The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is issuing a final rule eliminating 46 regulations on traffic signs to provide more flexibility for state and local governments, including allowing communities to replace traffic signs when they are worn out rather than requiring signs to be replaced by a specific date.

The regulations establishing deadlines for street sign replacement came from the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), which is a compilation of national standards for all pavement markings, street signs and traffic signals. FHWA, which has published the manual since 1971, updates it periodically to accommodate changing transportation needs and address new safety technologies, traffic control tools and traffic management techniques.

In August 2011 FHWA issued a Notice of Proposed Amendments to eliminate the 46 deadlines, and a final rule has been sent to the Federal Register for publication. The deadlines requiring that certain street name signs be replaced by 2018 to meet minimum retroreflectivity standards and requiring larger lettering on those street name signs are among the deadlines that will be eliminated.

The final rule also eliminates deadlines for increasing the size of various traffic signs, such as ‘Pass With Care’ and ‘Low Clearance.’ Instead, communities will be able to replace and upgrade these signs when they reach the end of their useful life. In addition to eliminating the deadlines, FHWA will allow communities to retain historic street-name signs in historic districts.

FHWA has retained 12 deadlines for sign upgrades that are critical to public safety. These safety-critical sign upgrades include installing ONE WAY signs at intersections with divided highways or one-way streets and requiring STOP or YIELD signs to be added at all railroad crossings that do not have train-activated automatic gates or flashing lights.

The final rule will be available in the docket, FHWA-2010-0159, at http://www.regulations.gov. A table showing the proposed revisions from the August 2011 rulemaking is available at: http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/knowledge/09mutcdproposedrev/compliance_dates/index.htm.


...[read full article]

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is issuing a final rule eliminating 46 regulations on traffic signs to provide more flexibility for state and local governments, including allowing communities to replace traffic signs when they are worn out rather than requiring signs to be replaced by a specific date.

The regulations establishing deadlines for street sign replacement came from the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), which is a compilation of national standards for all pavement markings, street signs and traffic signals. FHWA, which has published the manual since 1971, updates it periodically to accommodate changing transportation needs and address new safety technologies, traffic control tools and traffic management techniques.

In August 2011 FHWA issued a Notice of Proposed Amendments to eliminate the 46 deadlines, and a final rule has been sent to the Federal Register for publication. The deadlines requiring that certain street name signs be replaced by 2018 to meet minimum retroreflectivity standards and requiring larger lettering on those street name signs are among the deadlines that will be eliminated.

The final rule also eliminates deadlines for increasing the size of various traffic signs, such as ‘Pass With Care’ and ‘Low Clearance.’ Instead, communities will be able to replace and upgrade these signs when they reach the end of their useful life. In addition to eliminating the deadlines, FHWA will allow communities to retain historic street-name signs in historic districts.

FHWA has retained 12 deadlines for sign upgrades that are critical to public safety. These safety-critical sign upgrades include installing ONE WAY signs at intersections with divided highways or one-way streets and requiring STOP or YIELD signs to be added at all railroad crossings that do not have train-activated automatic gates or flashing lights.

The final rule will be available in the docket, FHWA-2010-0159, at http://www.regulations.gov. A table showing the proposed revisions from the August 2011 rulemaking is available at: http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/knowledge/09mutcdproposedrev/compliance_dates/index.htm.


...[close]

A conference committee formed to negotiate a House-Senate agreement on a long-term surface transportation reauthorization bill met for the first time May 8. The meeting was devoted to opening statements by each of the 47 conferees. Committee chairmen were given five minutes each, other members three minutes to lay out priorities and positions.

Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) in her opening statement laid out the issues for conferees as highways, bridges, roads and routes; financing; transit and safety. While conferees expressed the importance of reaching an agreement and they expected one would be reached, several issues divide conferees, including the House bill’s approval of the Keystone XL pipeline, funding and financing of the Senate bill and some provisions to expedite project delivery. Boxer indicated an agreement would need to be reached by early June in order to provide enough time for the House and Senate to approve conference agreement and the President to sign a bill into law by June 30, when the latest extension expires.

In April the House of Representatives approved a 90-day extension of the current surface transportation programs as a vehicle to establish a conference committee to negotiate a final bill with the Senate. The bill includes several policy riders including the Keystone XL pipeline approval, a provision to create a trust fund to contribute to gulf coast restoration, a provision to increase funding for port and harbor maintenance, a provision to prohibit the US Environmental Protection Agency from designating coal ash a hazardous substance and various provisions to expedite transportation project delivery.

The Senate approved its two-year, $109 billion reauthorization bill, MAP-21, in March. Because the House did not approve its own reauthorization bill, MAP-21 will be the basis for negotiating a final bill. House leaders, however, say they will negotiate for their priorities.

The House has 33 conferees, 20 Republicans and 13 Democrats; the Senate named 14, eight Democrats and six Republicans

Appointed to the conference committee are House members: John Mica (FL); Don Young (AK); John Duncan (TN); Bill Shuster (PA); Shelley Moore Capito (WV); Rick Crawford (AR); Jaime Herrera Beutler (WA); Larry Bucshon (IN); Richard Hanna (NY); Steve Southerland (FL); James Lankford (OK); Reid Ribble (WI); Fred Upton (MI); Ed Whitfield (KY); Doc Hastings (WA); Rob Bishop (UT); Ralph Hall (TX); Chip Cravaack (MN); Dave Camp (MI); Patrick Tiberi (OH); Nick Rahall (WV); Peter DeFazio (OR); Jerry Costello (IL); Jerrold Nadler (NY); Corrine Brown (FL); Elijah Cummings (MD); Leonard Boswell (IA); Tim Bishop (NY); Henry Waxman (CA); Ed Markey (MA); Eddie Bernice Johnson (TX); Earl Blumenauer (OR); Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC).

Senate Conferees include Sens. Barbara Boxer (CA), Max Baucus (MT), John Rockefeller (WV), Richard Durbin (IL), Tim Johnson (SD), Charles Schumer (NY), Bill Nelson (FL), Robert Menendez (NJ), James Inhofe (OK), David Vitter (LA), Orrin Hatch (UT), Richard Shelby (AL), Kaye Bailey Hutchison (TX) and John Hoeven (R-ND).

...[read full article]

A conference committee formed to negotiate a House-Senate agreement on a long-term surface transportation reauthorization bill met for the first time May 8. The meeting was devoted to opening statements by each of the 47 conferees. Committee chairmen were given five minutes each, other members three minutes to lay out priorities and positions.

Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) in her opening statement laid out the issues for conferees as highways, bridges, roads and routes; financing; transit and safety. While conferees expressed the importance of reaching an agreement and they expected one would be reached, several issues divide conferees, including the House bill’s approval of the Keystone XL pipeline, funding and financing of the Senate bill and some provisions to expedite project delivery. Boxer indicated an agreement would need to be reached by early June in order to provide enough time for the House and Senate to approve conference agreement and the President to sign a bill into law by June 30, when the latest extension expires.

In April the House of Representatives approved a 90-day extension of the current surface transportation programs as a vehicle to establish a conference committee to negotiate a final bill with the Senate. The bill includes several policy riders including the Keystone XL pipeline approval, a provision to create a trust fund to contribute to gulf coast restoration, a provision to increase funding for port and harbor maintenance, a provision to prohibit the US Environmental Protection Agency from designating coal ash a hazardous substance and various provisions to expedite transportation project delivery.

The Senate approved its two-year, $109 billion reauthorization bill, MAP-21, in March. Because the House did not approve its own reauthorization bill, MAP-21 will be the basis for negotiating a final bill. House leaders, however, say they will negotiate for their priorities.

The House has 33 conferees, 20 Republicans and 13 Democrats; the Senate named 14, eight Democrats and six Republicans

Appointed to the conference committee are House members: John Mica (FL); Don Young (AK); John Duncan (TN); Bill Shuster (PA); Shelley Moore Capito (WV); Rick Crawford (AR); Jaime Herrera Beutler (WA); Larry Bucshon (IN); Richard Hanna (NY); Steve Southerland (FL); James Lankford (OK); Reid Ribble (WI); Fred Upton (MI); Ed Whitfield (KY); Doc Hastings (WA); Rob Bishop (UT); Ralph Hall (TX); Chip Cravaack (MN); Dave Camp (MI); Patrick Tiberi (OH); Nick Rahall (WV); Peter DeFazio (OR); Jerry Costello (IL); Jerrold Nadler (NY); Corrine Brown (FL); Elijah Cummings (MD); Leonard Boswell (IA); Tim Bishop (NY); Henry Waxman (CA); Ed Markey (MA); Eddie Bernice Johnson (TX); Earl Blumenauer (OR); Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC).

Senate Conferees include Sens. Barbara Boxer (CA), Max Baucus (MT), John Rockefeller (WV), Richard Durbin (IL), Tim Johnson (SD), Charles Schumer (NY), Bill Nelson (FL), Robert Menendez (NJ), James Inhofe (OK), David Vitter (LA), Orrin Hatch (UT), Richard Shelby (AL), Kaye Bailey Hutchison (TX) and John Hoeven (R-ND).

...[close]

A conference committee formed to negotiate a House-Senate agreement on a long-term surface transportation reauthorization bill met for the first time May 8. The meeting was devoted to opening statements by each of the 47 conferees. Committee chairmen were given five minutes each, other members three minutes to lay out priorities and positions.

Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) in her opening statement laid out the issues for conferees as highways, bridges, roads and routes; financing; transit and safety. While conferees expressed the importance of reaching an agreement and they expected one would be reached, several issues divide conferees, including the House bill’s approval of the Keystone XL pipeline, funding and financing of the Senate bill and some provisions to expedite project delivery. Boxer indicated an agreement would need to be reached by early June in order to provide enough time for the House and Senate to approve conference agreement and the President to sign a bill into law by June 30, when the latest extension expires.

In April the House of Representatives approved a 90-day extension of the current surface transportation programs as a vehicle to establish a conference committee to negotiate a final bill with the Senate. The bill includes several policy riders including the Keystone XL pipeline approval, a provision to create a trust fund to contribute to gulf coast restoration, a provision to increase funding for port and harbor maintenance, a provision to prohibit the US Environmental Protection Agency from designating coal ash a hazardous substance and various provisions to expedite transportation project delivery.

The Senate approved its two-year, $109 billion reauthorization bill, MAP-21, in March. Because the House did not approve its own reauthorization bill, MAP-21 will be the basis for negotiating a final bill. House leaders, however, say they will negotiate for their priorities.

The House has 33 conferees, 20 Republicans and 13 Democrats; the Senate named 14, eight Democrats and six Republicans

Appointed to the conference committee are House members: John Mica (FL); Don Young (AK); John Duncan (TN); Bill Shuster (PA); Shelley Moore Capito (WV); Rick Crawford (AR); Jaime Herrera Beutler (WA); Larry Bucshon (IN); Richard Hanna (NY); Steve Southerland (FL); James Lankford (OK); Reid Ribble (WI); Fred Upton (MI); Ed Whitfield (KY); Doc Hastings (WA); Rob Bishop (UT); Ralph Hall (TX); Chip Cravaack (MN); Dave Camp (MI); Patrick Tiberi (OH); Nick Rahall (WV); Peter DeFazio (OR); Jerry Costello (IL); Jerrold Nadler (NY); Corrine Brown (FL); Elijah Cummings (MD); Leonard Boswell (IA); Tim Bishop (NY); Henry Waxman (CA); Ed Markey (MA); Eddie Bernice Johnson (TX); Earl Blumenauer (OR); Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC).

Senate Conferees include Sens. Barbara Boxer (CA), Max Baucus (MT), John Rockefeller (WV), Richard Durbin (IL), Tim Johnson (SD), Charles Schumer (NY), Bill Nelson (FL), Robert Menendez (NJ), James Inhofe (OK), David Vitter (LA), Orrin Hatch (UT), Richard Shelby (AL), Kaye Bailey Hutchison (TX) and John Hoeven (R-ND).

...[read full article]

A conference committee formed to negotiate a House-Senate agreement on a long-term surface transportation reauthorization bill met for the first time May 8. The meeting was devoted to opening statements by each of the 47 conferees. Committee chairmen were given five minutes each, other members three minutes to lay out priorities and positions.

Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) in her opening statement laid out the issues for conferees as highways, bridges, roads and routes; financing; transit and safety. While conferees expressed the importance of reaching an agreement and they expected one would be reached, several issues divide conferees, including the House bill’s approval of the Keystone XL pipeline, funding and financing of the Senate bill and some provisions to expedite project delivery. Boxer indicated an agreement would need to be reached by early June in order to provide enough time for the House and Senate to approve conference agreement and the President to sign a bill into law by June 30, when the latest extension expires.

In April the House of Representatives approved a 90-day extension of the current surface transportation programs as a vehicle to establish a conference committee to negotiate a final bill with the Senate. The bill includes several policy riders including the Keystone XL pipeline approval, a provision to create a trust fund to contribute to gulf coast restoration, a provision to increase funding for port and harbor maintenance, a provision to prohibit the US Environmental Protection Agency from designating coal ash a hazardous substance and various provisions to expedite transportation project delivery.

The Senate approved its two-year, $109 billion reauthorization bill, MAP-21, in March. Because the House did not approve its own reauthorization bill, MAP-21 will be the basis for negotiating a final bill. House leaders, however, say they will negotiate for their priorities.

The House has 33 conferees, 20 Republicans and 13 Democrats; the Senate named 14, eight Democrats and six Republicans

Appointed to the conference committee are House members: John Mica (FL); Don Young (AK); John Duncan (TN); Bill Shuster (PA); Shelley Moore Capito (WV); Rick Crawford (AR); Jaime Herrera Beutler (WA); Larry Bucshon (IN); Richard Hanna (NY); Steve Southerland (FL); James Lankford (OK); Reid Ribble (WI); Fred Upton (MI); Ed Whitfield (KY); Doc Hastings (WA); Rob Bishop (UT); Ralph Hall (TX); Chip Cravaack (MN); Dave Camp (MI); Patrick Tiberi (OH); Nick Rahall (WV); Peter DeFazio (OR); Jerry Costello (IL); Jerrold Nadler (NY); Corrine Brown (FL); Elijah Cummings (MD); Leonard Boswell (IA); Tim Bishop (NY); Henry Waxman (CA); Ed Markey (MA); Eddie Bernice Johnson (TX); Earl Blumenauer (OR); Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC).

Senate Conferees include Sens. Barbara Boxer (CA), Max Baucus (MT), John Rockefeller (WV), Richard Durbin (IL), Tim Johnson (SD), Charles Schumer (NY), Bill Nelson (FL), Robert Menendez (NJ), James Inhofe (OK), David Vitter (LA), Orrin Hatch (UT), Richard Shelby (AL), Kaye Bailey Hutchison (TX) and John Hoeven (R-ND).

...[close]

The House of Representatives April 26 named 33 conferees, 20 Republicans and 13 Democrats, to a transportation reauthorization conference with the Senate. A conference committee is being formed to negotiate a House-Senate agreement on a long-term surface transportation reauthorization bill.

Appointed to the conference committee are, Republicans: John Mica (FL); Don Young (AK); John Duncan (TN); Bill Shuster (PA); Shelley Moore Capito (WV); Rick Crawford (AR); Jaime Herrera Beutler (WA); Larry Bucshon (IN); Richard Hanna (NY); Steve Southerland (FL); James Lankford (OK); Reid Ribble (WI); Fred Upton (MI); Ed Whitfield (KY); Doc Hastings (WA); Rob Bishop (UT); Ralph Hall (TX); Chip Cravaack (MN); Dave Camp (MI); Patrick Tiberi (OH). Democrats: Nick Rahall (WV); Peter DeFazio (OR); Jerry Costello (IL); Jerrold Nadler (NY); Corrine Brown (FL); Elijah Cummings (MD); Leonard Boswell (IA); Tim Bishop (NY); Henry Waxman (CA); Ed Markey (MA); Eddie Bernice Johnson (TX); Earl Blumenauer (OR); Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC).
The Senate April 24 named 14 conferees, eight Democrats and six Republicans: Sens. Boxer (D-CA), Baucus (D-MT), Rockefeller (D-WV), Durbin (D-IL), Johnson (D-SD), Schumer (D-NY), Nelson (D-FL), Menendez (D-NJ), Inhofe (R-OK), Vitter (R-LA), Hatch (R-UT), Shelby (R-AL), Hutchison (R-TX) and Hoeven (R-ND).

A meeting is not likely to occur before the week of May 6th following a recess next week. An issue that could slow negotiations is a provision that would approve the Keystone XL pipeline project, which was included in the House bill (HR 4348) that opened the way for the conference committee.

Because the House did not approve its own transportation reauthorization bill, the Senate-passed two-year, $109 billion bill, MAP-21, will be the basis for negotiating a final bill. House leaders, however, say they will negotiate House priorities contained in the House bill, a five-year, $260 billion measure that was not debated by the full House. One such priority, the bill’s section on expediting project delivery, has already been included in HR 4348.
...[read full article]

The House of Representatives April 26 named 33 conferees, 20 Republicans and 13 Democrats, to a transportation reauthorization conference with the Senate. A conference committee is being formed to negotiate a House-Senate agreement on a long-term surface transportation reauthorization bill.

Appointed to the conference committee are, Republicans: John Mica (FL); Don Young (AK); John Duncan (TN); Bill Shuster (PA); Shelley Moore Capito (WV); Rick Crawford (AR); Jaime Herrera Beutler (WA); Larry Bucshon (IN); Richard Hanna (NY); Steve Southerland (FL); James Lankford (OK); Reid Ribble (WI); Fred Upton (MI); Ed Whitfield (KY); Doc Hastings (WA); Rob Bishop (UT); Ralph Hall (TX); Chip Cravaack (MN); Dave Camp (MI); Patrick Tiberi (OH). Democrats: Nick Rahall (WV); Peter DeFazio (OR); Jerry Costello (IL); Jerrold Nadler (NY); Corrine Brown (FL); Elijah Cummings (MD); Leonard Boswell (IA); Tim Bishop (NY); Henry Waxman (CA); Ed Markey (MA); Eddie Bernice Johnson (TX); Earl Blumenauer (OR); Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC).
The Senate April 24 named 14 conferees, eight Democrats and six Republicans: Sens. Boxer (D-CA), Baucus (D-MT), Rockefeller (D-WV), Durbin (D-IL), Johnson (D-SD), Schumer (D-NY), Nelson (D-FL), Menendez (D-NJ), Inhofe (R-OK), Vitter (R-LA), Hatch (R-UT), Shelby (R-AL), Hutchison (R-TX) and Hoeven (R-ND).

A meeting is not likely to occur before the week of May 6th following a recess next week. An issue that could slow negotiations is a provision that would approve the Keystone XL pipeline project, which was included in the House bill (HR 4348) that opened the way for the conference committee.

Because the House did not approve its own transportation reauthorization bill, the Senate-passed two-year, $109 billion bill, MAP-21, will be the basis for negotiating a final bill. House leaders, however, say they will negotiate House priorities contained in the House bill, a five-year, $260 billion measure that was not debated by the full House. One such priority, the bill’s section on expediting project delivery, has already been included in HR 4348.
...[close]

The House of Representatives April 18 passed another 90 day extension of the federal surface transportation law, SAFETEA-LU. The extension, HR 4348, runs from July 1 through September 30 and is intended to serve as a legislative vehicle to initiate the process of forming a House-Senate conference committee to negotiate a multi-year bill. The vote was 293-127. At the end of March, the House and Senate approved a 90-day extension expiring June 30th.

The bill is a “clean” extension of current surface transportation law. However, it includes a provision to approve the Keystone XL pipeline and one to create a trust fund to contribute to gulf coast restoration work resulting from the gulf oil spill. The bill also was amended and as passed includes: the environmental streamlining title of the House transportation reauthorization proposal, HR 7, the American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act; an amendment to increase funding for port and harbor maintenance; and an amendment preventing the US Environmental Protection Agency from designating coal ash a hazardous material. The environmental streamlining title of HR 7 includes a number of provisions aimed at expediting transportation project delivery.

Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) said the Senate would name conferees as quickly as Senate rules allowed. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman John Mica (R-FL) said he expected the House to act soon to name its conferees.

The Senate approved a bipartisan two-year, $109 billion transportation reauthorization in March. The House will be negotiating a final bill without having passed its own bill. HR 7, a five year, $260 billion measure, was not brought to the floor for a vote due to insufficient support for passage.

US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood yesterday said he did not think a multi-year bill would be approved before the November elections.

...[read full article]

The House of Representatives April 18 passed another 90 day extension of the federal surface transportation law, SAFETEA-LU. The extension, HR 4348, runs from July 1 through September 30 and is intended to serve as a legislative vehicle to initiate the process of forming a House-Senate conference committee to negotiate a multi-year bill. The vote was 293-127. At the end of March, the House and Senate approved a 90-day extension expiring June 30th.

The bill is a “clean” extension of current surface transportation law. However, it includes a provision to approve the Keystone XL pipeline and one to create a trust fund to contribute to gulf coast restoration work resulting from the gulf oil spill. The bill also was amended and as passed includes: the environmental streamlining title of the House transportation reauthorization proposal, HR 7, the American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act; an amendment to increase funding for port and harbor maintenance; and an amendment preventing the US Environmental Protection Agency from designating coal ash a hazardous material. The environmental streamlining title of HR 7 includes a number of provisions aimed at expediting transportation project delivery.

Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) said the Senate would name conferees as quickly as Senate rules allowed. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman John Mica (R-FL) said he expected the House to act soon to name its conferees.

The Senate approved a bipartisan two-year, $109 billion transportation reauthorization in March. The House will be negotiating a final bill without having passed its own bill. HR 7, a five year, $260 billion measure, was not brought to the floor for a vote due to insufficient support for passage.

US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood yesterday said he did not think a multi-year bill would be approved before the November elections.

...[close]

The Senate gave final approval March 14 to a bipartisan two-year, $109 billion federal surface transportation reauthorization bill that had stalled for weeks as Senate leaders attempted to reach agreement on what amendments would be brought to the floor. The vote was 74-22.

Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century, MAP-21 (S.1813), maintains current levels of funding plus inflation for federal highway and transit programs. It contains no earmarks, consolidates many federal programs and includes new provisions to expedite project delivery. The legislation also provides for a five year exemption from the state private activity bond (PAB) volume cap for water and wastewater projects and provides for a one year AMT extension for tax exempt bonds. In addition, the legislation contains a number of budgetary offsets and transfers necessary to close a $12 billion gap to pay for the bill’s funding levels.

Prior to passage, the legislation had stalled for weeks over disagreement on whether or not to allow non-germane amendments on issues ranging from approval of the Keystone XL pipeline and air quality standards for boilers to energy-related tax provisions. An agreement to allow 12 non-germane amendments a week ago gave new life to the legislation and opened the way for a final vote to be taken March 14.

The Senate considered 30 amendments over three days before the final vote. An APWA-supported amendment restoring dedicated funding for off-system bridges was approved by voice vote. The Senate also approved an amendment removing privatized highways from consideration in apportioning highway funding among states, and also passed amendments strengthening Buy America provisions and clarifying exemptions relating to transportation of agricultural commodities and farm supplies. An amendment to modify the apportionment formula to ensure the percentage of apportioned funds received by a state equaled the percentage of gas taxes paid by a state failed.

Members of the House of Representatives return from a week-long recess the week of March 19 and are expected to consider a retooled House version soon. House leaders suspended consideration of a five-year, $260 billion bill because it did not have sufficient support to pass. A shorter, 18-month version also lacked votes for passage. House leaders are considering taking up the two-year Senate bill or something similar to it if they cannot generate support for a revised five year bill. It is unclear how or whether the House will include PAB in its bill. Last month, supporters of PAB, including APWA, were successful in generating support for a lifting of state volume caps on PAB for water and wastewater projects from House Transportation and Infrastructure leaders.

The eighth extension of federal surface transportation programs expires March 31.
...[read full article]

The Senate gave final approval March 14 to a bipartisan two-year, $109 billion federal surface transportation reauthorization bill that had stalled for weeks as Senate leaders attempted to reach agreement on what amendments would be brought to the floor. The vote was 74-22.

Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century, MAP-21 (S.1813), maintains current levels of funding plus inflation for federal highway and transit programs. It contains no earmarks, consolidates many federal programs and includes new provisions to expedite project delivery. The legislation also provides for a five year exemption from the state private activity bond (PAB) volume cap for water and wastewater projects and provides for a one year AMT extension for tax exempt bonds. In addition, the legislation contains a number of budgetary offsets and transfers necessary to close a $12 billion gap to pay for the bill’s funding levels.

Prior to passage, the legislation had stalled for weeks over disagreement on whether or not to allow non-germane amendments on issues ranging from approval of the Keystone XL pipeline and air quality standards for boilers to energy-related tax provisions. An agreement to allow 12 non-germane amendments a week ago gave new life to the legislation and opened the way for a final vote to be taken March 14.

The Senate considered 30 amendments over three days before the final vote. An APWA-supported amendment restoring dedicated funding for off-system bridges was approved by voice vote. The Senate also approved an amendment removing privatized highways from consideration in apportioning highway funding among states, and also passed amendments strengthening Buy America provisions and clarifying exemptions relating to transportation of agricultural commodities and farm supplies. An amendment to modify the apportionment formula to ensure the percentage of apportioned funds received by a state equaled the percentage of gas taxes paid by a state failed.

Members of the House of Representatives return from a week-long recess the week of March 19 and are expected to consider a retooled House version soon. House leaders suspended consideration of a five-year, $260 billion bill because it did not have sufficient support to pass. A shorter, 18-month version also lacked votes for passage. House leaders are considering taking up the two-year Senate bill or something similar to it if they cannot generate support for a revised five year bill. It is unclear how or whether the House will include PAB in its bill. Last month, supporters of PAB, including APWA, were successful in generating support for a lifting of state volume caps on PAB for water and wastewater projects from House Transportation and Infrastructure leaders.

The eighth extension of federal surface transportation programs expires March 31.
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House and Senate Debate Transportation Bills
The Senate and House of Representatives this week are debating separate versions of bills to reauthorize federal surface transportation programs. The Senate bill, S1813, Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21), is a two-year, $109 billion bill. The House measure, HR 7, the American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act, is a five-year, $260 billion authorization.

The highway provisions of the Senate bill, approved by the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, are the underlying measure for debate of the Senate bill. Finance, transit and motor carrier provisions drafted by separate Senate Committees will be added as amendments to make up a complete reauthorization package as the Senate considers the legislation. The Senate bill’s finance provisions include a number of offsets and transfers to close a $12 billion funding shortfall to pay for the bill, including $3 billion from the Leaking Underground Storage Tank Trust Fund and $4.7 billion from a change in tax law governing distribution of inherited IRA accounts.

The House and Senate bills differ in many details, but both bills contain no earmarks, consolidate or eliminate as many as 60-70 federal programs and include provisions to expedite project delivery. The House bill, however, includes provisions directing certain revenues from expanded oil and gas drilling and offsets from changes to federal pensions to help pay for the bill. It also includes provisions to eliminate the Highway Trust Fund’s mass transit account and direct funding transit receives from a portion of the gas tax, instead funding transit through a new Alternative Transportation Account with $40 billion from the general fund.

The House transportation portion of the bill emerged out of a contentious Committee markup that lasted 18 hours and addressed nearly 100 amendments. The transportation provisions, energy production provisions and the federal pension provisions will be voted on separately on the House floor and then combined as one package before being sent to the Senate.

House and Senate leaders intend to hold final votes on their respective bills before the end of the week, when Congress is scheduled to begin a week-long recess. Once approved in the House and Senate, differences between the two bills will need to be reconciled in a conference committee and signed into law before March 31 to avoid another extension of the expired SAFETEA-LU.

...[read full article]

House and Senate Debate Transportation Bills
The Senate and House of Representatives this week are debating separate versions of bills to reauthorize federal surface transportation programs. The Senate bill, S1813, Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21), is a two-year, $109 billion bill. The House measure, HR 7, the American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act, is a five-year, $260 billion authorization.

The highway provisions of the Senate bill, approved by the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, are the underlying measure for debate of the Senate bill. Finance, transit and motor carrier provisions drafted by separate Senate Committees will be added as amendments to make up a complete reauthorization package as the Senate considers the legislation. The Senate bill’s finance provisions include a number of offsets and transfers to close a $12 billion funding shortfall to pay for the bill, including $3 billion from the Leaking Underground Storage Tank Trust Fund and $4.7 billion from a change in tax law governing distribution of inherited IRA accounts.

The House and Senate bills differ in many details, but both bills contain no earmarks, consolidate or eliminate as many as 60-70 federal programs and include provisions to expedite project delivery. The House bill, however, includes provisions directing certain revenues from expanded oil and gas drilling and offsets from changes to federal pensions to help pay for the bill. It also includes provisions to eliminate the Highway Trust Fund’s mass transit account and direct funding transit receives from a portion of the gas tax, instead funding transit through a new Alternative Transportation Account with $40 billion from the general fund.

The House transportation portion of the bill emerged out of a contentious Committee markup that lasted 18 hours and addressed nearly 100 amendments. The transportation provisions, energy production provisions and the federal pension provisions will be voted on separately on the House floor and then combined as one package before being sent to the Senate.

House and Senate leaders intend to hold final votes on their respective bills before the end of the week, when Congress is scheduled to begin a week-long recess. Once approved in the House and Senate, differences between the two bills will need to be reconciled in a conference committee and signed into law before March 31 to avoid another extension of the expired SAFETEA-LU.

...[close]

House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman John Mica (R-FL) today unveiled the American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act, which includes a five-year, $260 billion surface transportation reauthorization funding federal highway, transit and safety programs consistent with current funding levels. The bill will be combined with several other bills aimed at promoting domestic energy production. The Committee is scheduled to begin consideration of the transportation reauthorization portion on Thursday. Legislative text will be available at www.transportation.house.gov.

 
In summary, the transportation reauthorization provisions include:

• Provide long-term stability for states to undertake major infrastructure projects
• Contain no earmarks, compared to the previous transportation law which contained over 6,300 earmarks
• Consolidate or eliminate nearly 70 federal programs
• Eliminate mandates that states spend highway funding on non-highway activities
• Allow states to set their own transportation priorities
• Delegate more project approval authority to states
• Condense deadlines for federal agency project approvals
• Accelerate the approval process for projects in an existing right-of-way
• Encourage states to partner with the private sector to finance and build projects
• Streamline the project delivery process and reduces regulatory burdens for rail projects
• Call for the funds collected for the improvement of the nation’s harbors to be invested for that purpose
• Ensure the safe, efficient transportation of hazardous materials in a manner that does not impose unnecessary burdens on the flow of commerce

The financing provisions have not yet been released. They will be considered by the House Ways and Means Committee which is expected to mark up a bill soon.

The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee in November last year approved the highway portion of the Senate’s two-year $109 billion surface transportation reauthorization, known as MAP-21, Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century. The Senate Commerce Committee approved the motor carrier provisions last year, and the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee this week will mark up the transit portion. The Senate Finance Committee recently announced that an agreement had been reached on closing a $12 billion funding gap in MAP-21 and would hold a markup of the Senate financing provisions this week.

The latest extension of SAFETEA-LU expires March 31. The House and Senate will need to pass their bills and reconcile differences before then to avoid another extension.

...[read full article]

House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman John Mica (R-FL) today unveiled the American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act, which includes a five-year, $260 billion surface transportation reauthorization funding federal highway, transit and safety programs consistent with current funding levels. The bill will be combined with several other bills aimed at promoting domestic energy production. The Committee is scheduled to begin consideration of the transportation reauthorization portion on Thursday. Legislative text will be available at www.transportation.house.gov.

In summary, the transportation reauthorization provisions include:
• Provide long-term stability for states to undertake major infrastructure projects
• Contain no earmarks, compared to the previous transportation law which contained over 6,300 earmarks
• Consolidate or eliminate nearly 70 federal programs
• Eliminate mandates that states spend highway funding on non-highway activities
• Allow states to set their own transportation priorities
• Delegate more project approval authority to states
• Condense deadlines for federal agency project approvals
• Accelerate the approval process for projects in an existing right-of-way
• Encourage states to partner with the private sector to finance and build projects
• Streamline the project delivery process and reduces regulatory burdens for rail projects
• Call for the funds collected for the improvement of the nation’s harbors to be invested for that purpose
• Ensure the safe, efficient transportation of hazardous materials in a manner that does not impose unnecessary burdens on the flow of commerce

The financing provisions have not yet been released. They will be considered by the House Ways and Means Committee which is expected to mark up a bill soon.

The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee in November last year approved the highway portion of the Senate’s two-year $109 billion surface transportation reauthorization, known as MAP-21, Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century. The Senate Commerce Committee approved the motor carrier provisions last year, and the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee this week will mark up the transit portion. The Senate Finance Committee recently announced that an agreement had been reached on closing a $12 billion funding gap in MAP-21 and would hold a markup of the Senate financing provisions this week.

The latest extension of SAFETEA-LU expires March 31. The House and Senate will need to pass their bills and reconcile differences before then to avoid another extension.

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The US Department of Transportation (USDOT) today announced that 46 transportation projects in 33 states and Puerto Rico will receive a total of $511 million from the third round of the USDOT TIGER program. The Department received 848 project applications from all 50 states, Puerto Rico and Washington, DC, requesting a total of $14.29 billion, far exceeding the $511 million made available for grants under the TIGER III program.

The grants will fund a wide range of innovative transportation projects in urban and rural areas across the country:

• Of the $511 million in TIGER III funds available for grants, more than $150 million will go to critical projects in rural areas.

• Roughly 48 percent of the funding will go to road and bridge projects, including more than $64 million for Complete Streets projects that will spur small business growth and benefit motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians.

• 29 percent of the funding will support transit projects like the Westside Multimodal Transit Center in San Antonio.

• 12 percent will help build port projects like the Port of New Orleans Rail Yard Improvements.

• 10 percent will go to freight rail projects like the Muldraugh Bridge Replacement in Kentucky.

• Three grants were also directed to tribal governments to create jobs and address critical transportation needs in Indian country.

• Three grants will provide better multimodal access to airports, including DFW in Texas.

Work has already begun on 33 planning projects while 58 capital projects are under way across the country from the previous two rounds of TIGER, and an additional 13 projects are expected to break ground over the next six months.

In 2009 and 2010, the USDOT received a total of 2,400 applications requesting $76 billion, greatly exceeding the $2.1 billion available in the TIGER I and TIGER II grant programs. In the previous two rounds, the TIGER program awarded grants to 126 freight, highway, transit, port and bicycle/pedestrian projects in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

TIGER grants are awarded to transportation projects that have a significant national or regional impact. Projects are chosen for their ability to contribute to the long-term economic competitiveness of the nation, improve the condition of existing transportation facilities and systems, increase energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improve the safety of U.S. transportation facilities and enhance the quality of living and working environments of communities through increased transportation choices and connections. The Department also gives priority to projects that are expected to create and preserve jobs quickly and stimulate increases in economic activity.

A complete list of grant recipients can be viewed on USDOT’s website: www.dot.gov.

 

...[read full article]

The US Department of Transportation (USDOT) today announced that 46 transportation projects in 33 states and Puerto Rico will receive a total of $511 million from the third round of the USDOT TIGER program. The Department received 848 project applications from all 50 states, Puerto Rico and Washington, DC, requesting a total of $14.29 billion, far exceeding the $511 million made available for grants under the TIGER III program.


The grants will fund a wide range of innovative transportation projects in urban and rural areas across the country:


• Of the $511 million in TIGER III funds available for grants, more than $150 million will go to critical projects in rural areas.


• Roughly 48 percent of the funding will go to road and bridge projects, including more than $64 million for Complete Streets projects that will spur small business growth and benefit motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians.


• 29 percent of the funding will support transit projects like the Westside Multimodal Transit Center in San Antonio.


• 12 percent will help build port projects like the Port of New Orleans Rail Yard Improvements.


• 10 percent will go to freight rail projects like the Muldraugh Bridge Replacement in Kentucky.


• Three grants were also directed to tribal governments to create jobs and address critical transportation needs in Indian country.


• Three grants will provide better multimodal access to airports, including DFW in Texas.


Work has already begun on 33 planning projects while 58 capital projects are under way across the country from the previous two rounds of TIGER, and an additional 13 projects are expected to break ground over the next six months.


In 2009 and 2010, the USDOT received a total of 2,400 applications requesting $76 billion, greatly exceeding the $2.1 billion available in the TIGER I and TIGER II grant programs. In the previous two rounds, the TIGER program awarded grants to 126 freight, highway, transit, port and bicycle/pedestrian projects in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.


TIGER grants are awarded to transportation projects that have a significant national or regional impact. Projects are chosen for their ability to contribute to the long-term economic competitiveness of the nation, improve the condition of existing transportation facilities and systems, increase energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improve the safety of U.S. transportation facilities and enhance the quality of living and working environments of communities through increased transportation choices and connections. The Department also gives priority to projects that are expected to create and preserve jobs quickly and stimulate increases in economic activity.


A complete list of grant recipients can be viewed on USDOT’s website: www.dot.gov.




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House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman John Mica (R-FL) announced that he would hold off introducing a House transportation authorization until 2012 due to a crowded House legislative calendar in December.

Weeks earlier, House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) had announced that legislation combining a five-year transportation authorization with measures to expand oil and gas drilling would be introduced and brought to the House floor before the end of the year. The American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act, HR 7, would utilize revenues from expanded drilling to help pay for increased investment for Mica’s reauthorization bill.

Although no specifics about HR 7 have been released, including specific transportation reauthorization language, HR 7 is expected to include the following three bills: the Energy Security and Transportation Jobs Act, introduced by Rep. Steve Stivers (R-OH), which would lift the drilling ban on new offshore areas by requiring the administration to lease offshore areas estimated to contain the most oil and natural gas resources; the Protecting Investment in Oil Shale the Next Generation of Environmental, Energy, and Resource Security Act (“PIONEERS” Act), introduced by Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-CA), which would set clear rules for the development of U.S. oil shale resources and promote shale technology research and development; and the he Alaskan Energy for American Jobs Act, introduced by Chairman Doc Hastings (R-WA) and Rep. Don Young (R-AK), which would open less than three percent of ANWR’s 19 million acres in the North Slope for oil and natural gas development.

In response to the House Speaker’s proposal, House Democrats introduced the Fair Payment for Energy and Mineral Production on Public Lands Act, HR 3446, they say will generate $18 billion over 10 years. The bill, introduced by Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA), would change royalty and leasing regulations to generate revenues for transportation. Unofficial estimates of HR. 7 have cited $1 billion in revenue over 10 years. Revenue estimates of both proposals are contested on both sides and seem to vary.

A blueprint for Mica’s reauthorization bill was released in July. It calls for expediting the project delivery process, consolidating programs, expanding private sector involvement in financing infrastructure and boosting investment in safety. It is unclear how much revenue would be generated by the drilling provisions but unofficial estimates have cited $1 billion over 10 years. Mica this fall said he would seek new revenue sources to increase transportation funding for his bill by as much as $100 billion. His blueprint called for a six year $235 billion bill.

The Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee November 9th unanimously passed Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century, MAP-21, (S.1813 ) a bipartisan, two-year, $109 billion surface transportation authorization. The bill is not expected to be brought to the Senate floor until revenue to close a $12 billion funding shortfall to pay for the bill is agreed to. In addition, separate Senate Committees have not yet marked up transit and motor carrier safety provisions.

...[read full article]

House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman John Mica (R-FL) announced that he would hold off introducing a House transportation authorization until 2012 due to a crowded House legislative calendar in December.

Weeks earlier, House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) had announced that legislation combining a five-year transportation authorization with measures to expand oil and gas drilling would be introduced and brought to the House floor before the end of the year. The American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act, HR 7, would utilize revenues from expanded drilling to help pay for increased investment for Mica’s reauthorization bill.

Although no specifics about HR 7 have been released, including specific transportation reauthorization language, HR 7 is expected to include the following three bills: the Energy Security and Transportation Jobs Act, introduced by Rep. Steve Stivers (R-OH), which would lift the drilling ban on new offshore areas by requiring the administration to lease offshore areas estimated to contain the most oil and natural gas resources; the Protecting Investment in Oil Shale the Next Generation of Environmental, Energy, and Resource Security Act (“PIONEERS” Act), introduced by Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-CA), which would set clear rules for the development of U.S. oil shale resources and promote shale technology research and development; and the he Alaskan Energy for American Jobs Act, introduced by Chairman Doc Hastings (R-WA) and Rep. Don Young (R-AK), which would open less than three percent of ANWR’s 19 million acres in the North Slope for oil and natural gas development.

In response to the House Speaker’s proposal, House Democrats introduced the Fair Payment for Energy and Mineral Production on Public Lands Act, HR 3446, they say will generate $18 billion over 10 years. The bill, introduced by Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA), would change royalty and leasing regulations to generate revenues for transportation. Unofficial estimates of HR. 7 have cited $1 billion in revenue over 10 years. Revenue estimates of both proposals are contested on both sides and seem to vary.

A blueprint for Mica’s reauthorization bill was released in July. It calls for expediting the project delivery process, consolidating programs, expanding private sector involvement in financing infrastructure and boosting investment in safety. It is unclear how much revenue would be generated by the drilling provisions but unofficial estimates have cited $1 billion over 10 years. Mica this fall said he would seek new revenue sources to increase transportation funding for his bill by as much as $100 billion. His blueprint called for a six year $235 billion bill.

The Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee November 9th unanimously passed Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century, MAP-21, (S.1813 ) a bipartisan, two-year, $109 billion surface transportation authorization. The bill is not expected to be brought to the Senate floor until revenue to close a $12 billion funding shortfall to pay for the bill is agreed to. In addition, separate Senate Committees have not yet marked up transit and motor carrier safety provisions.

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The Senate November 3rd defeated two competing infrastructure bills, the Senate Democrats’ American Jobs Act (S 1769) and a Republican alternative, the Long-term Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2011 (S 1786), unveiled yesterday.

The American Jobs Act included $50 billion in immediate investments for highways, transit, rail and aviation. It would have provided $27 billion for highways, $9 billion for transit, $4 billion for high speed rail, $2 billion for Amtrak, $3 billion for aviation and $5 billion split between TIFIA (a program providing loans, loan guarantees and standby lines of credit for projects of national and regional significance) and the TIGER program (a discretionary grant program for projects that will have a significant impact on the nation, a region or metropolitan area).

The legislation also would have created a National Infrastructure Bank, funded at $10 billion, to leverage private and public capital and to invest in a broad range of infrastructure projects of national and regional significance.
The infrastructure provisions were part of the broader American Jobs Act which the Senate defeated earlier in October.

The Republican alternative would have provided a two-year extension of surface transportation programs at current levels plus inflation and a two-year extension of highway trust fund taxes. The legislation also eliminates the transportation enhancements program; added provisions aimed at expediting project delivery; included provisions addressing EPA regulatory relief; and included a Judiciary-Committee approved bill, the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act, which required a vote of Congress on any regulation with an economic impact of $100 million or more.

...[read full article]

The Senate November 3rd defeated two competing infrastructure bills, the Senate Democrats’ American Jobs Act (S 1769) and a Republican alternative, the Long-term Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2011 (S 1786), unveiled yesterday.

The American Jobs Act included $50 billion in immediate investments for highways, transit, rail and aviation. It would have provided $27 billion for highways, $9 billion for transit, $4 billion for high speed rail, $2 billion for Amtrak, $3 billion for aviation and $5 billion split between TIFIA (a program providing loans, loan guarantees and standby lines of credit for projects of national and regional significance) and the TIGER program (a discretionary grant program for projects that will have a significant impact on the nation, a region or metropolitan area).

The legislation also would have created a National Infrastructure Bank, funded at $10 billion, to leverage private and public capital and to invest in a broad range of infrastructure projects of national and regional significance.
The infrastructure provisions were part of the broader American Jobs Act which the Senate defeated earlier in October.

The Republican alternative would have provided a two-year extension of surface transportation programs at current levels plus inflation and a two-year extension of highway trust fund taxes. The legislation also eliminates the transportation enhancements program; added provisions aimed at expediting project delivery; included provisions addressing EPA regulatory relief; and included a Judiciary-Committee approved bill, the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act, which required a vote of Congress on any regulation with an economic impact of $100 million or more.

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Congress passed and the President signed into law last month a bill extending federal surface transportation programs for six months until March 31, 2012. HR 2887, the Surface and Air Transportation Programs Extension Act, combines a six month extension of SAFETEA-LU programs at current funding levels with a four month extension of aviation programs. The last temporary extension of SAFETEA-LU expired September 30.

Before final passage in the Senate, the bill had stalled on opposition from Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) who wanted language in the bill allowing states to opt out of SAFETEA-LU’s Transportation Enhancements program, which funds bicycle, pedestrian, beautification and other projects. Sen. Coburn dropped his opposition on assurances that legislation would include an opt-out provision. It is unclear what changes will be proposed.

The extension of surface transportation programs provides Congress additional time to work on an authorization to succeed SAFETEA-LU. Current House and Senate plans offered this summer differ widely. Although no bills have been formally introduced, a Senate draft outline calls for a two-year authorization funded at $109 billion. A House draft outline calls for a six-year $235 billion authorization.

Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chair Barbara Boxer (D-CA) said she may move forward with a markup of the Senate proposal in Committee in the next couple weeks. The Committee had been delaying consideration of the bill until the Finance Committee released a proposal to close a $12 billion revenue gap to pay for the bill. The measure is expected to contain a “safety valve” provision that would align spending with revenues.

Meanwhile, House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chair John Mica (R-FL) has received permission to increase funding for the House proposal by $100 billion, given additional revenue sources are found. A gas tax increase, however, remains out of the question.

...[read full article]

 Congress passed and the President signed into law last month a bill extending federal surface transportation programs for six months until March 31, 2012. HR 2887, the Surface and Air Transportation Programs Extension Act, combines a six month extension of SAFETEA-LU programs at current funding levels with a four month extension of aviation programs. The last temporary extension of SAFETEA-LU expired September 30.

Before final passage in the Senate, the bill had stalled on opposition from Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) who wanted language in the bill allowing states to opt out of SAFETEA-LU’s Transportation Enhancements program, which funds bicycle, pedestrian, beautification and other projects. Sen. Coburn dropped his opposition on assurances that legislation would include an opt-out provision. It is unclear what changes will be proposed.

The extension of surface transportation programs provides Congress additional time to work on an authorization to succeed SAFETEA-LU. Current House and Senate plans offered this summer differ widely. Although no bills have been formally introduced, a Senate draft outline calls for a two-year authorization funded at $109 billion. A House draft outline calls for a six-year $235 billion authorization.

Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chair Barbara Boxer (D-CA) said she may move forward with a markup of the Senate proposal in Committee in the next couple weeks. The Committee had been delaying consideration of the bill until the Finance Committee released a proposal to close a $12 billion revenue gap to pay for the bill. The measure is expected to contain a “safety valve” provision that would align spending with revenues.

Meanwhile, House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chair John Mica (R-FL) has received permission to increase funding for the House proposal by $100 billion, given additional revenue sources are found. A gas tax increase, however, remains out of the question.


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The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) published a Notice of Proposed Amendments, proposing to revise Table I-2 in the Introduction of the 2009 Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) to eliminate, extend or otherwise revise most of the target compliance dates for upgrading existing traffic control devices in the field that do not meet the current MUTCD standards. The MUTCD is a compilation of national standards for all pavement markings, street signs and traffic signals. FHWA is accepting comments on the proposed amendments until October 31.

Of the 58 items for which target compliance dates are currently listed, FHWA proposed eliminating altogether the compliance dates for eight that have already expired and 38 that have future compliance dates, and to extend and/or revise the dates for four items.

FHWA proposed revising the January 22, 2012 target compliance date that was established in 2007 for a provision that requires agencies to implement an assessment or management method designed to maintain sign retroreflectivity at or above the established minimum levels. This compliance date does not require any signs to be replaced by a given date. It requires highway agencies to implement an assessment or management method for maintaining sign retroreflectivity by the compliance date. The compliance date for this requirement would be extended to a date two years after the effective date of the final rule for this proposed revision of the MUTCD.

Additionally, FHWA proposed making the new compliance date apply only to implementing an assessment or management method for regulatory and warning signs. The requirement in the MUTCD language to implement a method for all types of signs would remain, but there would not be a specific target compliance date for required implementation of the method for signs other than regulatory and warning signs.

FHWA also proposed eliminating the two existing target compliance dates for replacement of signs that are identified using the assessment or management method as failing to meet the established minimum retroreflectivity levels. The January 22, 2015 date for regulatory, warning, and post-mounted guide (except street name) signs and the January 22, 2018 date for street name signs and overhead guide signs would both be eliminated. Without specific compliance dates for these items, agencies will still need to replace any sign they identify as not meeting the established minimum retroreflectivity levels.

FHWA has retained twelve deadlines for sign upgrades that are critical to public safety. These include installing “ONE WAY” signs at intersections with divided highways or one-way streets and requiring STOP or YIELD signs to be added at all railroad crossings that do not have train-activated automatic gates or flashing lights.

The Federal Register notice, which provides detailed discussion of the FHWA proposal, can be viewed at http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011-08-31/html/2011-22006.htm.

More information is posted at http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/.

...[read full article]

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) published a Notice of Proposed Amendments, proposing to revise Table I-2 in the Introduction of the 2009 Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) to eliminate, extend or otherwise revise most of the target compliance dates for upgrading existing traffic control devices in the field that do not meet the current MUTCD standards. The MUTCD is a compilation of national standards for all pavement markings, street signs and traffic signals. FHWA is accepting comments on the proposed amendments until October 31.

Of the 58 items for which target compliance dates are currently listed, FHWA proposed eliminating altogether the compliance dates for eight that have already expired and 38 that have future compliance dates, and to extend and/or revise the dates for four items.

FHWA proposed revising the January 22, 2012 target compliance date that was established in 2007 for a provision that requires agencies to implement an assessment or management method designed to maintain sign retroreflectivity at or above the established minimum levels. This compliance date does not require any signs to be replaced by a given date. It requires highway agencies to implement an assessment or management method for maintaining sign retroreflectivity by the compliance date. The compliance date for this requirement would be extended to a date two years after the effective date of the final rule for this proposed revision of the MUTCD.

Additionally, FHWA proposed making the new compliance date apply only to implementing an assessment or management method for regulatory and warning signs. The requirement in the MUTCD language to implement a method for all types of signs would remain, but there would not be a specific target compliance date for required implementation of the method for signs other than regulatory and warning signs.

FHWA also proposed eliminating the two existing target compliance dates for replacement of signs that are identified using the assessment or management method as failing to meet the established minimum retroreflectivity levels. The January 22, 2015 date for regulatory, warning, and post-mounted guide (except street name) signs and the January 22, 2018 date for street name signs and overhead guide signs would both be eliminated. Without specific compliance dates for these items, agencies will still need to replace any sign they identify as not meeting the established minimum retroreflectivity levels.
FHWA has retained twelve deadlines for sign upgrades that are critical to public safety. These include installing “ONE WAY” signs at intersections with divided highways or one-way streets and requiring STOP or YIELD signs to be added at all railroad crossings that do not have train-activated automatic gates or flashing lights.

The Federal Register notice, which provides detailed discussion of the FHWA proposal, can be viewed at http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011-08-31/html/2011-22006.htm. More information is posted at http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/.

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USDOT Announces $527 Million in Funding for New Round of TIGER Grant Program

U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) announced June 30th that $527 million will be available for a third round of the TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) competitive grant program, which funds innovative transportation projects that will create jobs and have a significant impact on the nation, a region or a metropolitan area.

In the FY11 federal budget, $527 million was directed to USDOT for critical investments in the nation’s transportation infrastructure. States, cities, local governments, and other partnerships and groups will have until this fall to prepare their applications for the TIGER program, which has funded projects including roads, bridges, freight rail, transit buses and streetcars, ports, and bicycle and pedestrian paths.

The previous two rounds of the TIGER grant program provided $2.1 billion to 126 transportation projects in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Demand for the program has been overwhelming, and during the previous two rounds, USDOT received more than 2,500 applications requesting more than $79 billion for transportation projects across the country.

Projects will be selected based on their ability to contribute to the long-term economic competitiveness of the nation, improve the condition of existing transportation facilities and systems, improve energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improve the safety of U.S. transportation facilities and improve the quality of living and working environments of communities through increased transportation choices and connections. USDOT will also focus on projects that are expected to quickly create and preserve jobs and spur rapid increases in economic activity.

For more information, visit http://www.dot.gov/tiger/.


...[read full article]

USDOT Announces $527 Million in Funding for New Round of TIGER Grant Program

U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) announced June 30th that $527 million will be available for a third round of the TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) competitive grant program, which funds innovative transportation projects that will create jobs and have a significant impact on the nation, a region or a metropolitan area.

In the FY11 federal budget, $527 million was directed to USDOT for critical investments in the nation’s transportation infrastructure. States, cities, local governments, and other partnerships and groups will have until this fall to prepare their applications for the TIGER program, which has funded projects including roads, bridges, freight rail, transit buses and streetcars, ports, and bicycle and pedestrian paths.

The previous two rounds of the TIGER grant program provided $2.1 billion to 126 transportation projects in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Demand for the program has been overwhelming, and during the previous two rounds, USDOT received more than 2,500 applications requesting more than $79 billion for transportation projects across the country.

Projects will be selected based on their ability to contribute to the long-term economic competitiveness of the nation, improve the condition of existing transportation facilities and systems, improve energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improve the safety of U.S. transportation facilities and improve the quality of living and working environments of communities through increased transportation choices and connections. USDOT will also focus on projects that are expected to quickly create and preserve jobs and spur rapid increases in economic activity.

For more information, visit http://www.dot.gov/tiger/.


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Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chairman Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Ranking Member James Inhofe (R-OK), Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT), and Subcommittee Ranking Member David Vitter (R-LA) have announced a framework for a six-year bill to reauthorize federal surface transportation programs. They are calling their legislation, Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century, MAP-21.

The framework funds programs at current levels plus an inflation factor, providing $339.2 billion over six years and averaging $56.5 billion annually. Highlights include: eliminating earmarks, consolidating programs, expediting project delivery and expanding the Transportation Innovation and Finance Act (TIFIA) program, which provides federal credit assistance for projects.

Although the framework represents a six-year bill, Sen. Boxer has not ruled out a two-year measure to maintain current funding. Revenues to the Highway Trust Fund have not kept up with disbursements.

Boxer intends to finish the bill over the next couple weeks and bring it up for Committee action before the July 4th Recess. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman John Mica, who is currently drafting the House bill, has a similar timeline for his legislation.

The Obama Administration has not released an official reauthorization proposal but as part of its fiscal year 2012 budget request earlier this year outlined a blueprint for a six-year, $556 billion bill. The plan did not identify revenue sources.

SAFETEA-LU expired September 2009. A seventh temporary extension of federal surface transportation programs expires September 30, 2011.


...[read full article]

Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chairman Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Ranking Member James Inhofe (R-OK), Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT), and Subcommittee Ranking Member David Vitter (R-LA) have announced a framework for a six-year bill to reauthorize federal surface transportation programs. They are calling their legislation, Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century, MAP-21.

The framework funds programs at current levels plus an inflation factor, providing $339.2 billion over six years and averaging $56.5 billion annually. Highlights include: eliminating earmarks, consolidating programs, expediting project delivery and expanding the Transportation Innovation and Finance Act (TIFIA) program, which provides federal credit assistance for projects.

Although the framework represents a six-year bill, Sen. Boxer has not ruled out a two-year measure to maintain current funding. Revenues to the Highway Trust Fund have not kept up with disbursements.

Boxer intends to finish the bill over the next couple weeks and bring it up for Committee action before the July 4th Recess. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman John Mica, who is currently drafting the House bill, has a similar timeline for his legislation.

The Obama Administration has not released an official reauthorization proposal but as part of its fiscal year 2012 budget request earlier this year outlined a blueprint for a six-year, $556 billion bill. The plan did not identify revenue sources.

SAFETEA-LU expired September 2009. A seventh temporary extension of federal surface transportation programs expires September 30, 2011.


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The US Access Board is seeking public comment on a new initiative to develop accessibility guidelines for shared use paths which provide a means of transportation and recreation for various users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, skaters and others, including people with disabilities. The new guidelines will provide technical provisions for incorporating accessibility into the construction or alteration of shared use paths covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act and, in the case of those federally funded, the Architectural Barriers Act.
Through a notice published March 28th, the Board invites comment on the guidelines to be developed, including their scope of coverage and the definition of “shared use paths.” The Board also seeks feedback on draft technical provisions that address various features of paths, including surface characteristics, width, grade and cross slopes, changes in level, surface joints and openings, protruding objects, gates and barriers, and intersections and curb ramps. The notice explains these provisions and poses questions to the public on specific topics.
The rulemaking will complement guidelines the Board is developing for outdoor developed areas, including trails and public rights-of-way. Public comments previously received in these rulemaking efforts urged the Board to specifically address shared use paths which differ significantly from trails and public sidewalks in their use and design. Shared use paths are primarily designed for bicyclists and others for off-road transportation, such as commuting to work, as well as for recreation purposes.
The notice includes instructions for submitting comments, which are due by June 27, 2011. The notice is available at http://www.access-board.gov/sup/anprm.htm.   It can also be accessed, and comments submitted, through www.regulations.gov.

 

...[read full article]

The US Access Board is seeking public comment on a new initiative to develop accessibility guidelines for shared use paths which provide a means of transportation and recreation for various users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, skaters and others, including people with disabilities. The new guidelines will provide technical provisions for incorporating accessibility into the construction or alteration of shared use paths covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act and, in the case of those federally funded, the Architectural Barriers Act.
Through a notice published March 28th, the Board invites comment on the guidelines to be developed, including their scope of coverage and the definition of “shared use paths.” The Board also seeks feedback on draft technical provisions that address various features of paths, including surface characteristics, width, grade and cross slopes, changes in level, surface joints and openings, protruding objects, gates and barriers, and intersections and curb ramps. The notice explains these provisions and poses questions to the public on specific topics.
The rulemaking will complement guidelines the Board is developing for outdoor developed areas, including trails and public rights-of-way. Public comments previously received in these rulemaking efforts urged the Board to specifically address shared use paths which differ significantly from trails and public sidewalks in their use and design. Shared use paths are primarily designed for bicyclists and others for off-road transportation, such as commuting to work, as well as for recreation purposes.
The notice includes instructions for submitting comments, which are due by June 27, 2011. The notice is available at http://www.access-board.gov/sup/anprm.htm.   It can also be accessed, and comments submitted, through www.regulations.gov.

 

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The US Department of Transportation (USDOT) is conducting a review of its existing regulations to evaluate their continued validity and determine whether they are crafted effectively to solve current problems. As part of this review, the Department invites the public to participate in a comment process designed to help the Department ensure that it has a plan for periodically analyzing existing significant rules to determine whether they should be modified, streamlined, expanded, or repealed and identify specific rules that may be outmoded, ineffective, insufficient, or excessively burdensome.

Comments are due April 1, 2011. They may be submitted electronically to Docket DOT-OST-2011-0025 by the Federal eRulemaking Portal, http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=DOT-OST-2011-0025-0001.

USDOT IdeaScale Website Participation

In order to provide the public with alternative means of providing feedback in ways that may better suit its needs, USDOT has created a website using IdeaScale that will allow submissions in a less formal manner.

Participants in this site may submit original ideas, discuss one another's ideas and/or agree/disagree with others. To ensure that ideas are most useful in informing the Department's deliberation and decision process, you should include the citation to the regulation on which you are commenting (e.g. 49 CFR 1.69), a description of any concerns regarding the regulation (e.g. it is duplicative, too costly, etc.), and any supporting information (e.g., the citation to a duplicative regulation or actual cost or benefit data) that would assist USDOT in making a decision). To go directly to the IdeaScale Website use the following link: http://dotregreview.ideascale.com/.

...[read full article]

The US Department of Transportation (USDOT) is conducting a review of its existing regulations to evaluate their continued validity and determine whether they are crafted effectively to solve current problems. As part of this review, the Department invites the public to participate in a comment process designed to help the Department ensure that it has a plan for periodically analyzing existing significant rules to determine whether they should be modified, streamlined, expanded, or repealed and identify specific rules that may be outmoded, ineffective, insufficient, or excessively burdensome.

Comments are due April 1, 2011. They may be submitted electronically to Docket DOT-OST-2011-0025 by the Federal eRulemaking Portal, http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=DOT-OST-2011-0025-0001.

 

USDOT IdeaScale Website Participation

In order to provide the public with alternative means of providing feedback in ways that may better suit its needs, USDOT has created a website using IdeaScale that will allow submissions in a less formal manner.

Participants in this site may submit original ideas, discuss one another's ideas and/or agree/disagree with others. To ensure that ideas are most useful in informing the Department's deliberation and decision process, you should include the citation to the regulation on which you are commenting (e.g. 49 CFR 1.69), a description of any concerns regarding the regulation (e.g. it is duplicative, too costly, etc.), and any supporting information (e.g., the citation to a duplicative regulation or actual cost or benefit data) that would assist USDOT in making a decision). To go directly to the IdeaScale Website use the following link: http://dotregreview.ideascale.com/ 

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President Obama March 4 signed into law a seven-month SAFETEA-LU extension bill approved earlier by Congress. The latest extension replaces one which expired March 4 and extends federal highway and transit program authority under SAFETEA-LU through the end of the current fiscal year, Sept. 30, 2011.

SAFETEA-LU programs have been operating under a series of extensions since October 2009. Multi-year reauthorization legislation is expected to be introduced in Congress this spring.

...[read full article]

President Obama March 4 signed into law a seven-month SAFETEA-LU extension bill approved earlier by Congress. The latest extension replaces one which expired March 4 and extends federal highway and transit program authority under SAFETEA-LU through the end of the current fiscal year, Sept. 30, 2011.

SAFETEA-LU programs have been operating under a series of extensions since October 2009. Multi-year reauthorization legislation is expected to be introduced in Congress this spring.

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President Obama’s State of the Union speech addressed the economic benefits of modernizing the nation’s infrastructure. APWA issued the following statement in response:


January 26, 2011


APWA Applauds President’s Support for Infrastructure Investment


Washington, DC -- The American Public Works Association (APWA) applauds President Obama’s support in his State of the Union address for increased federal investment in public infrastructure.

“Increased investment to repair and rebuild our aging roads, bridges, public transportation and water infrastructure will create jobs, reinvigorate our economy and strengthen America’s global economic competitiveness,” said APWA President George Crombie. “All segments of the economy, whether businesses, services or manufacturing, rely on efficient, well-maintained infrastructure to move commerce, create jobs and strengthen our economic competitiveness. APWA applauds the President’s commitment to rebuilding our infrastructure as an investment in the future of our nation and our recovering economy.

A major step toward achieving the economic goals the President laid out in his State of the Union address would be immediate passage of a long-term surface transportation authorization. The current law that provides federal funding to improve and repair our roads, bridges and public transportation systems, known as SAFETEA-LU, expired more than 15 months ago and is operating under a temporary extension. Passage of a long-term transportation bill that increases investment will get us underway toward modernizing a 20th Century transportation system so we can compete in a 21st Century global economy. In addition, the needs of our nation’s water infrastructure total hundreds of billions of dollars. A renewed commitment to reinvesting in our aging and deteriorating water infrastructure will create jobs and protect public health and the environment.”


                                 ###


Working in the public interest, the 29,000 members of APWA plan, design, build, operate and maintain the transportation, water supply, sewage and refuse disposal systems, public buildings, and other structures and facilities essential to our nation’s economy and way of life.


...[read full article]

President Obama’s State of the Union speech last night addressed the economic benefits of modernizing the nation’s infrastructure. APWA issued the following statement in response:


January 26, 2011


APWA Applauds President’s Support for Infrastructure Investment


Washington, DC -- The American Public Works Association (APWA) applauds President Obama’s support in his State of the Union address for increased federal investment in public infrastructure.

“Increased investment to repair and rebuild our aging roads, bridges, public transportation and water infrastructure will create jobs, reinvigorate our economy and strengthen America’s global economic competitiveness,” said APWA President George Crombie. “All segments of the economy, whether businesses, services or manufacturing, rely on efficient, well-maintained infrastructure to move commerce, create jobs and strengthen our economic competitiveness. APWA applauds the President’s commitment to rebuilding our infrastructure as an investment in the future of our nation and our recovering economy.

A major step toward achieving the economic goals the President laid out in his State of the Union address would be immediate passage of a long-term surface transportation authorization. The current law that provides federal funding to improve and repair our roads, bridges and public transportation systems, known as SAFETEA-LU, expired more than 15 months ago and is operating under a temporary extension. Passage of a long-term transportation bill that increases investment will get us underway toward modernizing a 20th Century transportation system so we can compete in a 21st Century global economy. In addition, the needs of our nation’s water infrastructure total hundreds of billions of dollars. A renewed commitment to reinvesting in our aging and deteriorating water infrastructure will create jobs and protect public health and the environment.”


                   ###


Working in the public interest, the 29,000 members of APWA plan, design, build, operate and maintain the transportation, water supply, sewage and refuse disposal systems, public buildings, and other structures and facilities essential to our nation’s economy and way of life.


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House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee (T&I) Chairman John Mica (R-FL) and Ranking Member Nick J. Rahall (D-WV) have announced the new committee members for the 112th Congress. The new Committee has 59 members, 33 Republicans and 26 Democrats. The size of the Committee was reduced from 75 members in the 111th Congress. Of the 33 Republicans, 20 are freshman. Democrats hold 19 fewer seats on the Committee than they did in the 111th Congress.
...[read full article]

House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee (T&I) Chairman John Mica (R-FL) and Ranking Member Nick J. Rahall (D-WV) have announced the new committee members for the 112th Congress. The new Committee has 59 members, 33 Republicans and 26 Democrats. The size of the Committee was reduced from 75 members in the 111th Congress. Of the 33 Republicans, 20 are freshman. Democrats hold 19 fewer seats on the Committee than they did in the 111th Congress.

The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee has broad jurisdiction over the Nation’s highways, railways, airports, seaports, bus lines, and pipelines, as well as the Economic Development Administration, Appalachian Regional Commission, Coast Guard, Army Corps of Engineers, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and other crucial economic development programs.

Listed below is the membership of the full committee and the six subcommittees for the 112th Congress:

REPUBLICANS
Chairman: John L. Mica (FL)

Don Young (AK)
Thomas E. Petri (WI)
Howard Coble (NC)
John J. Duncan, Jr. (TN)
Frank A. LoBiondo (NJ)
Gary Miller (CA)
Timothy V. Johnson (IL)
Sam Graves (MO)
Bill Shuster (PA)
Shelley Moore Capito (WV)
Jean Schmidt (OH)
Candice Miller (MI)
Duncan Hunter (CA)
Tom Reed (NY)
Andy Harris (MD)
Rick Crawford (AR)
Jaime Herrera Beutler (WA)
Frank Guinta (NH)
Randy Hultgren (IL)
Lou Barletta (PA)
Chip Cravaack (MN)
Blake Farenthold (TX)
Larry Bucshon (IN)
Billy Long (MO)
Bob Gibbs (OH)
Patrick Meehan (PA)
Richard Hanna (NY)
Stephen Fincher (TN)
Jeff Landry (LA)
Steve Southerland (FL)
Jeff Denham (CA)
James Lankford (OK)

DEMOCRATS
Ranking Member: Nick J. Rahall, II (WV)

Peter A. DeFazio (OR)
Jerry F. Costello (IL)
Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC)
Jerrold Nadler (NY)
Corrine Brown (FL)
Bob Filner (CA)
Eddie Bernice Johnson (TX)
Elijah E. Cummings (MD)
Leonard Boswell (IA)
Tim Holden (PA)
Rick Larsen (WA)
Michael E. Capuano (MA)
Timothy H. Bishop (NY)
Michael H. Michaud (ME)
Russ Carnahan (MO)
Grace Napolitano (CA)
Daniel Lipinski (IL)
Mazie Hirono (HI)
Jason Altmire (PA)
Timothy J. Walz (MN)
Heath Shuler (NC)
Steve Cohen (TN)
Laura A. Richardson (CA)
Albio Sires (NJ)
Donna F. Edwards (MD)


House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittees:

Important work begins at the Subcommittees, whose experienced Chairmen and Members provide dedicated, effective leadership as the Subcommittees work to improve our nation’s infrastructure in a fiscally responsible manner.


SUBCOMMITTEE ON AVIATION:
Chairman, Thomas E. Petri (R-WI)
Ranking Member, Jerry F. Costello (D-IL)

SUBCOMMITTEE ON COAST GUARD AND MARITIME TRANSPORTATION:
Chairman, Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ)
Ranking Member, Rick Larsen (D-WA)

SUBCOMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT:
Chairman, Jeff Denham (R-CA)
Ranking Member, Eleanor Holmes Norton (R-DC)

SUBCOMMITTEE ON HIGHWAYS AND TRANSIT:
Chairman, John J. Duncan, Jr. (R-TN)
Ranking Member, Peter A. DeFazio (D-OR)

SUBCOMMITTEE ON RAILROADS, PIPELINES AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS:
Chairman, Bill Shuster (R-PA)
Ranking Member, Corrine Brown (D-FL)

SUBCOMMITTEE ON WATRE RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT:
Chairman, Bob Gibbs (R-OH)
Ranking Member, Timothy H. Bishop (D-NY)

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On December 22, President Obama signed into law a bill extending funding for federal surface transportation programs authorized under SAFETEA-LU through March 4, 2011. The temporary extension was included in a Continuing Resolution (CR) passed by Congress to provide short-term appropriations at fiscal year (FY) 2010 funding levels for federal agencies and departments.
...[read full article]

On December 22, President Obama signed into law a bill extending funding for federal surface transportation programs authorized under SAFETEA-LU through March 4, 2011. The temporary extension was included in a Continuing Resolution (CR) passed by Congress to provide short-term appropriations at fiscal year (FY) 2010 funding levels for federal agencies and departments. The CR, the Continuing Appropriations and Surface Transportation Extensions Act of 2010 (H.R. 3082), was needed because Congress has not passed any of the annual appropriations bills for fiscal year 2011. This is the sixth extension of SAFETEA-LU, which expired September 30, 2009.

House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chair John Mica (R-Fla) said that Congress will take up the draft of a new, longer-term surface transportation authorization bill in January. The CR will give the 112th Congress time to complete work on the unfinished Appropriations for FY 2011.

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SUPPORT TRANSPORTATION INVESTMENT -- URGENT APWA LEGISLATIVE ALERT

Contact your members of the House of Representatives today and urge them to oppose the Highway Funding Provision in the House Rules Package because it would jeopardize investment in transportation infrastructure and harm job growth and economic recovery.

REASON
The House of Representatives is scheduled to vote Tuesday January 4th on a package of rules for the 112th Congress. The Highway Funding provision in the Rules Package would amend an existing rule guaranteeing all revenues to the Federal Highway Trust Fund are invested each year in highway and transit programs. A House Rules Committee news release about the package says that “highway funding, with some exceptions, will now be treated as other general spending and therefore be subject to any member attempt to reduce the spending.”

HOW TO SEND YOUR MESSAGE
The APWA Legislative Action Center is a simple, effective way to deliver your message to your member of Congress. A draft letter titled SUPPORT TRANSPORTATION INVESTMENT has been posted at http://capwiz.com/apwa/issues/alert/?alertid=21272501&PROCESS=Take+Action. Congress receives an overwhelming volume of communication. We encourage you to personalize your letter to ensure your message is read.

BACKGROUND
The Highway Funding provision in section 2 of H. Res 5, adopting the rules for the 112th Congress, would amend the existing House Rule – Rule XXI, Clause 3 – guaranteeing all revenues to the Federal Highway Trust Fund are invested each year in highway and transit programs. Transportation projects often require multi-year funding commitments and depend on stable and reliable funding from year to year. Since 1998, when TEA-21 was enacted, all revenues collected into the Highway Trust Fund each year have been invested in repairing and improving our roads, bridges and public transportation systems. The proposed rules package provision would undermine critically important investment at a time when local economies and local government budgets can ill-afford unpredictable levels of federal transportation funding.

...[read full article]

SUPPORT TRANSPORTATION INVESTMENT -- URGENT APWA LEGISLATIVE ALERT

Contact your members of the House of Representatives today and urge them to oppose the Highway Funding Provision in the House Rules Package because it would jeopardize investment in transportation infrastructure and harm job growth and economic recovery.

REASON
The House of Representatives is scheduled to vote Tuesday January 4th on a package of rules for the 112th Congress. The Highway Funding provision in the Rules Package would amend an existing rule guaranteeing all revenues to the Federal Highway Trust Fund are invested each year in highway and transit programs. A House Rules Committee news release about the package says that “highway funding, with some exceptions, will now be treated as other general spending and therefore be subject to any member attempt to reduce the spending.”

HOW TO SEND YOUR MESSAGE
The APWA Legislative Action Center is a simple, effective way to deliver your message to your member of Congress. A draft letter titled SUPPORT TRANSPORTATION INVESTMENT has been posted at http://capwiz.com/apwa/issues/alert/?alertid=21272501&PROCESS=Take+Action. Congress receives an overwhelming volume of communication. We encourage you to personalize your letter to ensure your message is read.

BACKGROUND
The Highway Funding provision in section 2 of H. Res 5, adopting the rules for the 112th Congress, would amend the existing House Rule – Rule XXI, Clause 3 – guaranteeing all revenues to the Federal Highway Trust Fund are invested each year in highway and transit programs. Transportation projects often require multi-year funding commitments and depend on stable and reliable funding from year to year. Since 1998, when TEA-21 was enacted, all revenues collected into the Highway Trust Fund each year have been invested in repairing and improving our roads, bridges and public transportation systems. The proposed rules package provision would undermine critically important investment at a time when local economies and local government budgets can ill-afford unpredictable levels of federal transportation funding.



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The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) November 30th issued a Federal Register notice requesting public comment on compliance dates to upgrade existing non-compliant traffic control devices in the field to comply with requirements established in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). The notice is not a rulemaking action. It merely solicits comments on the issues to help FHWA in analyzing the issues and in considering what actions, if any, might be advisable in the future. Comments are due by Jan 14, 2011. APWA encourages local agencies to file comments.

FHWA is interested in examining the issues of safety benefits provided by traffic control device uniformity and the economic hardships to state and local governments that might result from specific compliance dates for upgrading some non-compliant existing devices. FHWA has been made aware of concerns by some state DOTs and local highway agencies about the potential impacts of MUTCD compliance dates in the current economic downturn, which has significantly reduced the resources available to public agencies.

The purpose of the notice is to present a general discussion of issues related to MUTCD compliance dates, to present a discussion of existing compliance dates for seven specific 2009 MUTCD provisions -- Maintaining Minimum Sign Retroreflectivity (Section 2A.08); One-Way Signs (Section 2B.40); Horizontal Alignment Warning Signs (Sections 2C.06 through 2C.14); Yellow Change Intervals and Red Clearance Intervals (Section 4D.26); and Pedestrian Intervals and Signal Phases (Section 4E.06) -- and to request comments and input on those issues and dates. The notice also includes a series of specific questions for which FHWA requests input on each. They are:

1. What, if any, difficulties does your organization anticipate in meeting the seven MUTCD compliance dates discussed above for upgrading existing non-compliant devices in the field?

2. Are there one or more of these seven compliance dates that are more problematic than the others for your organization? If so, which ones, and why?

3. If some or all of these seven compliance dates were extended, how long do you estimate it would take to complete the necessary traffic control device upgrades?

4. What safety or other impacts would result from extending some or all of these seven compliance dates?

5. Are there other MUTCD compliance dates not described in this notice that are problematic for your organization? If yes, which ones, and why?

6. What considerations should be applied to establish new compliance dates in the MUTCD?

7. What other comments or input do you wish to provide to FHWA regarding MUTCD compliance dates for upgrading existing traffic control devices?

FHWA is seeking comments from all interested parties to help FHWA in further examining these issues and evaluating potential future alternative courses of action, including additional rulemaking.

To review the Federal Register notice and to post comments, please go to www.regulations.gov and enter FHWA-2010-0159 as the docket number in the box labeled, Enter Key Word or ID.

...[read full article]

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) November 30th issued a Federal Register notice requesting public comment on compliance dates to upgrade existing non-compliant traffic control devices in the field to comply with requirements established in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). The notice is not a rulemaking action. It merely solicits comments on the issues to help FHWA in analyzing the issues and in considering what actions, if any, might be advisable in the future. Comments are due by Jan 14, 2011. APWA encourages local agencies to file comments.

FHWA is interested in examining the issues of safety benefits provided by traffic control device uniformity and the economic hardships to state and local governments that might result from specific compliance dates for upgrading some non-compliant existing devices. FHWA has been made aware of concerns by some state DOTs and local highway agencies about the potential impacts of MUTCD compliance dates in the current economic downturn, which has significantly reduced the resources available to public agencies.

The purpose of the notice is to present a general discussion of issues related to MUTCD compliance dates, to present a discussion of existing compliance dates for seven specific 2009 MUTCD provisions -- Maintaining Minimum Sign Retroreflectivity (Section 2A.08); One-Way Signs (Section 2B.40); Horizontal Alignment Warning Signs (Sections 2C.06 through 2C.14); Yellow Change Intervals and Red Clearance Intervals (Section 4D.26); and Pedestrian Intervals and Signal Phases (Section 4E.06) -- and to request comments and input on those issues and dates. The notice also includes a series of specific questions for which FHWA requests input on each. They are:

1. What, if any, difficulties does your organization anticipate in meeting the seven MUTCD compliance dates discussed above for upgrading existing non-compliant devices in the field?

2. Are there one or more of these seven compliance dates that are more problematic than the others for your organization? If so, which ones, and why?

3. If some or all of these seven compliance dates were extended, how long do you estimate it would take to complete the necessary traffic control device upgrades?

4. What safety or other impacts would result from extending some or all of these seven compliance dates?

5. Are there other MUTCD compliance dates not described in this notice that are problematic for your organization? If yes, which ones, and why?

6. What considerations should be applied to establish new compliance dates in the MUTCD?

7. What other comments or input do you wish to provide to FHWA regarding MUTCD compliance dates for upgrading existing traffic control devices?

FHWA is seeking comments from all interested parties to help FHWA in further examining these issues and evaluating potential future alternative courses of action, including additional rulemaking.


To review the Federal Register notice and to post comments, please go to www.regulations.gov and enter FHWA-2010-0159 as the docket number in the box labeled, Enter Key Word or ID.


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Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced Wednesday, October 20, 2010 that 42 capital construction projects and 33 planning projects in 40 states will be funded through $600 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s TIGER II program. The funding will go to major infrastructure projects ranging from highways and bridges to transit, rail and ports. TIGER II (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) received nearly 1,000 construction requests from all 50 states, U.S. territories and the District of Columbia.
...[read full article]

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced Wednesday, October 20, 2010 that 42 capital construction projects and 33 planning projects in 40 states will be funded through $600 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s TIGER II program. The funding will go to major infrastructure projects ranging from highways and bridges to transit, rail and ports. TIGER II (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) received nearly 1,000 construction requests from all 50 states, U.S. territories and the District of Columbia.

Seeming to follow the scenario of the TIGER I project dollars, in which 51 grants were awarded after nearly 1500 applicant requests were received that totaling $60 billion worth of projects, the TIGER II program received grant applications worth more than $19 billion, and resulted in over 70 awarded projects totaling nearly $600 million. According to Secretary LaHood, the awarded projects are innovative, 21st century projects that will change the U.S. transportation landscape by strengthening the economy and creating jobs, and provide safe, affordable and environmentally sustainable transportation choices. Roughly 29 percent of TIGER II money will go to road projects, 26 percent for transit, 20 percent for rail projects, 16 percent for ports, four percent for bicycle and pedestrian projects and five percent for planning projects.

Using merit-based evaluation criteria allows the Department of Transportation to fund the best projects from around the country, and address critical challenges like sustainability and economic competitiveness. This is the first time that the U.S. Departments of Transportation and HUD have joined together in awarding grants for projects that integrate transportation and Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The TIGER II grants were awarded to projects that have a significant impact on the nation, a region or metropolitan area, and were chosen based on demonstration of their ability to contribute long-term economic competitiveness of the nation, improve the condition of existing transportation facilities and systems, increase energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve safety of transportation facilities and enhance the quality of living and working environments of communities through increased transportation choices and connections. For more information on TIGER II, visit http://www.dot.gov/affairs/2010/dot18810.html.

A complete list of capital grant recipients can be viewed at: http://www.dot.gov/docs/tiger2grantinfo.pdf

A complete list of planning grant recipients can be viewed at: http://www.dot.gov/docs/tiger2planninggrantinfo.pdf

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On September 6, 2010 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, President Obama announced a comprehensive infrastructure plan to expand and renew our nation’s roads, railways, and runways. The President said his administration is specifically seeking an immediate $50 billion investment in U.S. road, transit, high-speed rail and airport infrastructure modeled after last year’s economic stimulus plan.
...[read full article]

On September 6, 2010 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, President Obama announced a comprehensive infrastructure plan to expand and renew our nation’s roads, railways, and runways. The President said his administration is specifically seeking an immediate $50 billion investment in U.S. road, transit, high-speed rail and airport infrastructure modeled after last year’s economic stimulus plan.

Last year’s stimulus plan provided $48 billion for transportation infrastructure; Obama’s would include a short-term influx to be followed by a six-year surface transportation authorization bill, which could top $500 billion.

A White House fact sheet that was released before President Obama’s speech outlines, among other things, four “meaningful reforms” that will likely be included in the transportation legislation:

• Creating an infrastructure bank;
• Integrating high-speed passenger rail into the regular surface transportation program;
• Consolidating the over 100 existing programs, with a focus on competitive funding programs that support innovative transportation projects; and
• Increased spending on safety, environmental sustainability, economic competitiveness, and livability, one of the administration’s transportation initiatives that seek to improve quality of life by coordinating transportation, housing, and environmental decisions.

The Administration also said that an authorization bill, over its six-year life, should include enough funds to repair 150,000 miles of roads, build 4,000 miles of passenger and freight rail, and repair 150 miles of runway. House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee Chairman, John L. Oberstar (D-MN) praised President Obama’s announcement, while House T&I Committee Ranking Member, John Mica (R-FL) had strong words opposing the plan.

To view the White House fact sheet, you may go here: http://www.apwa.net/DR/index.asp?ID=1099

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The US Department of Transportation has extended the pre-application deadline for the $600 million National Infrastructure Investments grants program, also known as TIGER II discretionary grants, from July 16 to July 26, 2010.

...[read full article]

The US Department of Transportation has extended the pre-application deadline for the $600 million National Infrastructure Investments grants program, also known as TIGER II discretionary grants, from July 16 to July 26, 2010.

Information about the TIGER II grants is posted at: http://www.dot.gov/recovery/ost/tigerii/index.html.

More information about the extension is published in the June 30th Federal Register under Transportation Department, Funding Availability:  http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fedreg/a100630c.html.

 

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The U.S. Departments of Transportation (DOT) and Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced they will award up to $75 million in funding – $35 million in TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) II Planning Grants and $40 million in Sustainable Community Challenge Grants for localized planning activities that lead to projects that integrate transportation, housing and economic development.


...[read full article]

The U.S. Departments of Transportation (DOT) and Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced they will award up to $75 million in funding – $35 million in TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) II Planning Grants and $40 million in Sustainable Community Challenge Grants for localized planning activities that lead to projects that integrate transportation, housing and economic development.

TIGER II Planning Grants may be used to plan, prepare or design surface transportation projects that would be eligible for funding under the TIGER II Discretionary Grant program. These projects include highways, bridges, transit, railways, ports or bicycle and pedestrian facilities. For more information about TIGER II Discretionary Grant program, including how to apply, see the Federal Register Notice, Funding Availability: National Infrastructure Investments under Transportation Department, http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fedreg/a100601c.html, or the notice posted to the APWA advocacy page, www.apwa.net/advocacy.

HUD’s Sustainable Communities funding will target urban and community planning projects that foster reform and reduce barriers to achieving affordable, economically vital and sustainable communities. Such efforts may include amending or replacing local master plans, zoning codes, and building codes either on a jurisdiction-wide basis or in a specific neighborhood or sector to promote mixed-use development, affordable housing and the re-use of older buildings for new purposes with the goal of promoting sustainability at the local level.

There are a variety of projects that may include component parts that fall under both the DOT TIGER II Planning Grants and the HUD Sustainable Community Challenge Grants. Rather than have applicants proceed through two separate grant application procedures that might be on different timelines and with different requirements, the joint notice of funding availability is intended to create one point of entry to federal resources.

Examples could include the following:

• Planning activities that support the development of affordable housing near transportation through the adoption of inclusionary zoning ordinances and other activities such as acquisition of land for affordable housing projects.
• Preparing or amending local codes and ordinances that prevent the private sector from developing neighborhoods more sustainably and inclusively, with housing located near transportation and retail.
• Planning activities related to the development of a particular transportation corridor or regional transportation system that promotes mixed-use or transit-oriented development with an affordable housing component.
• Planning activities related to the development of a freight corridor that seeks to reduce conflicts with residential areas and with passenger and non-motorized traffic. In this type of project, DOT might fund the transportation planning activities along the corridor, and HUD might fund changes in the zoning code to support appropriate siting of freight facilities and route the freight traffic around town centers, residential areas and schools.
• Developing expanded public transportation options, including accessible public transportation and para-transit services for individuals with disabilities, to allow individuals to live in diverse, high opportunity communities and to commute to areas with employment and educational opportunities.

Under the program, DOT and HUD will make joint awards, where appropriate, as well as individual TIGER II planning grants and HUD Sustainable Community Challenge Grants.

The $35 million for TIGER II planning grants come from the $600 million in TIGER II grants announced by DOT in the June 1st Federal Register. The $40 million in HUD Sustainable Community Challenge Grant funding is part of $200 million in funding approved by congress in HUD’s FY2010 budget to launch the first ever Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities.

Pre-applications are due by July 26th. Full applications are due on August 23. State and local governments, including U.S. territories, tribal governments, transit agencies, port authorities and others, are eligible to apply for funding. Only pre-applications received and applications received through Grants.gov will be deemed properly filed. Instructions for submitting pre-applications and applications are included in Section VI of the June 24th Federal Register Notice, http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fedreg/a100624c.html.

For more information contact the TIGER II Discretionary Grant program manager via email at TIGERIIGrants@dot.gov. In addition, DOT will regularly post answers to questions and requests for clarifications on DOT’s website at http://www.dot.gov/recovery/ost/TIGERII.

Questions regarding HUD’s Community Challenge Planning Grant Program should be directed to sustainablecommunities@hud.gov or may be submitted through the www.hud.gov/sustainability website.

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The House of Representatives recently passed legislation to provide an additional $521 million in highway funding, which if passed by the Senate, would increase allocations for 37 states. The “hold harmless” funding is included as highway formula funds in the tax-extenders bill, HR 4213 - the American Jobs & Closing Tax Loopholes Act, to ensure no state loses highway funding as a result of a provision in the bill that amends the distribution formula for two highway categories, as required by the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act, enacted in March.
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The House of Representatives recently passed legislation to provide an additional $521 million in highway funding, which if passed by the Senate, would increase allocations for 37 states. The “hold harmless” funding is included as highway formula funds in the tax-extenders bill, HR 4213 - the American Jobs & Closing Tax Loopholes Act, to ensure no state loses highway funding as a result of a provision in the bill that amends the distribution formula for two highway categories, as required by the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act, enacted in March. States that did not receive money from the two programs under the HIRE Act would receive additional funding. In addition, the bill includes an extension of the Build America Bonds, created by the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009, which subsidizes interest costs for bonds paid by state/local governments to finance infrastructure projects.

House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Chairman James Oberstar, D- Minnesota, has been working for months to amend the way the HIRE Act distributes nearly $1 billion in funding for SAFETEA-LU’s Projects of National and Regional Significance and National Corridor Infrastructure Improvement Programs. This act mandates the distribution of the two programs’ Fiscal Year 2010 funding to 29 states that received discretionary funds under “SAFETEA-LU.”

The provisions in HR 4213 revise the distribution of funding so that every state receives a share of funds available under the programs. In addition, Oberstar said the highway funding provided in HR 4213 will provide thousands of jobs across the states in the construction sector.

The act also includes expansion of the Build America Bonds for two years, through 2012. The bonds extension is expected to cost the federal government $4 billion in interest subsidies over ten years.

The Senate is expected to consider the bill the week of June 7th.

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Following an April 26th interim notice, the US Department of Transportation (DOT) on June 1st issued a final notice of funding availability for the $600 million National Infrastructure Investments discretionary grant program, also known as TIGER II, and requests proposals. The Federal Register notice, (http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fedreg/a100601c.html) announces selection criteria and pre-application and application requirements.


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Following an April 26th interim notice, the US Department of Transportation (DOT) on June 1st issued a final notice of funding availability for the $600 million National Infrastructure Investments discretionary grant program, also known as TIGER II, and requests proposals. The Federal Register notice, (http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fedreg/a100601c.html) announces selection criteria and pre-application and application requirements.

As with the first TIGER program authorized by the 2009 Economic Recovery Act, funds for the TIGER II program are to be awarded on a competitive basis for projects that will have a significant impact on the Nation, a metropolitan area or a region.

Pre-applications must be submitted by July 16, 2010, at 5 p.m. EDT. Final applications must be submitted through Grants.gov by August 23, 2010, at 5 p.m. EDT.

The DOT pre-application system will open no later than June 23, 2010 to allow prospective applicants to submit pre-applications. Subsequently, the Grants.gov “Apply” function will open on July 30, 2010, allowing applicants to submit applications. DOT will evaluate all applications and announce the projects that have been selected to receive TIGER II Discretionary Grants no sooner than September 15, 2010.

Pre-applications must be submitted electronically to DOT and applications must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov. Only pre-applications received by DOT and applications received through Grants.gov will be deemed properly filed. Instructions for submitting pre-applications to DOT and applications through Grants.gov are included in Section VIII, Pre-Application and Application Cycle, in the June 1 Federal Register notice.

Because this is a new program, the interim notice requested comments on the proposed selection criteria and guidance for awarding TIGER II Discretionary Grants. DOT considered the comments that were submitted in accordance with the interim notice and decided to publish the June 1st notice revising some elements of the interim notice. See the Federal Register notice for details.

For more information contact the TIGER II Discretionary Grant program manager via e-mail at TIGERIIGrants@dot.gov. In addition, DOT will regularly post answers to questions and requests for clarifications on DOT's Web site at http://www.dot.gov/recovery/ost/TIGERII.

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A new report from the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee finds that as of April 16, 2010, Federal, State and local agencies administering programs within the Committee’s jurisdiction have announced 19,121 transportation and other infrastructure projects totaling nearly 98 percent of the infrastructure funding allocated by the $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
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A new report from the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee finds that as of April 16, 2010, Federal, State and local agencies administering programs within the Committee’s jurisdiction have announced 19,121 transportation and other infrastructure projects totaling nearly 98 percent of the infrastructure funding allocated by the $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

The 71-page report titled, The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 Transportation and Infrastructure Provisions Implementation Status as of April 16, 2010, states that of the $64 billion provided for transportation and infrastructure programs under the Recovery Act, the Federal, State and local agencies administering programs within the Committee's jurisdiction have announced transportation and other infrastructure projects totaling almost $63 billion. Of the $38 billion available for highway, transit, and wastewater infrastructure formula program projects, $34.4 billion, or 91 percent, has been put out to bid on 17, 472 projects as of March 31, 2010. In addition, across the nation work has already begun on 13,796 projects totaling $28.5 billion, or 75 percent.

The report also points out that during the first year of implementation, Recovery Act projects created or sustained nearly 350,000 direct, on-project jobs. Furthermore, every Recovery Act dollar available under the Clean Water program is now under contract.

The Recovery Act was signed into law February 17, 2009.

To view the entire report, please go to tinyurl.com/HTIC050510.



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The US Department of Transportation (DOT) has issued an interim notice announcing the availability of funding and is requesting proposals for the Department’s National Infrastructure Investments discretionary grant program. The notice, published in the April 26th Federal Register, announces selection criteria and pre-application and application requirements for the $600 million program. This program is also being called TIGER II because it is similar to, although not identical with, the $1.5 billion Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery, or TIGER Discretionary Grant program, authorized by last year’s Recovery Act.


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The US Department of Transportation (DOT) has issued an interim notice announcing the availability of funding and is requesting proposals for the Department’s National Infrastructure Investments discretionary grant program. The notice, published in the April 26th Federal Register, announces selection criteria and pre-application and application requirements for the $600 million program. This program is also being called TIGER II because it is similar to, although not identical with, the $1.5 billion Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery, or TIGER Discretionary Grant program, authorized by last year’s Recovery Act.

As with the TIGER program, funds for TIGER II are to be awarded on a competitive basis for projects that will have a significant impact on the nation, a metropolitan area or a region. Through its Federal Register notice, DOT is soliciting applications for TIGER II Discretionary Grants. Because the TIGER II Discretionary Grant program is a new program, the interim notice also requests comments on the proposed selection criteria and guidance for awarding funds. DOT will take all comments into consideration and may publish a supplemental notice revising some elements of the notice.

Eligible applicants include state and local governments, transit agencies, port authorities, MPOs and other political subdivisions of state or local governments and multi-state or multi-jurisdictional groups (through one lead agency). Eligible projects include, highway or bridge projects eligible under Title 23, public transportation projects eligible under Chapter 53, Title 49, passenger and freight rail projects and port infrastructure investment.

Up to $35 million of the amount available for TIGER II Discretionary Grants may be used for TIGER II Planning Grants. TIGER II Planning Grants may be awarded, like TIGER II Discretionary Grants, to eligible applicants, and may be used for activities related to the planning, preparation or design of eligible projects, including transportation corridors or regional transportation systems. Applications for planning assistance may be made alone or as part of a TIGER II Discretionary Grant application.

DOT is particularly interested in receiving comments on its intention to conduct a multi-agency evaluation and award process with the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for DOT's TIGER II Planning Grants, and HUD's Community Challenge Planning Grants. HUD is authorized to use $40 million for “Community Challenge Planning Grants” to foster reform and reduce barriers to achieve affordable, economically vital, and sustainable communities. This multi-agency approach for planning awards would be consistent with DOT and HUD's participation in the “Partnership for Sustainable Communities” with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to help gain better access to affordable housing, more transportation options, lower transportation costs and a cleaner environment.

Comments must be received by May 7, 2010. Pre-applications are due by 5 P.M. EST on July 16, 2010. Final applications are due by August 23, 2010, at 5 p.m. EST. DOT will evaluate all applications and announce the projects that have been selected to receive TIGER II Discretionary Grants no sooner than September 15, 2010.

More information is posted in the April 26th Federal Register under Transportation Department, funding availabilities, http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fedreg/a100426c.html, and by visiting the DOT website: http://www.dot.gov/recovery/ost/tigerii/.

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President Obama March 18 signed into law legislation extending federal surface transportation programs through December 31, 2010. The Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act, HR 2847, whose centerpiece includes tax relief for businesses hiring new employees, also transfers $19.5 billion from the general fund to the Federal Highway Trust Fund to maintain its solvency through 2011. The Act repeals a rescission of unobligated highway program contract authority that was part of SAFETEA-LU and includes an expansion of the Build America Bonds program for state and local infrastructure.


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President Obama March 18 signed into law legislation extending federal surface transportation programs through December 31, 2010. The Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act, HR 2847, whose centerpiece includes tax relief for businesses hiring new employees, also transfers $19.5 billion from the general fund to the Federal Highway Trust Fund to maintain its solvency through 2011. The Act repeals a rescission of unobligated highway program contract authority that was part of SAFETEA-LU and includes an expansion of the Build America Bonds program for state and local infrastructure.

The transportation extension is needed to allow Congress more time to complete work on a new authorization to succeed SAFETEA-LU, which expired on September 30, 2009.

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The Senate March 17th gave final approval to a House-passed jobs bill that includes an extension of federal surface transportation programs through December 31, 2010. The President is expected to sign the legislation into law. The vote was 68-29.


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The Senate March 17th gave final approval to a House-passed jobs bill that includes an extension of federal surface transportation programs through December 31, 2010. The President is expected to sign the legislation into law. The vote was 68-29.

The Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act, HR 2847, includes tax relief for businesses hiring new employees. It also transfers $19.5 billion from the general fund to the Federal Highway Trust Fund, projected to become insolvent in a few months, to repay interest foregone since 1998. Prior to that year, the Trust Fund earned interest on its balance. The legislation also repeals the rescission of unobligated highway program contract authority that was part of SAFETEA-LU and includes an expansion of the Build America Bonds program for state and local infrastructure.

The transportation extension is needed to allow Congress more time to complete work on a new authorization to succeed SAFETEA-LU, which expired on September 30, 2009. The latest extension ends March 28.

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The House of Representatives March 4 approved a modified version of a Senate-passed jobs bill that includes an extension of federal surface transportation programs through December 31, 2010. The House approved the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act, HR 2847, 217-201 after amending it to offset its cost. The vote sends the bill back to the Senate.



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The House of Representatives March 4 approved a modified version of a Senate-passed jobs bill that includes an extension of federal surface transportation programs through December 31, 2010. The House approved the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act, HR 2847, 217-201 after amending it to offset its cost. The vote sends the bill back to the Senate.

The legislation includes tax relief for businesses hiring new employees. For transportation programs, the bill transfers $19.5 billion from the general fund to the Federal Highway Trust Fund, projected to become insolvent in a few months, to repay interest foregone since 1998. Prior to that year, the Trust Fund earned interest on its balance. The legislation also repeals the rescission of unobligated highway program contract authority that was part of SAFETEA-LU and includes an expansion of the Build America Bonds program for state and local infrastructure.

The transportation extension is needed to allow Congress more time to complete work on a new authorization to succeed SAFETEA-LU, which expired on September 30, 2009. The latest extension ends March 28.


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The Senate March 2 approved legislation extending SAFETEA-LU through March 28, ending a two-day shutdown of transportation programs supported by the federal highway trust fund and the furlough of 2,000 US Department of Transportation employees. The bill was quickly signed into law.


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The Senate March 2 approved legislation extending SAFETEA-LU through March 28, ending a two-day shutdown of transportation programs supported by the federal highway trust fund and the furlough of 2,000 US Department of Transportation employees. The bill was quickly signed into law.

The legislation, HR 4691, first approved in the House of Representatives, stalled in the Senate February 25 when Kentucky Senator Jim Bunning blocked its consideration, insisting that its $10 billion cost be offset. The legislation included temporary extensions for unemployment and healthcare benefits, medicare and the federal flood insurance program.

The last extension of SAFETEA-LU expired February 28. The latest 30-day extension was approved to allow the House of Representatives time to address various objections to the Senate-passed jobs bill, the $15 billion Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act, HR 2847, which includes an extension of SAFETEA-LU through December 31, 2010. The House may consider the HIRE Act as early as March 4.


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The Senate February 24 approved an extension of federal surface transportation programs with passage of the Senate Jobs bill, 70-28, after the legislation survived a budget point of order.


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The Senate February 24 approved an extension of federal surface transportation programs with passage of the Senate Jobs bill, 70-28, after the legislation survived a budget point of order.

The Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act extends transportation program funding through December 31, 2010. It transfers $19.5 billion from the general fund to the Federal Highway Trust Fund, projected to become insolvent in a few months, to repay interest foregone since 1998. Prior to that year, the Trust Fund earned interest on its balance. The legislation also repeals the rescission of unobligated highway program contract authority that was part of SAFETEA-LU and includes an expansion of the Build America Bonds program for state and local infrastructure.

The transportation funding extension is needed to prevent a lapse of federal funding to state and local governments and to allow Congress more time to complete work on a new authorization to succeed SAFETEA-LU.
SAFETEA-LU expired September 2009 and the latest temporary extension expires on February 28. The House approved an extension through September 30 in its jobs bill, the Jobs for Main Street Act, passed in December.

The bill now heads to the House of Representatives. The HIRE Act is one of several anticipated Senate jobs bills designed to address the nation's unemployment.


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The Senate February 22 cleared a procedural hurdle and agreed to limit debate on legislation that includes an extension of federal surface transportation funding through December 31, 2010. The Senate voted 62-30 to invoke cloture on the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment
(HIRE) Act, HR 2847, a pared-down Senate jobs bill that includes several transportation provisions. The vote clears the way for final passage this week.


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The Senate February 22 cleared a procedural hurdle and agreed to limit debate on legislation that includes an extension of federal surface transportation funding through December 31, 2010. The Senate voted 62-30 to invoke cloture on the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment
(HIRE) Act, HR 2847, a pared-down Senate jobs bill that includes several transportation provisions. The vote clears the way for final passage this week.

The legislation transfers $19.5 billion from the general fund to the Federal Highway Trust Fund, projected to become insolvent in a few months, to repay interest foregone since 1998. Prior to that year, the Trust Fund earned interest on its balance. The legislation also repeals the rescission of unobligated highway program contract authority that was part of SAFETEA-LU.

The bill includes provisions allowing tax credit bonds to be converted to Build America Bonds. Build America Bonds provide qualifying issuers a direct payment from the Treasury for a portion of the interest paid on the bond for government works projects. The provision would allow qualifying issuers of tax credit bonds the option of issuing tax credit bonds under current law, or utilizing the direct subsidy Build America Bond structure for bonds issued after the date of enactment. The federal subsidy would equal 45 percent of the borrowing cost (65percent for qualifying small issuers).

The transportation funding extension is needed to prevent a lapse of federal funding to state and local governments and to allow Congress more time to complete work on a new authorization to succeed SAFETEA-LU.  SAFETEA-LU expired September 2009 and the latest temporary extension expires on February 28. The House approved an extension through September 30 in its jobs bill, the Jobs for Main Street Act, passed in December. The House and Senate will need to agree on a final extension date.

The HIRE Act is one of several anticipated Senate jobs bills designed to address the nation's unemployment.


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The Obama Administration released a $3.8 trillion Fiscal Year (FY) 2011 budget proposal to Congress February 1. The plan includes $1.415 trillion in discretionary spending and projects an FY10 deficit of 1.56 trillion. It also includes policies to achieve $1.2 trillion deficit reduction over 10 years (excluding war savings), more than $300 billion in tax cuts over 10 years and $100 billion for immediate job-creating investments in infrastructure, clean energy and small business tax cuts.

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The Obama Administration released a $3.8 trillion Fiscal Year (FY) 2011 budget proposal to Congress February 1. The plan includes $1.415 trillion in discretionary spending and projects an FY10 deficit of 1.56 trillion. It also includes policies to achieve $1.2 trillion deficit reduction over 10 years (excluding war savings), more than $300 billion in tax cuts over 10 years and $100 billion for immediate job-creating investments in infrastructure, clean energy and small business tax cuts.

Discretionary spending is broken into two categories: security and non-security spending. Security spending would increase by 5.2 percent to $719.2 billion, while non-security spending would drop by $5 billion, or 1.1 percent to $441.3 billion.

Congress has begun hearings on the proposed budget. Following is an overview of the budget’s proposals for various public works and infrastructure programs.

Transportation

The proposed budget includes $79 billion for the US Department of Transportation (DOT) and its programs, about a $2 billion increase over the current year.

• Recommends extending the current SAFETEA-LU authorization through March 2011. SAFETEA-LU, the federal surface transportation law, expired September 30, 2009. The budget states that during this extension period the Administration will work with Congress to reform surface transportation programs and put the system on a viable financing path. A temporary extension expires February 28.
• Proposes $4 billion to create an infrastructure bank. The National Infrastructure Innovation and Finance Fund would invest in projects of regional or national significance. Established as a new operational unit within DOT, the fund would provide resources for projects through, grants, loans or a blend of both and will leverage non-federal resources, including private capital.
• Proposes establishing a new $30 million Transit Safety Program. The Administration late last year proposed legislation to establish nationwide safety standards and for federal enforcement of those standards.
• Proposes $527 million for livable communities. As part of the Partnership for Sustainable Communities’ multi-agency initiative with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the funding will assist state and local governments to invest in transportation that helps advance sustainable development.
• Proposes $1 billion to sustain large-scale multi-year support for high-speed rail. The economic recovery act provided $8 billion for high speed rail.
• Proposes small increases for highway and transit funding. Highway funding would increase by about $200 million from $41.1 billion in FY10 to $41.3 billion in FY11. The funding includes $200 million for a competitive Livable Communities grant program. Transit funding would increase by about $70 million, from $10.73 billion in FY10 to $10.8 billion in FY11.
• Proposes $20 million to establish an Office of Livable Communities in the Office of the Secretary. The office would coordinate multimodal and interagency (HUD and EPA) livability efforts and lead DOT’s investment decisions that focus on livable communities.
• Proposes $1.14 billion, more than a 30 percent increase from 2010, for the Next Generation Air Transportation System, the Federal Aviation Administration’s long-term effort to improve safety, efficiency and capacity of the aviation system.

Environment

Environmental Protection Agency
The President proposed a budget of $10 billion for the Environmental Protection Agency, a three percent cut from FY 2010 enacted levels. The proposal trims the agency’s operating budget, water infrastructure loan programs and Superfund programs.

• Proposes $1.3 billion for the Superfund program to clean up contaminated sites.
• Proposes $215 million for the Brownfields program to clean up abandoned commercial and industrial sites.
• Proposes $27 million for the Healthy Communities initiative to address community water priorities, promote clean, green and healthy schools; improve air toxics monitoring in at risk communities and encourage sustainability by helping to ensure that policies and spending at the national level do not adversely affect the environment and public health or disproportionally harm disadvantaged communities.
• Proposes $43 million for efforts to address climate change and work toward a clean energy future, including implementing the greenhouse gas reporting rule; provide technical assistance to ensure that any permitting under the Clean Air Act will be manageable; perform regulatory work for the largest stationary sources of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions; develop standards for mobile sources such as cars and trucks and continue research of carbon capture and sequestration technologies.
• Proposes $3.3 billion for water and wastewater infrastructure programs, down from $3.5 billion in FY 2010.
• Proposes $1.3 billion or a 14 percent increase in State Tribal Assistance Grants for clean air and water grants to states and tribes.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
The President’s budget proposal recommends a 10 percent cut to the Army Corps of Engineers’ budget for FY 2011. The Army Corps would receive $4.9 billion, down $5.4 billion from FY 2010.

• Proposes $2.4 billion for operating and maintaining existing projects.
• Proposes $15 million to expand a national database of federal levees.
• Proposes $10 million for a program to assess the effects of climate change on civil works projects.
• Proposes $1.7 billion for the construction budget.
• Proposes $30 million in funding for flood control and coastal emergencies.
• Proposes $193 million for agency regulatory program.

Homeland Security

The proposed budget includes $56.34 billion for the US Department of Homeland Security and its programs, which is a $1.13 billion or 2.68 percent increase.

• Proposes $2.36 billion for the National Protection and Programs Directorate, an increase of $402.7 million. The National Protection and Programs Directorate leads the protection and risk reduction for the Nation’s physical and virtual critical infrastructure and key resources from man-caused disasters, natural disasters and other catastrophic incidents.
• Proposes $10.5 billion, an increase of $48.7 million, for the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
• Proposes $1.95 billion for the Disaster Relief Fund, an increase of $0.35 billion. The Disaster Relief Fund provides a portion of the total federal response to victims in declared major disasters and emergencies.
• Proposes $4 billion for State and Local Programs, an increase of $985.3 million compared to FY 2010. These grants provide training, exercises and technical assistance to improve emergency planning, response and recovery efforts. Specific state and local grant programs received the following allocations:
o State Homeland Security Grants – $1.05 billion, an increase of $100 million.
o Regional Catastrophic Planning Grants – $35 million, an increase of $1 million.
o Emergency Management Performance Grants - $345 million, an increase of $5 million.
o Urban Area Security Initiative – $1.1 billion, an increase of $248 million.
o Transportation and Infrastructure Protection Grants – $600 million, an increase of $12 million.
o Citizen Corps, Interoperable Emergency Communications and Emergency Operations Centers did not receive and funding for FY 2011.

• Proposes $100 million for Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grants, a decrease of $135 million. Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grants provide program support and technical assistance to state, local and tribal governments to reduce the risks associated with disasters, support the national grant competition, and provide the required $500,000 per state allocation. Funds will support the development and enhancement of hazard mitigation plans and the implementation of pre-disaster mitigation projects.
• Proposes $169 million for the National Flood Insurance Fund, an increase of $23 million. The National Flood Insurance Fund provides necessary resources to operate the National Flood Insurance Program.
• Proposes $194 million for Flood Map Modernization, a decrease of $26 million. Flood Map Modernization funding will support the review and update of flood hazard data and maps to accurately reflect flood hazards and monitor the validity of published flood hazard information. This funding will support the review and update of flood hazard data and maps.







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The US House of Representatives December 16 narrowly approved a $154 billion jobs bill that includes $48.3 billion in federal funding for infrastructure. The Jobs for Main Street Act of 2010 (HR 2847), passed by a vote of 217-212, also includes $26.7 billion to preserve state and local public service jobs and $79 billion for unemployment insurance, small business loans, health care assistance and other aid. The legislation uses $75 billion in Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) savings to pay for the infrastructure and job preservation investments. The Senate will consider jobs legislation in January.




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The US House of Representatives December 16 narrowly approved a $154 billion jobs bill that includes $48.3 billion in federal funding for infrastructure. The Jobs for Main Street Act of 2010 (HR 2847), passed by a vote of 217-212, also includes $26.7 billion to preserve state and local public service jobs and $79 billion for unemployment insurance, small business loans, health care assistance and other aid. The legislation uses $75 billion in Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) savings to pay for the infrastructure and job preservation investments. The Senate will consider jobs legislation in January.

The House jobs bill also extends the expired surface transportation law, SAFETEA-LU, until September 30, 2010. The extension provides a 100 percent federal share for transportation programs, repeals the prohibition on the Highway Trust Fund from collecting interest on its balance and restores $20 billion to Trust Fund. SAFETEA-LU expired September 30, 2009 and is currently funded through December 18 by a temporary extension.

Separate legislation approved by the House yesterday, the Defense Appropriations bill, extends SAFETEA-LU through February 28, 2010. The Senate is expected to consider the bill December 19th.

Following is a breakdown of infrastructure funding included in the House jobs bill.

$27.5 billion      Highways
$8.4 billion        Transit
$800 million     Amtrak
$500 million     Airports
$100 million     Shipyard modernization
$2 billion           Clean Water 
$100 million     Bureau of Reclamation 
$715 million     Corps of Engineers 
$2 billion           Energy Innovation Loans 
$4.1 billion       School Renovation
$1 billion           Housing Trust Fund
$1 billion           Public Housing Capital Fund

A summary and text of the legislation are posted at http://www.apwa.net/Advocacy/legislation.asp under Appropriations.

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URGENT LEGISLATIVE ALERT
Contact your Congressional Representatives today and urge them to ensure that jobs-creation legislation provides robust, direct investment for local infrastructure.

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REASON
Congressional leaders are drafting multi-billion dollar legislation aimed at creating jobs. Members of Congress need to hear from APWA members that a jobs bill must provide significant, direct investment in local infrastructure as a way to create and sustain jobs and local economies. Investment in public infrastructure projects has a proven success rate for boosting the economy and spurring job creation. Every $1 billion invested in transportation for example, generates tens of thousands of good paying jobs. A jobs-creation package that includes a robust infrastructure investment component will produce timely and effective results. It will also repair and improve our deteriorating infrastructure and thereby improve safety, efficiency and maintain our economic competitiveness.

HOW TO SEND YOUR MESSAGE
APWA’s Legislative Action Center is a simple, effective way to deliver your message to your member of Congress by the click of the mouse. A draft letter titled “Urge Robust Infrastructure Investment in Jobs-Creation Legislation” has been posted http://capwiz.com/apwa/home/.We encourage you to personalize your letter; Congress receives an overwhelming volume of communication. Personalizing your letter will mean your message will be read.

BACKGROUND
With the national unemployment rate at its highest in a generation, Congressional leaders and President Obama have made passage of a jobs bill a priority. Leaders in both the House and Senate are currently drafting proposals expected to include investments in infrastructure, tax incentives and other forms of aid. Although legislation has not yet been introduced, action could be taken by the House before Congress breaks for the holidays in a couple weeks.

If you have questions or need assistance, contact Maggie Oldham at moldham@apwa.net

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House and Senate Leaders are developing a jobs creation bill aimed at reducing the nation’s 10 percent unemployment rate. Congressional leaders are looking closely at infrastructure investment, a highways funding bill and another extension of unemployment insurance as part of broad package of spending and investment to boost job creation.
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House and Senate Leaders are developing a jobs creation bill aimed at reducing the nation’s 10 percent unemployment rate. Congressional leaders are looking closely at infrastructure investment, a highways funding bill and another extension of unemployment insurance as part of broad package of spending and investment to boost job creation.

Rep. James L. Oberstar (D-MN), Chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, pitched Democratic leadership on the idea of using $100 billion in general fund money to pay for highway and transit projects over the next two years. The plan would quickly infuse funds into Public Works projects to stimulate the economy and would give Congress time to debate revenue changes that are needed to pay for a six-year Surface Transportation Authorization bill, currently stalled in the House and Senate.

Meanwhile, the Administration held a Jobs Summit on December 3. The forum was an opportunity for the president and his economic team to hear from chief executive officers, small business owners, labor leaders and financial experts about ideas for growing the economy and putting Americans back to work.

A timeline for the jobs creation package is still unclear, although Congressional leaders say they intend to have a complete package considered in January. The House may consider some elements before the end of the year. The overall size of the package and how it will be financed has yet to be determined.

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Congress cleared legislation October 29 extending SAFETEA-LU for seven weeks until December 18, when Congress is expected to recess until after the New Year. The current one-month extension, approved at the end of September, expires October 31. The President is expected to sign the bill.


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Congress cleared legislation October 29 extending SAFETEA-LU for seven weeks until December 18, when Congress is expected to recess until after the New Year. The current one-month extension, approved at the end of September, expires October 31. The President is expected to sign the bill.

Efforts in the Senate to approve a six-month extension stalled earlier this week over procedural objections. The House of Representatives approved a three month extension in September. The Senate will attempt to obtain floor time the week of November 2 to consider again a stand-alone six-month extension. The Administration, however, supports a delay of 18 months to allow more time to develop comprehensive authorization legislation.

There is no major authorization proposal currently in the Senate. A $500 billion, six-year draft proposal has been presented in the House, but is held up due to lack of provisions on how to pay for its funding levels. Drafting those provisions is in the jurisdiction of the House Ways and Means Committee, which is yet to reach consensus on revenue mechanisms.

The latest extension was included as part of a Continuing Resolution needed to maintain funding for those federal programs without an approved FY2010 Appropriations. Congress has completed four of the 12 appropriations bills.

SAFETEA-LU expired September 30. APWA is urging Congress and the Administration to take action to pass a multi-year surface transportation authorization that significantly increases investment for state and local programs.

For more information about APWA’s priorities for surface transportation authorization, visit http://reinvestintransportation.apwa.net.

 

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***** Action Requested: Contact your Congressional Representatives today and urge them to act immediately to repeal an $8.7 billion rescission in highway contract authority which is scheduled to take effect on September 30, 2009.
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***** Action Requested: Contact your Congressional Representatives today and urge them to act immediately to repeal an $8.7 billion rescission in highway contract authority which is scheduled to take effect on September 30, 2009.

REASON
An $8.7 billion rescission will result in substantial program cuts that will have a devastating impact on state and local transportation programs. The loss of these funds will undermine the progress state and local governments have achieved creating jobs and repairing our nation’s deteriorating transportation system.

HOW TO SEND YOUR MESSAGE
APWA Legislative Action Center is a simple, effective way to deliver your message to your member of Congress by the click of the mouse. A draft letter titled “Urge Congress to Repeal $8.7 Billion Rescission of Highway Funding” has been posted at http://capwiz.com/apwa/home/. We encourage you to personalize your message; Congress receives an overwhelming volume of communication. Personalizing your message will mean it will be read.

BACKGROUND
Section 10212 of SAFETEA-LU, the federal surface transportation law, includes a provision requiring states to return $8.7 billion in unobligated federal highway funds on September 30 unless Congress takes action to repeal it. The provision was added for budgetary purposes in 2005. If it is not repealed, state and local governments will see cuts to their transportation programs at a time of unprecedented budget constraints. Both the Senate and the House need to know the impact.

If you have questions or need assistance, contact Maggie Oldham at moldham@apwa.net.


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House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman James Oberstar (D-MN) June 18th released a blueprint outlining a proposal for a six-year, $500 billion federal surface transportation authorization to succeed the $286.4 billion SAFETEA-LU, which expires the end of September.


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House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman James Oberstar (D-MN) today released a blueprint outlining his proposal for a six-year, $500 billion federal surface transportation authorization to succeed the $286.4 billion SAFETEA-LU, which expires the end of September.

The Surface Transportation Authorization Act of 2009’s Blueprint for Investment and Reform describes how SAFETEA-LU’s successor will “transform federal surface transportation from an amalgamation of prescriptive programs to a performance-based framework for intermodal transportation development.”

It is designed to achieve the following objectives: reduce fatalities and injuries; reduce congestion; provide transportation choices; limit adverse effects of transportation on the environment; and promote public health and livability in communities.

Highlights of the bill include:

• Provides $450 billion for highways and transit, including $337.4 billion for highway programs and $99.8 billion for public transportation programs;
• Within the $450 billion investment, the Act provides $50 billion for Metropolitan Mobility and Access to unlock metropolitan congestion and $25 billion for Projects of National Significance to enhance U.S. global competitiveness by increasing the focus on goods movement and freight mobility;
• In addition to the $450 billion investment, the Act provides $50 billion over six years to develop 11 authorized high-speed rail corridors linking major metropolitan regions in the United States.
• Doubles the investment in highway and motor carrier safety to $12.6 billion;
• Redefines the Federal role and restructures Federal surface transportation by consolidating or terminating more than 75 programs;
• Consolidates the majority of highway funding in four, core formula categories designed to bring highway and bridge systems to a state of good repair; improve highway safety; develop new and improved capacity; and reduce congestion and greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality;
• Focuses the majority of transit funding in four core categories to bring urban and rural public transit systems to a state of good repair; provide specific funding to restore transit rail systems; provide mobility and access to transit-dependent individuals; and plan, design, and construct new transit lines and intermodal facilities;
• Directs Federal highway safety investments to specific activities demonstrated to reduce fatalities and injuries on roads;
• Establishes new initiatives to address the crippling congestion in major metropolitan regions, and eliminate bottlenecks in freight transportation;
• Creates a National Transportation Strategic Plan, based on long-range highway, transit, and rail plans developed by States and metropolitan regions, to develop intermodal connectivity of the nation’s transportation system and identify projects of national significance;
• Reforms the U.S. Department of Transportation to require intermodal planning and decision-making; ensure that projects are planned and completed in a timely manner; and ensure that DOT programs advance the livability of communities;
• Requires States and local governments to establish transportation plans with specific performance standards; measure their progress annually in meeting these standards; and periodically adjust their plans as necessary to achieve specific objectives;
• Improves the project delivery process by eliminating duplication in documentation and procedures;
• Establishes a new program to finance planning, design, and construction of high-speed rail;
• Creates a National Infrastructure Bank to better leverage limited transportation dollars.

The bill is expected to be introduced next week and considered by the House Highways and Transit Subcommittee. The bill will not include financing provisions that will determine how to pay for the investment. These will be drafted by the House Ways and Means Committee and added later. Oberstar has an ambitious timeline for the bill, with a goal of having it to the House floor before the start of the month-long August recess. House leadership has questioned this due to a crowded legislative calendar.

Yesterday, US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced that the Obama Administration would seek an 18-month authorization extension which would include a fix for the Federal Highway Trust Fund, forecast to require an infusion of $5 billion to $7 billion to meet its commitments this fiscal year. Oberstar and House T&I Committee Ranking Member John Mica (R-FL) oppose the extension. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chair Barbara Boxer endorsed the proposal.

APWA's SAFETEA-LU Reauthorization Task Force, Transportation and Government Affairs Committees are reviewing the Oberstar blueprint, which is posted on APWA's surface transportation authorization site, http://reinvestintransportation.apwa.net

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House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee Chairman James Oberstar (D-MN) will release a white paper on plans for the next federal surface transportation authorization tJune 17th at a news conference in Washington, DC.


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House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee Chairman James Oberstar (D-MN) will release a white paper on plans for the next federal surface transportation authorization tomorrow morning at a news conference in Washington, DC.

The 100-page blueprint will outline the bill’s policies and principles and is not expected to include funding levels or financing provisions, which will be drafted by the House Ways and Means Committee. Oberstar says he supports an authorization totaling between $400 billion and $450 billion.

A bill is expected to be introduced next week and considered without financing provisions by the T&I Committee’s Highways and Transit Subcommittee. From there, the bill is expected to be considered by the T&I Committee after the July 4th recess, which ends July 6th, and brought to the House floor before the start of the month-long August recess. The Ways and Means Committee intends to hold hearings on financing issues in the coming weeks.

The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, the lead Committee in the Senate, is working on its bill. Three other Senate Committees have jurisdiction: Finance Committee; Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee; and Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee. The Senate is expected to proceed after the House. The Administration has been working on its principles but has not released them. The current authorization, the $286.4 billion SAFETEA-LU, expires September 30.

Information about APWA’s federal surface transportation authorization priorities is posted at http://reinvestintransportation.apwa.net/

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The U.S. Department of Transportation has announced the availability of $1.5 billion in TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) Discretionary Grants for capital investment in surface transportation projects. The program was created by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) signed into law in February. Grants will be awarded on a competitive basis to projects that have a significant impact on the nation, a region or metropolitan area and can create jobs and benefit economically distressed areas.

 

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The U.S. Department of Transportation has announced the availability of $1.5 billion in TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) Discretionary Grants for capital investment in surface transportation projects. The program was created by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) signed into law in February. Grants will be awarded on a competitive basis to projects that have a significant impact on the nation, a region or metropolitan area and can create jobs and benefit economically distressed areas.

Applications for TIGER discretionary grants must be submitted to US Department of Transportation (USDOT) by September 15, 2009 from state and local governments, including U.S. territories, tribal governments, transit agencies, port authorities and others. Comments on the criteria must be received by June 1, 2009.

The grants can range from $20 million up to $300 million to support high impact transportation projects. USDOT can waive the minimum grant requirement for beneficial projects in smaller cities, regions or states. The department will require rigorous economic justifications for projects over $100 million, and to ensure responsible spending, the department will require all fund recipients to report on their activities on a routine basis.

The solicitation published in the May 18th Federal Register provides clear criteria for the department to make merit-based decisions on the new discretionary program. Primary selection criteria include contributing to the medium- to long-term economic competitiveness of the nation, improving the condition of existing transportation facilities and systems, improving the quality of living and working environments through livable communities, improving energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving the safety of U.S. transportation facilities.

The Department will also give priority to projects that are expected to quickly create and preserve jobs and stimulate rapid increases in economic activity, especially projects that will benefit economically distressed areas.

To view the Federal Register, please visit http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fedreg/a090518c.html. Look under Transportation Department, Notices: funding Availability; Request for Comments on Grant Criteria; Supplemental Discretionary Grants for Capital Investments in Surface Transportation Infrastructure.

Additional information is also posted on APWA’s economic recovery blog: http://apwarecoveryupdates.blogspot.com/.

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On February 17, President Barack Obama signed into law the $789 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
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On February 17, President Barack Obama signed into law the $789 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. On February 13, after a relatively short Conference Committee, both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate cleared the bill for the President’s signature. The bill provides investments in infrastructure, health, education and energy, as well as more than $280 billion in tax cuts. The legislation also contains no earmarks and establishes oversight and accountability mechanisms. The following is an overview of several key funding highlights included in the bill:

Transportation

Transportation $1.5 billion for an intermodal discretionary grant program
Highways $27.5 billion
Transit $8.4 billion
Rail $9.3 billion (including $1.3 billion for Amtrak)
Airports $1.1 billion for the Airport Improvement Program

Environment and Water

$4 billion Clean Water State Revolving Fund
$2 billion Safe Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund
$4.6 US Army Corps of Engineers Water Resources Projects
$1 billion US Bureau of Reclamation Rural Water Projects
$1.38 billion Rural Water & Waste Disposal Program
$6 billion for Superfund
$1 billion for Brownfields
$3.2 billion for Energy Efficiency & Conservation Block Grant Program
$3 billion for Diesel Emission Reduction Act Grants

For more information, please visit APWA’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009: Information and Resources page. To view go to: http://www.apwa.net/Advocacy/resources.asp

Another resource is www.recovery.gov , which features information on how the Act is working, accountability and up-to-date data on the expenditure of funds.




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On Tuesday, February 10, the United States Senate passed an $838 billion economic recovery bill (H.R.1), The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, by a 61-37 vote.
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On Tuesday, February 10, the United States Senate passed an $838 billion economic recovery bill (H.R.1), The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, by a 61-37 vote. The Senate approved the legislation after adopting a crucial compromise amendment crafted by the only Republicans to vote in favor of the stimulus bill, Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Olympia Snowe (R-ME) and Arlen Specter (R-PA). The amendment slashed $108 billion from the legislation which had at one point ballooned to over $900 billion.

Funding levels for transportation, infrastructure and water resources remained largely unchanged in the reworked legislation. The House passed its own $819 billion version on January 28, by a 244-188 vote. The following are funding highlights for key infrastructure programs in both bills:

HOUSE
• $30 billion for highways
• $12 billion for transit
• $6 billion for Clean Water State Revolving Fund
• $2 billion for Drinking Water State Revolving Fund

SENATE
• $27 billion for highways
• $8.4 billion for transit
• $4 billion for Clean Water State Revolving Fund
• $2 billion for Drinking Water State Revolving Fund

The next step in the process will be for House and Senate negotiators to meet and reconcile the differences between the two bills. At press time it was still unclear whether a formal conference committee would take place.

With a self-imposed deadline of February 16, for sending a final bill to be signed by the President, House and Senate negotiators have a lot of work ahead of them to reach an agreement. The negotiation process must ensure that any changes maintain the support of at least 60 Senate votes for final approval before the bill can be cleared for the President’s signature.

APWA will continue to monitor this legislation. For more information and updates you can visit: http://www.apwa.net/Advocacy/resources.asp and look under “Economic Recovery Information.”




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On January 23, the Senate Committee on Appropriations and the Senate Committee on Finance released highlights of their version of an economic recovery package, S.1, The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Like the House bill, H.R. 1, the Senate legislation totals $825 billion.
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On January 23, the Senate Committee on Appropriations and the Senate Committee on Finance released highlights of their version of an economic recovery package, S.1, The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Like the House bill, H.R. 1, the Senate legislation totals $825 billion.

The Senate bill allocates a total of $140 billion for Infrastructure and Science. Highlights of the infrastructure component include $27 billion for highways; $1.3 billion for aviation; and $6 billion for both the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds. The House version of the bill allocates $90 billion in their infrastructure component. $30 billion is set aside for highways; $3 billion for aviation; $6 billion for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund; and $2 billion for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund.

The Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Max Baucus (D-MT) unveiled an original Chairman’s Mark -- the initial bill set out by the chairman for debate -- that included tax-cutting provisions for the recovery legislation. These provisions mirror the finance portion of its counterpart in the House. Baucus’ Mark includes $275 billion in tax cuts and investments. Together, the spending proposals (which include the infrastructure component) in the Senate Appropriations bill and the tax cuts in the Finance Committee measure, make up the Senate’s version of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

Senate Committees are expected to meet this week to debate and vote on their version of the economic recovery bill. The House is scheduled to vote on the bill Wednesday, January 28 and debate by the full Senate on the bill could be held as early as February 3. House and Senate negotiators would then meet to work out the differences in their respective bills.

APWA will continue to monitor this legislation. For updates and more information please visit APWA’s Advocacy page at: http://www.apwa.net/Advocacy/
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On January 15, House Democrats along with President-elect Barack Obama’s economic team, revealed their $825 billion two-year economic recovery plan.
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On January 15, House Democrats along with President-elect Barack Obama’s economic team, revealed their $825 billion two-year economic recovery plan. According to a press statement released by the House Committee on Appropriations, this package is the first step in an effort to create and save millions of jobs and jumpstart the economy. The proposed package contains $275 billion in economic recovery tax cuts and $550 billion in targeted investments. These efforts include infrastructure, clean energy, education and lowering healthcare costs to name a few. The plan calls for $90 billion in infrastructure investment, which would include:

Modernizing Roads, Bridges, Transit and Waterways
• $30 billion for highway construction;
• $31 billion to modernize federal and other public infrastructure with investments that lead to long term energy cost savings;
• $19 billion for clean water, flood control, and environmental restoration investments;
• $10 billion for transit and rail to reduce traffic congestion and gas consumption:
• $3 billion for airport improvement projects.

Committee markups of the bill are expected the week of January 19. Separate legislation is being prepared in the Senate. Congressional leaders aim to have a bill to President-Elect by mid February.

APWA has posted a Legislative Alert where you can write to your members of Congress and urge them to include infrastructure investment in the recovery plan. To view the alert, go to: http://capwiz.com/apwa/home/.

For more information and to view the complete Appropriations Committee summary go to: http://www.apwa.net/DR/index.asp?ID=721.

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On January 8, President-Elect Barack Obama presented his case for urgent action to address the nation’s economic crisis with a plan that could total $775 billion in government spending and tax cuts.


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On January 8, President-Elect Barack Obama presented his case for urgent action to address the nation’s economic crisis with a plan that could total $775 billion in government spending and tax cuts.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan would include investments in infrastructure as a major focal point. Repairing crumbling roads, bridges and other back-logged worthy infrastructure projects will help create jobs and strengthen the economy.

While Obama did not unveil the specifics of the plan, he said his staff and members of Congress were continuing to work out the final size of the proposal and its details. Congressional leaders have said they now expect the bill to be ready by mid-February. APWA will continue to monitor the progress of an economic recovery package. For updates and additional information, please visit http://www.apwa.net/Advocacy/

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APWA President Noel Thompson sent letters to Congressional Leadership and President-Elect Obama December 19, urging swift passage of an economic recovery package that focuses federal investment in local ready-to-go infrastructure projects. Although Congressional leaders have yet to set a funding level, they are considering levels in the range of $600 billion or more. The legislation is expected to be taken up as early as the week of January 5th when the 111th Congress convenes.
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APWA President Noel Thompson sent letters to Congressional Leadership and President-Elect Obama December 19, urging swift passage of an economic recovery package that focuses federal investment in local ready-to-go infrastructure projects. Although Congressional leaders have yet to set a funding level, they are considering levels in the range of $600 billion or more. The legislation is expected to be taken up as early as the week of January 5th when the 111th Congress convenes.

In the letters, President Thompson referred to APWA’s Ready-To-Go survey which identified more than 3,600 local projects, totaling more than $15 billion in value, which are ready to go within 90 days but lack funding to proceed. Funding these projects, just a sample of the total need, would generate over 500,000 jobs.

For more information and to view copies of the letters, go to: http://www.apwa.net/Advocacy/resources.asp
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A survey by the American Public Works Association identified more than 3,600 unfunded local public works infrastructure projects totaling more than $15 billion that are ready to go within 90 days to provide a stimulative effect on the economy if funded by a federal economic recovery package under consideration by Congress. Funding these projects, just a sample of the identified local need, would generate approximately 532,794 jobs.

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A survey by the American Public Works Association identified more than 3,600 unfunded local public works infrastructure projects totaling more than $15 billion that are ready to go within 90 days to provide a stimulative effect on the economy if funded by a federal economic recovery package under consideration by Congress. Funding these projects, just a sample of the identified local need, would generate approximately 532,794 jobs.

The survey of APWA members identified road widening, paving, traffic light and signal repair work, highway intersection improvements, storm drain pipe realignments, pumping station improvements, sewer line replacements, treatment plant upgrades, water valve replacement, pedestrian underpass safety improvements and basic sidewalk repair projects that are ready to proceed except for the lack of necessary funding.

APWA is calling on Congress and the Administration to approve an economic recovery package which includes a robust infrastructure investment component. APWA President Noel Thompson submitted testimony for hearings held in October and November by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee and sent letters to the President and Congressional leadership. The testimony and letters make the case that funding ready-to-go infrastructure projects through a national economic recovery program will create jobs, stimulate economic recovery and lay the foundation for long-term economic growth.

To view APWA's Chart of Ready to go Local Projects, click here: http://www.apwa.net/documents/advocacy/Congressional%20Testimony/Unfunded%20PW%20Projects%20and%20Funds%20Needed%20by%20State.pdf

For more information please contact Jim Fahey at jfahey@apwa.net.

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On Friday, the House of Representatives approved a $60.7 billion economic stimulus package by a 264-158 vote. The legislation HR 7110, also known as The Job Creation and Unemployment Relief Act, includes approximately $36.9 billion for infrastructure funding.

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On Friday, the House of Representatives approved a $60.7 billion economic stimulus package by a 264-158 vote. The legislation HR 7110, also known as The Job Creation and Unemployment Relief Act, includes approximately $36.9 billion for infrastructure funding. Highlights of the infrastructure provisions include:

Transportation

• $12.8 billion for roads and bridges
• $3.6 billion for transit
• $6 million for an airport investments
• 500 million for AMTRAK

Water Infrastructure

• $6.5 billion for the EPA’s Clean Water State Revolving Fund
• $1 billion for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund
• $300 million to the Bureau of Reclamation water projects
• $5 billion for the Army Corps of Engineers flood control, navigation and water infrastructure projects.



The Senate on Friday failed to approve its $56.2 billion economic stimulus package, introduced by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and Appropriations Chairman Robert Byrd (D-WA). The Reid/Byrd Economic Recovery Act of 2008, which included $10.8 billion for infrastructure, failed to pass by a 52-42 vote. The economic package included funding for job creation, economic recovery and infrastructure financing. The Senate version of the bill included the following infrastructure provisions:

Transportation

• $8 billion for roads and bridges
• $2 billion for transit
• $4 million for an airport investments
• $350 million for AMTRAK

Water Infrastructure

• $600 million for the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean Water State Revolving Fund.
• $300 million for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Project Grants


The Bush Administration has expressed opposition to the packages and has threatened a veto. This threat coupled with a failure in the Senate, make chances of another stimulus this year very uncertain.

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On July 24, the House approved H.R. 3999, The National Highway Bridge Reconstruction and Inspection Act. The bill would authorize an additional $1 billion for bridge projects, above the $4.5 billion authorized annually under current law.
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On July 24, the House approved H.R. 3999, The National Highway Bridge Reconstruction and Inspection Act. The bill would authorize an additional $1 billion for bridge projects, above the $4.5 billion authorized annually under current law. Specifically, the money would be targeted towards 6,000 bridges identified on the National Highway System. The bill would also institute a risk-based system for prioritizing bridge replacement and repair, including state inspections every two years and more often for bridges identified as deficient.

The bill’s chances for becoming law are uncertain. A Senate companion measure has yet to be introduced, and with only a limited number of legislative days left in this election year, such a bill looks unlikely. Finally, the White House has objected to certain provisions, including the $1 billion authorization, which makes a veto threat a possibility. For updates and more information, please visit http://www.apwa.net/Advocacy/
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