Transit Pass fans, I apologize for my long absence.  The first year of law school got the best of me and distracted me from issues that really matter; i.e. this blog!

There is too much out there to even attempt to cover everything I missed in the absence but to get back on track (pun intended) the NYTimes had a great editorial praising increased funding of Amtrak.  It is wonderful to see that Amtrak (or some form of subsidized passenger rail) will be around for years to come.  Amtrak needs a lot more money and a lot of direction.  There needs to be a real high speed line in the Northeast and potentially California, the infrastructure has to be upgraded, prices must be kept down where rails are actually used frequently, and there must be a goal of expanding the market.  Rails should be the most efficient means of transportation between close cities.  Buses and planes should be secondary thoughts to travelers between large cities of relatively short distance.

In light of the current economic situation, where even Alan Greenspan is saying there has been too much deregulation, the airline industry deserves to be reexamined in terms of regulation.  There are many many issues with the airline industry, ranging from the cost of fuel, to an outdated infrastructure based on ground radar, to the very need and desire of people to fly as frequently as they do.  The government has a role here and it is in making for fewer flights on larger more efficient planes while tracking those flights on an updated tracking system.  The 90’s are over and not coming back, flight needs to be rethought in this country for both commercial and passenger purposes.

Props to the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars for writing up an article featuring a traffic engineer.  Read on if you want to think about how the signs that are supposed to make us safer on the road actually can put us in danger.

Lastly, a 501(c)(3) that sends my heart a pitter-pattering!

In Friday’s New York Times a feature profiled rail enthusiasts who use old retired railway motor cars to tour scenic landscapes which rail lines go through.  The article profiled members of NARCOA (North American Railcar Operators Association) and their passion for thier railcars.  Jeremy (a Michigan railcar enthusiast) provides a great history of both the railcars (or jiggers or speeders) and the history of their private ownership.

Needless to say the Transit Pass is mightily intrigued and would love to take an excursion himself.  Unfortunately the Transit Pass does not have $6,000 to invest in the private ownership of a railcar right now (dang law school and its enormous debts).  However, he would be interested to know if anyone rents these cars or would just be willing to give him a ride on one of these excursions.  I believe I need to make some phone calls.

Admittedly this does not further infrastructure needs, rather it may be a sign of deteriorating rail infrastructure.  However, hopefully events like these will inspire the national imagination for the power of rails again.

After a lengthy absence from the blog you may have though that the project was deep sixed, much like these individuals in London.  Never fear the Transit Pass is back, and I promise it will be bigger and better.  The Transit Pass has suffered from the pressures of a move to law school and all that follows it.  However, expect more frequent posts as we move forward. 

The big topic of the day is how many people are giving up driving to take public transportation.  The topic is so popular even the Onion is covering it!  Of course with gas prices continually sitting near $4.00 a gallon more and more people are looking for options beyond their cars and looking to trade in their cars themselves.  People are even (gasp!) riding bicycles to work.  While car companies are not doing well, sales of small cars like the Mini are booming.  So, to all those dealerships stuck with SUV’s and enormous cars on their lots, good luck getting them off.  It’s the right time to be a Smart Car dealership though!  The best news is that if sales continue like this there will be a lot more room to parallel park on crowded city streets.

With that thought in mind the big infrastructure debates of the coming months, years, and decades will be how much money to invest in our deteriorating roads when people are looking for public transit options when it is clear we need to be investing in new rails and better intra-city and inter-city transportation options.  It is my personal opinion that we should only spend as much money as necessary to maintain our current roads and bridges and invest every new dollar we can in creating new transportation options.  With people moving back to the cities and out of the suburban sprawl we will need better transit options in our cities and better alternatives for these people to be shuttled between urban centers. 

Friend of the blog, MRAM, as well as a recent NYTimes Op-Ed have suggested we create regional transportation and other development authorities.  Such authorities will have the ability to create transit systems that work much like interstate highways without the feudal bickering of one city or state holding up an entire project.  Perhaps with new interstate authorities the high speed rail lines the nation has long been awaiting in areas like the Northeast Corridor and the L.A.-to-San Francisco coastline will finally get the non-airplane, non-automobile options they deserve.

Welcome to The Transit Pass. In this blog I will try to keep up to date with transportation infrastructure news, developments, and ideas around the United States and the world. I will periodically link to various news stories, groups, and events dealing with new modes of transportation and efforts to improve existing structures.

In a blog all about transportation infrastructure it might be best to first visit the website of Rep. Earl Blumenauer from Oregon’s Third District. One of my favorite congresspeople, because of his signature bow tie and constant desire to advocate for infrastructure and public transportation, has introduced H.R. 5976. The bill would establish a Commission on Rebuilding America in the 21st Century to examine infrastructure in the United States.

With $4 a gallon gas prices, many people are of course choosing to take public transportation rather than fill up their guzzlers. According to Newsweek this is a double edged sword, because ridership is at its highest point in 50 years and many transit systems are overloaded. Hopefully this will encourage states and municipalities to expand transit options and the amount of space transit systems cover.

The drama continues in Pennsylvania where Governor Ed Rendell has received the highest bid for the Pennsylvania Turnpike from a joint Spanish and American investment group. Governor Jon Corzine has not had any better luck with his plans in New Jersey to raise tolls in order to raise revenue for the state.

Chicago is making its 2016 Olympic bid and has said it will spend $27 billion on transportation financing which could certainly transform its transit system within the city and the greater metropolitan area. Chicago will need to build more rail lines to create access to Olympic sites in order to please the IOC.

I will be headed off to Boston in the fall for school. It’s great to see that the city is not only encouraging people to ride their bikes but is advertising where you can park. I personally find it fascinating that the Suffolk County Jail has 17 spaces available. Are they for bicycle cops or visitors? Either way, I approve.