cuts

The US House Budget chairman Paul Ryan proposes some serious reductions in federal transportation spending in his budget released today. US spending - mostly grants to the states is to drop by nearly a quarter $21b in 2012 from $85b in authorizations and in 2015 would be $25b or 30% lower than this year (see table nearby).

Mass Turnpike's executive director has staff turning off the Zakim Bridge decorative blue lighting which has made the bridge an attractive feature on the night skyline of Boston. He says the Turnpike is in severe financial straights and must save money wherever it can.