Today’s Headlines

  • LaHood says he has yet to endorse Senate Dems’ $2B transit aid bill: "We need to look at how we pay for that" (WNYC)
  • A separate, wide-ranging interview with LaHood, on everything from bike funding to fuel-efficiency rules (NPR)
  • U.S. metro areas scratch the feds’ back, the feds scratch theirs? How one Arizona pitch could set the stage for a new federal transportation financing framework (TNR’s The Avenue)
  • Oberstar strikes a compromise with Illinois lawmakers over fixing the transportation funding disparity in February’s jobs bill (Crain’s)
  • EPA warns Arizona that its federal transport funds could be at risk if statewide air quality isn’t improved (PHX Biz Jrnl)
  • U.S. DOT sends about $80 million in high-speed rail grants to FL, CA, NY, WI, NM (FRA Press)
  • On-the-scene coverage of the EXPO transit convention, where rail was high on the agenda (Streetsblog LA)
  • Michigan transportation advocacy groups protest state’s move to cut road repair funds as a tactic to avoid losing federal construction dollars (Citizen-Patriot)
  • Wisconsin state rep seeks to ban bike boxes, which he chalks up to "liberal extremists" (WI St. Jrnl)

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Today’s Headlines

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House Democrats on track to approve more transportation spending as part of a December jobs bill, but health care is likely to postpone Senate action until 2010 (NYT) LaHood calls for a national crackdown on texting while driving — but doesn’t pick a side, legislatively speaking (WashPost) Missouri is on the verge of a transport […]

Chicago Loses NYC’s Congestion Pricing Money

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Will Chicago get a second chance at federal funds for better bus service? Photo: celikins/Flickr Looks like New York legislators aren’t the only ones willing to pass up big money for transportation improvements if it means putting a fair price on private auto use. Back in April, the feds withdrew a $354 million grant to […]

Feds Propose to Expand Opportunities for Biking and Walking to Transit

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When it comes to infrastructure improvements that encourage more people to walk or bicycle to transit stations, how long will commuters be willing to travel? The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has officially answered that question, proposing a significant expansion of the rules governing how close bike-ped projects should be to transit in order to receive […]

In Homage to Daniel Inouye, Feds Commit to Funding Honolulu Transit

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Senate titan Daniel Inouye passed away Monday at 88. The Hawaii senator was the longest-serving member in the chamber at the time he died. As a fitting tribute, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood yesterday signed a full funding grant agreement with Inouye’s widow at his side, committing the federal government to $1.55 billion in transit assistance. The […]

Today’s Headlines

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"We’re not giving up on highways," LaHood told state DOT officials this week, while reiterating the Obama administration’s interest in rail expansion (see video above, from DOT Press) Rendell, Schwarzenegger, and Bloomberg urge the Senate to match the House’s infrastructure spending in future jobs bills (BAF Press) Obama administration plans to release a broad wish […]

Today’s Headlines

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(Image: Purdue University via Grist) Above is a map tracking where CO2 emissions from fossil fuels are originating — distressing news for cities? (Grist) LaHood gets lobbied to support direct aid to cities and more federal transit operating aid (Press-Enterprise, Current) A rallying cry for Congress to get behind federal aid for L.A.’s 30/10 transit […]