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What lies ahead in the new year for the transportation community – federal and state legislators, state departments of transportation, and the transportation industry at large? What top 10 issues that will be talked, written, or tweeted about and legislated in 2012? The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (State DOTs) suggests it will be the following. Click here to read more details behind the topics.

1. Enacting a long-term transportation bill

2. Managing in lean times – how states address the problem of the nation’s aging bridges, highways, and transit systems with stagnant or reduced funding

3. Responding to and planning for natural disasters

4. Reducing traffic deaths

5. Increasing the visibility of transportation as an issue in the upcoming presidential campaign

6. Generating new ways to fund transportation:

7. Advancing intercity passenger rail

8. Engaging the business community in support of transportation

9. Serving a growing elderly population, both rural and urban

10. Responding to new stormwater reforms and other environmental regulations

Add your suggestions for additional topics in the comments.