Bonnie, At this point we are moving
forward with the design phase of the
Sibley project and preparing
construction drawings and bid
documents. We will come back to the
Board later this spring and ask them
whether they wish to move forward in
soliciting bids for construction or
whether they wish to place the project
on hold. We hope that by that time we
will know the final details of the
stimulus plan and whether any other
sources of funding are available.
This is the process we determined last
December and we are simply moving
forward with that plan right now.
Thanks,

Chris

I hope you are right because I don’t want imagine the consequences if we are wrong.

We have decided to put all our chips “on red” and hope it will pay off.

I am all for improving infrastructure, what I am opposing, is doing with money we don’t have.
I have opposed this under Bush and I will oppose this under Obama.
The consequent inflation we will be getting in to, will wipe out most peoples savings. It will make the last 30% drop in 401K’s look like a hick up.

Here is some more language from the source I quoted above:

· $53.6 billion in state fiscal stabilization funding: States must use 18.2 percent of their funding – or $9.7 billion – for public safety and government services. An eligible activity under this section is to provide funding to K-12 schools and institutions of higher education to make repairs, modernize and make renovations to meet green building standards. LEED’s green standards for schools include bicycle and pedestrian facilities and access to the school.

· $3.1 billion is provided for the
Energy Efficiency and Block Grant
Program. This provides formula funding
to cities, counties and states to
undertake a range of energy efficiency
activities. One eligible use of
funding is for bicycle and pedestrian
infrastructure.

http://www.fms.treas.gov/fr/08frusg/08guide.pdf

I am still not convinced that a majority of Americans really know how bad it is.
Most of us have a “gut feel” that something isn’t right, but few have bothered to look at the bigger picture.

It sounds like a great sound bite in promising all the things we need to be doing. However the reality of the situation is more grave then our leaders are willing to admit.

I think in this issue there is a need for bi-partisanship, but not between the Republicans and Democrats, more between “we the people” against the political leadership (or lack thereof).

The “discourse” of late reminds me of the Titanic. While the ship is sinking we argue about the color of the lifeboat.

This is not a matter of the sustainable or efficient transportation system. It’s about money that we don’t have.

It is a matter of sustaining a budget that is unsustainable.

Public transportation in the US will be for some years to come a very regional matter.
The dream of having a European style public transportation system is centuries away and might not be practical for the US to strive for.
The vast difference of space and the rural lifestyle in the US, are not conducive to a European style public transportation system. It’s just not practical or affordable.

The NY Times has an article about the likely political struggles over the stimulus money: States and Cities Angle for Stimulus Cash.

Here is language from the Bike League web site about the transportation funding:

a $789 billion economic stimulus package that provides $27.5 billion to modernize roads and bridges, and includes a three percent set-aside of each state’s share of the $27.5 billion for the Transportation Enhancements program. At least half of funds must be obligated by states within 120 days, or the U.S. Secretary of Transportation can recall up to 50 percent of the un-obligated funds. Specific language for Federal Highway Administration infrastructure investment can be seen here.

Also included is $8.4 billion to
increase public transportation and
improve transit facilities; $8 billion
for investment in high-speed rail; and
$1.5 billion for a discretionary
surface transportation grant program
to be awarded competitively by the
Secretary of Transportation. The bill
text and joint explanatory statement
are now available here.

The Federal Highway Administration
(FHWA) and Federal Transit
Administration have issued guidance to
assist state and local agencies in
preparing for implementation of the
stimulus bill. The guidance includes
Q&As and actions that can be taken to
expedite economic recovery projects.

I couldn’t disagree with Peter Millin more about the transportation funding. I see mass transit as moving us toward a more efficient and sustainable transportation future, but why don’t we save that argument for another thread.

Mr. Richardson is absolutely correct
when he says: Richardson said he is
hoping the bill will allow the school
district to use the money to pay for
existing programming instead of using
it to create more programs, especially
since the additional funding would
last only for two years.

I hope Mr. Oberstar takes a philosophical note on this.

However in general the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 is nothing more then a pork bill with lipstick. Even with lipstick a pig is still a pig.
Don’t take my word for it here is what the CBO says.

A Congressional Budget Office study
has estimated that only 20% of
spending will take place in 2009 and
only 50% through 2010, so fully half
of the fiscal stimulus will not be
spent until well after most economists
think the recession will be over.
Finally, there is a concern that much
of the spending in the stimulus bill
will become built into the Federal
budget and thus raise the average
level of the deficit well after the
recession is over.

It is my sincere hope that this is not a preview of what is in store for us on the state level.
Recent trial balloons by Mr. Bly don’t give me much hope.

It is much easier to give away other peoples money to satisfy the populous, then it is to make the tough decisions to make us more fiscally responsible.
The latter would be a matter of real leadership.
Mr. Dahle and Mr. Bly how about it?

MPR/Klobuchar: Minn. will get more than $4 billion from stimulus

Strib: Minnesota’s take: About $9.1 billion