Transportation headlines, Wednesday, August 24

Here is a look at some of the transportation headlines gathered by us and the Metro Library. The full list of headlines is posted on the library’s blog.

Interview with Donald Shoup: Los Angeles making strides with ExpressPark (L.A. Streetsblog)

The secret ingredient in any city’s transportation system is its parking policy. After all, parked is how cars spend the majority of their time, and the price of parking plays a big role in how attractive driving is relative to walking, biking and transit. With that out of the way, check out this Streetsblog interview with parking guru Donald Shoup. Editor Damien Newton and Shoup discuss the new ExpressPark program in downtown L.A. and why cities should funnel parking revenue directly into the communities where its generated.

Quake rattles nerves but infrastructure holds up (Associated Press)

A rare earthquake shook up the eastern seaboard yesterday — a region not exactly built for quakes the way, say, California is. So how did the infrastructure hold up? Pretty well, it turns out. In Washington D.C., Reagan National Airport and Union Station sustained some minor damage, as a few chunks of ceiling fell at both transportation hubs. Amtrak and commuter trains throughout the region were delayed for inspection and then resumed at reduced speeds.

Congress heads for another showdown over transportation funding (Washington Post)

According to the Post, unless Congress takes action to approve a new surface transportation bill — or extend the current one — by September 30, federal aid for highways and transit would cease immediately until a law is passed. While there’s still time to take action, the House and Senate have two fairly different long-term transpo bills to reconcile. And Congress has another issue on its plate to tackle too: Passing a bill to fund the Federal Aviation Administration.