Streetsblog Capitol Hill
Oberstar Tackles Metro-Area Transportation Planning
The debate over funding distributions between highways and transit tends to attract a lot of attention, but advocates are increasingly seeking other methods to achieve transportation reform -- as my colleague Ben Fried showed in his recent interview with John Norquist, president of the Congress for the New Urbanism.
June 18, 2009
But What About the Highways-Transit Split?
As transit fans and policy wonks digest the details of House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Jim Oberstar's (D-MN) new proposal, one question is coming to mind: Does it change the typical 80-20 split in the percentage of funding that goes to highways versus transit?
June 18, 2009
Boxer Likes LaHood’s 18-Month Extension Plan
Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA), chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee and a key player in the federal transportation re-write, just released a statement hailing Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood's call for an 18-month extension of the existing transport law:
June 17, 2009
LaHood Asks For 18-Month Extension of Four-Year-Old Transpo Law
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is asking Congress to extend the existing federal transportation law for 18 months, averting the coming insolvency of the nation's highway trust fund while putting off broad-based transport reform for as long as the Bush administration did in the days surrounding the 2004 election.
June 17, 2009
Mica: New Federal Transpo Bill Should Have the Need for Speed
The allure of misguided rhetoric doesn't discriminate between Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill. For every moment of questionable logic from one of the parties, a moment of good sense can usually be found.
June 17, 2009
DOT Defines High-Speed Rail: ‘Reasonably Expected to Reach … 110 MPH’
The federal DOT has just released its guidance for states seeking a share of its $8 billion in high-speed rail funding -- and tucked in the rules are standards that could prove crucial to the project's success.
June 17, 2009
Who Still Thinks the Federal Transportation Bill Will Pass On Time?
Rep. Jim Oberstar (D-MN), chairman of the House transportation committee, has vowed not to support any short-term extensions of the federal transportation bill that's poised to expire on September 30. But Oberstar's commitment to getting the dense legislation to the president's desk on time may be tested by leaders of his own party.
June 16, 2009
Oberstar’s Transportation Unveiling Moved to Thursday
Through a post on his Twitter feed, House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Jim Oberstar (D-MN) reveals that his release of an outline for the next federal transportation bill has been pushed back by a day.
June 16, 2009
WHO Report Highlights Global Health Risk of Traffic
The disparity between the 13 percent of road fatalities suffered by non-drivers and the amount that the federal government spends on their safety -- less than 1 percent -- may come as a surprise to some Americans. But the situation is far worse in the developing world, according to a new World Health Organization report.
June 16, 2009
GOP’s New Attack on Health Care Reform Bill: It Promotes Walking!
Despite a growing awareness among conservatives that walking and biking are causes worth backing, Republicans on Capitol Hill continue to condemn bike-ped programs as wasteful "pork". The GOP's latest potshots at sustainable transportation come during debate over a health care bill that focuses mainly on insurance and hospitals, but also includes a public health grant program aimed at encouraging exercise.
June 16, 2009