NATIONAL NEWS

The Hill: Nearly $80 billion needed to shore up nation’s rail, bus system, study showshttp://thehill.com/blogs/on-the-money/budget/110091-nearly-80-billion-needed-to-shore-up-nations-rail-bus-system-study-shows
The nation’s rail and bus transit systems need almost $80 billion in improvements to get the system into a good state of repair.

Infrastructurist: The Hidden (And Massive) Costs of Letting Our Roads Deteriorate http://www.infrastructurist.com/2010/07/21/the-hidden-and-massive-costs-of-letting-our-roads-deteriorate/
We’ve argued that a compelling reason to raise the gas tax (which is still absurdly low) is that it’s actually costing drivers money to keep it so low — more specifically, the damage being done to roads from inadequate maintenance (a result of state and federal governments not having any tax-generated money to fix the roads) is costing drivers more than actually paying a slightly higher tax for gas.

STATE NEWS

Morning Call: Now is time to raise money to fix state roads and bridges http://articles.mcall.com/2010-07-21/opinion/mc-highway-funding-davis-0722-20100721_1_gas-tax-increase-new-taxes-state-roads-and-bridges
Pennsylvania has a transportation crisis, as seen in these statistics from a June 20 Your View by the leaders of the state House Transportation Committee.

WCAX: State sells bonds for bridge project
http://www.wcax.com/Global/story.asp?S=12851538
Construction continues on a new bridge over Lake Champlain and now more money has been earmarked for the project. The state has sold more than $14 million in transportation infrastructure bonds to help fund construction. The federal government will pay 80-percent of the total costs of the bridge project, with the balance divided between Vermont and new York.

Land Line: New Hampshire OKs 10-year highway plan http://www.landlinemag.com/todays_news/Daily/2010/July10/071910/072110-03.htm
The outlook is improving for roads and bridges in New Hampshire to get needed attention during the next decade. Gov. John Lynch recently signed into law a new 10-year highway plan. It includes making it a priority to replace the Memorial Bridge, which carries U.S. 1 between Portsmouth and Kittery, ME. Included in the plan that runs through 2020 is $45 million in federal GARVEE bonds.