House Transportation & Infrastructure Chair addresses ATSSA Legislative Briefing & Fly-In House Transportation & Infrastructure Chair addresses ATSSA Legislative Briefing & Fly-In NTSB chair discusses her focus on roadway safety in remarks to members Pam / Wednesday, April 19, 2023 0 2448 Article rating: No rating WASHINGTON – House Transportation & Infrastructure Chair Sam Graves commended ATSSA members on Tuesday for investing the time to take their roadway safety insights to Capitol Hill to share with legislators. “These are very important,” he said of Fly-Ins. “When constituents come talk to members of Congress, it makes a difference.” Graves (R-MO) was one of four public officials who spoke on the first day of the two-day Legislative Briefing & Fly-In. ATSSA members also heard from Rep. Chris Pappas (D-NH), Rep. Marc Molinaro (R-NY) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chair Jennifer Homendy. Read more
Work zone traffic fatalities rise nearly 11% Work zone traffic fatalities rise nearly 11% Newly released data shows 108 roadway workers killed in 2021 Pam / Thursday, April 13, 2023 0 2404 Article rating: 1.0 Fatalities in roadway work zones increased nearly 11% from 2020 to 2021, with deaths rising from 863 to 956, according to newly released federal data. Drivers and passengers accounted for 778 of the 956 fatalities for 2021, data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) shows. “The continuing increase in work zone fatalities drives home the importance of National Work Zone Awareness Week, which begins on Monday,” said ATSSA President & CEO Stacy Tetschner. “We encourage every driver to be vigilant as they approach work zones and travel through them. This time of year sees a surge in work zones on the nation’s roadways so it’s important for everyone to recognize they play a role in work zone safety and to work with us.” Read more
USDOT announces grant opportunities for Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program USDOT announces grant opportunities for Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program Members encouraged to help spread the word about lifesaving program Pam / Wednesday, April 5, 2023 0 3202 Article rating: 5.0 Funding information is now available for the U.S. Department of Transportation’s new Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program, which was approved within the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act (IIJA). The Notice of Funding Opportunities was posted Tuesday and gives details on applying for these grants, which are open to state departments of transportation (DOTs), metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), local governments, regional transportation authorities, special purpose districts, public authorities with a transportation function, Indian tribes and federal land management agencies (FLMAs). “Every tool that can be used to help save lives on the nation’s roads is important in our effort to move Toward Zero Deaths,” ATSSA President & CEO Stacy Tetschner said. “We encourage our members to help spread the word to their contacts in organizations that are eligible to apply for this new opportunity.” Read more
Everyone plays a role in work zone safety Everyone plays a role in work zone safety Work with us during National Work Zone Awareness Week to protect workers, motorists Pam / Wednesday, April 5, 2023 0 3153 Article rating: 5.0 FREDERICKSBURG, Va. (April 5, 2023) – The recent tragedy near Baltimore, Md., where six roadway workers were killed when one vehicle apparently collided with another before crashing into their work zone demonstrates the tremendous risk workers face each day while seeking to earn a living. “These six individuals went to work that day simply to do their part to provide safe highways for the motoring public. But they didn’t make it home to their families, who are now left to grieve as they face life without them,” said ATSSA President & CEO Stacy Tetschner. “The roadway safety industry does its best to provide safe workspaces for its personnel and continually looks for new strategies to prevent such tragedies but the fact is, everyone plays a role in work zone safety and we need everyone to work with us.” National Work Zone Awareness Week (NWZAW) was established more than two decades ago to increase attention to the need for motorists to exercise caution when approaching and passing through roadway work zones. In 2020, the most recent year for which statistics are available, 857 people were killed in work zones with another 44,240 injured, according to the National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse. Read more
Apply by July 10 for FY23 Safe Streets and Roads for All grants Apply by July 10 for FY23 Safe Streets and Roads for All grants Pam / Monday, April 3, 2023 0 1169 Article rating: No rating The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) announced the 2023 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for Safe Streets and Roads for All grants is now open for applications. The application to apply for this grant is available online via Grants.gov. This is a $5 billion grant program focused on local vision zero projects that was created in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). The grant is funded at $1 billion annually through Fiscal Year 2026. The grant program is focused on helping local and regional governments achieve their vision zero goals and strategies. Read more
17May2023 Worker protection headlines Spring Issue of Roadway Safety magazine Wednesday, May 17, 2023 Read more