Infrastructure in the News: April 1, 2011

NATIONAL NEWS

Associated Press: Highway deaths fall to lowest level since 1949
Traffic deaths typically decline during an economic downturn because many motorists cut back on discretionary travel. The number of deaths fell in the early 1980s and early 1990s, when the U.S. economy was struggling. But people spent more time in their cars last year, making the estimates more noteworthy. The number of miles traveled by American drivers in 2010 grew by 20.5 billion, or 0.7 percent, compared with 2009, according to the Federal Highway Administration. The number of miles traveled increased slightly in 2009 after declines in the previous two years.

DOT Blog: Record low traffic deaths encourage continued road safety efforts
This drop comes despite a sharp increase in the number of miles Americans drove last year - 21 billion additional miles. In addition, the rate of road fatalities in the U.S. has also dropped to its lowest level since 1949. Over the last five years, traffic deaths have declined by 25 percent.

The Hill: GOP Rep. Mica unmoved by Obama FAA veto threat
The House Transportation Committee chairman has reiterated his support for a provision to change union organizing rules for railroad and airline employees in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization bill despite a presidential veto threat.

The Hill: Obama signs temporary FAA bill
President Obama on Thursday signed a bill that funds the Federal Aviation Administration re-authorization bill through May, as Congress began debating a longer-term measure that contains controversial amendments.

HNTB Corporation Press Release: Americans Give a Green Light for Spending On Mobility
In fact, more than three-quarters (77 percent) of Americans agree with President Barack Obama that the federal government should increase spending to repair our crumbling roads, bridges and transit systems.

DOT Blog: As April arrives, so does National Safe Digging Month; please call 811 before you dig
In 2010, there were 53 accidents involving excavation damage to pipelines in the United States.  Those accidents led to five deaths and considerable damage. Unsafe digging is a leading cause of pipeline damage.

Financial Post: AECOM publishes white paper on U.S. infrastructure: "Ignore the Need or Retake the Lead?"
AECOM Technology Corporation (NYSE: ACM), a leading provider of professional technical and management support services for government and commercial clients around the world, announced today that it has released a white paper titled, “U.S. Infrastructure: Ignore the Need or Retake the Lead?” 

Peoples' World: Obama outlines plan to reduce U.S. oil use
With gasoline prices edging towards $4 per gallon and a new military excursion underway in Libya, President Barack Obama took time Wednesday, March 30, to outline his administration's goal to radically reduce U.S. dependence on oil and fossil and fuels.

CFO: "This is the Renaissance of Rail"
President Obama devoted a portion of his January State of the Union address to the subject of high-speed rail transport, and the following month Vice President Biden announced a 6-year, $53 billion plan to invest in it. The Administration's long-term goal is to make high-speed rail service available to 80% of the nation's population within 25 years.

Infrastructurist: The Worst Pothole Tournament: Where March Madness Meets Infrastructure
The Real Costs posts the latest pothole match-ups at its Facebook page. Readers can view the competing potholes and vote for the worse one by “liking” the post. (If it sounds a bit weird to “like” the worse image, which then wins the match, just remember that you’re participating in an online pothole tournament, so…) Who knows, maybe the winning — er, losing — city will agree to repair the champion.

STATE NEWS

San Jose Inside: All Transportation is Public
Whether you prefer to take a train, plane, bus, bike or car, taxpayers subsidize a good portion of the ride. In other words, all transportation is a form of public transportation. 

California High Speed Rail Blog: Central Valley Republicans Flip-Flop on HSR Funds
Back in 2007, Republican Congressmen Devin Nunes and Kevin McCarthy spoke out in favor of the California high speed rail project. That was back when they still represented the Central Valley. Since then, McCarthy and Nunes represent other people now – specifically the oil companies and right-wing funders like the Koch Brothers. And that’s why, as the Fresno Bee reports, they are opposing California’s efforts to win Florida’s high speed rail money:

The Middletown Press: 9.2% of Conn. bridges 'deficient,' study says; state fares better than most
With 383 of its 4,182 bridges rated “structurally deficient,” Connecticut rates better than 30 other states and Washington, D.C., the report says. Connecticut has 9.2 percent of its bridges in the deficient category. Pennsylvania, the worst, has 26.5 percent.

The News Journal: Delaware budget: DelDOT may face nearly $1B hole
DelDOT expects to run out of new project money for the majority of state roads next year, with shortfalls approaching $1 billion in five years without new sources of money, officials said Thursday.

MMD Newswire: Illinois high-speed rail corridor work resumes
Ninety-six miles of tracks and a quarter-million railroad ties for future high-speed Amtrak trains will be installed in Central Illinois starting this weekend, leading to the substitution of chartered motorcoaches for some Lincoln Service trains for several weeks and the detour of the Texas Eagle between Chicago and St. Louis.

CBS St. Louis: High Speed Rail
Amtrak says 96 miles of tracks and a quarter-million railroad ties are being installed starting Saturday in central Illinois for future high-speed rail service.

International Business Times: Maryland Tests "Talking" Buses to Warn Pedestrians
The safety system - already being used in some cities - is being tested on 10 buses operated by the Maryland Transit Administration. MTA's main bus service area is in Baltimore.

Green Field Reporter: Bill that could put brakes on NC high-speed rail grants from federal government heard by House
The House Transportation Committee began debate Tuesday on a measure to bar the state Transportation Department from accepting $460 million in federal funds unless the Republican-led General Assembly approves.

Columbus-Dispatch: New transportation bill has public-private option
House Bill 114, which cleared the Senate unanimously and passed along party lines in the GOP-controlled House last week, allows for a private entity to partially or fully fund construction costs for a public infrastructure project.

OPB News: Oregon Ranks 7th in Bridge Safety Nationally
In a ranking of bridge safety, Oregon's bridges rank seventh best in the nation.  That’s according to a new report from a broad coalition that’s working to improve transportation nationally.

San Antonio Express-News: Report sees $170 billion gap in roadway funds
Transportation funding in Texas is “unacceptable” and will increase traffic congestion and highway maintenance costs if not corrected, according to an updated report commissioned to investigate the long-term transportation infrastructure needs of the state.

Streetsblog: Houston Planners Will Spend All Their Federal Air Quality Funding on Cars
It looks like the Houston region still has a long way to go in balancing the needs of cyclists and pedestrians with those of drivers. The region’s Transportation Policy Council came down largely on the side of auto infrastructure Friday in deciding how to allocate tens of millions of dollars in federal funding. On the bright side, an all-out push from local cycling and pedestrian advocates successfully preserved a chunk of funding for biking and walking that had been under threat.

The Washington Examiner: Metro looks at rail, bus service cuts
Metro's board is considering cutting back bus and train service instead of asking local governments to pony up $72 million to cover the entire budget gap next year.

Westport News: Rahall announces $1M in federal funding for W.VA.
Rep. Nick Rahall says West Virginia is getting $1 million in federal funding to assess the state's rail network.