Reconnecting America and the Center for Transit-Oriented Development held the third in its series of webinars on Sept. 20, 2011. "TOD Database: One Stop Shop for Station Area Data" introduced users to the functionality and potential applications of the TOD Database, a map-based website that provides comprehensive information on 4,610 transit stations across the country.

John Robert Smith, President and CEO of Reconnecting America and Co-Chair of Transportation for America, issued the following statement in response to today’s vote in the Senate Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD):

Reconnecting America’s Jeff Wood has been named one of Mass Transit magazine’s Top 40 Under 40 list. Wood, who is the chief cartographer and new media director for Reconnecting America, was nominated by his peers as a professional who has made significant contributions to the public transit industry. Wood’s work was judged on criteria that included job commitment, industry involvement and contribution, achievement in his position and innovation in his field.

Building the System We Want Montana’s communities face diverse transportation challenges. Some areas are growing rapidly without the resources to properly plan for and serve new residents. Others are losing people and have high aging and low-income populations that need a variety of reliable transportation options. Many are simply reeling from decades of under investment in infrastructure and are in need of a lifeline.1 Every six years or so, Congress writes the rules for spending federal transportation dollars. In the current drafting of the bill, transportation for America is calling on Congress to reorient our policy toward repairing and maintaining our 20th century transportation systems while building for the 21st century. The current federal transportation program provides scant assurance that our hard-earned tax dollars will be spent wisely and effectively and fails to adequately invest in a variety of travel options. We need federal transportation legislation that addresses…

Please join us on Sept. 20, 2011, from 2:00-3:30pm EDT for the Center for Transit-Oriented Development webinar "TOD Database: One Stop Shop for Station Area Data." This webinar session is sponsored by The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and is valuable to planners, practitioners, housing advocates, MPOs, local, state and federal DOT's, transit agencies, sustainable communities grantees, advocates, as well as elected officials and other decision makers.

The President and CEO of Reconnecting America, John Robert Smith, tonight praised President Obama's jobs initiative, the American Jobs Act, as a "bold initiative to create jobs for Americans and at the same time strengthen our nation's infrastructure."