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BY IAN JEFFERIES, OPINION CONTRIBUTOR — 06/30/20 11:45 AM EDT

The House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee passed a $500 billion surface transportation bill along party lines. It moved to the full House of Representatives as part of a larger, $1.5 trillion infrastructure package.

At a time that desperately calls for politicians to come together to meet pressing challenges, including infrastructure, the bill woefully misses the mark. Throughout the crafting of the bill and even during the markup, past precedent of bipartisan collaboration was largely absent.

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On Wednesday, June 24, 2020, the California Transportation Commission (CTC) adopted the final Short-Line Railroad Improvement Program Guidelines, thereby initiating a “Call for Projects”. For further information please visit the Commission’s Short-Line Railroad Improvement Program website https://catc.ca.gov/programs/short-line-railroad-improvement-program.

As previously stated, CTC Staff will facilitate a Virtual Joint Coordination Meeting with Caltrans, Regional Transportation Planning Agencies, Class III Operators, and all other industry partners to discuss roles and responsibilities as related to this program. CTC Staff intends to hold this virtual meeting the week of July 27th, further detail to follow.

Alicia Sequeira Smith, Assistant Deputy Director, Program Manager, California Transportation Commission

Gene Seroka reports worst May in more than a decade, predicts 15% of import cargo won’t return.

The Port of Los Angeles has been battered by its slowest May since the recession of 2009.

Year-over-year volume was down 30%, from the 828,662 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) handled in May 2019 to 581,664 TEUs this year.

“Key factors included America’s shutdown economically due to COVID-19’s pandemic. There’s less consumer purchasing, less U.S. manufacturing. We also see the continuing negative impact of the trade war between the United States and China and the policies that have been in place,” said Port of LA Executive Director Gene Seroka.

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