Research update 12/6/07

Reports say NY Mayor's Congestion Pricing Plan to undergo Makeover
The commission looking into Mayor Michael Bloomberg's congestion plan is reportedly considering shrinking the zone in Manhattan that drivers would be forced to pay to enter.
NY1, 12/6/07

VA House speaker Howell denounces Dulles Rail as wasteful, useless
Product of "PR and lobbying campaign," by special interests. Buses, vans and rubber tired vehicles in special roadway lanes are cheaper and provide door-to-door service, higher frequency and express. Selective zoning increases around the stations following rail will generate many more new car trips to and from those locations than trips that will be attracted to the train, exacerbating road congestion.
TollRoadsNews, 12/5/07

Napolitano pushes fix for Arizona state's roads
Residents and state businesses are paying "a heavy time tax" in dealing with traffic congestion. A statewide transportation plan could include a monetary tax to pay for it, something some city leaders thought might be a tough sell to voters.
Arizona Republic, 12/5/07

Otter: Boost car fees to pay for roads
Idaho Gov. Butch Otter likely will support higher fees for car owners in the 2008 Legislature to pay for roads, because he's confident the Idaho Transportation Department is saving as much money as it can.
J. Miller, A.P., 12/5/07

Jerry Brown and global warming ideology in San Diego
The Attorney General may not be aware that cars are often more GHG friendly than transit. Outside of New York, transit GHG emissions per passenger mile were virtually the same as cars in urban operation, based upon an analysis of 2005 US Department of Transportation and US Department of Energy data. Excluding the Trolley, transit services in the San Diego area emit more GHGs per passenger mile than cars.
Wendell Cox, TollRoadsNews, 12/5/07

Massachusetts Rail Line Fails Punctuality Test
For the month of November, on-time performance for trains on the line was 57 percent, compared to 69 percent for trains across the entire system.
Priyanka Dayal, 12/5/07

Twin Cities Mass Transit Sales Tax Gains Steam
Central Corridor supporters may be in a tricky spot - asking for Minnesota's biggest single transportation check ever without looking like they're taking money away from fixing the state's aging infrastructure.
Jason Hoppin, St. Paul Pioneer Press, 12/5/07

Key to unlocking value of New Jersey pikes is ending political veto power over tolls
New Jersey transportation commissioner Kris Kolluri says that the key to unlocking the value of the state's toll roads is a realistic and predictable future toll rate regime free of political interference.
RollRoadsNews, 12/4/07

TriMet, Cities, Police Talk to Get Safety Back on Track
Rising public perception of lawlessness on the transit system and mounting frustration by suburban police agencies with TriMet's handling of transit police. T
Dylan Rivera, The Oregonion, 12/4/07

An end to the free ride on trains in Los Angeles
14-year honor system being replaced by 275 ticket gates on 17.4-mile subway and many light rail stations. Study reports 5 percent of riders didn't pay fare, $1.25 one way or $5 daily pass, losing about $5.5 million annual revenues. Is the money spent going to justify the collections gained? Turnstiles said to hinder emergency evacuations.
Randal C. Archibold, New York Times, 12/3/07

Truckers in Maine, Feeling High Costs of Diesel Fuel, Urge State to Intervene
Diesel @ $3.60 cripples business and causes some to stop drivers, truckers petition state and federal officials to suspend tax on diesel, lift road weight restrictions
12/3/07

Resounding courtroom loss could spell trouble for St. Louis Metro transit agency's top man
Civil jury has rejected the public transportation agency's argument that the original designers and construction managers were largely responsible for delays and overruns on the Shrewsbury MetroLink extension. $2.56 million award.
Ken Leiser, St. Louis Post Dispatch 12/3/07

Senior transportation a growing concern
More than 600,000 people age 70 and older stop driving each year, according to a report by the Government Accountability Office. (Band-aid solutions proposed, no pragmatic plan as elders are forgotten, become more isolated)
Haya El Nasser, USA Today, 12/3/07

California Taking Aim at Uninsured on the Roads
Ballot initiative to approve penalties for 25% driving without insurance (remove front/ back license plates after issuing insurance citation, and 7-days after, to impound the car.
Rebecca Cathcart, New York Times, 12/3/07

Bridge construction, fighting underway in Minnesota
Minneapolis copes with the ripple effects of the collapsed roadway as state and federal officials wrestle over funding the new span.
P.J. Huffstutter, Los Angeles Times, 12/2/07

NJ Gov. Corzine's road to financial relief
Planned bond program to reduce state debt involves increasing highway tolls. Residents in areas dependent on tollways object to being taxed disproportionately to pay down state budget deficit.
Associated Press, 12/2/07

New Jersey Gov. represented as shady salesman "hocking the highways"
Discussion of Governor Jon Corzine's protracted policymaking on the future of the state's tollroads to a new level of passion by portraying him on their frontpage as a sleazy salesman under the headline "Hocking the Highways".
TollRoadNews, 12/2/07

High-speed commuter rail coming to Utah County
On the 15-mile demonstration ride, it reached 79 mph, surpassing the traffic on the nearby freeway, especially at one point where the traffic came to a standstill because of an obstruction.
Barbara Christiansen, Daily Herald, 12/1/07

Chicago-Area Transit Band-Aids Won't Stop the Bleeding
2007 operating deficit of $226 million by RTA, 6-county transit agency for CTA, Metra and Pace.
Dennis Byrne, Heartland Institute, 12/1/07

$3.2b financial close on public-public toll concession for TX121
50 year toll concession and lease to North Texas Tollway Authority
TollRoadsNews, 11/30/07

$52-a-Parcel Tax Proposed for Transportation
Los Angeles City Councilman LaBonge legislation for countywide parcel tax, to raise $1.7 billion for long term transportation improvements to region.
MassTransit Magazine, 11/30/07

Ethanol E85 fuel loses cost-benefit test to diesel
A study presented at a National Academy of Sciences roundtable in Washington, undercuts E85 at a time Detroit automakers are lobbying Congress for ethanol-supportive legislation and fuel-economy credits for building E85-compatible vehicles.
James R. Healey, USA TODAY, 11/30/07

DELIVERY COMPANIES SWITCH TO HYBRIDS
When unloading trucks, no fumes and idling diesel engines. Get 32% better fuel economy.
Ron Scherer, Christian Science Monitor, 11/30/07

Subways Going Down the Tubes
BART, Washington Metro, Chicago Transit Authority each face $10 billion in rehabilitation expenses in next few years. Rehab costs every 30-40 years. New York and Boston transit authorities to spend $2 billion a year for rehab. Boston spending 1/3 of operating budget on $5 billion debt.
The Antiplanner, 11/30/07

UTA Fare Increases and Service Cutbacks
Riders on the Utah Transit Authority will pay more starting in January, and they'll see another fare hike a year later. And Davis and Weber counties could be looking at cutbacks in public transit service.
KSL TV5, 11/29/07

Gas-tax transit plan goes down in flames
Illinois Lawmakers first want to pay for statewide construction program
Chicago Tribune, 11/29/07

MA Governor Patrick unveils $4.8 billion transportation bill
$2.9 billion bond, balance from federal funds to fix state's crumbling transportation infrastructure. $800 million for rail projects, $500 million for roads and bridges
Steve LeBlanc, Boston Globe, 11/29/07

Highway plan has plenty of enemies
10-year highway plan cut from $4.1 billion to $2.1 billion.
Tom Fahey, New Hampshire Union Leader, 11/29/07

Schwarzenegger calls for new tack on infrastructure
Needs legislative approval for PPPs to build and manage roads, schools, wastewater treatment plants, ports, levees, hospitals and other projects. California needs $500 billion in public projects over next two decades to catch up and keep up with rapid population growth.
Michael Rothfield, Los Angeles Times, 11/28/07

Roads-and-transit package too big and too pricey, Washington state voters feared
Voters rejected the roads-and-transit proposal on the Nov. 6 ballot because they feared the package was too big and too expensive -- even though they weren't clear about just how much it would cost
Gregory Roberts, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 11/28/07

Pittsburgh Port Authority Transit Subsidy on Hold
Allegheny County taxes for transit costs: if county does not raise property tax, a 10 percent tax on alcoholic drinks, a $2 per vehicle surcharge on car rentals, for $27.7 million for Port Authority.
Ritchie, Pittsburgh Tribune, 11/28/07

$320M Federal Funding for California Gold Line Expected
Local leaders need to come up with $80M for 24-mile LRT route between Pasadena and Montclair. $3.6 billion from Prop 1B money not for new rail projects, to backfill current debt.
Fred Ortega, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, 11/28/07

Ohio Highway Construction Shortfall Hits $3.5 Billion
The state faces shortfall in funding for proposed new highway projects previously approved for construction. In its 2008-2009 Business Plan, the Ohio Department of Transportation said the shortfall was prompting by rising construction costs of 40%.
Jim Otte, WHIO Dayton, 11/27/07

Translink touts iMove website as Congestion-Busting tool
i-move.ca, a website will integrate real-time traffic, construction and event data from across the region with transit routes and schedules, allowing motorists, commercial drivers and visitors to avoid roadway congestion, reduce stop-and-go traffic, save time and help cut greenhouse gas emissions.
Matt Rosenberg, Cascadia, posting 11/27/07

The Rise of Family-Friendly Cities
It's lifestyle, not lattes, that our most productive workers want
Wall Street Journal, 11/27/07

Leave light-rail lines in place
FTA rejects plan for underground end, too steep, too dangerous.
Editorial, Denver Post, 11/26/07

Roadwork takes private turn
State transportation and economic development officials are taking a new tack to finance transportation infrastructure projects in hopes of taking a sizable bite out of Louisiana's $14-billion highway backlog.
Jaime Guillet, New Orleans City Business, 11/26/07

State Transportation Funding in Jeopardy
Connecticut hoping for $5.1 million in federal funds. Bush may veto $105.6 billion for 2008 to fund USDOT and HUD by 270-147. Over 2000 earmarks for "museums, zoos, gardens, gymnasiums, golf courses" that divert funds from "priority purposes such as housing, low-income families, bridge repairs and highways.
Peter Urban, Connecticut Post, 11/21/07

Poll: Support For NYC Congestion Pricing Falling
Manhattan voters to pay to go within the zone and to go outside the zone even if you're already living there.
New York Sun, 11/20/07

Colorado State panel's tax proposal would pay for rail, roads
To raise $1.5 billion a year, five tax & fee increases: 13-cents more in gas tax, $6 day fee on hotel and car rental bills, extra $100 year auto registration fee, Colorado's gas tax is 22-cents a gallon.
Jeffrey Leib, Denver Post, 11/16/07

For light rail plan, look to Denver
Cal Marsella, director of Denver's Regional Transit District and a leading expert on light rail, gave local officials this advice: If they really want the public to pay for this, they'll need a plan that offers something to every corner of the region. They'll need a vision that captures the public's imagination, and that specifically maps out train routes and schedules. And they'll need a major media campaign, complete with TV ads financed by the business community.
Mike Brassfield, Tampa Bay Times, 11/16/07

The politics of Ethanol Outshine its Costs
RFS bill increases ethanol supply from 7.5 billion to 36 billion gallons current target, Environmentalists, livestock farmers, and opponents of subsidies say that ethanol won't meet energy goals, may damage the environment as food prices soar. Doesn't reduce foreign oil dependence.
Mark Clayton, Christian Science Monitor, 11/15/07

A New Vision & Mission for America's Federal Surface Transportation Program
ARTBA Recommendations for SAFETEA-LU Reauthorization, a report to U.S. Congress and White House, federal agencies, the nation's governors and state policy makers,
ARTBA, Nov 2007

ARTBA Recommendations Executive Summary
Established in 1902, the Washington, D.C.-based American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) advocates strong investment in transportation infrastructure to meet public demand for a safe and efficient business transportation network.
Transportation Development Foundation

TOP MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES Department of Transportation
FHwA and FTA must ensure efficient use of federal funds for highway and transit projects. FTA must provide vigilant oversight to control costs and schedules on several massive transit infrastructure projects.
DOT Report Number: PT-2008-008, 11/15/07

Back to Basics: a Pro-Growth Public Investment Strategy
An energetic approach to rebuilding America's infrastructure will create opportunities for economic advancement for a broad spectrum of the American people.
Joel Kotkin, New America Foundation, Nov 2007

New Utah Commuter Rail Makes First Run
Public transportation along the Wasatch Front has seen a substantial growth in riders since Trax began operating in 1999. Combined with today's higher cost of gasoline, the appeal of UTA's light rail system has introduced an alternative mode of transportation that many Utahans continue to utilize.
Doug G. Ware, KUTV2, 10/25/07

Surface Transportation: Investment Needs and the Budget
Poor road conditions are a factor in one-third of 43,000 annual U.S. Highway Fatalities. $495 billion investment needed now to remedy backlog of highway (capacity $249.4b, pavement $180.6b) and bridge $65.2b) defects. Highway congestion in 2005 cost businesses and people $78.2 b).
ARTBA Testimony before Committee on the Budget, U.S. House of Representatives, 10/25/07

Private Solutions for Reducing Road Congestion, Fuel Costs, Travel Time, and Waste
But in 2009, which is when our next reauthorization bill comes up in the U.S. Senate, I think that there are going to be all kinds of constraints on people, even to spend the amount of money that we're spending on roads right now. And to think that we can just increase spending by increasing the gasoline tax, that might just be overly simplistic. It might be a situation where we're in such a crunch for revenue, and people realize the long-term ramifications of not dealing with our structural deficit, that we need to take some of that money from the gas tax and actually apply it to general revenue. Lord knows, we've done that before.
Independence Institute forum, 9/28/266