Monday, May 9, 2011

Associated Press reported that 15 states will get $2.0 billion of Florida's high speed rail money, and according to Politico clean energy will deliver the jobs of the future. More in this Infrastructure in the News.

 

National News

Wall Street Journal: U.S. Plans Aid for Northeast Rail Service
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood will announce Monday that nearly $800 million will go toward improving rail service on the Northeast Corridor, the nation's busiest passenger rail route, these people said. Mr. LaHood is scheduled to speak at a press conference at Penn Station Monday morning.

Associated Press: Amtrak, 15 states get $2 billion that Florida lost
Amtrak and rail projects in 15 states are being awarded the $2 billion that Florida lost after the governor canceled plans for high-speed train service, the Department of Transportation said Monday.

Chicago Tribune: LaHood to make rail announcement in Detroit
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is scheduled to make an announcement in Detroit next week involving high-speed passenger rail.

FastLane: Latest awards bring US closer to national high-speed passenger rail network
Today we are advancing President Obama's historic high-speed rail blueprint through 22 carefully selected projects that will create jobs, boost manufacturing, and spur development while laying the foundation for our future economic competitiveness. We are providing two billion dollars to 15 states and Amtrak to help build out America's high-speed rail network, enabling people and goods to travel more quickly, safely, and energy efficiently than ever before.

Reuters: Sen. Schumer proposes no-ride list for Amtrak trains
Sen. Charles Schumer said he would push as well for added funding for rail security and commuter and passenger train track inspections and more monitoring of stations nationwide.

Politico: Clean energy will deliver the 'jobs of the future'
“The clean energy jobs at this plant are the jobs of the future — jobs that pay well right here in America,” the president said. “And in the years ahead, it’s clean energy companies like this one that will keep our economy growing, create new jobs and make sure America remains the most prosperous nation in the world.”

FastLane: First US Interstate marks 200 years of vital service
America’s interstate highway system, the largest and most sophisticated in the world, is critical to our economy and our way of life.  Now, we know that President Eisenhower jump-started construction of the modern interstates we drive today, but the actual concept of a federally funded highway supporting commerce between states dates back to the administration of Thomas Jefferson.

National Resource Defense Council: New Senate Bill Aims to Prevent Polluted Stormwater Runoff from Roads and Highways
Every time it rains, runoff from roads and highways washes harmful pollutants into nearby rivers, streams, and lakes.  Because the surface of roads is impervious – meaning that water cannot pass through it – rain that falls on roadways is not able to soak into the ground as it would naturally.  Instead, that rainfall runs off into local water bodies, carrying with it all the stuff that was on the road’s surface: dirt, oil, grease, toxic chemicals, heavy metals, road salts, trash, and other pollutants.

Transportation For America: Complete Streets bill introduced in House, policies gaining in popularity across the country
H.R. 1780, sponsored by Democratic Representative Doris Matsui of California and Republican Representative Steve LaTourette of Ohio, would require state transportation officials to consider the needs of all transportation users — pedestrians, bicyclists, transit riders and people with disabilities, as well as motorists — in every phase of planning and development.

The Transport Politic: The Ineluctable Politics of Transport Funding
Here is a matter worth noting: The vast majority of federal subsidies for transit are collected from automobilists who pay taxes on fuel. Revenue sources at other levels of government are more broad-based, many of them relying on sales taxes and the like, but in Washington what matters right now is the fuel tax. Similarly, any future major revenues for transit would likely come from increased tolling on roadways or a vehicle miles travelled fee.

Transportation Nation: Rising Fuel Prices Prompt Farmers to Get Creative
Rising energy prices are inspiring local farmers to get more creative. But they do have one big advantage: they’re close to the biggest market in the country, which is New York City.

Infrastructurist: When Railroads Ruled Transportation Politics
This past Saturday marked a little-known anniversary in the long-running contest between American highway and train establishments. On May 7, 1930, the U.S. Senate passed legislation to form the United States Motorways Commission, a twelve-person group — two Senators, two Congressmen, and eight presidential appointees — whose job was to consider a proposal for a national road network strikingly similar to the Interstate Highway System that emerged decades later.

Streetsblog Capitol Hill: Why Planners Need to Exercise (Not Exorcise) Their Passions
Professional standards dictate that planners are supposed to be passionless bureaucrats who can administer city policy while putting their personal feelings aside. That, however, is a recipe for miserable planners and uninspired plans, says the “Subjective Planner” at Network blog Bikeside LA. “I have come to a realization that government planning as a career is intent on destroying whatever heart and utopian ideas you went into it with. The truth is that most planners come out of college with some amazing ideas and crazy good dreams of wonderful communities where you can walk to the market or mom can borrow a cup of sugar from next door. A place where kids still ride their bikes to school…”

Streetsblog Capitol Hill: Two Years After the Stimulus Bill: Still a Political Grudge Match
President Obama’s stimulus bill is one of a small handful of pieces of legislation that have come to define his presidency. Whether you think it was a smashing success or a dismal failure seems to depend on whether there’s an R or a D next to your name.

Streetsblog Capitol Hill: Why (Much of) Obama's Transpo Plan Can Survive the GOP Knife
Yesterday, anti-rail curmudgeon Ken Orski of Innovation Briefs quoted me in his latest diatribe against the administration's transportation proposal, in which he explains why the Obama plan is unrealistic. Indeed, I think it’s safe to say the dollar amount of the administration’s bill is a non-starter in today’s political and economic climate, given that it’s about double what’s expected to come from the Highway Trust Fund over the next six years.

Streetsblog Capitol Hill: So Much for Supply and Demand: Transit Ridership Spikes, Funding Plummets
Let’s get this straight: skyrocketing gas prices are inspiring people to investigate their transportation options. More and more of them are taking transit. Is this really the time to take the axe to those transit systems’ budgets?

Streetsblog Capitol Hill: Mica Wants to Abandon Federal Commitment to Bike-Ped Funding
Jonathan Maus at BikePortland just brought our attention to a recent comment we wish House Transportation Committee Chair John Mica (R-FL) hadn’t made. As the Orlando Sentinel reported yesterday, Rep. Mica is making noises about “siphoning away” money for bike paths. The Sentinel says Mica “wants to add flexibility to how states spend their share of federal gas taxes by cutting back on mandates. He added that states still could spend on bike paths and sidewalks if they were a priority.”

Transportation Nation: Obama Connects the Dots: from bin Laden to Hybrid Transmissions
If anyone doesn’t quite see the links between international terrorism and more fuel-efficient transportation, the President is making it for them. He caps the week that begin Sunday night with a dramatic White House announcement that Osama bin Laden had been found and shot dead — at a hybrid transmission plan in Indiana

The Hill: Group: Congress should prioritize transit security after Bin Laden plot discovered
It’s not surprising that Osama bin Laden would target U.S. railways in a potential terrorist attack, and Congress should hike transit-security funding as a result, the president of the American Public Transportation Association said Friday.

The Hill: Calls for rail security upgrades stop short of airport screening techniques
The news that Osama bin Laden was considering attacking U.S. trains at the time of his death has caused renewed concern about rail security, but not many people have gotten on board with mimicking airport security techniques.

Water World: Rep. Sutton Introduces Keep American Jobs from Going Down the Drain Act
Rep. Betty Sutton, D-Ohio has introduced the bill (H.R.1684), legislation that would "require the use of American iron, steel, and manufactured goods in the construction, alteration, and repair of public water systems and treatment works."

American Rivers: Protecting Our Clean Water with the STOPS Runoff Act
It's hard to believe that the streets and highways we drive on every day are one of the leading sources of water pollution. But think about it – with over 985,139 miles of federal aid highways alone – these hard surfaces can have a pretty significant impact on our environment. Imagine a giant parking lot, bigger than the state of Ohio, and that's about the size of the total amount of impervious surface in the U.S.

Rust Wire: The Importance of Psychology in Planning
Why doesn’t the field of urban planning borrow more insight from the field of psychology? You see, most often planning for a city means planning for its body, or its land and built capital. Sometimes planning means planning for its head, or its intellectual capital and economic potential. But rarely does planning entail planning for the city’s heart, or its emotion. This is unfortunate because a city’s psyche—or its collective fears, hopes, doubts, outlooks, etc—probably has just as much to do with failed plans as does the quality of the plan itself.

 

State News

FastLane: California Gets $300 Million of Florida's HSR Money
When Florida Governor Rick Scott rejected $2.4 billion in federal high speed rail funding, it set up the possibility that California could reap a big windfall that helps us build out our HSR project. And so we have. Today Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced California will get $300 million of that money.

San Francisco Chronicle: Clipper to replace Fast Pass for seniors, kids
Last month, most Muni riders had to bid farewell to the beloved and colorful paper Fast Pass. Now, seniors and kids get their turn to say bye-bye and make the switch to Clipper, the regional transit smart card.

California High Speed Rail Blog: San Francisco Needs to Step Up and Fight
It’s been a busy few days, but it’s time to go over the events of last Thursday, where a California High Speed Rail Authority board meeting and a State Senate hearing on the project both created a lot of news.

Vimeo: "Without a Car"
Photographer Diane Meyer discusses her photo essay from the May/June 2011 issue of Orion about Angelenos, who not only survive, but often thrive in the City of Angels without automobiles. Includes additional portraits from her “Without a Car” project.

San Diego Union-Tribune: Regional transit's 40 year road map
The alpha plan of all community plans has landed: The draft version of a 663-page document that attempts to define the county’s growth and transportation needs for the next 40 years has been handed over to the San Diego Association of Governments board of directors for approval.

Tampa Bay Online: TBARTA head: People interested in transportation upgrades
Plenty of interest remains in transportation improvements despite recent voter backlash against public funding of transportation systems, the director of the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority said Friday.

CNBC: Ky. official troubled by EPA's refusal to talk
Kentucky Environmental Secretary Len Peters has told a congressional subcommittee he's troubled by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's refusal to talk with states and listen to suggestions regarding the issuance of coal mine permits.

The State Journal-Register: High-speed rail study taking longer than planned
The original plan was to have results by the end of April from an environmental analysis of noise, traffic, congestion, neighborhoods and businesses if rail traffic is moved from the Third Street line to 10th Street.

AltTransport: Baltimore and Washington Above-Ground Transit Projects
Although its ribbon-cutting could be more than a decade in the future, Baltimore’s long sought-after east-west light rail line is one step closer to being built. The Maryland Transit Authority, which operates Baltimore’s light rail, bus and subway lines, as well as the state-wide MARC commuter train system, is slated to begin holding community meetings on the Red Line’s routing and station design, the Baltimore Sun is reporting:

Michigan Live: Rep. Fred Upton says high-speed rail announcement is 'great news' for southwest Michigan
U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is coming to Detroit on Monday to make an announcement about high-speed rail, although the department has not detailed exactly what that announcement will be.

Detroit Free Press: State must find new sources for transportation funding
Michigan gas prices hit a record $4.22 a gallon Monday, surpassing the previous mark set in July 2008. Consumers certainly felt it at the pump. The Michigan Department of Transportation, which saw its state gas tax revenues drop about 9% recently, felt it, too.

Alexandria Echo Press: Administration launches drive to create "Better Roads for a Better Minnesota"
Minnesotans will experience smoother rides on more than 700 miles of state highways under the ‘Better Roads for a Better Minnesota’ infrastructure improvement program announced this week by Governor Mark Dayton and Transportation Commissioner Tom Sorel. The four-year program, aimed at improving existing highways determined to be in "poor" condition, will result in approximately 9,900 direct and indirect, private sector jobs across our state.

Infrastructurist: Mississippi High Waters Rising
Flooding along the Mississippi River is rolling its way south toward Louisiana. Yesterday the overflow reached downtown Memphis and even began to pool up near Beale Street. As the waters rise, so do the calls for evacuation along the threatened line. A senior hydrologist at the National Weather Service toward Reuters the current situation is “nastier” than the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927. The highest waters are not even expected until the middle of the week.

New York Times: Dozens Injured as Train Crashes in New Jersey
A passenger aboard the train said that the first car crumpled part of the platform and hit three turnstiles before stopping. The train pulled into the station at normal cruising speed, almost as if the brakes were not being applied, said the passenger, Mahoud Metwali, a 26-year-old resident of Jersey City who had been returning from his job operating a food cart in Midtown Manhattan.

Mobilizing the Region: Better, Faster, Smarter: Off-Peak Deliveries in NYC
A trial program to get NYC businesses to move truck deliveries to night and early morning hours has had promising results, as the city makes a bigger effort to tackle the issues of freight movement.  Results from the experiment, which took place in 2009 and 2010, were published as part of the city’s 2010 Sustainable Streets Index, an annual scorecard of transportation metrics (TSTC and other advocates won the local law mandating that NYCDOT collect these indicators).

New York Daily News: MTA cards may soon be replaced by 'contactless' credit card as 'E-ZPass' for subway riders
In a few years, subway riders could be able to open turnstiles with the tap of a credit card - or with a new pass they're calling the MTA Card, the Daily News has learned. Straphangers also will be able to establish travel accounts and transfer money via home computers or the nearest automatic bank machine.

Transportation Nation: NYC's 5 Boro Bike Tour Becomes Bike Parking Lot
Five Boro Bike Tour organizers peddled an apology to riders for a “regrettable lack” of communication during the race last weekend in an email Thursday night.

Urban Omnibus: City of Systems: Traffic Signal
12,400 traffic lights preside over New York City’s intersections, communicating to each user whether or not he or she has the right of way. Meanwhile, in Long Island City, the New York City Department of Transportation’s Traffic Management Center (TMC) controls half of those signals remotely. At the TMC, computers and live video feeds monitor real-time data — including current signal displays, traffic detectors and cycle lengths — at hundreds of intersections each. Coaxial cables connect these computers to the intersections, and 238 cameras allow the engineers to observe and adjust signal timing in case of an accident or other sudden change to the flow of traffic.

KATU: Oregon works to develop new high-speed rail plan
Eugene Mayor Kitty Piercy announced at a celebration of National Train Day Saturday that she and Portland developer John Russell are leading a group to write a plan for Oregon's 105-mile segment of the 466-mile Amtrak Cascades line.

BikePortland: Mica hints at slash to key federal bike funding
National advocacy groups are having a busy spring thanks to numerous threats to important pots of federal bike infrastructure funding.

Daily Journal: Texas Senate approves 23 percent budget boost for state transportation agency
The Texas Senate has approved a plan to boost the Texas Department of Transportation's budget by 23 percent at a time when most state agencies are bracing for deep cuts.

Open PR: Virginia's Revised P3 Process Aims to Expedite Projects
The Commonwealth of Virginia is on the move, with population, commercial, and military growth, and the state has overhauled its P3 program to meet the infrastructure challenges of those changes. With the support of Gov. Bob McDonnell, Virginia created the Public-Private Transportation Act (PPTA) Office in 2010. Along with revised guidelines and an implementation manual, the PPTA Office marks a more focused approach to managing P3 projects under Virginia Secretary of Transportation Sean Connaughton.

Fast Company: Would $12,000 Convince You To Move Closer To Work?
The initiative, appropriately dubbed the Live Near Your Work program, has a total of $200,000 to hand out to people who are willing to move within two miles of their work, within a half mile of a Metro station, or within a quarter mile of a "high-quality" bus corridor. The OP's reasoning seems simple enough--people who live closer to their work spend less money and time commuting, employers get the benefit of reduced parking costs and "better on time and work performance", and the city gets revitalized neighborhoods and a wider tax base. And theoretically, the region sees less traffic congestion and air pollution.

AltTransport: How To Ride Public Transit From DC to New York
Earlier this week, AltTransport’s Brian PJ Cronin reported on getting from San Francisco to Los Angeles using only public transit . Well believe it or not, long-distance travel isn’t just a West Coast phenomenon: You can make a similar journey from DC to New York. East Coast transit junkies rejoice!