http://www.pbs.org/wnet/blueprintamerica/reports/road-to-the-future/interview-secretary-of-transportation-ray-lahood/637/ Blueprint America | PBS Sun, 22 Nov 2009 16:53:28 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 http://www.pbs.org/wnet/blueprintamerica/reports/road-to-the-future/interview-secretary-of-transportation-ray-lahood/637/comment-page-1/#comment-487 Norman F. Anderson Fri, 17 Jul 2009 18:40:11 +0000 http://www.pbs.org/wnet/blueprintamerica/?p=637#comment-487 The only way to fund new investment in infrastructure - and to make the right investments - is through the creation of a National Infrastructure Bank. In our recently released study we show that the US currently invests only about 1.3% of GDP in infrastructure, and needs to invest 3% (the same level we invested in 1980). Without the NIB, by 2030 China annually will be investing 3 times what we invest in infrastructure, and the EU will be investing double our investment -- from a high of 30% of global infrastructure investment we will have fallen to a level below 10%. See the study at: www.cg-la.com The only way to fund new investment in infrastructure – and to make the right investments – is through the creation of a National Infrastructure Bank. In our recently released study we show that the US currently invests only about 1.3% of GDP in infrastructure, and needs to invest 3% (the same level we invested in 1980). Without the NIB, by 2030 China annually will be investing 3 times what we invest in infrastructure, and the EU will be investing double our investment — from a high of 30% of global infrastructure investment we will have fallen to a level below 10%. See the study at: http://www.cg-la.com

]]> http://www.pbs.org/wnet/blueprintamerica/reports/road-to-the-future/interview-secretary-of-transportation-ray-lahood/637/comment-page-1/#comment-411 tim sevener Sat, 23 May 2009 17:19:17 +0000 http://www.pbs.org/wnet/blueprintamerica/?p=637#comment-411 These are some very positive plans but I think it is wishful thinking to think that we can fund mass transit without raising the gas tax and redirecting the money to mass transit or even tax rebates. The NYC MTA is facing a fiscal crisis as are Transit systems all over the country. Transportation for America, http://t4america.org , lists 94 transit systems which have been cut or facing service cuts. Here in New Jersey, New Jersey Transit, which basically actually serves as "New York Transit" and limits its vision to carting commuters into and out of New York City, cut 30% of the Morris/Essex line's Hoboken service in May, 2008. NJ Transit has several lines with NO SERVICE on the weekends and primarily peak hour weekday services only. The same with Maryland's MARC system and many systems around the country. Contractors make money on building new train stations, lines etc. Actually OPERATING those lines and stations on the other hand costs money which does not line the pockets of contractors but only fulltime transit conductors, engineers, bus drivers, etc. Operations costs for frequent service on existing systems should be funded from gas taxes. Despite the optimistic talk about Europe's "public-private partnerships" I do not believe any transit system funds its operating costs without government subsidies which come from gas and other vehicle taxes. These are some very positive plans but I think it is wishful thinking to think that we can fund mass transit without raising the gas tax and redirecting the money to mass transit or even tax rebates.
The NYC MTA is facing a fiscal crisis as are Transit systems all over the country. Transportation for America, http://t4america.org , lists 94 transit systems which have been cut or facing service cuts.
Here in New Jersey, New Jersey Transit, which basically actually serves as “New York Transit” and limits its vision to carting commuters into and out of New York City, cut 30% of the Morris/Essex line’s Hoboken service in May, 2008.
NJ Transit has several lines with NO SERVICE on the weekends and primarily peak hour weekday services only. The same with Maryland’s MARC system and many systems around the country.
Contractors make money on building new train stations, lines etc. Actually OPERATING those lines and stations on the other hand costs money which does not line the pockets of contractors but only fulltime transit conductors, engineers, bus drivers, etc. Operations costs for frequent service on existing systems should be funded from gas taxes.
Despite the optimistic talk about Europe’s “public-private partnerships” I do not believe any transit system funds its operating costs without government subsidies which come from gas and other vehicle taxes.

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