Midwest High-Speed Rail Group Starts Lobby Push for House’s $4B Bill
Congress agrees that the White House's ambitious high-speed rail plan should be funded next year -- but the House is pushing for $2.8 billion more than the Senate, setting up a high-stakes battle that rail advocates want the House to win.
August 13, 2009
Distracted Driving Laws Lack Teeth in Some States
For a story today on the political challenge of outlawing texting behind the wheel, the Washington Post sent its reporter to a downtown intersection to track whether drivers were obeying the city's ban on hand-held cell phones.
August 13, 2009
Obama Administration Touts Nation’s First All-Electronic Toll Road in N.C.
The U.S. DOT dispatched Federal Highway Administrator Victor Mendez to North Carolina yesterday to kick off construction of the $1 billion Triangle Expressway, the state's first toll road and the nation's first to use per-mile electronic tolling.
August 13, 2009
Today’s Headlines
Korea eyes $45 billion high-speed rail contract in California visit (Korea Times) One Ohio town with a walkable arts district fears the stimulus will be its undoing (AP) U.S. DOT ponders a tweak to help “cash for clunkers” participants buy out-of-stock cars (WSJ) The challenge of transporting the disabled is daunting for many towns (Governing)
August 13, 2009
A Better — and Cooler — Version of “Cash for Clunkers”
During the Senate's debate over giving $2 billion more to the "cash for clunkers" car rebate program, John McCain (R-AZ) quipped that "cash for refrigerators" might be next in line.
August 12, 2009
Electric Cars and the Future of the Gas Tax
GM's highly publicized claim to triple-digit fuel efficiency for its new Chevy Volt has sparked a debate over the solidity of the estimate as well as the lack of charging stations where those without garages could charge a Volt. But another byproduct of the electric-car boom is getting less attention: its effect on the nation's transportation funding impasse.
August 12, 2009
Transport Construction Industry Mobilizes for Oberstar’s Bill
Acrimonious opposition to health care reform has become the biggest political story of an otherwise sleepy August, but that doesn't mean grassroots lobbying on the House's transportation bill has evaporated.
August 12, 2009
Today’s Headlines
Anonymous White House official admits: “What we ended up with is a program in which you trade in old clunkers for new clunkers” (NYT) Meanwhile, “clunkers” rush shows signs of a slowdown (Dow Jones) Obama’s green jobs adviser wonders why conservatives are so resistant … (WSJ) … while one Idaho conservative flies his Amtrak flag … Continued
August 12, 2009
A Progress Report on State-Level Oil Dependence
America's oil addiction is readily acknowledged, even by its biggest enablers. But what is the nation actually doing to kick the habit and embrace a safer, healthier, more realistic energy future?
August 11, 2009
GM Claims a 230 MPG Volt — Is it For Real?
General Motors made a media splash this morning by announcing that its Chevy Volt would get 230 miles per gallon in city driving, but the claim quickly began proving little more than a broad estimate.
August 11, 2009