Stimulus Package Puts Spotlight on Transportation Spending Priorities

While the Metropolitan Council gets ready to vote on changes to the regional transportation plan, talk of economic stimulus money has put transportation policy at the center of the national stage. 

As we previously reported, the Metropolitan Council is considering adding eleven new highway expansion projects to the regional transportation plan.  Public comments can be given until 4pm today, or in person at this afternoon’s Transportation Committee Hearing.  The Metropolitan Council will then vote on the proposals on Wednesday.  According to a review completed by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, one of the eleven projects would be able to be constructed. 

We haven’t seen a list of proposed projects that MnDOT would seek from the feds, but lists from across the country show a disappointing tilt toward building new highways, rather than maintaining existing infrastructure or investing in more sustainable modes such as transit. Taken together, the proposals from 19 states with publicly available lists include spending 75% of funds on highways, according to an analysis by the US Public Interest Research Group.  Many of these proposals are heavily skewed toward building new road miles, rather than maintaining existing facilities. 

Discussions on the issue in Washington, however, indicate that the proposed stimulus package will require inclusion of transit projects, and include a more flexible timeline for spending that would allow more transit projects to be included.  There hasn't, however, been any indication that a bill would require states to invest first in road maintenance before building new highway miles. 

Congressman James Oberstar, Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, has been publicly pressing for more transit investment as part of the infrastructure package over the past several weeks.  Last Wednesday, he presented a proposal to the House Democratic Steering Committee on Job Creation and Economic Recovery.  Oberstar’s $83-billion infrastructure package would include 30 billion for highways and bridges (36%), $17 billion for transit and intercity rail (20%) and $36 billion for aviation, environmental projects, the US Army Corps of Engineers and federal buildings. 

Oberstar has also indicated that only a portion of stimulus funding will be required to go for projects that can be built within 90 days.  This would allow stimulus money to be put to work immediately, but would give agencies more time to spend some of the money, allowing more transit projects, many of which are not ready for construction, to be included.  

Incoming White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs also indicated that transit would be an important part of the economic stimulus package. 

“Transit and intercity rail projects will be a major component of the president-elect’s infrastructure program,” Gibbs said, answering a question posed on the transition’s website, (www.change.gov).  “Not only will they provide jobs to help get this economy moving again but they will reduce our dependence on foreign oil, cut the amount of carbon in our atmosphere, clean our air, and more importantly, improve the quality of life for millions of Americans.”