In this episode of ITE Talks Transportation, Eric Rensel, Founder and CEO of Rensel Consulting, shares insights on how the industry can attract, develop, and retain the next generation of transportation professionals. From the power of mentorship and storytelling to the importance of early STEM exposure and alternative career pathways, Rensel draws on nationwide workforce development efforts and ITE’s involvement in the Engineering Workforce Consortium. The conversation highlights how flexibility, inclusion, and strong professional relationships are key to shaping a resilient and innovative workforce.

In this episode, Darlene Goehl – research engineer and research group lead at the Texas A&M Transportation Institute – explains how new infrastructure being developed in Texas can help prevent thousands of monarch butterfly deaths as they migrate across busy roads in North America.

Episode Notes

In this podcast episode, Darlene Goehl joins ‘The Stream by AASHTO’ to discuss the joint work of the Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) with the Texas Department of Transportation in building monarch flight diverters or MFDs – a series of tall, mesh barriers placed along busy roads that motivate the butterflies to fly above the roadway, well above vehicles traveling on the highway below. Researchers have noted sharp declines in monarch populations, specifically during their migration periods in the fall. In some years, researchers found that nearly 3 percent of the monarch’s fall migratory population were lost after being struck by vehicles traveling on roads; this number represents about half of the population decline in a given year.

Goehl discusses the importance of monarch butterflies to the ecology and cultural symbology of the southern U.S. and northern Mexico, the role of transportation, and how TTI identifies “hot spots” for monarch roadkill. From there, Goehl explains the implementation and feasibility of MFDs in Texas and how the project will fare into the future.

This podcast series is part of the AASHTO Environmental Management technical service program operated by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. It explores a wide array of environmental topics that affect state departments of transportation and the infrastructure programs they oversee.

In this episode of ITE Talks Transportation, host Bernie Wagenblast speaks with Bryan Jones, Assistant City Manager for the City of Menifee, California, about how a Safe System Approach at the local level moves beyond traditional traffic safety strategies to examine how roadway design affects public health, emergency response, municipal budgets, and overall livability. Jones, coauthor of the February ITE Journal article “Safer Streets Through Abundance: Aligning Fire Codes, Safety, and Community Goals,” emphasizes the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration—particularly between transportation and fire officials—and challenges the assumption that wider streets inherently improve safety. The conversation also explores practical strategies for building community support and empowering transportation professionals at all levels to lead meaningful, systems-based change.

Michael Sanderson—CEO of Sanbell and 2018 ITE International President—shares how his “people first” philosophy has shaped his career and his approach to building strong teams on this episode of ITE Talks Transportation. He explains that leadership in technical fields isn’t about command-and-control, but about setting a clear vision, building culture, and trusting experts to deliver. Sanderson emphasizes that leadership is learned through practice, and encourages young professionals to say yes to opportunities, especially in organizations like ITE. He also highlights the importance of ethical decision-making, mentorship, adaptability, and the lasting impact of creating LeadershipITE to help develop the next generation of transportation leaders.

Episode Summary

In this episode of The Stream by AASHTO, George McCue, Emerging Mobility Assistant Director at the Indiana Department of Transportation, and Dr. Steven Pekarek, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Purdue University, discuss a new electric vehicle project that seeks to create a wireless, electrified roadway that charges vehicles as they drive across the road. The pair discuss the science behind the project, the partnership between the university and Indiana DOT, and what it could mean for the future of electric vehicles.

Episode Notes

This podcast series is part of the AASHTO Environmental Management technical service program operated by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. It explores a wide array of environmental topics that affect state departments of transportation and the infrastructure programs they oversee.

In this episode, George McCue with the Indiana DOT and Dr. Steven Pekarek from Purdue University are interviewed by Bernie Wagenblast regarding an electric vehicle charging project they are conducting under the auspices of the Joint Transportation Research Program. The project is testing a dynamic wireless power transfer or “DWPT” system, whereby transmitter coils underneath the road can send energy to an electric vehicle without ever having to plug it in – a power transfer system that is similar to wireless charger technology for smart phones.

In West Lafayette, Indiana, Indiana DOT and Purdue have successfully tested a quarter mile of highway on U.S. Route 231 and U.S. Route 52 equipped with over 80 transmitter coils that carried charge to the test vehicle.

On the podcast, McCue and Pekarek discuss the multi-faceted aspects of the DWPT project, including the economic viability of the project’s technology, potential size limits of vehicles able to use the road, and working on public roadways that can see thousands of drivers daily. Both stress that this DWPT project could significantly expand the range of electric vehicles on U.S. highways.

Episode Summary

In this episode, Dan Medeiros – senior field representative for The Conservation Fund – discusses mountain lion conservation efforts in California as it relates to transportation infrastructure construction, motorist and wildlife safety, along with helping improve ecosystem linkages.

Episode Notes

In this episode, Dan Medeiros joins The Stream by AASHTO to discuss his work with The Conservation Fund – a 40-year-old organization that purchases land across the US to preserve wildlife habitat – and its efforts in California to support the safety and growth of mountain lion populations and their habitats.

Medeiros discusses how mountain lion conservation efforts interconnect with transportation infrastructure needs; especially how large barriers and quick-moving cars are two of the main culprits behind mountain lion deaths. He also points to specific examples, including the death of “54M” – a mountain lion tracked by that The Conservation Fund that was tragically killed by a vehicle when trying to cross a major highway.

Medeiros also explains the importance of stakeholder input on large infrastructure projects that involve mountain lion populations, including state departments of transportation, local residents, and private organizations. He provides input on the importance of quality data collection, advocacy, and conversation when working with big stakes.

This podcast series is part of the AASHTO Environmental Management technical service program operated by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. It explores a wide array of environmental topics that affect state departments of transportation and the infrastructure programs they oversee.

In this episode of ITE Talks Transportation, host Bernie Wagenblast speaks with Lorraine Martin, President and CEO of the National Safety Council, about the need to view roadway deaths as a public health crisis. Martin outlines proven strategies and emerging technologies that are advancing progress toward the goal of zero fatalities. She discusses how cultural change, infrastructure design, and cross-sector collaboration are essential to creating safer transportation systems for all road users.

In this episode of ITE Talks Transportation, Jean-Paul Brissett, CEO of Quality Counts, discusses how data and artificial intelligence are reshaping transportation decision-making. Brissett examines how new technologies are enhancing access to and interpretation of data while raising critical questions about privacy and ethics. He also reflects on the evolving role of human judgment in an increasingly automated industry and the leadership skills needed to navigate that change. The conversation offers an insightful look at how innovation, data, and people intersect to drive the future of mobility.