News

Engineering and consulting firm Arup has unveiled its vision of the future of rail travel in the light of trends such as urban population growth, climate change and emerging technologies. The Future of Rail 2050 foresees predictive maintenance of rail lines by robot drones; driverless trains travelling safely at high speed, freight delivered automatically to its destination, and smart technology designed to improve passenger experience and enable ticketless travel. According to Colin Stewart, Global

US Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx has written to state transportation departments and transit agencies outlining steps the Department of Transportation (DOT) will soon be forced to take to manage the impending insolvency of the Highway Trust Fund. In both letters, Secretary Foxx outlined the Department’s proposed plan while emphasising the need for Congress to act in order to avoid such a shortfall. “There is still time for Congress to act on a long term solution,” said Secretary Foxx. “Our tr

Australian based Redflex Traffic Systems is to supply New Zealand Police with the latest radar-based fixed speed enforcement systems under a national rollout of cameras at sites with the highest risk of speed-related crashes. The contract is for 56 REDFLEXspeed fixed speed enforcement systems, with twelve systems to be deployed in 2014. All remaining systems will be installed by the end of 2015. The first new camera will be installed for testing at Ngauranga Gorge in Wellington and will eventually re

ITS America is providing an opportunity at this year's ITS World Congress for start-up ventures to shine on an international stage. Sponsored by Fontinalis Partners and Econolite Group, Transportation for Tomorrow: Investors and Inventors will bring together premier financial and strategic investment groups and young and dynamic companies and entrepreneurs that possess cutting-edge ideas in sustainability, safety, and mobility in transportation. Questions and completed business plan s should be submitte

An inefficient transportation network is one of the key challenges facing further economic growth in Colombia, according to a report from ratings agency Standard and Poor's (S&P). It currently takes ten hours to travel 445 kilometres between Bogotá and Medellín, the country's two largest cities. According to the 2013 World Economic Forum, Colombia's overall infrastructure is better than Argentina's, Paraguay's and Venezuela's in Latin America. "Considering that Colombia's economy has the potential to

On the 120th anniversary of the completion of London’s Tower Bridge, Arup, along with architects HOK, has unveiled its plans for a new bridge across the River Thames. The US$1 billion concept, called ‘Bridge East London’, would help transform leisure and business travel and enhance life in the east of the capital. It suggests a new road bridge over the River Thames, linking Beckton and Thamesmead at Gallions Reach. The proposed bridge would allow clear passage for ships and takes into account aircraf

Skyline Products is to supply Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) with its rotary drum changeable message signs (CMS) in a state-wide five-year contract that includes eight variations of the NTCIP compliant signs. The signs will be used on the highways and interstates around Oregon for chain restriction signing, to advise drivers of the need to use snow chains on their vehicle. Skyline rotary drum CMS are a cost effective option for traffic signs as they draw a fraction of the power and are vir

Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) has selected Trafficware’s SynchroGreen for the State’s first adaptive signal system. With traffic engineering involvement from consulting firm VHB, the new system was activated earlier this year. Video cameras located at the intersection provide real-time traffic volumes information to on-street traffic controllers. The system then uses a centralised command and control server to process this volume/occupancy data to analyse and dynamically adjust p

Polis and the European Parking Association have arranged a joint workshop in Lisbon on the final day of the Iberian Parking Congress, 19 September, focused on standardised solutions for on-street parking, including technologies to support parking management. The workshop will provide attendees with information: New planning and tendering approaches to integrate parking management better in urban transport policy; and technologies for on-street parking management and enforcement (sensors, ANPR, integrat

Five years after the Non-motorised Transportation Pilot Program (NTPP) was established to measure the impact of investment in walking and cycling initiatives, the US Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has reported a 22.8 per cent increase in walking and a 48.3 per cent increase in cycling, while an estimated 85.1 million vehicle miles were avoided. The NTPP provided approximately US$25 million each to four pilot communities (Columbia, Missouri; Marin County, California; Minneapolis area, Minnesota; an

The Gauteng Provincial Government (GPG) in South Africa is to set up a panel to review the impact of e-tolls and invite new proposals on how it can find a lasting solution. Premier David Makhura announced the move during his State of the Province Address, saying the GPG will work with national government, municipalities and all sectors of society on the issue. “While we shall not promise easy solutions and claim easy victories, we must make it clear that we cannot close our eyes to cries of sectors of

Cintra, a US subsidiary of Spanish infrastructure firm Ferrovial, is to be responsible for the development of the I-77 HOT Lanes Project led by the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT). The US$655 million project, extending 26 miles from the I-77 connection with I-277 in Charlotte to the intersection with NC 150 in Iredell County, will enhance traffic connectivity between residential areas along the corridor and downtown Charlotte. The project includes the development of high occupancy tol

The US Department of Transportation is seeking proposals for the establishment of a new certification environment based on wireless communications. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is requesting applications for assistance to result in the award of a new cooperative agreement to establish a future certification environment for connected vehicle devices and applications. The recipient shall establish a future certification environment for devices and applications that leverage wireless communica

PTV has launched Version 2 of its free truck parking Europe app for iOS 7 and Android, providing truck drivers with a wide range of new functions to help them find suitable truck parking spaces. These new features allow them to find, assess, add and edit information on truck parking facilities even more easily. Drivers can now also enter the occupancy status of HGV parking spaces; the app new includes more than 12,000 truck parking spaces. The new 'Drive Mode' function shows parking spaces along the rout

US toll and violation management solutions provider ATS Fleet Services has acquired all the assets of Texas-based Rent a Toll, a provider of toll management solutions to rental car companies and corporate fleets. "Rent a Toll has been a terrific service provider for the fleet and rental car tolling industries," said Adam Draizin, ATS Fleet Services president and executive vice president of American Traffic Solutions. "Together, we share the commitment of delivering results for our customers. This acquis