All posts from the month of June 2009
Chairman releases full transportation bill text
June 22, 2009By Stephen Lee Davis
Chairman Jim Oberstar and the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee have released the full 775-page transportation bill text. Download it here. (pdf) Check back here for details over the coming week.
Today’s Headlines — 06/22/09
June 22, 2009By Andrew Bielak
- By living closer to jobs and school, city dwellers cut down on carbon emissions. (Chicago Sun-Times)
- Health researchers note that obesity and climate change have many of the same roots — including an auto-dependent lifestyle. (Grist)
- The unpredictable nature of climate change could have dangerous effects on our transportation system. (ClimateBiz)
What does Oberstar’s proposal do for the New Starts transit program?
June 18, 2009By Stephen Lee Davis
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| MetroRail, Preston Station, Downtown Houston Originally uploaded by euthman |
| Riders wait for the train at a stop on Houston’s new light rail line |
Americans are taking the train (and the bus) like never before, and public transportation ridership reached its highest level in more than 50 years in 2008. More than 25 new light rail or streetcar systems have opened in the last 30 years, and communities across the country are looking to relieve congestion, spur urban development, and provide their residents with more options for getting around.
In the last two years, new light rail lines have opened in what might be considered the unlikely locales of Phoenix, Arizona, Houston, Texas, and Charlotte, North Carolina. According to numbers from Reconnecting America, the newly-opened Hiawatha Line in Minneapolis and the Red Line in Houston outperformed their ridership projections 15 years ahead of schedule.
What’s clear from these examples is that cities of all sizes are looking to meet the burgeoning demand for quality public transportation service. Of course, with Chairman James Oberstar’s 90-page proposal for the next transportation bill coming out this morning from the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, we are left with an important question — how would these current or future transit systems fare under his proposed program?
Getting approval for New and Small Starts — two federal programs that distribute funds for the construction of transit capital projects — has become a cumbersome process, taking an average of 10 years for transit projects to move through planning and design phases to receive a grant.
Under the previous administration, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) began unduly weighting cost-effectiveness (CEI) — or how much travel time was saved per dollar spent — as the primary factor when considering which projects to fund. As Oberstar’s proposal states, this method has given “inadequate consideration to other important benefits that new transit projects bring to communities.” Benefits such as economic development spurred by new transit lines, increased access to jobs and housing, reduced emissions and energy consumption per capita and the efficient land use and walkable neighborhoods that often result from new transit investments have been swept aside in favor of this “cost effectiveness” metric.
Chairman Oberstar’s proposal for the transportation bill contains some proposed revisions to the New/Small Starts program that could speed up the approval process and make sure that all of the benefits of new public transportation service are considered.
Oberstar’s proposal contains two key reforms: The first would streamline the program application and approval process by eliminating overly burdensome steps and paperwork. (p.43) And perhaps more importantly, his second proposal “equalizes the treatment of proposed transit projects and elevates the importance of the benefits that will occur in the community once the project is built.” This essentially means that the other positive benefits from transit would be considered when deciding what projects to fund.
Underneath that recommendation in the proposal is a list of some new requirements that could even the playing field and broaden the range of grants given out to new transit projects. Here are three notable ones:
- Require the FTA to consider all benefits of proposed projects in relation to the proposed Federal investment level.
- Eliminate the requirement that projects be rated based on “cost-effectiveness,” which considers time savings to users as the only benefit of projects.
- Require FTA to weigh all benefits comparably, including economic development, energy savings, increased mobility and access, and congestion relief.
Hopefully, these two reforms would streamline the New & Small Starts process and ensure that the federal governments considers more of the benefits that transit brings to communities when deciding which projects to fund. But the details in the full bill will be key. The outline lacks some concrete information on how much focus will be placed on creating transit-oriented development and affordable housing — both of which can help boost ridership numbers and cost-effectiveness. If we want to accurately account for all potential benefits of transit investments, T4 America believes that we need to link development, housing and public transportation to reflect the deep connection between these issues.
Today’s Headlines — 06/18/09
June 18, 2009By Andrew Bielak
- The Economist looks ahead at the transportation bill and talks to T4 America Campaign Director James Corless.
- Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood asks for an 18-month extension on the current transportation bill, as Rep. James Oberstar releases an outline of a new one. (Wall Street Journal)
- Streetsblog breaks down Oberstar’s outline.
- A new study shows that sidewalks encourage walking and make us healthier.
The full outline from Oberstar
June 18, 2009By Andrew Bielak
| Full Transportation Bill Outline (.PDF) |
For those readers brave enough to wade into 90 pages of policy detail, we know have Rep. James Oberstar’s full outline proposal for the next transportation bill. At a press conference to discuss the release this afternoon, John Mica, the Republican Ranking Member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, said that the bill will be “the most critical jobs bill before congress in the next year,” with Oberstar adding that there is “bipartisan unanimity to move ahead in the public interest.”
As we continue to read through these 90 pages, we’ll keep offering some thoughts on various pieces of the proposal and how they could impact the future of our transportation system.
Some details on Chairman Oberstar’s transportation proposal
June 18, 2009By Stephen Lee Davis
| Read T4 America’s official statement on the release of the summary outline by Chairman James Oberstar. |
We’ll have a number of posts today and tomorrow breaking down some of the notable spending levels and reforms proposed in Chairman Oberstar’s outline of the transportation bill. In the meantime, we thought we’d give you a few details that we’ve looked over while scanning the outline of the bill this morning. Note that today’s 11 a.m. press conference — which will included a longer version of the proposal — has been delayed until 2 p.m. due to “House votes.”
According to Oberstar’s summary, the upcoming bill will restructure and transform federal transportation policy away from multiple “prescriptive programs” into a “performance-based framework” “designed to achieve specific national objectives.”
The outline calls for terminating and consolidating more than 75 of the 108 total programs into a few broad large program areas, but it maintains current funding silos between separate modes. Here’s a quick breakdown. (Remember that these numbers are not final, and could be very different when the bill is released next week.)
- Highways: $337.4 billion (75%) of $450 billion
- Transit: $98.8 billion (22.2%) of $450 billion
- Safety Programs: $12.6 billion (2.8%) of $450 billion
Its important to note that the $98.8 billion in proposed transit funds is not necessarily an accurate reflection of how much money public transportation would receive in total. Oberstar’s outline includes $50 billion for a new “Metropolitan Mobility and Access Program,” which will “provide significant funding to help the largest metropolitan regions address congestion,” and a refocused “Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program” (CMAQ). While money for both of these programs are included in the highway allocation, it would be possible under the proposal to spend these funds on public transportation projects to achieve the stated goals of CMAQ and the Metropolitan Mobility programs.
Chairman Oberstar’s outline also calls for $50 billion to develop high-speed rail — in addition to the money in the stimulus package and yearly appropriations bill for this year — an area of transportation that has never received funding in previous transportation legislation.
Oberstar told Congressional Quarterly this morning that he is still planning on releasing full bill text and marking up the bill in his Highways and Transit Subcommittee next week.
Check back later today for more details and analysis.
T4 America commends Chairman Oberstar for jumpstart on transportation reform, calls for continued commitment to reform from Congress and the administration
June 18, 2009By Transportation for America
| CONTACT: Cosa Bullock 202-478-6128 cbullock@mrss.com |
Washingto, D.C. — James Corless, director of Transportation for America, released the following statement in response to Chairman Oberstar’s blueprint for the upcoming transportation bill, released today:
Chairman Oberstar should be commended for putting forth an outline for what he has called a ‘transformational’ bill, and for taking the lead in pushing for long overdue reform. While we are still reviewing the details, the focus on metropolitan and rural mobility, addressing a chronic maintenance backlog, and the critical need to establish a National Transportation Strategic Plan before spending vast new sums underscores the growing consensus on the need for a serious overhaul of our federal transportation program. We cannot afford to wait to put a down payment on serious reforms that will help build a safe, clean and smart transportation system. The final legislation must provide the American people with the increased transportation options they need to compete and thrive in the 21st century. Transportation for America looks forward to working with Congress and the Administration to put in place the common sense policies that will help us realize this vision.”
Transportation bill summary hits the streets
June 18, 2009By Andrew Bielak
| Transportation Bill Outline (Condensed — 10 pages) (.PDF) |
| Transportation Bill Outline (Full Version — 86 pages) (.PDF) |
| Recommended Program Consolidations (.PDF) |
UPDATED: The 11 a.m. press conference has been moved to 2 p.m., due to “House votes” according to Rep. Oberstar’s Twitter feed. In addition to posting the short 10-page document, we’ve also now included the full 86-page outline of the proposal.
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A 10-page summary of the transportation bill draft is out this morning from the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. The bill outline, entitled the “Surface Transportation Authorization Act of 2009,” is available at right, alongside a second document that describes the myriad programs which being recommended for consolidation under the new bill.
Rep. James Oberstar, chairman of the T & I Committee, is holding a press conference in about one hour at 11:00 a.m. in which a more detailed, 100-page outline of the bill will be released. (Check back here for a link or download.) No word yet on how LaHood’s recommendation that the current bill be extended for 18 months will affect the legislation coming out of the House.
As we speak, our policy experts are diving into the bill to get all the good details and analysis — so stay tuned for more information throughout the day.
Sec. LaHood proposes 18-month extension of current transportation bill
June 17, 2009By Stephen Lee Davis
This morning on Capitol Hill, DOT Secretary Ray LaHood proposed an 18-month extension of the current SAFETEA-LU transportation authorization bill. Beyond simply extending the current bill, LaHood indicated that he wants to include some reforms in the 18-month extension — including a focus on metro areas, extensive cost-benefit analysis, and a commitment to “livable communities” — but was short on other specifics.
No word yet on how this will affect the proposed transportation bill outline to be released by Rep. James Oberstar tomorrow morning. Be sure to check back over the next few days for the latest.
“This morning, I went to Capitol Hill to brief members of Congress on the situation with the Highway Trust Fund. I am proposing an immediate 18-month highway reauthorization that will replenish the Highway Trust Fund. If this step is not taken the trust fund will run out of money as soon as late August and states will be in danger of losing the vital transportation funding they need and expect.
“As part of this, I am proposing that we enact critical reforms to help us make better investment decisions with cost-benefit analysis, focus on more investments in metropolitan areas and promote the concept of livability to more closely link home and work. The Administration opposes a gas tax increase during this challenging, recessionary period, which has hit consumers and businesses hard across our country.
“I recognize that there will be concerns raised about this approach. However, with the reality of our fiscal environment and the critical demand to address our infrastructure investments in a smarter, more focused approach, we should not rush legislation. We should work together on a full reauthorization that best meets the demands of the country. The first step is making sure that the Highway Trust Fund is solvent. The next step is addressing our transportation priorities over the long term.”
UPDATE: The Wall Street Journal has a story up covering LaHood’s proposal, and includes a quote from Rep. Oberstar, responding to the idea of an extension:
In a meeting with reporters Wednesday, Mr. Oberstar was adamant that Congress must pass a new law before the current one expires.
“Extension of current law is unacceptable,” Mr. Oberstar said. “Now is the time to move.”
UPDATE 2: Michael Cooper of the New York Times covers the proposed extension, and gets a statement from Jim Berard, spokesman for Rep. Oberstar. “The chairman is not too pleased with the administration’s proposal,” he said.
Breaking Down the Blueprint: Economic Competitiveness, Efficiency, and Opportunity, Pt. 2
June 17, 2009By Andrew Bielak
| The T4 America Blueprint has six overarching national objectives to provide a new vision and guide our federal transportation policy. If our transportation system is in need of a clear purpose, these six objectives are like the rudder that will steer the ship. To ensure that we can meet these objectives and measure our progress, we created 10 performance targets — clear, quantifiable goals for the next 20 years that are tied directly to the six national objectives. |
How can the proposals in our Blueprint help strengthen the economy and create jobs? As we noted in the last post in this series, making our economy more competitive, increasing workforce development opportunities, and improving the efficiency of our transportation system represents one of our six national objectives that must guide our national transportation program.
As a quick refresher: while many of our 10 performances targets line up with this objective, there are two that we believe are particularly important:
- Reduce delay per capita by 10 percent by 2030
- Lower congestion costs by reducing traffic crashes by 50 percent by 2030.
Meeting these goals won’t be easy — it requires us to rethink how we approach our transportation investments, to create an integrated system that balances investments in highways, public transportation, rail, and walking and biking, and to use state-of-the art technology to manage our existing transportation infrastructure.
To see what programs and policies in our Blueprint will help us reach this objectives, keep on reading below the fold.
(Continue Reading)
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- Saving a transit system and turning the tide for the future of a mid-sized city
May 15, 2012 - U.S. communities step up, hoping a strong federal commitment to infrastructure will follow
May 10, 2012 - Graphic: A closer look at the Senate MAP-21 vote by state
March 27, 2012 - Fixing the House bill: Cutting regulatory burdens and bureaucracy
March 15, 2012 - Fixing the House bill: reducing air pollution by providing more travel options
March 13, 2012
- Saving a transit system and turning the tide for the future of a mid-sized city
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