Recent Streetsblog USA posts about Highway Repair

Is the ‘Road Gang’ Losing Power in Washington?

By Elana Schor | Apr 29, 2010 | 5 Comments

That is the thesis posited in a new investigation from the Center for Public Integrity, which sent a reporter to sprawl-saturated South Florida to examine how much of a return the transportation construction industry is getting on its multi-million-dollar contributions to congressional campaigns. In a time of sluggish economic recovery, when federal dollars can make […]

New Report Takes on ‘Perverse Incentives’ to De-Emphasize Bridge Repair

By Elana Schor | Apr 28, 2010 | 2 Comments

When Minneapolis’ I-35 bridge collapsed in 2007, lawmakers from both parties vowed to focus on shoring up the nation’s aging infrastructure. But when the public spotlight faded from the issue of infrastructure repair, Congress showed little appetite for setting aside maintenance aid that did not hold the promise of ribbon-cutting ceremonies or campaign donations. The […]

Transport Contractors Urge White House to Revamp Enviro Review Rules

By Elana Schor | Apr 12, 2010 | 7 Comments

The trade group representing private-sector transportation contractors is urging the Obama administration to change the way environmental reviews are conducted for infrastructure projects, proposing to favor "categorical exclusions" (CEs) from federal review rules over the lengthier process of measuring the environmental impact of construction work. Environmental reviews added an estimated $1 million to the cost […]

Inhofe Questions Transit and Bike-Ped Investments in House Transport Bill

By Elana Schor | Mar 18, 2010 | 12 Comments

The senior Republican on the Senate environment panel today criticized the House’s six-year transportation bill, lamenting that the measure "focus[es] very heavily on transit, bike paths, and sidewalks" and carves out a strong federal role in "decisions historically left to the state level." Inhofe’s concerns, raised at the latest in the environment committee’s series of […]

Senate Starts Work on New Transport Bill, With House Version as a Guide

By Elana Schor | Mar 3, 2010 | 6 Comments

The Senate today took its first steps towards voting on a new long-term federal transportation bill, with environment committee chairman Barbara Boxer (D-CA) vowing to take up a successor to the 2005 infrastructure law before 2011 and indicating she would use the House’s already-introduced version as a framework. Senate environment committee chairman Barbara Boxer (D-CA), […]

New Analysis: Major Cities Still Shortchanged by Transportation Stimulus

By Elana Schor | Feb 19, 2010 | No Comments

The Obama administration’s awarding of $1.5 billion in competitive transportation stimulus grants on Wednesday sparked elation in cities such as Kansas City and New Orleans. But those celebrations were more than just anecdotal evidence of the so-called TIGER program‘s urban impact, according to a new analysis from the Brookings Institution’s Rob Puentes. (Chart: The Avenue) […]

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