Today’s Headlines

Ahead of tomorrow’s Toyota hearing in the House, lawmakers take aim at the company’s — and the government’s — safety record (Free Press)

LaHood says the Ohio River Bridges Project, which features tolling as a possible revenue raiser, could be in line for second round of TIGER aid or other federal funding (WAVE-TV, Courier-Journal)

Do the first round of federally supported high-speed rail corridors have a shot at stealing riders from airlines? (TNR’s The Avenue)

Pennsylvania has no plan to close the $450B transportation budget gap that would result from a federal rejection of its bid to toll I-80 (Inquirer)

More on why the freight industry has a lot to love in the Obama administration’s high-speed rail push (DC Velocity)

Louisianans still pushing for high-speed rail link between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, over the objections of Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) (NOLA.com)

Virginia legislators endorse a plan to direct offshore oil-drilling revenue to transportation (Times-Dispatch)

Wisconsin legislators promoting the creation of new regional transit authorities to spur investment (Cap Times)

NYC entrepreneur finds success with bike-donation program that benefits developing nations (NYU Livewire)

ALSO ON STREETSBLOG

Expectations for High-Speed Rail Coming Down to Earth

By Elana Schor | May 5, 2010

Three months after the Obama administration announced the first winners of what it hopes will be the first of many federal grants to build U.S. high-speed rail networks, advocates and planners are settling in for a long battle to surmount the obstacles and unknowns that stand in the way of long-term bullet train development. If […]

DOT Defines High-Speed Rail: ‘Reasonably Expected to Reach … 110 MPH’

By Elana Schor | Jun 17, 2009

The federal DOT has just released its guidance for states seeking a share of its $8 billion in high-speed rail funding — and tucked in the rules are standards that could prove crucial to the project’s success. President Obama helps his DOT chief prepare — for making high-speed rail decisions, perhaps? (Photo: whitehouse via Flickr) […]

Coming Soon to Popular Transport Stimulus Programs: Local Funding

By Elana Schor | Apr 7, 2010

Two of the most popular transportation programs in the Obama administration’s stimulus law, the $1.5 billion in competitive grants known as TIGER and the $8 billion high-speed rail initiative, had an added feature that made them even more attractive to cities and states: the federal funding awards would not require a local match. Amtrak’s Empire […]

Planner Calls For ‘Fight’ Against High-Speed Rail Sharing Track With Freight

By Elana Schor | Apr 12, 2010

As federal and local officials plot out the future of U.S. high-speed rail, a prominent speaker at this week’s American Planning Association conference is urging fellow urban planners to "fight" the prospect of high-speed rail sharing roadbed with freight lines — a significant dilemma for Amtrak, which must split an estimated 70 percent of its […]

Jindal’s Not Alone: Guvs Who Shunned Stimulus Warm to High-Speed Rail

By Elana Schor | Aug 20, 2009

Think Progress took note yesterday of a change of heart from Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (R), who blasted the economic stimulus law for its $8 billion in "wasteful spending" on high-speed rail — only to later seek $300 million of that money for a rail link between Baton Rouge and New Orleans. Gov. Mark Sanford […]

Rail Expert Reutter: White House Misfired on High-Speed Rail Stimulus

By Elana Schor | Feb 18, 2010

Mark Reutter, author of the industrial tome Making Steel and a veteran editor of Railroad History, can safely be called an expert on the train industry. And in a new memo for the Progressive Policy Institute, he is issuing a warning to the Obama administration on its high-profile push for high-speed rail. California’s high-speed rail […]