Transportation For America John Robert Smith, Author at Transportation For America

Author Archive

Rural areas desperately need a transportation overhaul, too

9 Oct 2019 | Posted by John Robert Smith | 4 Comments | Access, maintenance, principles, repair priorities 2019, rural areas, rural towns, speed, transportation investment

People disparage rural areas with the term “flyover country,” but our federal transportation program currently treats rural areas even worse—as “driveover” country. If Congress adopts Transportation for America’s three new policy principles, transportation investments could truly help rural areas prosper.

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Yankee efficiency paired with southern hospitality is one recipe for successful passenger rail

29 May 2015 | Posted by John Robert Smith | 1 Comment | amtrak, john robert smith, maine, passenger rail, rail, southern rail commission, Vermont

Our country’s burgeoning passenger rail renaissance has not gone unnoticed in the deep South, and at least one coalition of southern leaders are working hard to grow and expand service in three states in the deep South. This week I had the privilege of traveling on the rails through the northeast with these gentlemen on a trip to inspire and see firsthand how other cities have invested in passenger rail and used it as an economic catalyst for their communities.

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Former Amtrak chair (and our current chair) on the derailment and need for investment

13 May 2015 | Posted by John Robert Smith | 1 Comment | amtrak, House, passenger rail, senate, Senator Booker, Senator Wicker

As former Amtrak Board Chairman, my thoughts and prayers are with the crew, passengers and their families after last night’s derailment in Philadelphia.

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President Obama hails high-speed rail as “the infrastructure of tomorrow”

28 Jan 2010 | Posted by John Robert Smith | 0 Comments | featured, high speed rail, john robert smith, obama

Mayor John Robert Smith Hearing President Obama call high-speed rail “the infrastructure of tomorrow” gave me great hope. Very rarely has transportation investment made the final cut in a presidential State of the Union address. The fact that it did make the cut this time really speaks to the president’s commitment to making high-speed rail a reality.