DOT review of rules invites public participation

In January, President Obama issued an Executive Order requiring federal agencies to ensure that regulations protect our safety, health and environment while promoting economic growth.  He also ordered a review of exisiting rules to remove outdated or ineffective regulations that stifle job creation and make our economy less competitive.

It's a pleasure to work for a President who recognizes that these principles should not only guide the government’s approach to new regulation, but to existing ones as well.  And it's a pleasure to be able to say that the Department of Transportation has already launched its regulatory review. 

Today, the public is joining us here at DOT to give us the feedback we need.

But we've also created a website, http://dotregreview.ideascale.com, where you can submit comments to help guide our regulatory review.  It's open to everyone, and it's easy to use. So, if you know of a rule that is outdated, ineffective, or excessively burdensome, this is your chance to participate and point us in the right direction.

Simply log in and submit your comment.  And, please, remember to include:

• The citation to the regulation you're commenting about--for example, 49 CFR 1.69;
• A description of your concern (Is the rule duplicative, too costly, insufficient?);
• Any supporting information that would help us make a decision, like the citation to a duplicate regulation or actual cost information.

I like the voting and discussion tools, where you can vote someone's idea up or down and you can comment on ideas that others have posted.

When he announced his effort to inject order into our nation's patchwork of rules, the President wrote that:

"One of the reasons the free market has worked is that we have sought the proper balance. We have preserved freedom of commerce while applying those rules and regulations necessary to protect the public against threats to our health and safety and to safeguard people and businesses from abuse."

The steps DOT is taking seek to ensure that we keep that balance.  I hope you'll join us in this important effort.

Comments

[Robin Michael]

There are more cars on the road than trucks. Most of the time trucks travel thru the cities. why not let trucks use the left lane? The majority of the traffic using the exits are cars (except for trucks having to make deliveries). By allowing trucks to use left lanes when traveling thru, it would keep cars from crossing 3 lanes of traffic to exit, the trucks would be causing less conjestion in the right lane at the exits. Allowing trucks to utilize the express lanes instead of the cars would also clear up congestion. The interstate was originally designed for trucks, but the cars have taken it over. Now it is made convienent for automobile traffic and not the trucks. Unblocking the way for the trucks may help in these traffic jams. Allowing the trucks access to the express lanes helps us to better manage our time and enables us to make our appointments on time not having to be tied up in traffic. We won't be blocking the exits or in the way of the smaller vehicles trying to exit, thus making the interstate safer.

[arlene]

I like to know if there will be Caldecott Tunnel Tours ever again? My friends went many yrs ago & recommend it. I don't see anything about tours.

[Judi Lawson Wallace]

I urge USDOT and FHWA to continue requiring the inclusion of bicycle and pedestrian accommodations on all highway projects to provide citizens with these inexpensive transportation modes. Currently about 25% of the population does not drive because of age (too young or too old) or health-related issues. With an aging population, this percentage is likely to grow in the future. Walking and biking are two easy, inexpensive solutions to our health, traffic congestion, and air quality issues.

[Dan Allison]

The letter from AASHTO requesting a removal of the due consideration of bicycle and pedestrian facilities has just come to the attention of bike and ped professionals, and there are a large number of us who would like to speak out strongly against this idea. It is only because of the higher requirements that any attention is being given to bike and ped, and any reduction of the requirements would allow the state DOTs to go back to their old practice of ignoring bike and ped. Requirements should be INCREASED, not decreased. This is federal money, and the federal government should make all reasonable efforts to make sure it is spent in a multi-modal, sustainable way.

[Magnus Barber]

Please strengthen the requirements for DOTs and local governments to provide safe and convenient accommodation for bicycles and pedestrians on ALL roads! Not only are bicycling and walking essential for healthy communities - they also cut congestion, pollution, and building & maintaining infrastructure for cyclists and pedestrians costs peanuts compared to building roads!

[Roger Barr]

I have also just learned of the "AASHTO Letter" and would like to echo the comments of others which are strongly against the letter's recommendation to weaken the definition of "due consideration" for bicyclists and pedestrians. This is most certainly the wrong direction at the wrong time. We need more "bang for the buck" out of our transportation system; not less.

[Joe Denton]

Ditto above comments regarding the need to strengthen, not weaken, requirements for bicycle and pedestrian facilities on federally-funded road projects.

[Scott Walker]

AASHTO's request to relax requirements for bicycles and pedestrians on highway projects is disheartening for the many of us working for the transportation shift that must be made if our culture is going to embrace personal health, planetary health, personal wealth, reasoned public finance, and an interconnected community. Underlying much of the world's most intractable problems is the common root of an auto-centric culture: wars for oil, sprawl, polluted rainwater runoff, global climate chaos, obesity and diabetes, government budgeting, and personal disconnect from our communities. AASHTO's request must be denied and instead used as an opportunity for education and furtherance of a goal of a healthy and just world. This one simple requirement of ensuring bicycle and pedestrian needs are met in any highway project is that important. Our culture is in crisis; please use it for the opportunity it presents.