As Minneapolis Joins NACTO, Oberstar Backs Shift on Transit Operating Aid
At an event in Minneapolis today, House transportation committee chairman Jim Oberstar (D-MN) announced his support for giving urban transit agencies more flexibility to spend federal transportation formula money on operating -- a change in the current law that has already won the backing of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood but has split the transit industry.
March 30, 2010
New Poll: Support For Transit Expansion Transcends Rural-Urban Divide
Despite the frequent reluctance of rural lawmakers to support more federal investment in transit, a majority of rural and urban voters alike believe their home towns would gain from a local transit expansion, according to a new poll released today by the infrastructure reform group Transportation for America (T4A) and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).
March 30, 2010
Today’s Headlines
Joint Economic Committee releases monthly economic report, mapping which states are feeling the sting of unemployment most sharply (JEC Press) Suicide bomb blast on Moscow transit prompts heightened security in U.S. systems (AP) Rendell expects news from U.S. DOT on tolling I-80 to come within two weeks (Post-Gazette) Does transportation really transcend Washington partisanship? (Philly.com) … Continued
March 30, 2010
‘A Dozen or So’ Senators Delay Passage of Oberstar’s Highway Funding Fix
A contentious congressional dispute over $932 million in transportation funding remains unresolved this week after the Senate approved a one-month extension of federal aviation law rather than a three-month version of the bill that included a fix to the provision at issue.
March 29, 2010
Could D.C. Become Transit’s New Civil Rights Battleground?
A $189 million budget shortfall for next year is forcing some tough choices on Washington D.C.'s local transit authority, which is poised to approve a package of fare increases and service cuts that includes a 35-cent hike for bus trips.
March 29, 2010
Today’s Headlines
White House to host Conference on the Great Outdoors next month — will transportation be on the agenda? (LAT) Could White House urban affairs chief Carrion to become New York state’s No. 2? (Crain’s) Voters in Pennsylvania, where a big-ticket Senate race is splitting time with debate over tolling I-80, favor the new tolls by … Continued
March 29, 2010
Oberstar Stays Optimistic About New Transport Bill in 2010
House transportation committee chairman Jim Oberstar (D-MN) today renewed his call for action on a new federal infrastructure bill before year's end, using a hearing on the Obama administration's stimulus law to urge passage of long-term legislation as well as a second round of short-term investment in roads, bridges, and rail.
March 26, 2010
New Stimulus Data: Road Funds 77% Under Contract, Transit at 74%
As of the end of February, nearly $5.4 billion of transit stimulus money, or 74 percent, was under contract for projects in the 50 states and D.C., according to a Streetsblog Capitol Hill analysis of data released today by the House transportation committee.
March 26, 2010
Today’s Headlines
Cleveland City Council passes resolution backing Sen. Brown and Rep. Kucinich in their push for bike-ped lane on the new Innerbelt Bridge (Plain Dealer Blog) New study examines the stress that a future electric-car boom would put on the nation’s grid, with surprising results (TreeHugger) Questioning the nation’s dwindling investment in its built environment (Grist) … Continued
March 26, 2010
Boxer Aims to Put TIGER-Type Program in Next Federal Transport Bill
During an otherwise-abbreviated hearing yesterday, Senate environment committee chairman Barbara Boxer (D-CA) joined the chorus of praise for the stimulus law's TIGER program, declaring her intention to add a version of the competitive infrastructure grants to the next long-term federal transportation bill.
March 25, 2010