Focus on aging infrastructure

The recent pipeline explosion in New York has once again focused attention on the nation's deteriorating infrastructure. "Our highway system is aging, our cities are choked with congestion, our transit systems are inadequate, our ports function poorly, and our railroads are at capacity," said Stephen E. Sandherr, chief executive officer of the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) today during a press conference in Washington, D.C. Sandherr commented on the findings of a new vision report released today by AGC and 16 other organizations, aimed at helping the National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission develop recommendations to meet growing future domestic transportation needs. "There is a funding crisis, congestion crisis and safety crisis looming," continued Sandherr. "It's now time to make the tough choices that will carry our nation forward for the next 50 years."

The vision articulated in the document released today points out that the primary objectives of the future transportation system must be to reduce congestion, position the U.S. to remain globally competitive and meet the growing mobility needs of the 21st Century. To achieve this objective the vision document states that the U.S. must preserve and modernize the existing system, improve its performance, and add substantial capacity in highways, transit, rail, airports and seaports. Substantial increased investment will be necessary to achieve these goals.

To take some of the debate over funding increases out of the political arena, among the things the vision calls for is the creation of a highway user rate commission, recommended by AGC's reauthorization task force. This commission would, on a regular basis, set the user rate fees at a level necessary to maintain and improve the transportation system. Sandherr added, "I urge Congress, the Administration and public policy makers nationwide to give these recommendations serious consideration and to make the tough choices necessary to fulfill this transportation vision." Your comment?