Highways, Bridges and Roads

Observers say highway funding bill negotiations could come to a standstill just like the traffic drivers encounter this holiday weekend. 

The chairwoman of the committee of lawmakers that is conferencing on a new federal surface transportation bill said Wednesday that a substantial portion of the issues that could prevent a deal between the House and Senate have already been cleared.

"I wanted to tell you were making very good progress -- I would say great progress -- on working through the various issues," Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) said during a press conference at the Capitol.

"Approximately 80 percent of the (Environment and Public Works) title ... is non-controversial," she continued. "The EPW title makes up about 80 percent of the entire bill, so this is a very substantial report I'm giving you."

Your morning transportation speed-read:

Passengers at New York City area airports will soon be greeted by a hologram.

A former Newark Liberty International Airport employee accused of threatening President Obama was granted the ability to own guns by an appeals court.

The federal Transit Authority awarded $745 million to a proposed light rail in Portland, Ore.

Transportation taxes have become an issue in Washington state's governor's race.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said Tuesday that he was "cautiously optimistic" about congressional negotiations over a new federal surface transportation bill. 

Speaking to reporters, Reid said that the chairwoman of the 47-member conference committee that is working to reach a deal on highway and transit spending, Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), told him Tuesday that 80 percent of the issues between the House and Senate on the measure had been resolved.

"She feels confident that significant progress is being made on this bill," Reid said Tuesday of Boxer, who is chairwoman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee and shepherded a two-year, $109 billion transportation bill through the upper chamber.

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Negotiations in Congress about a new federal transportation bill are moving into their third week.

Lawmakers who are participating in the 47-member conference committee expressed optimism about the prospects for an agreement following behind-the-scenes talks last week.

"We've already had 20 hours of meetings, staff-to-staff," Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) said last week during the first of what she promised would be regular updates on the progress of the negotiations. 

Only 26 Democrats went on record with support for the pipeline project, a smaller tally than Republicans have been touting.

The top Democrat on the House Transportation Committee said "putting people to work is much more important right now."

Your morning transportation speed-read:

Police say an airport security employee at Newark International who is accused of using a dead person's identification bought the information from a cab driver.

Officials in California are seeking environmental exemptions for a controversial proposed high-speed railway there.

The opening of a new airport in Berlin has been delayed.

Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal (R) is raising money for an effort to pass a transportation tax in his state.

The Department of Transportation is proposing a new rule that would require large trucks and buses to have electronic stability control systems on board to help prevent accidents where they roll over.

DOT said Wednesday that the ESC systems could prevent 56 percent of crashes that involve a truck or bus rolling over, and 14 percent of accidents where a truck or bus driver loses control behind the wheel.

"The Department and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have long recognized the potential impact of stability control technology in reducing deaths and serious injuries that result from rollover crashes,” Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in a statement announcing the new proposal. “Today’s proposal is a major step forward to improving the safety of large commercial trucks, motorcoaches and other large buses.” 

Negotiations on a new federal transportation bill are moving quickly down the road, the chairwoman of the 47-member committee appointed to hammer out a deal between the House and Senate said Tuesday.

Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chairwoman Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) told reporters Tuesday that congressional talks over a new spending bill for road and transit projects were "passed the organizational stage" and into the meaty issues of disagreement between the two chambers of Congress.

"We've already had 20 hours of meetings, staff-to-staff," Boxer said during the first of what she promised will be weekly updates on the progress of the transportation funding negotiations. "We're working on the substance of the bill."