Congressman Mike Michaud praised Senate passage of a bill that contains a fix for Maine’s truck weight problem. Last month, Michaud urged leaders of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees to retain language in a Senate appropriations bill that would renew and make permanent a one-year pilot project on truck weight limits in Maine. Michaud has also personally pressed this issue with congressional leaders on both sides of the aisle in the House.

“This is good news, and I will continue to do everything I can to support this provision,” said Michaud, a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. “Moving trucks off our local roads and onto the Interstate makes sense. It would be good for our economy, road safety, and our environment.”

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“This grant will be used to replace high-mileage buses well past their useful life, and couldn’t come at a better time,” said South Portland Transportation Director Tom Meyers. “Ridership on our system this fiscal year is up almost 15 percent from last year. These new buses will help us provide the reliable service our customers expect, and entice others to try public transportation.”

Last November, the top federal official for public transit funding—Administrator Peter Rogoff—came to Portland at Congresswoman Chellie Pingree’s invitation to talk to state and local officials about their transportation needs. Rogoff was able to see the area’s needs on a tour of Portland METRO’s garage facility. Today the federal Department of Transportation announced over $3 million for publictransit projects in Portland, South Portland and Sanford.

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I’d like to talk about something we can all relate to – horrible roads. We’ve all seen them in our neighborhoods, on our way to work, or in our travels around the state.

From Bangor to St. Francis and Holden to Bucksport, the potholes, cracks in the roads, and the sometimes impassable bridges damage our vehicles and make it harder for us to get where we need to go.

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Today Congresswoman Chellie Pingree announced that the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority would receive $20.82 million for work on the Downeaster rail line between Boston and Brunswick.

“This is a critical investment to improve the Downeaster line by making it more reliable. If we want to continue to grow its ridership, the line has to make the trip between Maine and Boston as quickly and consistently as possible,” said Pingree. “The Downeaster is a great tool for economic development for the region, but it’s important that we make the needed investments to reach its full potential.”

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Congresswoman Chellie Pingree announced three Department of Transportation grants today that will invest over $15 million in Maine airports.

“This money will help Maine’s airports grow and stay competitive while supporting hundreds of jobs. Our airports are a critical piece of our economic infrastructure and it’s important that we take care of them,” said Pingree. “Investments in the Brunswick Executive Airport are especially important as we look to create new uses and job-engines at the site of Brunswick Naval Shipyard.”

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A new environmentally friendly $45 million port of entry which will connect Maine to St. Leonard, New Brunswick held its groundbreaking Saturday.

“Today’s groundbreaking marks the beginning of an immense undertaking made possible through a strong partnership between US Customs and Border Protection and the US General Services Administration,” said Bob Zarnetske, GSA regional administrator. “CBP and GSA have worked with local officials to design a new port that will use modern technology to enhance border security, speed the flow of commerce and reduce our reliance on foreign energy.”

The new facility, funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is expected to be completed by July 2013. Congressman Mike Michaud and Senator’s Snowe and Collins attended the groundbreaking.

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Today, Congressman Mike Michaud, a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, introduced the High Risk Rural Roads Safety Act, which will make it easier for rural states like Maine to invest in road safety measures in order to save lives. Michaud’s committee is currently in the process of updating federal transportation programs for the next several years.

“As we work to ensure that our country maintains a modern transportation system, safety must continue to be a top concern,” said Michaud. “In rural states like Maine, where travel options are often limited to roads, roadway safety is even more important. With fatalities on the rise in New England states, the case for acting is even stronger.”

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The Federal Aviation Administration announcement that it has approved investments in a number of Maine airports.

“These investments are welcome news and will allow these airports to move forward with improvements that will increase safety” said Congressman Mike Michaud, a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. “Because airports are so important to communities and businesses, these projects also hold positive, long-term economic benefits for the regions they serve.”

A full list of FAA investments in Maine airports can be found below:

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The Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority won a $20.8 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation for the Portland-to-Boston service.The changes could trim another 15 minutes from the Downeaster’s running time, bringing the service closer to a goal of completing the Portland-to-Boston route in less than two hours.

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Maine has significantly more than the national average of deficient bridges, according to a new report released by Transportation for America. The report shows that more than 15.4 percent of the state’s bridges are deficient and in need of reconstruction or rehabilitation. The national average is 11.5 percent, according to the report.

After the bridge collapsed in Minneapolis in 2007 Governor John Baldacci had the state review its bridges. Once those results were issued he presented the legislature with a bond package in 2008. Now those funds are beginning to run out.

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