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Gridlock: Why Panic is Overrated When Talking Transpo

Yesterday was the great debate and committee markup session for the House Transportation Bill. As expected, it was all about the posturing about priorities.

Those priorities, per the chief supporters, were highways. A provision revealed in markup yesterday showed that dedicated funding for transit would also disappear.

An amendment to restore enhancements and Safe Routes to Schools failed [...]

February 3rd, 2012 | Category: bicycle advocacy, bicycle laws, bicyclists, common sense, election, evaluation, federal funds, legislation, pedestrian access, politics, road construction, roadway design, roadway use, safe routes to schools, share the road, taxes, transportation options, urban planning | Leave a comment

Tuesday Transpo Bill Update!

Yeah, up the defcon level and shake your panic maker. Today’s the day the proposed Transpo Bill gets published.

Turns out it may be even worse than previously rumored.

A few points:

Transportation Enhancements become optional.
Safe Routes to Schools gets axed.
Eliminated bike/ped coordinators in state DOTs — while presumably, they could still be funded at the state level,it wouldn’t [...]

January 31st, 2012 | Category: bicycle advocacy, bicycle bridges, bicycle facilities, bicycle routes, bicycle safety, bicyclists, bike lanes, complete streets, election, evaluation, federal funds, league of american bicyclists, legislation, pedestrian access, politics, road construction, roadway design, roadway use, safe routes to schools, share the road, transportation options, urban planning | Leave a comment

A New Transportation Bill? Panic, Round 8,377,201

Next Thursday, February 2, the House Transportation Committee is expected to vote on the “American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act.” Note the propaganda-friendly naming. This is, in fact, intended to be the long-awaited multi-year transportation bill.

As usual, we are being asked to PANIC about it and contact appropriate representatives. The League is asking us to contact [...]

January 27th, 2012 | Category: bicycle advocacy, bicycle facilities, bicycle safety, bicyclists, bike education, election, federal funds, league of american bicyclists, legislation, minnesota, oregon, pedestrian access, politics, road construction, roadway design, roadway use, safe routes to schools, share the road, transportation options, urban planning | 2 comments

Senate Committee to Consider ‘Complete Streets’ Language Wednesday

This Wednesday, December 13, 2011, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation will consider an amendment offered by Alaska Senator Mark Begichto provide safe and adequate accommodations for all users in all federally-funded street projects.  The Amendment is S. 1950, “safety for motorized and nonmotorized users.”

You may recognize this language as a phrasing much like [...]

December 13th, 2011 | Category: bicycle advocacy, bicycle commuting, bicycle facilities, bicyclists, bike lanes, complete streets, election, encouragement, engineering, evaluation, federal funds, league of american bicyclists, legislation, minnesota, pedestrian access, politics, road construction, roadway design, roadway use, science, share the road, technology, transportation options, urban planning, washington | Comments are closed

Advocacy, the Gas Tax & Depression

I’ve been a little lax with updates recently. Part of it’s been being busy. Part of it is being depressed a little about the state of things.

I’ve discussed the current situation with the Transportation Bill previously. In an issue that is at once completely separate but entirely interlinked with the Transportation Bill, the federal gas tax [...]

August 15th, 2011 | Category: bicycle advocacy, bicyclists, common sense, damn lies, election, federal funds, jerks, legislation, minnesota, politics, taxes, transportation options, urban planning | 2 comments - (Comments are closed)

Transit & Minnesota’s Continued Budget Kerfuffle

As Minnesota rolls towards budget impasse and probable governmental shutdown, it’s interesting to make note of some of what’s been going down in regards to transit. The legislature has slashed Twin Cities transit funding, although it’s hard to say if that slashing survives in the governor’s office. This is an easy vote to make for many [...]

May 18th, 2011 | Category: common sense, election, engineering, evaluation, legislation, minnesota, politics, road construction, roadway design, roadway use, statistics, suburbs, survey, taxes, transportation options, urban planning | Comments are closed
 
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