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Category Archives: Transportation

Sen Durbin, Illinois Congressional Delegation Seek To Revive IL Rail Car Manufacturing

Press release from U.S. Senate Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin
For Immediate Release
April 9, 2009
DURBIN AND ILLINOIS DELEGATION ASK DOT TO SUPPORT REVIVAL OF ILLINOIS TRAIN CAR INDUSTRY
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today led the Illinois Congressional Delegation in asking [...]

Posted 11 April 2009 † Hiram Wurf § Economic Development § Economy § Illinois Politics § Political Communication § Rail § U.S. Senate ‡ Comments (1) °

Where’s The Economic Recovery Going To Come From? Obama Provides Good Answers

Matt Yglesias has an interesting piece about educational levels around the Great Depression compared to today that reflects on Paul Krugman’s pessimism about the economy and Ryan Avent’s optimism. The question is where will our economic recovery come from (and how soon)?
I’m no economist, but my sense is we are not likely to recover [...]

Posted 01 April 2009 † Hiram Wurf § Dollars and Social Sense § Economic Development § Economy § Education § Energy § Environment § Rail ‡ Comments (0) °

Think The Roads Are Getting Faster? You’re Right

Ryan Avent points to a study showing that in some cases reduced vehicle traffic has gone below the “tipping point” where congestion gets really bad and produces traffic jams
“In other words, roads work really well up to a point, and then they work really badly. And many, many roads in America work really badly much [...]

Posted 05 March 2009 † Hiram Wurf § DuPage Political Campaigns § Illinois Political Campaigns § Illinois Politics § Political Communication § Rail § Wisconsin Politics ‡ Comments (0) °

What The Stimulus Says About Us….

We’d rather continue to substantially cut taxes, especially those at the upper end, while sacrificing our society’s future economic competitiveness and health through reduced infrastructure spending, reduced education spending, and reduced health care spending among others. On that latter topic, Ezra poses the challenge:
“A decent society doesn’t spen[d] $70 billion on an upper-class tax [...]

Posted 10 February 2009 † Hiram Wurf § Democratic Change § Dollars and Social Sense § Economic Development § Economy § Education § Health § Healthcare § Political Communication ‡ Comments (3) °

A Smart Stimulus Package Includes Serious Mass Transit Funding

Today, responding to news about a stimulus amendment giving tax breaks to car buyers that increase with the price of the car commenter “Car Free Nation” at Streetsblog said,
“So 11 billion to pay for cars for the rich (it’s a tax break, the more you earn, and the more expensive the car, the more we, [...]

Posted 04 February 2009 † Hiram Wurf § Democratic Change § Dollars and Social Sense § Economic Development § Economy § Illinois Politics § Political Communication § Rail ‡ Comments (1) °

Advocates for Intercity Passenger Rail Call on Congress and President Obama to Increase Funding for Rail in Stimulus Plan

[Cross-posted at Midwest High Speed Rail, Improving Amtrak Incrementally]
Chicago Union Station, Great Hall
Thursday, January 29th, 12:30 pm

Contacts:

Representative Elaine Nekritz, Chair of the Illinois House Rail Committee
Paris Ervin, Illinois Department of Transportation
Rick Harnish, Midwest High Speed Rail Association

Laura Kliewer, Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission

ADVOCATES FOR INTERCITY PASSENGER RAIL CALL ON CONGRESS AND PRESIDENT OBAMA TO INCREASE [...]

Posted 29 January 2009 † Hiram Wurf § Dollars and Social Sense § Economic Development § Economy § Illinois Politics § Political Communication § Rail § Technology § Wisconsin Politics ‡ Comments (0) °

Illinois Assembly Bills – Maximize Passenger Rail In Fed Stimulus

[Cross-posted at Midwest High Speed Rail , Improving Amtrak Incrementally blog]
Both the Illinois Senate (SR 0019) and House (HR 0030) have resolution bills calling “on Congress and President-Elect Barack Obama to maximize the investment in expanded and improved passenger train service as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan.”
State Senator Michael Frerichs and State [...]

Posted 27 January 2009 † Hiram Wurf § DuPage Politics § Economic Development § Illinois Politics § Political Communication § Rail ‡ Comments (0) ° Tagged:

Now Posting At Midwest High Speed Rail

If you’re interested in transportation policy you might want to take a look at my first post at Midwest High Speed Rail – where I use a Google Map to show rail projects that are ’stimulus ready’ for the incoming Obama Administration.

Posted 20 January 2009 † Hiram Wurf § Democratic Party § Dollars and Social Sense § Economic Development § Economy § Energy § Political Communication § Technology ‡ Comments (0) °

Revenge Of The Electric Car

Over the past week plus I’ve been thinking about the incredible irony of a company forced to produce it’s future, determined to destroy it’s future, and succeeding – leading to its destruction. In the 1990’s GM killed an electric car it was forced to produce by California. Today Deutsche Bank declared GM stock [...]

Posted 10 November 2008 † Hiram Wurf § Dollars and Social Sense § Economic Development § Energy § Technology ‡ Comments (4) °

Road To The Idea Of The Bridge To Nowhere

Yep, the U.S. Congress killed the infamous ‘bridge to nowhere’ that GOP Vice Presidential Candidate Sarah Palin supported, as governor she kept the money for state transportation, and yes, her Alaska is still building the road to the bridge that they were going to build to nowhere.
But now that we’re talking about a “Road to [...]

Posted 09 September 2008 † Hiram Wurf § Economic Development § Political Communication § Presidential Election 08 § Republican Party ‡ Comments (1) °