Who would have ever thought that April 20th’s tragic accident on the Deepwater Horizon would result in a months-long continuous flow of oil into the Gulf of Mexico? When I wrote down my initial thoughts, the breech at the bottom of the Gulf was an absolute catastrophe in my mind, but no one else seemed to be paying much mind. I’ve lived near and played in the Gulf of Mexico; It’s one of my favorite places on earth. The damage this spill has and will cause is devastating to me personally on so many levels.

Perhaps our lawmakers “get” that, which is why it seems they are taking this disaster as an opportunity to underscore a clean energy policy push (remember, energy production is the #1 producer of greenhouse gas emissions, transportation is #2). The administration is no longer pressured to capitulate to drilling offshore to achieve a “climate change” bill, since there is no one who would be bold enough to push an offshore drilling platform in this context. Also, please note, I doubt you will hear the vernacular “climate change” associated with this effort any longer. It’s going to be “clean energy” all the way.

This still doesn’t tell me exactly what is going to happen with transportation re-authorization, but it bodes well for more sustainable policies. As long as we get there fast enough. Will we?

In tying these two issues, new policy initiatives to be introduced include replacing the funding source for the Highway Trust Fund (whether that be a VMT or other plan) and a change in how the HTF is allocated, moving toward performance based transportation-methodology.

In order to get traction for a Climate Change Bill, a major concession was made in lifting the ban on domestic drilling in the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico. Ironically, as we witness an environmental disaster unfolding in the Gulf of Mexico, it is exactly this concession which will torpedo the Climate Change Bill.

So now what happens to efforts to “green-up” transportation funding policies in the next Transportation Re-authorization? Are the two pieces of legislation inextricably linked? Will necessary reform in funding and allocating the HTF be more difficult to achieve? How? Why? How long can we keep a band-aid on our transportation funding problems?

I am not asking these questions for my health – I am asking these questions because I think you have a good handle on this subject matter, so please prognosticate!

6/16/2010 UPDATE:

Who would have ever thought that this tragic accident would result in a months-long continuous flow of oil into the Gulf of Mexico? When I wrote down my thoughts above, the breech at the bottom of the Gulf was an absolute catastrophe in my mind. I’ve lived near and played in the Gulf of Mexico; It’s one of my favorite places on earth. The damage this spill has and will cause is devastating to me personally on so many levels.

Perhaps our lawmakers “get” that, which is why it seems they are taking this disaster as an opportunity to underscore a clean energy policy push (remember, energy production is the #1 producer of greenhouse gas emissions, transportation is #2). The administration is no longer pressured to capitulate to drilling offshore to achieve a climate change bill, since there is no one who would be bold enough to push an offshore drilling platform in this context. Also, please note, I doubt you will hear the vernacular “climate change” associated with this effort any longer. It’s going to be “clean energy” all the way.

This still doesn’t tell me exactly what is going to happen with transportation, but it bodes well for more sustainable policies. As long as we get there fast enough. Will we?

Take a look at the following video which illustrates the time-lapsed life-cycle of a roadway.  When a decision is made to build a new road, it is a long-term  commitment to an ever-expanding future budget for repair, renewal and rebuilding.  As our network of roads expands (and ages), where is the needed money going to come from?

Below is an eight-minute film entitled “Magic Highway USA,” produced by Disney in 1958.

With a tone that is positively gooey with industrial-era optimism, this video clip explores the endless possibilities for personal mobility via future “roads.”

The hopes of the era offer a lot of insight into how our current highway system was conceived;  It’s also quite poignant when one considers how little we have really achieved in the 50 years which have passed.

Today’s headline about the drop in the newly unemployed is good, I guess.  I tend to look at this cynically….after all, we’re boasting about how few jobs were lost, yet the number is not small at all.  I guess it’s all relative.

But herein gives me a chance to point you in the direction of one of my favorite statistics:   Unemployment By Educational Attainment.

You’re smart, so I won’t interpret this data for you, but I will highlight what is most interesting to me:  Unemployment among those with a Bachelor’s Degree or higher is at a mere 4.9% (Nov. ‘09).  Show this stuff to any aimless students in your household; Perhaps it will provide some motivation.

Speaking of Tolls, perhaps the mafia are engaged in a little P3 activity sans contract:  FBI Raids PA Turnpike, Part 1 and Part 2

Experts Weigh In: What Can Private Infrastructure Owners Teach The Public Sector?

Although not from this week, here’s a look at toll roads in Japan, through the eyes of an American Transportation Planner.

Cap’n Transit explores a world where tolling cars to fund transportation is ubiquitous, and questions if this revenue stream is an incentive to keep people in their cars?

Sonny Corleone wishes he had EZ Pass

I am a little confused by these objections, because I recall that the pricing for the HOT Lanes was to be congestion based/variable, which, if managed appropriately should preclude a “back up at the HOT lanes terminus.”  On the other hand, I can absolutely understand Arlington’s desire to access the operational projections so that they can plan accordingly for the traffic which may flow into their streets as a result of the project. (It’s only mildly ironic that a more highly functioning interstate highway might cause inner city traffic engineers some panic.)

As for the perceived competition the Capital Beltway HOT Lanes will present for mass transit (and carpooling) proponents, isn’t one of the requirements of the project that high occupancy vehicles get to ride the HOT lanes at reduced cost (and in the case of transit vehicles, at no cost)? Is roadway P3 really in competition with Mass Transit?  I’d really like to know how much of this controversy is based on valid concerns and how much of this bruhaha is political fear-mongering.  Anyone on the inside care to chime in?

Keep On Truckin’  A look at the critical need to move truck freight through a crumbling infrastructure.

Zombie Highways A Dispute in Alabama over funding a $3B highway.

Choke Point (Part I) and Choke Point (Part II)  A look at train freight movement in the U.S.

Road to The Future  A full documentary comparing the variant histories of transportation infrastructure development in Denver, New York and Portland.

Transit in Trouble  Discussion of increased demand for mass transit solutions at the same time of decreased investment in/funding for public transit.

My local PBS station doesn’t always show the specials.  The web is my only place to get this great reporting and analysis.  Hope you enjoy these clips as much as I have!