Federal surface transportation policy under examination at House T&I Subcommittee hearing

The U.S. House of Representatives Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s Subcommittee on Highways and Transit held a hearing March 13 looking at the how the federal government’s role in highway and transit policies need to change in order to meet the current and future challenges of the nation’s surface transportation network.  

The current five-year surface transportation legislation, Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, was signed into law in December 2015 and is set to expire in September 2020.

Chairman of the House T&I Committee Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR) explained that there is no time to spare in finding a surface transportation solution.

“We must find a solution immediately to a very real and very looming funding crisis in order to make reauthorization possible,” said Rep. DeFazio. “When we get too close to the wire on passing an authorization – or when the amount or availability of Federal funding becomes uncertain with Continuing Resolutions and government shutdowns – it has real effects on stalling highway and transit projects.”

"Chief among our concerns are maintaining and upgrading our current infrastructure, modernizing our approach to infrastructure, including coping with climate change and optimizing the way we move people and goods throughout the system.” Subcommittee Chair Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) said. “Chronic underinvestment by the federal government has made cleaning up no easy task. This reauthorization requires Congress to fully embrace new technologies and re-envision how we move people and goods across the country.”

Subcommittee Ranking Member Rodney Davis (R-IL) outlined two of challenges facing the effort including the looming insolvency of the Highway Trust Fund and the significant investment need of the nation’s transportation’s systems. Additionally, he noted areas of opportunity such as finding ways to build more efficiently, such as through reduced regulations and streamlined delivery processes, as well as incorporating technologies that would increase the safety and efficiency of the nation’s transportation system.

Michael Terry, the president and CEO of the Indianapolis Public Transportation Corporation (IndyGo), testified at the hearing on behalf of the American Public Transportation Association (APTA). Terry testified that federal public transportation policy must focus on the continued solvency of the Highway Trust Fund, stating that the fund has not seen an increase in more than 25 years and its purchasing power has decreased by 40 percent. This has led to chronic underfunding and a $90 billion state-of-good-repair backlog for public transportation.

“APTA continues to advocate for increased investment in public transportation from all levels of government, but the federal partnership remains absolutely critical. IndyGo can attest to the importance of ensuring a federal role in public transportation,” Terry said. “Our voters passed a local income tax referendum to support a Transit Plan that will provide expanded frequency and hours of service on our fixed-route network.”

He continued, “Without a federal partnership, we would not be able to efficiently operate the increased local network and three rapid transit corridors. Several U.S. Department of Transportation grants have been critical to the success of our Transit Plan.”

Additionally, Terry noted the vital role of Capital Investment Grants in providing upgraded service to communities across the country. He also cited the growing role that public transportation providers play as the hub of the new mobility paradigm, connecting the multitude of public transit options into a seamless network.

Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) Executive Director Therese W. McMillan also testified at the hearing on behalf of the Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations. She urged Congress to reauthorize the 2015 Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act and to increase federal investment in transportation, particularly in the nation’s metropolitan areas.

“A strong federal role in our nation’s multimodal transportation system has been essential for the entirety of our nation’s history,” testified McMillan. “It is a core federal responsibility. But transportation is not just about moving people and goods around. It is about access to opportunity and quality of life and we believe it is time for the federal government to do more, much more.”

McMillan noted the local/state/federal partnership model enshrined in the FAST Act is a model that works, highlighting the California Legislature’s 2017 approval of the state Senate Bill 1 transportation-financing package and the Bay Area’s commitment each year of more than $1.5 billion of voter-approved sales tax and bridge toll revenue.

“Providing for continued growth of the U.S. economy demands a much larger federal commitment to the local-state-federal partnership,” said McMillan.

McMillan cited the federal Surface Transportation Program (STP) and Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) programs as especially important vehicles for increased investment. “STP and CMAQ provide the flexibility and the accountability to tailor creative solutions across very different communities. For the Bay Area, this flexibility is crucial as we prepare ourselves not just for technological change but also to be more resilient in the face of rising sea levels. The recently flooded Highway 37 in the North Bay is a great example. We need that road to be rebuilt higher but also more environmentally friendly. And we need to do it fast. A bigger federal commitment would go a long way toward meeting all these needs.”