Northern Ireland Audit Office’s Post

Texas Legislature is going to be busy on high speed rail related legislation. Be sure to learn more and help make sure we pave the way for high speed rail to come to Texas. Here are the latest bills that have been pre-filed: 1. House Bill (HB) 483 / Senate Bill (SB) 424, Rep. John Bucy (D-Cedar Park) and Sen. Sarah Eckhardt (D-Austin)   These bills would direct the Texas Department of Transportation to enter into a development agreement with a private entity for the construction of a high-speed rail route along the I-35 corridor, connecting Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio.  2. House Joint Resolution (HJR) 58, Rep. John Bucy (D-Cedar Park)/HB 542, Rep. John Bucy (D-Cedar Park)   This resolution seeks to allow funds from the state highway fund to be used for transit-oriented projects, with an expiration set for 2027. If approved, this would require voter approval in November 2025. The enabling legislation for this measure is HB 542. 3. House Bill (HB) 663, Rep. Brian Harrison (R-Waxahachie)  This bill would prohibit a private entity from using eminent domain for the purpose of developing or operating high-speed rail, attempting to reverse the Texas Supreme Court’s decision granting Texas Central the power of eminent domain for high-speed rail development. 4. House Bill (HB) 1402, Rep. Cody Harris (R-Palestine)   This bill would prohibit the use of public funds, including those from political subdivisions, for the construction, maintenance, or alteration of roadways related to high-speed rail projects.

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is holding several upcoming in-depth webinars regarding the final rule on the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970 (Uniform Act), which was published in the Federal Register on Friday, May 3, 2024. The final rule became effective June 3, 2024.   This final rule amends the government-wide Uniform Act regulations at 49 CFR part 24. The revisions were prompted by the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21), which increased statutory relocation benefits and reduced length of occupancy requirements. The FHWA also updated the Uniform Act regulations in response to comments received during the public comment period and to reflect FHWA’s experience with the Federal-aid highway program since the last comprehensive Uniform Act rulemaking, which occurred in 2005. The updates include streamlining processes to better meet current Uniform Act implementation needs and eliminating duplicative and outdated regulatory language. The final rule also includes important equity updates, including increases in the relocation benefit levels to account for inflation.   Upcoming Webinars   In-depth presentations on each subject matter area covered by the rule (i.e., Acquisition, Appraisal, Relocation, etc.) have been scheduled. Here is the link to register for the sessions and information on date and time of each session:   Registration for upcoming FHWA in depth webinars on Uniform Act final rule, 49 CFR part 24, changes: https://lnkd.in/ggAENbZU   Acquisition: June 14, 2024 (1:00 PM – 2:30 PM, ET) Valuation / Appraisal: June 17, 2024 (12:00 PM – 1:30 PM, ET) Relocation Assistance Subpart C: June 20, 2024 (11:30 AM – 1:00 PM, ET) Relocation Assistance Subpart D, E, F: June 21, 2024 (1:00 PM – 2:30 PM, ET)

Today the Public Accounts Committee has published its finding on how the Department for Transport allocates funding for pothole repair and road maintenance in England. I along with other colleagues at the Road Haulage Association (RHA) provided evidence for this report, along with another dozen key stakeholders and it’s refreshing to see that the government is starting to take heed of what industry has to say on this vital issue. Today’s report is scathing of DfT’s failure to take the problem of road maintenance seriously and contains a number of recommendations that we have been calling for in the last couple of years. I was particularly struck but a comment early on in the report which states that with regards to pothole repair: “(The Department for Transport) does not know what (its) funding is achieving, lacking both a clear oversight over how it is being used and a clear understanding of what outcomes it wants to achieve. Identifying who is accountable for local roads across England is difficult… but we consider that the Department has not taken enough responsibility given the declining conditions of local roads across England” At the RHA, one of our five core asks on infrastructure is a ‘a fairer funding settlement for road maintenance for local authorities’. It’s not rocket science as to why are roads in are in such a state of disrepair: councils across the country simply are not given the funds they need to get on and make long-term repairs that last. We’re relieved to hear that the PAC agrees with us. Observing not only that DfT’s approach to funding is short-term and fragmented but also that DfT does not provide enough support and guidance to local authorities to deal with current and future challenges in maintaining local roads. The government has announced £1bn in road maintenance funds to be allocated to councils across England. This is a staggering amount of money – but we know from today’s report that we have a limited understanding of how well that money is going to be used. And that’s not because councils are wasteful: rather the opposite. Local authorities are under such financial pressure that any non-ringfenced grant will get repurposed and used for something else. So turning back to today’s report. We welcome the findings of the PAC, and are glad to have played a role in providing evidence to the committee. We hope that MPs will listen and incorporate its recommendations so that local-authorities are provided with a robust, long-term and adequate funding settlement which will fix our roads properly. #RHAInfrastructure

June 18, 2024 - Texas Rail Advocates CALL TO ACTION - Your help is needed NOW to make sure that Texas gets its Fair-Share-For-Rail in the 2025 Texas legislative session in Austin. We need you to make a call, send an email, use social media. The Texas Transportation Commission will hold their monthly meeting in Austin on Thursday, June 27. This is one of the most important meetings leading up to next year's biennial session of lawmakers. It will signal what the Texas Department of Transportation legislative appropriation request for 2025-2026 will look like when the draft presentation is previewed at the meeting. Since 98% of state transportation funding is required by law to be used for highways, that only leave a sliver of funds for all other modes including maritime, aviation, public transportation and rail. We are asking you to contact Executive Director Marc Williams at TxDOT and Transportation Commission Chair J. Bruce Bugg, Jr. and the other four commissioners to make sure there is a request for an Exceptional Item of $200 million for rail projects in the upcoming budget cycle from general funds. The proper terminology is simply an "LAR Exceptional Item request". There are pages of potential freight and passenger rail projects in the TxDOT State Rail Plan that can leverage up to 90% federal rail funding if we only had a state match to get projects started. Please email / phone / reach by social media before June 27th the following decision markers: Marc Williams, Executive Director, Texas Department of Transportation:  Marc.Williams@txdot.gov; 512-305-9507; J. Bruce Bugg, Jr., Chairman, Texas Transportation Commission (San Antonio); Commissioner W. Alvin New (San Angelo); Commissioner Robert C. Vaughn (Dallas); Commissioner Alejandro "Alex" G. Meade III (Rio Grande Valley); Commissioner Steven D. Alvis (Houston). Commission main line, 512-305-9509; Commission email: Amanda.martinez@txdot.gov TxDOT Commission address: Dewitt C. Greer State Highway Building, 125 East 11th Street, Austin, TX 78701-2483 For more information on Fair-Share-For-Rail go to: https://lnkd.in/gHVii2pQ The following is a sample email for you to customize and consider sending to TXDOT and the Transportation Commission encouraging them to improve rail in Texas. To Marc.Williams@txdot.gov Amanda.martinez@txdot.gov Subject $200 Million Rail Project LAR Exceptional Item Request Message Dear Marc Williams and the Texas Transportation Commission: I am writing you to encourage you to make sure there is a request for an Exceptional Item of $200 million for rail projects in the upcoming budget cycle from general funds. This would be an LAR Exceptional Item request. There are pages of potential freight and passenger rail projects in the TxDOT State Rail Plan that can leverage up to 90% federal rail funding if we only had a state match to get projects started.

From the Cab, Carolinas Association for Passenger Trains May 2024 newsletter (shared with permission) Martin Wheeler, President Don Yehle, Editor What If NC Received Additional Funding for Its Corridor Studies? TRAIN INFRASTRUCTURE AND ACCELERATION ACT: S 821 Senate Bill S 821, currently in the NC Senate's Rules Committee, aims to provide additional funding on top of the $500,000 per corridor already allotted through the FRA's Corridor ID Program. No local match is required. This legislation seeks to increase funding for FRA Corridor ID projects on 7 corridors in North Carolina. If passed, each corridor, including Wilmington to Raleigh, would receive an extra one million dollars. Those interested in showing support should reach out to the Governor, State Representatives, and Senators, especially members of Transportation Committees. It would also be appropriate to seek support from City Councils, County Commissions, Metropolitan Planning Organizations, Rural Planning Organizations, and Chambers of Commerce. The seven proposed rail corridors are: - Charlotte to Washington, D.C. - Charlotte to Atlanta, GA - Charlotte to Kings Mountain - Winston Salem to Raleigh - Fayetteville to Raleigh - Wilmington to Raleigh - Asheville to Salisbury https://lnkd.in/gXyk8sQG

The Government’s confirmation of an extra £500m for English local road maintenance in the next financial year came with a catch – a quarter of the uplift is held back under an incentive system that has yet to be worked out. Chris Ames looks back to a discussion in Parliament in the autumn to unpick what ministers and officials are thinking. In the ongoing debate about funding the local road network, there is a hierarchy of issues. Top, of course, is how much money and how long it should last – i.e. the much-hoped for and much-promised long-term funding settlements. But how cash is shared between authorities and what strings are attached are also key concerns. Read the article: https://buff.ly/425H9u0 #roadmaintenance #roadnetwork #roadsafety

Georgia road projects are becoming increasingly expensive for taxpayers, with the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) awarding $104.3 million in construction projects in June 2024 alone. Over fiscal year 2024, GDOT awarded $2.6 billion in contracts, up from $2 billion in fiscal 2023. The average cost per project rose from $7.4 million in 2023 to $12.9 million in 2024. Governor Brian Kemp has allocated an additional $1.5 billion to the state's amended fiscal 2024 budget to help GDOT manage rising costs, partly driven by inflation. Despite the higher costs, Georgia's infrastructure has been rated a C-plus by the state's section of the American Society of Civil Engineers, though GDOT maintains its leadership in road and bridge conditions. The fiscal 2025 budget includes $4.2 billion for GDOT, with nearly $2.4 billion from state funds. #GDOT #Roadways #Georgia #funding #ASCE

The Government has published a mammoth working paper on reforming the NSIP regime with the aim of making things faster. Key points: 1. Opt-outs of the NSIP regime - a sensible idea for the less contentious schemes which don’t require compulsory acquisition of land. 2. 5 year renewals of NPSs and streamlined process for “reflective amendments” of NPS. 3. More proportionate consultation requirements - this is another acknowledgement that virtually all sides of the aisle agree consultation is being used and abused as a mechanism for slowing development. In particular, the Government wants to “change the application acceptance requirements in a way that supports taking more outcomes-based judgements”. Separately, there’s a proposal to reduce the burden and excessive information required in a consultation report. There is also a proposal to simply get rid of “Category 3” persons - both useful! 4. Make the regime a “one stop shop” again - the government is considering how best to encourage consents to be disapplied and is looking at replicating deemed consents where conditions are met. 5. Removing the distinction between material and non-material changes to DCOs. 6. Corrections - instead of having to correct DCOs once made, the government are considering “draft Orders” being published. 7. “Process modifications power” - this nifty power would allow the amendment and removal of various process requirements for particular types or sectors of infrastructure. If implemented, this something that can really materially reduce the burden on development coming forward. Do all projects need a PEIR!? There are also proposals for important changes to the Transport and Works Act and Highways Act mentioned, in particular adding timescales in the former and additional powers in the latter. Overall a good package, in tandem with the changes to judicial review, which collectively could go further but will make a difference. There have been naysayers to both sets of proposals - don’t listen to them!

Great to see these topics being discussed at #CIFConference24 — looking forward to seeing how these ideas shape #Budget25 and the future of #Construction in Ireland. #ConstructionPension #RetirementSavings #CERS

On January 14, Governor Maura Healey announced a plan to make historic investments in the state’s roads, bridges, and regional transportation system and immediately stabilize the finances of the MBTA. The investments—representing $8 billion over the next 10 years—would be done without raising taxes and represent the largest state transportation investment in more than 20 years by creating an expanded financing plan involving Fair Share revenue.   The plan will be filed as legislation in the coming weeks as part of the Governor’s Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) state budget proposal and a separate supplemental budget. These bills would put into action many of the recommendations made in the Transportation Funding Task Force final report. The Task Force proposes multiple steps for stabilizing and enhancing transportation in 2025, while setting the stage for how best to finance transformative investments in transportation in the future.   "The central recommendations put forward by the Transportation Funding Task Force are strategic, fiscally responsible, and actionable—and Governor Healey's budget proposal takes immediate action to implement many of these recommendations by directing historic levels of investment to stabilize our statewide transportation infrastructure. By prioritizing the equitable use of Fair Share surtax revenue and utilizing federal funding, the Governor's proposal reflects the Task Force's tactical approach to expeditiously direct billions of dollars in capital and operating funding to support the MBTA and RTAs, while also investing in critical roadway infrastructure in municipalities across the state. Thank you to Governor Healey and her team for convening this Task Force, for giving A Better City the opportunity to serve, and for confronting our transportation crisis head on. We look forward to working with the Healey-Driscoll Administration, Legislature, business community, and transportation advocates in the coming weeks and months to build a stronger, more competitive statewide transportation system and regional economy." — Kate Dineen, President & CEO of A Better City You can read the Governor’s press release: https://lnkd.in/e9JdqDZt