Infrastructure Expert Says Federal Transportation Bill Leaves Transit In The Lurch

Published November 10, 2015 at 12:52 PM CST

House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wis. listens during his news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Nov. 5, 2015. The House has voted to continue transportation programs for six years with no significant increase in spending. That’s despite warnings that the nation’s roads, bridges and transit systems are falling apart. (Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP Photo)

Later this month Congress is expected to give final passage to a six-year, $325 billion transportation bill that will be the first major piece of legislation out of the House of Representatives since Paul Ryan became speaker of the House.

It replaces a series of stopgap funding measures just in time to keep the Highway Trust Fund in the black, but many transportation experts say the federal government continues to under-fund public transit, as well as long-term infrastructure projects.

Robert Puentes, a senior fellow with the Brookings Institution who directs the Metropolitan Policy Program’s Infrastructure Initiative, speaks with Here & Now‘s Jeremy Hobson about the new transportation bill.

Guest

Robert Puentes, senior fellow with the Brookings Institution and director of the Brookings Metro Infrastructure Initiative. He tweets @rpuentes.