Report shows economic impact of inaction
From the AASHTO Journal, July 29, 2011:
ASCE Report: Failing to Invest in Transportation
Will Cause Job Loss, Damage Economy
The nation’s deteriorating surface transportation infrastructure will cost the American economy more than 870,000 jobs and suppress the growth of the country’s Gross Domestic Product by $3.1 trillion during the next decade, according to a new report released Wednesday by the American Society of Civil Engineers.ASCE’s report (click here to download a copy), conducted by the Economic Development Research Group of Boston, indicates that last year, deficiencies in America’s roads, bridges, and transit systems cost American households and businesses more than $129 billion, including roughly $97 billion in vehicle operating costs, $32 billion in delays in travel time, $1.2 billion in safety costs, and $590 million in environmental costs.
PennDOT’s July lettings total $129 million
The state Department of Transportation (PennDOT) bid just over $129.2 million in projects in July bringing the year-to-date total to $1.020 billion. At this same time last year, PennDOT had let just over $1.2 billion. Read more
Chairman Rafferty on Transportation Funding
Triad Strategies’ Tony May sat down with the Chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee, John Rafferty, to get his views on transportation funding and other issues facing the Commonwealth. Hear what he has to say.
Initial reaction to funding plan: thumbs up
Governor Corbett’s Transportation Funding Advisory Commission will present the governor with its recommendations on Aug. 1, but the initial reaction among newspapers around the state has been very positive so far.
The Philadelphia Inquirer (click here), Harrisburg Patriot-News (click here), and Scranton Times-Tribune (click here) quickly and enthusiastically endorsed the commission’s recommendations and urged Corbett to get behind them. Adoption of the funding plan will require action by the General Assembly, as well as the governor’s support.
The recommendations would eventually raise an additional $2.7 billion per year, at a weekly cost to a typical motorist of only 70 cents the first year and about $2.50 the third year – less than the cost of a gallon of gas per week, as noted by PennDOT Secretary/Commission Chair Barry Schoch.
Details regarding the commission’s meetings, including funding scenarios, are available at www.tfac.pa.gov.
