Transportation & Infrastructure
Coverage of the Department of Transportation and everything related to the nation's infrastructure.
Senate approves partial Homeland Security funding bill, with no money for ICE or border patrol
The Senate early Friday passed a partial Department of Homeland Security funding bill, as Republicans caved to Democrats’ refusal to fund ICE and border patrol.
Senate approves funding for TSA and most of Homeland Security, but not immigration enforcement
The Senate early Friday morning approved Homeland Security funds to pay Transportation Security Administration agents and most other agencies, but not the immigration enforcement operations at the heart of the budget impasse that has jammed airports, disrupted travel and imposed financial hardship on workers.
Air traffic control crisis leads to fatalities amid efforts to overhaul system: ‘I messed up’
A deadly ground collision at LaGuardia Airport late Sunday sparked new questions about air traffic controller staffing at the nation’s busiest airports, where hundreds of runway incursions and many “near misses” are recorded every year.
2 pilots killed when jet collides with fire truck at New York’s LaGuardia Airport
Two people were killed and several others badly hurt when an Air Canada regional jet struck a fire truck on a runway while landing at New York’s LaGuardia Airport, officials said.
White House deploys ICE agents to airports as DHS shutdown talks stall
President Trump is sending ICE agents to airports starting Monday to help relieve security lines despite sharp criticism from Democrats and the union representing Transportation Security Administration workers.
Airports collect donations for payless TSA workers amid shutdown
Airports are soliciting donations for Transportation Security Administration personnel who are working without pay during the shutdown.
Concourse at Reagan National Airport evacuated after discovery of suspicious package
The D concourse at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport was evacuated Thursday after a suspicious package was found in a break room.
Justice Dept. sues California over zero-emission vehicle targets
The Trump administration is ramping up pressure against California’s electric vehicle policies by filing a lawsuit to stop the state from imposing an electric vehicle mandate through state-specific zero-emission vehicle targets for car manufacturers.
Lawmakers vent frustration over DHS shutdown as lines grow at nation’s airports
Republican and Democratic senators vented their frustrations Wednesday with the lack of progress in funding the Department of Homeland Security, which is resulting in more Americans enduring long lines at airports around the country. It’s a problem that is expected to intensify as the impasse enters its fourth week.
U.S. warns civilians they could be targets at ports with Iranian naval vessels
Iran’s military is using civilian ports along the Strait of Hormuz to launch operations that threaten international shipping through the critical waterway, U.S. Central Command officials said Wednesday.
Customs and Border Protection resumes Global Entry program for travelers
International travelers who paid for the Global Entry program will once again be able to use it when entering the U.S., even as the Department of Homeland Security remains shut down.
Rep. Rosa DeLauro blames GOP for airport chaos amid the Democrats’ DHS shutdown
The top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee is pinning the blame on Republicans for flight delays, hourslong jams at Transportation Security Administration checkpoints and the overall chaos at major airports across the U.S. — while her party blocks Department of Homeland Security funding.
Taking to social media to complain about hot subway rides? You’re not alone, study says
Commuters, residents and tourists who take to social media during warm months to complain about sweltering subway systems in New York, Boston and London should feel vindicated - new research says they aren’t alone.
FAA briefly grounds all JetBlue flights due to short system outage
All JetBlue flights were briefly grounded by the Federal Aviation Administration early Tuesday at the request of the airline as it dealt with a short system outage.
White House defends firing of Republican NTSB board member
The White House says National Transportation Safety Board member Todd Inman was removed for misconduct after it received “highly concerning reports.”
Uber’s women-only option goes nationwide in the U.S.
Uber launched a feature Monday to allow both women riders and drivers across the U.S. to be matched with other women for trips, expanding a pilot program aimed at addressing concerns about the safety of its riding-hailing platform.
NTSB member says he was fired without explanation by the Trump administration
A National Transportation Safety Board member who was a public face of the investigation into last year’s deadly collision of an airliner and an Army helicopter near the nation’s capital said Sunday that he had been fired by the Trump administration without explanation.
Kansas City airport reopens hours after an evacuation as a potential threat was investigated
The Kansas City International Airport terminal reopened Sunday afternoon, hours after it was evacuated while authorities looked into a potential threat, the Kansas City Aviation Department said.
Watchdog flags $50 billion in ‘unsustainable’ maintenance backlog at federal buildings
The federal government has an estimated $50 billion in unsustainable deferred maintenance and repair liabilities at its underused agency buildings, an independent watchdog reported Thursday.
Customs agents in Baltimore recover cars stolen from Southeast D.C.
Customs and Border Protection Baltimore Field Office agents recently recovered cars stolen from the District’s Southeast area that were going to be sent to West Africa.
Some travelers stranded in Dubai are paying huge sums for private charter flights out
Tens of thousands of airline passengers are stranded by the Iran war that has spread across the Gulf region, but some wealthy travelers are getting out - by paying large sums for luxury flights to Europe via airports that are safe from Iranian drone and missile attacks.
Small plane makes emergency landing in frigid Hudson River and the 2 people aboard swim to safety
A small plane attempting an emergency landing crashed into the frigid Hudson River, but the pilot and a passenger escaped the wreckage and safely swam to shore, authorities said.
Global air travel chaos deepens as U.S.-Israel strikes and Iran retaliation shut Gulf hubs
Global air travel chaos intensified on Monday as the U.S. and Israel continued to bombard Iran, which struck back at targets across the Middle East, leaving airports closed and stranding travelers including those in faraway areas who were scheduled to transit through the region.
DC Health says city’s section of Potomac will be safe by next week
The stretch of the Potomac River within the District of Columbia will be safe for activities by next Monday, city health officials said.
Sen. John Fetterman reintroduces Railway Safety Act, 3 years after East Palestine wreck
A slew of lawmakers reintroduced the bipartisan Railway Safety Act to enhance hazardous material oversight and strengthen emergency response support.
Multimedia
Document: Infrastructure 2018: Moving America Forward — Land, Water and Air
Download the Special Report available in the March 22, 2018, edition of The Washington Times. (4.2 MB)
