The federal transportation bill seems unlikely to pass any time soon, according to legislators. They have yet to reach any consensus about the mechanisms for funding the bill.
The federal government currently budgets about $50 billion a year for transportation, a figure the proposed bill seeks to boost. The increase is causing some lawmakers to delay the bill over questions about how the money will be raised.
"The transportation bill would channel $450 billion in funds to states over six years to upgrade roads, bridges and transit systems. The total would include $70 billion each year to spend on highway and mass transit systems.
'It's extraordinarily unlikely' the bill would pass before October, said Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D., Ore.), a leading proponent of the measure."
FULL STORY: Transportation Bill Not Likely to Pass Soon
Converting a Freeway Lane to a Toll Lane: No Easy Task!
The San Mateo County Transportation Authority wants to extend its new express toll lanes north to the San Francisco border. The two build options are widening Highway 101 or converting an existing lane in each direction. One is essentially illegal.
Office Vacancies at Federal Agencies as High as 75 Percent
Many federal agencies are sitting on underutilized buildings, causing a congressional committee to call into question the need for so much real estate.
Washington Governor Delays Progress on Mileage Fee, Again
For the second time in two years, Gov. Jay Inslee has dealt a legislative setback to transportation planning efforts to prepare for the 2035 ban on the sale of gas-tax paying light duty motor vehicles to reduce carbon emissions.
Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing
Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?
Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?
Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?
Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.
Native American Communities Prepare to Lead on Environmental Stewardship
In the face of federal threats to public lands and conservation efforts, indigenous groups continue to model nature-centered conservation efforts.
Proposed Bill Would Direct Funds to Road Safety
The Sarah Debbink Langenkamp Active Transportation Safety Act was spurred by the death of a U.S. diplomat who was killed on her bicycle.
Museum of Public Housing Opens in Chicago
The museum highlights the history of public housing in the United States using displays intimately woven with family artifacts.
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