(The following appeared on the Progressive Railroading website on January 8.)
While President-elect Barack Obama, and House and Senate leaders continue to negotiate economic recovery legislation, House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman James Oberstar (D-Minn.) has unveiled a proposal to provide funds for infrastructure projects.
The proposal calls for allocating $85 billion for “ready-to-go” infrastructure projects, including $12.5 billion for public transportation, $3.4 billion for high-speed rail and $1.5 billion for Amtrak. The transportation funding would include $7.5 billion available for capital grants and $2 billion for transit energy grants to help agencies offset increased expenses related to fuel costs, add service and avoid fare increases. Rep. Oberstar also has proposed $2.5 billion in supplemental funding for New Start and Small Start projects.