AASHTO executive director:
America losing ground to other global leaders
in improving transportation system
A changing global economy and limited investment in its national transportation system is forcing America into a catch-up mode, says John Horsley, executive director of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.
The 21st century demands a new transportation strategy in the U.S. – something has not been done before, he said Tuesday. Many other world leaders have displaced the U.S. in growing their transportation systems. New dynamics require new solutions to meet the needs of rural states, he asserted. Rural states need to:
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Connect to a national economy
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Provide access to recreation facilities and federal lands
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Improve safety
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Preserve highways and bridgesAdd capacity where needed and
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Improve transit services
Horsley said major impediments for improvement include the shortfall in the Federal Highway Trust Fund and skyrocketing construction costs that erode purchasing power. He joined Federal Highway Administrator Tom Madison in urging a “fundamental reform of the federal transportation program.”
States need a significant additional investment of about $225 billion per year by 2050, a federal funding level of 40 percent and shared funding responsibility by federal, state and local governments, according to a recent National Surface Transportation Commission report. The commission, Horsely said, “got the big ideas right.”
To sustain the purchasing power of highway and transit programs, the highway program will need to grow from $43 billion in 2010 to at least $75 billion, Horsley said. The transit program would need to grow from $10.5 billion to $18.5 billion in the same period.
AASHTO’s formula for resolving the federal funding dilemma asks Congress to meet these needs:
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Current trust fund revenues, $250 billion
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General fund for transit, $20 billion
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Freight fees, $25 billion
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Tax credit bonds, $50 billion
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New highway user fees, $100 billion
Horsley suggests Idaho has three funding options:
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Accept a 30 percent reduction in federal aid and reduce Idaho’s transportation program by the amount of the cutback
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Accept a 30 percent reduction in federal aid and increase Idaho’s taxes to make up for the federal cutback, or
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Reject the cutback and tell Congress to increase revenues enough to sustain the federal program at the levels needed.