The transportation bill known as MAP-21 expires in a little more than a year, but the key interest groups and political players are already staking out their positions. The posturing is compounded by the worsening state of the Highway Trust Fund.
"Even in a Congress that’s not sure it can keep the government running two weeks from now, supporters are already hard at work on the transportation bill that comes due in October 2014," writes Kathryn A. Wolfe. Yet looming over the ad buying, polling, grass-roots letter-writing, and lobbying visits already under way is the Highway Trust Fund’s "worsening structural deficit."
"[New House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Bill Shuster (R-Pa.)] still seems to be singing the 'all of the above' gospel when it comes to potential funding solutions for the next bill," notes Wolfe, "but he has struck a more pessimistic tone when it comes to discussions about two things: raising the gas tax and widespread tolling of existing interstates."
"Regardless of what’s done about the revenue question, pushing the next transportation bill across the finish line could be a much more difficult hurdle than it was for the last bill, known as MAP-21," she adds. "That’s largely because of the sheer amount of streamlining and program consolidation that bill contained."
FULL STORY: Business starts early on next transportation bill

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
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Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series
The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

Driving Equity and Clean Air: California Invests in Greener School Transportation
California has awarded $500 million to fund 1,000 zero-emission school buses and chargers for educational agencies as part of its effort to reduce pollution, improve student health, and accelerate the transition to clean transportation.

Congress Moves to End Reconnecting Communities and Related Grants
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee moved to rescind funding for the Neighborhood Equity and Access program, which funds highway removals, freeway caps, transit projects, pedestrian infrastructure, and more.

From Throughway to Public Space: Taking Back the American Street
How the Covid-19 pandemic taught us new ways to reclaim city streets from cars.
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