A new release from the Federal Highway Administration shows that in 2008, a total of 37,313 people died in vehicles crashes, a nine percent decrease from the previous year and the lowest overall level in nearly 50 years. That means that almost 4,000 fewer people died in car crashes last year than in 2007. What can we do to keep this number trending downwards?

Download the press release (.PDF) (.DOC) Download the full poll results (.PDF) (.DOC) As President Obama and Congress prepare to take up the renewal of the nation’s transportation investment bill, it’s important to note that that the while legislation may be written here in the nation’s capitol, the decisions made and the policies implemented will [...]

UPDATE (2:00 p.m., 02/12/09): Talking Points Memo has acquired a summary of the new bill, which includes a comparison of each spending item to the House and Senate legislation. It looks like the final number for highways is $27.5 billion. The bill to come out of conference also includes $1.3 billion for Amtrak. — We [...]

With the ripple effects of our economic downturn putting state departments of transportation and local transit agencies in serious financial trouble, our federal government needs to make a firm commitment to investing in our crumbling infrastructure and providing Americans with affordable, efficient transportation options. In an excellent article in this week’s New York Times, writer [...]

The proliferation of heavily-trafficked highways that cut through tracts of wilderness across the United States has created huge problems for migratory wildlife. (New York Times – Jim Robbins)

CNN looks at the presidential candidates’ plans for investing in infrastructure, highlighting John McCain’s focus on cutting back earmarks and Barack Obama’s proposal to create an infrastructure bank. (Tami Luhby)

The Congress for the New Urbanism highlights ten underutilized highways across the nation that would be prime candidates to be torn down and redeveloped.

For public transportation in California, the hits keep coming — facing overflowing ridership  and record costs, transit agencies must now deal with a $952 million-dollar cut in funding by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. The state’s budget for roads and highways does not face a similar cutback. (San Francisco Chronicle — Rachel Gordon)

The Washington Post editorial board argues that the next administration must think deeply about the transportation challenges facing the nation and come up with new and sustainable methods for funding infrastructure.

Maryland PIRG policy associate Kristi Hovarth points to the numerous flaws behind our outdated federal transportation policy — and offers a multitude of suggestions for fixing it.  (Baltimore Sun)