• House Democrats announced their intention to push through a $75-150 billion job package this year; a bill could be on the floor as early as next week. Sounds like some people are worried about midterm elections… (The Hill)
• A Republican Congressman says that transit agencies under federal oversight have worse track records than those under state watch. He insists creating a federal bureaucracy for transit safety would be a waste of precious resources. (Rep. Committee on Transpo/Infra)
• Speaking of bureaucracy: The UK will create a new agency to oversee water, energy, waste, technology and transport infrastructure for the next 50 years. The body is prepared to look at Tax Increment Financing, a controversial program that borrows against future revenues. (Telegraph, Guardian)
• An editorial urges caution in expanding Ohio’s inter-city rail lines on the grounds that once passengers arrive at, for example, Cincinnati or Cleveland, they’ll find that local transit is incapable of taking them to their final destination. (Examiner)
• Who pays for street, highway and bridge maintenance? We all do — just look at your city or county budget for proof. So why do politicians demand that rail work pay for itself, when every other form of transportation is heavily subsidized? (Cap Times)
• The latest development in the “hipster vs. Hasid” Brooklyn bike lane bruhaha involves the arrest of two people who surreptitiously repainted the lane. (NYPost)
• A design Web site showcases some of world’s most fascinating subway stations, including Stockholm’s cavernous excavations and Bilbao’s futuristic tunnels. (DesignBoom)
Cartoon by Mike Konopacki for the Capital Times
