AASHTO - Freight Transportation Network

Chair
Eugene A. Conti, Jr.
Secretary of Transportation
North Carolina DOT

Vice Chair
Bill Bronte
Chief – Office of Rail
CalTrans

Liaison
Leo Penne
AASHTO

Passenger Rail
Shayne Gill
AASHTO

Freight Rail
Chris Smith
AASHTO

Statements and Letters

House Highways and Transit Reauthorization Roll Out

The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Don Young (R-AK) announced the introduction of a bi-partisan, six-year, $375 billion highway and transit reauthorization bill. Bryan Nicol, Indiana DOT Commissioner and AASHTO Vice President, was present to congratulate the Chairman and leadership of the Committee on introduction of this much-needed legislation.

The bill, Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users, or TEA LU, provides $298 billion for highways, roads and bridges and $69 billion for transit; and increases the highway minimum guarantee from 90.5 percent to 95 percent by 2009. According to the limited information that is currently available, the bill includes a number of new programs:

Congestion Relief Program

$7.5 billion core Safety Improvement Program

$1.5 billion High Risk Rural Road Safety Improvement Program

$3 billion Freight Intermodal Connectors Program

New Freedom Initiative, designed to enhance public transportation services for the disabled

$1.5 billion Safe Routes to School Program

$17.6 billion Projects of National and Regional Significance Program

Below is an Executive Summary of TEA LU, including state tables Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure Wednesday, November 19, 2003
Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users TEA LU (PDF) Remarks by Bryan Nicol, Commissioner of the Indiana DOT, November 19, 2003
Nicol Remarks (PDF) _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Statement by Amtrak President David L. Gunn on the tentative $1.2 Billion Federal Funding Level
WASHINGTON – Amtrak President David L. Gunn made the following statement today concerning the tentative agreement by the House and Senate conference committee on Amtrak’s federal funding of $1.2 billion for FY ’04: Gunn Statement (PDF)

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Intercity Passenger Rail Transmittal
The Intercity Passenger Rail Transmittal letter and Passenger Criteria document were delivered to the Secretary of Transportation, the Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration, and the Chairs and Ranking Members of the following Congressional Committees and subcommittees:

* Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation
* Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Subcommittee
* House Transportation and Infrastructure
* Railroad Subcommittee
* House Transportation/Treasury Appropriations Subcommittee
* Senate Transportation/Treasury Appropriations Subcommittee

Passenger Criteria
AASHTO's Criteria for National Intercity Passenger Rail Reform (PDF)

Intercity Passenger Rail Transmital
AASHTO's Intercity Passenger Rail Transmittal (PDF) _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Wisconsin Transportation Secretary Frank Busalacchi submitted written testimony on the importance of federal funding for passenger rail to the US Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. The committee held a hearing on Thursday, October 02 on the Bush Administration's plan for the national intercity passenger rail network.

Attached for your information is a copy of his testimony, along with a WisDOT news release on the subject.
Busalacchi Testimony (PDF)
Busalacchi Newsletter (DOC)

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AAR & ATA Cooperation Statement of American Trucking Associations and Associations of American Railroads--June 25, 2003
Common Legislative and Policy Goals (PDF)

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AAR & AASHTO GRADE-CROSSINGS
Letter to Senators to Express Opposition to Proposals to Eliminate Dedicated Funding for Section 130 Grade-Crossing Program--June 23, 2003
Section 130 Grade-Crossings (PDF)

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States Urge Stability for Intercity Passenger Rail
Concerned about the short-term financial stability of Amtrak, state transportation officials this week urged action to ensure uninterrupted service for at least two years while a "workable framework" is developed to provide intercity passenger-rail service in the future. Intercity Passenger Rail (PDF)