New Transportation Bill Moving Forward

Here's good news for KMPO, if it's accurate. USDOT Secretary Ray LaHood last week said he's received a green light from the White House to move on the country’s next 6-year transportation bill. That's good news because the last bill expired months ago, was extended a couple times, and expires again on Dec. 31, 2010. Many projects have been at a standstill, waiting for word on a new bill, as funding is pretty much tied up until then. It's hard to plan for the future when you don't have parameters to work with.

USDOT officials now expect to see a full reauthorization proposal from USDOT and the White House next February in the President’s budget request for fiscal year 2012. In the meantime, a 1-2 year reauthorization of the current transportation bill will probably be passed.

Here's more information from the 'Mobilizing the Region' blog.