Infrastructure bill but not roads and bridges.

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WSJ Infrastructure bait and switch

Even the small fraction of the infrastructure bill going to roads and bridges isn’t going to happen.

The Dept of Transportation will delay new traffic lanes indefinitely to try to force mass transit on everyone. So, how often will the light rail between Laredo and Cheyenne run?

If you don’t live in a big city, no infrastructure for you.

Published by Don Tabor

I am a former Chairman of the Tidewater Libertarian Party and was the 2007 LP candidate for the 14th district VA Senate. Previously, I was the Volunteer State Director for the FairTax. I am married 50 years with two grown children and 5 grandchildren.

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13 thoughts on “Infrastructure bill but not roads and bridges.”

  1. “… new restrictions COULD jam up the process.”

    “… COULD face months or years of scrutiny.”

    “… and SOME may secure funding.”

    (Caps mine)

    Chicken Little would be proud.

    First, the opinion is all speculation.

    Second, we have so much repair and maintenance that has been neglected that the money allocated will not cover all of it. We needed many trillions instead of barely one.

    Finally, environmental impact studies are for new construction. Repairs won’t need all the studying.

    If your house has a leaking roof, do you wait until you added a bedroom before repairing it.

    But, although I disagree with the opinion, I support the right to complain. Although I think the right wing will try hard to dampen the impact of actually getting some work done. It is what they do…and little else.

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    1. From the memo from Ms Pollack

      “According to the memo, proposals should be sent to the bottom of the pile if they “add new general purpose travel lanes serving single occupancy vehicles.”

      So, if you want to add a bike lane, or dedicated lanes for mass transit, OK, but if you are having daily traffic jams, say like at our tunnels, no money for expanding capacity.

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      1. SO the additional tunnels at the HRBT and CBBT, plus the new High Rise Bridge aren’t doing that? Yeah, OK they started before BBB, but additional funding from that can help keep those projects moving forward.

        As Len said, it is currently more about repairs that have been neglected by states for decades. Gas taxes that should have been earmarked for repair and maintenance purposes were sent to the general fund. New traffic lanes are nice, but they are not the end-all-be-all you seem to be thinking.

        As far as promoting mass transit and bike lanes to help fight pollution goes, why not? Also, more use of mass transit translates to fewer cars on the road causing the jams. It is more beneficial than just adding more travel lanes to existing roads. -IMO.

        By the way, how many traffic jams are there in rural parts of the country who will benefit from increased internet access and other aspects of BBB?

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  2. More grousing from sore losers who worship a man who could talk the talk but could not walk the walk. We waited four years for “infrastructure week.” What did we get? Tax cuts for billionaires and nothing else.

    So limited funds are to be prioritized on repairs. Big deal!

    Next you will be complaining that health insurance sold on-line through the ACA market for 2022 blew past all previous records by millions of policies. Don’t you just hate it when the government gets things done.

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          4. “Not every topic is about Trump.”

            This one sort of is as we contrast President Biden’s success on getting something done on infrastructure versus Donald Trump’s empty promises. See my reference to “infrastructure week” above.

            Besides, YOU brought up fascism.

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  3. WSJ: “Now highway skeptics in the Transportation Department are imposing restrictions like those that failed to pass Congress.”

    This is the observation that makes the topic worth writing about. Whatever the merits of the legislation and its implementation may be, the bureaucracy is pursuing its own agenda. It’s as if Congress doesn’t matter and the President is not in control.

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    1. …”like those that failed to pass Congress”

      It is more likely Congress again punting on the details. That is not a party issue; it is the way things have been going for quite a while. Congress will pass a law/budget/bill and provide no specifics, forcing the departments involved to make the decisions on specifics.

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