Federal Policy
Basics
Lemonade From Lemons: Six Improvements Worth Celebrating Within Flawed Infrastructure Bill
These are some of the IIJA's most notable successes — even if some of them are pretty incremental.
December 9, 2021
Advocates Hope ‘Inspired’ RAISE Grants are a Taste of Things To Come
Last Friday, the U.S. DOT wowed sustainable transportation advocates with its list of grantees for the RAISE discretionary grant program, which will funnel $1 billion dollars into transportation capital and planning projects across America — and stoked optimism for how the agency would spend the historic $100 billion in discretionary funding it just won with the passage of the latest infrastructure bill.
November 23, 2021
‘Small Victories’ For Vulnerable Road Users In Infrastructure Bill
Active transportation advocates are celebrating modest but potentially powerful new policies in the newly passed transportation infrastructure bill — but more needs to be done.
November 8, 2021
OP-ED: New Fed Road Guide Enshrines Danger into Law
A writer's public records search reveals that Congressional requirements to design safer streets went unheeded.
November 8, 2021
The Infrastructure Bill: What’s In It For Us?
President Biden's $1.2-trillion "infrastructure" bill passed the House late on Friday evening and was hailed by a POTUS needing a win as a “once-in-a-generation investment.” But what's really in it?
November 7, 2021
I’m fairly optimistic about the future of public transportation – if we take action now
As Mark Twain might have said, reports of the death of transit have been greatly exaggerated, but we do need to take decisive action to make buses and trains a more reliable and appealing option.
November 3, 2021
What’s In (And What’s Out Of) the New Reconciliation Bill For Sustainable Transport
Most programs favored by sustainable transportation advocates have survived negotiations over the massive social infrastructure package that's held up the country's transportation ambitions for months — though a few of them have gotten a little skinnier.
November 2, 2021
Congressmen Garcia, Schneider introduce rail grade separation funding bill
The reps noted that in addition to preventing crashes, separating rail crossings can also improve passenger and freight rail service by allowing for higher speeds and more frequent service.
October 30, 2021
Talking Headways Podcast: How Partisanship Influences Transportation Reform
This week we're joined by Kelcie Ralph, Nick Klein, and Calvin Thigpen, who talk about their recent paper "Political Partisanship and Transportation Reform." We chat about why they wrote the paper, what they found out about partisanship and transportation policy, and why actors across the political spectrum have little understanding of induced demand.
October 21, 2021
Kerry Warns Budget Bill Delay Will Hold Global Climate Goals Hostage
Centrist bickering over the size of the Democrats' budget reconciliation will have dire consequences for key international climate goals, U.S. climate envoy John Kerry warns — and sustainable transportation priorities will be dealt a particularly hard blow.
October 18, 2021
