In This Issue

	Mountain Could Muffle Vail Hwy Noise
	Session Ends with No Trans. Funding Deal
	Connecting Idaho Could Impair Bond Rating
	Commuter Rail Gains Popularity in Smaller Cities
	Council Works to Revise Law for New Roads
	Poor Roads Drive Up Commuter Costs
	‘Don’t Mess With Texas’ Wins National Contest
	Drivers Pay for Damaging Bridges
	I-69 Opponents File Suit in Indiana
	Peters Confirmed as Transportation Secretary

Mountain Could Muffle Vail Hwy Noise

VAIL – Tunneling Interstate 70 directly under Vail Mountain, through the Vail Valley, is technically possible, according to a recent study prepared for the town. The two feasible tunnel options the study recommended would be over nine miles long, and would take three to six years to complete.

One of the preferred tunnel options includes two three-lane tunnels and a separate tunnel for service or mass transit. The 9.4 mile tunnel would be built from Timber Creek east of East Vail to west of the West Vail Interchange. The cost would be between $2.5 and $3.1 billion

Another remaining option for the interstate is the “cut and cover” method which would lower the existing road and put a lid on it. While this alternative would be the most expensive (up to $3.5 billion), the study said it could be advantageous because it could be done in stages.

The study considered geology, ventilation, entrance and exit locations, infrastructure, excavation, cost and schedule. Funding options for the multi-billion dollar project were not studied. Once the complex funding issue is resolved, at least six years of studies and approvals would need to take place before construction could begin, said the report.

Jim Lamont, executive director of the Vail Village Homeowners Association is an advocate of tunneling options because of the traffic noise and physical division the freeway creates in the town as the top reasons to cover the interstate.

Session Ends with No Trans. Funding Deal

RICHMOND – The Virginia Legislature’s was unable to come to an agreement on a comprehensive transportation funding plan after ending its special session two days early. State leaders now say the decision about how to fund the transportation reform will be left up to voters in November 2007.

The House adamantly rejected the Senate’s plan for new taxes and fees, including a gasoline tax increase. And the Senate committee opposed the majority of the House of Delegates’ $2.4 billion transportation plan that included issuing $1.5 billion in bonds. The debt and existing revenues the House plan relied on would otherwise go to schools, healthcare and other services.

“I don’t think you can sugar coat this or pull any punches – this was a complete failure,” said Norfolk Mayor Paul Fraim. “What is clear…we have a government at the state level that is not functioning on the issue of transportation – it’s dysfunctional.” He said everything the cities have done during the last ten years to identify road priorities is dead.

The debate over the Senate’s and Governor Kaine’s plan to raise taxes and the House of Delegate’s opposition to them led to this year’s record budget stalemate and sent two of the last three sessions into overtime. Kaine said after the adjournment that the move was unfortunate and that lawmakers had an opportunity to make progress toward a transportation solution.

While political leaders debate philosophical issues seeking the optimal solution, the public is mired in greater and greater levels of congestion. In a former life I was an officer in the US Army. The Army taught me many things about leadership. One important lesson that I learned there was that even the right decision, made too late, is wrong. TW

Connecting Idaho Could Impair Bond Rating

BOISE, Idaho – Idaho’s bond advisors and credit rating agencies say the state should scale back its “Connecting Idaho” road-building expectations if it wants to maintain its excellent bond rating. Advisors say based on future federal funding estimates, the state shouldn’t sell bonds over $998 million to finance the largest construction project in Idaho’s history.

The state was planning to sell about $1.2 billion in bond measures, but now Gov. Jim Risch’s chief of staff, John Sandy, says that amount will be re-evaluated. “The top ceiling now is going to be $998 million that will be borrowed total, and that’s about one-third of what actually could be borrowed,” said Sandy. “And the reason they did that was to give that extra, extra cushion that protects the AAA bond rating.”

Meanwhile, costs for the six projects currently underway, including U.S. Highway 95 in northern Idaho, have risen from the original $1.2 billion to $1.6 billion. Under the state’s current bonding plan, it may not have enough money from bond sales to complete those projects.

Aides for the governor and lawmakers say the matter will be on the agenda at the October meeting f the Idaho Transportation Board.

Commuter Rail Gains Popularity in Smaller Cities

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The booming economy in Nashville has sent the Music City, and many other mid-sized cities, finding a solution to traffic problems with commuter rail. Many regions that have never had public transit before are turning to the rail systems to relieve some of the congestion and air pollution.

At least 31 cities, including medium-sized metro areas such as Austin, Texas and Charlotte, North Carolina, have commuter rail projects in the planning or development stages.

“It’s very adjustable to size,” said the American Public Transportation Association president William Millar. “You can start with short trains and use existing facilities. It’s not too expensive.”

Nashville began operating the first commuter rail service in Tennessee, the Music City Star, in September. The line was built for about $40 million, making six roundtrips each day traveling 32 miles between the city of Lebanon and downtown Nashville. Supporters hope the Lebanon line just the first spur of what could be a system with seven lines surrounding downtown likes spokes from a wheel.

Council Works to Revise Law for New Roads

Arkansas – Officials in Arkansas are pushing a new law they hope will revamp their transportation system by allowing additional sources for funding. The Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department, which drafted the original law, agrees with the proposal because it would supply the department with $19.1 billion for projects.

The Northwest Arkansas Council is working with state legislators to draft changes to a state law that allows cities and counties to build projects together.

The current law, enacted in 2005, allows cities or counties to create a regional mobility authority and solve regional transportation problems, but lacks enforcement provisions, and does not allow the authority to and the Highway Department to transfer control of infrastructure projects. So far, no authorities have been organized.

If the proposed changes are accepted, regional authorities would be able to take control of projects designed by the Highway Department. The authority could construct the project and then transfer it back to the Highway Department once it was paid off. Officials want the authority to be allowed to change toll or fare rates without calling for a vote, which the current law requires.

The department also hopes to change funding procedures so it can be funded by user fees such as sales tax on vehicle purchases, and other vehicle and road user fees that don’t go to the department. The Highway Department’s $19.1 billion shortfall could increase by as much as 79 percent with the changes, according to department reports.

Poor Roads Drive Up Commuter Costs

ATLANTA – Bad roads and highways in the nation’s metropolitan areas are costing drivers up to $700 more in annual vehicle operations costs, according to a recent analysis. Motorists are paying this “hidden tax” on twenty-six percent of the country’s main highways have substandard pavement that provides an unacceptably rough ride to motorists, according to TRIP, a non-profit research group funded by the insurance, highway, and automotive industries. The group partially blames the rising cost of road-building materials and heavier traffic for the three-percent increase since 1999.

“The worse shape roads are in, the quicker cars and trucks deteriorate, and motorists find themselves in the garage or back in the showroom,” said Frank Moretti, director of policy and research at TRIP. “Driving on rough roads is costing the average urban motorist about $383 annually in (additional) vehicle maintenance costs.”

The areas where roads result in the highest additional costs per driver are: San Jose - $705; Los Angeles - $693; San Francisco/Oakland - $654; Kansas City - $651; and San Diego - $618.

The Atlanta, Orlando, and Phoenix areas are exceptions to the deteriorating roads. At least 75% of the highways and major streets in these metropolitan areas, which are often plagued by road-construction delays, are in good condition, according to TRIP data. These three cities are spared the harsh winters of many cities, in which freezing and thawing can speed up the deterioration of roads

“Our board adopted a policy in the ‘70s that we were not going to build anything we cannot maintain,” says Harold Linnenkohl, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Transportation. “Our goal is to resurface 10% of our highway system each year. We stayed with that for a long time, but we’re facing some budget crunches like everybody else. So, in recent years in some areas, we’re doing 5%-6%.”

‘Don’t Mess With Texas’ Wins National Contest

AUSTIN – The famous litter prevention slogan, “Don’t Mess with Texas” won the third annual Advertising Week Walk of Fame competition, beating other well-known catchphrases such as “Got Milk?” and “Just Do It.” The Texas Department of Transportation received 400,000 online votes for the 20-year-old phrase.

“We knew we had a great slogan, and we knew we could generate the support of thousands of Texans,” said Doris Howdeshell, travel division director for the Texas Department of Transportation. “We just never thought we’d win by such a high margin against such high profile competition.”

The “Don’t Mess With Texas” phrase was coined in 1986, to reduce roadside litter and its removal costs. The original campaign was started with blues guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan at the 1986 Cotton Bowl. Litter on Texas roadways was reduced by 29 percent in its first year.

Texas celebrities Owen Wilson, Lance Armstrong, Matthew McConaughey, and Jennifer Love Hewitt helped celebrate the slogan’s 20th anniversary in televisions commercials this year.

Texas has had a great campaign over the years as have many other states. The public would be astounded if they knew how much money was spent on litter removal. We did a study for NCHRP and FHWA a few years ago and the numbers were amazing when you consider what could be done in the way of infrastructure improvements with that money. TW

Drivers Pay for Damaging Bridges

MINNEAPOLIS – A section of Interstate Highway 494 in Minneapolis was shut down last weekend as repair crews fixed damage caused by a truck hauling a too-tall backhoe ramming it in April. The truck company’s insurer will foot the $284,000 bill for crews to replace beams and the driving deck in a 50-foot section of the span.

Last year, motorists in Minnesota caused over 2,600 property damage incidents, including running into guard rails, snow plows, light poles, signs, medians, and fences. The state department of transportation received almost $4 million from drivers and their insurance companies to fix the damage. When a driver causes damage, their name is sent to MnDOT by the highway patrol who reports the accident.

Uninsured drivers are asked to personally reimburse the state for the damage. If they fail to pay, the issue is sent to the collections division of the Department of Revenue, which can garnish wages or take tax refunds to pay for the damage. MnDOT spokeswoman Jeanne Aamodt said around $1 million in damage payments is currently in collections. Last year, the department lost $400,000 which was determined uncollectible.

I-69 Opponents File Suit in Indiana

MARTINSVILLE, Indiana – Environmental and citizen groups in Indiana have filed a federal lawsuit against the $2 billion I-69 extension, accusing the Indiana highway commissioner and the federal government of failing to properly weigh alternative routes for the 142-mile extension from Indianapolis to Evansville. The 48-page suit is the first to ever challenge the entire route of highway.

The plaintiffs say the selected route violates endangered species’ and environmental policy laws and would destroy nearly 7,000 acres of farmland, forest and wetlands. But despite the litigation, which could take up to two years to resolve, state officials vow to break ground in 2008.

The chosen route was announced by then-Gov. Frank O’Bannon after the state spent years reviewing multiple paths. The selection was endorsed by federal officials in 2004. The state has been provided with enough money to build at least the first section of the highway from the recent $3.8 billion lease of the Indiana Toll Road.

“This road means jobs and economic development and opportunity – not only for southwestern Indiana, but for the entire state as a whole,” said Matthew T. Meadors, president and chief executive officer of the Metropolitan Evansville Chamber of Commerce. “This is about prosperity. At the end of the day, we’re going to have a highway.”

Peters Confirmed as Transportation Secretary

WASHINGTON – The Senate confirmed Mary Peters as the new secretary of transportation on Sept. 30 by a voice vote, following the resignation of former Secretary Norman Mineta last July. Mineta served in the position for six years.

President Bush was happy with the confirmation. He issued a statement saying, “Mary is an innovative thinker who will work with state and local leaders to confront challenges and solve problems.”

Peters, a strong supporter of road privatization, will head the 60,000-person Department of Transportation which oversees highways, aviation, transit, pipelines, motor carriers, and railroads.

Peters is the former leader of both the Arizona Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration. She is presently the national director for transportation policy and consulting at the architectural and engineering firm, HDR.