Statement of ARTBA President Pete Ruane Regarding the American Association of State Highway & Transportation Officials New Report “Bridging the Gap: Restoring and Rebuilding the Nation’s Bridges”

Contact:
Jeff Solsby ARTBA 202-289-4434		Print this page

Washington, D.C. [July 28, 2008]—“The report underscores the urgent need to make repair and improvement of an aging U.S. transportation infrastructure system a national priority.  Boosting federal highway and bridge investment will no doubt be a central focus of congressional efforts next year during deliberations on the multi-year surface transportation authorization bill.

“More immediately, however, Congress can take steps now to demonstrate a commitment to America’s transportation network.  Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved bipartisan legislation to address the Highway Trust Fund’s solvency.  The bill would help prevent a 34 percent cut in highway and bridge funding to all 50 states on October 1, and avert the loss of 486,000 American jobs.

“In the Senate, Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and Ranking Republican Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) are working with Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee Chairwoman Patty Murray (D-Wash.) to pass a similar measure.  We urge the Senate to act on the bill before adjourning for the August break.

“As we commemorate the somber one-year anniversary of the Minnesota bridge collapse later this week, it is worth noting the positives that have arisen from the tragedy.  The new I-35W replacement span was designed and built in a little more than a year, and it is ahead of schedule and on budget.  As we look ahead to the debate on the 2009 federal highway and transit investment bill, we are hopeful I-35W will serve as a model of the public and private sectors working together to efficiently, quickly and safely deliver the benefits of immediate transportation infrastructure investment.”

###

Established in 1902, ARTBA represents the U.S. transportation design and construction industry before Congress, the Executive Branch, federal agencies, news media and general public.