Hotline #747

During his campaign, President-elect Clinton supported full funding of ISTEA and spoke of a special $20-billion infrastructure program. Yesterday, he said he would "try to accelerate [that] in terms of road projects, water projects, other projects that are ... ready to go in the first year, with the commitment that I have to transfer defense cuts into domestic investment."

Clinton transportation advisor Will Ris, meeting today with transit representatives, reaffirmed Clinton's commitment to full funding of ISTEA, which he said would proportionally benefit transit more than roads. Ris said the $20 billion for infrastructure would be in addition to ISTEA and would not be confined to transportation.

Ris said to be eligible for the $20 billion, projects should be ready to go, help disadvantaged areas, and help broader economic development goals -- that is, leverage further private investment. Ris was not unsympathetic to increased transit operating money, but said that would be a "tougher sell." He said high-speed rail would be a longer-term effort; this was not an unfriendly comment and we think it merely reflects unawareness of rail projects that states have ready to go. We will have to work hard to get states to include rail on their wish lists they give to Clinton.

Unfortunately, because of past federal policies, the lists of projects "ready to go" are dominated by roads. We must press our communities and states to support a truly balanced transportation agenda that includes intercity passenger rail from the start.

Committee assignments for the 103rd Congress may take place as early as December, rather than the traditional January. Congress reconvenes January 5.

A measure in Oregon to ban triple-trailer trucks was defeated by a large margin on November 3, primarily because of massive spending on the part of the trucking industry.

A bi-partisan group of state legislators in Massachusetts have formed a caucus to work for the Central Artery rail link.

Tri-Rail ran a special train yesterday between Miami and Tampa to publicize that route's potential for high-speed rail and its status as one of five ISTEA grade-crossing fund corridors. Others involved in yesterday's effort were Amtrak, CSX, Florida DOT, and Bombardier.

After a period of reconstruction, new shops and restaurants are finally moving into Amtrak's Philadelphia 30th Street Station.

The New Jersey Association of Railroad Passengers reports that at their last meeting, they were told by New Jersey Transit that talks on extending Atlantic City commuter service into 30th Street Station looked promising. Also, pending funding for signal work, NJT is considering extending the Boonton line west from Netcong to Hackettstown, perhaps by the summer.

Reversing 12 years of Reagan-Bush policy, the Interstate Commerce Commission has imposed labor protection requirements on the proposed takeover of two Wisconsin short lines by the Wisconsin Central. Wisconsin Central said the deal probably would go ahead anyway, which bodes well for the return of passenger-rail service to the Fox Valley and Green Bay.

The Keystone Association of Railroad Passengers will have a meeting to promote the New York-Allentown-Reading-Harrisburg route outlined in the July Amtrak route study. They will meet at 12:00 noon on November 21 in Reading, at the Peanut Bar.

Officials are considering a commuter rail line from downtown Cincinnati to Newtown, as an alternative to a large highway reconstruction project beginning in the spring. However, it is seen as a temporary measure.

Five French students, on a dare, sneaked into the Channel Tunnel and walked 22 miles through to England, where they were detained by police. Their prank took place on November 11, which was Armistice Day, a holiday on which all the tunnel workers were home.