Are You Stimulated Yet?

The visulaization website Many Eyes has developed a graphic depiction of the relative funding of proposed highway and bridge stimulus monies by state. These bubbles reflect the funding amounts states would receive as passed by the House of Representatives on January 28, 2009, and have not yet been updated for the actual bill signed by President Obama earlier this week. Nevertheless, this graphic provides a good comparison of state-to-state funding.

Fun in the Phoenix Sun..

Please consider attending the ITE 2009 Technical Conference and Exhibit, Transportation Operations in Action. Join more than 1,000 transportation professionals as they exchange ideas on transportation operations. Highlights include two plenary sessions by well-renowned transportation experts. Attend the numerous technical sessions, discover what innovative research is being conducted and share your perspective in the open dialogue between the audience and panelist(s) in the conversation circle sessions. Visit the exhibits and see the latest products and services being showcased.

Join your colleagues in Phoenix, AZ, USA, March 22–25, 2009 to make a difference in transportation operations! Here is the link: http://www.ite.org/Conference/default.asp

NOTE: Five or more registrants from the same company or agency qualify for reduced registration. Please check with ITE Headquarters for more information.

Danger with Portable Changeable Message Signs...

As you may have seen on the news or read on the internet, hacking sites have given people the instructions to hack into portable changeable message signs, like the one above. Although these hack sites give the stern warning, "***WARNING YOU SHOULD NEVER TAMPER WITH THESE SIGNS***", they then list the four-point instructions to do just that!

HELPFUL HINT: If you deploy PCMSs, make sure you reset the password to something other than the default "DOTS". This may not stop the hackers, but at least it will slow them down for a while.

ITE CALL TO ACTION...CALL 202-224-3121– URGE YOUR SENATOR TO SUPPORT TRANSPORTATION INVESTMENT BY VOTING “YAY” on S. 336

On January 27, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved its portion of S. 336, American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The bill, which will be considered on the Senate Floor the week of February 2, includes more than $27 billion for investments in highway infrastructure and $8.4 billion for transit. It also includes a $5.5 billion competitive grant program for long-range regional and national megaprojects.

During floor debate, Senate Democrats are expected to introduce amendments to increase infrastructure spending in the bill by an additional $3 billion for mass transit projects and other highway spending. ITE is advocating for investment in traffic signal timing programs as a part of the infrastructure investment to improve transportation system mobility, create jobs and reduce fuel and energy consumption.

ITE has written a letter to Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Inouys (D-HI) -- contact me if you would like to see a copy.

According to the Senate Appropriates committee report, “the bill requires that States spend at least 5 percent of their apportioned funding on activities eligible under the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality [CMAQ] Improvement program…Such activities include, but are not limited to, diesel retrofits, congestion mitigation, parking facilities, and traffic flow improvements.” (If you would like to see a copy of Senate Appropriations Committee Report on S. 336, please contact me.)

On January 27, the House of Representatives approved it’s version of the bill, which includes $30 billion for highways and $12 billion for mass transit. During floor consideration three amendments were passed to:
- increase mass transit funding by $3 billion;
- change the time frame in which states must obligate half of their recovery funds from 180 days to 90 days; and
- clarify that federal funds received by states shall not be use for planned expenditures.

FHWA and FTA have issued joint guidance regarding the economic recovery funds and how to expedite projects. The guidance refers to projects such as traffic signal upgrades as eligible to be included as part of larger projects or as standalone projects.