Streetsblog Capitol Hill
New Report Maps Link Between Overseas Transit Attacks and Domestic Risk
Transit networks around the world beefed up security measures in the wake of last month's fatal bombing of a Moscow subway car, but the relevance of circumstances and tactics used in overseas terrorist attacks to U.S. rail and bus security remains unclear, according to a new report partly funded by the U.S. DOT.
April 13, 2010
New Report Puts a Price on Suburbia and Rental Housing in One U.S. City
Boston mayor Thomas Menino joined Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA) today for the release of a new Urban Land Institute (ULI) report that maps the combined housing and transportation burden of living in the metro area's various neighborhoods.
April 12, 2010
Planner Calls For ‘Fight’ Against High-Speed Rail Sharing Track With Freight
As federal and local officials plot out the future of U.S. high-speed rail, a prominent speaker at this week's American Planning Association conference is urging fellow urban planners to "fight" the prospect of high-speed rail sharing roadbed with freight lines -- a significant dilemma for Amtrak, which must split an estimated 70 percent of its track with freight.
April 12, 2010
Transport Contractors Urge White House to Revamp Enviro Review Rules
The trade group representing private-sector transportation contractors is urging the Obama administration to change the way environmental reviews are conducted for infrastructure projects, proposing to favor "categorical exclusions" (CEs) from federal review rules over the lengthier process of measuring the environmental impact of construction work.
April 12, 2010
Nevada Becomes Newest Battleground in Mileage Tax Debate
Nevada's state DOT is in the early stages of a years-long study aimed at mapping a possible transition from the gas tax to a vehicle miles traveled (VMT) fee, a shift urged last year by a congressionally chartered panel on infrastructure financing and encouraged by Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR).
April 9, 2010
New Analysis Tracks 40 Years of Changes in How Kids Get to School
The percentage of U.S. students between ages five and 14 who walk or bike to school has remained stable over the past 15 years but remains three-quarters below where it stood 40 years ago, according to a new analysis of government data by two groups working on the Safe Routes to School (SRtS) program.
April 9, 2010
New Poll: 27% of Public Would Cut Transit Aid, Versus 12% for Highways
The latest weekly edition of the Economist/YouGov poll asks where, if a balanced federal budget were the goal, the American public would rather see cuts to federal spending. As the chart above shows, transit was given the theoretical axe by 27 percent of respondents, tied with agriculture and housing but far behind foreign aid, which held the lead at 71 percent.
April 8, 2010
Amtrak on Pace to Break Annual Ridership Record
Amtrak carried 13.6 million passengers over the past six months, putting it on pace for a record-breaking ridership year, according to a statement released today by officials at the national inter-city rail system.
April 8, 2010
Feds Stepping Up Enforcement of Distracted Driving Laws in Two Cities
The Obama administration today launched what it describes as the first federal push for increased enforcement of distracted driving laws, funding local police crackdowns in two northeastern cities aimed at drivers using hand-held cell phones.
April 8, 2010
Federal Energy Forecast: Gas Nearing $3/Gallon, Fuel Consumption Up
Average gas prices are expected to hit $2.92 during this summer's peak driving season, with fossil-fuel consumption rising overall as the economy begins to recover from a recession that limited U.S. emissions growth, according to a forecast released this week by the federal Energy Information Administration (EIA).
April 8, 2010