Today’s Headlines

  • In NYC appearance, LaHood suggests that tolls could fund new long-term federal transport bill (Transport Nation)
  • U.S. DOT’s auto safety chief says new legislation beefing up his authorities, post-Toyota scandal, could be stronger (Bloomberg)
  • Senate climate bill’s estimated effect on gas prices: less than a 25-cent increase, says new study (The Hill)
  • Three new National Academy of Sciences urge lawmakers — again — to put a price on carbon to avert consequences of climate change (TNR’s The Vine)
  • California high-speed rail planners seek $16m in extra federal planning aid (CHSRA Press)
  • Michigan advances state legislation creating Detroit-area transit authority (Crain’s)
  • Maryland’s former GOP governor, gunning for a rematch with Dem incumbent, backs rapid buses instead of proposed Purple Line light rail (Sun Blogs)
  • Wisconsin commuter rail project to seek federal aid (Prog. RR’ing)

ALSO ON STREETSBLOG

Behind the Transport Industry’s Lament About the Senate Climate Bill

By Elana Schor |
While transport reform advocates hailed last week’s long-awaited Senate climate bill for directing an estimated $6 billion-plus towards local land use planning and green infrastructure, state DOTs and construction interests criticized the legislation — suggesting that the measure’s sponsors could face stiff resistance from the transportation industry’s mainstream despite making concessions to win over all […]

New GOP Bill Would Bar Enviro Reviews from Considering Climate

By Elana Schor |
Republicans on the Senate environment committee, who months ago began criticizing the Obama administration for evaluating federally funded infrastructure projects for their impact on climate change, today introduced legislation that would bar the White House from making climate a factor in environmental reviews. Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY), one of the new NEPA bill’s sponsors, holds […]

Should a Climate Bill Even Try to Fight Sprawl?

By Elana Schor |
The potential for a cap-and-trade climate bill to set aside significant amounts of money for reforming local land use and transportation planning is often touted by Democrats, environmental groups, and this particular Streetsblogger. Should the approach California used in SB 375 (being signed into law above) be applied to a congressional cap-and-trade climate bill? (Photo: […]

How — and When — Can D.C. Help Local Transport Reform Happen?

By Elana Schor |
A map of the areas served by transport MPOs, pictured in color. (Photo: NARC via Kaid Benfield) In a new op-ed for Citiwire, former Indianapolis mayor and GOP member of Congress Bill Hudnut suggests six ways that Washington can train the nation’s 350-plus metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) into tools for smart and environmentally sound transportation […]

U.S. DOT Cagey on Funding New Transport Bill as Senators Seek Solutions

By Elana Schor |
Senators began searching today for new strategies to connect local planners with an ever-dwindling pot of federal infrastructure dollars, even as a senior U.S. DOT aide declined to say whether the White House’s upcoming principles for the next long-term transportation bill would include funding specifics. Antonio Villaraigosa is seeking a bridge loan from Washington to […]