Pros and Cons of Narrowed Roads

Some cities, including Colorado Springs, are using narrowed roads to add bike lanes and sidewalks to provide space for pedestrians and bikers even though vehicle congestion continues to climb.

Not everyone is pleased. In fact, county officials threatened to withhold $3 million in transportation funding if the street facing county office buildings was narrowed.

City officials bit the bullet and redesigned the Tejon Street traffic pattern as part of its complete streets program. The program is aimed at giving more people access to use of the roads.


Bike lanes and other specialty lanes are narrowing regular travel lanes in some states. Problems multiply when the road carries heavy truck traffic, with their greater widths.

In Louisville, a complete streets program has also been put into effect, primarily to protect pedestrians. Designers say it can also be considered an anti-obesity move, since people are encouraged to walk more.

An increase in senior citizens lies behind the complete streets programs in most places where they are being tried. As people become unable to drive, they need to be able to walk safely, including taking a walk to the local bus stop.

States currently using one or more complete streets program include California, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, and Virginia.

It costs less to design the sidewalks and bike paths when the street is originally built, rather than adding it later, proponents say. The paths and walks are not used on highways, but rather on residential streets.

Walking and bus riding tie into increased gasoline prices as well.

One major opponent of the move is David Hartgen, emeritus professor of transportation at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte. Hartgen claims small, special-interest groups who don’t represent the majority of residents fuel the movement.

Do You Have Bridge Insurance?

Anthony Gianccola of the National Association of County Engineers recently passed along a question from an Indiana County.

“Our county commissioners have become interested in possibly insuring our major bridges against a catastrophic event such as an earthquake,” says Bradley Davis, director of the Hamilton County Highway Department. “I’d like to find out if any other counties do this, and if so, what the coverage, premiums, and so on may be.”

If your county or other agency does have such insurance, we’d like to hear from you. You can contact Brad at 317-773-7770. We’d appreciate it if you’d let us know, too. You can reach me at 214-827-4630. 

Drivers Test Funding

Drivers in several states will test a new way to pay for roads. They will be charged by miles driven rather than cents per gallon of gasoline. Researchers at the University of Iowa will read data via satellite from installed equipment in 2,700 vehicles to assess public attitudes and monies raised. 

California Handles Fed Approvals

California has become the first state to take over federal approvals for transportation projects on the highway system. Under the SAFETEA-LU bill, five states are eligible to participate in a pilot program.

Caltrans will take over the lead from the Federal Highway Administration for federal environmental approval on transportation projects.

The step lets Caltrans assume FHWA responsibilities for federal approvals under the National Environmental Policy Act and other national environmental laws for most highway projects in the state that are processed with an Environmental Impact Statement or Environmental Assessment.

It also includes the ability to negotiate and respond to federal permitting and regulatory agencies directly. This should speed exchanges and let the state be more creative, effective, and efficient in developing its approaches to transportation environmental issues. 

Concrete Costs Coming Down

Good news for our industry focuses on new forecasts of price declines from the Portland Cement Association. After several years of painful cost increases, PCA says prices are on the way down now following a consumption decline of 6.8 %, and that use will drop by another 1.8% next year. Most of the declines in use are for residential building, but price drops could benefit our industry.

Overpass Collapses

A steel beam fell from a highway overpass that was under construction in Oroville, California, on July 31st, falling onto the road below. It hit a FedEx truck, trapping driver Robert Sylvester for about two hours.

Sylvester was rescued by firefighters. The falling beam crushed the hood of the truck, officials say.

Golden Gate Bridge May Get Taller Rail


The famous Golden Gate Bridge may get new railings, taller than the current 4 feet. The reason: to reduce the number of jumpers.

At least 1,250 people have jumped to their deaths from the bridge in the past 70 years, including 23 in the first seven months of 2007. Most are from the Bay area, and most are white males.

Maintenance workers and security personnel stop about 70% of those who try to make the jump, but the higher railing would make attempts more difficult.

Fastfact

It is estimated that 38,000 tons of aggregates are necessary to construct one lane-mile of a four lane interstate highway. National Stone, Sand and Gravel Association