NATIONAL NEWS
Wall Street Journal: The Gas Tax Is Running Low. But What Should Replace It?
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390443864204577619082194372886.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
The gasoline tax is running on fumes. For decades, the excise tax on gasoline and diesel fuel has been the main source of funds for building and maintaining the nation's roadways. It has paid for most of the four million road miles currently in service. But now there is agreement across the political spectrum that the gas tax is broken and needs to be replaced, or at least overhauled.
Christian Science Monitor: Gas taxes vs. fuel restrictions: Which is better for reducing emissions?
With the announcement of final rules for corporate average fuel efficiency of 54.5 mpg by 2025, the NHTSA and EPA have done two things. The agencies have given carmakers both a major technological challenge--double the effective gas mileage of your vehicles in 12 years--and something they have long wanted: regulatory certainty. If the definition of a good compromise is that no one is entirely happy with it, then perhaps the new, stiffer CAFE requirements are good indeed.
Sentinel & Enterprise: Sen. Brown 'open' to gas tax hike
http://www.sentinelandenterprise.com/local/ci_21551263/sen-brown-open-gas-tax-hike#ixzz26ZoXE3YA
In what he hoped would be a debate with his Democratic opponent, Sen. Scott Brown voiced strong opposition to tax increases during an hourlong radio appearance Friday morning, but said he is open to discussion of a gas tax hike and expressed opposition to extending tax cuts for the middle class without reductions for top earners.
DC Streetsblog: Brookings: Revive State Infrastructure Banks to Stretch Transpo Dollars
State infrastructure banks aren’t a new tool. The first ones were created with an infusion of federal cash in the early 1990s. Today, 33 states have an infrastructure bank or a state revolving fund. These institutions have financed about $9 billion in infrastructure spending for 1,200 projects. About 88 percent of the total spending, however, went to road projects. Republicans wanted to include federal funding to recapitalize SIBs in the transportation reauthorization, but MAP-21 did not offer any changes to the way these institutions are structured.
Politico Morning Transportation: SEQUESTRATION NATION
http://www.politico.com/morningtransportation/
There's good and bad news for transportation in the White House's sequestration report that came out Friday. But the bad news is really bad, even if it's lost in a sea of numbers (the report has hundreds of pages of charts and tracks 1,200 budget accounts). The across-the-board cuts will slash funds for air traffic controllers and other FAA functions. TSA takes a hit, too. But the highway and transit formula programs are largely safe - as safe as any trust fund set to run dry in a few years can be. The aviation industry jumped on the report - former FAA head and current Aerospace Industries Association head Marion Blakey called it "the final nail in the coffin for Pollyannas still pretending that sequestration wouldn't be that bad." Adam has the roundup for Pros:http://politico.pro/Op0fwf
The Hill: The week ahead: GOP continues anti-Amtrak crusade
Republicans in the House are planning to continue their campaign against Amtrak this week. The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will hold a hearing Thursday to investigate "41 Years of Taxpayer Subsidies" to the national passenger rail service. The committee held a hearing last week about the effect of what Republicans have termed Amtrak’s “monopoly mentality” on commuter rail service in the U.S.
Transportation Issues Daily: $1.5 Billion to be Cut from Roads, Transit and Rail in 2013 Unless Congress Acts
Preliminary estimates released by the White House last Friday indicate funding for highways, transit and rail programs in 2013 will be cut by about $1.5 billion on January 2 if automatic budget cuts take place as scheduled. Cuts to all USDOT programs could exceed $2 billion. Shrinking or preventing those cuts requires Congress and the White House to strike a budget deal. But Congress certainly won’t come up with a fix before the election, and there’s widespread pessimism about reaching an agreement by January 2.
DC Streetsblog: What Would Happen If Washington Cuts Transpo Funding 35 Percent?
The Republicans have retreated from their insistence on cutting transportation spending by 35 percent to match Highway Trust Fund revenues — for now. But the problem is far from solved. As a reminder of the dangers such a policy presents, the Bipartisan Policy Center and the Eno Center for Transportation put out a new report yesterday on the potential consequences of a 35 percent cut in transportation spending.
The Hill: LaHood touts Obama administration freight council
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is touting a new council devoted to developing a national freight policy that was launched recently by the Obama administration. In a blog post on the Department of Transportation's website this week, LaHood said the panel would help the administration to develop a policy for freight shipments that will allow the United States "to stay competitive in today's global economy.
Fast Lane: Clean Fuels transit grants mean more sustainable, reliable rides
Since taking office, President Obama and this Administration have been committed to investing in smart, sustainable transportation that helps more Americans get to work, school, and other destinations while also helping communities save money. That’s why today, DOT is pleased to announce that 27 projects across the country will receive a combined $59.3 million to help transit agencies purchase and support cleaner, greener buses that reduce harmful emissions and improve fuel economy.
Transportation Nation: U.S. DOT Gives $60 Million to Clean Energy Transit Projects
This just in from the United States Department of Transportation: the feds are giving almost $60 million to transit projects that are especially eco-friendly. Looks like most of the money is for cleaner fuel buses, where taking the older gas guzzlers off the road is the low hanging fruit of emissions reductions. Buried way at the bottom is the boastful stat that transit ridership nationwide is up, about 2.5 percent over the same time last year.
The Hill: Transit union plans swing-state voter-mobilization drive
The Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) is hoping to turn its members' passengers into voters in the upcoming presidential and congressional elections. ATU International President Larry Hanley said the union, which represents public transit employees, would be launching voter-mobilization efforts in Cleveland and Denver beginning at the end of the month. The cities are two of the largest metropolitan areas in Ohio and Colorado, which are among the most hotly contested states in the race between President Obama and Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney.
Hindustan Times: India's first high-speed rail around the corner
India expects to begin work soon on a project to build the country's first high-speed line connecting the cities of Pune, Mumbai and Ahmedabad. According to local media, India's railways ministry has said it expects to begin work on the project by November 2013. The 650 km-long (403 miles) corridor will carry trains travelling at 300 km/h (186 m/h), cutting the travel for passengers between Mumbai and Ahmedabad from seven hours to two and a half hours.
Transportation Nation: Just Try to Find a More Heroic Ad for Public Transport than This (VIDEO)
Man, the Danes love their transit. This ad for public buses shows how wild Scandinavians will go for some fresh clean seats and a dedicated lane. BuzzFeed, using their characteristic hyperbole, called it “The Sexiest, Coolest, Most EPIC Bus Commercial Ever.” We’ll just say, it feels like a Hollywood trailer for a summer blockbuster … if Hollywood made action movies about lusting bus commuters.
STATE NEWS
The State: Peeler: Force-feeding asphalt to Charleston while the rest of S.C. starves
When a conservative think tank and the environmentalists team up to criticize the same state agency, they’re probably on to something. Our system of funding roads is just about as broken as it gets, with a recent decision by the State Transportation Infrastructure Bank being the prime example. Last month, the Infrastructure Bank took a vote to build an eight-mile extension of the Mark Clark Expressway in Charleston, despite the fact that its bonding capacity is used up and the project is wildly unpopular locally.
Washington Post: In Fairfax, bus service adjustments planned ahead of Silver Line opening
The Silver Line is already changing the way people will travel around Northern Virginia. Not due to open until next year, the new Metro line nonetheless has transit planners busy remapping many of the biggest bus routes in Fairfax County. The proposed changes to Metrobus and Fairfax Connector lines are intended to make the Silver Line a nexus for public transportation around Tysons Corner, which will be home to four of the Silver Line’s first five stations.