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Streetsblog Capitol Hill Q&A: Blumenauer Talks Economic Recovery
On the issue of clean transportation, from transit to bike paths to
water quality, few members of Congress are as knowledgeable or active
as Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR). Chairman of the Congressional Bicycle
Caucus and founder of the new Livable Communities Task Force,
the Portland lawmaker is on the front lines of Washington's biggest
infrastructure debates. Streetsblog Capitol Hill spoke with him
yesterday about the prospects for transportation in the coming jobs
bill, which he has said could be paid for in part with Wall Street bailout money. Below is a lightly edited transcript of the discussion.
December 3, 2009
Villaraigosa: Subsidies for People Who Can Afford a $100,000 Car Key to Our Green Future
It seems that every year when the car show rolls into town that there's at least one moment that makes me want to bang my head into a cement wall. Remember when the Sierra Club and other environmental groups named an SUV the "green car of the year" in 2007?
December 2, 2009
In New Orleans, LaHood $280 Million in Bus and Streetcar Grants
During a visit to New Orleans, where city planners are seeking
nearly $100 million in federal stimulus money for three new streetcar
lines, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced plans to
award $280 million in grants for streetcar and bus networks.
December 2, 2009
LaHood to Congress: It’s Time to Talk About a Gas Tax Increase
As Congress maneuvers to end the political impasse over the next
long-term national transportation bill, lawmakers going to have to
debate an increase in the federal gas tax, Transportation Secretary Ray
LaHood said today.
November 30, 2009
State Legislative Committees Hold Trio of Hearings Downtown
So, we are finally past that near relentless series of community meetings for corridors, bullet trains, etc. of the past few months. But don't think you can catch your breathe! We are about to have three legislative hearings on transportation topics, all being held at the Metro Board Room:
November 30, 2009
Consumer Group: White House Left Fuel-Efficiency Savings on the Table
The Obama administration’s proposal to raise auto fuel-efficiency (CAFE) standards to 35.5 miles per gallon by 2016 could have gone even further in order to reap the maximum environmental and economic benefits of cleaner cars, according to a new analysis [PDF] released today by the Consumer Federation of America. In his analysis, Consumer Federation research … Continued
November 25, 2009
New York’s Game Changer, Janette Sadik-Khan, Will Visit L.A. This March
Occidental College's UEPI Blog announced earlier this morning that this year's keynote speaker for the Bike Summit will be none other than New York City's Livable Streets Hero Janette Sadik-Khan. For those of you that have never read the original Streetsblog or any of my New York-related stories; Sadik-Khan rose to be Commissioner of NYCDOT and immediately changed the department's goals from car-culture defenders to Portland-esque urban planners.
November 16, 2009
‘The Concrete is Cracking’: Front-Loaded New Transport Bill Gains Steam
With the U.S. unemployment rate hitting 10.2 percent today, its highest level in 26 years, a palpable shift is occurring on Capitol Hill. House transportation chairman Jim Oberstar (D-MN) (Photo: STLToday) For weeks, we’ve heard senior Democrats and the transit industry make the case for more transportation spending as a potent job creator, but the … Continued
November 6, 2009
Streetfilm: Earl Blumenauer Visits New York
"The tide is turning," Transportation Alternatives Paul White exclaims towards the end of this most recent Streetfilm, "In fact, it's already turned."
November 3, 2009
Villaraigosa Announces Coalition to Speed Up Measure R Transit Construction
At a meeting of business leaders earlier today, Mayor Villaraigosa officially announced his plan, previewed earlier today in the Times, to aggressively pursue private and federal funds to complete all rail projects included in Measure R within ten years. Villaraigosa has often talked about completing his favorite project, the Subway to the Sea.
October 30, 2009