Posts Tagged "featured"
U.S. communities step up, hoping a strong federal commitment to infrastructure will follow
As Congress is finally close to passing a transportation bill more than 953 days after it first expired, many places have charged ahead with transportation funding and construction and are taking steps to make those needed investments today. But will they be enough without the strong federal partner we’ve had for the last 50 years leading the way? That remains to be seen, according to this compelling new report from the Urban Land Institute
Graphic: A closer look at the Senate MAP-21 vote by state
As this map and graphic below amply demonstrates, the Senate’s transportation bill not only was developed with bipartisan input and adopted with votes from both parties, but it garnered support from every region of the country and from the reddest of “red” states, the bluest of blue, as well many others that trend purple. This is a noteworthy accomplishment in this Congress, and one that House leaders should take note of before dismissing HR 14 out of hand.
Senate reaches agreement on amendments, will begin debating transportation bill today
Just one day after a procedural vote failed, the Senate reached an agreement that will allow them to begin debating the MAP-21 transportation bill and start voting on amendments today (Thursday). A total of 30 amendments were agreed upon for debate and will be considered by the Senate. Learn more about the amendments and follow along with our handy amendment tracker.
Updated: Senate improves their bill with three key amendments, but crucial vote looms
Thanks in part to the drumbeat of tweets and messages and letters and phone calls from many of you, the Senate made some important changes last week to strengthen their two-year transportation bill. But with a March 31 deadline still looming for shutdown of all transportation programs without a new bill and a crucial vote scheduled for tomorrow (3/6) at noon, your Senators need to hear now that they must move this bill without delay.
Senate responds to massive support, adopts several important amendments into overall bill
After getting thousands of phone calls, letters and messages from constituents, mayors, city councilmembers, health and business groups and others spanning the spectrum, the Senate moved three key amendments into the overall Senate bill yesterday, including one that will give local communities more control over their transportation dollars. While there are other amendments that our coalition will continue to work on in the Senate, this is a huge victory and a terrific step forward for strengthening the MAP-21 bill.
Crucial amendment could improve Senate bill, restore local control and help make streets safer
The Senate’s transportation bill, MAP-21, goes farther than any recent transportation measure to devolve responsibility and funds down to the state level. An amendment to be debated this week would push that devolution even further – down to the local level — for a small pot of money that could make a big difference.
House committee ignores broad opposition, decimates transit funding anyway
Hours after receiving over 5,000 letters and phone calls and a letter signed by more than 600 groups from an unbelievably broad spectrum, the House Ways and Means Committee ignored that broad, bipartisan opposition and went full speed ahead with their unprecedented plan to kill dedicated transit funding — ending the historic guarantee for dedicated funding for public transportation, leaving millions of riders already faced with service cuts and fare increases out in the cold.
New Report Ranks Deficient Bridges by Metro Areas
This new report from T4 America ranks metropolitan areas on the condition of their bridges, and finds that more than 18,000 bridges in our largest metropolitan areas are rated “structurally deficient.” This new look at the bridge data from earlier in 2011 finds that just a quarter of deficient U.S. bridges, located in these 102 metropolitan areas over 500,000 people, carry 75 percent of all traffic crossing a deficient bridge each day.
President Obama’s Ohio visit again highlights the vast and growing need to address America’s aging and deficient bridges
President Obama’s visit to the Brent Spence Bridge bordering Ohio and Kentucky today calls much-needed attention to the urgency of bridge repair and rehabilitation throughout the country. Those needs are clearly visible in these detailed state-by-state reports and county level bridge data — including an interactive, searchable map of every deficient bridge in America.
In wake of Ohio River bridge closure, NBC Nightly News examines the sorry state of U.S. bridges
At least one person somewhere in the U.S. is driving over a structurally deficient bridge every minute, according to T4 America director James Corless in a report on the woeful condition of our nation’s bridges on NBC Nightly News Sunday evening. Watch the segment and learn more about our country’s bridges.
It’s past time to elevate the national conversation about infrastructure beyond just the price tag. Learn more about T4America's three simple principles for federal transportation investment.
Read our new principles