Today’s Headlines

  • No. 2 House Democrat talks up high-speed rail in upstate New York (Utica O-D)
  • Minnesota is still locked in negligence litigation with two companies after its deadly 2007 bridge collapse — but the state DOT is giving them millions of dollars in work anyway (AP)
  • "Cash for clunkers" is a stellar economic stimulus … for dealers of chemicals that kill engines (WSJ)
  • Rock on: Employees at Nashville’s transit authority have a band, and Jack White’s producing their new singles (Pitchfork)
  • The House transportation committee’s job-creation estimates for the stimulus are looking pretty shoddy (ProPublica)

ALSO ON STREETSBLOG

New Stimulus Data: Road Funds 77% Under Contract, Transit at 74%

By Elana Schor |
As of the end of February, nearly $5.4 billion of transit stimulus money, or 74 percent, was under contract for projects in the 50 states and D.C., according to a Streetsblog Capitol Hill analysis of data released today by the House transportation committee. (Photo: DMI Blog) The success rate of transit stimulus spending was slightly […]

Killing the Myth of the ‘More Shovel-Ready’ Road Stimulus

By Elana Schor |
During debate over the White House’s $787 billion economic stimulus law, transit advocates watched as their projects were shortchanged and more "shovel-ready" road projects got the lion’s share of the transport pot — about $8.4 billion, compared with $27.5 billion for highways and bridges. (Photo: DMI Blog) But transit money is getting put to use […]

Today’s Headlines

By Elana Schor |
Federal highway safety regulators knew that cell phone use while driving — even on a hands-free device — was a massive safety risk, but they hid it from Congress (NYT) LaHood’s stimulus tour stops in Sarasota, Florida (Herald-Trib) Don’t fret, New Yorkers: The $8 billion Hudson transit tunnel is on track for federal money whether […]

Dissenting Voices on Stimulus, on the Network and in Congress

By Sarah Goodyear |
The Streetsblog Network is continuing to digest the draft of stimulus legislation that came out of the House Appropriations Committee yesterday. We’re featuring a post from Design New Haven that offers a pretty tough evaluation: Despite all the evidence that transit-oriented development creates jobs by dramatically saving large numbers of people time and commuting expenses, […]

Biden on Stimulus Aid to Cities: ‘We’re Trying … It’s Imperfect’

By Elana Schor |
Vice President Joe Biden acknowledged today that the White House’s economic recovery push has created stumbling blocks for cities hoping to take advantage of the stimulus, but he defended the administration’s efforts to take a more holistic view of transportation, housing, and other urban concerns. Vice President Joe Biden (Photo: PolitiFact.com) After a speech touting […]