Leaders of the House and Senate agreed this afternoon to terms on a $900 billion COVID-19 relief package and a $1.4 trillion federal spending package, ending lengthy negotiations that had lasted for months. Included in the COVID relief legislation was $45 billion for transit, with $10 billion allocated to state departments of transportation for highways.

ATSSA has supported the inclusion of funds for state DOTs throughout the year and made it the main legislative priority in any discussions centered around COVID-19 relief. In addition to making it a main talking point at the ATSSA Virtual Fly-In & Legislative Briefing in September, ATSSA also signed on to multiple letters alongside fellow stakeholders to push for Congress to include these funds.

Despite urging by ATSSA to include road construction workers and the manufacturers of roadway safety devices and construction machinery in phase 1b of the COVID-19 vaccination allocation process, a committee of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) denied the request.

Instead, after meeting on Sunday, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted to recommend that Americans who are 75 and older and who live independently be included in the next phase of vaccinations. They voted to place the group deemed as essential critical infrastructure in the following phase.

The committee cited the high death rates among elderly Americans, the current short-supply of the vaccine and the smaller size of the group as compared to the DHS-designated group as the reasons for the recommendation. Frontline workers such as emergency responders and teachers were also included in the next phase.  

Join ATSSA Vice President of Government Relations Nate Smith on Tuesday for a Town Hall addressing the impact of the state and federal elections on roadway safety.

Smith will discuss how the Nov. 3 election results will influence roadway safety policies and priorities in 2021 and for years to come, including the question of how our nation continues to respond to COVID-19.

Register now for this online event held Tuesday at 1 p.m. EST.

In a year in which, bicycling and walking became increasingly popular as people sought outlets during stay-at-home orders and social distancing because of COVID-19, individual safety is of utmost importance.

Recent national data – especially for bicyclists - isn’t encouraging, however.

Bicycle fatalities increased 22% between 2007 and 2018, while automotive fatalities dropped 11% in the same period, according to the latest National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) statistics.

Today marks the start of “United for Infrastructure: A Week to Champion America’s Infrastructure,” a nationwide effort to draw the attention of policymakers and the public about the significance of infrastructure to the economy and communities. It encompasses a broad range of infrastructure issues including bicycle and pedestrian safety.

ATSSA’s 51^st Annual Convention & Traffic Expo takes place Jan. 29-Feb. 2 and President & CEO Stacy Tetschner looks forward to making his first ATSSA convention an unforgettable event.

ATSSA is moving ahead with preparations for the 51^st Annual Convention & Traffic Expo with the expectation that an in-person meeting will be possible in San Diego. People also have the option of registering for virtual attendance.

A decision will be made by Sept. 30 whether to hold the Convention as a fully virtual event.