It’s not too late to catch ATSSA’s first virtual Town Hall on the state and federal response to COVID-19 and potential infrastructure investments. A recording is now available of Tuesday’s one-hour session featuring Rep. Brendan Boyle, D-Pa., who serves on the House Ways and Means Committee, and AASHTO Executive Director Jim Tymon. 

The virtual Town Hall is a new feature for members. The next topic is "Innovations in Online Training to Keep Your Employees Engaged" and will be held Aprtil 28 at 2 p.m.

Registration is now open for ATSSA's debut virtual Town Hall to be held this Tuesday. ATSSA’s new President & CEO Stacy Tetschner and ATSSA Vice President of Government Relations Nate Smith will be joined by AASHTO Executive Director Jim Tymon and U.S. Rep. Brendan Boyle, D-Pa., who serves on the Ways and Means Committee.

The conversation will focus on the state and federal response to COVID-19 and potential infrastructure investments. 

ATSSA was encouraged by this week’s call from House Democratic leaders for another COVID-19 package that includes infrastructure funding.

The office of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) released a list of priorities the Democratic Caucus is targeting in a fourth COVID-19 economic package, which includes attention to transportation projects and mobility.

The Moving Forward plan calls for recovery by investing in “smarter, safer infrastructure that is made to last” and that would produce “millions of good-paying jobs.”

The Federal Communications Commission’s Office of Engineering and Technology granted a 21-day extension of the deadline for submitting replies to comments regarding a proposed rule change regarding the 5.9 GHz band, also commonly referred to as the "safety spectrum."

The new deadline of April 27 resulted from the extensive comments submitted and disruptions caused by COVID-19.

ATSSA President & CEO Stacy Tetschner sent a letter to the nation’s lieutenant governors today, asking them to declare ATSSA members in the category of “essential critical infrastructure workers” as defined by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

“Although ATSSA members fall into the categories outlined by DHS as essential, we urge you and the Governor to explicitly indicate that these industries in your state be deemed essential,” Tetschner wrote.

ATSSA President & CEO Stacy Tetschner sent a letter to the nation’s governors today asking that the Association’s members be considered “essential critical infrastructure workers”  in their respective jurisdictions under the guidelines issued March 19 by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

“On behalf of the 1,500 members of the American Traffic Safety Services Association (ATSSA), I urge you to deem road construction workers and the manufacturers of roadway safety devices and construction machinery as essential industries and workers in your state,” Tetschner wrote. “ATSSA members manufacture, distribute and install lifesaving roadway safety infrastructure devices such as traffic signs and signals, pavement markings, guardrail and cable barrier, crash cushions and work zone safety devices, among many others.

Today, both houses of the Kansas legislature voted to pass a transportation funding bill and sent it to Gov. Laura Kelly’s desk. Members of the Heart of America-ATSSA (HOA-ATSSA) Chapter leadership participated in the Economic Lifelines coalition advocacy day in Topeka on Feb. 12. They had a booth in the state Capitol highlighting the work that ATSSA members do throughout Kansas. Additionally, they met with Transportation Committee leaders and the state Secretary of Transportation and participated in a press conference with the governor.

ATSSA is "steadfastly opposed" to the Federal Communication Commission's plan to reallocate a portion of the 5.9 GHz band of spectrum to other uses out of concerns for "safety and security," President & CEO Roger Wentz said in a statement filed this week with the Federal Register.

People have until March 9 to submit comments and until April 6 to post replies to the proposal, first announced by FCC Chairman Ajit Pai at a Nov. 20 meeting with Citizens Against Government Waste, New America’s Open Technology Institute, and WifiForward.

Don’t miss your chance to deliver your message to Capitol Hill with ATSSA’s annual Legislative Briefing & Fly-In. The free two-day conference in Washington, D.C., takes place April 22 and 23 and provides ATSSA members an opportunity to meet policymakers, interact with people from both houses of Congress, and hear from department of transportation officials.

ATSSA Board Chair Greg Driskell, pictured in center, Past Chair Juan Arvizu, left, and Government Relations Vice President Nathan Smith were in Las Vegas on Sunday, Feb. 16  for the “Moving America Forward” presidential candidate forum aimed at raising the profile of the nation’s infrastructure needs. United for Infrastructure organized the program with groups that build, maintain, operate, and administer America’s infrastructure systems hosting it.