Redrawing some California traffic lanes to make them narrower would make many city streets safer according to a new study from Johns Hopkins University. Many U.S. street lanes are 11 to 12 feet wide, but researchers found that 9 foot lanes on streets where the speed limit is 30 to 35 have significantly fewer crashes.

Professor Shima Hamidi, Bloomberg assistant professor and director, Center for Climate Smart Transportation, Johns Hopkins University and coauthor of the study, said when the lanes are narrower, drivers tend to be more cautious - allowing them to catch any unexpected error and prevent a crash.

"When streets become wider, then it gives the drivers this false sense of safety that makes them drive faster. And that speed is really the main cause of crashes, " Hamidi explained.

Traffic deaths in California shot up more than 7% and pedestrian fatalities increased more than 9% from 2020 to 2021. The study found that narrowing the lanes makes it possible to cheaply add bike lanes and sidewalks, which encourage people to drive less, which reduces congestion and carbon emissions.

Hamidi said until now, American urban planners have shied away from making lanes narrower for fear of increasing crashes, but she hopes this new data, plus traffic studies from other parts of the world, will be reassuring.

"When you compare streets in American cities versus their European counterparts, you see that they are significantly wider. And we don't have that safety issue in European cities," Hamidi continued.

The study also found that narrowing street lanes does not increase congestion.


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Massachusetts will receive close to $1 billion in federal funding to replace the Cape Cod bridges.

Lawmakers said it is the largest single bridge funding grant in U.S. history and the biggest federal grant ever awarded to the Commonwealth.

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healy called it game-changing for the state's economy.

"It is a turning point truly in terms of sustained investments in an infrastructure whose benefits will be felt for generations," Healy emphasized. "It's a victory that we celebrate today."

The nearly 90-year-old Sagamore and Bourne bridges provide the only routes on and off the Cape and are considered "functionally obsolete" despite carrying more than 30 million vehicles each year. Healy explained plans are to focus first on replacing the Sagamore Bridge before turning to the Bourne.

The Biden Administration's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which established the Bridge Investment Program, invests a total of $40 billion over five years to help ensure the nation's most important bridges remain safe and operational. Already, the law has funded more than 7,000 bridge projects nationwide.

Sen. Edward Markey, D-Mass., said it feels like "Christmas in July," with the bridge project set to create some 9,000 construction jobs.

"We're going to do this with union labor," Markey pointed out. "It is going to be one of the largest union projects in Massachusetts history."

Markey noted an additional $700 million dollar state investment will allow construction on the Sagamore Bridge to begin. It is projected to be completed sometime in 2034 with the Bourne Bridge replacement completed more than a year later. The new bridges would be built next to the old ones to avoid traffic disruptions during construction.

Last week, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee heard testimony on the state and federal response to the collapse of the Key Bridge. In addition to a recap of the cleanup efforts, testimony turned to bridge replacement and who is paying for it.

Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., and Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., introduced the Baltimore Bridge Response Invests and Delivers Global Economic Relief Act, in which the federal government would fund 100% of the replacement of the bridge and its approaches. Cardin said the money is needed immediately.

"We are asking for the 100%, because that's what we've done in the past and we need it now," Cardin emphasized. "Because we are lending contracts to start the construction now. We don't want to delay this. Every month it's delayed is additional loss to our communities, and frustration among drivers, not only those that are directly impacted by the port, but those that are using our streets."

The legislation requires any funds recovered from insurance proceeds or as compensation for damages be used to reduce the federal government outlay. The current estimate to replace the bridge is $1.7 billion.

The Maryland Transportation Authority is evaluating proposals from design-build teams and expects to have a team chosen by mid- to late summer. Senators in the committee focused on safety upgrades to protect bridge piers against collisions from Neo-Panamax size ships such as the container ship Dali.

Paul J. Wiedefeld, Maryland transportation secretary, said designers will ensure pier protection.

"Whether it's through islands or actually moving the piers further apart," Wiedefeld explained. "If you put these piers much further apart, obviously, that's a natural protection. That'll be played out through the design as a high priority."

The bridge rebuild completion target is fall 2028.


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Federal officials have opened up a new round of funding under one of the many grant programs tied to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

As the multiyear initiative unfolds, North Dakota cities are getting an education on how to apply for funds. Since the law's passage, North Dakota has been awarded more than $3 billion, with investments in roads and bridges, water systems and high-speed internet.

Matt Gardner, executive director of the North Dakota League of Cities, said what is great about the package is towns and cities have more direct access to funds, instead of most of it being distributed by the states. It also means there is stiff competition.

"One thing to consider is, of the 355 cities in North Dakota, 306 of those are under a thousand people in population," Gardner pointed out.

He suggested smaller communities might lack the capacity to examine the dozens of programs and figure out compliance needs for grants. The National League of Cities is hosting "bootcamps" for local governments to help them become more savvy in applying. The latest funding announcement was for a pilot effort to help reconnect areas cut off from opportunity by past transportation projects.

Gardner acknowledged the Biden administration is trying to make the application process easier with free technical assistance but noted municipalities may need a few more tips on not wasting time in seeking grants that would not fit their needs. And they need to know if they can cover matching funds.

"This money isn't free. I mean, it comes with strings," Gardner emphasized. "If a city is applying directly, in general, it's going to be those local funds (that are also needed)."

He added several towns can work together on a single application with hopes of the state covering matching funds, potentially boosting approval chances. Gardner agreed with elected officials who said the infrastructure law will help communities thrive, creating temporary jobs along the way. His only caution was a potential spike in project costs if the investments collectively drive up demand for supplies.


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