State and Local Leaders Urge Congress to Pass Transportation Reauthorization: Get It Done Now!

June 16, 2005

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Washington, DC, June 16 — Local and state government leaders today called on Congress to adopt a well-funded, multi-year transportation bill by June 30. “Get It Done Now” was the mantra at today’s news conference, where officials from the National League of Cities (NLC), the National Association of Counties (NACo), American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO) and the American Public Transit Association (APTA), emphasized that Congress needs to act quickly since repeated delays in enacting a new transportation bill are costing the taxpayers money and delaying efforts to reduce congestion.

“Collectively we own and operate America’s surface transportation network. Twenty-one months have passed since the last transportation act expired on September 30, 2003,” said Mayor Joseph Donaldson of Flagstaff, Arizona, and chair of NLC’s Transportation, Infrastructure and Services (TIS) Committee. “Since then, our nation’s transportation policy has been a patchwork of extensions -- seven, to date. Number seven expires on June 30.”

“What Congress doesn’t seem to realize is that these short-term extensions are costing the taxpayers money,” said Donaldson. “In Arizona, it’s meant a slowdown of transportation construction projects. As the projects take longer to complete, the cost of construction rises. We cannot get already-approved transportation projects underway for the same dollars we could have just two years ago,” Donaldson said. “Congress must act, and act swiftly.”

A House-Senate conference committee, chaired by Rep. Don Young (R-AK), is working to complete a final bill before June 30. “We believe it is time for the Bush Administration to come to the negotiating table and work out a fair compromise with the conferees and with the Senate and House leadership,” said Blue Earth County, Minn. Commissioner and National Association of Counties First Vice President Colleen Landkamer.

“In rural America, we have a disproportionate number of bridges in poor condition and our citizens are 2.5 times more likely to be killed on our roads and highways than their counterparts in urban areas,” Landkamer said. “This bill addresses those crucial issues through a rural road safety component and increased bridge funding.”

Also joining the call to “Get It Done Now” were Alfred Harf, Executive Director of the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission on behalf of APTA; and AASHTO President Jack Lettiere, Commissioner of the New Jersey Dept. of Transportation. AASHTO represents the state Departments of Transportation in Washington.

“Public transportation is an integral part of our nation’s transportation system,” said Harf. It gets people to jobs, attracts business developments, alleviates traffic congestion, conserves energy,

Pointing out that transit provided 9.6 billion trips last year, Harf said, “We need Congress to pass a long-term, well-funded transportation bill now so we can improve the lives of millions of Americans who choose to use public transportation.”

Lettiere said, “It is truly vital that at long last we get agreement on a bill that will bring the maximum funding possible to the task, but will also move many of our long-identified policy concerns forward, including guarantees, funding firewalls, tolling language and more access to bonding.”

“Because in the end, this isn’t about roads, it’s about people—people who have put money in the Highway Trust Fund every time they buy gas -- with the expectation that we are going to use those funds to improve their daily travel to work, and to get them home at the end of the day in time for the Little League game. That’s who is being short-changed every day we delay. It’s time to ‘Get It Done,’” Lettiere said.

The four represent the major owners and operators of the nation’s surface transportation system. They have joined forces in support for a new transportation bill that would:

• Increase funding for the highway and transit program to the highest possible levels to address the rapidly escalating safety, congestion relief, preservation, and capacity needs of the nation.

• Ensure a new bill covers several years, with guaranteed annual funding protected by budgetary firewalls.

• Ensure funding is available and a priority for core highway and transit programs.

• Ensure meaningful improvements to the transportation planning, environmental review, and project approval processes.

• Appoint state, transit, and local elected officials to a federal “blue ribbon” commission charged with examining innovative transportation finance options.

“As Congress enters the home stretch to finish a well-funded, multi-year transportation bill, we are here to deliver a unified and direct message to Congress and the Administration - working together, let’s get it done now” said Mayor Donaldson.

For additional information, contact David Parkhurst (NLC), 202-626-3033; Jennifer Gavin (AASHTO), 202-624-3690; Jeremy Ratner (NACo), 202-942-4220; or Virginia Miller (APTA), 202-496-4816.

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APTA is a nonprofit international association of more than 1,500 member organizations including public transportation systems; planning, design, construction and finance firms; product and service providers; academic institutions, and state associations and departments of transportation. APTA members serve the public interest by providing safe, efficient and economical public transportation services and products. Over ninety percent of persons using public transportation in the United States and Canada are served by APTA members.