Tanya Snyder
Tanya became Streetsblog's Capitol Hill editor in September 2010 after covering Congress for Pacifica Radios Washington bureau and for public radio stations around the country. She lives car-free in a transit-oriented and bike-friendly neighborhood of Washington, DC.
Recent Posts
UPDATE: Boehner’s Cryptic Message on Taxes
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UPDATE 1:47 p.m.: Speaker Boehner just sent out an email to reporters, highlighting media reports of his comments that assert that he doesn’t intend to raise tax rates. It clarifies his position that the election doesn’t equal a “mandate for raising tax rates” on the American people. In a move likely calculated to distract attention away […]
Election Reveals Who Will Shape the Next Transportation Bill
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Yesterday’s election made history on many different fronts: gay marriage, immigration, consumer protection, and more. But America also voted to maintain essentially the same balance of power in Washington that has brought about so much gridlock. In the transportation arena, that gridlock meant three years of dithering on a national bill and, ultimately, a new law […]
Where to Get Your 2012 Transportation Ballot Results
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It’s Election Day — finally! The top of the ticket has sucked most of the oxygen out of the room, but don’t forget that there are 19 transportation-related measures on ballots across the country. So far this year, pro-transit measures have an 86 percent success rate at the ballot, and there are more transportation amendments being […]
Which Mitt Would Shape U.S. Transpo Policy: The Governor or the Candidate?
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Tomorrow, Americans will decide who will be President of the United States for the next four years. On Friday, we took a look at the last four years of White House transportation policy under President Barack Obama. Today we review the record and the platform of former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney. Streetsblog does not endorse candidates. […]
What Has President Obama Done to Improve American Transportation Policy?
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With the election just days away, it’s a good time to reflect on what the Obama administration has done with transportation policy – and what a Romney administration might have in store. Streetsblog does not endorse candidates. This is an overview of their respective records and a look back at what we know of these […]
Who Should Foot the Bill for Sandy’s Damage to Tracks and Train Tunnels?
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As the East Coast surveys the damage from Hurricane Sandy, cities are still struggling to get their transit systems back up and running. In New York City, there is no firm timetable for restoring subway service after train tunnels were flooded with a surge of saltwater, in what New York MTA Chair Joe Lhota has called the […]
At NACTO Conference, LaHood Delivers Straight Talk on MAP-21
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After a rousing opening speech from NYC Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood took the stage at the “Designing Cities” conference of the National Association of City Transportation Officials yesterday. Streetsblog stringer Dani Simons was there and briefed us on the highlights. LaHood said: We’ve made amazing progress in cities in the past […]
Not a Word About Transit in Obama Jobs Plan
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President Obama released a blueprint for his second term yesterday, a 20-page booklet focused on job creation [PDF]. Let’s be clear: This came from his campaign machine, not the White House. In the booklet, called “The New Economic Patriotism: A Plan For Jobs and Middle-Class Security,” Obama touts his success at keeping the American auto […]
FHWA Helps Cities and Towns Land Bike/Ped Funding
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American cities and towns should get a leg up on using federal funds to make streets safer for biking and walking, thanks to rules enacted yesterday by the Federal Highway Administration. MAP-21, the current transportation law, was passed hurriedly enough that not all the i’s could be dotted and t’s could be crossed — and […]
DIY Urbanism: No Permits, No Red Tape, No Going Back
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You have dreamed about striping your own bike lane on your most-traveled routes. You got your street closed off for a block party. Maybe you even spent the afternoon feeding the meter on Park(ing) Day. You just may be the next tactical urbanist to join the ranks of those who make it their business to […]
MassDOT Secretary: “We Will Build No More Superhighways”
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OK, everybody, pack your bags. We’re all moving to Massachusetts. The Bay State’s transportation secretary, Richard Davey, has launched a “mode shift” campaign, saying in no uncertain terms that it’s time for people to get out of their cars and onto trains, buses, bikes, and their own two feet. His goal is to triple the […]
This Could Be the Biggest Year Ever for Transit at the Ballot Box
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Next month, 19 transit-related measures will come before voters. If the rest of this year is any guide, 16 of them will pass. Despite a high-profile loss in Atlanta a few months ago, transit referenda have an 86 percent success rate so far this year, according to the Center For Transportation Excellence. It strikes some […]