Recent Streetsblog USA posts about 2009 Transportation Bill

Understanding the Importance of Land Use

By Ryan Avent | Sep 3, 2009 | 1 Comment

Experience with case studies has made it clear to many urban planners and environmentalists that to maximize the benefits of transit investments, and to slow growth in traffic congestion, vehicle miles traveled (VMT), and carbon emissions, you have to focus on land use issues. (Photo: Penn State) This knowledge has begun working its way into […]

Transport Construction Industry Mobilizes for Oberstar’s Bill

By Elana Schor | Aug 12, 2009 | 1 Comment

Acrimonious opposition to health care reform has become the biggest political story of an otherwise sleepy August, but that doesn’t mean grassroots lobbying on the House’s transportation bill has evaporated. (Image: ARTBA) The American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA), which represents major construction companies, released a bulletin to members today urging them to connect […]

30 House Dems Back Transportation Tax on Wall Street Oil Speculators

By Elana Schor | Aug 10, 2009 | No Comments

More than a month after he first proposed the idea, Rep. Pete DeFazio (OR) — along with 29 fellow Democrats — has introduced legislation that would levy a small tax on oil futures trades in order to close the yawning gap in the federal transportation budget. Oil traders on the New York Mercantile Exchange. (Photo: […]

“Build America Bonds” Having a Big Week — Is the Transport Bill Next?

By Elana Schor | Aug 4, 2009 | No Comments

With the nation’s highway trust fund facing a $200-billion-plus shortfall over the next 10 years, finding new sources of revenue for transportation innovation is one of the toughest long-term challenges that Congress faces. One possible solution, however, lies no further than this week’s business pages. Build America Bonds are helping pay for an extensions of […]

How — and When — Can D.C. Help Local Transport Reform Happen?

By Elana Schor | Aug 3, 2009 | No Comments

A map of the areas served by transport MPOs, pictured in color. (Photo: NARC via Kaid Benfield) In a new op-ed for Citiwire, former Indianapolis mayor and GOP member of Congress Bill Hudnut suggests six ways that Washington can train the nation’s 350-plus metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) into tools for smart and environmentally sound transportation […]

What Wasn’t in This Week’s Highway Trust Fund Patch

By Elana Schor | Jul 31, 2009 | No Comments

Transportation’s make-or-break week in Washington has ended with a funding face-off postponed until fall, thanks to Senate passage of a short-term, $7 billion rescue for the nation’s highway trust fund. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) (Photo: PatersonOnline) The trust fund patch, designed to keep U.S. DOT dollars flowing to local road projects until September 30, keeps […]

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