Ben Goldman

Obama’s Rejection of Pipeline Was “Not Just The Right Call, But The Brave Call” (350.org) DC’s Dulles Airport Metro-Rail Could Lose Station… At Dulles (DC Examiner) Microsoft App Can Direct Pedestrians Around “Unsafe” Neighborhoods (Next Am. City) A Scorecard For The Global Metropolitan Economy (New Republic) Bike Sharing: It’s Global City Cycling’s Gateway Drug (TreeHugger) … Continued

Speaker John Boehner called the House of Representatives back into session yesterday, while the Senate will reconvene next Tuesday. And not a moment too soon: A number of major transportation laws will expire shortly, with calls to action coming from both sides. After all, many of these laws are extensions of extensions, and each side is hoping to claim a victory in an election year.

24 States Split $40.8 Million for Transportation on Federal Lands (Trans. Issues Daily) China’s Population, World’s Largest, Is Over 50 Percent Urbanized (Atlantic Cities) Congress Needs to Move on FAA Before Surface Transportation (Hill) NRDC’s Kaid Benfield Writes About the “Low-Car Lifestyle” … While His Colleague Rob Perks Describes “The State of Play on Gas … Continued

Earlier today we brought you a story about a new and potentially dangerous technological innovation – Facebook in cars. To help end the week on a higher note, here’s some far more encouraging news on the transportation tech front.

Earlier this week, at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Mercedes-Benz USA unveiled “mbrace2,” an in-dashboard service that enables the use of Facebook, Yelp, and Google behind the wheel. The service will likely be available in all 2013 models.

Back in December, Clackamas, Oregon-based United Streetcar won an $8.7 million contract to build two vehicles for Washington, DC’s streetcar system, currently under construction. The timing could not have been better for House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Ranking Member Nick Rahall, who had just introduced legislation to tighten “Buy America” requirements on future transportation investments. Rahall had even invited United Streetcar’s president, Chandra Brown, to speak at the press conference, to demonstrate how Buy America can benefit and revive the domestic rolling stock manufacturing industry.

Stop me if you’ve heard these before:

Maybe There Is a Path Forward for Federal Transportation Bill (Press Enterprise) Maryland Assembly Prefers Gas Tax to Sales Tax (WAMU) House Rail/Pipeline Subcmte. Chair: “Put Infrastructure Before Politics” (Wash. Times) Delaware River PA Seeks Federal Funds for Bike Ramp on PA-NJ Bridge (NJ.com) See-Rent-Ride: Bike Sharing Changes How People See City (Bike League) Speaking … Continued

Amtrak has spent the past year as a sort of punching bag for some members of Congress, not to mention the GOP presidential candidates. So it's refreshing to hear that they're coming out swinging, confidently, in 2012.

Building America’s Future Tracks the GOP Candidates’ Stances on Infrastructure BAF Is Also Running an Infrastructure Ad in South Carolina (YouTube) New APTA Report Lists, Debunks Common Criticisms of HSR [PDF] Technical Paper Indicates Riders Overestimate Travel Time Savings (Transportationist) Why Greenways Matter (The Naked City) Italian Architect Plans Urban Forest for Milan (NRDC) Improving Towns … Continued