Infrastructure in the News: July 11, 2012

NATIONAL NEWS

Wall Street Journal: Most Urban Jobs Are Near Transit, but Most Workers Aren’
http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2012/07/11/most-urban-jobs-are-near-transit-but-most-workers-arent/
Most urban jobs are near some sort of mass transit stop but most workers face impractically difficult commutes via public transportation, a consequence of the suburbanization of both jobs and people, according to this report by the Brookings Institution. Some three quarters of all jobs in the nation’s 100 largest metropolitan areas are in neighborhoods with transit service, but only about a quarter of the workforce is able to get to their jobs in less than 90 minutes via mass transit.

The Hill: LaHood announces rail industry plan to hire 5,000 veterans
http://thehill.com/blogs/transportation-report/railroads/237107-lahood-announces-rail-industry-veteran-hiring-initiative
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said Tuesday that the rail industry would hire 5,000 veterans as part of the the Obama administration's military employment push.  LaHood held a conference call with the Association of America Railroads (AAR), which represents both freight rail companies and Amtrak, to announce the veteran hiring initiative.

Clean Technica: Which US States Invest the Most in Bicycle and Pedestrian Project
http://cleantechnica.com/2012/07/11/which-us-states-invest-the-most-in-bicycle-and-pedestrian-projects/
Following the introduction of a new transportation bill which weakens the dedication of federal funding for bicycle and pedestrian projects, the League of American Bicyclists has compiled federal bike and pedestrian funding data to determine which states are investing the most into these projects. The data looks at which states are prioritising bicycle and pedestrian projects that create transportation enhancements, reduce congestion and improve air quality, improve highway safety, and enhancing the safety of surface transportation.

PoliticMo: Transportation Sec. LaHood jabs Republican critics of stimulu
http://politicmo.com/2012/07/10/transportation-sec-lahood-jabs-republican-critics-of-stimulus/
Speaking in Joplin, Lahood was announcing a major TIGER grant for the city’s transpiration infrastructure. TIGER is short for “Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery.” The program was first established in 2009 stimulus program. LaHood, a former Republican lawmaker from Illinois, jabbed lawmakers — mostly Republicans — who have said the stimulus did not work, implicitly criticizing Missouri Republicans like U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt and U.S. Rep. Billy Long.

STATE NEWS

Fast Lane: TIGER grant to help Port of Oakland expand, creating jobs, boosting economic development
http://fastlane.dot.gov/2012/07/port-of-oakland.html
And DOT has demonstrated this commitment through all four rounds of our TIGER program with more than $339 million in grants to support 24 port projects. One such project is the Port of Oakland, which I had the opportunity to visit with California Governor Jerry Brown yesterday. A $15 million TIGER grant from DOT will help boost rail access and capacity at this leading trade gateway.

Chicago Sun-Times: Gov. Pat Quinn OKs $1.6 billion in transportation work
http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/13699345-418/quinn-oks-16-billion-in-transportation-work.html
A nearly $3 million project to improve the dilapidated and heavily used 35th Street pedestrian bridge is one of nearly 200 transportation projects announced Tuesday that will create more than 18,400 jobs statewide. Gov. Pat Quinn on Tuesday signed a bill that will authorize the Illinois Department of Transportation to go forward with $1.6 billion worth of road, rail and transit projects statewide. An additional $93.8 million was announced for road and bridge projects in Chicago, which will allow nearly 100 miles of Chicago streets to be resurfaced.

Associated Press: No clear funding source yet for aging bridge (KY)
http://www.whiotv.com/ap/ap/transportation/no-clear-funding-source-yet-for-aging-bridge/nPpQC/
Since President Barack Obama stood in front of the Brent Spence Bridge last year, proclaiming the need to replace it, no clear funding source has materialized for the $2.4 billion needed to replace the nearly half-century-old span. Some local residents like Jennifer Macht avoid the bridge that carries traffic between Covington, Ky., and Cincinnati. "It's terrifying," Macht tells The Kentucky Enquirer (http://bit.ly/MazWhL ). "When I saw the president speaking about bridges falling down and they're all in terrible repair, he was literally standing in front of that one."

New York Times: Answers About Transportation in New York City, Part 1
http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/07/10/answers-about-transportation-in-new-york-city-part-1/?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Transportation in New York City is universal, mysterious and idiosyncratic — which is why we’re here to answer all your questions about it. We’ve been taking questions from readers about anything that moves in the five boroughs, from yachts and helicopters to defunct subway trains and long-lost rail routes. Here is the first set of responses. We’ll keep posting answers throughout the week.