Tuesday, September 27, 2011

30-10 MOVES SEVERAL BIG STEPS CLOSER TO REALITY

House Transportation Infrastructure Committee Chair John Mica (R-FL) has apparently received authorization from Republican leaders to include additional funding in his transportation bill, which had provided about 30 percent less than the Senate version. This suggests that both House and Senate bills will be funded at similar levels and moves the America Fast Forward/30-10 vision — of completing all 12 Measure R funded transit lines within the decade — several big steps closer to reality. Both House and Senate versions of the transportation bill contain provisions for low-interest loans to regions wanting to build out their transit systems.

There are also rumors that there is renewed interest in the QTIB (Qualified Transportation Improvement Bonds) program — another key component of the America Fast Forward/30-10 plan. The QTIBS would provide tax credits to investors who write down interest rates on private loans to transportation agencies.

The Streetsblog story about John Mica is here.

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