Today’s Headlines

  • … as Brookings’ Rob Puentes calls for a change in federal law in response (TNR’s The Avenue)
  • Congress’ approval of $150m in December for the D.C. Metro transit system means the money can be spent now, right? Er, not so much (GGW)
  • Sen. Amy Klobuchar, representing the nation’s new No. 1 bike town, shows her cycling mettle (Elle)
  • North Carolina starts re-examining its formula for disbursing transport funding, which puts denser urban areas on the same footing as rural ones (FOX Char.)
  • San Fran transit authority facing funding issues of its own (Streetsblog SF)
  • Leading advocate of Florida high-speed rail takes a new job with consulting firm helping to implement the stae’s new bullet train link, given a billion-dollar grant from the feds (Tampa Trib)
  • U.S. DOT outlines a new transparency plan for its regulations (DOT Blog)

ALSO ON STREETSBLOG

Who Would Benefit From Eliminating the Federal Gas Tax?

By Angie Schmitt |
We wrote recently on Streetsblog Capitol Hill about a proposal by Republican members of Congress to eliminate the federal gas tax and turn transportation funding entirely over to the states. This proposal — “devolution,” it’s called — has been a conservative dream for decades. Transportation reformers tend to hate the idea because state DOTs on […]

Proposed Federal Transit Safety Regs Under Scrutiny From House Panel

By Ben Goldman |
In June 2009, a fatal crash on the D.C. Metro prompted federal lawmakers to consider adding a new layer of transit safety oversight. Senator Barbara Mikulski, a Maryland Democrat, introduced the National Metro Safety Act of 2009 to establish national safety standards for transit systems. It was never enacted, but it certainly raised the issue’s profile, and Transportation […]

Shuster Pre-empts Devolutionists With Defense of Federal Role

By Tanya Snyder |
New House Transportation Committee Chair Bill Shuster (R-PA) clearly knows he’s got some devolutionist conservatives in his caucus (and on his committee). While many Republicans would like to see the federal government get out of the business of infrastructure and just let the states raise and spend their own money, Shuster has always been clear […]

Federal Government Offers a Helping Hand to Six Struggling Cities

By Angie Schmitt |
In a move to help buoy crisis-stricken cities, the Obama Administration this week introduced a program designed to provide administrative support to help local government officials “cut through the red tape” and access urgent federal assistance. “Strong Cities, Strong Communities” will offer expert technical support — but not additional funding — in the areas of […]

House GOP Won’t Let Transit-Oriented Development Get Federal TIFIA Loans

By Angie Schmitt |
House Republicans introduced a six-year transportation bill this week, and while it’s not the utter disaster that past GOP proposals have been, advocates for smarter federal transportation policy are playing defense. Today, the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee marked up the new bill. About 150 amendments were introduced, according to Transportation for America. All but a few […]