August 27th, 2010 |
» Freight companies rejoice now that they won’t have to pay for passenger train delays.
It was inevitable: Distraught by the possibility of having to increasingly open up their tracks to passenger trains, the freight railroad companies have staged an open rebellion against a proposed U.S. policy that would have penalized them if they caused delays.
The rule, which was proposed in May by the Federal Railroad Administration, would have enforced “stakeholder agreements” that went along with funding for new or improved intercity rail routes advanced by state governments. In exchange for a public investment in track, signaling, and the like,
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August 17th, 2010 |
» New applications require state commitment of at least 20% of costs for the first time.
For those searching for evidence that interest in high-speed rail extends beyond the borders of the District of Columbia, look no further than the announcement yesterday by the United States Department of Transportation that it has received 77 applications worth $8.5 billion for the agency’s next allocation of construction grants. States have oversubscribed to a program that only has $2.3 billion in Congressionally approved funds to distribute this year — and have done so after committing to paying at least 20% of project costs.
In
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August 8th, 2010 |
» Even as GAO reveals that nearly all states received more federal allocations than they contributed to the Highway Trust Fund, Congressional inaction continues. Supposed alternatives, like L.A.’s 30/10 plan, don’t address core issues.
Here’s how the Highway Trust Fund was supposed to work, back when it was created in 1956 to fund the Interstate Highway System: Congress would redistribute annual revenue from a series of fuel taxes on a proportional basis to states to cover the majority of construction costs of freeways from Maine to Montana. Over the past five decades, that system has worked well enough both to
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July 28th, 2010 |
» Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood talks the right talk. But the American government seems fated to be unable to deliver on his promises.
The pie chart above puts in context the limited degree to which the Obama Administration and the U.S. governing structure in general have committed to advancing alternatives to our nation’s current over-reliance on the automobile. The image comes from France’s national transportation infrastructure plan, which was introduced to public consultation earlier this month. With €170 billion in funds for transport planned to be spent over the next twenty to thirty years, the report articulates a vision in
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July 24th, 2010 |
» Industry, citing experience with Amtrak, is concerned that more passenger rail services could increase costs and reduce freight train movements.
The American intercity rail system, it is frequently argued, is notable for the world-class efficiency of its freight trains and the miserable record of its passenger system. While we transport a huge percentage of our goods on track, we move just a tiny percentage of people as such.
The Obama Administration, of course, is spending billions to change that situation, investing in true high-speed lines in California and Florida and upgrades to existing track in Illinois, North Carolina, Wisconsin, and
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July 8th, 2010 |
» Charlotte, Cincinnati, Dallas, Fort Worth, and St. Louis each plan streetcar projects. Chicago, New York City, and Stamford will build new downtown bus transitways. Many other cities win bus improvement grants, and Boston wins backing for its bike share.
After months of anticipation, the U.S. Department of Transportation finally announced the winners of $293 million in grants designated for urban bus and streetcar projects. The program has breathed life into the transit programs of a number of cities, though few of the projects are ready for implementation immediately.
The DOT has in several places fulfilled a promise it made months
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