Infrastructure

Officials from Amtrak and other northeast U.S. public transportation agencies briefed a Senate committee Thursday on the damage that was sustained by transit systems last month during Hurricane Sandy.

"When we look at what we really lost in terms of revenue, we're at about $30 million just in terms of the few days that we were out of business. And then direct cost to get things fixed was another $20 million," Amtrak CEO Joe Boardman told members of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee's subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety and Security.

Amtrak shut down routes in the northeast in anticipation of Sandy, as did intra-city mass transit systems in cities like Washington, D.C., Boston, Philadelphia and New York City.

Republicans on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee said Tuesday that Hurricane Sandy made the case for passing their version of a bill containing funding for the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The discussion came during a hearing called to review of the "preparedness, response to and recovery from" the hurricane that badly damaged roads and public transit systems in several Northeastern states in late October.

House Transportation Committee Chairman John Mica (R-Fla.) said Tuesday that the House's version of the FEMA measure would have made it easier for affected states to recover from Sandy.

"We have attempted, as a committee, to make some reforms, and also deal with some of the problems we've had from past storms and natural disasters, and the House prior to ... this most recent storm, passed H.R.-2903, which was the FEMA Reauthorization Act," Mica said at the beginning of Tuesday's hearing.

"That was passed on September 19th, before the storm began, and it ... was passed specifically to deal with some of the problems we've had with previous natural disasters, and also the ability of FEMA, our emergency management organization at the federal level, to deal with some of those issues," he continued. 

Lawmakers in the House and Senate will review Hurricane Sandy's impact on Northeast U.S. transportation systems in a pair of hearings scheduled for this week. 

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will go first Tuesday morning with a review of the "preparedness, response to and recovery from" the superstorm that badly damaged roads and public transit systems in several Northeastern states. 

The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee will follow Thursday with a Sandy review of its own, which officials said would focus on the storm's "devastating impact on the nation's largest transportation systems." 

Your morning transportation speed read:

An Alameda County, California transportation sales tax referendum is heading for a recount.

Workers at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport are under investigation for allegedly egging the bus of the New Orleans Saints football team.

Dunkin' Donuts is making sure travelers are aware of its "non-traditional locations" in places like airports, train stations and bus terminals as passengers are gearing up for holiday travel.

A Nevada museum is offering visitors an opportunity to ride the train with Santa Claus.

Incoming House Transportation Committee Chairman Rep. Bill Shuster (R-Pa.) said Wednesday that he sees the potential for compromise on legislation involving Amtrak funding.

Speaking to reporters at the Capitol hours after formally being elected chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Shuster adopted a less confrontational tone regarding Amtrak than has marked the panel's tenor under Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.). 

Mica pushed hard in 2011 to privatize Amtrak service in the Northeast, which is its most profitable corridor. Shuster supported the effort, which was fiercely opposed by Democrats.  

But the long-time Pennsylvania lawmaker said Wednesday that there was potential to find "common ground" on Amtrak funding next year.

Your morning transportation speed-read:

Maryland is running low on transportation money.

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood called for Florida to pass a distracted-driving law during a recent trip there.

Airlines are facing a large pilot shortage.

Transit supporters in Indianapolis are lobbying for officials to hold a referendum to build a new rail system.

Transportation groups are claiming a nearly 70 percent success rate for transportation referendums in this week’s elections.

The American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) and the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) said voters approved 25 out of 31 road spending measures and 13 out of 19 initiatives for public transit funding.

Both groups declared that the victories sent a message that voters are in favor of governments spending more on transportation.

President Obama's reelection is likely to ensure efforts to privatize Amtrak service and cut transportation funding will be unsuccessful. 

Unsuccessful Republican nominee Mitt Romney had repeatedly pledged to eliminate government funding for Amtrak, and GOP vice presidential nominee Rep. Paul Ryan's (R-Wis.) budget would have limited transportation funding to revenues generated by the federal gas tax.

"I think Amtrak is safe and surface transportation levels are safe," Joshua Schank, president of the nonpartisan Eno Center for Transportation, said in an assessment of the election. 

"I'd be very surprised to see the president and a Democratic Senate accept a cut" to transportation funding, Schank continued. 

Janet Kavinoky possesses a key asset for anyone in a high-pressure job: a sense of humor. 

Transportation experts are not expecting President Obama and Mitt Romney to discuss much about transportation in their debate Wednesday night.

Obama and Romney are scheduled to discuss domestic issues in Denver during their first face-to-face encounter.

But Smart Growth America Leadership Institute President Parris Glendening told The Hill Wednesday afternoon that he was not holding his breath for transportation issues to come up between the presidential hopefuls.

"I'm planning to have a slightly late dinner with my wife and a bottle of wine," said Glendenning, who is also former Democratic governor of Maryland. "I will fall out of my chair and spill my wine if anyone brings up transportation as a serious issue."