Gas prices are up. People are turning to transit in record numbers these days. But as you probably know, not everyone has access to a decent public transportation system, and many current systems are woefully underfunded or neglected, much like the rest of our national infrastructure. The U.S. Public Interest Research Group (US PIRG) sent … Continued
If once is an accident, twice is a coincidence, and thrice a trend, where are we now? More evidence continues to roll in that the high costs of fuel are pressing more and more Americans towards making lifestyle changes to reduce their consumption. Two stories over the weekend, one in the New York Times and … Continued
The situation: Bridges are falling down, traffic congestion is worsening, gains in fuel efficiency are reducing gas tax revenues, worthwhile transit projects are sitting on the shelf, and the Highway Trust Fund — funded by the 18.5 cents a gallon gas tax that is already inadequate for funding transportation investments — is about to run … Continued
As you may have read this morning in numerous other outlets, New York City’s plan to implement congestion pricing in Manhattan was defeated last night without reaching a vote on the floor. [NYT] The plan would have charged most cars $8 and trucks $21 to enter traffic-choked Midtown and Lower Manhattan during busy hours on … Continued
Dan loves traffic. “It’s about the journey, and this way, the journey takes forever,” he says. “In 2009, Congress will decide whether to continue to spend billions on highways and roads to generate more traffic. Or whether they’re going more money on trains and buses — that suck the lifebblood right out of traffic. Help … Continued
Click the video to watch a recent CBS News piece on the growing use of passenger rail Retailers of scale like Wal-Mart and Target survive on small margins. The rate of profit may be small, but selling a bazillion units of everything adds up to a tidy sum at the end of the day. In … Continued
Highways like these in San Antonio get built with federal highway funds. President Bush’s proposed budget for the 2009 fiscal year contained an alarming provision for “fixing” the transportation funding crisis. Unfortunately, the solution is akin to putting a band-aid on a gaping wound while also cutting off an arm. Without getting too deep into … Continued
The powers that be in Kansas City have been exploring the possibility of a light rail line for a few years now, a step in the right direction for a city with one of the highest numbers of interstate miles per capita of major American cities. With citizens increasingly concerned about the impact of higher … Continued
Joint statement by the Smart Growth America, Reconnecting America and the Surface Transportation Policy Partnership to the report of the National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission. For Immediate Release: Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2008 Contact: David Goldberg, 202-412-7930 WASHINGTON, DC – The National Surface Transportation Study Commission has provided an invaluable service in marshalling … Continued
As we usher out 2007 and look to 2008, here are a few recent victories from the policy front — some of which were finalized in just the last few weeks. EPA Smart Growth funding restored There won’t be coal in the EPA Smart Growth office’s stocking this year. Though the program had been threatened … Continued