Economic Stimulus and Transportation for the Nation
The much discussed Economic Stimulus Bill that recently passed the U. S. House of Representatives has designated $30 billion for use by the Federal Highway Administration for "Highway Infrastructure Investment". The same section of the Bill requires that "in selecting projects to be funded, recipients shall give priority to projects that can award contracts within 120 days of enactment of this Act" and additional language states that if less than 50% of the funds are obligated by the state within the 120 day period then a portion of the remaining funds will be redistributed.
Clearly the states will be highly motivated to spend out 50% of the $30 billion or $15 billion within 120 days of passage of this Bill. It remains to be seen what this Bill will look like after it gets through the Senate but, it's a sure bet there will be a lot of money spent on transportation infrastructure in a very short period of time.
As this huge $30B economic carcass peristalts through the anaconda that is our National Transportation Plan (There is one, isn't there?) the geospatial community can only hope that some resources will be applied toward transportation data integration in the NSDI. As a start, the NSDI should represent a seamless, nationwide set of addressable road data that is robust enough to be used for multiple purposes. The Economic Stimulus Bill provides funding for much more than just transportation infrastructure because Congress recognizes that a national, multi-dimenional approach is required. Shouldn't we be evaluating and planning our transportation infrastructure in just the same national context and not as 50 individual problems? How can we do that without a fully integrated national transportation data picture?
Every year, as part of a series, NSGIC highlights what it believes are national issues that deserve attention in its Advocacy Agenda. One of several timely items on the agenda this year is Transportation For The Nation or TFTN. TFTN provides a start to NSGIC's pursuit of a nationally integrated transportation data view. It is worthy of your support and it at least worthy of a few minutes of your time to find out what it is all about.
The next few years look to be exhilarating times in state transportation infrastructure management. There is real need to apply steel and concrete to our long ignored transportation infrastructure. But, there is an equal need to improve our ability to understand and evaluate our transportation infrastructure as a cohesive, integrated national model. Take a few minutes and check out TFTN. As we think about all the money and effort that will be expended in the very near future in support of transportation infrastructure TFTN makes more and more sense every day.
Clearly the states will be highly motivated to spend out 50% of the $30 billion or $15 billion within 120 days of passage of this Bill. It remains to be seen what this Bill will look like after it gets through the Senate but, it's a sure bet there will be a lot of money spent on transportation infrastructure in a very short period of time.
As this huge $30B economic carcass peristalts through the anaconda that is our National Transportation Plan (There is one, isn't there?) the geospatial community can only hope that some resources will be applied toward transportation data integration in the NSDI. As a start, the NSDI should represent a seamless, nationwide set of addressable road data that is robust enough to be used for multiple purposes. The Economic Stimulus Bill provides funding for much more than just transportation infrastructure because Congress recognizes that a national, multi-dimenional approach is required. Shouldn't we be evaluating and planning our transportation infrastructure in just the same national context and not as 50 individual problems? How can we do that without a fully integrated national transportation data picture?
Every year, as part of a series, NSGIC highlights what it believes are national issues that deserve attention in its Advocacy Agenda. One of several timely items on the agenda this year is Transportation For The Nation or TFTN. TFTN provides a start to NSGIC's pursuit of a nationally integrated transportation data view. It is worthy of your support and it at least worthy of a few minutes of your time to find out what it is all about.
The next few years look to be exhilarating times in state transportation infrastructure management. There is real need to apply steel and concrete to our long ignored transportation infrastructure. But, there is an equal need to improve our ability to understand and evaluate our transportation infrastructure as a cohesive, integrated national model. Take a few minutes and check out TFTN. As we think about all the money and effort that will be expended in the very near future in support of transportation infrastructure TFTN makes more and more sense every day.
Labels: advocacy, TFTN, transportation
posted by dave b at 2:40 PM
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