This week’s coalition meeting featured an update from Dave Bauer, Senior VP for Government Relations at the American Road & Transportation Builders Association, on where funding issues stand in Washington.
The House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee is considering a six-year funding bill with three years of guaranteed funding. Both houses have approved a three-week extension of the current funding measure to allow time to reconcile issues on the multi-year measure.
Bauer said he believes a majority of Congress favors spending more on transportation, and that opponents comprise a relatively small minority. However, there is no consensus on how to pay for the increase.
He said Pennsylvania is among 14 states that have approved their own funding measures for transportation, but that Congress remains skittish over the potential for voter backlash.
Transportation Issue Update
- Here are details on the six-year funding bill being considered in the House.
- In approving the federal transportation funding extension, Congress also extended the deadline for installing technology that would prevent train derailments.
- Martin Pietrucha has announced he will step down as director of the Thomas D. Larson Pennsylvania Transportation Institute (LTI) at Penn State.
- Keystone Crossroads featured a story about communities that are lowering speed limits in order to improve pedestrian and bicycle safety and make communities more “walkable.”
- Not all public-private partnerships seem to be working as envisions, according to a Washington Post story.
- Another public opinion poll – this one from AAA – shows that a strong majority of Americans support increased transportation funding
- As many communities consider disbanding local police departments or withdrawing from regional police participation, there is more pressure to divert resources from the Motor License Fund to the State Police.