The Obama administration this week announced that it would be changing the rules governing funding of transit projects. The shift would loosen the criteria for using federal funds to finance light rail, bus routes, and other public transit projects.
Under the Bush administration, federal rules called for evaluating new transit projects largely by how much they cut down on commuting times and how expensive they were. The Transportation Department is essentially reversing that guideline, broadening the assessment criteria for projects by evaluating whether they promote “livability” — their effect not just on commuting times but also on the environment, community, and the local and regional economy.
The Federal Transit Administration hands out about $2 billion a year in federal money to cities and states for transit construction. That might not seem like a lot, but small, barely covered rule changes like these can actually have tremendous, on-the-ground impact. As a Wall Street Journal story on the DOT’s announcement noted, more than 80 cities will now see their prospects for federal funds to shore up and expand their transit systems brighten, and manufacturers and infrastructure firms focused on urban transit will also get a boost. No less important, this could lead to the revitalization of urban areas that receive a jolt from a shiny new transit tram or Metro system.
The announcement, made by Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood at the convention of the Transportation Research Board, a division of the National Research Council, is in keeping with the administration’s broader push to get agencies to collaborate more closely on projects and policies that would promote walking, biking, and public transit.
In the coming days, there’ll be a lot of stock-taking going on as pundits assess Obama’s first full year in office. While everyone will be eyeing high-profile and contentious accomplishments, changes like this will be overlooked. It’s a shame because this is exactly the kind of smart-growth, post-carbon policy that got progressives excited about an Obama administration.
