SEATTLE — After 10 years of environmental review and analysis, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) on Aug. 23 signed a record of decision allowing the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) to begin final design and construction of the State Route 99 tunnel beneath downtown Seattle. The tunnel will replace the double-deck Alaskan Way Viaduct along Seattle’s waterfront.

 WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Transportation Research Board is seeking nominations for the Sharon D. Banks Award for Humanitarian Leadership in Transportation. This TRB award, which recognizes excellence in people-oriented initiatives throughout transportation, was inaugurated in 2002 and may be presented biennially. The next presentation of the award will be made during the Chairman’s Luncheon on Jan. 25, 2012, during the TRB 91st Annual Meeting. Nominations must be submitted no later than Aug. 31, 2011.

 WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced nearly $745 million for construction along the Northeast Corridor (NEC) to upgrade some of the most heavily used sections. The NEC will receive $449.94 million to upgrade electrical systems and tracks between Trenton, N.J., and New York City, resulting in improved on-time performance and reliability, and an initial increase in top operating speeds up to 160 mph and future maximum speeds of 186 mph. Another $294.78 million will alleviate major delays for trains coming in and out of Manhattan with new routes that allow Amtrak trains to bypass the busiest passenger rail junction in the nation.

 WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced $417.3 million in grants to fund an array of efforts ranging from interstate maintenance to research into innovative bridge materials and construction methods. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) invited states to apply in June for federal funding from 14 grant programs. Requests poured in from every state, Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C. — more than 1,800 applications, totaling nearly $13 billion, which is more than 30 times the funds available.

 SAN JOSE, CALIF. — The Mineta Transportation Institute (MTI) released a research report that presents an updated analysis of a 2001 report on transportation tax elections in urban areas across the U.S. It also further analyzes the impacts of 17 previously identified community-level factors with their potential impact on the success of ballot measures for sales tax increases to fund transportation packages with substantial rail components. “Revisiting Factors Associated with the Success of Ballot Initiatives with a Substantial Rail Transit Component” was authored by principal investigator Peter J. Haas, Ph.D. This is the second update of the original 2000 report.