Blogs

September ITE Journal President's Message: Thank You

By Mr. Jeffrey Paniati P.E posted 28 days ago
This is my next to last Executive Director column, and I want to use it to thank those that have provided me with so much support and guidance over the past 8 years. First, I want to acknowledge the important role that John Kennedy, P.E. (H) played in bringing me to ITE. John was ITE International President and head of the search committee for the first new ITE Executive Director and CEO in more than three decades. John strongly encouraged me to consider applying for the position. I am so glad that I did. Over the next 8 years, I have been privileged to work with ITE International Presidents—Paula Flores (F), Shawn Leight, P.E., PTOE, PTP (F), Michael Sanderson, ...

September ITE Journal President's Message: Active Transportation

By Ms. Rosana Correa P.E., PTOE posted 28 days ago
Active transportation means walking, bicycle, or using devices such as scooters, segways, and even wheelchairs to go from home to work, school, groceries shopping, restaurants, healthcare, and other destinations. But for people to walk and bike safely from origin to destination, they need a safe infrastructure to do so. Providing an infrastructure of connected sidewalks, overpasses, bike paths, and trails will not only provide a safer and efficient way for people to commute, but would also create healthier communities. Having an active transportation infrastructure will enable people to improve their quality of life, but most importantly it allows transportation ...

August 2023 ITE Journal Director's Message: Continuous Improvement

By Mr. Jeffrey Paniati P.E posted 08-01-2023
One of the keys to success in life is continuous improvement—finding a way to keep getting a little better every day. Sometimes, improvement plateaus for a bit, or you might even have to take a step sideways or backwards to go forward again, but viewed with a little distance and perspective, you should see a continuous upward trajectory. The same is true for ITE. Over the past 8 years, ITE has sought ways to continually get better. Some improvements might take longer than others or are behind the scenes, while others are more significant and widely evident. It is with this philosophy in mind that we approached the results from our recent All-Member Survey. ...

August 2023 ITE Journal President's Message: Annual Meeting

By Ms. Rosana Correa P.E., PTOE posted 08-01-2023
This month we will be having the ITE Annual Meeting and Exhibition jointly with the Western District in Portland, OR, USA, August 13-16. This year’s theme is Connecting People and Communities. Transportation professionals play an important role in creating a transportation network that connects people to their communities and provides quality and safe options for all users to access economic and social opportunities, essential services, and recreational facilities for health benefits. ITE, as a Community of Transportation Professionals, can help provide those options in a meaningful way through thoughtful context sensitive planning and designs, establishing partnerships, ...

July ITE Journal Director's Message: The Invitations Are Sent

By Mr. Jeffrey Paniati P.E posted 07-02-2023
You know that feeling when you have put a lot of time into planning an event, have sent out the invitations, and are just waiting to see who will be coming? The party is all planned, now we just need the guests to RSVP and show up. That’s what this time of year is like for the ITE Headquarters staff and Western District members involved in putting together the ITE Annual Meeting and Exhibition in Portland, OR, USA, August 13-16. The planning has been underway since last October when we sent out our Call for Abstracts. We received an outstanding response and have the most presenters—podium and poster—for an Annual Meeting in my 8 years at ITE. And, once again, ...

July ITE Journal President's Message: Electric Vehicle Impacts

By Ms. Rosana Correa P.E., PTOE posted 07-02-2023
Although electric vehicles (EVs) have the potential to have a positive impact on the environment and our communities, the transition to EVs should be inclusive and equitable. Some positive environmental and social impacts of EVs when compared to internal-combustion-engine (ICE) vehicles include: Sustainable Benefits: EVs are, in most cases, better for the environment because of the reduction in gas emissions. The transportation sector is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and the shift to EVs can help reduce the footprint. Air Quality Improvement: By reducing gas emissions, the use of EVs contributes to improved air quality, especially in ...

The Power of Affinity Groups

By Dr. Beverly Kuhn P.E., PTOE, PMP posted 06-16-2023
You may have heard the term “affinity group” used in recent years, both within your organization and here at ITE. First used in 1915, an affinity group is “a group of people having a common interest or goal or acting together for a specific purpose (as for a chartered tour).” Although the most common affinity groups are based on racial identity, gender identity, or sexual orientation, newer groups are being established that promote disability rights, social and environmental justice, volunteerism, and allyship. Here are some benefits to establishing affinity groups within an organization: Foster a culture of belonging : Members want to feel comfortable ...

ITE D&I - Be Intentional and Commit to Diversity

By Dr. Beverly Kuhn P.E., PTOE, PMP posted 06-09-2023
Are you a leader in ITE? If so, the D&I Committee challenges you to commit to diversity and inclusion as you go about your leadership role and activities this year. Successful diverse teams outperform others and ultimately better serve their communities - which in this case are our members at the District, Section, and Chapter levels. What does that commitment look like? It can take on various forms, some of which might already be part of how you run your meetings. The following are a few examples that can show your commitment to diversity within ITE (courtesy of the Women in ITE Committee): Plan meetings in advance and deliberately invite a ...

Women and Minorities in STEM – Closing the Gap

By Dr. Beverly Kuhn P.E., PTOE, PMP posted 06-08-2023
It is certainly no secret that women are drastically underrepresented in the workforce in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) and that men outnumber women majoring in most STEM fields in college. According to the latest U.S. census, women comprise only 27% of STEM workers even though they make up nearly half of the U.S. workforce. ( 1 ) This underrepresentation is even more pronounced for Blacks and Hispanics across all STEM fields. The value of diversity in our profession cannot be overstated. Incorporating different voices and viewpoints helps yield better solutions to our transportation ...

June 2023 ITE Journal Director's Message: Leaving a Legacy

By Mr. Jeffrey Paniati P.E posted 06-02-2023
All of us hope to leave a legacy in some way, big or small. For many, that legacy is through family or the lives of friends we have touched. For others, it is through involvement in our church, local community, or volunteer efforts. Still, others leave their legacy through the innovation and creativity they bring to their work and transportation projects that enhance quality of life for the public we serve. In 2017, ITE established the Legacy Program to help support the next generation of transportation professionals through investments in student and younger member activities. This program was seeded through funds donated over the years in remembrance ...

June 2023 ITE Journal President's Message: Student and Younger Members

By Ms. Rosana Correa P.E., PTOE posted 06-02-2023
My journey with ITE started with participation in the Student Chapter at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez. ITE Student Chapters are a big reason many of today’s ITE members learned about and got involved in the organization. These groups provide camaraderie and leadership opportunities for our student members, help connect students and professionals with an interest in transportation, and begin to help build their network. By being involved in ITE, our students and young members develop leadership and communications skills that are essential in today’s world. They learn how to collaborate and work as a team with diverse groups of people including adults ...

A Call to Action

By Mr. Jeffrey Paniati P.E posted 05-01-2023
Earlier this year the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) issued a Call to Action on the first anniversary of the National Roadway Safety Strategy (NRSS). The NRSS puts forth a multimodal strategy centered on the Safe System Approach (SSA)—safe roads, safe vehicles, safe users, safe speeds, and effective postcrash care. USDOT is calling on all parts of this community to commit to actions that will advance the NRSS. ITE was an early adopter of the SSA, and through our work with the Roadway Safety Coalition has led the growing awareness and adoption of the SSA throughout the United States, building from the work of our international colleagues. We were recognized ...

Safety is a Responsibility for All of Us (You and Me)

By Ms. Rosana Correa P.E., PTOE posted 05-01-2023
Road safety is a worldwide problem and should be a top concern for transportation professionals everywhere. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 1.3 million people die because of road traffic crashes around the world. Statistics from around the world show the dangers of our roadways for drivers and vulnerable users alike. Based on an early estimate of motor vehicle traffic fatalities for 2021 from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 42,915 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes in the Unitied States—the highest number of fatalities since 2005 and an increase of 10.5 percent compared to 2020. Based on the Transport ...

A Time for Change

By Mr. Jeffrey Paniati P.E posted 04-02-2023
As you may have seen by now, I have advised the ITE Board of Direction of my intent to retire by the end of the year. This was not an easy decision, but after 40 years in the profession and 8 years as ITE Executive Director and CEO, it feels like it is a good time for a change, for me and for ITE. The opportunity to lead ITE has been a wonderful experience and a capstone to my career. I feel fortunate to have enjoyed every stop along the way in my career, from my start in the Federal Highway Administration’s Highway Engineer Training Program in 1983 to today, but my time at ITE has been special. I’ve had the opportunity to come back to the technical areas—safety, ...

Traffic Engineering

By Ms. Rosana Correa P.E., PTOE posted 04-02-2023
I can’t believe I’m starting the fourth month of my time as ITE International President! Time flies. While ITE is focusing this year on the Transportation Planner Initiative as part of the 2021-2023 ITE Strategic Plan to broaden our Community of Transportation Professionals, we have not lost sight of our core membership: traffic engineers. The following are just a few examples of some of the resources that have been produced with the help of our traffic engineering members. The ITE Electric Vehicle (EV)/Electrification Working Group, formed in August 2022 as part of the ITE Sustainability Committee, in January published the Electric Vehicle (EV) Trend Exploration ...

2023 All-Member Survey

By Mr. Jeffrey Paniati P.E posted 03-12-2023
Hopefully by now you have all received your ITE all-member survey that was sent via email on February 13. This is our first all-member survey since 2019. We are very interested to learn more about our members and your needs in a post-pandemic environment. The first goal of the survey is to learn what we are doing well and where there are opportunities to improve, particularly in the near term. Staff and our volunteer leaders will use the results to adjust or enhance the products and services we provide. Second, we want to inform ITE’s longer-term strategic direction. The International Board of Direction (IBOD) has formed a Strategic Planning Committee under the ...

Working Together for Our Communities!

By Ms. Rosana Correa P.E., PTOE posted 03-12-2023
Transportation moves people and goods through cities, states, and countries, allowing people to decide where to live, work, recreate, and shop, or decide where to go on short weekend trips or long vacations. We rely on transportation for nearly everything we do. Since the beginning of time, every civilization has relied on some form of transportation, and the transportation priorities and goals change as the needs of society change. The communities we live in and serve today are asking for multimodal, diverse solutions that allow them to get where they want to go safely, while also providing options for a healthier lifestyle. Transportation planners look at ...

17,000!

By Mr. Jeffrey Paniati P.E posted 02-05-2023
At the end of 2022, ITE reached a major milestone with more than 17,000 members for the first time in our 92-year history. We finished 2022 with a record 17,302 members. While a late boost of new members (about 450) from the offer of 1 year of free membership for transportation planning professionals got us to the milestone a little early, we were already on a trajectory to pass the 17,000-mark in 2023. We have been steadily adding numbers since 2015 when our membership sat at 14,228. Achieving this milestone did not come because of any one action or initiative, but a series of efforts since 2016 that have steadily increased our membership year-over-year. The ...

Rural Transportation

By Ms. Rosana Correa P.E., PTOE posted 02-05-2023
My parents live in a neighborhood (barrio) in the mountains in Puerto Rico, an area that has been affected by natural disasters, especially in the past 5 years: Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017, and Hurricane Fiona in 2022. Rain from both caused landslides impacting the two-lane rural roadway that connects my parents' barrio to the rest of the town (pueblo). This two-lane rural roadway provides access for my parents (and lots of elderly people) to healthcare, groceries, jobs, services, and the rest of the island. Rural roadways—in the United States and around the world—not only provide access to people living in rural communities, but also connect people living ...

Happy New Year! ¡Feliz Año Nuevo!

By Ms. Rosana Correa P.E., PTOE posted 01-05-2023
Wishing you and yours health and prosperity in 2023! My journey in ITE started, like many of you, as a student. I was part of the first Student Chapter at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez and President in the second year. It was there my ITE leadership journey started. When I moved to Tampa, FL, USA in January 2002, I joined the ITE Tampa Bay Chapter and started volunteering with the Chapter. At the end of 2002, I was encouraged to run for Chapter officer. Because English is my second language and because of my accent, I was terrified because that meant I need it to talk in front of people. But my ITE family helped me feel that I belong and encouraged ...