Skip to Content
Streetsblog USA home
Streetsblog USA home
Log In
Barack Obama

Obama Budget Proposes $556B, Long-term Transportation Bill

The White House hasn’t released its FY2012 budget request yet. What we know so far is that it’s a $3.7 trillion budget that would reduce the deficit from $1.6 trillion projected for 2011 to $1.2 trillion next year. President Obama “trims or terminates” more than 200 federal programs, according to the Washington Post, but has big plans for transportation: his budget envisions a $556 billion transportation bill. The Hill reports that the proposal includes "$50 billion in up-front investment that 'creates hundreds of thousands of jobs in the short-term.'"

Image: ##http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://images.politico.com/global/news/100524_budget_coleman_rtrs_218.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0510/37718.html&usg=__9-GVKdoEUjxhfev0jbnYZkpEGCU=&h=218&w=289&sz=64&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=6rJG8aMLfR9zVM:&tbnh=114&tbnw=146&ei=JExZTZaIK5PogQeq2PS1DA&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dfederal%2Bbudget%2Bbooks%26hl%3Den%26biw%3D1005%26bih%3D522%26tbs%3Disch:1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=618&vpy=77&dur=4835&hovh=174&hovw=231&tx=115&ty=95&oei=JExZTZaIK5PogQeq2PS1DA&page=1&ndsp=18&ved=1t:429,r:4,s:0##Reuters##

As expected, the President is trying to simplify the federal transportation program, consolidating 60 programs into five. The Post reports that those would be “limited to making investments only if Congress agrees on a financing plan that would not increase the deficit.” Politico reports that transportation would come from a “single trust fund covering highways and passenger rail systems like Amtrak.”

Insiders say there’s no gas tax hike planned (no surprise there) but there is funding to start a National Infrastructure Bank.

President Obama is also calling for increases in education spending, education research, and broadband access.

He plans to raise revenues by increasing some taxes on the wealthy, teeing up for another battle with Republicans, and ending oil and gas subsidies.

Among the cuts: community development block grants would lose $300 million, $1 billion would be cut from large airport grants, and nearly $1 billion would be trimmed from a fund that finances water treatment plans and other infrastructure projects, according to the Post.

We’ll be hearing more from the Department of Transportation in a few hours and will bring you more news when we have it.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog USA

This Newsroom Is Looking For Its Next Big Tip on the Train

Investigative journalists at ProPublica are betting that the next big tipster is riding the rails right now — and reaching out to find them.

October 8, 2025

Ending the Roadless Rule is Bad News for Public Lands

Federal officials want to bring more cars to public lands, causing environmental damage in the process.

October 8, 2025

The Shocking Untold History of America’s Rails-to-Trails Movement

Some of the fiercest battles for the future of public space in America have happened on abandoned railway corridors — and the battles aren't over yet.

October 7, 2025

Tuesday’s Headlines Take It Back

Withholding transit funds is just one aspect of the Trump administration's campaign to reshape the federal bureaucracy during the shutdown.

October 7, 2025

Commentary: Speed Cameras are a Good Start for Safe Streets

But *all* tools must be used to achieve Vision Zero —  not just speed cameras.

October 6, 2025

Under Pressure: Uber’s Navigation System Endangers the Public With Reckless Driving Directions

An Uber driver made an illegal u-turn and hit someone, but the in-app navigation told him to do it and the company won't give up the code.

October 6, 2025
See all posts