Author Archive
Partnership for Sustainable Communities celebrates two years, and we hope for many more
The Partnership for Sustainable Communities, an innovative plan to get federal agencies working in concert instead of at cross-purposes, is celebrating its two year anniversary. And there is good reason to celebrate. The Partnership, a joint venture between the U.S. Department of Transportation, Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Environmental Protection Agency, promotes […]
Nassau County Executive to privatize Long Island Bus system
In April, the Long Island Bus system in Nassau County, New York was on the verge of cutting bus service in half until a funding deal between state and local officials halted the reductions with an $8.6 million cash infusion. Now, with the temporary lifeline slated to end in December, Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano has announced his intention to privatize the system by 2012.
Senator Cardin introduces bill to prioritize repair of bridges and roads
Whether one looks at our interactive tool mapping the nation’s deficient bridges, or the more recent Smart Growth America study on the sorry condition of our roads, there’s plenty of evidence that we’re spending limited transportation dollars to build things we can’t afford to maintain — all while our existing infrastructure cracks and rusts and crumbles due […]
White House launches advisory group on rural issues that includes transportation officials
President Obama signed an executive order today creating an advisory group for rural issues. The group will be tasked with developing recommendations for boosting economic growth, job opportunities and quality of life in rural communities. The Executive Order notes that sixteen percent of the population lives in rural counties and that these areas are essential […]
Coastal Alabama advocates make Complete Streets in Mobile a reality
With the echo of the latest pedestrian fatality figures still ringing, a city in the deep South became the latest, albeit unlikely, place to adopt a Complete Streets policy. To paraphrase the song: if it can happen there, it can happen anywhere. When people think of “infrastructure,” images of roadways and grids tend to come […]
States’ underinvestment in road repair signals need for tough federal standards
Consider a couple of eye-popping statistics: From 2004-2008, states spent 57 percent of available highway dollars to add a little over 1 percent to our already vast highway network, and only 43 percent to maintain the other 99 percent of highway lanes. Keeping our existing highway network in “good” condition would require spending $43 billion […]
Newspapers across the country call for increased pedestrian safety following Dangerous by Design rankings
Jackson, Mississippi Credit: Dr. Scott Crawford. This week’s release of Dangerous by Design has prompted several newspapers to editorialize in favor of tough pedestrian safety measures that address the urgency of the 47,000 killed and 688,000 injured on unsafe streets between 2000 and 2009. The report generated ample coverage in Florida, home to the nation’s four […]
Lawmakers move to address pedestrian safety in the wake of Dangerous by Design
Tuesday’s release of Dangerous by Design outlining the 47,700 deaths and 688,000 injuries to people while walking on unsafe streets has renewed Congress’ focus on pedestrian safety in the next transportation bill. But what substantial steps the House and Senate will take to promote safer streets and improve conditions for walking remains very much in […]
T4 teams up with fiscally conservative groups to promote innovative transportation solutions
Transportation for America partnered with Taxpayers for Common Sense and the Reason Foundation — not a trio you’re accustomed to seeing — on a report detailing innovative and cost-effective transportation solutions with the potential to command broad support in a divided Congress. The jointly written report, The Most for Our Money: Taxpayer Friendly Solutions for the […]
Diverse groups propose cost-effective strategies to get the most for our transportation money
Transportation for America, the Reason Foundation and Taxpayers for Common Sense show how to modernize systems, increase safety and reduce congestion WASHINGTON, D.C. – A new report released today by Reason Foundation, Taxpayers for Common Sense and Transportation for America proposes cost-effective recommendations that Congress should consider as part of the pending transportation bill that […]
Rockefeller and Pew: States need to strengthen performance measures
Many states fail to track the results of their transportation dollars, according to a new report by the Pew Center on the States and the Rockefeller Foundation. The report, Measuring Transportation Investments: The Road to Results, is quick to tie the timing of its findings to the current debate over including more performance measures in […]
Florida’s high-speed rail loss is the Northeast’s gain
Secretary Ray LaHood is in a good mood this morning. The U.S. Department of Transportation has announced the recipients of $2 billion in high-speed rail funds, a total of 22 “carefully selected projects that will create jobs, boost manufacturing and spur development while laying the foundation for future economic competitiveness,” LaHood wrote on his blog. […]
Complete Streets bill introduced in House, policies gaining in popularity across the country
Yesterday’s release of the bipartisan Safe and Complete Streets Act of 2011 is an affirmative step toward ensuring the safety and convenience of America’s streets for everyone. H.R. 1780, sponsored by Representatives Matsui of California and LaTourette of Ohio, would require state transportation officials to consider the needs of pedestrians, bicyclists, transit riders and people with disabilities, as well as motorists.
U.S. mayors say no to new revenue for transportation without reform
A supermajority of America’s mayors surveyed by the U.S. Conference of Mayors are clamoring for a reorientation in our nation’s transportation policy toward fixing what we have and investing in new options. Ninety-eight percent of mayors identified affordable, reliable transit as crucial to their city’s recovery and growth, according to a survey of 176 mayors […]
America’s infrastructure woes signal “life in the slow lane”
The dichotomy between anti-spending sentiment — which a majority of Americans identify with on a conceptual if not programmatic level — and the persistence of pressing infrastructure needs that require real money is the theme of a lengthy piece in this week’s print edition of The Economist, a publication known for its fiscally conservative bent. […]
Today’s Headline – 5/5/11
Illinois will receive $186 million in rail funds — rejected by Florida Governor Rick Scott — for a 110 miles per hour corridor between Chicago and St. Louis. (Tribune) The Senate will not vote this week on eliminating billions in oil industry tax breaks. (The Hill) Republicans said they may drop demands to privatize Medicare […]
High gas prices are fueling demand for broader transportation options
Demand for mass transit is surging everywhere as a result of higher gas prices, generating the need for 670 million additional passenger trips on transit systems. With the nation’s comprehensive surface transportation bill overdue for renewal, this ought to lend greater urgency to the need for robust investment in an array of options to ensure no one gets stranded or left behind.
South Dakota Senator Tim Johnson stresses rural transit needs as gas prices continue to escalate
Gas prices in the U.S. continue to escalate and could hit $4.25 by Memorial Day, according to some projections. These spikes tend to hit smaller communities and rural areas particularly hard, as residents and businesses must travel farther and use more energy during daily activities. Senator Tim Johnson, a Democrat from South Dakota, has pledged to use his clout on the Banking Committee to fund rural transit systems in the next transportation bill.
New York Times: High-speed rail deserves continued support
Originally uploaded by pgengler to Flickr. The New York Times resolutely defended high-speed rail in an editorial this morning, characterizing the elimination of remaining funds for the program this fiscal year as “harebrained.” The budget deal reached by the White House and Congress zeroed-out the $1 billion allocated for high-speed rail in fiscal year 2011 […]
Government audit confirms that TIGER, rail grants followed merit-based process, despite GOP complaints
Although a Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that the Obama administration set and followed a merit based decision-making process for awarding high-speed rail and TIGER grants, several Republican lawmakers claimed the report revealed a lack of transparency and accountability for where the money went. “Although we can develop cost-effective high-speed rail transportation in this country, […]
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