D.C. Not on List for Federal Traffic-Fighting Funds

D.C. MAYOR ADRIAN FENTY, while non-committal on the issue, has indicated he's open to considering pushing a congestion fee to control traffic heading into and out of the District. Marion Barry, Ward 8's D.C. Council member, has said that he wants toll booths erected at some of the major crossings and roadways leading into D.C. Although both of these efforts are still in the discussion phase, whatever plans to ease District congestion do end up getting off the ground will have to proceed without federal funding being offered to other cities that are fighting similar woes.

As The New York Times reports this morning, U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters, pictured at right, has given a preliminary thumbs up to New York becoming the first city in the nation to introduce an urban congestion fee system as a way to control its commuter overload and raise funds for transportation improvements. If state legislators in Albany approve the plan, the city could qualify for a share of $1.1 billion in federal funds targeted at fighting urban traffic.

New York is on a list of nine finalists — along with Atlanta, Dallas, Denver, Minneapolis, St. Paul, Miami, San Diego, San Francisco and Seattle — that could receive some of the money; up to five of them could actually get payouts, Peters told the Times.

D.C.'s not on the list.

But the region is inching closer to securing $1.5 billion in dedicated federal funds for Metro. Last month, Maryland Sens. Ben Cardin and Barbara Mikulski introduced legislation co-sponsored by Virginia Sens. John Warner and Jim Webb that would steer the federal funds to Metro over 10 years, assuming the District, Richmond and Annapolis can agree on a regional funding pact for the transit system. Similar legislation introduced by Virginia Rep. Tom Davis has already passed the House.

The Metro funding pact funds are more than double the $500,000 New York City would get under the U.S. Department of Transportation plan to fight traffic. And in the grander scheme of things, New York City has much bigger transportation problems it is facing, including, as The Times reported on Tuesday, "large operating budget shortfalls" in the coming years for New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority — as in $799 million in 2008, $1.46 billion in 2009 and $1.78 billion in 2010. In D.C., Metro's budget gap for fiscal year beginning in July is $116 million.

» "Time for a D.C. Congestion Tax?" [Raw Fisher/WaPo]
» "Poll Center: Toll Booths at the District Line?" [Free Ride/Express]
» "City Traffic Pricing Wins U.S. and Spitzer’s Favor" [NYT]
» "Md.'s Senators Submit Plan for Funding" [WaPo]
» "A $112-a-Month MetroCard?" [Empire Zone/NYT]
» "Metro Moves to Control Costs" [Get There/WaPo]