Comments on: ‘The Concrete is Cracking’: Front-Loaded New Transport Bill Gains Steam http://dc.streetsblog.org/2009/11/06/the-concrete-is-cracking-front-loaded-new-transport-bill-gains-steam/ Your daily source for national transportation policy news and analysis. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 23:57:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Matt http://dc.streetsblog.org/2009/11/06/the-concrete-is-cracking-front-loaded-new-transport-bill-gains-steam/comment-page-1/#comment-88041 Matt Sat, 07 Nov 2009 03:43:29 +0000 http://dc.streetsblog.org/?p=46031#comment-88041 I'm not in the beltway but I think a new federal transportation bill would have a significant effect. The enhancement program came from Washington, and hasn't always enjoyed support from my delegation but the benefits are visible in almost every community. Giving the MPOs more control over the "flexible account" alone would create a more balanced transportation system and both feed and be fed by new urbanist developmnent. I’m not in the beltway but I think a new federal transportation bill would have a significant effect. The enhancement program came from Washington, and hasn’t always enjoyed support from my delegation but the benefits are visible in almost every community.

Giving the MPOs more control over the “flexible account” alone would create a more balanced transportation system and both feed and be fed by new urbanist developmnent.

]]> By: Jim M http://dc.streetsblog.org/2009/11/06/the-concrete-is-cracking-front-loaded-new-transport-bill-gains-steam/comment-page-1/#comment-88031 Jim M Sat, 07 Nov 2009 02:14:25 +0000 http://dc.streetsblog.org/?p=46031#comment-88031 Unless the process is streamlined as well as the categories, front-loading will be impossible. It takes twice as much time money to design and build a federal aid project as a locally-funded project. Unless the process is streamlined as well as the categories, front-loading will be impossible. It takes twice as much time money to design and build a federal aid project as a locally-funded project.

]]> By: Shemp http://dc.streetsblog.org/2009/11/06/the-concrete-is-cracking-front-loaded-new-transport-bill-gains-steam/comment-page-1/#comment-88021 Shemp Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:42:13 +0000 http://dc.streetsblog.org/?p=46031#comment-88021 This idea that federal legislation is a silver bullet that will "move the nation towards a more rational mix of transit and roads" is pretty tired and mostly a creature of inside-the-beltway transit types who work on federal legislation. The nation could move dramatically in that direction under the current law if the will and know-how existed in states and metro areas. Unless something a lot more directed than the Oberstar bill gets passed, the next federal transportation bill isn't going to usher the revolution. This idea that federal legislation is a silver bullet that will “move the nation towards a more rational mix of transit and roads” is pretty tired and mostly a creature of inside-the-beltway transit types who work on federal legislation. The nation could move dramatically in that direction under the current law if the will and know-how existed in states and metro areas. Unless something a lot more directed than the Oberstar bill gets passed, the next federal transportation bill isn’t going to usher the revolution.

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