Government Organizations
Basics
FHWA Offers a Guide for American Cities and Towns Considering Bike-Share
The Federal Highway Administration has come out with a handy report [PDF] for communities thinking about getting into the bike-sharing game. Based on a study of 12 planned and existing bike-sharing systems from around the U.S., the report is intended to help explain the basics of bike-share and guide cities through the choices they'll face when launching a system. While the specific advice isn't exactly groundbreaking, the mere fact that the FHWA has produced the guide indicates that bike-sharing is becoming increasingly common in America.
September 10, 2012
Will DOT’s New Freight Council Focus on More Than Trucks?
On Thursday, DOT Secretary Ray LaHood announced the creation of a new Freight Policy Council, which is charged with coming up with a freight strategic plan. This is a first step toward a sorely lacking national plan around freight.
August 27, 2012
Rep. Steve LaTourette Leaving Congress, Cites Disgust Over Transpo Bill
We mentioned last week that transit advocates were losing one supporter in Congress: Russ Carnahan of Missouri. They'll be suffering another grave loss come January: Ohio Republican Steve LaTourette.
August 16, 2012
There’s a Lot Riding on U.S. DOT’s Definition of “Congestion”
Congress has done its job, such as it is, and passed a transportation bill. Now it's handed off the policymaking to U.S. DOT, which must issue a raft of rules, definitions, and guidance to accompany the new law, known as MAP-21.
August 15, 2012
Voter ID Laws Marginalize People Without a Car
Sustainable transportation advocates may read news headlines about new voter ID laws, roll their eyes at the prejudices of red-state legislators, and turn the page -- at their own peril. This seemingly unrelated issue may have far-reaching consequences for transportation policy. New state laws mandating photo ID for voters threaten to disenfranchise nondrivers, and the skewed elections that would result could lead to political control by forces hostile to transit, cities, and even Safe Routes to Schools.
August 8, 2012
In New NHTSA Report, Scarce Information on Causes of Pedestrian Deaths
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported last December that while overall traffic fatalities in the United States dropped in 2010, pedestrian deaths rose higher – up four percent in 2010 over 2009. Yesterday, the agency released some more detailed statistics about those crashes [PDF], but the report includes scarcely any data or analysis about the underlying causes of pedestrian deaths.
August 7, 2012
Oregon Takes the Next Step in Moving Beyond the Gas Tax
Rep. Earl Blumenauer likes to say that Oregon was the first state to adopt a gas tax and it will be the first state to get rid of it. In 2006-2007, the state conducted a pilot study of alternative revenue collection methods, with an eye toward moving to a better system. This fall, they’ll do another pilot, fine-tuning their process for replacing the gas tax with a vehicle-miles-traveled fee.
August 3, 2012
Has DOT Retained a Bit of Say-So on TIFIA?
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced today that the Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for the new, expanded TIFIA loan program is now available [PDF]. The recently-passed MAP-21 transportation reauthorization dramatically expanded TIFIA, bringing the program's funding up from $122 million to $750 million next year and $1 billion in 2014.
July 27, 2012
No Explanations as Traffic Deaths Jump 13.5 Percent
In the wake of the shocking and tragic massacre in an Aurora, Colorado movie theater, many people are now, understandably, skittish about going to the movies. But the most dangerous part of going to the movies is driving there.
July 24, 2012
How State DOTs Got Congress to Grant Their Wish List
Bike and pedestrian funding got slashed. Federal assistance for transit operations was rejected. Even the performance measures – arguably the high point of the recently passed federal transportation bill – are too weak to be very meaningful. For Americans who want federal policy to support safe streets, sustainable transportation, and livable neighborhoods, there were few bright spots in the transportation bill Congress passed last month.
July 24, 2012