Today’s Headlines

LaHood en route to Kansas City and Tucson this week — a sign that streetcars are poised to join Moynihan Station in snagging big TIGER money? (WH Press)

Japanese bullet-train magnate says he could build a Florida factory to help ensure a piece of the state’s ample high-speed rail pie (WSJ)

Transit stimulus is still a more efficient per-dollar job creator than road stimulus, according to congressional math (US PIRG Press)

Democrats try to avoid overselling their infrastructure-poor jobs bill (The Hill)

8 out of 10 metro regions ranked happiest by new Gallup well-being index have transit networks (Atlantic Blogs)

ConocoPhillips quits coalition in favor of congressional climate bills, claiming the proposals "have disadvantaged the transportation sector" (The Hill)

Nashville’s new mayor pursues ambitious new transit plan (Tennessean, WPLN)

Federal safety regulators launch formal inquiry into Toyota recalls (LAT)

ALSO ON STREETSBLOG

House Jobs Bill Mimics the Stimulus: $27.5B for Roads, $8.4B for Transit

By Elana Schor | Dec 15, 2009

The House is slated to vote as soon as tomorrow on a job-creation package that includes $27.5 billion for highways and $8.4 billion for transit, according to a transportation committee document obtained by Streetsblog Capitol Hill. House transportation committee chairman Jim Oberstar (D-MN) (Photo: Bike Portland via Flickr) That funding divide mirrors the spending levels […]

Today’s Headlines

By Elana Schor | Jul 9, 2009

House Ways and Means Committee joins the Senate in shutting the door on Rep. Jim Oberstar’s (D-MN) push for a new transportation bill (The Hill) The field-testing of a future alternative to the gas tax kicks into high gear (AP) Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell (D) calls for a second stimulus that’s targeted to infrastructure … […]

Transit Riders Launch Grassroots Lobbying Push in Dire Political Climate

By Elana Schor | Jan 27, 2010

Advocates for urban transit riders in 14 metro areas climbed the Hill today to pitch lawmakers face-to-face on the need for extra federal transit operating aid, a grassroots lobbying effort that could face considerable challenges even as Democrats craft a new jobs bill with a focus on infrastructure. A top aide to House transport committee […]

Republicans Deem Transpo Stimulus — 6% of Total Spending — a ‘Failure’

By Elana Schor | Jul 10, 2009

Republicans on the House transportation panel held a press conference today to deem the economic stimulus law a failure, citing low infrastructure spending in the nation’s highest-unemployment states. Rep. John Mica (FL), the committee’s senior GOPer, and six colleagues displayed a chart (depicted at right) that used estimates of stimulus money spent so far by […]

Transit Operating Aid Bill Doesn’t Fly With Major D.C. Transit Group

By Elana Schor | Mar 23, 2010

A burgeoning congressional push to let urban transit agencies tap federal funds for operating their systems is not sitting well with the transit industry’s largest D.C. lobbying group, the American Public Transportation Association (APTA). A rail car from New York City’s transit authority, one of APTA’s biggest members. (Photo: TreeHugger) Paul Dean, APTA’s government relations […]

Crunching June Stimulus Numbers: Roads Create Pricier Jobs Than Transit

By Elana Schor | Aug 19, 2009

Transportation spending under the economic stimulus law created close to 15,000 jobs in June, or three times as many as were created in May, according to estimates released today by the U.S. DOT. (Photo: Cleveland Plain Dealer) Those numbers are bound to hearten Obama administration officials who have defended the stimulus’ 6-percent investment in infrastructure […]