The long awaited Transportation bill unveiled this week by House Republicans, the “American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act,” follows an unsurprisingly partisan path to solving few of the country's transportation challenges.
While the APA has posted a good summary of the components of the bill, Ben Goldman, at Streetsblog, doesn't mince words in his reporting on the subject.
Goldman wrote about some of the bill's controversial points last week: "the American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act looks like a return to 1950s-style transportation policy. It is particularly unkind to transit and bike/ped programs, and to cities in general." To top it off, Speaker John Boehner has made it a priority to attach approval of the Keystone XL pipeline to the bill, which relies on expanded oil and gas drilling royalties for funding.
Is there a ray of light for non-motorized transportation supporters?
In a separate piece , Goldman indicates that "the House transportation bill will be marked up by the Transportation & Infrastructure committee" on Feb. 2.
"The first amendment, introduced by Rep. Tom Petri (R-WI), would restore the Transportation Enhancements and Safe Routes to School programs, consolidated into a single "Transportation Improvement Program." TE and SRTS have been two of the most important sources of funds for bicycle and pedestrian projects, and right now the House bill would eliminate dedicated funding for both programs."
Thanks to Streetsblog New York City
FULL STORY: House Transportation Bill Officially Drops, Lands With a Thud
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