Planetizen Newswire
Keep up with essential planning news and commentary, delivered to your inbox every Monday and Thursday.
Tolls
The search for new road funding continues in Michigan.
Detroit Free Press
A new bill would grant the Wyoming Transportation Commission the authority to impose tolls on all lanes of over 400 miles of I-80 to fund infrastructure needs on the roadway.
CDLLife.com
A total of $4.5 billion in road and transit projects was at stake in a state taxpayer group's lawsuit against a regional ballot measure approved by voters in June 2018.
The Press Democrat
The nation's sole truck-only tolling program survived its first lawsuit after a federal judge dismissed litigation brought by the American Trucking Associations, ruling that the proper venue was state court. ATA believes it is unconstitutional.
Transport Topics
Massachusetts voters are pro-transportation investment, whether by cities or by the state.
The Recorder
The 'Coord' platform will give mobility companies a centralized place to access and use local data on parking, curb space, tolls, and the like.
Wired
For those who have spent the last year or so waiting on the edge of their seats in speculation about the contents of President Trump's promised infrastructure plan, there is finally some indication of what the future holds.
Axios
The Tax Foundation endeavors to provide a simple explanation of road funding.
Tax Foundation
Charles Marohn responds to Noah Smith's article asking why American Infrastructure is so expensive and delivers a plan to attack the problem.
Strong Towns
Tolls on interstate highways are being pushed in Indiana as a means to increase road funding, no easy task even if a waiver is given. The bill would also increase the gas tax and charge electric vehicle owners a fee for road maintenance.
Governing
A Washington Post/ABC News poll released Jan. 17 showed the exact opposite result of a Reuters/Ipsos poll released two days later on the financing for President Trump's $1 trillion infrastructure plan. However, the polls took different approaches.
The Washington Post
Trump plans to authorize $137 billion in tax credits to private construction companies to build projects with tolls and other future cash streams to them to spur building and the economy.
The Washington Post
Texas politicians are wondering how much it would cost to remove tolls from hundreds of miles of roads around the state. Though the political cost of tolling is high, the actual cost, it turns out, is higher.
Houston Chronicle
Some local advocates and officials had hoped that tolls and transit could salve the congestion on I-66. Now it will be tolls, transit, and an extra lane.
Greater Greater Washington
The New York governor continues his tour of New York, promoting his big ticket capital agenda, yet not suggesting any means to pay for them. Worse yet, he restricts new funding options, like increased tolls, adding costs to the transportation budget.
The New York Times
Eric Jaffe's July 1 article in CityLab has 18 reasons, and not one in opposition. The date is significant as it marks the official kickoff of the Oregon Road Usage Charge program.
CityLab
Transportation for America recaps the first meeting in three years by the House Ways and Means Committee to address transportation funding. Chairman Paul Ryan decried the $63 billion bailout of the Highway Trust Fund but ruled out a gas tax hike.
T4America Blog
The New York State authority with responsibility for the Thruway system, including the Tappan Zee Bridge as the most famous of its 809 bridges, is weathering leadership changes and a dismal budget shortfall.
WNYC
The debate about ending the gas tax to fund transit capital projects has arrived in New York City, where the MTA is beset by a $12 billion shortfall. Although an increase in sales tax has its supporters, Stephen Miller and Move NY support tolling.
Streetsblog New York City
State transportation leaders are scrambling to increase funding as MAP-21 draws to its expiration on Oct. 1. Interstate tolling is being eyed by more than a few. While the Wisconsin Assembly likes the idea, Gov. Scott Walker rejects it.
Stateline
