Issue 2-09

Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Unveils Details on Long Term Transportation Bill

The House Transportation and Infrastructure unveiled the details of the long awaited transportation reauthorization bill. Called the Surface Transportation Authorization Act of 2009, the legislation is a six-year $500 billion bill that will replace the current authorization, SAFETEA-LU, which is due to expire on September 30. The Chairman of the Committee, James Oberstar (D-Minn.) has billed it as a transformation in the way the federal government funds the nation’s transportation infrastructure. The bill would reduce the number of federal programs, shorten project delivery times, create a national transportation strategic plan with performance metrics, and provide more transparency and oversight to ensure that programs are meeting national objectives.

A blueprint of the plan states:

America’s surface transportation network is essential to the quality of life of our citizens and the productivity of the nation’s economy. This expansive, national network provides all Americans – from those living in the largest cities to the smallest towns – with extraordinary freedom of mobility and unprecedented opportunity.

Regrettably, our transportation system, once the envy of the world, is losing its battle against time, growth, weather and wear. The system is suffering from decades of underinvestment, and the costs are staggering.

The blueprint of the legislation does not address the most difficult and sure to be most contentious issue – funding. Mr. Oberstar said the issue of financing would be tackled in hearings over the next two months.

Source: AGC