Rep. John Mica is Chairman of the Committee.(Photos © J. Maus) At the outset of the “listening session” in Vancouver yesterday, Congressman John Mica tried to make it clear that he wanted specifics. Unfortunately not everyone got the message. Mica, a Republican from Florida, is Chairman of the powerful House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure … Read more
The view of today’s hearing for many.(Photo: Patrick Croasdaile) At the House of Representatives’ Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure listening session held this morning in Vancouver, WA, many would-be participants never got the chance to be heard. I happened to arrive at the committee meeting 35 minutes early, yet was eight people shy from getting … Read more
A chance to meet Chairman Mica. Next Monday (2/21) the United States House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will make a stop just north of Portland in Vancouver, Washington as part of a national tour of field hearings. The goal of the meeting is to get feedback and a local perspective on how to approach the … Read more
“Before we draft any legislation these meetings will provide the Committee with valuable insight and information.” — Rep. John Mica, Chair, House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee The U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee — a key body that sets the transportation agenda on Capitol Hill — has announced a series of “field hearings” on changes … Read more
The op-ed in AAA World that started it all. The Rails-to-Trails Conservancy has spent over three months gathering signatures on a petition to persuade the automobile advocacy group AAA to support the continued federal funding of bicycling and walking programs. On Monday, their campaign will culminate when they bike over 50,000 signatures right to the … Read more
The rules would mandate that people incars and trucks can see behind them when backing up.(Photos © J. Maus) The US Department of Transportation wants to create a new safety regulation to help eliminate blind spots behind motor vehicles. The DOT says the proposal is aimed at preventing fatalities and injuries to people victimized by … Read more
A petition on Change.org has over 2,700 signatures. It’s been a rough year for Colorado. First there was the ban on bicycling in Black Hawk, then a candidate for Governor, Dan Maes, likened Colorado’s bike-sharing program to a “U.N. plot” (thankfully, comments like that earned Maes a paltry 10% of the vote). And now comes … Read more
“… But we’re still not really cracking into the heart of the core [federal] programs in a way that our mode share and crash record really demands.”— Andy Clarke, President, League of American Bicyclists Number-crunching by the League of American Bicyclists shows that the percentage of funds spent by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) on … Read more
SRAM CEO Stand Day at the 2010 National Bike Summit.(Photo © J. Maus) If you think the federal bike funding picture looks bleak after last night’s elections, here’s some news that should lift your spirits. This morning, component maker SRAM — along with the League of American Bicyclists and the Alliance for Biking & Walking … Read more
Ray LaHood.(Photo © J. Maus) U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced today that the latest traffic data shows “major, across the board declines” in all categories of fatalities and the lowest numbers in six decades. Updated fatality and injury data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) and National Highway Transportation Safety Administration … Read more
Congressman Jim Oberstar (D-MN) speaks at a press conference near the Broadway Bridge yesterday. Standing behind him are fellow House Representatives Peter DeFazio, Kurt Schrader and David Wu.(Photos © J. Maus)
President Obama raised eyebrows in the transportation world Monday when he announced a plan to invest $50 billion in transportation infrastructure that would jump-start a long overdue reauthorization of the nation’s transportation bill. The White House says “tangible accomplishments of the President’s plan over the next six years include” $50 billion in the first year … Read more