Recent Streetsblog USA posts about 2009 Transportation Bill

Why Road Builders Want a Transportation Bill Now

By Elana Schor | Jul 7, 2009 | No Comments

Why do construction companies want a transportation bill now? Look in the blue circle. (Photo: ARTBA) The clash between the Obama administration and senior House Democrats over passing a new federal transportation bill can be viewed on a number of levels: as an commentary on the lack of political will to tackle infrastructure, as proof […]

Highway Lobby: Obama DOT’s Transpo Goals ‘Not Appropriate’

By Elana Schor | Jul 2, 2009 | No Comments

The provisions the Obama administration wants to see added to an 18-month extension of current transportation law — adding up to $310 million for state and local planning — may look pretty minor to reform-minded voters. But they’re a bridge too far for the Washington highway lobby. The American Association of State Highway and Transportation […]

Obama Administration’s Transportation Goals: Read Them Here

By Elana Schor | Jul 1, 2009 | 2 Comments

When the Obama administration proposed an 18-month delay in drafting the next federal transportation bill, U.S. DOT chief Ray LaHood called for Congress to include "critical reforms" alongside the extension of the existing law. But details on those reforms have been kept under wraps — until today. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, with his boss at […]

Voinovich: Business Buy-in Can Get a New Transportation Bill Done

By Elana Schor | Jun 25, 2009 | 1 Comment

George Voinovich (R-OH) may be the only senator who wants to forget about an 18-month extension of existing transportation law and move ahead quickly on broad reform. But that doesn’t mean he’s giving up. Sen. George Voinovich (R-OH), rendered by political caricaturist Kerry Waghorn. Getting business interests to work on methods for funding a long-term […]

Money or Nothing

By Ryan Avent | Jun 25, 2009 | No Comments

Building America’s Future is a kind of DreamWorks for the infrastructure set. It’s an organization put together by Govs. Ed Rendell (D-PA) and Arnold Schwarzenegger (R-CA) and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg — men strongly committed to the idea that infrastructure investment is of critical importance for a nation’s economic health, and should enjoy […]

Boxer and Inhofe Agree: Transportation Policy Reform Can Wait

By Elana Schor | Jun 25, 2009 | 5 Comments

Green transportation advocates are pressing Congress to refuse any new spending that’s not tied to reform of the existing system — a call that influential senators in both parties ruled out today. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chairman Barbara Boxer (D-CA) joined Sen. Jim Inhofe (OK), the panel’s ranking GOPer, in endorsing another 18 […]

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