TPD Communication & Networking sites

• apa-tpd.org (TPD website)
• apa-tpd.blogspot.com (TPD blog)
• apatpd.ning.com (Ning online networking)
• http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=41884958915 (Facebook)
• http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=1178607&trk=hb_side_g (LinkedIn)

Check them out!

LinkedIn

Check out the TPD group on LinkedIn! All existing TPD members are pre-approved!

AICP Certification Maintenance - Differential Charges for non-AICP Members

Please read, review, & comment on the Division's draft letter to the AICP Commission regarding fees for CM courses.

States Forced to Delay Millions of Dollars in Highway Contracts

States have put the brakes on millions of dollars of highway construction projects and are scrambling to substitute scarce state funds for the federal funds that have been cut off due to the crisis in the Highway Trust Fund. "States are suspending new contract awards, halting right-of-way acquisition and looking for ways to stop on-going construction while maintaining public safety," said AASHTO Executive Director John Horsley. "It is truly a crisis that Congress must resolve immediately. Every day the federal IOUs are piling up and the states' financial hole gets deeper." U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters announced on Friday that the federal government would slow down reimbursements to the states, and would likely be able to make only partial payments beginning next week, due to insufficient funds in the Highway Trust Fund. She has urged Congress to enact by the end of the week, a $8 billion transfer from the General Fund to preserve the solvency of the Highway Trust Fund. Action is pending in the Senate. More than a dozen states have detailed the impacts of the federal default on state programs, either in news releases or via media reports. Those impacts are available on the AASHTO website www.transportation. org or at the following links:

ALABAMA
Diminished Fuel Taxes Causes Rationing of Federal Fundinghttp://www.dot. state.al. us/NR/rdonlyres/ 2124AC24- B723-467D- 9C4D-DC8D78FB52B5/ 0/99HTF.doc

ARIZONA Federal Highway Fund Bankruptcy Hits Arizona: ADOT to Delay New Federally Supported Projectshttp://www.azdot. gov/ccpartnershi ps/news/NRel2175 .asp Arizona Highway Projects Stall Out in Face of ShortfallLink to story in The Arizona Republic:http://www.azcentra l.com/arizonarep ublic/local/ articles/ 2008/09/06/ 20080906adot0906. html

CALIFORNIA
Statement from Caltrans Director Will Kempton: Today, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced that effective Monday, September 8, the Federal Highway Administration will delay financial reimbursements from the Highway Trust Fund to all states. Here is a statement from California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) Director Will Kempton in response: "This latest announcement from the U.S. Department of Transportation aggravates an already tight budget problem for California's transportation program. We had projected that the state budget impasse could impact ongoing transportation construction projects by October. However, delays in federal reimbursements could exacerbate this situation. Failure to resolve this issue will have a significant impact on California and the rest of the nation. Unless resolved, this situation could result in delaying, reducing, or canceling transportation projects. The ripple effect could impact the state's economy through loss of revenues, reduced productivity and increased unemployment. In July, I wrote a letter to California's congressional delegation emphasizing the need to resolve this issue at the earliest possible date. We will continue working with Congress and federal transportation officials to secure the passage of legislation that will address the funding shortfall in the Highway Trust Fund."

COLORADO
Colorado Trying to Cope with Federal Cuts to Road FundsLink to story in the Rocky Mountain News:http://www.rockymou ntainnews. com/news/ 2008/sep/ 06/state- trying-to-cope-with-federal- cuts-to-road/

KANSAS
State of Kansas Department of Transportation expresses some funding concernsLink to story in The Fort Scott Tribune:http://www.fstribun e.com/story/ 1459509.html

MICHIGAN
US Road Fund Short, May Pinch Big Projects in MichiganLink to AP story:http://www.freep. com/apps/ pbcs.dll/ article?AID=/20080906/ NEWS07/809060334 MINNESOTAMinnesota Projects Not EffectedLink to story in the Star Tribune:http://www.startrib une.com/local/ 27914954. html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUo aEyqyP4O: DW3ckUiD3aPc: _Yyc:aULPQL7PQLa nchO7DiUsA

MISSOURI
Missouri DOT Watches Washington Money SituationLink to story on KRMS Radio:http://www.1150krms .com/?q=node/ 3220 Highway Trust Fund Shortfall Could Cause State Highway Projects to be Canceledhttp://www.modot. org/newsandinfo/ District0News. shtml?action=displaySSI& newsId=21745

NEW HAMPSHIRE
New Hampshire Worries Feds Might Hamper Road WorkLink to AP story:http://www.boston. com/news/ local/new_ hampshire/ articles/ 2008/09/06/ nh_worries_feds_ might_hamper_ road_work/ OKLAHOMAHighway Construction Halted by

Oklahoma DOT
http://www.okladot. state.ok. us/newsmedia/ press/08_ 051_highway_ construction_halted_ by_odot.pdf

PENNSYLVANIA
PENNDOT Secretary Says Federal Funding Shortfall Could Impact PA'S Highway, Bridge ProgramCongress Needs to Enact Fix to Restore Fundhttp://downloads. transportation. org/PA_Rls_ Trust Fund 0905081.doc $8 Billion in State Highway Funding at Risk in PennsylvaniaLink to story in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:http://www.pittsbur ghlive.com/ x/pittsburghtrib /news/state/ s_586804. html

TEXAS
TxDOT says highway fund close to depletionLink to story in the San Antonio Business Journal:http://www.bizjourn als.com/sananton io/stories/ 2008/09/08/ daily12.html

WASHINGTON
Gov. Gregoire's Statement on the Federal Highway Transportation Funding Bankruptcyhttp://www.governor .wa.gov/news/ news-view. asp?pressRelease= 985&newsType= 1 Washington Projects Could be Affected as Federal Fund for Roads Runs DryLink to AP story:http://seattletimes .nwsource. com/html/ localnews/ 2008161902_ roads06.html

NATIONAL
Highway Fund Bailout Now Backed by Bush AdministrationLink to story in The Los Angeles Timeshttp://www.latimes. com/news/ nationworld/ nation/la- na-highway6-2008sep06,0, 4699247.story Senator Inhofe Urges Immediate Action to Prevent Highway Trust Fund Insolvencyhttp://media- newswire. com/release_ 1072317.html Highway Fund Shortfall May Halt Road ProjectsLink to story in The New York Times:http://www.nytimes. com/2008/ 09/06/us/ 06highway. html?_r=1&scp=2&sq= highway%20fund& st=cse&oref= slogin

Thoughts on AICP Recertification Maintenance Program Changes

At Planetizen.

What do you think? Are they making worthwhile progress?

TRB or Railvolution?

Would you be more inclined/interested to attend the mid-year TPD meeting if it were not held so close to the National meeting? TRB has been a good fit for us over the years, but we are considering moving the mid-year meeting to Railvolution (October 26-29, San Francisco) to spread things out a bit on the calendar.

One upside is that it isn't so close on the calendar to APA National. One downside is that Railvolution is heavily oriented to transit, and may not be of interest to non-transit TPD members.

Please answer the polls on the right. Feel free to add you comments about this idea to this post.

Thanks!

ISO: TPD webmaster

The TPD is looking for one volunteer to edit and maintain our website. It shouldn't be a bit commitment of time - mostly just posting new content.

Drop me an email (hilary dot perkins at gmail dot com) if you are interested.

Thanks,
Hilary

Transportation Communications Newsletter

This is a great - and brief - daily newsletter that is packed with transportation-related news. It's also conveniently sorted by topic (aviation, tolling, GIS, etc). It's a great daily read!

You can subscribe this way:

The Transportation Communications Newsletter is published electronically Monday through Friday.

To subscribe send an e-mail to: TCNL-subscribe@googlegroups.com

TCN archives: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/transport-communications

APA's Draft Policy Guide on Planning & Climate Change

APA is encouraging members to read and comment on the Draft Policy Guide on Planning and Climate Change. Please let us know your thoughts and we will summarize and submit to APA.

Other APA policy guides can be found here.

TPD's letter to AICP regarding certification maintenance

Based on the survey results, the letter that the TPD Executive Committee sent to AICP is here.

Roundabouts

How popular are roundabouts as solutions in your respective communities? Are they viewed as a panacea (the solution to every traffic problem) or a deathtrap (drivers will never adjust)? Something in between?

Planetizen editorial on CM

Several academics and the editor of Planetizen have posted an editorial about APA's CM program.

What do you think as Transportation Planning professionals? Can we agree that in order for the credential to mean anything, it should be backed up by ongoing professional development?

There have been a lot of interesting comments and perspectives in the survey the division is undertaking, but is there more that needs to be discussed?

Note that the survey closes March 31st, 2008.