It's not often we get to say it, so let's relish the feeling: yay Muni! Today, Muni boss Nat Ford joined a bunch of other transit officials in making some nice suggestions for the future of federal transportation planning. And you know what, it actually looks pretty good.

Currently, America's transit planning is guided by a bill called "SAFETEA-LU," signed a couple years ago by still-president Bush. It expires in 2009, and a group called "NACTO" (comprised of urban transit planners, including Muni) is pushing for an update that would bump up the priority of transit over private vehicles. Their proposal is in loathsome PDF, but here's some of what they're advocating:

- commitment to mass transit and other alternatives to highways and private autos
- Bring Public Transportation into a State of Good Repair
- Mandate a Better Environment For Walking and Bicycling
- Prioritize Mass Transit When Adding Capacity
- Promote Compact Land Use Development and Infill

What's not to like? There's some other in there about projects and funding that only makes sense to insiders; but the main bullet points are flawless.

It's anyone's guess how SAFETEA-LU's replacement will look once it's been chewed up by politicians in DC; but as foundations go, NACTO's suggestions look swell.

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