Chances of Congress making significant progress on new highway bill fading fast

Jan. 24, 2012

The call is becoming more urgent, the tone more dire.

 

Industry leaders at the National Asphalt Pavement Association’s 57th Annual Meeting in Palm Desert, Calif., again talked about the effects of a nation lacking a long-term highway bill. The current funding extension expires on March 31, and the general feeling a ninth extension will be implemented and run through this year’s general election.

 

The call is becoming more urgent, the tone more dire.

Industry leaders at the National Asphalt Pavement Association’s 57th Annual Meeting in Palm Desert, Calif., again talked about the effects of a nation lacking a long-term highway bill. The current funding extension expires on March 31, and the general feeling a ninth extension will be implemented and run through this year’s general election.

Bill Graves, president and CEO of the American Trucking Association (ATA) and former governor of Kansas, centered his talk around a growing U.S. population that will rely more and more on the trucking industry, which will mean increased congestion on the road and bridge network. By 2022, Graves said trucks would carry 70% of the nation’s freight.

The ATA continues to support an increase in the federal fuel tax, which costs a mere two-tenths of 1% to collect. Tolls, on the other hand, cost up to 30%. However, when Graves took the endorsement to Capitol Hill he recalled he was stunned to see unwillingness by Congress to take any action.

“Right now we are stuck in neutral going nowhere, fast,” Graves said.

However, some progress could be made in the coming weeks. According to Graves, the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee will mark up a five-year highway bill by Feb. 2, and Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-Ohio) has promised the measure will receive floor time, which means something could be passed relatively quickly. The bill supposedly funds the industry at SAFETEA-LU levels. The Senate still has a ways to go on making its two-year highway bill official, and then there is the focus of the White House, which appears to still be locked on high-speed rail.

“I’m not at all optimistic to see the House, Senate and White House compromise on a bill [in 2012],” said Graves.

Charlie Potts, CEO of Heritage Construction & Materials, believes a new vision for funding the road and bridge industry could be developed in the next two or three years, “but the bickering [in Washington] must stop,” he said.

When asked about the potential of a mileage-based fee system, Graves said he was unsure how such a system would work, “but it’s a logical step to take.”

Sponsored Recommendations

The Science Behind Sustainable Concrete Sealing Solutions

Extend the lifespan and durability of any concrete. PoreShield is a USDA BioPreferred product and is approved for residential, commercial, and industrial use. It works great above...

Powerful Concrete Protection For ANY Application

PoreShield protects concrete surfaces from water, deicing salts, oil and grease stains, and weather extremes. It's just as effective on major interstates as it is on backyard ...

Concrete Protection That’s Easy on the Environment and Tough to Beat

PoreShield's concrete penetration capabilities go just as deep as our American roots. PoreShield is a plant-based, eco-friendly alternative to solvent-based concrete sealers.

Proven Concrete Protection That’s Safe & Sustainable

Real-life DOT field tests and university researchers have found that PoreShieldTM lasts for 10+ years and extends the life of concrete.