Federal Funding
Streetsblog Basics
Eight Burning Questions About Post-Election Transpo Policy and Politics
If I’ve learned one thing from all the meetings about transportation I’ve covered, it’s this: There is no progress without a solution on funding.
December 3, 2012
GAO: States “Flexing” Fewer Federal Dollars to Transit
Supporters of livable streets may hear about the “flexibility” of transportation dollars and cringe – after all, that word often refers to the ability of states to use bike/ped money for road building. But flexibility can work both ways. Between 2007 and 2011, states devoted $5 billion in surface transportation funds -- known in some quarters as "highway money" -- to transit programs, according to the Government Accountability Office.
November 21, 2012
Who Should Foot the Bill for Sandy’s Damage to Tracks and Train Tunnels?
As the East Coast surveys the damage from Hurricane Sandy, cities are still struggling to get their transit systems back up and running.
October 30, 2012
FHWA Helps Cities and Towns Land Bike/Ped Funding
American cities and towns should get a leg up on using federal funds to make streets safer for biking and walking, thanks to rules enacted yesterday by the Federal Highway Administration.
October 23, 2012
Will Transportation Investments Keep Up With the Way Americans Travel?
Phineas Baxandall is a senior analyst at the U.S. Public Interest Research Group.
October 22, 2012
Five Factors That Will Determine Whether TIFIA Benefits Transit
Phineas Baxandall is a senior analyst at the U.S. Public Interest Research Group.
October 16, 2012
Federal Housing Administration Clears Way for More Walkable Development
Over the last five years America has seen an historic housing downturn, but the prevailing trend hasn't sapped demand for walkable, urban development, especially in many larger metros.
October 15, 2012
How MAP-21 Allocates Transpo Funds Where They’re Needed Least
Transportation reauthorizations have typically not been a time for major discussions about national policy goals. They’ve been a time for getting while the getting’s good, a time for deal-making and pork and a lot of back-room transactions to make sure every member of Congress could go home and talk about how much federal money they were bringing home.
October 3, 2012
Will Cuomo Spend Bike-Ped Funds on Bike-Ped Projects?
With MAP-21 taking effect today, city and state transportation advocates are calling on Governor Cuomo and the New York State Department of Transportation to devote all of its federal bike-ped funds to walking and cycling infrastructure. The coalition of just over 100 groups is also asking that the state make available millions of dollars, allocated as part of the prior federal transportation bill, to such projects before the funds must be returned to Washington.
October 1, 2012
Reminder: Amtrak Subsidies Pale in Comparison to Highway Subsidies
Mica went after subsidies in this one, and he clearly thinks this is a winning issue. After all, Amtrak has gotten nearly $1 billion a year in federal funds over its 41-year existence. The per-ticket subsidy over the past five years has averaged nearly $51. Mica compared that to other forms of transportation: Using 2008 data, he showed that the average per-ticket subsidy to aviation was $4.28, for mass transit was 95 cents, and for intercity commercial bus service 10 cents.
September 21, 2012