(Source: Wheels Blog – NY Times & Autoblog)

Asia’s premier auto exhibition, the Tokyo Motor Show, held every other fall at the sprawling Makuhari Messe convention center, is still scheduled to take place Oct. 23-Nov. 4, but the cast of characters shrinks almost daily.  The exhibition has suffered in recent years with sales declines in the Japanese domestic market. Now, automakers around the world are experiencing sales and production slowdowns and are canceling plans for many new models.

Image Courtesy: Tokyo Motor Show

In fact, the display area for the 2009 show will be less than half of what it was in 2007, the last time the show was held. That show, in turn, was substantially smaller than the one in 2005. This year, the show is also being shortened by four days. Canceling the show entirely, J.A.M.A. said, would complicate its ability to revive it in future years.

(Source:  Autobloggreen)

Before you think we’ve gone crazy, let’s make clear that this is a post about a serious report published in Nature Geoscience. According to this report, lead that was expelled to the atmosphere through exhaust gases stimulated the growth of clouds. Larger clouds imply less solar radiation, which has a definitive cool effect. In this EU funded study, investigators from Switzerland, Germany and the U.S. “captured” clouds on some mountains and compared them to artificial ones created in laboratories. Their conclusion: if the air has some lead suspended in it, temperature and humidity didn’t pay as significant a role in cloud formation.

The Notre-Planete observed “the major part of atmospheric lead comes from human activities, the main sources are coal combustion, gasoline lead, small aircraft flying at the altitude where the clouds form and construction that release lead from ground.

Emissions of greenhouse gases are the main cause of global warming, but the emission of small particles of substances such as lead may have the opposite effect by interacting with water vapor in the atmosphere to trigger the formation of clouds. Depending on their altitude and the thickness of the clouds can reflect sunlight into space or trap the heat radiated by the Earth.

What’s interesting is that their models show that between 1970 and 1980, before unleaded gasoline became common, most dust on the Earth’s suface had lead particles in it. This might have helped more clouds get created, and that reduced the impact of greenhouse gases accumulation in the atmosphere.  Though research has proved time and again the ill effects of lead on human health, it is surprising to see the “side effect” that has helpedin guarding the environment.

(Source: Autobloggreen & Gizmag) & Mc24.no)

It’s been a little while since we last heard from Suzuki regarding its planned hydrogen fuel cell motorcycle, Crosscage, but apparently the Japanese company has been hard at work getting the machine ready for production. According to Ivar Kvadsheim over at MC24.no, teams from both Suzuki and Intelligent Energy were present at the EVS24 event in Stavanger, Norway, with their fuel cell-powered machines.

Image Courtesy: Autobloggreen

In the ENV and Cross Cage used tl cell to produce electricity to recharge the batteries, which in turn drive electric motor. On the prototype cell gives a power of 1 kW and delivers power to a motor that gives 8 horsepower. The new cell will be used in the production models are lighter and more efficient and delivers 1.8 kW, almost double the output. 

Over the last few years, Intelligent Energy has reportedly managed to increase the output of its fuel cell from 1 kW to 1.8 kW, and both its ENV bike and Suzuki Crosscage will use this same power source. That’s great, but the real issue holding up production is the bike’s hydrogen storage tank. It seems the two companies were planning to use a tank from BMW, but later found out that unit was only approved for automotive use and couldn’t be legally used in a motorcycle.  So we have to go through the entire process to create and get approved a new container, “explains Dennis Hayter of Intelligent Energy. 

This process will probably take about four months. Then both Suzuki and Intelligent Energy to run a few months of testing with an approved container, before they can be put into regular production.

It is expected that both ENV and Cross Cage arrive for sale in the course of next year, probably already in the spring. Bikes will have a range of 160 miles and Hayter estimates a price of around 8000 Euro.

According to Gizmag, Suzuki’s Crosscage will feature a single-sided suspension front AND rear. The brushless electric motor’s mounted inline with the rear wheel, and looks-wise it’s so far out there that it’s on its way back again. It was rumoured that Bridgestone’s even developed a special futuristic-looking tyre to match the bike’s oddly tesselated discs.

Friday, May 22, 2009 – ISSN 1529-1057

1) Poor Communication Between Airports and Public Heath Authorities Hampers Swine Flu Fight: Aviation Official

Link to story from the Montreal Gazette:

http://www.canada.com/health/Poor+communication+hampers+swine+fight+Aviation+official/1613638/story.html

Link to news release from the International Civil Aviation Organization:

http://www.icao.int/icao/en/nr/2009/pio200906_e.pdf

2) Florida State Aircraft Flight Logs Go Online

Link to story in the Tallahassee Democrat:

http://floridacapitalnews.com/article/20090522/CAPITOLNEWS/905220330&theme

Link to site:

http://dms.myflorida.com/business_operations/specialized_services/aircraft_operations/state_aircraft_flight_information

CAMERAS

3) Port of Everett Rethinks Using Cameras to Catch Golf-Ball Bomber

Privacy concerns of homeowners lead to decision to develop formal policy on use of cameras.

Link to story in the Herald:

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20090522/NEWS01/705229900

MARITIME

4) BC Ferries Settlement Will be Made Public

Link to Canwest News Service story:

http://www.canada.com/Sunk+ferry+settlement+will+made+public/1619558/story.html

5) Inquest Hears Boats on Sydney Harbor are Often Poorly Lit

Link to Australian Broadcasting Corp. story:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/05/20/2575825.htm

RAILROADS

6) Training Begins for ERTMS In-Cab Rail Signaling

Link to story in Transport Briefing:

http://www.transportbriefing.co.uk/news/story?id=5932

ROADWAYS

7) Confused at Interstate Split? Tennessee DOT Marking the Way

Link to story in the Chattanooga Times Free Press:

http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/may/22/tennessee-confused-interstate-split-tdot-marking-w/?local

TRANSIT

8) New York MTA Eyes ‘E-Zier’ Pass for Riders

Next generation fare card would use contactless device.

Link to story in the New York Post:

http://www.nypost.com/seven/05222009/news/regionalnews/mta_eyes_e_zier_pass_for_riders_170462.htm

9) Bus Stops of the Future: Are They Realistic?

Link to story in Fast Company:

http://www.fastcompany.com/blog/ariel-schwartz/sustainability/mits-bus-stop-future-0

Link to further information from MIT:

http://senseable.mit.edu/eyestop/

VEHICLES

10) ‘Black Box’ Idea Travels to Cars

New device will let parents monitor teens’ driving.

Link to story in The News-Times:

http://www.newstimes.com/ci_12424612  

Upcoming Events

Webinar: Lessons Learned from Wireless Video Monitoring for Dynamic Traffic Light Synchronization as part of Operation GreenLight in Lenexa – June 9

http://metrovideomonitor.com/events/schedule/event_overview/p/eventId_7/id_19

Friday Bonus

Thank goodness they weren’t occupied!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1176715/Pilots-miracle-escape-plane-crash-lands—pile-Portaloos.html

Today in Transportation History

1969 **40^th anniversary** – The lunar module, Snoopy, came within eight nautical miles of the Moon’s surface as part of a dress rehearsal for a landing in July.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/may/22/newsid_3034000/3034569.stm

=============================================================================================

The Transportation Communications Newsletter is published electronically Monday through Friday. 

To subscribe send an e-mail to:  TCNL-subscribe@googlegroups.com

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Questions, comments about the TCN?  Please write the editor, Bernie Wagenblast at i95berniew@aol.com.   

© 2009 Bernie Wagenblast

(Source:  The Infrastructurist & Asia Times)

The Chinese are at it again.  The Asian juggernaut is rolling ahead with its investment in beefing its modern infrastructure – this time with a massive investment in railways.   With the dedication and determination that has become a hallmark of all things Chinese, be it sports or the development, the country has proved time and again that it is among the best in the world.  Dithering and doing things half-way are not among the national character flaws that might be pinned on the Chinese.  And, perhaps, they’re already at it with this plan to build the world’s largest high-speed rail network. 

China’s rail links totaled 76,600km by end of 2006. But most of them were built at least 30 years ago and some even date back to the early 20th century.   The economic boom of the past two decades has generated soaring demand for rail transportation. In 2006, China’s rail network handled 25% of the world’s cargo and passenger travel, although the country’s railway network only accounts for 6% of the world’s total by mileage. 

In 2006, China’s railway network carried 662.2 billion passenger-kilometers – 2.7 times that of Japan – while it carried 2.87 billion tons of freight, a billion tons more than in the US, and 4.8 times that in India.  To cope with the skyrocketing demand for rail transport, the Chinese government has kept expanding its plans for rail construction. As of March 31, China has committed $259 billion to building its high-speed rail network project, and plans to spend nearly a half trillion dollars more in the next three years, boosting the total investment to $730 billion by 2012.

Of the Chinese investment, at least $1 billion is going to the German conglomerate Seimens for the purchase 100 high speed train sets. They will be, on average, 16 cars–or 1300 feet–in length, capable of carrying 1000 passengers, and capable of traveling 218 mph. Moreover, they will be running on tracks designed to accommodate that speed. Unlike, say, the Acela.  Ultimately, the Chinese government plans to buy 1000 high speed trains to run on a track network of around 25,000 miles. 

A little context here: The US–a country with a per capita GDP about 16 times that of China–has set rail as a national priority and has committed… $13 billion. Or, about 2 percent as much in China. This, of course, is in a place where it costs a hell of a lot more to get anything done.   In the U.S., President Obama’s decision to make high-speed passenger rail service a centerpiece of his transportation agenda is funded in part through the recently passed $787 billion stimulus plan including a total of $8 billion for improvements in the U.S. rail system. The Obama plan also proposes a separate five-year, $5 billion investment in high-speed rail as part of the administration’s suggested fiscal year 2010 budget (FY10 budget outline) to make a down payment on constructing enhanced rail network.

Thursday, May 21, 2009 – ISSN 1529-1057

Join the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association in Denver, CO to learn about best practices from around the world in Incident Management and Emergency Response. Sessions will explore the most effective tools and communication methods available to promote toll facility safety and security, maintain operations in the face of disruption, and effectively communicate with customers during all phases of an incident – from prevention to recovery. Other topics include crisis management during special events, Post Traumatic Distress Disorder and psychological impacts to employees, the role of engineering and maintenance in prevention and safety, and business continuity during disasters. Visit IBTTA’s website to view the preliminary agenda and register today! 

AVIATION

1) Virgin America Completes Installing Wi-Fi on Fleet

Link to Dow Jones story:

http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/djf500/200905200936DOWJONESDJONLINE000643_FORTUNE5.htm

CAMERAS

2) Louisiana House Committee All but Kills Plan to Regulate Red Light Cameras

Link to story in The Times-Picayune:

http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2009/05/committee_all_but_kills_plan_t.html

GPS / NAVIGATION

3) US Air Force Waves Off Warnings About GPS Accuracy

Link to story in The Washington Post:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/21/AR2009052103127.html

4) Microsoft: ‘We Touch Every Piece’ of Auto Business

Link to ZDNet column:  

http://blogs.zdnet.com/gadgetreviews/?p=4375

5) Calling the Real Race in GNSS

Link to story in GPS World:

http://sidt.gpsworld.com/gpssidt/Latest+News/Calling-the-Real-Race-in-GNSS/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/599294?contextCategoryId=33831

RAILROADS

6) The Interstate Rail Defense Network

Would a name change increase public support for high-speed rail proposal? 

Link to The No. 13 Line blog:

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/blueprintamerica/blogs/13line/the-no-13-line-the-interstate-rail-defense-network/635/

7) Freight Rail Security: Actions Have Been Taken to Enhance Security, but Federal Strategy Can Be Strengthened and Security Efforts Better Monitored

Link to US Government Accountability Office report:

http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d09243.pdf

ROADWAYS

8) Virginia DOT to DC Department of Transportation: You Need to Communicate Better

Link to story on WTOP Radio:

http://www.wtop.com/?nid=25&sid=1680248

SAFETY / SECURITY

9) Nebraska State Patrol Scanning Plates for Info About Drivers

Link to AP story:

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2798&u_sid=10638791

SPACE

10) A New Frontier: Astronaut Using Twitter in Space

Link to story in USA Today:

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/space/2009-05-20-astronaut-twitter_N.htm

TELEMATICS

11) Telematics and GPS Go in the Right Direction

Navigation assistance gets more user-friendly with help of technology.

Link to story on MSNBC:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30526005/ns/technology_and_science-tech_and_gadgets/

TRANSIT

12) Transit Travels to Cyberspace to Reach Riders

Link to story in Metro Magazine:

http://www.metro-magazine.com/Article/Story/2009/05/Transit-Travels-to-Cyberspace-to-Reach-Riders.aspx

TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT

13) Waze: The Traffic of the Crowds

Link to CNET News story:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-10246268-2.html

News Releases

1) Delaware Welcome Center Travel Plaza Web Site Launched

2) TRW’s Capacitive Touch Sensing – Interior Control at Your Fingertips

Upcoming Events

American Association of Airport Executives Annual Conference and Exposition – June 14-17 – Philadelphia

http://www.aaae.org/meetings/annual2009/

Today in Transportation History

1894 **115^th anniversary** – The Manchester Ship Canal was officially opened by Queen Victoria.

http://www.shipcanal.co.uk/manchester-ship-canal/

======================================================================

The Transportation Communications Newsletter is published electronically Monday through Friday. 

To subscribe send an e-mail to:  TCNL-subscribe@googlegroups.com

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TCN archives: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/transport-communications

Questions, comments about the TCN?  Please write the editor, Bernie Wagenblast ati95berniew@aol.com.   

© 2009 Bernie Wagenblast

(Source: Autobloggreen & Detroit Free Press)

It seems that calls from House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) to fast track the Cash-For-Clunkers bill through the legislative process may have fallen on deaf ears. According to the Detroit Free Press, the somewhat controversial bill will be tacked on the much broader Climate Change bill that’s currently being drafted by the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

 Ohio Rep. Betty Sutton’s amendment made it onto the American Clean Energy and Security Act, the legislation being marked up this week by the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Approved by a vote of 50-4, the amendment provides a voucher of up to $4,500 for trading in an old, lower mile-per-gallon vehicle to purchase a new one.

The measure wouldn’t favor domestic vehicles over those made by companies based overseas but it has incentives for trucks and sport-utility vehicles which could be of particular help to American automakers. President Barack Obama and key House Democrats agreed on the provisions contained in the amendment at a recent White House meeting.

U.S. Rep. John Dingell, a Dearborn Democrat and staunch advocate of domestic automakers, said the cash-for-clunkers amendment, if passed, “will result in meaningful reductions in vehicle fleet carbon emissions and fuel consumption, all while providing much-needed stimulus for our ailing automakers.”

(Source: Autoblog & GAO)

Big government’s inefficiency comes in a variety of flavors, and this one could hit your dashboards as early as next year. According to a report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the U.S.’ Global Positioning System (GPS) could begin to experience black-outs and general failures next year due to the delays, mismanagement and underinvestment by the U.S. Air force. 

The report’s summary offers the following: The Global Positioning System (GPS), which provides position, navigation, and timing data to users worldwide, has become essential to U.S. national security and a key tool in an expanding array of public service and commercial applications at home and abroad. The United States provides GPS data free of charge. The Air Force, which is responsible for GPS acquisition, is in the process of modernizing GPS. In light of the importance of GPS, the modernization effort, and international efforts to develop new systems, GAO was asked to undertake a broad review of GPS. Specifically, GAO assessed progress in (1) acquiring GPS satellites, (2) acquiring the ground control and user equipment necessary to leverage GPS satellite capabilities, and evaluated (3) coordination among federal agencies and other organizations to ensure GPS missions can be accomplished. To carry out this assessment, GAO’s efforts included reviewing and analyzing program documentation, conducting its own analysis of Air Force satellite data, and interviewing key officials.

It is uncertain whether the Air Force will be able to acquire new satellites in time to maintain current GPS service without interruption. If not, some military operations and some civilian users could be adversely affected. (1) In recent years, the Air Force has struggled to successfully build GPS satellites within cost and schedule goals; it encountered significant technical problems that still threaten its delivery schedule; and it struggled with a different contractor. As a result, the current IIF satellite program has overrun its original cost estimate by about $870 million and the launch of its first satellite has been delayed to November 2009–almost 3 years late. (2) Further, while the Air Force is structuring the new GPS IIIA program to prevent mistakes made on the IIF program, the Air Force is aiming to deploy the next generation of GPS satellites 3 years faster than the IIF satellites. GAO’s analysis found that this schedule is optimistic, given the program’s late start, past trends in space acquisitions, and challenges facing the new contractor. Of particular concern is leadership for GPS acquisition, as GAO and other studies have found the lack of a single point of authority for space programs and frequent turnover in program managers have hampered requirements setting, funding stability, and resource allocation. (3) If the Air Force does not meet its schedule goals for development of GPS IIIA satellites, there will be an increased likelihood that in 2010, as old satellites begin to fail, the overall GPS constellation will fall below the number of satellites required to provide the level of GPS service that the U.S. government commits to. Such a gap in capability could have wide-ranging impacts on all GPS users, though there are measures the Air Force and others can take to plan for and minimize these impacts. In addition to risks facing the acquisition of new GPS satellites, the Air Force has not been fully successful in synchronizing the acquisition and development of the next generation of GPS satellites with the ground control and user equipment, thereby delaying the ability of military users to fully utilize new GPS satellite capabilities. Diffuse leadership has been a contributing factor, given that there is no single authority responsible for synchronizing all procurements and fielding related to GPS, and funding has been diverted from ground programs to pay for problems in the space segment. DOD and others involved in ensuring GPS can serve communities beyond the military have taken prudent steps to manage requirements and coordinate among the many organizations involved with GPS. However, GAO identified challenges in the areas of ensuring civilian requirements can be met and ensuring GPS compatibility with other new, potentially competing global space-based positioning, navigation, and timing systems.

Click here to download the report.  For those who like to read without leaving the page, here is the read-only version of the PDF.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009 – ISSN 1529-1057

Did you know that TIC is not just for traffic? For example, did you know that some customers uses TIC for radio program associated data (PAD) such as song title, artist photo, and schedules, for broadcasting over FM radio data service (RDS) and digital audio broadcast (DAB)? And there’s much more.

With the new TIC architecture, you can let your imagination flow, so why not let us know your ideas, requirements, and even your problems, at ITS America.  TIC is a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) platform solution proven in over 100 projects operating worldwide, and can be deployed faster, more affordably, and with less risk than build-your-own solutions.

See TIC at GEWI booth #329 at ITS America or contact jim.oneill@gewi.com to discuss your requirements.

AVIATION

1) Airline Mechanics Who Can’t Read English

Link to story and video on WFAA-TV:

http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dws/wfaa/latestnews/stories/wfaa090515-_lj_harris.7a4a7d4.html

2) FAA to Hold First-Ever International Runway Safety Summit

Link to story on AviationNews:

http://www.aviationnews.net/?do=headline&news_ID=167477

CAMERAS

3) Illinois Lawmakers Reject Speed Cams in School, Hospital Zones

Link to story in the Daily Herald:

http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=294790&src=109

CARTOGRAPHY

4) Google Threatened with Sanctions Over Photo Mapping Service in Germany

Link to story in The New York Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/20/technology/companies/20google.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

OTHER

5) Ohio Democrats Restrict Open Internet Auctions for Construction Projects

Link to story in The Plain Dealer:

http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2009/05/open_internet_auctions_for_ohi.html

ROADWAYS

6) States Roll Out Plans for ‘Smarter’ Roads

Link to story on Stateline:

http://www.stateline.org/live/details/story?contentId=401357

7) Span of Control

A new generation of ‘smart’ bridges use electronic sensors to warn of impending danger.

Link to story in The Economist:

http://www.economist.com/science/tm/displaystory.cfm?story_id=13687092

SAFETY / SECURITY

8) Officials Draft Changes to Bush-Era Mandate on ID Cards

Link to story from CongressDaily:

http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=42759&dcn=e_hsw

9) New Database Created with Thousands of Emergency Shelters Nationwide

Link to story in the Los Angeles Times:

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-hurricane20-2009may20,0,4925727.story

TELEMATICS

10) Vehicle Telematics Concept Benefits Responders, Victims

Link to story in Occupational Health & Safety:

http://ohsonline.com/articles/2009/05/20/vehicle-telematics-concept.aspx

TRANSIT

11) Popular Smart Card Can be Hacked, Researchers Show

Link to story in Government Technology:

http://www.govtech.com/gt/articles/689811

12) Campaign Urges Commuters to Send Postcards in Support of Public Transport

Link to story in The New Zealand Herald:

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10573411

TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT

13) With Holiday Ahead, Massachusetts Turnpike Announces Traffic Info Upgrade

Link to story in The Boston Globe:

http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2009/05/with_holiday_ah.html

Link to Mass Turnpike traffic cameras:  http://www.masspike.com/travel/cameras.html

14) Praise Washington State DOT for Alerting Drivers to Bridge Closure

Link to commentary in the Issaquah Press:

http://www.issaquahpress.com/2009/05/19/off-the-press-21/

News Releases

1) Waze Announces Driver-Generated Live Map Platform; Launches Private Alpha for Mobile Application

2) BART Unveils New Web Site to Keep Riders, Public Informed on Labor Negotiations

3) Live Video from Florida Traffic Cameras to Gain Wider Audience with TrafficLand

4) OnStar Creates Injury Severity Prediction to Improve Automatic Crash Response

5) Tennessee DOT Now Using Twitter to Provide Information About Delays on Roadways

Upcoming Events

ACI-NA Public Safety & Security Fall Conference – August 24-27 – Arlington, Virginia

http://www.aci-na.org/conferences/detail?eventId=149

Today in Transportation History

1939 **70^th anniversary** – Regular trans-Atlantic air service began with a Pan American flight from Port Washington, New York to Europe.

http://www.airliner.net/pan-am-clipper-flying-boat/transatlantic-airline-service/

=============================================================================================

The Transportation Communications Newsletter is published electronically Monday through Friday. 

To subscribe send an e-mail to:  TCNL-subscribe@googlegroups.com

To unsubscribe send an e-mail to:  TCNL-unsubscribe@googlegroups.com

TCN archives: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/transport-communications

Questions, comments about the TCN?  Please write the editor, Bernie Wagenblast at i95berniew@aol.com.   

© 2009 Bernie Wagenblast

(Source: National Transportation Operations Coalition)

A coalition of transportation and technology leaders – including state and local officials, industry and academic leaders and prominent stakeholder organizations – is calling on Congress to focus federal funding in the surface transportation authorization bill on the deployment of smart technologies and innovative solutions in order to create a performance-driven, intermodal transportation system that is safer, cleaner, more efficient and more financially sustainable for communities, businesses and the traveling public.

America’s transportation system is facing significant challenges that must be addressed in the next surface transportation authorization bill, from financing our transportation system and reducing traffic fatalities to combating congestion and CO2 emissions. Solving these challenges will require transportation agencies and private sector partners to use all of the tools at their disposal, including intelligent transportation systems (ITS), related technologies, and multimodal operational strategies that can help prevent accidents before they happen, reduce traffic congestion and freight bottlenecks, provide more effective incident and emergency response, reduce energy use and emissions, and enable innovative 21st century financing options.

“As a result of successful research initiatives and private sector innovation, technologies are here today which can help increase safety, reduce congestion and emissions, boost competitiveness, improve system performance, and create more livable and sustainable communities,” the coalition wrote today to House transportation leaders. “While a continued and strengthened research role is still needed, it is critical that state and local agencies and private sector partners make better use of technology to modernize today’s infrastructure and optimize existing capacity, while building smart and efficient roads, bridges, transit systems, and multimodal transportation options for tomorrow’s transportation users.”