Recent Headlines

• Dec 28, 2011 What's Ahead for Transportation in 2012? PR Newswire, AASHTO (Press Release)

  In the calm between the holidays, it's time to consider what lies ahead in the new year for the transportation community ? federal and state legislators, state departments of transportation, and the transportation industry at large. Many of these issues mirror the challenges facing the entire nation: job creation, funding shortfalls, integrating new technology into older systems, aging infrastructure. ?

• Dec 28, 2011 Long-Term Transit Bill Desired Kyle Glazier, BondBuyer.com

  Transportation officials and lobbyists will be watching Capitol Hill early next year, hoping lawmakers pass long-term reauthorization legislation funding aviation and surface programs that would bring much-needed stability to the sectors. ?

• Dec 23, 2011 Regulators Shoot Down Cell Phone Ban Forbes

  U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood is against the proposed ban of all cell phones and hands-free devices while driving, suggesting laws are likely to stay the way they are. LaHood said he doesn?t believe ?

• Dec 23, 2011 UNC-Greensboro, N.C. Railroad Co. plan $8 million underpass Katie Arcieri, Triad Business Journal

  UNC-Greensboro is planning an $8 million pedestrian underpass under an active railway corridor at the south end of campus near Forest Street and Oakland Avenue. It?s a joint project between UNCG and the N.C. Railroad Co., which is providing $1 million toward the cost. ?

• Dec 22, 2011 PART receives state, federal funds Vikki Broughton Hodges, The Dispatch

  The Piedmont Authority for Regional Transportation recently received an early Christmas present ? nearly $2 million in state and federal funds already allocated are now flowing into PART coffers. A week ago, $1,023,391 in State Maintenance Assistance Program funds from the N.C. Department of Transportation were allocated to PART. ?

• Dec 21, 2011 U.S. officials split on "hands free" ban for drivers John Crawley , Reuters

  In a public split, the Obama administration's pointman on transportation sharply disagreed with a proposal by the top U.S. transportation safety investigator for a ban on hands-free calling while driving. ?

• Dec 20, 2011 Charlotte transportation receives $18 million grant Steve Crump, WBTV

  The Charlotte Area Transit System getting $18 million in federal funding Tuesday to make improvements to the existing light rail line along South Boulevard. In the last four years since it opened, trains on the Lynx Blue Line have carried 19 million passengers. ?

• Dec 19, 2011 New NC toll road causing out-of-state confusion Diane Wilson, ABC 11

  North Carolina's first toll road is now open and in a few weeks you'll have to start paying the price to drive it. Drivers will use transponders to pay their tolls. The transponders - known as the NC Quick Pass here and EZ pass in other states - eliminates the need for tollbooths, because you just drive right through and it takes the money from your account. ?

• Dec 18, 2011 Transportation Museum's transition from state funding may be too tough Emily Ford, Salisbury Post

  With staff cut by a third and a 25 percent drop in visitors, the N.C. Transportation Museum faces an uncertain future where the Spencer icon must act more like a business and less like a relic to survive. ?

• Dec 16, 2011 States unlikely to heed NTSB call for cell ban WRAL.com

  Federal transportation officials are citing that accident in pushing for states to enact an all-out ban on cellphone use by drivers, restricting the use ...

• Dec 16, 2011 1893 City of Burlington now on track Burlington Times News

  Dr. James Powell, who is a member of the North Carolina Railroad Co. Board of Directors, gave the crowd a brief history of the railroad and its impact on ...

• Dec 16, 2011 Charlotte Forecast 2012: Transit & Transportation Charlotte Business Journal

  It will be a pivotal period for the Metropolitan Transit Commission and Charlotte Area Transit System . At stake: the $1.1 billion Blue Line Extension, ...

• Dec 15, 2011 Report: Greensboro's recovery among slowest in nation Business Journal of the Greater Triad Area

  Many of the weakest performers were in areas that are concentrated in the government or transportation/warehousing sectors, the report said. ...

• Dec 15, 2011 U.S. to fund 46 transportation projects in 33 states, Puerto Rico Jim Barnett, CNN

  All 50 states plus Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C., submitted applications to the Department of Transportation for grants to fund DOT projects, but -- in a sign of tough economic times coupled with a shortage of federal dollars -- not everyone is finding presents under the federal Christmas tree this year. U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced Thursday that 46 transportation projects in 33 states and Puerto Rico will receive $511 million ?

• Dec 14, 2011 Commuter rail funding discussed Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer

  Before nearly 150 Charlotte area government leaders, a regional rail task force Tuesday unveiled details of a $452 million plan to provide dual commuter and freight service from southern Iredell County to Charlotte by 2018. The Red Line Regional Rail project would upgrade 25 miles of Norfolk Southern rail line ?

• Dec 13, 2011 Transportation board proposes sweeping ban on cell/auto use Reuters

  Safety investigators called on Tuesday for a nationwide ban on texting and cell phone use while driving, a prohibition that would include certain applications of hands-free technology becoming more common in new cars. The National Transportation Safety Board recommendation goes beyond measures proposed or imposed to date by regulators and states, most of which already ban texting while behind the wheel. ?

• Dec 07, 2011 Pike: Global investment in smart transportation will reach $13.1B Molly McCluskey, Fierce Smart Grid

  While the concept of smart transportation may be easy to grasp in theory, the practical application of it is wide-sweeping and includes everything from passenger vehicles and chargers to roadways and transit fleets. Pike Research says the investment for smart transportation, for both enhancements and complete upgrades and replacements, will total $13.1 billion by 2017. ?

• Dec 06, 2011 Toll For Commuters Who's Commute Is A Toll Isreal Balderas, FOX Charlotte

  In the next 20 years, traffic on I-485 in the Ballantyne area will go from 125,000 vehicles per year, to 220,000. With widening on that highway set to begin next summer, the North Carolina Department of Transportation is thinking bigger. That's where a toll comes in to help pay for even more lanes. ?

• Dec 05, 2011 Transportation forecast Adam Snider, Politico

  As both parties hone their job-creation messages, transportation infrastructure spending has emerged as a key area ripe for action. But how to pay for much-needed projects as gas tax receipts dwindle remains a bone of contention. ?

• Dec 05, 2011 NC Transportation Museum cutting jobs after losing funding WSOC TV

  The North Carolina Transportation Museum is cutting jobs to stay fiscally sound. The museum is losing $1.2 million in state funding and will have to generate all revenue beginning in July 2012. ?

• Dec 05, 2011 As Washington Drags Its Feet, States Take the Lead on Mileage Fees Noel Popwell, DC Streets Blog

  ?A number of other states have done studies and introduced legislation to charge drivers for the distance they travel instead of the gasoline they consume. To date, none of the states have passed legislation to enact a vehicle miles traveled (VMT) fee. But with an increase in the federal gas tax seemingly impossible in an election year and federal funding increasingly uncertain, states may well be left with little alternative but to reconsider ?

• Dec 01, 2011 House delays long-term transportation plan over funding, timing Ashley Halsey III, The Washington Post

  Still searching for the money to pay for it , the House leadership has put the brakes on a long-term transportation spending plan, but Transportation Committee Chairman John L. Mica says he?s confident that the legislation will pass before the current funding extension expires March 31. ?

• Dec 01, 2011 Dems Want Tighter ?Made in America? Rules for Infrastructure Projects Todd Zwillich, Transportation Nation

  ?Now Democrats, with the backing of unions and transportation groups, want to ratchet down on the loopholes and make it harder for companies to use foreign steel and engineering. Democrats cast the bill as a job-creation effort designed to help flagging employment numbers. Highway and construction projects are viewed on Capitol Hill as a major conduit of jobs growth because of the billions in taxpayer money flowing to all 50 states ?

• Nov 29, 2011 Editorial - Gas tax part of a larger discussion about how to pay for road improvements Wilmington Star

  ?In this economy, residents would happily take any savings they can get, but the General Assembly?s job is to consider the impact of its actions on the state as a whole. North Carolina?s economy depends on a system of accessible, well-maintained roads. ?

• Nov 29, 2011 NC gas tax cap falls short as Senate heading home AP, ABC 11

  North Carolina House members agreed Monday to temporarily cap the state's gasoline tax - on the verge of sharply rising in the new year - but the Senate decided to leave Raleigh without taking up the idea, saying it wasn't the right time to consider it. ?

• Nov 17, 2011 Boehner to unveil transportation bill Molly K. Hooper, The Hill

  House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) on Thursday will unveil his proposal to pay for improvements to the nation?s transportation system with revenues from expanded drilling. At a closed-door meeting on Tuesday, Boehner told his conference the bill would give them ?ammo? to use when they head home for the Thanksgiving recess. ?

• Nov 17, 2011 The efficiency conundrum The Economist

  There has been some movement in Congress?in November a Senate committee approved legislation maintaining highway funding at its current levels for two years, while House Republicans plan to introduce a six-year transportation bill this month?but it is little and late. America?s transportation infrastructure can ill afford to wait. ?

• Nov 17, 2011 Boost Energy Production to Pay for Highways: GOP Corey Boles, The Wall Street Journal

  House Republicans said Thursday they want to expand U.S. domestic energy production and use the increased federal royalties to pay for more bridge and highway repairs and construction?a plan that appears aimed at wrestling control of the jobs debate away from Democrats. ?

• Nov 16, 2011 Obama's New Fuel Economy Standards Require 49.6 mpg by 2025 Environment News Source

  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Transportation today formally unveiled their joint proposal to set stronger fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions standards for model year 2017-2025 passenger cars and light trucks. The proposed Corporate Average Fuel Economy, or CAFE, standards are projected to require 40.1 miles per gallon in model year 2021, and 49.6 mpg in model year 2025 ?

• Nov 14, 2011 Fuel Efficiency Hurts: Gas Tax Revenue Plummets, Roads Crumble John Voelcker, Green Car Reports

  Cars with higher gas mileage pay less per mile in gasoline tax. And plug-in cars pay no gas tax at all. With far tougher fuel economy standards looming--34.1 mpg by 2016 and no less than 54.5 mpg by 2025, assuming final rules are issued by the NHTSA and EPA--the problem is only getting worse. ?

• Nov 10, 2011 U.S. aids Wake transportation for veterans Bruce Siceloff, News & Observer

  When high-level federal officials come down from Washington, they're usually here to snip ribbons on multimillion-dollar construction projects or to hand out checks with lots of commas and zeroes. The grant announced Wednesday in Wake County by Ray LaHood, President Barack Obama's transportation secretary, was for a mere $601,661. ?

• Nov 10, 2011 Senate committee unanimously OKs transportation reauthorization bill Progressive Railroading

  Yesterday, the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee unanimously approved a bill to reauthorize the nation?s transportation programs for two years, the EPW Committee announced in a press release. Dubbed ?Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21),? the bill is co-sponsored by ?

• Nov 09, 2011 Federal transportation network: An area ripe for Democratic and Republican political consensus AP, The Washington Post

  A Senate panel cleared legislation Wednesday overhauling federal highway programs, prompting lawmakers to talk of a looming bipartisan consensus that would end years of stalemate on repairing and expanding an aging transportation network. In a rare show of bipartisanship, the 18 members of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee pushed the legislation forward for ?

• Nov 08, 2011 Gas-tax aversion is tying Congress in knots Brad Plumer, The Washington Post (Wonk Blog)

  Right now, the House and Senate are trying to extend federal transportation funding ? the money that goes to build and rebuild roads and bridges ? for the next few years. Both chambers are grappling with the same dilemma. Americans have been cutting back on driving lately. That means there?s not enough gas-tax revenue to pay for the highway bills. Yet no one wants to raise the gas tax. ?

• Nov 07, 2011 Former Transportation secretary weighs in on current funding fights Keith Laing, The Hill

  Former Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta does not envy current Secretary Ray LaHood's position in fights over funding for highways and the Federal Aviation Administration. Asked for his thoughts on efforts to pass long-term surface transportation and FAA reauthorization bills, Mineta on Monday said the situation could ?

• Nov 06, 2011 Dome: Will session be about more than redistricting? News & Observer

  Much speculation surrounds this week's return legislative session. We know they're coming back to clean up redistricting maps. But do they plan anything else? ...Other rumored topics include a cap on the gas tax and a fix to a bill that changed the dates teachers are paid and created a glitch. ...

• Oct 25, 2011 GOP pitches transportation bill as jobs program Joan Lowy, Associated Press

  House Republicans are pitching a six-year transportation construction plan as a major jobs bill that can win bipartisan approval before next year's election, a key GOP lawmaker said Monday. Even while prospects for enacting President Barack Obama's jobs plan have dimmed, Republican backing has grown for a long-term transportation bill to boost employment. ?

• Oct 25, 2011 Judge OKs NC plans for Charlotte-area toll road Emily P. Delesio, The Charlotte Observer

  A Charlotte-area toll road cleared one legal roadblock with a federal judge's judgment Tuesday that an environmental review of the Monroe Connector-Bypass was proper. The North Carolina Transportation Department said after the ruling by U.S. District Court Judge James Dever III it aims to open the 20-mile road in late 2015. ?

• Oct 24, 2011 Federal transportation funding mandates ? the coming Capitol Hill battle Ashley Halsey III, The Washington Post

  The looming Capitol Hill battle over transportation priorities in a budget-slashing era may have found its lightning rod issue: bike paths, pedestrian walkways and wildflowers planted by the side of the road. The question is this: With the nation facing a transportation crisis that has gotten little attention outside of policy wonks and Washington, should the federal government ?

• Oct 21, 2011 Harry Reid Unveils New Jobs Bill For $60 Billion, Says GOP 'Not In Touch With Reality' Michael McAuliff , The Huffington Post

  A day after failing to advance one part of President Barack Obama's jobs plan in the Senate, Democrats moved on to another Friday, announcing a $60 billion measure to ramp up transportation and infrastructure spending. The bill would devote $50 billion to improving highways, bridges, rail and air travel, with another $10 billion for ?

• Oct 20, 2011 Senate Panel to Vote on Transportation Bill Next Month Tara Snyder , DC Streets Blog

  While a House transportation bill still appears to be a long way off, the Senate is prepared to move forward on its version. EPW Committee leaders just announced that they?ll be marking up their two-year bill November 9. This is good news for three reasons: ?

• Oct 19, 2011 Transportation Enhancements Beats Back Another Assault Angie Schmitt, DC Streets Blog

  A Republican lawmaker purporting to be acting out of budgetary concern has, once again, taken aim at a popular active transportation program --- and, again, the Senate has rejected the effort. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) today offered an amendment that would ...

• Oct 18, 2011 GE Transportation Invests in U.S. Plants and Jobs GE Transporation, BusinessWire

  GE Transportation, the world's leading maker of rail, mining and transportation-related products, announced today investments totaling $231 million in manufacturing improvements and site upgrades to its Erie, Penn. site and a new manufacturing plant in Fort Worth, Texas, to meet accelerating domestic and global demand. ...

• Oct 17, 2011 W.H. jobs focus roadblock to transportation funds? Adam Snider, Politico

  The Obama administration continues to fight for its American Jobs Act as a way to boost the sagging transportation construction sector. But Democrats, Republicans and the construction industry have all said the White House's focus is misdirected. A six-year highway and transit reauthorization is the best possible way to boost the economy, lawmakers say. And backers of the long-term plans say singular focus on the jobs bill --- though it puts a positive light on pressing infrastructure issues that don't always receive national attention --- has been ...

• Oct 14, 2011 Surface transportation funding measure could pass by year's end, LaHood says Julie Sneider, Progressive Railroading

  Political pressure to craft legislation that would produce jobs could prompt members of Congress to reach an agreement on a surface transportation infrastructure bill before year's end, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said yesterday in remarks to the National Press Club. "I believe we are going to get an infrastructure program, and it will happen by the end of the calendar year," LaHood said in response ...

• Oct 14, 2011 Obama?s Republican transportation secretary complains that GOP lawmakers blocking progress AP, The Washington Post

  Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, the most prominent Republican in President Barack Obama?s administration, accused GOP House members Friday of putting their hope for the president to fail ahead of working toward solving the nation?s problems. Responding to a question about why it was so difficult to get big infrastructure projects built right now, LaHood told a transportation conference that ?

• Oct 13, 2011 State to begin improvements on Mecklenburg roads Karen Sullivan, Charlotte Observer

  Things could be slowing down soon on Charlotte's roads. State crews are scheduled to begin construction projects this month on nearly 50 miles of highway and secondary roads in Mecklenburg County. ?

• Oct 12, 2011 Raleigh voters OK road, housing bonds John Frank, News & Observer

  A national fervor about government debt didn't stop Raleigh voters from approving $56 million in transportation and affordable housing bonds Tuesday. Based on preliminary results, the new transportation debt secured a broad endorsement - 67 percent of the vote - and the affordable housing bond won by a solid margin, receiving 62 percent support. ...

• Oct 12, 2011 House Republicans: White House plan for infrastructure bank 'dead on arrival' Keith Laing, The Hill

  President Obama's national infrastructure bank is dead on arrival, the Republican chairman of the House Transportation Committee said Wednesday. At a hearing ostensibly held to discuss the merits of the bank, Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.) ridiculed the proposal as something that would cost more jobs than it would create. ...

• Oct 12, 2011 Highway Trust Fund opposition loses talking point Adam Snider, Politico

  Opponents of the federal transportation program could have one less reason to hate it --- no state paid more in fuel taxes than it recouped in highway funds over the life of the last transportation law. But there's a catch: The Highway Trust Fund will go broke soon unless Congress steps in, and it has only stayed afloat over the past few years thanks to $35 billion in federal support. Those bailouts are a thing of the past, House Republicans insist. ...

• Oct 12, 2011 Obama order averts freight railroad strike Sam Hananel, Charlotte Observer

  President Barack Obama created a special board on Thursday to help resolve a dispute between major U.S. freight railroads and their unions, averting a costly strike for at least 60 days. Eleven unions representing about 92,000 railway workers have been unable to reach agreement on a new contract with more than 30 railroads, including Union Pacific Corp., CSX Corp., Norfolk Southern and Burlington Northern Santa Fe. ...

• Oct 11, 2011 NC doles out $138M to towns for local road work AP, Charlotte Observer

  Money from the state gas tax and other highway fees is being spread around to 500 North Carolina cities and towns for urban road work. The state Transportation Department said Tuesday it's distributing $138 million for local roads. Half the money was sent out last week and the rest is coming in January. ...

• Oct 11, 2011 Toll passes go on sale; tolls begin in January AP, WRAL

  North Carolina's first toll road is almost ready for drivers, and the state has begun selling electronic passes for people who plan to drive the expressway. The Quick Pass Customer Service Center opened Tuesday in Morrisville, at 200 Sorrell Grove Church Road, Suite A, to sell the transponders. They are also available online at ncquickpass.com. ...

• Oct 07, 2011 More On The U.S. Manufacturing Renaissance Mark Perry, DailyMarkets.com

  Transportation goods such as vehicles and auto parts, electrical equipment including household appliances, and furniture are among seven sectors that could create 2 to 3 million jobs as a result of manufacturing returning to the U.S.---an emerging trend that is expected to accelerate starting in the next five years, according to new research by The Boston Consulting Group (BCG). ...

• Oct 05, 2011 Mayor, ex-mayors tout bonds Matt Garfield, News & Observer

  From left, Russ Stephenson, Smedes York, Sig Hutchinson and Eugene Weeks encourage voters to support the transportation and affordable housing bond issues, ...

• Oct 04, 2011 Southport megaport concept dominates maritime meeting Wayne Faulkner, StarNewsOnline.com

  ... at the Coastline Convention Center about the future plans and transportation improvements proposed for the Port of Wilmington on Tuesday Oct. 4, 2011. ...

• Oct 04, 2011 Public transportation ridership rose in first half, APTA says Progressive Railroading

  Nearly 5.2 billion trips were taken on public transportation modes during the first six months of 2011, up 1.7 percent ? or 85.7 million trips ? compared with the same 2010 period, according to the American Public Transportation Association (APTA). Heavy rail and light rail gained the most riders, increasing 3.8 percent and 3.7 percent, respectively, APTA officials said in a prepared statement. ?

• Oct 04, 2011 Transportation: Cary Depot Opens Early, Under Budget Lindsey Chester & Hal Goodtree, Cary Citizen

  Paul Morris, Deputy Secretary for Transit at NCDOT, stated that it took 53 firms to make this facility possible. Partners included the rail companies: ...

• Oct 01, 2011 FAA workers to get back pay for furloughs Keith Laing, The Hill

  Federal Aviation Administration employees who were furloughed for nearly two weeks this summer during a congressional impasse over the agency's funding will receive back pay for the time they missed, officials have said. About 4,000 FAA workers were placed out-of-work for 13 days when the House and Senate could not agree on an extension of the agency's funding before it was set to run out in late July. After two weeks of finger-pointed, lawmakers reached an agreement to restore the FAA's funding, but did not address the worker's lost pay. ?

• Sep 30, 2011 Transportation?s long-term versus short-term dilemma David Tanner, Land Line Magazine

  President Obama and others are out promoting his American Jobs Act proposal that includes $50 billion for transportation, but not everyone is convinced it?s the best way to create sustainable jobs. On Friday, Sept. 30, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-CA, promoted the plan during a conference call with reporters. President Obama unveiled his $447 billion proposal during a joint session of Congress on Sept. 8. ?

• Sep 30, 2011 Red tape slows dozens of US infrastructure projects John Crawley , Reuters

  Dozens of infrastructure projects could qualify for expedited treatment under a White House plan to create jobs by cutting through regulatory red tape that critics say is holding up important initiatives. President Barack Obama last month ordered Interior, Agriculture, Housing, Transportation and Commerce Department officials to identify by Friday up to three big projects each that could merit faster environmental approvals and other permits. Funding must already be arranged or identified. ?

• Sep 29, 2011 New idea for North transit line? Charlotte Observer

  The Metrolina Transit Commission is looking at some new ideas to find money for a 25-mile mass transit rail line from uptown Charlotte to northern ...

• Sep 29, 2011 PART delays bus cuts to raise funds Taft Wireback, Greensboro News & Record

  Leaders of the Piedmont Authority for Regional Transportation go back to the drawing board today to tackle their budget woes. ...

• Sep 28, 2011 TAC supports building 27 miles of railroad Julian March, StarNewsOnline.com

  The regional Transportation Advisory Committee voted unanimously ... The NC Department of Transportation is examining the potential for ...

• Sep 28, 2011 That traffic jam is costing you $713 Brad Plumer, The Washington Post

  The Texas Transportation Institute has just released its annual Urban Mobility Report, serving up in gory detail all the horrors of traffic congestion. Washington, D.C., regains its prized spot as most congested city in the United States, with Chicago number two. ...

• Sep 27, 2011 Transportation lobby hopes for new stimulus Dave Levinthal, Politico

  The transportation construction lobby --- not exactly the sexiest special interest in Washington --- is nonetheless primed to pave Capitol Hill with an aggressive campaign aimed at scoring what could be a massive stimulus for the struggling industry. And it is spurred by two multibillion-dollar proposals, backed by Republicans and Democrats, that suggest their blitz might work, despite Congress's zeal this year for spending cuts. ...

• Sep 27, 2011 Gas Tax Should Yield to Mile Fee as Cars Evolve: James M. Whitty James M. Whitty, Bloomberg

  For 80 years the U.S. has relied on motor-fuel taxes to pay for road repairs, transit systems and highway construction. This system needs an overhaul because soaring fuel efficiency and a poor economy jeopardize the current tax's fundraising power. ...

• Sep 21, 2011 Transportation groups push to stave off cuts to public transit budget Keith Laing, The Hill

  Transportation advocates are wasting no time trying to convince lawmakers not to cut spending on public transit systems. Though they have already secured stable funding through March of next year, public transportation groups are worried Congress could impose significant cuts in a long-term highway bill, which would include public transportation funding. ...

• Sep 21, 2011 Transportation Coalition Stresses Job Creation Benefits In Next Surface Transportation Bill American Crisis in Transportation Coalition (PRESS RELEASE), BusinessWire

  As Congress deliberates the next surface transportation bill, the American Crisis in Transportation Coalition ( www.actcoalition.com ) is urging Congress to weigh the powerful job creation benefits of transportation spending. Congress this September passed a six-month extension of the current surface transportation law, which holds spending to current levels. ...

• Sep 21, 2011 S.C. Gov. Haley opposes gas tax rate hike to fund DOT Sammy Fretwell and Adam Beam, The State

  Gov. Nikki Haley said Tuesday she opposes raising the state's gasoline tax to increase revenue for the cash-strapped S.C. Department of Transportation. A week after a special DOT committee met to discuss increasing revenues for the department --- including a possible gas tax increase --- Haley said the agency needs to get its financial house in order. ...

• Sep 19, 2011 Congress approves six-month SAFETEA-LU extension Progressive Railroading

  On Friday, Congress passed a six-month extension of the Surface, Accountable, Flexible and Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU). If signed into law by President Barack Obama, the extension will fund federal surface transportation programs through March 31, 2012. ...

• Sep 19, 2011 Federal Highway Administration grants preliminary OK for Virginia to impose I-95 tolls AP, The Washington Post

  The Federal Highway Administration has given preliminary approval for Virginia to impose tolls on Interstate 95 to help fund transportation projects, Gov. Bob McDonnell's office said Monday. Federal Highway Administration Administrator Victor Mendez granted the Virginia Department of Transportation conditional provisional approval for a toll plan the state submitted in January. ...

• Sep 16, 2011 True High-Speed Rail Projects Unlikely To Be Fast-Tracked By Jobs Bill Funds Matt Sledge, The Huffington Post

  When President Obama revealed his jobs bill last week, you could almost hear the high-fives from transportation advocates across the country. If the Jobs Act were passed as-is -- which seems unlikely -- $50 billion would be spent on highways, mass transit, trains and planes. ...

• Sep 13, 2011 House passes FAA, ground transportation funding bill Felicia Sonmez , The Washington Post

  The House on Tuesday passed a compromise measure that would fund the Federal Aviation Administration and federal highway programs for the next several months. The bill, H.R. 2887, was passed by voice vote Tuesday afternoon. It now moves to the Senate ...

• Sep 13, 2011 Agreement Reached on Eighth Extension of SAFETEA-LU Ryan Gray, School Transportation News

  House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) reached an agreement to extend the authorization of transit and highway programs at current funding levels through March 31, 2012. ...

• Sep 12, 2011 House and Senate Agree on 6-Month Transpo Extension Tara Snyder, DC Streets Blog

  Just days after a Senate committee asked the full chamber to consider a four-month extension of SAFETEA-LU, new negotiations have replaced that idea with a six-month extension at current spending levels. The bill also extends the gas tax. ...

• Sep 08, 2011 Investing in Transportation Infrastructure For All America Bikes Association, PR Newswire

  The America Bikes coalition supports President Obama's call for a "clean" extension of the Federal transportation program (SAFETEA-LU). Investing in transportation infrastructure is a way to create and support millions of jobs. ...

• Sep 07, 2011 Fitch: US Transportation Activity Points To Slowing Economy Dow Jones Newswires, The Wall Street Journal

  Fitch Ratings said all signs in U.S. transportation activity point to a slowing economy, though transportation-related public infrastructure ratings won't be immediately affected. The credit rater said traffic on roads, freight indexes and airport traffic all point to an economy that continues to move upward, but at a declining rate. Consumer spending is a big driver in transportation volume, as in all sectors of the U.S. economy, and the prospect for growth is uncertain. ...

• Sep 07, 2011 Analysis: Obama pitch on roads an uphill prospect John Crawley , Reuters

  President Barack Obama's call to boost transportation spending will be a hard sell to a divided Congress, which must urgently address near-term infrastructure needs to simply save jobs, not create them. ...

• Sep 07, 2011 The Consequences of Political Foot-Dragging Tara Snyder, DC Streets Blog

  The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee is meeting tomorrow to discuss a four-month extension to the current transportation bill, SAFETEA-LU. The map above is from a short but powerful document the Federal Transit Administration put out this week explaining "The Impacts of Failing to Extend Surface Transportation Funding" ...

• Sep 06, 2011 Congress creates a transportation time bomb Editorial Board (Opinion), The Baltimore Sun

  ...Overshadowed in this brouhaha is something everyone involved really ought to be talking about: Washington's failure to approve a transportation spending plan. On the same day that insiders were focused on Mr. Boehner's refusal, President Obama was calling attention to the fact that the current transportation bill is set to expire Sept. 30. ...

• Sep 03, 2011 Obama: Renewing Transportation Bill Is 'No Brainer' Mary Bruce, ABC News

  In his weekly address, President Obama once again urges Congress to pass an extension of the transportation bill, saying it would be a "disaster for our infrastructure and our economy" if the legislation is allowed to expire. ...

• Sep 02, 2011 Highway Bill Could Face Congressional Gridlock Sarah Maslin Nir, The New York Times

  Just over a month after a Congressional stalemate held up financing for the Federal Aviation Administration, leading to the shutdown of the agency and multimillion-dollar losses, a similar fate may loom for a bill that would authorize money states use to help pay for road transportation projects. ...

• Sep 02, 2011 TRIP Details Danger of Deteriorating Rural Roads Trucking Info

  A report by TRIP, a national non-profit transportation research group, found rural roads to be America's worst and most dangerous. According to the new report, rural road infrastructure faces a number of significant challenges ...

• Aug 31, 2011 President Obama urges renewal of transportation bills Jennifer Epstein, Politico

  President Barack Obama called Wednesday for Congress to quickly pass bills to continue funding highways and air travel, saying it would be "unacceptable" and "inexcusable" for Washington politics to lead to the loss of as many as a million jobs. ...

• Aug 31, 2011 Obama Picks Gas Tax For First Round of Fiscal Fight Chris Stirewalt, Fox News

  President Obama wants Congress to quickly pass an unconditioned extension of the federal gasoline tax, which is set to expire at the end of the government's fiscal year on Sept. 30. The federal gas tax has been 18.4 cents per gallon since 1993 and generates more than $32 billion a year that is then mostly passed out to states for road construction and repair. About 15 percent goes to ...

• Aug 31, 2011 Ten Best American Transportation Projects Vie for top Honors American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, PR Newswire

  The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), AAA, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce are today announcing the top 10 finalists in the 2011 America's Transportation Awards competition and are releasing a new video showcasing these outstanding projects. ...

• Aug 30, 2011 With Deadlines Looming, Mica Supports Transportation Extension Tara Snyder, DC Streets Blog

  Congress returns from a month long recess --- oh sorry, "district work period" --- next Wednesday. Before September 30, they'll have to figure out next steps for keeping the transportation program going, assuming there's no way that the two chambers will come to an agreement about a long-term bill before the current extension expires. ...

• Aug 30, 2011 New Road Signs Will Now Wait Michael Cooper, The New York Times

  It is a sign of the times: The Obama administration is planning to yield to strapped states and local governments who urged them to slow or be prepared to stop federal safety requirements that they replace thousands of road signs with bigger, brighter, more legible signs by 2018, arguing it would be the wrong way to make them to spend their limited money. ...

• Aug 23, 2011 AASHTO President Martinovich Stresses Urgency of Sustaining Federal Transportation Funding at Curren American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, PR Newswire

  More than 500,000 jobs and countless state and local projects to modernize and improve transportation across the U.S. are in jeopardy, according to state transportation officials. At a news conference today ?

• Aug 23, 2011 Congress heads for another showdown over transportation funding Ashley Halsey III, Washington Post

  Facing a Sept. 30 deadline, officials are mindful of the deadlock that occurred this month over extension of funding for the Federal Aviation Administration. That cost an estimated$350 million in tax revenue and led to ?

• Aug 22, 2011 Northeast Corridor gets $745 million for upgrades to tracks, construction to ease congestion AP, Washington Post

  The federal Department of Transportation is putting $745 million toward rail projects that will allow trains to travel up to 160 mph in some sections of the Northeast Corridor and construction that will allow Amtrak trains to avoid a congested rail junction in Queens. ?

• Aug 20, 2011 Roads Bill Gets Another Look Josh Mitchell, The Wall Street Journal

  The White House and congressional Democrats are working on a plan to jump-start passage of a stalled highway bill as the administration reworks part of its strategy for responding to high unemployment. ?

• Aug 19, 2011 Boxer Plans a Four-Month Extension of SAFETEA-LU Transportation Issues Daily

  The Senate Environment & Public Works Committee (EPW) will take up a four-month extension of SAFETEA-LU on September 8th. Committee Chair Boxer relayed this to some stakeholders late Thursday ?

• Aug 18, 2011 One More Push Can Preserve Federal Safe Routes to School Funding Carolyn Szczepanski, DC Streets Blog

  In 2005, SAFETEA-LU (Safe, Accountable, Flexible and Efficient Transportation Equity Act) created the federal Safe Routes to School program to get more kids to bike and walk to school by improving infrastructure and creating encouragement programs that make those active trips safe and appealing. The funding for the program ?

• Aug 17, 2011 SCDOT gets $52M advance to pay bills Yvonne Wenger, The Post & Courier

  The federal government came to South Carolina's rescue today with a $52 million cash advance for the S.C. Department of Transportation. Pete Poore, spokesman for DOT, said the money will be used to pay contractors across the state. The agency asked the federal government to provide the money in one lump sum, rather than have it spread out over the next 12 months, as it normally would have been, so DOT could sort out its cash flow problems. ?

• Aug 17, 2011 Uneasy riders: Mass transit systems caught short Lisa Lambert, Reuters

  Many U.S. public transportation systems are struggling to cover costs, with more than a third projecting shortfalls for their upcoming budget years, the American Public Transit Association said on Wednesday. ?

• Aug 17, 2011 Interview: Speaker Tillis on budget cuts and local bills David Boraks, DavidsonNews.net

  N.C. House Speaker Thom Tillis patted himself on the back Wednesday for slashing the state budget and cutting taxes during the last session in Raleigh. In a meeting with reporters, he also said Republicans will be back in Raleigh in September to work on constitutional reforms that could include an ...

• Aug 11, 2011 A Plan to Save U.S. Infrastructure That Might Actually Work Eric Jaffe, The Infrastructurist

  If there?s anything America has in abundance right now, it?s reports on the poor state of the country?s infrastructure. But the Congressional showdown over the transportation reauthorization bill will peak in the next few weeks, and a betting man (we?re looking at you, A-Rod) would be wise to take the over on the number of similar reports that will surface by late September?

• Aug 11, 2011 Obama: Tell Congress to 'get past differences and send me' highway bill Keith Laing, The Hill

  Voters in Michigan and other states should pressure Congress to pass a federal highway bill, President Obama said Thursday during a speech at a car battery plant in Michigan. "Tell Congress to get past their differences and send me a road construction bill so that companies can put tens of thousands of people to work building our roads, our bridges, our seaports," Obama told a cheering crowd at the Johnson Controls Inc. advanced battery facility in Holland, Mich. ?

• Aug 10, 2011 National transportation funding boosts U.S. economy Jay M. Moreau, Atlanta Journal-Constitution

  Traffic congestion costs the U.S. $145 billion annually in wasted time, repairs and operating expenses according to TRIP, a national transportation research group. That?s an unnecessary burden that our economy is in no shape to bear...

• Aug 10, 2011 Absent a Transportation Bill, DOT Can Innovate All On Its Own Tara Snyder, DC Streets Blog

  ...the only thing we can be sure of is that we?re heading toward yet another extension of SAFETEA-LU when it expires at the end of next month ? if the two parties can agree to even that?

• Aug 09, 2011 Gas-tax issue could be the next political fight Keith Lang and Bernie Becker, The Hill

  After watching a two-week shutdown of the Federal Aviation Administration, transportation advocates and congressional staffers are concerned that the federal gas tax could become the next confrontational issue that Democrats and Republicans push to the brink?

• Aug 06, 2011 Maintenance can save money down the road Roddie Burris, The State

  A lingering down economy has forced many drivers to make difficult choices, but experts say finding the money for a small repair or maintenance item now will save money in the long run?

• Aug 03, 2011 How can Washington help create jobs? Suzy Khimm, The Washington Post

  The question of infrastructure funding will come up as soon as Congress returns from its August recess. A bill reauthorizing spending on surface transportation --- which would help build roads, highways, and the like --- is set to expire in September. ...

• Aug 02, 2011 Here?s a Tax That Can End Pain at Pump: Bradley, Ridge, Walker Bill Bradley, Tom Ridge and David Walker, Bloomberg

  Gas taxes that increase with the price of oil can just make matters worse. Any plan for transportation solvency must include a price-stabilization mechanism so that rising oil costs don't crush household budgets or the economy. ...

• Aug 02, 2011 Federal debt compromise likely will cut transportation funding for future generations Star-Telegram.com (blog)

  The deal raises the federal government's borrowing limit but also cuts more than $900 million over 10 years from cabinet agencies (including the U.S. Department of Transportation) and places several caps on discretionary spending that are well below current levels. ...

• Jul 29, 2011 Obama Reveals Details of Gas Mileage Rules Bill Vlasic, The New York Times

  President Obama announced new automobile fuel-efficiency standards on Friday that require an average 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025. But even if the auto industry manages to meet the new standards, it is unlikely car buyers will see many fuel-economy stickers with such high mileage. ...

• Jul 29, 2011 IMAP extends I-85 service Steve Lyttle, The Charlotte Observer

  Relax, Interstate 85 motorists. North Carolina's yellow trucks have you covered. The N.C. Department of Transportation says it is increasing the coverage and schedule of its Incident Management Assistant Patrol (IMAP) trucks and will now be available to help motorists on I-85 from the South Carolina line to the Virginia border. ...

• Jul 27, 2011 Decaying infrastructure costs U.S. billions each year, report says Ashley Halsey III, The Washington Post

  Complex calculations done for the American Society of Civil Engineers indicate that infrastructure deficiencies add $97??billion a year to the cost of operating vehicles and result in travel delays that cost $32?billion. ...

• Jul 26, 2011 Live Wire: Court ruling upheld highway fund lawsuit Catherine Pritchard, Fayetteville Observer

  Q: Several years ago, a lawsuit was filed by former cabinet secretary James Harrington and someone else against the governor of North Carolina for using highway department funds for balancing the budget. What ever happened to that lawsuit? ...

• Jul 26, 2011 Bell files for another term in mayor's seat Ray Gronberg, Durham Herald Sun

  Officials have to marshal all the city's tools, "which include police and planning, recreation, housing, transportation and inspection resources, to protect our neighborhoods, preserve our environment and lift the neglected parts of our city," he said. ...

• Jul 25, 2011 Dozens of airport construction projects halted Joan Lowy, Christopher Hawley, Charlotte Observer

  "Their reckless intransigence has not only shut down the FAA, but is threatening Congress' ability to successfully complete work on the long-term FAA reauthorization that our economy and the livelihoods of thousands depend upon," he said. ...

• Jul 25, 2011 Traffic science battles heavy flows Brian Palmer, Washington Post

  ...failure to apply technology in the transportation sector. Autonomous or semi...of technology adoption in the...

• Jul 21, 2011 Rabon appointed chairman of transportation oversight committee Pat Gannon , StarNewsOnline.com

  Bill Rabon, R-Brunswick, said in his latest newsletter that he was appointed as a chairman of the Joint Legislative Transportation Oversight Committee, which is made up of members of the state House and Senate. The committee delves into a range of ...

• Jul 19, 2011 Council sets public hearing on $16 million housing, $40 million transportation ... News & Observer (blog)

  The Raleigh City Council will hold a public hearing Aug. 2 on two bond proposals planned for the Oct. 11 ballot: $16 million for affordable housing and $40 million for transportation projects.

• Jul 08, 2011 Market tempers increase in North Carolina gas tax Bruce Siceloff, News & Observer

  But when you look across the nation and in nearby states where taxes stayed the same, you might think North Carolina's gas tax went down - not up. Prices elsewhere have risen faster than ours, and North Carolina's gas tax hike feels strangely painless. ...