The Transportation Bill, called Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP 21), has been signed by President Obama. The bill allocates around $105 billion through 2014 to upgrade and maintain surface transportation infrastructure. Among its measures:

  • Reauthorizes the Federal-aid highway program equal to current funding levels plus inflation for two fiscal years
  • Expands the financing program Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) funding from $122 million to $1 billion per year
  • Preserves dedicated funding for transit
  • Streamlines the NEPA (environmental review) process
  • Requires USDOT to develop a national rail plan and regional rail plans
  • Restructures the federal-aid highway program around five “core” programs: congestion mitigation and air quality (CMAQ); national highway performance; transportation mobility; highway safety improvement; and national freight.

A summary of the bill is available here.

The bill received broad bipartisan support and little criticism from stakeholder groups. One notable exception is NRDC, whose Deron Lovaas argues that the bill “not only does little to move us forward; it weakens current law.  The bill basically undermines provisions that constrain state highway agencies and contractors by requiring them to invest in environmentally beneficial means of improving transportation and reducing congestion.”

What do you think of MAP-21? Is it an effective piece of legislation, or a missed opportunity for progress in transportation and energy? What’s the first, best thing for energy that transportation policy could do?