Infrastructure in the News: February 2, 2012

BAF IN THE NEWS

NSB News: Fix our nation's interstates and add jobs in the process
http://nsbnews.net/content/408269-fix-our-nations-interstates-and-add-jo...
Rundown roads contribute to more than half of all auto accidents today in this country. One third of America’s roads are poor or mediocre according to Building America’s Future Educational Fund, which is a bipartisan organization of politicians dedicated to investing in infrastructure. Mayors from Philadelphia, Los Angeles and Mesa, Ariz., went to Washington to show Congress how to repair our roads. Their plans would not only do that, but also create badly needed jobs. They are supporting the passage of the Surface Transportation bill and Fast Forward.

NATIONAL NEWS

The Hill: Retailers applaud GOP highway bill
http://thehill.com/blogs/transportation-report/highways-bridges-and-road...
The proposed federal highway bill released this week by Republican leaders in the House has been met with skepticism by many lobbying groups, but it has drawn praise from the National Retail Federation. NRF Vice President for Government Relations David French said the five-year, $260 billion bill that was introduced Tuesday by House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman John Mica (R-Fla.) should be approved quickly by members of Congress.

Bloomberg BNA: Transportation Bill Would Streamline Environmental Review, Sponsors Say
http://www.bna.com/transportation-bill-streamline-n12884907581/
The American Energy & Infrastructure Jobs Act (H.R. 7) would impose new timetables on the environmental review process for transportation projects and give states broader authority to exempt projects from analysis. Republicans said reforming the National Environmental Policy Act review process could halve the time to review and construct transportation infrastructure projects.

Politico: Schuster: Rebuilding transportation is key
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0212/72295.html
Transportation is essential to our nation’s competitiveness and economy. Congress has the opportunity in the coming weeks to put job creation and economic development in the fast lane with the American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act. It is designed to build our infrastructure, reform transportation programs, unlock U.S. energy resources, reduce dependence on foreign oil, strengthen our economy and create jobs.

DC Streetsblog: Now Open for Bids: The Fourth Round of TIGER Grants
http://dc.streetsblog.org/2012/02/01/now-open-for-bids-the-fourth-round-...
Transportation leaders, take your best shot. Applications are being accepted for $500 million in federal funding through the fourth round of U.S. DOT’s TIGER grants. DOT has renewed its commitment to this groundbreaking program, which awards money on a competitive basis to projects that have the potential to make a “significant impact on the nation, a metropolitan area, or region.” This round of funding will include up to $100 million for rail projects, including inter-city projects. In addition, $120 million has been reserved for projects that serve rural communities, according to a statement from U.S. DOT.

STATE NEWS

Huffington Post: 23,400 Good Construction Jobs Coming to Los Angeles Metro
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mar/23400-good-construction-j_b_1247700.html
This policy is the most significant policy of its kind nationwide to create thousands of good jobs while investing in much needed transportation infrastructure. Put simply, the policy sets out the terms of workforce employment that must be agreed to by all Metro contractors before they receive a contract to build Measure R projects and before they hire anyone. This policy has been proven by the LAUSD, the City of Los Angeles and the Port of LA to ensure on time and on budget projects that also create good construction jobs.

Switchboard: How a Bad Transportation Bill is REALLY Bad for California
http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/jhorner/how_a_bad_transportation_bill....
In (very) short, Chairman Mica's bill strives to commit ever more millions to road construction (something Californians do not want), while cutting funding to bicycling and pedestrian programs and eliminating essential environmental safeguards. And how does he propose to pay for the bill? More oil drilling (something even leading Republicans don't want). Hey, what's there not to hate? But diving even deeper reveals how this incredibly bad bill is especially bad for California.

The Republic: Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood joins Atlanta mayor to launch downtown streetcar project
http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/a2b4c7a7b60f4628aa292441ebcadb9e/G...
Atlanta isn't known for its love of public transit, but the Southern capital is hoping to be the latest city to get residents and tourists on board with a $94 million streetcar project that supporters say will create jobs, promote economic development and transform the region's approach to transportation. Mayor Kasim Reed and U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood broke ground Wednesday on the streetcar line, which will be funded in part by a $47.6 million federal grant awarded to the city in 2010. Reed said the project stands as Atlanta's largest single federal award outside of the airport and the city's transit authority in more than a decade.

Progressive Railroading: LaHood, Philadelphia officials break ground on transit center project
http://www.progressiverailroading.com/passenger_rail/news/LaHood-Philade...
On Monday, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood joined Philadelphia officials to launch a $50 million project designed to expand and renovate a major transit center. The renovation of Dilworth Plaza will improve transit into Philadelphia’s Center City by upgrading connections and accessibility around the City Hall transit hub, LaHood said in his daily blog. The project, which will be funded in part by a $15 million Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery grant, will improve access for commuters using Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority’s regional commuter-rail and subway systems, as well as Port Authority Transit Corp. and Amtrak lines, and area trolleys and buses, LaHood said.