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"Grow America" -- America needs passenger rail


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#1 CNJRoss

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Posted 29 April 2014 - 10:27 PM

USDOT "Fast Lane" blog, 4/29:

It's time to GROW AMERICA

Posted by
Anthony Foxx

About two weeks ago, I hopped on a bus and traveled through eight states to tour this country’s infrastructure.

Along the way I met Jada, a high school senior in Atlanta who can only get to school by way of the 6 a.m. transit bus. I also met Scott Davis, the CEO of UPS, who asked me to do what we can to improve this country’s freight network. Because, for every five minutes the UPS fleet is delayed in traffic, the company loses $100 million a year. And I met Wayne, a 28-year veteran of the Norwood, Ohio, Siemens plant. Wayne helps build locomotive engines, and he very likely wouldn’t have his job without the investments this country has made in rail.

President Obama and the entire administration are focused every day on expanding opportunity for Americans like Jada, Scott, and Wayne. In today's economy, that means building first-class infrastructure that helps Jada get to school, Scott move more goods, and Wayne do his job, building more locomotives.

Photo collage of various modes of transportation

That’s why, earlier this year, the President laid out his vision for investing in America’s infrastructure through a four year surface transportation reauthorization bill.

The proposal comes at a crucial moment for transportation. As soon as August, the Highway Trust Fund could run dry. States are already canceling or delaying projects. That means crucial road improvements won't get done. It means transportation construction companies won't get contracts. And it means workers won't have job sites.

The only way we’re going to change this is if everyone puts their ideas on the table and has an honest discussion where we find common ground and forge a path forward together.

Which is why today, I’m sending a legislative proposal to Congress that is designed to do exactly that: bring ideas to the table.

Already, we’ve seen both parties make significant progress towards a bipartisan agreement on a multi-year bill that extends opportunity for workers and businesses alike. We believe our bill will help continue that progress.

The GROW AMERICA bill is based on the proposal the President announced in February. It ensures the solvency of the Highway Trust Fund and also advances a number of common-sense bipartisan reforms:
•Cut down the time it takes projects to be approved and permitted, while still protecting communities and the environment. (In other words, more hard hats, less red tape).
•Strengthen our freight networks to support trade and economic growth, specifically by investing in rail, highway, and port projects; and
•Create incentives to align planning and investment decisions so we can address regional economic needs, and give cities and towns a louder voice in how we allocate federal funding in their communities.

At the end of the day, the important thing is that we pass a bill that:
•Avoids a destructive lapse in funding that would threaten hundreds of thousands of jobs and inflict unnecessary damage on our economy.
•Creates millions of good new jobs building the infrastructure America will need to remain competitive in today’s economy.
•Provides certainty to state and local governments and allows them to engage in long-term planning and make the investments we need.

Investing in our nation's infrastructure has always been a bipartisan endeavor. Since the Highway Trust Fund was first established more than half a century ago, Congress has consistently voted with broad bipartisan majorities to invest in America’s growth. And they have consistently voted together for funding increases to better meet the nation’s needs. And there are signs we can do so again.

The Administration believes that a comprehensive approach to reforming our business taxes could fund transportation projects. And already, we’ve seen leaders in Congress – like Chairman Dave Camp, a Republican, and Senator Barbara Boxer, a Democrat – express their openness to business tax reform, as well.

So, there is no reason why Republicans and Democrats can’t join together this time and provide for increased investment so we can address the backlog of deficient bridges and aging transit systems that threaten to slow our commutes and slow our economy.

By working together, we can Grow America.

#2 CNJRoss

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Posted 29 April 2014 - 10:42 PM

USDOT news release, 4/29:

Secretary Foxx Sends Transportation Bill to Congress
GROW AMERICA Act would create jobs, provide certainty for country’s future growth



WASHINGTON – U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx today unveiled a long-term transportation bill he is sending to Congress for consideration as the House and Senate face looming deadlines to avoid the economic uncertainty and job loss that would ensue if the Highway Trust Fund runs out of money this summer. The GROW AMERICA Act reflects President Obama’s vision for a four-year surface transportation reauthorization bill that would create millions of jobs and lay the foundation for long-term competitiveness, rebuilding crumbling roads and bridges while providing much-needed certainty for local and state governments and addressing the country’s future needs.

“I visited eight states and 13 cities as part of my Invest in America, Commit to the Future bus tour this month and everywhere I went, I heard the same thing – people want more transportation options and better roads and bridges to get them where they need to go,” said Secretary Foxx. “Failing to act before the Highway Trust Fund runs out is unacceptable – and unaffordable. This proposal offers the kind of job creation and certainty that the American people want and deserve. I have been pleased to see that members of both parties are already working together to solve these challenges, and I look forward to continuing our discussion and to supporting and building on the good work that’s already been done.”

On February 26, Secretary Foxx joined President Obama to announce a plan to address the nation’s infrastructure deficit with a $302 billion, four-year surface transportation reauthorization proposal. As outlined in the FY2015 budget, the plan will invest in our national infrastructure network, increase safety and efficiency, and provide greater access to ladders of opportunity, all without adding to the deficit, by relying on the President’s proposed pro-growth business tax reforms.

The GROW AMERICA Act is based on this plan, and represents a number of proposals that have historically attracted bipartisan support including:

• Addressing the shortfall in the Highway Trust Fund and providing an additional $87 billion to address the nation’s backlog of deficient bridges and aging transit systems;
• Creating millions of new jobs to ensure America’s future competitiveness;
• Increasing safety across all modes of surface transportation, including increasing the civil penalties the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) can levy against automakers who fail to act quickly on vehicle recalls;
• Providing certainty to state and local governments that must engage in long-term planning;
• Reducing project approval and permitting timelines while delivering better outcomes for communities and the environment;
• Bolstering efficient and reliable freight networks to support trade and economic growth; and
• Creating incentives to better align planning and investment decisions to comprehensively address regional economic needs while strengthening local decision-making.

“GROW AMERICA makes the sizable investment needed to improve our country’s roads and bridges,” said Deputy Federal Highway Administrator Gregory Nadeau. “Improving U.S. infrastructure is a national priority, and will ensure America’s economy remains robust for generations yet to come.”

“The Administration’s proposal makes forward-leaning investments in ladders to economic opportunity for the many millions of Americans who want to work, or simply need a reliable and safe way to get to work,” said Deputy Federal Transit Administrator Therese McMillan. “The GROW AMERICA Act will put thousands of Americans to work on repairing and expanding our aging transit infrastructure, while training women, minorities, and veterans to fill the jobs gap in transit through innovative new workforce development programs.”

“The GROW AMERICA Act will provide rail with a predictable, dedicated funding source and the tools needed to drive the next generation of rail safety and development,” said Joseph C. Szabo, Federal Railroad Administrator. “It lays out a comprehensive strategy to eliminate risk on railroads through data-driven enforcement, proactive safety programs that identify risk in advance, and strong capital investment. The safety gains identified in the bill, coupled with new investments in a higher performance rail network will move rail into the 21st Century.”

“Commercial bus travel is increasingly popular and this legislation will build on our unprecedented efforts to make it even safer by expanding oversight to bus ticket brokers and the locations where motorcoaches can be inspected,” said Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administrator Anne S. Ferro. "In addition, it will ensure fair pay for long-distance bus and truck drivers who are often paid by the miles they travel, not their total time on-duty, and face economic pressure to jeopardize safety by driving beyond the mandatory limits.”

“Whether traveling by motor vehicle, walking or bicycling, we are committed to ensuring that Americans reach their destinations safely. Our approach will continue to support both safer behavior and safer vehicles to prevent deaths and injuries on our roadways,” said Acting Administrator David Friedman, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. “As the nation’s top regulator of the automotive industry, we hold manufacturers accountable for defect and compliance issues regarding their products and are seeking to further our ability to do so in the future, including increasing civil penalty limits nearly 10 times to $300 million."

“On a typical day, more than 6.1 million tons of hazmat move throughout our nation’s transportation network,” said Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Safety Administrator Cynthia Quarterman. “The GROW AMERICA Act promotes efficiencies and improvements that will help PHMSA ensure that the transport of hazmat by road, rail, air and water continues to move safely and efficiently.”

Earlier this month, Secretary Foxx traveled across the country on his Invest in America, Commit to the Future bus tour, with visits to manufacturers, bridges, freight facilities, and highway projects to raise awareness of America’s infrastructure deficit. Secretary Foxx met with business leaders, stakeholders and members of communities to discuss the projects that work, projects that are needed, and to ask them to commit to a future with an American transportation system that’s second-to-none.

In the face of current uncertainty of federal transportation investment, many states have postponed or canceled needed transportation projects altogether. And without additional investment, deficiencies in our nation’s infrastructure will cost businesses more than $1 trillion every year in lost sales. Despite this growing need, the Highway Trust Fund, which provides most of the federal support for state transportation projects, is on track to start bouncing checks as early as August. In January, the Department of Transportation began posting a ticker online so the American people can track the remaining funds, available here.

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#3 CNJRoss

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Posted 19 February 2015 - 08:23 PM

USDOT "Fast Lane" blog, 2/19:

 

America needs passenger rail
Posted by Anthony Foxx

 

When you're making the case for stable investment in American passenger rail, it helps to have with you the nation's greatest champion for passenger rail --Vice President Joe Biden.

 

The Vice President and I have been traveling up the East Coast this week as part of the GROW AMERICA Express to focus America’s attention on our infrastructure, and to remind the American people that we are at a crucial crossroads.

VP-Biden-Sec-Foxx-train.jpg

We can choose to ignore the quality of our transportation infrastructure, currently ranked just 16th in the world, and watch a system that was once the envy of the world slip into further deficiency. Or we can choose to invest in a future where the United States is once again outpacing the rest of the world; where hundreds of millions of people can move about their communities, their states, and the country safely and without delays; and where the freight that fuels our nation's economy moves efficiently and competitively from farm and factory to local and global markets.

 

And, as Vice President Biden knows well, passenger rail is an important piece of our transportation puzzle.

 

America is growing. But our roads, rails, and runways don't automatically grow with our population. We're expecting 70 million more people over the next 30 years and a 45 percent spike in freight volume. And much of this growth will happen in the South --in places like my hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina, where we were this morning.

 

The question is, “How are we going to move all of this freight, and all of these folks?”

At-Charlotte-station-site.jpg

 

Well, it turns out, the American people are voting on this question with their train tickets. Amtrak has broken ridership records in 10 out of the past 11 years. The train service that runs between Charlotte and Raleigh carries 100,000 more riders today than it did only five years ago.

 

So, you have Amtrak ridership at an all-time high. You have, on top of that, more people riding public transportation than at any time in the past half-century.

 

And so, it makes sense that the NC DOT and Charlotte would have a vision to build a new Gateway Station that would be located closer to the city center and that would not only serve intercity passenger rail, but buses, and --one day-- a streetcar and new commuter rail service.

 

It makes sense that, as we speak, workers are executing a series of projects between Charlotte and Raleigh, funded by the Obama Administration’s first-of-its-kind passenger rail program. Projects that will improve service for record numbers of riders and help prepare this corridor for the day when it will form the nexus of a powerful southeast passenger rail network running down from D.C. through Atlanta.

Sec-Foxx-VP-Biden.JPG
Showing Vice President Biden the lay of the land in Charlotte.

Sure, we can continue investing less in our passenger rail system than we should and watch our country's competitiveness slip lower and lower. Or, we can choose to build projects like the proposed Gateway Station that would bring our passenger train services into the 21st century. And create jobs. And grow our economy.

 

When push comes to shove --and that time is now-- we must make the choice that positions us for a brighter future. For us. For our children. And for generations of Americans to come.

 

I’m on the road this week –and the Vice President is with me– because we know that we can make that choice. We can choose, for the first time, to dedicate funding for rail projects –for efforts that add service, lower trip times, improve safety, and improve stations.

 

All we need is for Congress to choose to GROW AMERICA.






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