This fall, motorists travelling on Puget Sound’s recently completed State Route 509 Expressway will gain another opportunity to seamlessly pay tolls using the Good to Go! Pass—Washington state’s electronic toll collection system implemented in 2008.…
Transportation Troubleshooting: Optimizing Infrastructure Value Using Modern Asset-Management Tools
During my tenure as Washington State Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary, we lacked advanced tools to maintain a precise inventory of our…
Transportation Troubleshooting: How Drone Technology Is Adding New Perspectives to Transportation
The impact unmanned aircraft systems (UASs) are having on society extends far beyond stunning images and cinematography. In transportation, “drones”…
Transportation Troubleshooting: Lessons About Sharing Risks in Major Tunnel Projects
As Washington State Secretary of Transportation, I oversaw the development phase leading up to construction of the State Route 99 Tunnel, also known as the Alaskan Way Viaduct replacement tunnel. The 1.7-mile underground tunnel features a state-of-the-art…
Transportation Troubleshooting: AASHTO Manual Will Create a One-Stop Shop for Transportation Operations
One of the things that keeps me excited about working in transportation is how rapidly the technological tools for moving people and goods are evolving. As I noted in my December 2022 column, “Mobility Marketplace Will Improve How We Use Transportation…
Transportation Troubleshooting: Meet Paula Hammond: 40 Years of Engineering Experience to Share
Paula Hammond will write a recurring column for Informed Infrastructure, beginning with the August 2022 issue. This introductory column is based on an interview by Todd Danielson, the editorial director of Informed Infrastructure. You can view a…
Transportation Troubleshooting: America Uses 50-Year-Old Guidelines To Inspect Bridges in 21st Century
The 2021 Bridge Condition Report produced by the American Road and Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) states that according to the latest federal data analysis, 220,000 bridges in the United States—36 percent of bridges in the country—need repair,…
