DOT Archives - Page 11 of 14 - Smart Growth America

Partnership in the News: DOT Secretary Joins Cincinnati Mayor for Streetcar Kick Off

By Jessica Holmberg · February 17, 2012

Fox19 reports that Cincinnati Mayor Mallory joined by U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and Federal Transit Administration Peter Rogoff to kick off construction of a new streetcar line partially funded by a DOT TIGER grant.

The new 3.6-mile streetcar line will connect Downtown and Over-the-Rhine.

The D.O.T. says it will spur Cincinnati’s efforts to revitalize its downtown core by improving access to major employers, the developing riverfront and many area attractions.

Funding Opportunity: U.S. Transportation Secretary Announces $826.5 Million Investment in Transit Vehicles and Facilities

By Jessica Holmberg · February 15, 2012

Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announces the availability of $826.5 million to modernize and repair transit around the country, underscoring President Obama’s dedication to infrastructure investments.

“An American economy that’s built to last must be built on a solid foundation, and when we have buses, transit facilities, and other equipment that’s in disrepair, we simply cannot afford to ignore them,” Secretary LaHood said. “The
President knows that transportation projects like those we’ll fund from today’s announcement will help provide businesses and families with the safest, fastest, most efficient way to connect with opportunity.”

Uncategorized DOT

Partnership for Sustainable Communities Web Briefing

By Jessica Holmberg · February 14, 2012

Join us Thursday, February 16th at 3:00 PM ET to hear from the senior leadership of the Department of Transportation, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the Environmental Protection Agency for a briefing on the federal Partnership for Sustainable Communities.

Beth Osborne (DOT), Shelley Potichia (HUD), and Tim Torma (EPA) will talk about the President’s 2013 Budget, outline the work that each Partnership agency plans to do in the upcoming year, and give an update on grants and programs.

Uncategorized DOT EPA HUD Partnership Partnership for Sustainable Communities webinar

Smith River Rancheria wins TIGER grant (with a little help from Smart Growth America)

By Roger Millar · January 24, 2012

Photo of U.S. Highway 101 as it passes through the Smith River Rancheria, from AARoads.

This post was co-written by Terry Supahan, President of Supahan Consulting Group.

With technical assistance from Smart Growth America, the Smith River Rancheria, a federally recognized tribal government, secured a $2.5 million TIGER grant for the U.S. Highway 101 Multimodal Smith River Safety Corridor project. The project will implement walking and bicycling safety improvements along approximately 1.3 miles of the Gateway Area of U.S. 101 in California just south of the Oregon border. Project elements include unique colorized, stamped shoulder treatments, new signage, lighting, and related improvements. The objectives of these investments are to increase safety, especially for pedestrians, bicyclists, and other vulnerable users, as well as calm traffic, expand travel choices, and enhance community identity and livability.

Uncategorized California DOT Multimodal projects Pedestrian safety Smith River Rancheria TIGER Tribal governments

Partnership in the News: Three Illinois Mayors Praise Regional Multimodal Station

By Jessica Holmberg · January 20, 2012

Alton Mayor Tom Hoechst, Godfrey Mayor Mike McCormick, and Grafton Mayor Tom Thompson addressed economic development in each of their communities at a RiverBend Growth Association event this week, reports The Telegraph.

Among the many exciting initiatives, Mayor Hoechst spoke about the immense economic benefits that the $14 million dollar Alton Multimodal Station, funded by a Department of Transportation TIGER grant, will bring to the region.

Hoechst said the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery, or TIGER, grant would help boost the economy, and not just in Alton. Some 65 million people travel by rail and the improvements to the system would allow more people to come to town.

Uncategorized DOT Illinois Partnership Partnership for Sustainable Communities Partnership in the News TIGER

Spotlight on Sustainability: Mitchell to Rapid City, South Dakota

By Jessica Holmberg · December 2, 2011

The following is based on an interview with Bruce Lindholm, Program Manager, South Dakota Department of Transportation.

For farming communities in South Dakota, high transportation costs for crops has a major impact on the economy. Increased mileage and fuel prices mean that less money goes back into farmers’ pockets and into the local community. All of that is about to change with the help of a TIGER II grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation, through the federal Partnership for Sustainable Communities. The Mitchell-Rapid City Rail Line, in the midst of rehabilitation, will soon be able to transport agricultural commodities shorter distances and at lower costs than the trucks currently in use. Once completed, the Line will carry grain and fertilizer over 60 miles from Mitchell, SD to Chamberlain, SD.

The improvements will be a boon to the economy. “Significant savings in transportation costs will allow the local elevator to pay farmers 15-25 cents more per bushel for their product. That money goes back into the local economy,” says Bruce Lindholm, Program Manager at the South Dakota Department of Transportation (SDDOT). He and others at SDDOT are overseeing the reconstruction of the rail line through a predominantly agricultural and rural region of the state.

Uncategorized DOT Economic Development Economy Partnership for Sustainable Communities Spotlight Spotlight on Sustainability TIGER

Congress passes DOT and HUD funding for FY 2012

By Alex Dodds · November 18, 2011

HUD’s Washington DC headquarters. Photo by Flickr user matturick.

The first conference report of the FY 2012 appropriations process – which includes funding for both the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Department of Transportation (DOT) – passed both the House and the Senate on Thursday.

The bill included funding to maintain the Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities at HUD, which will continue to coordinate federal policy with DOT and the Environmental Protection Agency. Together the three agencies compose the federal Partnership for Sustainable Communities. By coordinating policy, the Partnership helps make federal investments more effective and efficient.

Uncategorized DOT FY 2012 FY 2012 budget HUD

Summary of the Senate MAP-21 transportation bill proposal

By Steve Davis · November 8, 2011

Crossposted from Transportation for America.

The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee released a draft of the transportation bill late Friday. The EPW committee’s portion of the bill covers what’s known as the “highway” title. (The Banking Committee is responsible for writing the “transit” title and the Commerce Committee covers rail and safety. Those sections of the bill have not been released yet.)

We’ve prepared a short few pages on what MAP-21 means for the federal transportation program. This top-line analysis is a bit on the wonky side, but hopefully it’ll be helpful if you’ve been trying to summarize the 600 pages of bill text.

One of the most visible changes MAP-21 makes is to restructure seven core highway programs and 13+ formula programs into just five core highway programs. This graphic below illustrates those changes. Read on for the full summary, which you can also download here. (PDF)

Uncategorized congress DOT EPW Committee Federal legislation MAP-21 Transportation for America Transportation reauthorization

Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development Bill Moves to Senate Floor [UPDATE]

By Jessica Holmberg · October 31, 2011

UPDATE OCT. 31, 2011: No amendments were offered to cut funding for the Partnership for Sustainable Communities programs at either the Department of Housing and Urban Development or the Department of Transportation. The Senate is back from recess this week and is expected to vote on passage.

The following was originally posted on October 13, 2011:

The Senate begins consideration this week of three annual appropriations bills. With the 2012 fiscal year already underway and only one of the twelve appropriations bills approved so far, funding for the Agriculture, Rural Development, and Food and Drug Administration; Commerce, Justice, and Science; and Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development (THUD) bills will be taken up as a package. The federal government is currently operating on a temporary spending measure that expires on November 18th.

Uncategorized DOT HUD Partnership for Sustainable Communities TIGER