In This Issue

	Environmentalists Sue Over Highway to Lewis, Wash.
	FasTrak Promoted in Toll Hike
	Study: Traffic Costs NY $13B Annually
	2 Bridges Cost Raised to $3.9B
	Light Rail May Come Early to West Phoenix Area
	Motorists Agree More Transportation Money is Needed
	Colorado Needs Long-Term Transportation Funding
	Better Transportation System Desired in Delaware
	Tolls Possible, Not Higher Gas Tax
	Gov.’s Plan Not Enough says WYDOT

Environmentalists Sue Over Highway to Lewis, Wash.

TACOMA, Washington – Environmentalist groups in Washington have formed a coalition to fight a proposed highway to be built near McChord Air Force Base and Fort Lewis. A 60-day notice of intent to sue was filed against the Federal Highway Administration, the state department of transportation, and Pierce County on Tuesday, challenging their plans to construct the new four-lane, six-mile highway.

Much of the funding for the $289 million highway rests on the passing of a regional Roads & Transit ballot measure next November. The proposed highway would connect Interstate 5 to Highway 7 in Spanaway along the border between McChord and Fort Lewis. Supporters of the plans say the highway will improve mobility between south-county neighborhoods and Interstate 5, and also connect the two bases.

“It’s a very environmentally sensitive design because I insisted on that,” said Pierce County Executive John Ladenburg. The highway would be on stilts across wetlands, and would be elevated across culverts so animals could cross under it. Other environmental efforts by the department of transportation include developing a 358-acre habitat for plant and wildlife and barriers to block traffic noise.

However, the environmentalists say they are not satisfied with the agency’s efforts. The environmental coalition argues that the highway will destroy rare oak prairie, wildlife habitat and force equestrian facilities to close, and will not ease traffic through Pierce County.

FasTrak Promoted in Toll Hike

California - Officials in the Bay Area are using the upcoming $1 toll hike for crossing the Richmond-San Rafael and other local bridges to promote electronic tolls. Beginning Jan. 1, the motorists will pay $4 to cross the spans, to help finance the state’s bridge seismic retrofit program, which includes construction of the new East Span of the Bay Bridge. The increase, authorized in July 2005 by the state, does not affect the Golden Gate Bridge.

The Bay Area transportation commission hopes the toll hike will draw more people to FasTrak, the electronic tolling system. Users of FasTrak will still be charged $3 in January. The commission, which runs the system, hopes to boost usage in an effort to improve traffic flow. Currently, about 42 percent of drivers use FasTrak on state bridges during the morning rush hour, as opposed to 70 percent on the Golden Gate Bridge.

“The electronic toll tags allow drivers to take advantage of the FasTrak-only lanes on Bay Area bridges and make their crossings faster, easier, and during January, cheaper,” said Steve Kinsey, Marin County Supervisor and commission member.

Plans to increase usage of FasTrak include changes to the program such as converting more lanes to FasTrak-only lanes at bridge toll plazas, improved marketing and distribution of the toll-tags, and studying new technologies to improve operations.

In our society, it just costs more to handle transactions manually versus through electronic means. The New Hamsphire DOT adopted this same approach when they went to the EZPass system for their toll facilities in an effort to transition from tokens and coins. Look at the proliferation of kiosks in airports, movies theaters and many other places we frequent. The only group bucking what we know to be true are the banking institutions who insist on charging us a fee for using an “out of system” ATM. Someday the pressure of their customers will stop that practice. TW

Study: Traffic Costs NY $13B Annually

NEW YORK – A recent study has found that the traffic delays experienced by commuters, truckers, and tourists in New York City have stunted growth and cost nearly $13 billion each year in lost production and jobs.

“The level of traffic in the city and much of the metro Region has crossed the dividing line that separates economically efficient traffic flow from destructive, excess congestion,” said the report by the Partnership for New York City. The group of business lobbyists found the problem could not be solved by adding new roads or widening highways, because there is not room to build.

The study listed the benefits of numerous strategies, including congestion pricing, improved truck loading docks, HOT lanes, more ferries, and rapid bus service. Almost two-thirds of all the workers in the region commute by car, said the study.

Another of the metropolitan area’s biggest challenges is eliminating truck traffic. Because it does not have a freight rail tunnel, most of its businesses, especially in Manhattan, must rely on truck deliveries.

The Partnership reported that in the next 25 years, New York City is predicted to add one million residents, increasing its population to over 9 million, and producing 725,000 jobs.

2 Bridges Cost Raised to $3.9B

Kentucky - The price tag for the construction of two Ohio River bridges and the reconstruction of the Spaghetti Junction has risen by $1.4 billion from initial projections, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet reported to the Kentucky General Assembly. Transportation officials blame inflation estimates and the rise in construction materials costs for driving the project up to $3.9 billion - $2.8 billion from Kentucky and $1.1 billion paid from Indiana.

The Federal Highway Administration, the state of Kentucky, and the state of Indiana have joined together as the Ohio River Bridges Project to build an eastern span between Utica, Ind., and Prospect, Ky. Another bridge will be built downtown just east of the Kennedy Bridge, which extends I-65 across the Ohio River.

Construction for the east end bridge is planned to begin in 2009, and completed by 2013. The downtown span would be built between 2015 and 2019. The reconstruction of Spaghetti Junction, which converges interstates 64, 65, and 71, south of its current location and costing $2.46 billion, could begin as early as next year and continue through 2024.

Light Rail May Come Early to West Phoenix Area

PHOENIX – An 11-mile extension of the planned 20-mile light rail extension could begin serving the west areas of Phoenix as early as 2015, four years earlier than originally planned. The first 20-mile portion will be opening in the Phoenix metropolitan area in 2008.

The Metro board plans to request federal funding for a study, which it hopes to launch in January rather than 2011. Phoenix has offered $6 million up-front in support of the study. Possible options the study will consider include buses or some kind of rail, and running the rail line down the I-10 median, alongside the freeway, or through a nearby neighborhood.

The I-10 extension was supposed to open in 2019, following the opening of routes in Tempe, Mesa, north Phoenix. But the I-10 line is increasing in importance with local officials because of rapidly increasing traffic, plans to widen the interstate, and Glendale opening the University of Phoenix Stadium and Westgate Center. They believe the extension will ease traffic in west Phoenix.

Metro plans to request $13 million in federal funding to study almost all of the extensions scheduled to open before 2020. The Maricopa Association of Governments predicts that 208,000 vehicles will travel on the I-10 route in west Phoenix in 2009 compared to 174,000 in 2005. They say trains in the freeway would entice more commuters because stations would be spaced two miles apart allowing faster service than is possible on the denser, 20-mile initial line.

Motorists Agree More Transportation Money is Needed

RICHMOND, Virginia - Nearly three-quarters of motorists agree that more money is necessary to improve the nation’s transportation system, reports a recent national AAA study. Over 70 percent of drivers in AAA’s Pocket’s of Pain survey said that the U.S. transportation system is not keeping up with the demands of their users, and that authorities should consider alternative funding methods to handle the growth.

The study, which had nearly 2,400 participants, also found that 64% of motorists believe the traffic in their community has become more congested over the last three years.

“In previous surveys and focus groups, we’ve seen more reluctance to increasing funding for transportation,” said AAA President and CEO Robert L. Darbelnet, AAA President and CEO. Motorists have said in previous studies that they are already paying enough, or the existing funds aren’t invested wisely, or they don’t trust their DOT to do the right thing, he said. “But we must remember, when motorists are asked to pay more, they must receive direct and recognizable improvements to their travel experience.”

The study found that motorists are increasingly turning to a toll-road option to help raise the money to fund the transportation system. Fifty-two percent of respondents chose toll roads as a viable option. Of those favoring tolls, most said they would only support them on new roads and highway lanes, not existing lanes.

While the majority of drivers agreed more funding is needed to deal with increasing congestion, only 15 percent supported raising non-fuel taxes. And of the supporters for increased public funding for roads and highways, just 21 percent agreed with raising the gas tax.

Colorado Needs Long-Term Transportation Funding

DENVER – Colorado needs to find “a long-term, stable funding source” to pay for transportation needs, according to Tom Norton, the state department of transportation’s executive director of eight years. In a report to the Legislature’s Joint Budget Committee on Monday, Norton said that the $1 billion CDOT plans to spend in the 2007-08 fiscal year will be almost $1.5 billion short of what is needed to maintain the quality and capacity of the state’s transportation systems.

Norton also advised lawmakers against changing laws that currently send some general state revenues into transportation, when state tax collections are adequate to allow it. The Legislature must “protect the integrity” of those budget allowances for transportation spending. Norton and his staff said that State Highway Users Tax Fund fuel-tax revenues are flat or declining, and federal highway funding levels are inconsistent from year to year. The state tax revenue is a significant source of the department’s dedicated funding, and are estimated to bring $415.2 million for transportation over the next budget year.

Norton noted that Monday’s budget hearing will likely be his last official opportunity to fight for sustainable long-term transportation funding, as a new administration takes over with Colorado’s new governor, Bill Ritter, next year.

Ritter has vowed to create a Transportation Finance and Implementation Panel within his first 90 days in office. The panel will be responsible for evaluating current transportation spending practices, CDOT’s long-term plans, possible new funding options and priorities for existing and future projects.

Better Transportation System Desired in Delaware

Delaware – Ninety percent of Delaware citizens want a better transportation system, and a majority are willing to pay for it. Residents also say mass transportation needs to be improved and developers should pay more for increased transportation costs, according to a Delaware Department of Transportation study.

Nine out of ten respondents said transportation improvements are not keeping pace with traffic volume, and that more money needs to be spent to alleviate the problem. Most of those who responded were opposed to an increase in the 23-cents-a-gallon gas tax, but supported increases in car registration, title, document and driver’s license fees.

Darrel Cole, director of DelDOT public relations, said the department is considering including increased fees in its recommendations for increased revenue for the department to fund projects in its capital project budget in preparation for a January deadline.

Cole reported that the irony to the department’s financial woes is that DelDOT’s revenue stream, financial management system, and bond rating remain strong. The department maintains the highest bond rating possible for public bonds, which saves taxpayers money by allowing the agency to borrow money at a low interest rate.

DelDOT’s funding issues lie within their insufficient ability to cover all projects, Cole said. “The money is not keeping up with the increasing cost of doing business,” he said.

In studies we have conducted around the country for clients regarding how to raise money for transportation, the clear finding is that raising fees doesn’t achieve the level of revenues needed to make these kinds of improvements. They help, but higher fees must be accompanied by something more substantial such as a motor fuel tax increase, a sales tax dedication, tolls or a property tax initiative. It would take raising the fees by such a high amount or across a wide array of transaction types to make them even come close to something meaningful. Meanwhile, such a broad effort on fees would likely alienate the very people who supported additional funding in the first place. TW

Tolls Possible, Not Higher Gas Tax

Tennessee - Toll roads may be in the future for Tennessee residents, but the gas tax will not be raised to help cover the projected $2 billion shortfall in the state’s transportation budget over the next decade, officials reported Monday at the state budget hearings. The state’s Transportation Commissioner, Gerald Nicely, said projects could be funded and built faster with toll roads and public-private partnerships, because the state can borrow money against anticipated revenue.

Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen agreed with the commissioner on not raising gas taxes for now. Bredesen disagreed, however, with involving the private sector when the state is able to operate the tolls.

The governor also recently promised the Tennessee Department of Transportation it will receive all gas tax revenue during the next budget year. The $65 million raised by the gas tax each year has been diverted to the general fund since 2003 to help balance the state budget at the beginning of Bredesen’s term. The governor also restored half of the revenue from the gas tax to TDOT for the current budget year, which began July 1.

“It’s all going on the ground – mostly small-type projects where we’ll be putting that money – plus $1 million will be going to mass transit,” said Nicely of where he would send the additional funds.

Gov.’s Plan Not Enough says WYDOT

Wyoming – The Wyoming governor’s proposal to spend an extra $162 million on highways next year is “significant,” but won’t solve the wide-array of problems plaguing the state roads, according to Wyoming Department of Transportation Chief Engineer Del McOmie. He said while the additional dollars in Gov. Dave Freudenthal’s proposed supplemental budget would help the project backlog, a comprehensive plan is necessary to increase long-term highway funding.

WYDOT is among the many transportation departments in the country struggling to overcome funding crises caused by flat funding and substantial inflation in the construction industry. Department officials estimate a $500 million shortfall in the agency’s budget over the next two years.

WYDOT receives 85 percent of its budget from the federal government and a recent study by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce found money in the Federal Highway Trust Fund is dwindling. The number of state highway projects has fallen from 135 in 1998 to 78 this year.

Two bills are being considered by the House of Revenue Committee to increase the state fuel tax, which is the lowest in the region, at 14 cents per gallon. Utah charges 24.5 cents a gallon, and Montana charges 27.

Revenue Committee member Rep. Tom Walsh, R-Casper, has proposed a bill to increase transportation spending by $220 million in the coming year by using state mineral revenues. Walsh says while the bill will meet “tremendous resistance,” if approved, it would open the door for continued spending in the future.