FHWA’s new Executive Director - Jeffrey F. (Jeff) Paniati has been appointed as FHWA’s new Executive Director. This position has a very special place in both FHWA and in government. It is one of the only civil service positions that is established in law and requires the approval of the President. This week, on the recommendation of Secretary Mary Peters and James Ray, President Bush gave his final approval for Jeff’s selection for this position. This alone demonstrates the level of respect and confidence people hold in Jeff and the work he has done. Since beginning his career in 1983 as a Highway Engineer Trainee, Jeff has played a key role in leading change within FHWA and sustaining a focus on making America’s transportation systems work safely and efficiently. His extensive and varied experience with FHWA includes leading work in such priority areas as congestion management, workforce development, intelligent transportation systems, highway safety design and analysis, and highway safety information. Jeff currently serves as the Associate Administrator for Operations, and has previously served as the Acting Director of the ITS Joint Program Office; Program Manager, Intelligent Transportation Systems; Deputy Director ITS Joint Program Office; and Division Chief, Safety Design Research & Development. He has been a career member of the Senior Executive Service since 2000.

Transportation Secretary Acknowledges Coalition's Quick Clearance Program - We are very pleased to announce that the I-95 Corridor Coalition’s Quick Clearance program has been recognized by USDOT Secretary Mary E. Peters. In a letter to the Coalition, Secretary Peters stated:

“The I-95 Corridor Coalition’s Quick Clearance Program and Toolkit is an important educational element for improved responder safety and system performance. The I-95 Corridor Coalition’s leadership in advancing traffic incident management and highway safety is a national model, and its success continues to provide an excellent example to other regions in the country. We encourage advancement of the National Unified Goal for Traffic Incident Management in the I-95 corridor and believe the I-95 Corridor Coalition’s Quick Clearance Program and Toolkit can provide a valuable resource for doing so.” (See the full letter here)

The Coalition’s Quick Clearance program began with a study and documentation on best practices, followed by the development of a toolkit for first responders and instructional workshops offered throughout the corridor. Workshops have been held in thirteen locations to date, with a combined attendance of over 600 individuals, representing personnel from DOT’s, fire, police, EMS, towing, and other first responders. In addition to the workshops, we are assisting State’s with implementation of their quick clearance programs.

Click here to view the more info. 

Freight Academy - The I-95 Corridor Coalition, under the guidance of its Intermodal Program Track Committee, is sponsoring the development of a Freight Academy to train public sector transportation professionals whose planning, operational and/or management work impact goods movement decisions, investments and interactions.   Designed as a unique immersion program, the first Freight Academy will be held October 26 - October 31, 2008 at the Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation (CAIT) at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ.  During the course of the week-long program approximately 30 participants will have the opportunity to listen to industry experts from the public and private sectors, understand issues confronting goods movement, and visit port, rail, aviation, trucking and distribution center sites to see first-hand what is involved in multi-modal freight movements today.  Participants will then be tasked to utilize what they have learned by working on Capstone Projects addressing real-world transportation issues.  

Go to the Freight Academy website

A Corridor of the Future | I-95 Corridor Coalition 2008 Annual Meeting 
May 12-14, 2008
Crowne Plaza Universal Orlando, Florida
Note: The Coalition’s 2008 Coordinated Incident Management/HOGs Annual Meeting will be held at the same location on May 15-16, 2008. The registration deadline for both events is May 1, 2008.
View 2008 Annual Meeting Info
Registration

New Senior Management Program (Operations Academy) Scheduled
From September 16 throughout September 26 is scheduled the new Senior Management Programfor 2008 under the Operations Academy.

• Nomination Form are due on May 16, 2008
• Check for more info

I-95 Corridor Coalition Offers Quick Clearance Workshops
The I-95 Corridor Coalition is offering a series of workshops to present Quick Clearance Implementation Best Practices. There are two Quick Clearance Workshops being offered in each location - an Executive Forum and a Responder Workshop.

1. Executive Forum (2.5 hours): Intended for senior agency officials and legislative staff who are in positions to influence the creation of TIM/QC laws, policies, regulations, and programs.
2. Responder Workshop (4.5 hours): Intended for upper and middle managers who are directly responsible for implementing laws, policies, and the like, and who supervise responders directly or indirectly.

The Quick Clearance Tookit is being presented during the workshops; click here to view the Toolkit contents. 

Workshops are currently scheduled as follows:

Delaware:

• QC Responder Workshop - Smyrna, DE - May 1, 2008
  
  View Info of Workshop in Delaware

Florida:

• QC Responder Workshop - Orlando, FL - May 12, 2008
  
  View Info of Workshop in Florida

To register to attend, please send an e-mail to patty.reich@telvent.abengoa.com, and include your name, title, organization, telephone number, and email address. You will receive a registration confirmation email which will contain directions to the meeting site for your convenience.
Please note that there is no charge for workshop attendance. The I-95 Corridor Coalition is federally funded. However, pre-registration is required since space is limited.

Coalition's Southern Exchange Project Newsletter
The newsletter has been published with the following topics: Coalition Background, Project will improve communication among Southern States, Recent Project Activities and Upcoming Project Activities.

Download Newsletter.

National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission Report Released
The Report called Transportation for Tomorrow: Report of the National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission includes detailed recommendations for creating and sustaining a pre-eminent surface transportation system in the United States. The Commission is grateful to all of the individuals and organizations who shared their views and experiences in writing and at hearings and public meetings across the nation.

View Final Report.

Coalition Featured on XM Radio Show
Capt. Henry de Vries, the I-95 Corridor Coalition's Operations Program Coordinator, made a guest appearance on the Dave Nemo XM Radio Show. Capt. de Vries appeared on August 23 on the popular show located on Open Road Channel 171, and moderated by American Transportation Research Institute's President Rebecca Brewster. The show highlighted many of the Coalition's past and current initiatives related to incident management quick clearance programs, CVO safety and electronic information exchange, oversize/overweight permitting, travel information services, and more. No doubt the discussions will bring additional national exposure to the Coalition and its efforts to reduce congestion and increase safety.

Coalition Vehicle Probe Project Featured in Wall Street Journal
"I-95 Panel Plans Satellite Traffic-Report Network" is the name of the article published in the Wall Street Journal online version about I-95 Corridor Coalition's Vehicle Probe Data Collection project.

View WSJ article.