NATIONAL NEWS

Streetsblog: Night of the Living Highway Extension http://streetsblog.net/2010/07/20/night-of-the-living-highway-extension/
Tacoma resident Evan Siroky got a rude reminder of what's in Washington State DOT's project pipeline yesterday, reading in the local paper that officials are looking to revive plans to extend state route 167 as a limited access highway. The new highway segment would reach the Port of Tacoma, and Siroky writes on member blog Tacoma Tomorrow that it's being sold, in part, as a boon for freight movement, though most of its impact will be to induce more driving and sprawl.

ForConstructionPros: What's the Delay in Passing the New Highway Bill?
http://www.forconstructionpros.com/print/Asphalt-Contractor/Editors-Perspective/Whats-the-Delay-in-Passing-the-New-Highway-Bill-/2FCP16998
The delay in passing a new highway bill is tied to debate over how to fund the $500 billion House Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman James Oberstar (D-MN) proposed in his multi-year surface transportation legislation. It's obvious that a grassroots effort will continue to be needed to keep the discussion on the front burner and pressure on Washington to move forward in finding the solution.

USA Today: Airports pitch sites as all-purpose transport hubs http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/travel/2010-07-20-airporthubs20_CV_N.htm
Some U.S. airports are waking up to the potential of some of their key assets: buses, cars and trains headed their way and acres of unused land.

STATE NEWS

Newser: We're Headed for Another Bridge Disaster http://www.newser.com/story/95894/were-headed-for-another-bridge-disaster.html#ixzz0uJQ5K6OB
Some not-so-fun facts to ponder on your next drive: More than 151,000 of the nation's bridges—that's about 25%—are deemed structurally deficient or functionally obsolete, writes blogger Dr. Denny at Scholars and Rogues. It's true that the number is decreasing, but only incrementally. "At this rate, America will have no unsafe or obsolete bridges in only 153 years," he writes