The Stream by AASHTO

This podcast series is part of the AASHTO Environmental Management technical service program operated by the AASHTO. It explores a wide array of environmental topics that affect state departments of transportation and the infrastructure programs they oversee.

In this episode, McMurry – who graduated cum laude from Georgia Southern University with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering – traces his career path at Georgia DOT; starting as an intern in 1990 and then progressing all the way up to his appointment as commissioner in 2015.

McMurry also shares what he’s learned over the more than three decades he’s spent at Georgia DOT in a wide variety of roles, such as construction project manager, district engineer, director of engineering, chief engineer, and planning director. McMurry also discusses his emphasis areas as AASHTO president, especially in terms of how he selected them. His focus areas include surface transportation reauthorization, improvement of

project delivery, and safety. “Until there are zero deaths on our nation’s highways and roadsides, we all have work to do,” he said.

Finally, McMurry details what federal surface transportation funding reauthorization legislation could look like if passed Congress this year; a bill he hopes will contain strong formula funding programs to support state transportation needs and how he wants it to be easier for states to take on NEPA assignment duties from the U.S. Department of Transportation.

In this podcast episode, Darlene Goehl joins ‘The Stream by AASHTO’ to discuss the joint work of the Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) with Texas Department of Transportation in building Monarch Flight Diverters or MFDs – a series of tall, mesh barriers placed along busy roads that motivate the butterflies to fly above the roadway, well above vehicles traveling on the highway below. Researchers have noted sharp declines in Monarch populations, specifically during their migration periods in the fall. In some years, researchers found that nearly 3 percent of the Monarch’s fall migratory population were lost after being struck by vehicles traveling on roads; this number represents about half of the population decline in a given year.

Goehl discusses the importance of monarch butterflies to the ecology and cultural symbology of the southern U.S. and northern Mexico, the role of transportation, and how TTI identifies “hot spots” for Monarch roadkill. From there, Goehl explains the implementation and feasibility of MFDs in Texas and how the project will fare into the future.

This podcast series is part of the AASHTO Environmental Management technical service program operated by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. It explores a wide array of environmental topics that affect state departments of transportation and the infrastructure programs they oversee.

This podcast series is part of the AASHTO Environmental Management technical service program operated by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. It explores a wide array of environmental topics that affect state departments of transportation and the infrastructure programs they oversee.
In this episode, George McCue with the Indiana DOT and Dr. Steven Pekarek from Purdue University are interviewed by Bernie Wagenblast regarding an electric vehicle charging project they are conducting under the auspices of the Joint Transportation Research Program. The project is testing a Dynamic Wireless Power Transfer or “DWPT” system, whereby transmitter coils underneath the road can send energy to an electric vehicle without ever having to plug it in – a power transfer system that is similar to wireless charger technology for smart phones.
In West Lafayette, IN, the Indiana DOT and Purdue have successfully tested a quarter mile of highway on U.S. Route 231 and U.S. Route 52 equipped with over 80 transmitter coils that carried charge to the test vehicle.
On the podcast, McCue and Pekarek discuss the multi-faceted aspects of the DWPT project, including the economic viability of the project’s technology, potential size limits of vehicles able to use the road, and working on public roadways that can see thousands of drivers daily. Both stress that this DWPT project could significantly expand the range of electric vehicles on U.S. highways.

In this episode, Dan Medeiros joins the Stream by AASHTO to discuss his work with the Conservation Fund – a 40-year-old firm that purchases land across the U.S. to preserve wildlife habitat – and its efforts in California to support the safety and growth of mountain lion populations and their habitats. 
Medeiros discusses how mountain lion conservation efforts interconnect with transportation infrastructure needs; especially how large barriers and quick-moving cars are two of the main culprits behind mountain lion deaths. He also points to specific examples, including the death of “54M” – a mountain lion tracked by that the Conservation Fund that was tragically killed by a vehicle when trying to cross a major highway.
Medeiros also explains the importance of stakeholder input on large infrastructure projects that involve mountain lion populations, including state departments of transportation, local residents, and private organizations. He provides input on the importance of quality data collection, advocacy, and conversation when working with big stakes.
This podcast series is part of the AASHTO Environmental Management technical service program operated by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. It explores a wide array of environmental topics that affect state departments of transportation and the infrastructure programs they oversee.

The latest episode of the “Stream by AASHTO” podcast features an interview with Tziporah Feldman, policy and research director for Scenic America; a national nonprofit advocacy dedicated to preserving and enhancing the scenic character of America's communities and countryside.
This podcast series is part of the AASHTO Environmental Management technical service program operated by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. It explores a wide array of environmental topics that affect state departments of transportation and the infrastructure programs they oversee.
Scenic America’s focus areas are reducing tree removal for billboard visibility purposes, as well as support for the Backcountry Byways Program, National Scenic Byways Program, and The America the Beautiful Act.
In this episode, Feldman discusses the specific policy issues Scenic America addresses, such as the impact of undergrounding utility construction on parks and open spaces; billboards and sign control; and intersection of community planning and scenic byways. She also details her background in the environmental sector. After receiving a biology degree from the University of Cincinnati – all while helping rehabilitate birds of prey and releasing them back into the wild – Feldman went on to obtain a masters in ecology and evolutionary biology from Stony Brook University.