More projects will proceed now that 2012 funding is finalized. (Image courtesy & property of roadtrafficsigns.com)
USDOT will be funded through September 30, 2012, as a result of legislation signed into law on Saturday. The bill was passed last Thursday by the Senate (70-30) and the House (298-121). The legislation was bundled with the Agriculture, and Commerce-State-Justice spending bills, and includes language to fund all other federal agencies through December 16.
The bill text and conference report are now available (transportation sections on pages 225-299 of report). Read about the overall bill in the Washington Post article “House, Senate pass budget bill to avert shutdown.”
Some of the features:
- Federal Highways: obligation limitation of $39.1 billion (a reduction of $1.9 billion from last year).
- Federal Transit : $10.6 billion (about $311 more than last year).
- New Starts/Small Starts capital program: $1.9 billion.
- TIGER program: funded at $500 million, $27 million less than in 2011. It’s a victory for transportation stakeholders, but the amount is a drop in the bucket for a grant program that typically has received ten times more applications it can fund. The 2011 program received 828 applications requesting $14.1 billion, while only $527 million is available. The House had proposed zero funding for the program.
- National Infrastructure Bank: $0 funding. The White House had requested $5 billion.
- Amtrak: $1.148 billion (about $336 million less than last year).
- High Speed Passenger Rail grants: $0 funding. The House proposed $0, and the Senate proposed $100 million – a far cry from the President’s request of $1 billion for 2012.
- HUD Sustainable Communities Initiative: $0. The Senate proposed $90 million, the House $0.
- Federal Aviation Administration: $12.5 billion. The controversial Essential Air Service, which subsidizes airfares to rural airports, was reduced to include only active airports.
Related stories:
- TIGER Yes, TIGGER NO, in 2012 (Updated)
- TIGER and Amtrak In, High Speed Rail Out, of Final 2012 Funding Bill
- Senate 2012 Proposal Preserves TIGER but not Passenger Rail
- 2012 Federal Transportation Funding Bill Passes Senate (updated)
- How Will House Allocate 2012 Transportation Spending?
- Stage is set for Senate-House Battle on 2012 Spending
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O funding for high speed rail? This is truly a sad moment in our history. We as a nation pride ourselves as being in front line with technology yet we are in last place when it comes to transportation. With gas at over four dollars I was hoping I would see light at the end of the tunnel. I was hoping I could one day travel to L.A. for the day. I was hoping our university would cater to students from all over the state. I envisioned a hi-way with less accidents and less traffic. I was hoping the people from down south would come up to our mountains and our city’s . The added revenue would be greatly appreciated. Just think of the added taxes. Just the psychological benefit to our young is priceless. I know it’s to expensive our dreams cost to much. What we are left with is a crowded hi-way. What we have now is a valley filled with pollution only to get worse. I believe the arteries of his great nation need to be restored. If we won’t maybe we can get the Chinese to invest and pay a toll. I live close to the San Francisco bay bridge and it’s deck was made in China. It doesn’t help your pride our your country but it’s cheap.