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Here are some of the top Maine Transportation news stories for the week: Bill to kill Gorham Connector crashes in committee says Press Herald; Presque Isle breaks ground on new airport terminal says The County; Bill seeks to increase oversight of MaineCare transportation network says Maine Public; MaineDOT announces major improvements on I-95 in Kennebec County says Pine State News; Maine Better Transportation Association members can find links to these stories and more in the Transportation News Clips email. Find out more about MBTA events like June 6th’s Transportation on Tap in Hallowell and June 12th’s Washington County regional meeting in Machias at www.mbtaonline.org/event

Here are some of the top Maine Transportation news stories for the week: Maine lawmakers propose new fees to fund the state’s roads says BDN; More Maine drivers are operating while on drugs says WMTW; Putting speed cameras in Maine construction zones opens a rift in the Legislature says BDN; Construction workers from across Maine gather at Waterfront for 2025 Hike for Hope says WABI. Maine Better Transportation Association members can find links to these stories and more in the Transportation News Clips email. Find out more about MBTA events like June 6th’s Transportation on Tap in Hallowell at www.mbtaonline.org/event

Here are some of the top Maine Transportation news stories for the week: Maine could see automated speed traps in highway work zones says WGME;  Mills signs bill to fund increased storm preparedness and recovery says Mainebiz; The Trump administration cut a key FEMA grant. What does that mean for Maine projects asks The Maine Monitor; One of Maine’s priciest road projects is set to start in Presque Isle this year says Bangor Daily News; Get aboard a new Maine film festival that celebrates movies on trains says Press Herald; Maine Better Transportation Association members can find links to these stories and more in the Transportation News Clips email and you can find out more about MBTA events like May 22nd’s Annual Meeting in Freeport at www.mbtaonline.org

Here are some of the top Maine Transportation news stories for the week: MaineDOT rolls out a 3-year, $4.8 billion plan to fix infrastructure says WGME; legislators land airport habitat bill after turbulent takeoff says Maine Monitor; a big upgrade is almost done for one of Maine’s last swing bridges says BDN. Maine Better Transportation Association members can find links to these stories and more in the Transportation News Clips email and you can find out more about MBTA events like May 22nd’s Annual Meeting in Freeport at www.mbtaonline.org

Here are some of the top Maine transportation news stories for the week: Technical problems force MaineDOT to reapply for $3M in federal grants says the BDN; the Transportation Committee has been presented with more than six bills on car inspections says WABI; Maine lawmakers reject a proposal to extend a conservation easement on Sears Island, which has been targeted for development of a wind port; and a photo show at the Jetport celebrates Portland’s workers says the Press Herald. MBTA members can find links to these stories and more in the Transportation News Clips email and check out Maine Better Transportation Association events at www.mbtaonline.org like MBTA’s 86th Annual Meeting on May 22nd in Freeport and the May 3rd Hike for Hope in Bangor.

Here are some of the top Maine Transportation news stories for the week: Maine has the fourth-highest rate of poorly-rated bridges in country say WMTW. Public transportation is meeting just 11% of need in Maine says Maine Public. Crews to replace 130,000 railroad ties along the Downeaster’s route says WMTW. MaineDOT announced Squirrel Skywalks for April Fools’ Day. Sponsorships are available for MBTA’s 86th Annual Meeting, which is May 22nd in Freeport. Find out more about Maine Better Transportation Association events like April 10th’s Transportation on Tap or the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention's Hike for Hope at www.mbtaonline.org

Here are some of the top Maine Transportation news stories for the week: Maine Maritime Academy has named a new president says Mainebiz; Maritime officials fear ‘catastrophic’ outcome if mariner shortage worsens says the Maine Monitor; NTSB warns the Memorial Bridge connecting Maine and New Hampshire is missing ship strike assessments says WGME. Great photos and stories from the Building Wellbeing for ME mental health summit can be found in MBTA’s Maine Trails magazine! Join Cianbro, Sargent, Northeast Paving, and Pike Industries as a sponsor of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention's Hike for Hope. Find out more about Maine Better Transportation Association events like April 10th’s Transportation on Tap at www.mbtaonline.org/event MBTA members can find links to these stories and more in the Transportation News Clips email.

Here are some of the top Maine Transportation news stories for the week: the Maine Turnpike Authority names a new executive director, pending legislative confirmation says the Press Herald; Transit hub for travelers to Bar Harbor is opening in June says BDN; Despite airline industry turbulence, Maine airports see spring traffic taking off says Mainebiz; Long-term road project will detour traffic at Veterans Bridge and I-295 in South Portland says the Press Herald; Debate over future of Sears Island returns to the Maine State House says Spectrum News. Learn more about the Maine Better Transportation Association’s scholarship recipients in Maine Trails magazine and sign up for MBTA’s first Transportation on Tap event on April 10th at mbtaonline.org MBTA members can find links to these stories and more in the Transportation News Clips email.

Here are some of the top Maine Transportation news stories for the week: Bangor Daily News has what you need to know about Maine’s new license plate rollout. Mainebiz says the Wells train station renovations will allow for additional routes for southern Maine travelers and Mainebiz also chronicles how Maine businesses are navigating the new reality of tariff whiplash. Press Herald says Maine DOT will review alternatives to the Gorham Connector and also says Freeport is partnering with MaineDOT to rework Route 1. Bangor Daily News says the State has awarded the contract for suicide barriers on Penobscot Narrows Bridge. Today, support for mental health is needed more than ever so Maine Better Transportation Association, AGC Maine and Northeast Paving are asking you to join them in the Hike for Hope, find out more at mbtaonline.org/event 

Here are some of the top Maine Transportation news stories for the first week of March: Bangor Daily News says new rail push for Bangor has won over Republican skeptics; Press Herald says Maine has already seen six pedestrian deaths this year — a sharp contrast to zero fatalities at this time last year; Press Herald also says Maine lawmakers are playing chicken with the supplemental budget; Bangor Daily News says Delta is adding seasonal flights from Bangor to Detroit; News Center Maine says Women of Aviation Worldwide Week helps inspire the next generation of aviators. It’s worth noting that WTS-Maine Chapter's application deadline for high school and undergraduate scholarships is March 7. Finally, mark your calendars to join MBTA along with cohosts, WTS-Maine, for the first Transportation on Tap event of 2025 on April 10th at Baxter Brewing Lewiston. Register now at www.mbtaonline.org/event and Maine Better Transportation Association members can find links to these stories and more in the Transportation News Clips email.

Here are some of the top transportation news stories as February comes to a close. Patricia Quinn, Executive Director of the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority and Amtrak Downeaster will be speaking about passenger rail service at the Maine Better Transportation Association's Cumberland County dinner meeting on March 6th at the Portland Sheraton in South Portland. Register now to attend or sponsor at www.mbtaonline.org/event

At the 73rd Maine Transportation Conference, a crowd of experts, engineers, planners, and policymakers gathered to consider the future of how people move—by foot, by bike, by bus, behind the wheel and more. It was fitting that Marshall Elizer of the Washington State Department of Transportation and Vice-Chair of the AASHTO Committee on Design, opened the event with a talk that melded the technical with the philosophical. What stood out in his speech wasn’t just his technical expertise, but his ability to connect the arcane world of geometric road design to something much larger: the way we live, work, and build our communities. This is an excerpt of that speech and conference slides can be viewed at https://mbtaonline.org/73rd-maine-transportation-conference-slides/ “Geometric design,” Elizer began, “is impactful not just to those who are actually performing it on a daily basis, but also to any of us who walk, bike, or drive. It says a lot about how our life works—or doesn’t work—as we move around our communities.” For many, the phrase “geometric design” may conjure visions of technical manuals filled with precise dimensions for traffic lanes and curves. But Elizer’s message went far beyond the Green Book, the manual that serves as the bible for roadway design in the U.S. Yes, the Green Book provides engineers with standards for road widths, speed limits, and alignments, but Elizer urged his audience to think of it as a starting point—not the final word. “The Green Book allows a design that fits in this big box, but we’re really comfortable in this little box in the middle. That’s where we feel most comfortable, and that’s where we want to stay. But that flexibility says, look outside the small box. Think about the alternatives.” This push for flexibility reflects the challenges of modern road design. The days of building entirely new highways through untouched land are largely behind us. Today’s transportation professionals are grappling with how to retrofit and adapt aging infrastructure to meet modern demands: safer spaces for pedestrians and cyclists, more efficient traffic flows, and designs that harmonize with community goals rather than bulldozing over them. Elizer’s perspective is grounded in pragmatism, but also urgency. He didn’t shy away from addressing the sobering reality of safety on America’s roadways. Each year, approximately 1.2 million people die on roads worldwide. In the U.S. alone, more than 42,000 lives were lost in 2022. Pedestrians, he noted, are especially at risk. “Good geometric design equals safety and efficiency for all users,” Elizer said. Elizer also touched on the broader systemic factors that put Americans at greater risk than their global peers. He cited a global ranking that placed the U.S. 26th in road safety, behind countries like Norway, United Kingdom, Germany, and Canada. One reason, he suggested, is that America’s land-use policies often favor suburban sprawl, which forces people into cars and increases exposure to risk. In contrast, many European countries emphasize compact, walkable urban planning, coupled with stricter enforcement of traffic laws. Despite these challenges, Elizer struck an optimistic tone about the future. He highlighted the Safe System Approach, an international framework that the U.S. Department of Transportation has adopted to eliminate traffic fatalities. It’s a bold goal—Vision Zero, as it’s called—but one that Elizer believes is achievable if professionals embrace innovation and flexibility. In the end, Elizer’s speech was about more than roads. It was a call to rethink how we design the spaces that connect us—to create systems that don’t just move people efficiently, but also protect their lives and reflect their communities’ values.

Eric Ritchie’s journey from a Downeast small-town kid with a love for Tonka trucks, to the President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the employee-owned construction company Sargent, reads like a quintessential American success story. But it’s more than that—it’s about passion, resilience, and a deep commitment to the transportation and construction industry. In a candid podcast interview, Ritchie, who also just ended his term as the president of the Maine Better Transportation Association (MBTA), shares insights into his career and the critical role infrastructure plays in Maine’s future. “I grew up in the very eastern part of the state of Maine, in Perry, and had an affinity for construction even as a child,” Ritchie says. “My father dabbled in it. I was a big Tonka truck owner and that's really where it all started.” That early fascination with trucks and building things became more than just child’s play when Ritchie saw Route 9 being reconstructed from “the old goat path” it used to be. After earning a degree in engineering from the University of Maine and spending 16 years with The Lane Construction Corporation, Ritchie found his way to Sargent. Today, he leads a team of over 500 employee-owners from Maine to Virginia. Since joining Sargent, the company has grown significantly, expanding from 300 employees in just a few short years. When asked how he ended up as a leader both at Sargent and the MBTA, Ritchie reflects on his humble rise. “It’s a long story, so I’ll try to shorten it,” he says with a laugh. “I’ve been very blessed in life… I got involved in MBTA a long time ago, early in my career… I've got a tremendous passion for the industry. I love what I do. I love the company I work for. I love MBTA and its mission is a very critical mission, not only to the maintenance of our state's infrastructure, but also to getting to a point that we can leverage our infrastructure better to become a more economically viable state at the end of the day. So, I encourage young people all the time, cut your teeth in this organization. It's a great place to get to know people.” One of the biggest challenges facing the industry today is recruiting and retaining young workers. “Most of my career, and I think probably 95% of the people you talk to in this business, there's been a lot of baptism by fire in a person's career.” Sargent has been working to ease some of those transitions and take some of the harshness out of it, “trying to help folks see that this can be a career for you. This can be where you make your living, and where you make your mark for your own legacy. And educating folks around benefits, educating folks around retirement, something I wish I had more of when I was a young guy.”  Ritchie fondly recalls the mentorship and support he received from Herb Sargent, “Herb said something years ago that really stuck with me, and you know it's nice when you find folks that have philosophies like you, he said that ‘someone who works for this company for a long time should retire with a surplus of dignity.’ And I truly believe that if you're going to put your life, heart, and soul into this business, which isn't always easy, you should be able to retire and live a healthy life.”

As the ranking Republican on the Appropriations Committee, Representative Jack Ducharme of Maine House District 71 (Madison, Norridgewock, and Cornville) focuses on the needs of rural Maine in this interview with Orion Breen of the Maine Better Transportation Association (MBTA) discussing financial responsibility, economic development and the importance of transportation infrastructure. 

Senator Brad Farrin of Norridgewock and Representative Lydia Crafts of Newcastle give a bipartisan view of the big transportation news coming out of the Maine State Legislature and Transportation Committee, with hosts Patrick Brady and Orion Breen.