APTA President Bill Millar welcomed attendees Sunday and spoke about the growth in transit ridership (up 0.75% last quarter) despite the financial hardships experienced by transit agencies throughout the country. Millar discussed how the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act significantly helped transit agencies and state transportation departments upgrade and construct transit systems nationwide.

Millar also spoke about President Barack Obama's $50 billion infrastructure investment proposal, which was announced on Labor Day in Milwaukee. (see Sept. 10 AASHTO Journal story) He reiterated APTA's commitment to greater investment in all infrastructure including highways, intercity passenger rail, and mass transit.

A $50 billion frontloaded reauthorization bill is necessary to move the country forward, Millar said. He also emphasized the need for Congress to enact a long-term surface transportation reauthorization in the near future. (see related story on funding talks between the White House and House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman James Oberstar, D-Minnesota)

Following Millar's welcome, Peter Rogoff, federal transit administrator, spoke about the recovery act and thanked attendees for "being the driving force behind delivering 100% of transit-related ARRA projects."

Rogoff also talked about Obama's $50 billion proposal to invest in highways and transit systems during the first year of a long-term reauthorization. He said the president's plan shows the administration's dedication to passing a multimodal surface transportation bill and to reaching its goals of reducing greenhouse-gas emissions and the country's dependence on foreign oil. Rogoff said the upfront investment would improve the economy and reduce the unemployment rate nationwide.

Finally, Rogoff mentioned the $776 million in State of Good Repair grants that were released this week. These grants included 152 projects in 45 states, and many were distributed directly to the state DOTs. (see related story)

State DOTs Gather at APTA Meeting

This week's APTA Annual Meeting included a gathering of the APTA State Affairs Committee. That committee consists of state transportation departments and transit associations.

Ron Epstein of the New York State Department of Transportation chairs the committee. He led the meeting with a discussion of state initiatives related to improve public transportation. He also spoke about the fiscal hardships that various states are currently experiencing.

An update on the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials' Standing Committee on Public Transportation and its Multi-State Technical Assistance Program was also presented during this meeting. This discussion was led by Brian Alberts, AASHTO's MTAP coordinator. It included talk of a letter the standing committee recently submitted to the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee regarding state transit safety oversight. Alberts also briefed the APTA committee on an upcoming quarterly oversight call with the Federal Transit Administration, the 2011 Survey of State Funding for Public Transportation, and the 2010 SCOPT/MTAP Annual Meeting scheduled to occur in December in Savannah, Georgia.

Session Explores Future of Transit

A Tuesday workshop at the APTA Annual Meeting dealt with the topic of "Transit and the State DOT Commissioner: The Future is Multimodal." Panelists included Jolene Molitoris, Ohio transportation commissioner; Martin Tuttle, California Department of Transportation deputy director for planning and modal programs; and Mike Sanders, Connecticut Department of Transportation transit administrator.

Molitoris highlighted the need for multimodalism at the state DOT level and the plans Ohio DOT has set forth to reach this goal. She also discussed how transit is a valued partner in Ohio and how all the modes -- including aviation, highways, maritime, rail, and transit -- must work together to create a more integrated transportation system.

Tuttle spoke about removing the silos at state DOTs and how multimodalism has been the law in California as of the first of this year. He also discussed the partnerships Caltrans has with metropolitan planning organizations and transit agencies in California, and how all parties are working together at the state level to create plans and address funding needs.

Sanders wrapped up the session by discussing how transit is funded at the state level in Connecticut, unlike many states, where transit funding comes primarily from a regional authority or local government. He also emphasized the need for multimodal state transportation departments and an integrated transportation network for the future.