The Washington, D.C. "summit" organized by the Community Streetcar Coalition this past March reflected the interest of federal policy-makers as well as local officials and industry leaders in taking urban transportation in a new direction.

To receive the funding, the Yurok Tribe responded to a solicitation for proposals in 2008.

Cliff Henke, a contributing editor to METRO, is senior analyst at PB. His views herein are solely his own.

The tragic earthquake in Haiti last January was still fresh in the minds of those who attended the Connecting Communities emergency preparedness workshop in Orlando, Fla.

At a time when there is a growing recognition that our infrastructure is in dire need of repair or rebuilding, we need to hire the best to do the work.

New opportunities created by the Charter Bus Rules were also topics of discussion. Operators were urged to partner with local operators that have historically been looked at as the competition.

Potential benefits to the public transit system include capital cost and schedule savings, greater use of private sector innovation and technology, and the ability to finance all or part of the overall lifecycle costs of the project with private funds.

Many of the Silo/Lilo deals that AIG insured included buses or railcars, which transit agencies sold to investors, providing a much-needed cash boost.

As numerous cities are looking to reap the benefits of implementing streetcar systems, such as urban redevelopment and enhancing pedestrian mobility, many face hurdles when it comes to qualifying for Small Starts funding. Portland and Seattle serve as models for other cities looking to build projects without federal help.