The Work That Needs to Be Done

The first day of the Obama Administration is here at last. So it’s time to get down to work, right?

The Midwest High Speed Rail blog (we love their super-realistic slogan, "Improving Amtrak, Incrementally") has used some of the data collected by Transportation for America to put together a pretty nifty map showing rail projects ready to go within four months. Network member Gregor.us,
meanwhile, has this to say about the allocation for rail projects in
the provisional Obama stimulus plan: "Proposing to spend only 1.2% of
the total 825 billion dollar package on rail is almost comical. In
truth, it’s tragicomical."

216_NACTO_Press_Conf2.jpgJanette
Sadik-Khan with Rep. James Oberstar at last fall’s announcement of the
NACTO plan for the new transportation funding bill.

One organization that is pushing hard for improvements to the stimulus package is the National Association of City Transportation Officials
(NACTO), whose president is NYC’s own Janette Sadik-Khan. In a letter
sent to Obama last Friday, NACTO called upon the then president-elect
to rethink his economic recovery plan "to better meet cities’
transportation needs by following these principles":

  • 1. Meet the Public’s Call for More and Better Transit
  • 2. Support the Nation’s Transit Systems During the Crisis Period
  • 3. Prioritize Maintenance and Repair
  • 4. Fund Large Cities Directly to Move Projects Faster
  • 5. Incorporate Bureaucratic Streamlining Measures
  • 6. Strengthen the Accountability Provision.

Download a PDF of the letter here. You can also download a PDF of NACTO’s full plan for the next US Transportation Bill, released last fall, here.

ALSO ON STREETSBLOG

Why Stimulus Money Should Go to Cities, Not States

By Ben Fried |
I spoke earlier today to David Burwell, founder of the Surface Transportation Policy Project and a strategic consultant with the Transportation for America campaign, about how the stimulus package is shaping up for transportation projects, why it might go wrong, and what can be done to set it on the right track. "He’s putting his […]

Polly Trottenberg Tapped For Senior U.S. DOT Spot

By Elana Schor |
It’s a happy Friday for transportation wonks: the White House has nominated Polly Trottenberg, executive director of Building America’s Future, as assistant secretary for policy at the federal DOT. Polly Trottenberg, tapped as assistant DOT secretary (Photo: NewTalk) Trottenberg’s ascension signals that the Obama administration will make transit a serious priority and encourage a more […]
STREETSBLOG USA

It’s Official: LaHood Is Out

By Tanya Snyder |
After a few false alarms, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has finally come out and said it: He’s leaving the administration. In a letter sent to U.S. DOT staff and contractors this morning, he listed the accomplishments of the last four years: We have put safety front and center with the Distracted Driving Initiative and a rule […]