Here are five things worth knowing today: 1. According to Federal Department of transportation statistics and data, Rhode Island has the highest percentage of deficient bridges. Go Local Prov reports that of the state’s 766 bridges, 429 of them are considered deficient. Massachusetts ranks a close second, according to the report.2. After months of congestion and heated labor negotiations, ship traffic is back to normal at the Port of Los Angeles, the Daily Breeze reports. A harbor commissioner commended the recovery, but said the shipping industry still faces major challenges. The Daily Breeze has more.3. The federal government has announced that it will extend its oversight over GM for another year, according to CNBC. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has been tracking GM’s progress on investigating potential safety issues after failing to report defective airbags last year. According to CNBC, the extension requires GM to continue to report to NHTSA and meet with the agency regularly.4. The state of Arizona is researching technology that would detect a vehicle driving in the wrong direction and send alerts to overhead freeway signs and police, the AZ Capitol Times reports. The Department of Transportation is looking into the technology in an effort to eliminate the deadly, wrong-way crashes that have occurred on Phoenix-area roadways.5. In the wake of the deadly passenger train crash that killed eight people, Senate Democrats criticized House Republicans for cutting Amtrak’s funding, The Hill reports. According to the report, Republicans have disputed the idea that funding cuts to Amtrak had anything to do with the derailment. The Hill has more.
