CQ TODAY MIDDAY UPDATE
Aug. 18, 2009 – 1:39 p.m.
Highway Projects on Hold for Lack of Funding Clarity
State transportation officials say uncertainty about future funding is forcing them to foreswear ambitious new projects in favor of simple maintenance and repairs.
With Congress likely to pass an 18-month extension this year of the existing highway funding law, state officials say they have no idea how much money will be available when a full six-year reauthorization is finally enacted. That means limping along maintaining a system that is so decrepit that some experts say it could undermine the U.S. economy.
“We’ve reached the point where others are doing the things that allow them to surpass the efficiencies of our economy, and we are going to pay a terrible price for our inaction,” said Pete Rahn, executive director of the Missouri Transportation Department.
The White House and the Senate are pushing for an 18-month extension of the existing law, which expires Sept. 30. But states and groups like the Chamber of Commerce are backing the House’s plan to vote now on a six-year bill that would significantly boost highway and transit funding.
A full-scale reauthorization would let states know exactly how much money they will have available for transportation projects over the next six years.
“If we don’t know that we’re going to have a bill it makes it scary for me to obligate funds to a project not knowing when those funds will be available to us,” said Larry “Butch” Brown, executive director of the Mississippi Department of Transportation.
Fatal accidents like the Minnesota I-35W bridge collapse Aug. 1, 2007, or the Washington, D.C., Metrorail crash in June underscore the erosion of the nation’s transportation infrastructure, experts say.
The American Society of Civil Engineers gave U.S. infrastructure a D grade and the Chamber of Commerce said it is “becoming our Achilles heel.”
While states did receive a one-time infusion of cash from the economic recovery package, almost all of the money for transportation has been obligated. Most went to “shovel-ready” projects like filling potholes or repairing guardrails.
Comments
On top of the delays, I am told by someone who will know that Ohio is cutting back on state funded projects dollar for dollar as stimulus funds are received. In essence, the stimulus is really aid to the state.
I don'y believe that, too many stipulations and too closely watched to pull off a scam.
TN Governor pulls $65 M out of State Transportation funds for other programs every year since elected. Fed reduces allocation and Gov points toward Washington as cause for potholes. Stimulus? More buildings and roads increase cost of maintenance. Taxes pay for construction and taxes pay for maintenance. Easy to see who loses.
As usual, the bureaucrats, yes, the ones we elected and god knows why, are screwing up the works. The ongoing maintenance projects do not put any additional people to work in Calif. Maintenance here is caltrans, and not private contractors. To put people back to work we need jobs for private contractors to bid on. If we don't start putting people back to work, the economy will continue to get worse. What do these people think with? Not their heads, thats obvious to anyone in the construction business.
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