Government

Consumer confidence jumped to the highest level since 2004, extending a surge in Americans’ optimism for their finances and the U.S. economy after Donald Trump’s election victory.

A $20.2 million federal grant in 2010 for California’s transportation division and the San Diego Association of Governments to complete its Otay Mesa Port-of-Entry project along the border enhanced freight interconnectivity and mobility, officials said on Dec. 21.

The U.S. economy expanded more than previously reported last quarter on bigger contributions from a range of factors such as services spending, intellectual property and construction by state and local governments.

The effective enforcement of safety, repairing critical infrastructure and expediting the permitting process are priorities at the U.S. Department of Transportation that Elaine Chao said she will address if confirmed as transportation secretary in the Trump administration. 

The group representing truck stop operators nationwide will engage with industry partners in a series of working groups to determine how to enhance parking availability for truckers, the group’s spokeswoman indicated this week.

The Environmental Protection Agency said Dec. 20 that it is beginning work on a proposed rule that would set new standards to reduce oxides of nitrogen for heavy-duty engines beginning model year 2024, the same year a provision kicks in for the agency’s heavy-duty Phase 2 greenhouse-gas program.

The Lehigh Valley Transportation Study committee has approved a list of six regional roads that it believes are worthy of the critical urban freight corridor designation in the federal government's new National Highway Freight Network.

Gov. Bill Haslam said Dec. 19 he is very ready to present his long-awaited transportation-funding recommendations but has delayed them for now at the request of some fellow Republicans in the General Assembly who want to explore their own funding ideas.

WASHINGTON — President-elect Trump’s pledge to spend billions of dollars on new road and bridge projects could dramatically reshape Minnesota’s transportation priorities, potentially bringing private investment to finance massive public works projects.

The U.S. Conference of Mayors has invited top-level Trump administration officials to address their group at their January meeting in Washington.