When the Panama Canal opened in 1914, it provided the first ever direct water passage between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The 2016 expansion of the Canal allows significantly larger cargo ships traveling from East Asia to access the U.S. Gulf and East Coasts via an all-water route, which is typically the least costly way […]
Texas
New Report: What Is the Legal Framework for Automated Vehicles in Texas?
With the advent of automated vehicle technologies, we are entering a period of transition and uncertainty that involves harmonizing the laws we have on the books with new issues raised by the technology. Until the 85th Texas Legislature (2017), Texas law was not tailored to recognize automated vehicles (AVs), not for testing or operation on […]
New Report on Shale Development Impacts Draws upon PRC Studies
A comprehensive, new review of the impacts of shale oil and gas development in Texas by a cross-disciplinary task force—organized by The Academy of Medicine, Engineering and Science of Texas (TAMEST)—finds a wide range of both benefits and consequences for the state’s infrastructure, environment and communities. These impacts are detailed in the new report by the […]
New Report: Metropolitan Planning Organizations – Overview and Profiles
A metropolitan planning organization (MPO) has authority and responsibility for regional transportation planning in urbanized areas where the population is at least 50,000 and surrounding areas meet size/density criteria determined by the U.S. Census Bureau. Growth pressures resulting from post-World War II suburbanization led to the development of MPOs, which were established through provisions of […]
For Texans, some transportation attitudes and behaviors have changed since 2014 (and some haven’t)
The 2016 Texas Transportation Poll (TTP) contains a wealth of information about Texans’ attitudes about transportation, and for the first time we can begin to see how those attitudes and behaviors are changing. The 2016 findings offer both consistencies and contrasts to the inaugural poll, which was fielded in 2014. The data from both polls […]
If Texas exports are growing, so is the rest of the economy
It’s only natural that most of us wouldn’t typically give a second thought to the almost countless trucks, trains, and ships moving goods from day to day. But we should. Because a lot of what they’re hauling is on its way to markets far from Texas. And what we export (and how much) matters a […]