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• House of Reps transportation honcho Jim Oberstar keeps on pushing back against White House: “Rumors of the death of [the] transportation bill have been exaggerated,” his office declares in press release. Plus, Larry Summers rides in too many limos. Not afraid of a fight, this Minnesotan. (Star Tribune, The Hill)
• Oberstar has found an ally in GOP senator George Voinovich, who also wants to pass a full 6-year transportation bill this year instead of the White House’s 18-month version. Voinovich says he will offer an amendment that would cut the 18 month version to just 12 months. So it would end a month before the mid-term elections… hmm! (Streetsblog DC and Forbes)
• North Carolina is asking for $4 billion in stimulus funds to establish “fast and frequent” train service between Charlotte and Washington DC. The funds would pay for track work, new stations, and restoring service on an abandoned corridor between Raleigh and Richmond, VA. (Charlotte Observer)
• The Washington Post applauds Obama for trying to redefine “urban policy” for the 21st century — but notes he has already dropped the ball in two major respects: Opposing a vehicle miles traveled tax and giving cities short shrift with transportation funds from the stimulus package. (WaPo)
• New York City, who 9 million residents are America’s most intensive users of public transportation, is getting a new boss at the MTA. His name is Jay Walder and among his other achievements he spearheaded a fancy fare card system in London. Plus he has a proven record of making funny-looking faces at press conferences. (Second Ave Sagas, Daily News)
• The ever-intriguing city of Detroit is getting a $7 million slug of stimulus money to create ferry service on its namesake river and build a wharf that could also be used for cruise ships and tall ships. (Detroit Free Press)
• Now you can save the planet even in those pathetic moments when you’re paying for sex: a German brothel will give you a $7 discount on half-hourly and quarter-hourly–but for some reason not hourly…–rates when you arrive by bike or public transportion. Bus or Metro stubs required, naturally. (Guardian)

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