2009 Transportation Bill
Bridging the Local-National Message Divide: The Climate Bill is the Answer
This week, I was fortunate to attend the Open Cities conference in Washington (along with fellow Streetsbloggers Elana Schor and Aaron Naparstek), on the ways in which new media is shaping urban policy.
October 9, 2009
Streetsblog Q&A: Bush DOT Chief Backs Transport Tech Funding
Former Transportation Secretary Mary Peters, who served for eight years in George W. Bush's DOT, sat down with Streetsblog Capitol Hill yesterday to urge that Congress add a dedicated funding stream of $1 billion each year for transportation technology to the next long-term infrastructure bill.
October 8, 2009
Is a Bigger Transportation Bill — This Year — Back on the Table?
That's the suggestion that an anonymous "Senate aide" made to Bloomberg News this morning, recounting a possible White House change of heart as mounting job losses stoke new debate over a second stimulus bill:
October 6, 2009
Congress’ Transport Impasse Hits States — and Not Just Their Road Funds
When lawmakers failed on Wednesday to reach a deal on avoiding the cancellation of $8.7 billion in transportation spending authority, the consequences of Congress' inaction weren't immediately palpable to most voters -- but the loss is sinking in on the local level.
October 5, 2009
GOP Blocks Plan to Use Bailout Fund to Preserve $8.7B in Transport Money
A bipartisan bid to extend existing federal transportation law for three months -- and tap the TARP bailout fund to avert the cancellation of $8.7 billion in contract authority -- was rejected on the Senate floor last night after GOP senators insisted on using stimulus money, rather than bailout cash, to fix the problem.
October 1, 2009
Senate Passes One-Month Extension of Transport Law … For Now
By a vote of 62-38, the Senate has just passed a one-month extension of the 2005 transportation law, which was set to expire at midnight tonight and leave state DOTs without a steady source of funding for road, bridge, and transit projects.
September 30, 2009
Could Congress Let States (Start to) Lose $8.7 Billion in Road Money?
The short answer: Maybe.
September 29, 2009
Deja Vu: Congress Could Put Off Deal on Transport Bill Until Next Month
After a day of twists and turns, the House yesterday approved a three-month extension of the current law that governs spending on the nation's transit, bridges, and roads. Yet the 335-85 vote obscures an ongoing clash between the House and Senate that could extend into a fourth straight month.
September 24, 2009
House Voting Today on Transport Law Extension — Or Not?
(ed. note: This post has been updated to reflect late-breaking news as of Wednesday afternoon.)
September 23, 2009
Would Real Men Tax Gas? A Test for Tom Friedman
On Monday, Elana Schor highlighted a recent column from occasionally right New York Times columnist Tom Friedman, who once again rolled out one of his favorite policy prescriptions -- an increased gas tax. Friedman wrote:
September 23, 2009