The National Journal Online talks to three transportation experts about the recent statements by DOT Secretary LaHood that the agency would begin using livability-based funding guidelines for major transit projects. Will it work?
Lisa Caruso talks with James Corless, the campaign director for Transportation for America; William Millar, President of the American Public Transportation Association; and Anthony E. Shorris, Director of the Rudin Center for Transportation Policy and Management at NYU.
Shorris: "It's long past time for the US to follow in the footsteps of so many other Western nations by learning to evaluate its infrastructure investments using more sophisticated tools than we have seen to date. For more than a decade, the UK has used tools for project evaluation that reflect the multiplicity of goals that public sector investments should achieve and the EU has done some very thoughtful work on these issues. Our appraisal of the benefits of surface transportation projects needs to go well beyond simply estimating reduced travel times for commuters, and even beyond reducing CO2 and other pollutants."
FULL STORY: Are New Transit Guidelines An Improvement?
Federal Government to Consider Social Equity in Funding Decisions
In new rules published in the Federal Register on Wednesday, the Department of Transportation is amending Bush era policies on awarding grants for Light Rail, Subway, and Bus Rapid Transit projects.
The Buck No Longer Stops At Cost-Effectiveness
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said yesterday that he would rescind a 2005 rule from the Bush administration that cost-effectiveness trump all other factors when approving transit projects.
$2 Billion Federal Grant for Red Line Extension Project to Chicago’s South Side
A plan to extend the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) Red Line 5.6 miles to the south won a $2 billion grant from the federal government.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.
San Antonio and Austin are Fusing Into one Massive Megaregion
The region spanning the two central Texas cities is growing fast, posing challenges for local infrastructure and water supplies.
Since Zion's Shuttles Went Electric “The Smog is Gone”
Visitors to Zion National Park can enjoy the canyon via the nation’s first fully electric park shuttle system.
Trump Distributing DOT Safety Funds at 1/10 Rate of Biden
Funds for Safe Streets and other transportation safety and equity programs are being held up by administrative reviews and conflicts with the Trump administration’s priorities.
German Cities Subsidize Taxis for Women Amid Wave of Violence
Free or low-cost taxi rides can help women navigate cities more safely, but critics say the programs don't address the root causes of violence against women.
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