Did Pelosi Just Side With Oberstar on the Transpo Bill?
That's the implication of a Roll Call story today that states: "Momentum Builds for Transportation Bill."
July 9, 2009
Top 20 Metro Areas Get 28% of Road Stimulus, 61% of Transit Stimulus
Cities are getting a disproportionately small share of the road money given out by the White House's stimulus plan, but the nation's top 20 metro areas are doing better when it comes to transit -- taking in 61 percent of the transit stimulus cash allocated so far, according to an analysis by Streetsblog Capitol Hill.
July 9, 2009
Boxer Delays Senate Climate Bill Until September
This was supposed to be a big week for action on climate change in the Senate -- but it's ending with Republicans rubbing their hands in glee as the Environment and Public Works Committee delays its unveiling of legislation on carbon emissions.
July 9, 2009
Today’s Headlines
House Ways and Means Committee joins the Senate in shutting the door on Rep. Jim Oberstar’s (D-MN) push for a new transportation bill (The Hill) The field-testing of a future alternative to the gas tax kicks into high gear (AP) Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell (D) calls for a second stimulus that’s targeted to infrastructure … … Continued
July 9, 2009
Urban Traffic Report Sparks Clever Headlines, But Little Transit Talk
The latest edition of the Texas Transportation Institute's influential urban mobility report was released today, prompting a flurry of mainstream media coverage focused largely on a faux-ironic theme that would do Alanis Morrissette proud -- the bad economy is giving us less traffic!
July 8, 2009
Lawmakers Aim to Bring ‘Sustainable Communities’ From Talk to Action
When three agencies in President Obama's Cabinet -- DOT, Housing and Urban Development, and the Environmental Protection Agency -- banded together to promote "sustainable communities," the initiative sounded promising but somewhat lacking in concrete ideas.
July 8, 2009
Today’s Headlines
The Texas Transportation Institute’s urban mobility hits the streets today — here’s a preview (AP) UPS steps up to do its part in reducing transpo-based emissions (Greenwire) High-speed rail headed for a bumpy ride in California (CSM) Wealthy oilman Pickens ends his flirtation with wind power to focus on not-so-green natural gas vehicles (NYT)
July 8, 2009
Why Road Builders Want a Transportation Bill Now
The clash between the Obama administration and senior House Democrats over passing a new federal transportation bill can be viewed on a number of levels: as an commentary on the lack of political will to tackle infrastructure, as proof that Washington is finally serious about climate change, and certainly as a spur to find new revenue sources.
July 7, 2009
Senate Starts Climate Push With Nods to Jobs, Energy, and Transportation
The Senate is taking its first public steps toward combating climate change -- and while the U.S. DOT was absent from this morning's hearing, the chiefs of the Energy Department and Environmental Protection Agency reminded lawmakers that transportation must play a key role in any emissions reduction plan.
July 7, 2009
Today’s Headlines
Senate environment committee kicks climate drafting into high gear, scheduling a hearing on transportation (Greenwire) House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-VA) criticizes the stimulus but supports stimulus cash for high-speed rail, and sees no problem with that (Politico) New paper in Science affirms Jane Jacobs: Urban-style population density helped shape human cognition (Scienceblogs via Andrew … Continued
July 7, 2009