Transportation Policy
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Klobuchar & Webb: Dems’ Unlikely Opponents of Bike-Ped Investment
Sen. Tom Coburn's (R-OK) attempt
to curb federal investment in bicycle and pedestrian paths, as well as
other "transportation enhancements," was defeated on the Senate floor
today -- but it managed to pick up two unlikely Democratic supporters
in the process.
September 16, 2009
The New White House Fuel Efficiency Rule: Count the Loopholes
The final fuel-efficiency rule released by the Obama administration
this morning includes what some lobbyists have nicknamed "the German
provision," giving automakers that sell less than 400,000 vehicles in
the U.S. an exemption for 25 percent of their fleet.
September 15, 2009
McCain’s Transit Hit List: Get the Details
Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), a self-styled foe of what he labels
wasteful government spending, has launched a broadside against transit
projects in the U.S. DOT's 2010 spending bill, which is slated for a
vote this week in the upper chamber of Congress.
September 14, 2009
White House Tells Senate: Grants No Substitute For Infrastructure Bank
The White House has reiterated its commitment to a national infrastructure bank
(NIB), urging the Senate to reconsider a 2010 transportation spending
bill that would "substitute in its place" $1.1 billion in grants.
September 11, 2009
The ‘Movie Ticket’ Theory of Transportation Pricing
Let's say you're at the movies, and you look up at the box office
only to see no ticket prices listed. You know you're going to have to
pay for the show eventually -- perhaps even during income-tax season --
but for now you can watch all you want, seemingly for free.
September 10, 2009
Consensus on National Transport Goals Still Eludes Industry Pros
Policymakers and private-sector players seem to be struggling to
agree on how -- and whether -- to set national performance targets for
America's transportation system, as evidenced by today's debate at a
high-profile infrastructure conference.
September 10, 2009
What Should We Learn From Moses and Jacobs?
There is probably no more beloved figure in urbanism than Jane Jacobs,
who fought to preserve some of New York City's most treasured
neighborhoods and who gave urbanists some of the field's fundamental
texts. As Ed Glaeser notes in the New Republic this week,
Jacobs died in 2006 "a cherished, almost saintly figure," while her
principal antagonist, Robert Moses, remains popularly reviled as a
villain.
September 9, 2009
How Much Would Most People Pay For a Shorter Commute?
As Washington conventional wisdom has it,
raising gas taxes or creating a vehicle miles traveled tax to pay for
transportation is impossible during the current recession. After all,
who would want to squeeze cash-strapped commuters during tough economic
times?
September 9, 2009
Civil Rights Complaint Filed Against BART Over Oak Airport Connector
Transit advocates and community groups have filed a complaint (PDF) with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), charging that BART has not complied with federal civil rights obligations in its planning of the Oakland Airport Connector (OAC). The move by Public Advocates Inc. on behalf of TransForm, Urban Habitat and Genesis, comes after concerns over the controversial project fell on deaf ears at both BART and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission.
September 4, 2009
Feds Still Forcing Transit Agencies to Bow to Private Charter Buses
Streetsblog Capitol Hill reported yesterday
that the U.S. DOT would end a Bush-era mandate to reward new transit
projects for using private contractors -- but a similar
pro-privatization rule for bus service remains in effect, preventing
local transit agencies from competing with private charter companies.
September 3, 2009