Oberstar urges “clean” highway extension

02/19/2010

A Senate jobs bill skews a federal highway funding formula to benefit four states, and leaves nothing for 22 others, Rep. James L. Oberstar, D-Minn., said late this week.

Oberstar, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, said that the Senate bill would alter the highway spending program known as SAFETEA-LU to benefit four states with big funding increases.

According to transportation committee analysis, California would get 30 percent of some $1 billion designated for “projects of national and regional significance” and the national corridor infrastructure program. Illinois, Washington and Louisiana would get another 28 percent of the funds.

In December, the House passed a jobs bill that also extended the highway program, but without changing the formula for disbursing discretionary program funds. Oberstar urged the Senate to pass a “clean” jobs bill without the amendments. Instead, the bill leaves it to the Department of Transportation to award competitive grants. The program would be similar to the $1.5 billion in stimulus money that DOT awarded as TIGER grants on Feb. 17.


Source: Journal of Commerce On-Line, February 19, 2010