GROW AMERICA ACT -- Transportation infrastructure

[budman]

Grow America Act

From the DOT... here is something that hopefully will keep America's Roads from getting worse as the population grows and the need for Transportation expands.

Potholes be damned!!!


From: Anthony R. Foxx

"I am excited to report that today, on behalf of the President, I transmitted a four-year, $302 billion surface transportation bill to Congress for their consideration. This reauthorization bill is the culmination of extraordinary work by DOT staff over many months, and reflects President Obama’s strong commitment to greater investment in our surface transportation system.

This bill puts in place a comprehensive plan to repair and modernize the roads, bridges, rail, and transit systems that our Nation depends upon to move people, energy, and freight. Our proposal would improve the safety and condition of our aging transportation system, and advance the President’s goals of creating jobs and ladders of opportunity across the Country.

But it does more than that. It gives us the opportunity to re-imagine how we will meet the transportation needs of a population that will grow by 100 million in the coming decades.

We named our bill the GROW AMERICA Act, which stands for Generating Renewal, Opportunity, and Work, with Accelerated Mobility, Efficiency, and Rebuilding of Infrastructure and Communities throughout America. "....

It is good to see our tax dollars heading towards something of basic American value... IMO.

 

[Surj]

I too am stoked for some potential improvements to our infrastructure. Many of the roads I ride on every day are just thrashed.

But there's an additional interesting bit in this proposal. Starting on page 164:

SEC. 4004. AMENDMENT TO MOTORCYCLIST SAFETY GRANT
27 CRITERIA.
28 Section 405(f) of title 23, United States Code, is amended by inserting the
29 following after paragraph (5): 165
1 "(6) SUPPORT ACTIVITY.--The Secretary or the Secretary's designee
2 may engage in activities with States and State legislators to consider proposals
3 related to motorcycle helmet use laws.".

The MRF are characterizing this as "Obama calls for helmet laws" which I think is a bit of a stretch. It's also not really that surprising, given that the CDC has recently made pretty strong statements in support of helmet laws.

I know the helmet law question is a contentious issue. It's also an issue I have a hard time caring too much about, personally. But I find it interesting that this was inserted into a proposal that is primarily about infrastructure—although there are significant sections about general motor vehicle safety appropriations.

 

[Breaking Daniel]

Can anyone give me the TLDR version of how we are going to pay for all this if passed?

 

[Surj]

Can anyone give me the TLDR version of how we are going to pay for all this if passed?

I haven't gotten through all 350 pages yet :laughing and I don't think that's all defined just yet. However, info on funding starts on page 250 (SEC. 8001. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS) - "The following amounts are authorized to be appropriated out 8 of the Highway Account of the Transportation Trust Fund."

There's a plethora of fact sheets here and a sectional analysis here, which states:

SEC. 8001. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

Subsection (a) of this section would authorize sums out of the Highway Account of the Transportation Trust Fund for the highway research and development program, technology and innovation deployment program, training and education, intelligent transportation systems program, university transportation centers, and bureau of transportation statistics.

Subsection (b) of this section would provide that funds authorized for these programs shall be treated as if they were apportioned under chapter 1 of title 23, United States Code, except that this section would provide for an 80 percent Federal share unless otherwise expressly provided. Funds authorized under this section would remain available until expended and would not be transferable.


Honestly, I don't know that how is understood (or even really spec'ed out) just yet. You're gonna have to do some reading with the rest of us. :teeth

 

[Breaking Daniel]

Blast! I hate reading legal mumbo jumbo. I'll dive into it once I get some time.

 

[packnrat]

want to grow the economy of this country


CUT THE FRIGGEN TAXES on people.

 

[Breaking Daniel]

want to grow the economy of this country


CUT THE FRIGGEN TAXES on people.

I never blindly vote down a proposal, but I do admit, I have a predisposition to oppose any new tax. It just feels irresponsible to even consider spending any more money on any project when we can't even afford to pay the bonds and debts we have now.

Even Measure B in San Jose; I'm voting against it. I don't believe keeping SJ public libraries open for longer hours keeps kids off the street and out of gangs. Shithead kids will be shithead kids due to their shithead parents. Longer library hours at the expense of the taxpayer will not morph a shithead family into class act citizens or keep them from becoming shithead gang members. Get real.

Even though I would love to see some growth in our infrastructure, we need to be very careful about how much we invest in it and at what rate.

 

[MellowYellow]

want to grow the economy of this country


CUT THE FRIGGEN TAXES on people.

Yes

you want to fix roads ect get the government out of the way of people to be able to grow the economy. Money will come to the tax coffers.
*

 

[packnrat]

why not just place ALL rd taxes in a road tax fund and use that to fix our roads.

stop putting the rd taxes into the general fund, where it is spent on non rd projects.


.

 

[Human Ills]

More failed supply side economics.

 

[YellowBastard]

just make all roads toll roads. i'll pay a monthly subscription for a good road. doesn't seem like the richest state in the country can afford to build nice roads, especially in the bay area.