Last week the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation marked up the draft appropriations bill for 2011 –also known as “Transportation Housing and Urban Development” or “THUD”
The following are key points summarized from an article in Transportation Weekly:
- Highway funding increased by ten percent
- Transit funding increased (if additional spending authority is provided by the authorizing committees)
- Transfers $200 million of formula bridge and highway funding to a new discretionary liveable community grant programs;
- Creates a TIGER III program at $400 million ($200 million less than this year);
- Provides $1.4 billion for High Speed and Intercity Rail Grants (also less than last year); and
- Provides $145,980,000 in Highway and Transit earmarks for California.
Earmarks account for roughly $17.8 million through Federal Highways Administration and $128.2 through Federal Transit Administration