Topic: Federal Highway Administration

In Gear The gas tax system is broken. Are electric cars to blame?

Both state and federal gas-tax revenues are plummeting, and electric cars are emerging as a culprit. Is that fair?

Energy Voices Gas prices: Can the economy weather another rise to $4 gas?

High oil prices and rising gas prices weaken an economy because they reduce discretionary spending and indirectly cause people to be laid-off from work, Tverberg writes. Can the US economy stand another jump in prices?

Progress Watch Why teen driving deaths have tumbled to historic lows

Traffic fatalities are hitting record lows for all drivers, but the drop among teen drivers is especially important, given that traffic accidents are the leading cause of death for teens.

On the Economy Don't stop worrying about the economy

Sure, the recent economic news has been good, but there are plenty of things (like oil prices) that should keep you worrying

Thanksgiving travel: Top 3 ways to spot delays

Thanksgiving Day is one of America's most cherished holidays, yet the 24 hours before the celebration begins seem to create the biggest challenges. Will you get to your destination safely? Will you be on time? It's no surprise that Americans encounter snags. Some 42.5 million people will be traveling more than 50 miles this year to their Thanksgiving destinations, according to AAA, a 4 percent increase over last year. Here are three methods to help you plan ahead and avoid travel delays:

Post oil: Solar roads, air-powered cars, human-powered iPhones

Concepts already developed give a glue to a world, post oil – from roads made of solar panels, to air-powered cars, and iPhones powered by a wave of the arm.

Driving at peak traffic time? Pay a fee.

'Congestion pricing' is a better alternative to charging taxes based on the number of miles driven. It would save the government money, and it would save taxpayers time.

Paving over America's country roads

One iconic symbol of America's rural poverty has been the dirt road, especially in Appalachia. Despite decades of paving over these back roads in the name of progress, many are still dusty washboard surfaces.

5 famous pork projects: Beer museum and more

Coined from an 1863 story called “The Children of the Public,” pork-barrel spending referred to any public funds spent to benefit the public. Over time, the term has evolved, referring to projects seen as wasteful, or that may only benefit a small group but the costs are spread out between all taxpayers. Of course, often, one politician's pork is another politician's legitimate expense. The Citizens Against Government Waste puts out an annual "Congressional Pig Book" that listed 9,129 projects at a cost of $16.5 billion in 2010.. Here a selection of US "pork" projects from recent years:

What went wrong on the Bay Bridge?

A temporary repair made during Labor Day weekend failed in high winds, leaving thousands of commuters in a traffic mess. The Federal Highway Administration is investigating.

Cities claim they're short-changed on stimulus money

They've received about half the transportation funding allotted so far. But mayors say cities' economic clout warrants a bigger share.

US considers pika protection due to warming

Study finds decline in American driving

More and more, Americans are leaving their cars in the driveway, a new study from the Brookings Institution has concluded.

White House removes protections for endangered species

With just over a month remaining in office, the Bush administration loosened federal protection of plant and animal species threatened with extinction.

Digging a little deeper into the infrastructure

The catchall term for roads and bridges and all that other stuff is a mouthful, but what would we do without it?

Fuel costs strain U.S. mass transit, too

With ridership up, L.A.'s Metro raises fares and pushes for new tax revenue.

Some signs of relief on gasoline prices

But short-term pressures may keep them up for a while.