Oberstar's Revenge

Former Rep. Jim Oberstar (D-MN) and chair of the House Transportation Committee was ousted by Chip Cravaack (R) in 2010, who took his seat on the committee and proceeded to gut Oberstar's goals. Cravaack was ousted by Rick Nolan (D), on Nov. 6.

1 minute read

November 8, 2012, 6:00 AM PST

By Irvin Dawid


Streetsblog's Tanya Snyder provides the political update on former House Transportation & Infrastructure Chair Jim Oberstar's congressional district as part of her article on what's in store for transportation with the 113th Congress.

"Cravaack went along with the Republican plan to cut transportation spending by a third, and then cheered the proposal to pay for a more robust budget with oil drilling money. His most notable achievement in the transportation bill was the elimination of any provisions supporting the mere consideration of revenue collection based on a vehicle-miles-traveled fee. He pushed for gas tax revenue to go exclusively to roads and bridges, not active transportation."

Nolan is a "former three-term Minnesota DFL (Democratic-Farmer-Labor) congressman".

Snyder foresees more transportation gridlock ahead as Congress remains divided after the election with "less than two years until the current transportation law, MAP-21, expires September 30, 2014."

"Other lingering questions: Will Ray LaHood really leave, as he said he would, or might he stick around at least for another year or two, as some insiders speculate?"

Thanks to Climate Plan

Wednesday, November 7, 2012 in Streetsblog Capitol Hill

Aerial view of homes on green hillsides in Daly City, California.

Depopulation Patterns Get Weird

A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.

April 10, 2024 - California Planning & Development Report

Aerial view of Oakland, California with bay in background

California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million

Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.

April 11, 2024 - Los Angeles Times

A view straight down LaSalle Street, lined by high-rise buildings with an El line running horizontally over the street.

Chicago to Turn High-Rise Offices into Housing

Four commercial buildings in the Chicago Loop have been approved for redevelopment into housing in a bid to revitalize the city’s downtown post-pandemic.

April 10, 2024 - Chicago Construction News

Officials cutting a ceremonial red ribbon at Skyline Ranch Park in Santa Clarita, California.

New Park Opens in the Santa Clarita Valley

The City of Santa Clarita just celebrated the grand opening of its 38th park, the 10.5-acre Skyline Ranch Park.

April 18 - The Signal

Workers putting down asphalt on road.

U.S. Supreme Court: California's Impact Fees May Violate Takings Clause

A California property owner took El Dorado County to state court after paying a traffic impact fee he felt was exorbitant. He lost in trial court, appellate court, and the California Supreme Court denied review. Then the U.S. Supreme Court acted.

April 18 - Los Angeles Times

Aerial view of Barcelona, Spain with Sagrada Familia church in middle among dense buildings.

How Urban Form Impacts Housing Affordability

The way we design cities affects housing costs differently than you might think.

April 18 - The Conversation

News from HUD User

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Call for Speakers

Mpact Transit + Community

New Updates on PD&R Edge

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.