.com
Vehicle miles traveled: An improved, but imperfect, traffic metric
Opponents of new developments often argue that more construction will bring more traffic, frequently convincing developers to reduce the scale of their projects or seek out less densely populated…
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State Smart Transportation Initiative @innovativedot.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
Of the 20 most deadly states in the country for pedestrians, 19 either made no improvement or became more dangerous since last year. Crashes that kill pedestrians are up 72% since 2009. www.smartgrowthamerica.org/signature-re...
smartgrowthamerica.org
Dangerous by Design - Smart Growth America
About us
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State Smart Transportation Initiative @innovativedot.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
The USDOT rescinded Title VI rules that required equity reviews. The change could speed up project approvals but removes a key civil rights safeguard against discriminatory outcomes in transportation planning. www.kqed.org/news/1208711...
kqed.org
Trump Transit Secretary Rescinds Key Civil Rights Law Once Used to Challenge BART Project | KQED
Title VI prohibits transportation agencies that receive federal funding from implementing programs or activities that unintentionally and disproportionately impact people who are protected by the…
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State Smart Transportation Initiative @innovativedot.bsky.social · 26/06/2026
California is testing a "smart freeway" that aims to reduce congestion by making better use of existing infrastructure. The pilot project uses real-time traffic data to coordinate ramp meters and improve traffic flow along an eight-mile stretch of I-15. www.sfgate.com/travel/artic...
sfgate.com
Client Challenge
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State Smart Transportation Initiative @innovativedot.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
High speeds and larger vehicles are both safety risks on the road. Some researchers are combining the two into a call to reduce exposure to kinetic energy in the transportation system. injuryprevention.bmj.com/content/earl...
injuryprevention.bmj.com
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State Smart Transportation Initiative @innovativedot.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
The U.S. has some of the highest transit construction costs in the world, and years of disinvestment in the public workforce may be part of the problem. New recommendations call for smarter planning and investing in public agencies to help bring costs down. ssti.us/2026/06/22/t...
ssti.us
Transit projects don’t have to cost this much
Fires and electrical problems at Penn Station ahead of World Cup matches have contributed to a global spotlight shining on America’s lackluster transit systems this summer. The price tag for an…
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State Smart Transportation Initiative @innovativedot.bsky.social · 23/06/2026
In rural areas, children who live in town are more physically active, while those who live outside of town spend more time in vehicles. doi.org/10.1016/j.jt...
doi.org
Redirecting
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