RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Robert Puentes and Adie Tomer, October 08, 2009, The Brookings Institution
Robert Puentes and Adie Tomer assess metropolitan air travel trends over the past two decades. They find that most travel is consolidated within a select group of 26 metropolitan areas, which contribute to the country’s highest volume corridors and produce the worst on-time performance. Their findings reveal serious implications for the country’s aviation infrastructure as passenger volumes are predicted to grow in the coming years. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Adie Tomer, Robert Puentes and John C. Austin, October 08, 2009, The Brookings Institution
The economic recession and contraction in the auto and manufacturing industries have had a significant impact on air travel trends in the Great Lakes region’s metropolitan areas, according to Robert Puentes, Adie Tomer and John Austin. The fall-off in air travel in the last ten years has been precipitous in the region, but a return to economic growth will challenge the most connected metropolitan areas. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Robert Puentes and Adie Tomer, July 17, 2009, The Vine, The New Republic
Robert Puentes and Adie Tomer argue that the largest federal highway program—Equity Bonus—should be apportioned to states based on proportionate contributions to the nation's general fund rather than the highway trust fund since more and more transportation dollars are coming from those general sources. Read More
PAST EVENT
Thursday, June 25, 2009
10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Washington, DC
Severe congestion and underfunded public transportation systems in the Washington, D.C. region and nationwide call for a more sustainable way of pricing transportation. To help inform the policy debate on transportation financing and traffic management, Greater Washington Research at Brookings hosted a roundtable bringing together experts from the policy, planning, advocacy, and development community. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Alice M. Rivlin and Benjamin Orr, June 25, 2009, The Brookings Institution
In new analysis from the Greater Washington Research at Brookings, Alice Rivlin and Benjamin Orr review traffic congestion and transportation financing in the Washington, D.C. region and nationwide; suggesting that the national capital region should serve as an example of what sustainable transportation policy looks like. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Robert Puentes, June 19, 2009, The Vine, The New Republic
Federal gas taxes are drying up and the nation’s highway bill is set to expire this fall. In that context, Robert Puentes analyzes the House proposal to revamp U.S. transportation policy and the administration’s call for an 18 month delay to ensure “better investment decisions." Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Robert Puentes and Adie Tomer, February 26, 2009, The Brookings Institution
As the recent kerfuffle between Transportation Secretary LaHood and the White House spokesperson demonstrate, debate over transportation policy and funding is heating up fast. Robert Puentes and Adie Tomer suggest that, while that flap was about taxing miles traveled instead of, or in addition to, gasoline consumed, the comments provide a window into the long simmering quandary over how we move the nation. Read More
VIDEO
Robert Puentes, December 16, 2008
Metropolitan Policy Program Fellow Robert Puentes explains the historic trends that have reduced the nation’s “driving footprint” and urges a new vision that reflects the realities of Americans staying out of their cars.
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Robert Puentes and Adie Tomer, December 16, 2008, The Brookings Institution
Nevada, Idaho and Colorado lead the way in ending car dependence, according to a first-ever ranking, as do the metro areas around Austin, Indianapolis and Atlanta. A new Brookings report by Robert Puentes and Adie Tomer shows that other modes of transit grow in popularity, even as gas prices drop, suggesting a need for dramatic shifts in the way we fund transportation, build our communities and address greenhouse gas emissions. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Robert Puentes, December 10, 2008, The Brookings Institution
Today’s fiscally-constrained environment demands a new approach to infrastructure policy both for short-term stimulus and long-term prosperity. In this backgrounder, Robert Puentes outlines a strategic infrastructure investment path to upgrade our existing system, expand choices in moving people and goods and move us closer to energy independence. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Bruce Katz and Lavea Brachman, October 19, 2008, The Cleveland Plain Dealer
Bruce Katz and Metro partner Lavea Brachman co-authored an op-ed appearing in the Cleveland Plain-Dealer stemming from the success of the “Ohio Summit” this past September. In it, the two explain the need for a change in the discourse about the national economy. Read More
AUDIO
June 12, 2008
This session explored a new plan to overhaul U.S. transportation policy to meet the needs of the 21st century economy. This included a discussion of the key economic, environmental challenges facing metro areas, the flaws in the current federal policy response and recommendations for a new, unified, and competitive vision for federal transportation policy.
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Mark Muro, Bruce Katz, Sarah Rahman and David Warren, June 12, 2008, The Brookings Institution
To unleash greater local and national prosperity U.S. metropolitan leaders need to be better equipped to deal with today’s increasingly dynamic economic, social and environmental realities. This report calls for a new federal-state-metro partnership that provides metropolitan actors the support, capacity, tools and discretion they need to resolve key challenges; grow in more productive, inclusive, and sustainable ways; and, ultimately, to maximize America’s overall prosperity. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Robert Puentes, June 12, 2008, The Brookings Institution
Robert Puentes calls on the federal government to empower major metropolitan areas by giving them direct transportation funding and the flexibility to make unbiased decisions between different modes of transportation. The federal government can then maximize performance by committing itself (and the recipients of federal funds) to an evidence-based, outcome driven, and benchmarked way of doing business. Read More
PAST EVENT
Monday, April 28, 2008
10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Washington, DC
Opportunity 08 hosted U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters for a discussion of America's transportation infrastructure. Secretary Peters focused on the challenges facing the nation’s transportation network, and how local, state and national leaders can take advantage of new technology and approaches to unleash a new wave of transportation investments in this country. Read More