Truck drivers should pay extra to use highways, say congressional advisers
The
Panel on 21st Century Freight Transportation of the congressional committee on transportation met on October 10 to discuss who should help fund the future of U.S. highways. The response was resounding: Commercial truck drivers. Jack Schenendorf, who headed the
National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission said commercial and shipping trucks would welcome the tax increase because they are already losing money on expired roads. His proposed solution involves tracking the vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and charging accordingly. The change would replace all other truck taxes and add much needed revenue to the
Highway Trust Fund.
Read more
Source: Commercial Carrier Journal
Welcome to DeKalb county Georgia, where the potholes have names
The small town of Lithonia, Georgia is becoming famous for their potholes. The county of DeKalb, where Lithonia is located, used to patch small ones, said one resident, but the roads have gotten so bad – some potholes appear to take up half a lane and are larger than a full grown adult –it seems they’ve given up. An official of DeKalb county says patchwork is a priority – they just don’t have the funds for it.
Read more
Source: 11 Alive CBS
With the government back to work, Colorado flood victims will have roads once more
The signed compromise that will keep the federal government running for the next several weeks includes a disaster relief measure of $100 million to flood ravaged towns in Colorado. Additionally, the
Federal Highway Administration has granted $450 million to rebuild 200 miles of damaged highways and 50 bridges. The disaster victims waited weeks through the shutdown to receive federal assistance.
Read more
Source: The Washington Post
The end of Bloomberg’s final term spells an uncertain future for New York City cyclists
In its three terms, the Michael Bloomberg Administration has doubled New York City bike lanes to 600 miles total. Now, as Bloomberg prepares to leave office, many are concerned about the future of the infrastructure. Janet Sadik-Khan, Commissioner of the
New York State Department of Transportation, says the agency will continue to support bicycle transport, but many neighborhood groups are not happy about the expansion. They claim Bloomberg’s “pro-bike agenda” has disrupted local traffic.
Read more
Source: The Wall Street Journal
Image Source: Jezz on Flickr, http://www.flickr.com/photos/jezz/
