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Streetsblog LA
Metro Board Wrap: If Measure R Projections Are Down, What Happens to Projects When Funds Run Out?
During today's debate over whether or not to approve a "life of the project" budget for Phase II of the Expo Line, County Supervisor Gloria Molina used the occasion to quiz Metro staff on new projections for Measure R revenue. Originally, the half-cent county-wide sales tax was projected to produce $40 billion in revenue over thirty years. However, in large part due to the Great Recession and high local unemployment rates, that projection has dropped 10% in two and a half years to $36 billion.
February 24, 2011
Goodbye, 30/10. Hello, Fast Forward America.
Goodbye "30/10" and hello "Fast Forward America."
February 23, 2011
Lowenthal Introduces Senate Bill That Could Become Three Foot Passing Law
Last week, Senator Alan Lowenthal (D-Long Beach) introduced S.B. 910, which seeks to define what a "safe distance" is for a motorist to pass a cyclist. While the language of the bill may seem innocuous at first read, Lowenthal's staff says the current draft of the bill is a placeholder for what will most likely become a "3-Feet Passing Law."
February 23, 2011
Obama Admin’s Bold Transpo Plan Leaves Funding Question to Congress
The president’s six-year transportation plan [PDF], included as part of the administration’s FY2012 budget proposal, weighs in at a hefty $556 billion and lays out several policy reforms that, if enacted, could help the nation transition to a more multi-modal, less oil-dependent transportation system.
February 15, 2011
Obama Budget Proposes $556B, Long-term Transportation Bill
The White House hasn’t released its FY2012 budget request yet. What we know so far is that it’s a $3.7 trillion budget that would reduce the deficit from $1.6 trillion projected for 2011 to $1.2 trillion next year. President Obama “trims or terminates” more than 200 federal programs, according to the Washington Post, but has big plans for transportation: his budget envisions a $556 billion transportation bill.
February 14, 2011
Key House Republicans Aren’t Buying Administration HSR Proposal
Vice President Joe Biden’s announcement of a $53 billion infusion for high-speed rail has fallen like a lead balloon on the ears of some key GOP leaders. House Transportation Committee Chair John L. Mica (R-FL) and Railroads Subcommittee Chair Bill Shuster (R-PA) expressed “extreme reservations” about the plan.
February 9, 2011
“Amtrak Joe” Biden, in Philly, Announces a New Plan for High-Speed Rail
The Obama administration is taking its infrastructure push on the road. First stop: Philadelphia, to announce a $53 billion plan to invest in high-speed rail.
February 8, 2011
Council Votes for More Study for Wilshire Bus Only Project
(Note: I've been trading emails with Ray Klein, who I parody in the second part of this story. He claims my claims that he's misquoting Hu are false and he has a transcript. My claim is based on Hu's argument at the end of the Transportation Committee hearing that he was being taken out of context. We'll get to the bottom of this next week. - DN)
February 2, 2011
City Election Preview: Krekorian vs. Bisani in CD2
It seems as though it were just yesterday, but in fact was almost a year and a half ago, that we were first discussing which candidate would replace Wendy Greuel as the City Council Member for the 2nd Councilmanic District, located mostly in the Valley. Streetsblog sent surveys to each of the 10 candidates in 2009, eight of whom responded. Paul Krekorian, who won that election and is running for re-election this year, answered our survey. His only opponent this time, Augusto Bisani, finished 10th in that election and did not.
January 31, 2011