Transportation and Infrastructure Issues

This page offers an easy way for policymakers to access transportation and infrastructure research and analysis that is relevant to current Congressional agendas. For additional information, to request documents, or to arrange a briefing, contact the RAND Office of Congressional Relations at ocr@rand.org or (703) 413-1100 x5395.

Recent Findings

Blog

Paying for Infrastructure, a Taxing Issue — May 16, 2013

Traffic Jam Stopped Cars Pennsylvania Turnpike Exit 358 Bristol LevittownIf the “user pays” idea is worth saving, the United States needs a different calculation, writes Liisa Ecola. Some states are looking at mileage fees. With mileage fees, you pay based on the number of miles you drive, rather than the number of gallons of gas used.

Blog

Planning for Superstorms, Wildfires, and Deep Uncertainty — Apr 18, 2013

61747The path to climate change preparedness should start at the intersection of resilience and robustness — that is, building resilient communities with the individuals and organizations within those communities making robust decisions, ones designed to work well over a wide range of ever-changing conditions.

Blog

Consider Taxing Miles Traveled — Apr 18, 2013

Aerial photo of highwayMileage-fee rates could be structured to reduce congestion, harmful emissions and excessive road wear, and the enabling technology could support a range of value-added services offering greater convenience and safety for motorists, writes Keith Crane.

Report

Managing September 12th in Cyberspace — Mar 20, 2013

Red network cablesThe U.S., while worried about a "9/11 in cyberspace," also ought to worry about what a "9/12 in cyberspace" would look like. The consequences of the reaction to a cyberattack could be more serious than the consequences of the original action itself.

Journal Article

The Relationship Between Urban Sprawl and Coronary Heart Disease in Women — Mar 13, 2013

housing sprawlWomen living in more compact communities had a lower probability of experiencing a coronary heart disease (CHD) event or dying as a result of CHD.
More Research on Transportation and Infrastructure

Briefings

Adapting to Climate Change on the Coast: Lessons from Louisiana for Federal Policy — Jan 23, 2013

What can be done to reduce the chances of widespread disaster when the next "Sandy" hits? Jordan Fischbach will discuss how climate change and other long-term challenges can affect coasts and the tools federal or state policymakers will need to address them.

A New Way to Pay for Transportation: Exploring a Shift from Fuel Taxes to Mileage-Based User Fees — Apr 26, 2011

Liisa Ecola discusses how to make up for the declining revenues generated by the federal fuel tax due to inflation and improved fuel economy.

Surface Transportation Finance: The End of User Financing or a New Beginning? — Mar 8, 2010

RAND experts will join senior Congressional staffers to discuss Surface Transportation Finance: The End of User Financing or a New Beginning? on March 8, 2010.

Symposium Will Cover the Importance of Freight Transportation to the U.S. Economy — Jun 9, 2009

This RAND Supply Chain Policy Center Symposium on Modernizing the U.S. Freight Transportation System for Future Economic Growth will present recent findings on supply chain sustainability, and will offer several promising policy and investment alternatives to address identified challenges.

Transportation Challenges Facing the New Administration — Jan 28, 2009

Director of RAND's Transportation, Space, and Technology Program Martin Wachs will moderate a panel discussion among three former U.S. Secretaries of Transportation on January 28, 2009.
More Transportation and Infrastructure Briefings

Alerts & Newsletters

RAND periodically sends alerts and newsletters to update Congress on highlights of recent work about transportation and infrastructure.

Does America's Gasoline Tax Still Make Sense? — Apr 3, 2013

The cost of gasoline experienced an unusually large increase this February, with prices climbing more than 40 cents per gallon. Yet not a single penny of that increase went toward improving America's roads.

Hill Briefing on RAND's Contributions to Louisiana Coastal Planning — Mar 19, 2013

Aerial views of Hurricane Sandy damage to homes on Long BeachIn a January 2013 Congressional Briefing, Jordan Fischbach describes RAND's work on the 2012 Coastal Master Plan and key lessons that can make other communities more resilient in the face of natural disasters.

Mileage Fees: Options for Policymakers — Feb 8, 2013

A new primer outlines for state and local decisionmakers the potential advantages of mileage fees, functional requirements and technical options for implementing them, core challenges in replacing fuel taxes with mileage fees, and recent innovations that states are exploring in pilot tests.

In Sandy's Wake, Policy Lessons for the Northeast — Nov 16, 2012

New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut policymakers reeling from Hurricane Sandy can draw on the Gulf region's experience with response and recovery from catastrophic hurricanes.

Louisiana Offers Lessons in Wake of Hurricane Sandy — Nov 14, 2012

Northeastern policymakers reeling from Hurricane Sandy can draw on the Gulf region's experience with response and recovery. As they go forward, they can also look at the measures Louisiana has developed to reduce the risk of storm damage.

11 Years After 9/11, a Call for Sweeping Review of Aviation Security — Sep 14, 2012

TSA officer examining a piece of luggageTSA is performing well under extraordinary difficulties, but there is still need for vast improvement. As attack tactics have continued to evolve, the need for security has resulted in an increasing number of layers—and frustrations—for passengers.

Better Preparedness for Natural Disasters — Sep 4, 2012

Hurricane Isaac made landfall just before September, which is National Disaster Preparedness month. Although Isaac was a weaker Category 1 Hurricane, many areas of the Gulf Coast evacuated the population, and federal, state, and local governments are responding to the flood damage. But are there areas for improvement?

A More Effective TSA — Aug 23, 2012

As airport security lines get longer, travelers continue to ask: are all the baggage screenings, shoe removals, and pat-downs worth the extra time and hassle? RAND researchers assess the costs and benefits of aviation security interventions in order to help policymakers decide on potential changes to the system.

Gearing Up for Hurricane Season and Building Resilience — Aug 23, 2012

FEMA's National Preparedness Month in September kicks off hurricane season and encourages Americans to take simple steps to prepare for emergencies. RAND research aims to help communities prepare for, respond to, and recover from natural and man-made disasters.

How Much Could Sharing Rather Than Owning Vehicles Reduce Greenhouse-Gas Emissions? — Jul 9, 2012

Energy services analysis finds that a typical driver who shifts from owning a car to participating in a vehicle-sharing program would likely emit 893 kilograms (almost 2,000 pounds) of CO2 equivalent per year less than if he or she continued to own a car.

How Federal, State, and Local Governments Can Help Build Resilient Communities in the Gulf States — May 24, 2012

RAND has implemented and evaluated community resilience-building activities worldwide and identified opportunities to integrate governments with the non-profit and for-profit sectors in public health and emergency preparedness, infrastructure protection, and development of economic recovery programs.

RAND Policy Spotlight on Flood Insurance Reform — May 14, 2012

The latest extension of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) will expire on May 31st, just before the start of hurricane season. If NFIP is to be renewed, Congress needs to act soon.

RAND Transportation Expert on the Importance of Travel Data — Mar 28, 2012

Johanna Zmud, director of the RAND Corporation's Transportation, Space, and Technology program, argues in an editorial on StreetsBlog.org that smart, competitive transportation decisions need comprehensive, timely, and accurate data.

What Influences the Demand for High-Speed Rail? — Mar 22, 2012

High-speed rail lines can significantly reduce journey times, and proponents argue that they increase rail capacity in overcrowded corridors, promote economic growth, and could reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Reforms Proposed by the National Flood Insurance Reform and Modernization Act — Feb 28, 2012

As the Gulf States gear up for hurricane season, Congress is working on a five-year re-authorization of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), a part of the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). President Obama recently signed a short-term extension of the program.

State of the Union Policy Preview — Jan 23, 2012

Preparing for the State of the Union (SOTU) address? Here is a preview of topics the President may cover along with helpful links to related RAND analyses, reports, and commentary.

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Testimony

March 26, 2009
Financing Transportation Infrastructure in California

Martin Wachs

Testimony presented before the California Little Hoover Commission.

February 4, 2009
Maritime Piracy: Reasons, Dangers and Solutions

Peter Chalk

Testimony presented before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation.

June 24, 2008
Challenges of Applying Risk Management to Terrorism Security Policy

Henry H. Willis

Testimony submitted for the record to the House Homeland Security Committee, Subcommittee on Transportation Security and Infrastructure Protection.

November 28, 2007
Evaluating Alternative Organizational Structures to Revitalize the Economy of New Orleans

Kevin F. McCarthy

Testimony presented before the New Orleans City Council.

February 21, 2007
Beyond the Gas Tax: Alternatives for a Greener World

Martin Wachs

Testimony presented before the Los Angeles Field Hearing of the National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission.

April 19, 2006
A Quiet Crisis in Transportation Finance: Options for Texas

Martin Wachs

Testimony ppresented before the Texas Study Commission on Transportation Finance.

April 8, 2004
Terrorism and the Security of Public Surface Transportation

Brian Michael Jenkins

Testimony presented to the Senate Committee on Judiciary.

March 31, 2004
The Effect of Terrorist Attacks in Spain on Transatlantic Cooperation in the War on Terror

James Dobbins

Testimony presented to the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Subcommittee on European Affairs.

March 23, 2004
Terrorism and Rail Security

K. Jack Riley

Testimony presented to the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee.

May 6, 2000
The Reauthorization of the National Safety Board

Cynthia C. Lebow

Testimony presented to the Aviation Subcommittee, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, U.S. House of Representatives.

March 19, 1997
Effects of an Auto-Choice Automobile Insurance Plan on Costs and Premiums

Stephen J. Carroll

Testimony presented to the Joint Economic Committee of the United States Congress.

More Testimony

Briefs

Updating Qatar's School Transportation System — 2012

Describes a vision for updating Qatar's school transportation system and identifies strategies for achieving the proposed vision.

Moving Toward Vehicle Miles of Travel Fees to Replace Fuel Taxes: Assessing the Path Forward — 2011

Assesses alternate mechanisms for implementing fees to fund the nation's road network based on vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and outlines a plan for large-scale system trials to further evaluate the most promising concepts.

What Should Be Stocked in War Reserve? A New Method for Allocating Resources — 2011

Describes the methodology used to develop resource allocation and forward positioning recommendations for the sustainment stock portion of Army pre-positioned stocks, given a specific scenario and budget.

How Fare the Displaced and Returned Residents of New Orleans? Results of an Innovative Pilot Survey — 2010

The Displaced New Orleans Residents Pilot Study shows that it is possible to study this hard-to-survey population to determine rates of return and mental illness among residents who experienced Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath.

Improving Police Recruitment and Retention — 2010

Local police agencies face recruitment and retention challenges. Existing research can help local officials identify what has been learned elsewhere and is applicable to their own situations.

More Transportation and Infrastructure Briefs

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Matthew Dicker

Legislative Analyst

(703) 413-1100, ext. 5320
Matthew_Dicker@rand.org

Matthew Dicker

Matthew Dicker is the legislative analyst at the RAND Corporation for education, transportation, energy and environment, the arts, and child policy issues. Prior to joining RAND, he was a legislative aide for Congressman Brad Sherman…

Laura Selway

Legislative Analyst

(703) 413-1100, ext. 5423
Laura_Selway@rand.org

Laura Selway

Laura Selway is the legislative analyst at the RAND Corporation for homeland security and terrorism, safety and justice, and the RAND Gulf States Policy Institute. Prior to joining RAND, she served as a legislative assistant for Congressman David Obey…

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