Could Rail be the Sleeper Issue in the Connecticut Senate Race?
After Sen. Chris Dodd's (D-CT) retirement propelled popular Attorney General Richard Blumenthal into Connecticut's 2010 Senate race, ex-Rep. Rob Simmons (R-CT) now faces a more difficult bid -- one described by his own pollster as a "war of attrition." So it's worth asking what role the state's lengthy transportation to-do list will play in the campaign.
January 8, 2010
Today’s Headlines
EPA rolls out stronger new limits on smog, formed by a mixture of pollution from stationary and mobile sources (NYT) A look at the green job-creation potential of the next federal transport bill (Apollo Alliance via Grist) Oberstar cheers as Minnesota joins Safe Routes to School partnership (Review Messenger) How to redraw a new, more … Continued
January 8, 2010
Democratic Lawmaker Blasts Salazar For Calling Big Oil ‘Kings of the World’
When Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced yesterday that his department would conduct stricter environmental reviews before leasing federal land to oil and gas producers, he added a comment that few in the Democratic party might contest:
January 7, 2010
Transport Economist Challenges Claim That ‘VMT Causes Growth’
The claim to a link between economic growth and vehicle mileage -- that, in other words, auto travel is essential to keeping U.S. productivity high -- remains controversial and much-debated in transportation policy circles.
January 7, 2010
The U.S. Transportation Financing Crisis: A Snapshot From the States
Washington transportation policymaking can often resemble an unwieldy soup of anywhere between 50 and 535 local perspectives, as lawmakers from different states and districts vie for a fixed (or even shrinking) amount of federal funding.
January 7, 2010
Today’s Headlines
Florida may not be on any official list of high-speed rail finalists, but its congressional delegation is still wooing the White House (TBO.com) Webster’s dictionary names “distracted driving” 2009’s word of the year, to LaHood’s delight (The Swamp, DOT Blog) Small transit systems, such as the bus network in Greeley, CO, hoping to avoid getting … Continued
January 7, 2010
New Report Finds American Auto Fleet Shrinking
Could the nation be turning away from its decades-old yen for auto ownership? Americans got rid of more cars than they retained in 2009, reversing a trend that saw total U.S. vehicles exceed the number of drivers more than 35 years ago, according to a report released today by the Earth Policy Institute (EPI).
January 6, 2010
Biden’s Homage to Amtrak
The nation's Amtrak rider-in-chief, Vice President Joseph Biden, has penned an op-ed for the rail network's monthly magazine entitled "Why America Needs Trains."
January 6, 2010
Dodd and Dorgan Retiring: The Consequences For Transportation Policy
In a surprising one-two punch, Democratic Sens. Byron Dorgan (ND) and Chris Dodd (CT) have let slip their plans to leave Congress at the end of this year.
January 6, 2010
Today’s Headlines
The Senate jobs bill, if it passes by March 1, could give states a temporary reprieve from last year’s rescission of $8.7 billion in transportation funding (JOC) A closer look at the conservative opposition to Florida Gov. Crist’s support for commuter rail (Ledger) A rallying cry for the Washington D.C. region to commit to its … Continued
January 6, 2010