A Small Idea, But a Good One

The Obama administration decided a little while back to ask congress to simply extend our existing federal transportation law for 18 months rather than attempt to further crowd the agenda with a major push for reform. But Elana Schor reports that they do have some relatively minor changes they’d like to see congress make:

Streetsblog Capitol Hill has obtained a copy of the item the administration wants to see added to any 18-month extension. The proposals are narrowly tailored and relatively inexpensive. Still, securing their passage could prove difficult given the House’s preference for passing its new federal bill and the Senate’s affinity for a “clean as a whistle” extension.

The biggest item on the administration’s agenda is $310 million to help state DOTs and local Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) begin collecting data on the usage and ridership of transportation projects.

“This voluntary program would provide participating entities the opportunity to integrate analysis into investment decisions and prepare for improved accountability standards and merit criteria in the long-term reauthorization,” the administration document states.

As far as small-bore ideas go, this seems like a pretty good one. Still it is mighty small bore. It’s frustrating—Ray LaHood has been talking a very good game and generating a lot of coverage about a transformational vision for transportation policy, but it’s not at all clear that much of anything will actually happen.