Commentary on 7/08 US DOT Transportation Policy Proposal

Summarizes NTPP’s initial reaction to specific aspects of the recent DOT proposal highlighting public private partnerships in funding.

Step 1

The Bipartisan Policy Center Commentary on the July 2008 USDOT Policy Proposal explains that the focus a transportation policy should not be the allocation of funding. All the focus of transportation policy should be in the ideas. As mentioned in Step 1 of the Freight System Action Plan, participating stake holders will be included in the decision making aspect of new transportation policy. "Although reaction to the DOT proposal has been mixed, many stakeholders share the view that it is time to refocus, reform, and renew our nation's approach to transportation policy generally and federal highway funding in particular."

Step 3

The National Transportation Policy Project (NTPP) is concerned about the myth of that if public-private partnerships creates any new policies, those policies created will only benefit the parties involved. The NTPP states "Our concern is that an excessive focus on leveraging could distort and expand the federal role in transportation policy beyond a clear vision and purpose." The NTPP is requesting that the USDOT clearly define the roles of any public-private partnerships formed to revamp policies, clearly identify the challenges in the transportation policy and to come up with clear and concise solutions.

Step 4

"The utility of cost-benefit analysis" and "The importance of a holistic approach to congestion."  The NTPP believes that the cost-benefit analysis within any proposed transportation policy should take land use, community impact and the environment into account. The USDOT needs recognize that linkage between energy consumption, community access and carbon emissions effect traffic as much as traffic volumes.