Government Organizations
Basics
Sen. Boxer Calls For Solution to Highway Trust Fund Insolvency
Senator Barbara Boxer brought together transportation industry representatives this morning to highlight the damage that would be done to the economy if Congress doesn’t come up with a solution to the impending insolvency of the Highway Trust Fund. New CBO estimates, released this week [PDF], project that the fund will be zeroed out by the time MAP-21 expires at the end of Fiscal Year 2014. Boxer says she doesn't intend to wait until the last minute to act.
July 25, 2013
A Few Wacky Ideas Persist as Congress Moves to Accept Funding Realities
There are five stages of mourning, and Congress is moving through them as they begin to face the inevitability of increased revenues for transportation. Lawmakers been through denial, anger, and bargaining, and now they’re pretty solidly in the depression phase. That leaves just one more: acceptance.
July 23, 2013
T4A Calls for Action Against Dreadful House Transpo Budget
Transportation for America is gearing up for a fight over transit, rail, and TIGER funding, and they're asking supporters of smart transportation investments to make their voices heard.
July 19, 2013
Birmingham to Widen Downtown Highway While Other Cities Tear ‘Em Down
Downtown freeways are unmitigated disasters for cities. They ruin the development potential of central city neighborhoods and create dead zones that divide downtown areas. That's why Milwaukee, San Francisco, New Orleans, Niagara Falls, Oklahoma City, New Haven and Syracuse have either torn them down or are seriously considering it.
July 18, 2013
Amtrak Foe Mica Meets His Match in John Robert Smith
I just sat through a pretty boring hearing on rail financing. But I’m glad I stuck it out, because the fireworks came at the end, when Rep. John Mica picked a fight with the wrong man.
July 9, 2013
Anthony Foxx Takes Office As U.S. Transportation Secretary
Anthony Foxx, who resigned yesterday as mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina, was sworn in today at 11 a.m. as the new U.S. secretary of transportation. The Department of Transportation sent the following information in a press release after the ceremony:
July 2, 2013
Supreme Court Weakens Local Governments’ Ability to Shape Development
It certainly won't be the most talked about Supreme Court decision handed down this week, but "Koontz v. St Johns River Water Management District" [PDF] will have a long-term impact on the ability of local governments to shape new development.
June 28, 2013
Senate Offers a More Multi-Modal 2014 Transportation Budget Than the House
Last week, a House panel envisioned some big cuts to next year’s transportation budget. TIGER and high-speed rail would get nothing, Amtrak would get slashed, and ixnay on all that green “livability” crap. (And that's practically a quote.)
June 27, 2013
Bipartisan Bill Would Make Complete Streets the National Standard
Nearly 500 cities, states, and counties around the United States have enacted complete streets policies, according to Smart Growth America. Now a bipartisan team of lawmakers has introduced legislation to make it a matter of national policy that streets should be designed not only for driving, but for walking, biking, and transit as well.
June 21, 2013
The State of State Transit Funding
States increased their transit spending more than 5 percent between 2007 and 2011, reaching $13.9 billion annually, according to a recent report from the Association of American State Highway and Transportation Officials. But that increase was concentrated in just a handful of states.
June 20, 2013