Chris Sullivan of KIRO-FM reported that traffic was "running smoothly" through the recently opened State Route 99 Tunnel in Seattle. The state is aiming for $200 million in toll collections from the tunnel as part of the $3.3 billion replacement of the Alaskan Way Viaduct.

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont said he wants to work with state lawmakers regarding the potential implementation of tolls on cars and semitrucks. Tolling for only trucks would generate between $45 million and $200 million annually, but adding cars to the tolling mix would generate $800 million yearly, budget documents project.

Florida Senate President Bill Galvano wants to extend Florida's Turnpike by 30 miles, extend the Suncoast Parkway by 150 miles and build the Heartland Parkway. Gov. Ron DeSantis is calling for $625 million to put toward environmental issues in the state, which could mean difficulty funding the roadway proposals.

A three-month pilot project to test an autonomous shuttle at California State University in Sacramento has begun, and the city's mayor said he hopes the city will become a leader in autonomous-vehicle technology. The shuttle will transport people from a parking garage to classroom buildings, but an exact route has yet to be determined.

A collaborative framework has been introduced between the Global Certification Forum and the 5G Automotive Association to expedite the implementation of cellular vehicle-to-everything, or C-V2X, technology. "As always, with the introduction of new and disruptive technology, standards and certification are critical to ensuring successful deployment," said Lars Nielsen of the Global Certification Forum.

The US Transportation Department is providing a $605 million loan to cover part of the construction cost for two segments of the Grand Parkway, which will be a 180-mile toll road around Houston. The project is estimated to cost $1.9 billion overall.

Tolls have increased for people driving or walking across the Paso Del Norte Bridge from Juarez, Mexico, to El Paso, Texas.

Congress set a 2016 deadline for toll interoperability, but states still haven't reached that target. The editorial board of the Sun Sentinel in South Florida writes that Congress should require interoperability via "a new short-range deadline after which noncompliant states would lose a portion of their federal highway aid."

Attendees of the National Governors Association's winter meeting said semitrucks could be a good candidate for testing vehicle-miles-traveled fees. The federal fuel tax has not risen since 1993, and states are looking at other ways to raise revenue.

Please watch this short video message from Pat as he summarizes the previous week's actions to drive tolling forward.

The Meeting Planning Group for the 87th Annual Meeting is looking for your presentations! Please review the session descriptions and submit your presentation ideas by close of business today.