Research update 12/27/07

Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority FAQs
Frequently asked questions about toll roads
Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority

On Dec. 31, It's Official: Boston's Big Dig Done
The end of one of the most tumultuous eras in the city's history: The Big Dig, the nation's most complex and costliest highway project
Steve LeBlanc, Washington Post, 12/26/07

Contracting team is picked for Missouri bridge work
First in nation, to repair and maintain 802 of Missouri's worst bridges (350 ready to be shut down of over 10,000 bridges total) within 5 years. $400-$600 million, one-third from feds.
Crouch, St. Louis Today, 12/21/07

Financial close on 80 year concession for $1.52b of toll lanes on Capital Beltway N Virginia
Virginia DOT, Transurban and Fluor have signed the contracts and gone to financial close for the construction of four toll lanes plus direct connector ramps on 14 miles of the Capital Beltway (I-495) in northern Virginia
Tollraodsnews, 12/20/07

Priorities should drive transportation policy
List of GA projects to cost $67 billion with out $46 billion to be available, no priorities set for relieving congestion, improving safety, comply with Clean Air Act.
Ron Sifen, Georgia Public Policy Institute, 12/21/07

Spending Bills Still Stuffed With Earmarks
Twice in the past two years, Alaska lawmakers lost congressional earmarks to build two "bridges to nowhere" costing hundreds of millions of dollars after Congress was embarrassed by public complaints over the pet projects hidden in annual spending bills.
Elizabeth Williamson, Washington Post, 12/21/07

New TRAX passenger tracking system shows ridership lower than thought
A new infrared tracking system on TRAX trains shows that the Utah Transit Authority overestimated rail ridership since its late-1999 opening, perhaps by nearly a third on the most extreme days last year.
Brandon Loomis, Salt Lake Tribune, 12/20/07

NY's MTA in-fraction to cost riders
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has yet to plan how it will encourage the public not to discard MetroCards carrying fractional fares.
Patrick Gallahue, NY Post, 12/20/07

Scots vote to scrap bridge tolls
The SNP promised to abolish the last remaining bridge tolls in Scotland as part of its election campaign.
BBC News, 12/20/07

More questions after MAX ride
Milwaukee City Councilors touring Portland's MAX rail line, see good and bad. Art features deter graffiti, good street lighting and walk signals. Poor security, ticket machines don't work. Needs more police due to car breakins and theft at parking lots.
Graham, 12/19/07

Attorneys: Pike ticket target illegal
Prominent Boston lawyers say the Pike's plan to prod state police to collect $1.2 million more from speeders - half of that near the city - in the coming year to help balance the budget depleted by the Big Dig is unconstitutional
Dwinell, Boston Herald, 12/19/07

Analysis for Turnpike shows tolling PA/I-80 as cash cow making it ineligible for fed OK
The Citigroup spreadsheets however show I-80 being envisioned as an enormous cash cow for projects elsewhere in the state - making it impossible for the feds to approve the Turnpike's application to toll.
TollRoadsNews, 12/19/07

AAA Predicts Small Increase in Travel During Holiday Season
65.2 million Americans (81% of holiday travel) will travel 50+ miles during Christmas-NY season, 0.7 percent above last year's 64.7 million. . 8.9 million (13.7% of holiday travel) travel by airplane, 3.3 million by rail, bus or other mode of transportation.
AAA, Yahoo, 12/17/07

Cianbro Corp Considers Building $1-Billion Maine Toll Road
220-mile EW toll road as transportation utility corridor across Central Maine proposed by group of business corporations to build the road, led by Peter Vigue, President & CEO of Cianbro, construction company to spur economic development in northern Maine.
ENR.com, 12/12/2007

Behind the Wheel: Who Drives Into the Proposed NYC Congestion Zone?
Some people contend that tolls would disproportionately affect low- and moderate-income residents. But IBO study finds that majority of commuters in proposed congestion zone come from outside NYC, have median annual earnings exceeding 30% of other commuters.
NYC Independent Budget Office Number 154, 12/11/07

Drivers could pay extra for life in fast lane
After 1.8 million drivers voted against road pricing, tolls would be added only where extra capacity is added instead of converting existing roads to tolling. Drivers to have a choice, no-one would be forced to pay to use the toll lane.
Ben Webster, London Times, 12/10/07

Congestion Pricing in NYC May Lead To Big Parking Problem
Congestion pricing is still only a possibility but already steps are being taken by the city to deal with the ripple effects of the program.
Sean Hennessey, WCBSTV, 12/5/07

New Report Fuels Congestion Pricing Debate
Advocates of congestion pricing, who say that the traffic fees, which would apply to motorists south of 86th Street, would work much like a commuter tax - raising money from wealthier car-owning commuters for much-needed mass-transit improvements.
Sewell Chan, NY Times, 12/11/07

Congestion 'as bad as before the charge'
Congestion in central London is nearly as bad as it was before the C-charge was introduced, according to new figures.
David Williams, Evening Standard, 11/22/07

Boom in green cars could 'damage' Congestion charge
Popular small cars exempt from toll from February, to save £2000 yearly. "Gas-guzzlers" to pay £25 day to enter congestion zone next August.
David Williams, Evening Standard, 11/12/07

Businesses split on tollway benefits in San Antonio
Who's pushing for this is the business community and people who want to be able to get to work on time and who want to get home on time and who want to get their kids to school on time." "I just can't wait for them to do something," Realtor Diane Craig said. "They just need to free up the traffic it's killing stuff out here."
Patrick Driscoll, San Antonio Express News, 11/11/07

The London Congestion Charge 5th Report
The key point is that congestion in the original central London zone is spiraling out of control. They admit that congestion has increased by 15% since 2005/061, and the congestion rate has increased from 3.5 min/km to 4 min/km since 20032.
Alex Crowley, London Assembly Conservatives Briefing Note, 11/07/07

London Rush-hour is slower than before C-charge
Traffic in the morning rush-hour is now slower than before Ken Livingstone brought in the congestion charge.
Crerar, Evening Standard, 11/6/07

Study Shows 183A Toll Road Benefits all Drivers
Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority: significant reduction in traffic on non-tolled roads. On U.S. 183, traffic has been reduced by as much as 27% since 183A opened March 2007. On Parmer Lane/Ronald Reagan Boulevard, traffic has decreased by as much as 29%. More than 25,000 vehicles each day have switched from those previously traveled roadways to the 183A toll road, improving mobility for everyone in the region.
KLBJ, 10/8/07

Toll roads save time, fuel: study
A survey carried out by Australia's National Roads & Motorists Association has found that drivers who pay tolls to use Sydney motorways spend up to 75 per cent less time in the car, compared to drivers who take other roads.
ABC News, 9/17/07

Denver's I-25 HOT Lanes
The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and the Colorado Tolling Enterprise (CTE) changed the operation of the I-25 high occupancy vehicle (HOV) facility in the Denver area to high occupancy toll (HOT) lanes on June 1, 2006. Elements of the project.
Institute of Transportation Engineers Dist. 6, Jul-Aug 2007, Vol. 61 No. 4

How failings in transport hold back prosperity for billions
A global look...
Robert Wright, Financial Times UK, 3/12/07

Research update 12/19/07

Recapping Articles from MADD

Virginia Panel OKs aggravated DUI law, interlocks
Hoping to rid West Virginia highways of killer drunken drivers, a legislative panel Monday agreed to create a new aggravated DUI law for motorists blowing as much as .15 in blood alcohol tests.
Mannix Porterfield, Register Herald, 12/10/07

A Starring Role for Drivers Who Drink
Arizona website StopDUIAZ.com shows convicted drunken drivers mug shots. Billboards in Phoenix to show "Drive drunk, see your mug shot here."
Jennifer Steinhauer, New York Times, 12/10/07

Thwarting drivers who drink gets jump-start
Breath analyzers preventing drunks from starting their cars could give false positives for smoking, eating chilies or having stomach gas.
Joe Delka, Omaha World-Herald, 12/3/07

Senator expects DUI outline this month
Months of poring over West Virginia's laws against drunken driving and examining the burgeoning field of technology to deal with one of the nation's leading social ills could lead to some definite ideas of combating impaired motorists.
Mannix Porterfield, Register-Herald, Beckley, WV, 12/02/07

Top state lawmaker accused of driving drunk in Gaithersburg
Maryland's House of Delegates' majority leader arrested for drinking and driving, according
Patricia M. Murrel, Maryland Gazette, 11/30/07

Manchin looking at interlocks, DUI law
An aggravated drunken driving crime that raises punishment in proportion to the blood alcohol content, and mandatory interlocks for first-time offenders are being examined
Mannix Porterfield, Register Herald, 11/26/07

Bills aimed at increased drunken-driving penalt
The penalty limits for serial drunken drivers has been considered "a problem" by prosecutors and police for several years
Mark Pitsch, Wisconsin State Journal, 11/25/07

DWI charge filed against Graham
A Columbia Democrat was arrested Oct. 20 after a minor accident near his home.
News Tribune, 11/23/07

Chronic DWI offender questions plea deals
Judge throws out 1991 Municipal Court conviction; other drunken-driving offenses stand against ten-time offender
Natalie Storey, Santa Fe New Mexican, 11/22/07

MADD praises NM state's effort to cut DWI
The report looks at the driving-while-intoxicated fatalities in each state and whether that state has sobriety checkpoints and ignition interlock laws. (Hawai'i ranks 48th)
Santa Fe New Mexican, 11/20/07

State eyes device to keep drunken drivers off road
The interlock device, similar to a breathalyzer, requires the driver to submit a breath sample before the vehicle can start, and prevents anyone from driving the vehicle if their blood-alcohol content is at a preset level
Bob Lowry, Huntsville Times, 11/16/007

Indiana school bus driver faces felony DWI charges
A former school bus driver will stand trial on felony drunken driving charges that could send her to prison for three years
Associated Press, Journal Gazette, 11/5/07

Solicitor, governor advocate tougher DUI law
Gowdy calls Hutto plan to hiremore troopers misguided. Gowdy has repeatedly said the law is so convoluted that it's easier to prosecute a death-penalty case than it is to try a DUI case in magistrate court.
Robert W. Dalton, Spartanburg Herald Journal, 11/1/07

Profits hurt DUI reform, SC governor charges
Gov. Mark Sanford and Solicitor Trey Gowdy of Spartanburg pushed for passage of a DUI bill Wednesday and accused some lawmakers of profiting from the current DUI law.
Tim smith, Greenville News, 11/1/07

Detroit Judge's ruling hampers DUI law
Prosecutors in his county could go back only 10 years to find prior impaired and drunken driving convictions to charge repeat offenders as felons, exposing them to stiffer penalties. Under Heidi's Law, prosecutors could go back indefinitely.
avid Ashenfelter, Detroit Free Press, 11/1/07

Life in prison possible for Missouri man convicted of DWI
A western Missouri man convicted of drunken driving could face life in prison under a law targeting repeat DWI offenders.
News Tribune, 10/25/07

Safe roads crusader arrested for DUI
A staunch South Dakota spokesman against drunken driving is arrested for driving under the influence.
Jon Walker, Argus Leader, 10/25/07

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

Research update 11/21/07

Black Voters Key to CATS' Big Win
African American voters were a key factor behind the landslide support for a half-cent sales tax for mass transit
Leigh Dyer, Charlotte Observer 11/20/0707

Chicago Gov. Blagojevich orders special session to fix transit funding
Wants to redirect gas tax funds directly to transit agencies
David Mendell , Tribune staff reporter 11/20/07

Do we buy ethanol (in Minnesota) because we have to?
Consumer interest is beside the point here. No study has been done on consumer preference.
Sea Strachura, Minnesota Public Radio, 11/20/07

Chicago Special session planned on transit crisis
Union walkout threatened, over 100 routes to be cut, fare hikes. $300 million shortfall for Pace, Metra and CTA. Governor opposes statewide tax increases for regional problem. New gambling casinos urged to fund roads and schools.
David Mendell, Chicago Tribune, 11/20/07

Salem project to open I-5 bottleneck
Six-lane I-5 north to Portland. 7 bridges replaced, one repaired, $68.1 million project financed through federal and state grants and bonds paid for by higher truck taxes, driver and vehicle fees.
Peter Wong, Statesman Journal, 11/20/2007

Bob Lutz, the Chevy Volt and the Easter Bunny
GM's Lutz says that the feasibility of the plug-in hybrid technology will be proven bynext Easter and rivals will have eggs on their face
Bradley Berman, Business Week, 11/19/07

How to cope with Paris train strike
Put on your most comfortable walking shoes, buy a day or week pass for the city's communal bike rental scheme, the Velib, on one of the docking stations you will find at every street corner and plan to eat in your friendly neighborhood bistro rather than a fancy place across town
International Herald Tribune, 11/15/07

French strike brings travel chaos
France has suffered travel chaos after transport and energy workers broadened a strike in protest against President Nicolas Sarkozy's pension reform.
BBC News, 11/14/07

The Anti-Car Movement in Britain
British auto drivers pay something like $4 in auto-related taxes for every dollar that the government spends on highways. Meanwhile, the government is doing much to discourage auto driving
Malcolm Heymer, Association of British Drivers, 11/11/07

Summary of San Francisco Bay Area Transit
San Jose transit system has worst operating statistics of any major American transit operator. Willing to destroy existing transit system, ignores riders who depend on it.
Thomas A. Rubin, 11/10/07

Tax supporters, foes surprised by margin of victory
A 70% approval of half-cent rail, bus and school sales tax in North Carolina
Steve Harrison, Charlotte Observer, 11/7/07

Other states watching to see how Texas pays for roads
Across the country, existing highways are growing more costly to maintain as they age, even as population growth increases pressure for new roads and added lanes. Construction costs have soared 62 percent over the past five years in Texas, for instance and massive building campaigns in China and India gobble up raw materials.
Michael A. Lindenberger, Dallas Morning News, 11/4/07

A bumpy road for Santiago's transit overhaul
Bus reconfiguration to feed rail in Chile causes huge dissatisfaction. Many people cannot even mention its name -- Transantiago -- without rolling their eyes and mumbling in disgust. It is the focus of the country's largest class-action lawsuit.
Minneapolis Star Tribune, 11/17/07

Railing against the Bahn: Strike halts regional and local trains throughout Germany
Hundreds of thousands of commuters and tourists stranded. Labor dispute over 31 percent wage increase and union's tariffs with passenger rail and logistics company.
Spiegel International, 10/5/07

Milwaukee Commuter rail plan may face 2-year delay
After defeat of a $13 rental car tax increase, plans for a Milwaukee-area commuter rail line could be put on hold for a year or two - meaning trains would not be available during much of reconstruction work on parallel stretch of I-94.
Larry Sandler, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 11/16/07

Texas Transportation Department plans major cutbacks
Agency says federal cuts, lagging revenue provide barely enough cash to keep current projects going
Ben Wear, American Statesman, 11/16/07

Will Washington State be next to target real congestion reductions?
WA DOT conducted large scale studies on how to reduce congestion by better managing traffic flow and get needed funds from tolling and value pricing. Governor not signed on, business as usual.
Reason Surface Transportation Innovations Brief #49, Nov 2007

Reporter finds I-355 commute easy
Shaved 30 minutes off 24.8 mile commute. Afternoon traffic at or above 54,000 daily commuters on Illinois interstate.
Justin Kmitch, Daily Herald, 11/15/07

New tollway promises major changes
Chicago --I-355 extension should get 54,000 daily riders. Cuts commute times by 20 percent, to expand pace of development along route.
Jack Komperda, Daily Herald, 11/11/07

Audit finds ways for Washington State DOT to save $4.5 million a year
Standardize and centralize staff functions, tighten cash handling. Needs reliable review of payments to contractors. 6500 employees with $5.9 billion bi-annual budget.
Seattle Post Independence, 11/15/2007

Next Wisconsin road work tab $1.9 billion
Freeway project would expand I-94 to eight lanes from airport to state line
Tom Held, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 1/15/07

Colorado Panel: Raise taxes for road repairs
$1.5 billion a year to fund 30 years of rail and road work in Colorado.
Kevin Flynn, Rocky Mountain News, 11/16/07

Drivers on Maine Turnpike to pay toll without slowing down
Officials decide the plaza in New Gloucester will get the region's first highway-speed lanes for E-ZPass users.
Tess Nacelewicz, Maine Today, 11/16/07

Drive more, pay more urged in pilot program
Colorado governor urges pay-as- you-go Vehicle Miles Travel tax instead of gas tax hike.
Kevin Flynn, Rocky Mountain News, 11/16/07

TriMet promises fresh eye on crime
The transit agency admits failure to recognize crime issue: 84% of gang crimes, 40% of fights, 42% of drug rimes occur within quarter mile of MAX tracks.
Dylan Rivera, Brad Schmedt, Oregonian, 11/14/07

California Transit projects hitting speed bumps
Bond funding delays put some plans on hold
Ed Mendel, San Diego Union Tribune, 11/14/07

Strike threat adds to transit impasse in Chicago
Union walkouts to shut down buses and trains in Chicago in 2008 if taxes aren't raised.
Joseph Ryan, Daily Herald, 11/16/07

Transit workers mulling job action over funding crisis
Transit workers are considering a bold labor move, such as a strike, that would send a dramatic message to state lawmakers who have been unable to help solve a funding crisis.
Lorene Yue, Chicago Business News, 11/15/07

University of Delaware forum brainstorms transportation ideas
Transportation officials, engineers, contractors, planners and academics came together Wednesday to brainstorm ways to meet the challenges of an ever more strained transportation system.
Summer Harlow, Wilmington News Journal, 11/15/07

Partnerships to bring change in transportation
US DOT secretary says raising gas tax won't solve transportation problems
John Greiner, Oklahoma News, 11/14/07

No licenses for illegals
U.S. Sen. John Barrasso introduced legislation Tuesday that would discourage states from issuing driver's licenses to illegal immigrants by withholding 10 percent of their federal highway funds.
Whitney Royster, Casper Star Tribune, 11/14/07

California fighting global warming with technology, greenbacks
California is leading the way in the fight against global warming as its investors have poured hundreds of millions of dollars into green technology companies and its citizens have cut per-capita emissions of greenhouse gases by nearly 10 percent in recent years.
David R. Baker, SF Chronicle, 11/14/07

Colorado cities may get highway duties
GOP lawmakers plan also would give local governments more funds, but critics say the state should keep up its own roads
Jennifer Brown, Denver Post, Nov 13, 07

Tolls on other highways could pay for 520 Bridge in Seattle
This grim reality of the 520 Bridge means work to replace must forge ahead, even when no one knows how to pay the $4.4 billion price tag. Everything is on the table, including adding tolls to roads besides 520.
Molly Shen, KOMOTV, 11/13/07

Ohio DOT getting mixed message on signboard
Electronic sign boards info often not current, irrelevant and overused for routine things. Use instead for crashes, traffic back-up and other emergencies.
Tim Doulin, Columbus Dispatch, 11/13/07

Illinois parents get a peek at kid's driving records in January
Parents can access teen driving records through Secretary of State office.
Kurt Erickson, Quad-City Times, November 14, 2007

Steering teens away from texting while at the wheel
Colorado's teenage drivers almost unanimously believe that text-messaging while driving is dangerous, yet more than half of them do it on a regular basis, according to a recent survey.
Mike McPhee, Denver Post, 11/14/07

Speed Speed kills -and we are all at risk
Finding speeders and bad drivers on Rhode Island roads is like fishing in a well-stocked pond.
Amanda Milovits, Providence Journal, 11/14/07

Crackdown on speeding starts
Speed is the leading cause of traffic fatalities and collisions in the state of North Carolina
News & Observer, 11/13/07

'A constant reminder'
Teenagers use cellular phones while driving, lead to fatal crashes.
Lisa Bisbee, Wyoming Star Tribune, 11/13/07

GOP drives potential change in road funding
Republican lawmakers want to take money from auto-related sales and dedicate it to transportation costs.
Charles Ashby, Pueblo Chieftain, 11/13/07

Voters on both sides sack roads, transit measure in Seattle
Only one county supported measure. Anti-tax sentiment was factor even with users who would directly benefit.
Daniel Lathrop, Chris McGann, Seattle Post Independent, 11/12/07

Bay area route dispute threatens California high-speed rail line
The state board that is planning California's 700-mile high-speed rail system is facing a politically sensitive route decision that could make or break the $40 billion project.
Steve Lawrence, Associated Press, 11/12/07

Goal of summit is 'zero fatalities' on Utah roadways
More can be done to educate the public about poor driving behaviors. More also can be done to enforce illegal actions such as driving while drunk, talking on a cell phone and speeding.
Nicole Warburton, Desert Morning News, 11/11/07

Millions for state's roads, bridges
Congress' $105.6 billion transportation and housing bill to give PA million of extra money for road and bridge projects.
Pittsburgh Tribune Review, 11/10/07

Attempt to block I-80 tolls cut
Two Pennsylvania Congressmen failed to pass an amendment that would have blocked state officials from tolling Interstate 80.
The Tribune-Review, 11/9/07

Attempt to block I-80 tolls cut
Two Pennsylvania Congressmen failed to pass an amendment that would have blocked state officials from tolling Interstate 80.
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, 11/9/07

Dallas traffic eased with opening of highway HOV projects
Be patient, rush-hour commuters: Those unused carpool lanes you see on highway medians throughout the Dallas area will soon be useful for more than just collecting weeds, soda cans and busted tire treads.
Theodore Kim, Dallas Morning News, 11/8/07

Ballot defeat puts lawmakers in spin over 520 Bridge
The roads-and-transit ballot measure may be dead, but one of its star projects, a new Evergreen Point Bridge, has state officials scrambling to salvage the $4.4 billion needed for the Seattle project.
Larry Lange, Debera Carlton Harrell, Seattle Post Independent, 11/8/07

Huge roads-transit plan gets trounced
Voters rejected a multibillion-dollar regional roads-and-transit package, likely leaving state lawmakers with a transportation mess that could take years to sort out.
Andrew Garber, Seattle Times, 11/7/07

Highway director: No projects without more funds
Transportation officials in Oklahoma say they aren't writing their eight-year highway plan until they know money will be rolling in.
Jaclyn Houghton, Mineral Wells, 11/5/07

2007 election: Lessons learned
Voters in 3 states rejected governors' pet projects, big ticket funding items for roads research put on as debt.
Stateline, 11/4/07

Babcock to drive profits on Thai road
Australia's second largest investment bank, Babcock and Brown Ltd (B&B), plans to make its first significant investment in Asian infrastructure by purchasing a stake in a Thai toll road.
Brisbane Times 10/22/07

Highway to somewhere
Brazil auctioned contract to maintain 1600 miles of roads.  Spanish company OHL won five of 7 contracts, to invest $1.6 billion to $$2.2 billion) over the next 5 years on toll roads running from Sao Paulo north to Belo Horizonte and south to Curitiba and Florianopolis.  Winning bidders offered to charge the lowest tolls over the 25 year life of the contracts.
The Economist, 10/18/07

Study Gives Alternatives To New York City Plan For Traffic
Keep NYC Congestion Tax Free: Better measures suggested to achieve same level of traffic relief as Mayor Bloomberg's congestion pricing plan.
William Neuman, New York Times, 10/12/07

Frittering away road money
Yes, we have a road funding problem - because Congress has mismanaged our highway money for 25 years.
Ernest Istook, Heritage Foundation, 10/1/07

Getting Up to Speed
A Case for Bus Rapid Transit and Transit-Oriented Development in the Tappan Zee Bridge/I-287 Corridor
Stephen Higashide, October 2007

U.S. Infrastructure Needs Overhaul
For years, a small group of civic, political and corporate leaders have called for an increased federal role to improve, modernize and maintain infrastructure. They have largely gone unheeded.
Forbes, 8/15/07

Research update 11/1/07

Street Smart
Competition, Entrepreneurship and the future of roads
Edited by Gabriel Roth, forward by Mary E. Peters

California's High-Speed Train Project Should Be Derailed
Overstating ridership figures and understating costs doesn't make it a good idea
Adam B. Summers , Reason Foundation 10/30/07

Reimagining the Automobile Industry by selling the Electricity,
A Silicon Valley technologist who was in competition to become chief executive of SAP, one of the world s largest software companies, has re-emerged with a grand plan to reinvent the world s automobile industry around battery-powered all-electric cars.
John Markoff , New York Times 10/29/07

DOT: Some concrete substandard
Four decades of RI DOT ignoring rules for ensuring high-quality concrete.
Bruce Landis, 10/28/07

State of NJ defends secrecy of report on toll roads
A consultant's report analyzing how the state can generate more money off highways -- possibly by increasing tolls -- must stay private because it's incomplete, Governor Corzine's administration argues in court
Tom Hester Jr., A.P., 10/27/07

Official pushes for L.A. toll lanes
To reduce traffic congestion, the Los Angeles area needs to experiment with charging motorists to drive in special freeway lanes during peak periods, a Bush administration official told the Metropolitan Transportation Authority board Thursday.
Jeffrey L. Rabin, Los Angeles Times 10/26/07

After tragedy, political resolve collapses
While construction of a new bridge has already begun, the lingering political mess could derail $200 million in other transportation projects. Minnesota LGs management of DOT has a  $17 billion backlog of bridge and road repairs.
Eric Kelderman, Stateline.org 10/26/07

HIGHWAY FINANCE: Private toll roads proposed
Panel told I-15 toll lanes could fund highway construction
Ed Vogel, Las Vegas Review Journal, 10/26/07

Transport panel aims high in ideas for raising revenue
Raise $2 billion a year fixing CO highways: avg $100 a year increase auto registration fee, double 22-cents-a-gallon state gas tax, daily hotel room and rental car fee of $6, state sales tax increase of 0.55 cents and 2 percent increase in natural resources severance tax. Tax increases must be voter-approved.
Kevin Flynn, Rocky Mountain News, 10/26/07

It's full speed ahead on the Ryan
New lanes rid bottleneck... Although the Ryan Expressway finished ahead of schedule, its cost nearly doubled, to $975 million from $550 million, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation.
Ryan Haggerty and Jeremy Gorner, Tribune 10/26/07

New system may save lives on rural roads
An electronic system that gives people warning that there are vehicles approaching from the other direction...
Karla Hult, KARE 11 News, 10/25/07

Public Transit Program Funding Issues in Surface Transportation Reauthorization
Key Policy Considerations for Surface Transportation Investment Needs
Congressional testimony of Robert Puentes, Brookings Institution, 10/25/07

Public Not So Fast!
Key Policy Considerations for Surface Transportation Investment Needs
Congressional testimony of Robert Puentes, Brookings Institution, 10/25/07

The Chinatown express
In a testament to the power of the invisible hand, the rough-and-tumble success of the Chinese bus lines is attracting new competitors, and the industry is becoming less dodgy in the process.
The Economist, 10/25/07

Nevada toll road discussion renewed
Toll proposal resurrected to help reduce huge funding shortfall for Nevada.
BRENDAN RILEY, Associated Press 10/25/07

Metra fares may jump 30% by '10
Chicago Sunday service might be cut, no longer serving typical 43,3000 Sunday riders. $40 million deficit in 2008.
By Richard Wronski ,Tribune, 10/25/07

DOT praised, razzed on reforms, legislators are happy to see the DOT admit to problems but want solid proof of progress
Two NC DOT officials told committee members that the department will speed its work on road projects by breaking down a "silo mentality" that keeps parts of the agency from working smoothly together.
Bruce Siceloff, North Carolina News Observer, 10/24/07

Maine Turnpike authority scraps toll study
$2.2 billion funding shortfall, study on tolling existing freeways ousted.
Tess Nacelewica, Portland Press 10/24/07

Toll Roads to the Rescue
Thanks to recent advances in technology, road users can be charged electronically without having to stop their vehicles, and charges can be varied from place to place and time to time as traffic conditions change.
Gabriel Roth, The Independent Institute, 10/24/07

Loans to fix roads begin
Pennsylvania Turnpike borrows $532 million against tolls
Joe Grata, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 10/22/07

Tunnelling north
Largest road construction project in NZ, Northern Motorway Extension to open late 2008, 7.5 km NZ $360 million, to reduce traffic congestion between Orewa and Puhoi.
Cliff Taylor, NZ Herald, 10/21/07

New MIG chief to lead foreign push
Australia s MacQuarie Infrastructure Group (MIG) promotes new CEO to boost chances for North America, Europe and Australia toll projects.  At least 16 US states are either actively proposing or considering selling toll roads to pay for badly needed infrastructure improvements. Seventy US projects with $104 billion at stake.  
Danny John, 10/20/07

Highway to somewhere, Brazil, the private sector revs up its bulldozers
Brazil actions for private companies to improve and maintain 1,600 miles of roads.  Winning bidders offered to charge lowest tolls over 25-year life of contracts.
The Economist, 10/18/07

Who Really Owns the Roads?
Despite opposition, need for capital for infrastructure from private sector is huge, and taxpayers balk at raising taxes.
Barbara Kiviat, Time CNN,10/18/07

New study shows traffic congest costs the state billions each  year
Traffic congestion in the Baltimore and Washington areas costs Maryland citizens $3.1 billion annually, according to a new study.
Kate Prahlad, Capital News Service, 10/17/07

US DOT secretary remarks to Portland Business Alliance
[W]e can substantially reduce traffic congestion  and that we can do it in most cases in a matter of months.  Shifting trip time of five-to-10 percent of people on a rush-hour highway can largely solve the congestion problem.  New data shows that almost half of the people on a rush-hour highway are not taking work trips, and almost a quarter are retired.
Portland, OR 10/15/07

Going Nowhere: the Dimensions of the Transportation Problem in the U.S.
Dimensions of the Transportation Problem in the U.S.
Robert Puentes, Brookings Institution, 10/15/07

Washington State Auditor Performance Audit Report
DOT and Legislature should follow citizens 80% rating of congestion as transportation priority
Washington State Auditor Brian Sonntag, CGFM 10/10/07

Urban Transport And Economic Growth
The relationship between better urban mobility and economic growth
Presentation to Inter-American Development Bank, Demographia, 10/08/07

Frittering away road money
Commentary suggests the right step toward fixing our roads and bridges is to fix our priorities.
Ernest Istook, Washington Times, 10/1/07

Future Mobility In Georgia
Georgia faces a $51 billion shortfall through the year 2035 in funding for needed road, highway and bridge repairs and improvements.
TRIP October 2007

Public Transit Program Funding Issues in Surface Transportation Reauthorization
Without an increase in the federal fuels tax, the use of other dedicated revenue mechanisms, or more money from the general fund, federal funding available to support both highways and transit will slow in the short term, and may decline in the medium term.
Congressional Research Service Report, 9/27/07

Reduce Traffic Congestion, but Keep Out Government
How much worse does traffic have to get before we abandon our Soviet-style approach to highway transportation and allow road users to get the roads they re willing to pay for?
Gabriel Roth, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 9/24/2007

Research update 11/7/07

Demography and its Impact on Transportation Services
Boomers over-45 drive less, use public transit least, school students use transit most, silvers bad eyesight, need better road signs.
NTOC

Still split on [Chicago] transit tax as 'doomsday' approaches
Both a looming transit meltdown and the suburban sales tax increase designed to avert it have put the political spotlight on area lawmakers who may well decide which scenario occurs.
John Patterson, Daily Herald, 11/1/07

Health Care for Bridges: A Search for Diagnostic Tools
A $900k project for bridge readings, 60 wireless sensors measure movement, strain, temperature, to judge structural health.
M.L. Wald, NY Times, 11/1/07

Police to ride MAX in Gresham
City statistics show 84% of gang crimes, 40% of fights and 42% of drug crimes occur within quarter mile of tracks. "The transit system reflects the community it travels through. They have a lot of poverty, unemployment and gang issues, and occasionally that will come onto the train system." - Trimet official. Police say many criminals commuting in from other areas.
Casey Parks, The Oregonian, 11/03/07

L.A. subway plans take a radical shift
A new route along Santa Monica Boulevard is considered instead of the Wilshire corridor, bypassing the Miracle Mile and Hancock Park.
Rong-Gong Lin II, 11/3/07

DelDOT team reconstructs four-fatality crash with eye to road's safety
Accident reconstruction team reviews road design and engineering at all fatal collisions. DE one of handful of states with such teams.
Summer Harlow, News Journal Wilimington Delaware, 11/2/07

Life in the Slow Lane
Cashless tollways nationally and internationally.
Robert W. Poole, Jr., Wall Street Journal, 11/1/07

Hogging the Road
How a company called Traffic.com landed an exclusive government contract worth millions to gather data on the nation's highways - and then sold the information back to us,
James Ridgeway, Mother Jones, 11/1/07

Awaiting Voters' Verdict on Road Plan
Challenger to Rep. Rust who steered plan to add hundreds of millions a year for transportation statewide and high fines on traffic violations.
Michael Laris, Washington Post, 11/1/ 07

Boost In Amtrak Use Could Spur Big Illinois Expansion
Riders between Chicago and St. Louis rose 42%, and 46% jump on Chicago-Carbondale corridor. High gas prices, road congestion and a $24 million subsidy to add additional trains on those routes.
Kurt Erickson, Southern Springfield, 11/1/07

Bus rides now a tough ticket
Rhode Island Bus ridership increased over past 5 years.  No money to increase fleet and address overcrowding.
Bruce Landis, Rhode Island Journal, 11/1/07

DOT chief: We've been on a bender
New Hampshire is like an alcoholic drunk on highway expansion, said interim Commissioner Charles O'Leary. He painted a bleak picture for future road projects in the state.
Gary Raynor, New Hampshire Union Leader, 11/1/07

Workers slam N.C. DOT in surveys
Upper managers change priorities, sometimes daily. Projects drift for years, low-level workers fear political retribution if they express new ideas, better leadership could shave years off the time it takes to finish major projects.
Benjamin Niolet, North Carolina News Observer, 11/1/07

Maryland Tax plan changes urged
Object to sales tax on real estate management services, call for sunset to governor's proposal for small increases in gas tax without legislative approval.
James Drew, Baltimore Sun, 11/1/07

Let them drive
The governor's immigration policy causes road rage in New York. Up to 1 million undocumented illegal immigrants could get licenses. Article compares states' licensing policies.
The Economist, 10/25/07

Tired solutions to transit budget woes
Chicago politicians are sending a loud a clear message to taxpayers, businesses and entrepreneurs: We will tax you right out of business! [N]ot a single mention of reducing spending, identifying waste, fraud and abuse or injecting some transparency into the process to trim the fat.
Greg Blankenship, Illinois Policy Institute, 10/8/07

A Review of the Transportation Prioritization Process (UT)
Bias for rail projects over road projects due to calculation errors in prioritization process to allocate sales and use tax revenues.
Utah Legislative Auditor General Report ILR 2007-F, 10/4/07

Eco-friendly Road Construction
Old Tires Keep On Rolling - Keeping Pavements Well Toned - Finding Strength in Ashes
CTR, Univ Texas at Austin, May 2006

Value Pricing Project Quarterly Report
Tolls, Hov Lanes to Hot Lanes, Cordons, Vehicle Charges
US. Dept of Transportation, July - September 2007

NTSB Report on July 2006 Big Dig Tunnel Ceiling Collapse, Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff.
The National Transportation Safety Board partly blamed the accident on mistakes made by Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff.
Federal Contractor Misconduct Database, 7/10/2007

S. 294, The Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2007
S. 294 would reauthorize Amtrak. Estimated to cost $93.61 per average family.
WashingtonWatch.com

Research update 10/24/07

Reports

UnlivableStrategies:The Greater Vancouver Regional District and the Livable Region Strategic Plan
The plan contained serious flaws that are actually making the region less livable each year. The region's leaders could have focused on reducing the impacts of growth through technical solutions, such as controlling auto emissions, and through user fees for housing, transportation, and other choices.
Randal O'Toole, Fraser Institute, Public Policy Source No. 88, Oct 2007

Do you know the way to L.A.?
San Jose shows how to turn an urban area into Los Angeles in three stressful decades. Transportation planning has allowed transit agencies to hijack tax revenues that were originally dedicated to highways so they can build rail empires that will do little or nothing to relieve congestion.
Randal O'Toole, Cato Policy Analysis no. 602, Oct 17, 2007

Highway Subsidies 2004
Is our road and highway system fully paid for by its users, or is it the beneficiary of huge government subsidies?
Albert John Mallinckrodt, Rev 6, Sep 2, 2007

Are HOT lanes equitable?
Research on lanes across nation show drivers with different levels of income use HOT lanes.
Center for Transportation Studies, Univ MN, June 2005

Bay Area High Occupancy/Toll (HOT) Network Study
HOT lanes can be implemented to ensure priority for buses and carpools. A regional network of HOT lanes could provide funding to complete the priority network decades sooner than possible usingtraditional state and federal funding sources. HOT lanes benefits: improve reliability, reduce travel time, accessible to all impacted travelers.
Metropolitan Transportation Commission in cooperation with Caltrans, Consultant assistance by PB Americas, Inc. and ECONorthwest, Sep 2007

Regional HOT lanes Network Feasibility Study
Converting HOV lanes to HOT lanes and using today's HOV occupancy requirements is forecasted to have little effect on overall network VMT. However, this conversion reduces VMT in general purpose lanes by approximately 10%, increases VMT (and usage) of the HOV lanes by 55% to 74% depending upon horizon year (2030 or 2015).
Metropolitan Transportation Commission and CA DOT, Prepared by PB with ECONorthwest, Feb 8, 2007

HOT lanes: A better way to attack urban highway congestion
High-occupancy toll lanes benefit all highway users, not just the affluent.
Robert W. Poole, Jr. and C. Kenneth Orski, Cato, Regulation, Vol. 23, No. 1

Articles

Increasing Passenger Rail Service Could Make Traffic Even Congestion Worse
Passenger trains do not reduce traffic congestion. In fact, a material expansion of passenger train service could increase traffic congestion and impose economic losses.
Wendell Cox, Heartland Institute, Budget & Tax News, Nov 2007

Not so fast: Key policy considerations for financing transportation
Current conversations around finance and revenue distribution dominate the discussion about transportation in the U.S. today. These concerns are so prevalent today that they spawned not one but two national commissions to investigate how the nation should approach the issue of funding transportation over the long term.
Robert Puentes, Brookings, Oct 23, 07

Taming traffic all a matter of timing
In Virginia, Route 2 signals adjusted for better traffic flow
Kelly Hannon, Free Lance Star (Fredericksburg), Oct 23, 07

Neither renewable nor reliable
Increased dependence on ethanol would place the United States at the mercy of a highly volatile energy source
James Eaves, Stephen Eaves, CATO on Regulation, Fall 2007

Rail cheaper for commuters, study says, but fares wouldn't cover costs; subsidies needed, experts warn,
A new cost study shows people commuting would save a substantial amount of money if they chose to leave their cars at home and use a proposed commuter rail line.But the financial analysis also shows that, like existing commuter rail lines around the country, fares wouldn't cover the operation costs
John Mulcahy, Oct 21, 07

State budgets tenuous heading into '08
States awash in surpluses for the past two years are now treading water, with several desperately looking for lifelines to help them get out of budget trouble.
Pamela M. Prah, Stateline, Oct 10, 07

Re-vote coming on transit funds
After two days of scathing critiques from the Legislature, Utah Salt Lake County officials said they will vote in November on whether a sales tax hike that has been promised to transit should instead go to roads.
Nicole Warburton, Deseret Morning News, Oct 19, 07

Prop. 1 no cure for commute in NW
Opponents say it's ridiculous to spend that kind of money on a transportation plan that fails to make significant headway on the region's most critical transportation problem.
Gregory Roberts, Seattle PI, Oct 19, 07

Push for public transit spreads across Arizona
Traffic problems no longer limited to biggest cities. Phoenix and Tucson aren't the only Arizona cities betting new transit systems will slow the rising tide of traffic. Many of the state's rural communities are studying how to set up bus, van or trolley systems to handle the growing number of vehicles on their roads.
Glen Creno, Arizona Republic, Oct 19, 07

Lawsuit seeks to halt I-73 construction in Virginia
Interstate to run from Michigan, Ohio, W. Virginia, Virginia, to Carolinas. I-73 is No. 5 on the U.S. Department of Transportation's list of top priority roads.
Terry Ward, South Carolina Now, Oct 17, 07

Washington Metro needs Reform, not a Federal Bailout
This bill would do little more than reward poor performance with unprecedented taxpayer bailout. Congress should force fundamental market-based reforms on Metro by linking the continuation of the system's existing federal subsidies to reductions in operating costs, improvements in service, and an aggressive program of competitive contracting similar to the successful reforms implemented elsewhere
Ronald D. Utt, Heritage, Oct 16, 07

New multi-million dollar plan to get L.A. traffic moving
In hopes of improving traffic flow and reducing vehicle pollution, local officials announced a $150 million effort to synchronize traffic signals across L.A.
Miriam Hernandez, Oct 16, 07, KABC-TV

Traffic Congestion: A solvable problem
More creative use of existing highways and rights-of-way can help us build our way out of gridlock.
Peter Samuels, Reason, Jan 1999

Research update 10/17/07

Reports

Beyond the Automobile?
There is growing international consensus that the world needs a successor to the motor car.
Sir Peter Hall, UC Berkeley, Spring 2007

Restoring Regional Equity to the Federal Highway Trust Fund
Among the many flaws in the federal highway and transit program are the pervasive regional inequities in the way that federal highway spending is distributed among the 50 states
Ronald D. Utt, Ph.D., Heritage Foundation, 10/9/07

Review of Congressional Earmarks within Department of Transportation Programs
1,150% increase in earmarks from 167 ($789 Million) to 2,094 ($3.27 billion), 1996 to 2005
DOT Report # AV-2007-066, Office of the Inspector General, 9/07/07

Tolling and Public-Private Partnerships in Texas
Before Metrorail is extended to Dulles International Airport, Metro board members should find out the true cost of deferred maintenance on the existing 103-mile system.
Robert W. Poole, Jr., Reason Foundation, May 2007

The Effects of Federal Transit Subsidy Policy on Investment Decisions
The Case of San Francisco's Geary Corridor. Federal transit subsidy policy provides financial incentives for local decision-makers to select capital-intensive investment option that may not be efficient or effective.
Jianling Li and Martin Wachs, Jul 19, 2003

HOT Lanes, Frequently Asked Questions
What they are, how the work, and the benefits.
Leonard Gilroy, Amy Pelletier, Reason Foundation, 2007

Videos

GRIDLOCK: Hell on Wheels
Drew Carey examines the costs and consequences of traffic jams and explores several solutions that can get our roads moving.
Reason Fdn., Oct 15, 2007

Urban Legend - Gridlock & Asphalt
Ted Balaker debunks the myth that "we can't build our way out of congestion." our roads moving.
Reason Fdn., Oct 15, 2007

Marty Stone, with Cliff Slater, on HOT Lanes
Tampa Expressway comparison to O'ahu
interviewby Malia Zimmerman, OLELO

Articles

L.A. gets $150 million to synchronize traffic lights
The state bond money will fund an effort that could cut drive times by 16% when completed in June 2011, city officials say
Duke Helfand, L.A. Times, October 17, 2007

Transportation secretary praises Bay Area congestion-relief plan
Bridge tolls, parking meters and traffic signals to combat congestion
Rachel Gordon, SF Chronicle, Oct 17, 07

Safety Board accuses Metro of neglect in January derailment
Failure to keep up with basic maintenance and refusal to take safety steps recommended for years by internal and external reviews were the likely causes of a Metro derailment
Lena H. Sun, Washington , October 17, 2007

Transportation group finds more bridges would solve traffic congestion
A study commissioned by Get Moving BC found Portland Oregon, with about half the population of the Lower Mainland, has 75% more bridge capacity.
Jim Goddard, News 1130 Vancouver BC, Oct 15, 2007

6 years, 14 miles, 1 smooth ride
Biggest road project in Iowa history will be remembered not just for the sleek, modern look of new bridges and wider traffic corridor, but also because construction went more smoothly than anyone expected.
William Petroski, DesMoines Register, Oct 14, 2007

BART gets rusty
Aging system lacks billions for infrastructure
Dennis Cuff, Contra Costa Times, Sep 28, 2007

Metro's hidden maintenance bills
Metro budget director Richard Harcum that the transit agency's annual maintenance budget was only 1 percent of the total value of the infrastructure, instead of the 3 percent needed to keep the system in shape. How long maintenance has been seriously underfunded is anybody's guess.
Washington DC Examiner, Oct 14, 2007

Reject Proposition 1
Proposition 1, the increase in sales tax and car tabs to pay for light rail and roads, should be defeated. It costs too much, it lasts too long and it does too little.
Seattle Times editorial, 10/14/07

Who should pay for highways?
Most say: Someone else
Cynthia Seawell, Idaho Statesman, Oct 13, 07

Engineers step up recruiting efforts
Engineers, needed to rebuild the nation's roads, bridges and sewers, could be hard to find unless more students start going into the field.
Lori Kurtzman, USA Today, Oct 11, 07

Washington State audit proposes adding tolls, lanes
$1.7 million transportation audit contains 20 recommendations, shows that DOT needs to focus on congestion as a primary goal.
Andrew Garber, Seattle Times, Oct 11, 07

Tolling the open road
Massachusetts considers charging by the mile for highway drivers
Noah Berman, Boston Globe, 10/7/07

Panel sees problems in ethanol production
Greater cultivation of crops to produce ethanol could harm water quality and leave some regions of the country with water shortages. Corn, the most widely grown fuel crop in the United States, might cause more damage per unit of energy than other plants, especially switchgrass and native grasses.
Cornelia Dean, NY Times, Oct 11, 07

Climate change bill may be a pipe dream
Cochran estimates that in order to avoid 'the tipping point,' where the damage to Earth's atmosphere may be irreversible, humans need to cut 80 percent of current levels of greenhouse gases by 2050 -- a goal that would be difficult to achieve even if major emitters like the United States started tomorrow.
Daniel W. Reilly, Sep 26, 2007, The Politico

Strike uncovers the real potential of telecommuting
For perhaps the first time it was demonstrated that telecommuting really is a valid alternative to more traditional forms of working and commuting
Trans Scan, Vol. 8, No. 2, June 2007

Capital Transit Project Rules would fund High Occupancy Toll Lanes
The FTA has issued a notice of proposed rule making for the New and Small Starts program that provides funding for major fixed guideway capital projects such as Light Rail, Heavy Rail, and Bus Rapid Transit. The proposed rules are alarming on a number of levels
The Overhead Wire, Sep 10, 2007

Traffic congestion costs Baltimore-DC region $3 billion per year
Roadway congestion in the Baltimore-Washington, D.C. region costs Maryland more than $3 billion per year
MD Chamber of Commerce News & Events, Sep 2007

Research update 10/10/07

Report urges goals for state transportation panel
Virginia's transportation agencies need to adopt goals that help citizens understand in plain language how their policies are improving mobility
Tom Holden, The Virginian-Pilot, 10/10/07

Final Report of the Virginia Transportation Accountability Commission
Virginia's transportation agencies need to adopt goals that help citizens understand in plain language how their policies are improving mobility
Transportation Accountability Commission, 10/10/07

Critics give new I-35W bridge design good marks
Although not finalized, the design is the result of a rushed rebuilding process known as 'design-build,' in which construction and design overlap each other.
Jason Hoppin, Pioneer Press, 10/10/07

Speakers argue for SD road funds
Some the benefits that can be derived from a road system involve safety, travel time, fuel savings and emissions reduction.
Gordo Weixel, Bismarck Tribune, 10/10/07

TxDOT knows where you went
Texas Department of Transportation wants to know, and a company it hired may have videotaped your license plate, then sent you a survey to find out. The survey is being done in the name of sound transportation planning.
Peggy Fikac, 10/10/07, 2007 Houston Chronicle Austin Bureau

Wanted: World Class Rail Transit
London's political leaders are worried that people don't consider it to be a world-class city without a rail transit line
The Antiplanner, 10/10/07

Boom fades as ethanol floods market
The growing pains of a young industry sting some ethanol producers; with plant capacity outstripping immediate demand, many expect profits to be depressed through next year.
MN Star Tribune, 10/09/07

Some worry Santa Fe Rail Runner issues not being addressed
Among the issues are noise, location of additional stations, traffic impacts and public safety.
Julie Ann Grimm, The New Mexican, 10/09/07

Is Ethanol the 'Energy Security' solution?
But is ethanol a truly renewable energy source, and is it more secure and dependable than oil? The answer to both of those questions, surprisingly, is no.
Eaves, Cato Institute, 10/08/07

Judge wants toll-road study explanations
A NJ Superior Court judge orders Corzine officials to appear in court to explain why they are keeping under wraps a study of the revenue-raising potential of three toll roads.
J. Donohue, Star Ledger, 10/05/07

Parking space tax?
In Chicago, officials are backing away from a sales tax hike and opening up to ideas like a property tax on parking spaces
J. Ryan, Daily Herald Staff, 10/05/07

Transport crunch thwarting grain sales
Colorado farmers scrambled to move the wheat to market. A market that now is flooded with grain. Much of the harvest is stuck in storage or on the ground, partly because of a shortage of rail cars and commercial carriers.
Erin Emery, Denver Post, 10/05/07

MN Highway budget headed for cash shortage
The state budget for highway construction and maintenance is on a track to run short of cash even if it gets all of the money authorized by the federal government to rebuild the Interstate 35W bridge
Pat Doyle, Star Tribune, 10/04/07

NM state is almost $500 million short of what's needed for highway and transportation projects
Funding shortfall threatens to delay road projects across the state while the $400 million Road Runner commuter rail service moves ahead without a slowdown.
B. Massey, AP, 10/4/07

NW Foes of road and transit measure contest informational mailing
A group [Sierra Club Cascade Chapter] opposes the $47 billion, three-county road and transit ballot measure on the November ballot
Seattle P.I., 10/04/07

Quiet pavement installation
The New Jersey Department of Transportation has spent $19 million for new, eco- friendly, quiet pavement.
Jeff Trently, The Times, 10/04/07

Chesterfield , Virginia, may require developers to pay more toward county roads
In the coming years, if homes were built on all 9,000 lots, the county would get about $52.4 million for road projects.
J. Walker, Richmond Times Dispatch, 10/04/07

Heartburn over roads: WA State fears $1.5B shortfall
Washington could fall about $1.5 billion short of what's needed to pay for state transportation projects over the next 16 years because drivers are expected to buy less gasoline than the state had forecast.
A. Garber, Seattle Times, 10/04/07

Managing Congestion Through Innovative Pricing and Financing
Innovative pricing and financing are commanding growing attention in transportation planning and engineering, many new proposals and projects are under development and potential exists for making a significant impact on congestion in critical locations of the U.S.
R.Kirby, NTOC, ITE 2007

Value Pricing Project Quarterly Report
National Projects and Costs for Highways
USDOT FHWA, Office of Operations, Apr-Jun 2007

In NY Traffic s Jam, Who s Driving May Be Surprising
It s a common enough thought among city drivers inching through traffic: Everyone around me came from the suburbs, making my life miserable. But it s wrong, because more than half the drivers who crowd into Manhattan each workday come from the five boroughs.
W. Neuman, NYT, 1/12/07

The Congestion Initiative: Working for Relief
Several factors are known to contribute to traffic congestion, as detailed by the Federal HIghway Administration. Bottlenecks are most signigicant factor.
USDOT FHWA, Oct 2007

Where Now on U.S. Toll Road Concessions?
Setbacks obscure several positive developments for tolling and long-term concessions across the nation
R. Poole, Reason Foundation, September 2007

Virtual Exclusive Busways
Improving Urban Transit while Relieving Traffic Congestion, a summary
R. Poole and T. Balaker, Reason Foundation, September 2005