Senate R’s Attempts to Strip Bike/Ped Requirment Dies on Senate Floor
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
New Investigation Finds 2,100 Transport Lobbyists Working the System
Interest groups seeking to influence transportation policy-making have long flooded the capital with campaign cash and lobbyists
-- and their numbers are rising at an eye-popping rate. Nearly 1,800
interests are employing at least 2,100 transportation lobbyists to work
the system in anticipation of the next federal infrastructure bill, according to a Center for Public Integrity investigation unveiled today.
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
Jane Jacobs’ Is Planetizen’s Top Urban Planner, Shoup Fifteenth
Jane Jacobs. Photo: BusinessWeek She may be experiencing an intellectual reconsideration in some corners, but Jane Jacobs is still a beloved figure for the urban planners and designers of Planetizen. After a month-long online poll that saw more than 14,000 votes cast, the site released its list of the “Top 100 Urban Thinkers” today — … Continued
September 15, 2009
McCain’s List of Wasteful Transit Includes Wilshire Bus-Only Lanes and Gold Line Extension
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. Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) (Photo: Scrape TV) McCain had proposed more than 20 … Continued
September 14, 2009
Oberstar Stands Firm on Transportation Bill, Gets Industry Backup
In case any doubts
remained about his willingness to challenge the White House and the
Senate on prompt passage of a long-term infrastructure bill, House
transportation committee chairman Jim Oberstar's (D-MN) op-ed in the Politico this morning should clear them up:
September 14, 2009
Department of Energy Gets Basic Math Wrong in its Rail Analysis
When it comes to the carbon consumption of cars, trains, and buses, the
U.S. Department of Energy's (DoE) Transportation Energy Data Book [PDF] is an indispensable resource. But this year's Data Book contains an eyebrow-raising error in its analysis of rail's energy use.
September 11, 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
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
Was the Auto Industry Bailout Legal? It’s Debatable, Oversight Panel Says
The Treasury Department sent $81 billion in taxpayer-subsidized aid to
General Motors and Chrysler -- which is unlikely to be recouped in full
-- using legal authority that "is the subject of considerable debate,"
according to a report released today [PDF] by the congressionally appointed bailout oversight panel.
September 9, 2009