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On August 29, 2007, CAWP Executive Director Rich Barcaskey and a coalition of a diverse group presented a united front on key transportation projects before the PA State Transportation Commission.
Following are excerpts from Rich Barcaskey’s testimony.
This morning you have heard from a consortium of diverse organizations that have gathered to speak with a unified voice: business leaders, contractors, organized labor, economic development specialists, traffic engineers, elected officials and others. While their messages have been as diverse as the organizations they represent, the underlying theme has been the same: Southwestern Pennsylvania needs to dramatically improve and strengthen its transportation infrastructure to maintain its economic competitiveness, maintain jobs and protect the public from unsafe roadways and bridges.
I am proud to represent contractors; those men and women who have the task of building a better transportation infrastructure for Pennsylvania’s citizens. Contractors are among the most innovative and competitive business practitioners. Operating within the parameters of a competitive low bid system, which complements the free market system upon which our nation and its economy have been founded, and protects the finite resources of the taxpayers, contractors consistently build roads, highways and bridges using innovative construction practices and a skilled labor force. They stand ready to maintain and improve Pennsylvania’s transportation infrastructure.
The Association recognizes the efforts of the Governor and Pennsylvania Legislature who recently agreed on a transportation funding package for the Commonwealth. However, the $500 million a year dedicated to roads and bridges is approximately half of the investment recommended by the Pennsylvania Transportation Funding and Reform Commission in November of last year. The increasing cost of construction materials alone will quickly erode this source of funding.
From 2004 to 2006, Pennsylvania increased its spending on highway and bridge projects by approximately 15%. However, during this same period, the increase in the Producer Price Indexes for Construction Materials and Components for Highway and Street Construction - - - materials such as asphalt, concrete and steel - - - increased by 31.1%, or 2 times more than the rate of increase in spending for highways and bridges. Clearly, state funding is not keeping up with inflation or the state's transportation needs. This does not even take into account the increase in traffic, which results in additional wear and tear on the highway, coming from the 165,000 new vehicles registered in this state from 2004 to 2006.
Large increases for badly needed transportation investments are unpopular with the legislature and the public because they ultimately require an increase in gas taxes and/or registration fees. Unfortunately, we must all recognize that our freedom to travel our highways and cross over our many bridges is not free. It requires a significant investment that not only ensures our mobility, but keeps our roads and bridges safe and properly maintained for our families. It is time to recommit to improving the safety and increasing the capacity of our transportation infrastructure by dedicating additional funding for our roads and bridges.
 
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