Transportation in the News

North American freight-rail traffic has rebounded and U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced the distribution of $2.5 billion for high-speed rail projects nationwide. Read more about transportation on Infrastructure in the News.

National News

Progressive Railroading: Rail Outlook 2011: Preface
North American freight-rail traffic has rebounded; for the most part, post-recession U.S. passenger-rail ridership has, too. Near term, rail execs don't expect a double-dip recession. Longer term? Rail's future is as bright as it's ever been.

DocuTicker: Nearly Two-Thirds of U.S. Travelers Will Use High-Speed Rail
Today U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced the distribution of $2.5 billion for high-speed rail projects nationwide, and the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) released the results of a large travel survey which shows that nearly two-thirds of adults (62 percent) said they would definitely or probably use high-speed rail service for leisure or business travel if it were an option. The survey, among 24, 711 adults, was conducted for APTA by Synovate.

National Journal: High-Speed Rail: Political Football Anyone?
Let the games begin. House Republicans already are gearing up to pull money away from high-speed rail development, a cause near and dear to Vice President Joe Biden and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. Rep. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., has introduced a bill to rescind unobligated funds from the high-speed rail project that President Obama pushed in an economic stimulus package. (The irascible Sensenbrenner is probably offended by the recent scuffle between LaHood and Wisconsin Gov.-elect Scott Walker, when LaHood rebuffed Walker's attempts to use high-speed rail funding for other projects.) Ohio Gov.-elect John Kasich also has rejected federal money for high-speed rail.

State News

NY Times: A Race to Capture a Bounty From Shipping
Port officials here are racing to dig six feet of mud from the bottom of the Savannah River by 2014. In the world of major waterway expansions, that is an impossibly tight timeline. Few can recall a civic project in Georgia that has had more unified support.

Tampa Bay Newspapers: All aboard - Public input needed to shape transit system 
Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority and the Florida Department of Transportation are working together on a formal Federal Transit Administration Alternatives Analysis to identify options that could improve the quality of life for Pinellas County’s and West Central Florida.

Florida Independent: Scott hedges on accepting federal funding for high-speed rail 
Rick Scott stopped short Friday of saying whether he would accept federal funding for a high-speed rail line from Tampa to Orlando, a day after federal transportation officials announced another $342 million for the project.

Chicago Sun-Times: State gets $42.3 million more for high-speed rail
The incoming Republican governors of Wisconsin and Ohio rejected $1.2 billion in federal funding for high-speed rail — leading to a windfall for Illinois.

Progressive Railroading: Virginia proposes $4 billion transportation spending plan for next three years
Last week, Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell offered a preview of his transportation agenda during a speech at the Governor's Transportation Conference in Roanoke. He proposes to allocate $4 billion for road, transit and rail projects in the commonwealth during the next three years.

WRCBtv: Lawmakers meet to discuss future of water supply
Georgia is locked in a tri-state legal battle with neighboring Florida and Alabama over water that has environmental and economic implications for the region. Sen. Ross Tolleson of Perry says a combination of reservoir development, conservation and alternative methods are needed to achieve an adequate supply of water.