Transportation Radio

Richard Montanez, Deputy Commissioner of Transportation for the City of Philadelphia, joins the podcast to talk about the Safe Streets and Roads for All Program (SS4A) and how the city plans to use the $30 million grant award it recently received from the US Department of Transportation funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. He describes the unique safety challenges faced by the city, and discusses the planned multimodal safety improvements for several of the city's streets and traffic infrastructure, as well as the updates for Philadelphia's Vision Zero capital plan.

FHWA recently launched its Wildlife Crossings Program, approving $350 million for wildlife crossing projects to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions and improve habitat connectivity. The Oregon Department of Transportation has set a successful wildlife corridor program, reducing 86% of wildlife-vehicle collisions. In this episode, Cidney Bowman, Wildlife Passage Program Coordinator with Oregon DOT, speaks on the state's work.

Peter Koonce, engineering manager with the Portland Bureau of Transportation in Oregon, joins the ITE Talks Transportation podcast to talk about the opportunities and challenges facing traffic engineers in the profession today. He gives an overview of some of the efforts taking place on the ground in Portland to improve outcomes for all users including equity, safety and Vision Zero initiatives, and more. Peter also shares with listeners a bit of what they can expect when visiting Portland this August for the 2023 Joint ITE International and Western District Annual Meeting and Exhibition.

Leaders of the transportation sector sit with us as they consider today's transportation climate and how DOTs can best equip tomorrow's leaders in tackling future challenges. Joining us today are Sara Stickler, Thomas Davidenko, and Alicia Walker. Sara is the President and CEO of the Women’s Transportation Seminar (WTS) International, Thomas is the Director of Programs at the Young Professionals in Transportation (YPT), and Alicia is the Director of Programs and Strategic Engagement at the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO). 

Our guests discuss a variety of topics such as workforce development, the challenges faced in recruiting and retaining quality candidates, and more. 

Stephen Buckley, P.E., AICP, Vice President Planning and Advisory Services at Kimley-Horn, joins the ITE Talks Transportation podcast to discus the collaboration between transportation planning professionals and engineers. Having began his career as an engineer, and now working as a planner, Steve shares some of the key milestones along the path of his career, discusses real-life examples of successful collaboration between the two groups of professionals, and offers up guidance for how planners and engineers can support each other in their projects while bringing their own valid insights and valuable perspectives. Steve recently took part in the keynote conversation at ITE’s Virtual Spring Conference in March.

In 2012, voters in three Georgia regions approved a one percent sales tax to fund local transportation projects. In 2023 the Georgia Transportation Investment Act is celebrating its 10th anniversary. Joining us in this podcast is Kenneth Franks, State Transportation Investment Act Administrator, speaking on TIA’s success, future projects, and the regional and local impact.  

Greg Johnson, administrator for the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program, joins the ITE Talks Transportation podcast to discuss the ins and outs of this $6 billion project spanning the Columbia River and connecting the states of Washington and Oregon. The project is replacing a 106 year-old bridge on I-5, the only west coast interstate in the United States that goes between Canada and Mexico. Johnson talks about the complexities of managing a large infrastructure project, what it’s like working with two state DOTs, and the importance of engaging community members and having buy-in for this multimodal project. He also highlights the equity considerations involved in the project and how data is being utilized to ensure equitable and inclusive outcomes for the communities touched by the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program.

The NJTPA is the metropolitan planning organization responsible for the distribution of federal transportation funds for 13 counties in northern New Jersey, including Cranford. They also assist counties and municipalities in improving transportation infrastructure.

David Behrend serves as the executive director of the agency and Ted Ritter is the manager of external affairs. They join the Cranford Radio podcast to talk about the work of the agency and to provide examples of how their work directly affects the movement of people and freight through Cranford.

The US has experienced severe weather changes including floods, droughts, and hurricanes, damaging infrastructure and habitats. Recently, the country experienced a wave of winter storms one of which took place in the State of New York. Listen to this episode to hear from Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez to learn about how the New York State Department of Transportation works to build a resilient transportation system.

National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chair Jennifer Homendy joins the ITE Talks Transportation podcast to discuss the latest trends in roadway safety and how local, state and federal officials can lead with innovative solutions and approaches to reducing the national fatality rate. She also talks about how the Safe System Approach can help get the United States to zero, and shares her passion and personal connection to roadway safety.