In This Issue

	Fl. Transportation Chief Endorses Public-Private Partnerships
	Summit Examines Options for Transportation-Challenged
	Gov.’s Office Sees No Moratorium Whatsoever
	DOT’s DBE Changes Impact Firms
	Federal Money Keeps Minnesota Moving
	TxDOT Executive Director Retires
	‘Click it or Ticket’ Campaign a Waste, say Many Drivers
	Highway Funding Plan Shelved
	Congestion Pricing Plan Gains Momentum
	Nevada Gov. Signs $1B Hwy. Funding Bill

Fl. Transportation Chief Endorses Public-Private Partnerships

Florida - Florida’s new transportation chief believes public-private partnerships is key to overcoming current and future state and federal funding deficits. Florida DOT Secretary Stephanie Kopelousos told the members of the Southwest Florida Transportation Initiative that ventures such as theirs and the Southwest Florida Expressway Authority could provide additional funding options for projects like the I-75 expansion in Collier and Lee Counties.

“You are the true epitome of partnerships,” Kopelousos told the initiative members at a post-legislative event. “We need these tools in the toolbox.” She says she is not yet sold on the idea of expanding I-75 to ten lanes instead of six, but she is open to new ideas. The Southwest Florida Expressway Authority was established to study the viability of ten lanes, with the possibility of tolling the four additional lanes to pay for their construction and maintenance.

The Expressway’s chairman spoke to the group about the state’s need for the ten lanes, saying that if the interstate had just six lanes in 2015, nearly 40,000 vehicles would be forced onto alternate north/south routes daily.

Rep. Gary Aubuchon, R-Cape Coral, co-sponsored a bill this year which would have made it easier for FDOT to hire private entities. The House approved the legislation, but the Senate did not. Aubuchon says more backing is needed from the private sector for such legislation to be successful in the future. “The private sector can do it faster and cheaper than the public sector can,” he said. “We need to encourage private sector investment and involvement in our infrastructure.”

Summit Examines Options for Transportation-Challenged

ATLANTA - Ideas flowed on how to provide transportation services to the elderly, low income, and the disabled at a “summit” at the Atlanta Regional Commission Friday. Experts met to brainstorm the effort funded by federal grants to create a Transportation Management Control Center to coordinate transit and transportation services regionwide for people who struggle to get around.

“There are services out there but the amount of coordination could use some significant improvement,” said Cain Williamson, a principal planner at the ARC. The idea is to develop a center to coordinate information on government mass transit, taxis, faith-based providers, and possibly create volunteer transport and information networks, said Williamson.

Experts suggested ideas that range from taxi cabs that can fit a wheel chair to customer accounts where relatives could anonymously subsidize other people’s cab rides. They hope that some day with a single call, people could receive information on various transportation services to meet their needs. Currently, people may not be aware of what services exist, and services may not know that gaps in the services they offer could be filled by others.

Gov.’s Office Sees No Moratorium Whatsoever

Texas - Legislators went home celebrating the passage of a two-year moratorium on private financing for toll roads, but Gov. Rick Perry has just burst their bubble. Senate Bill 792 doesn’t have much of a moratorium after all. “Of any kind, that we can tell,” said governor spokesman Robert Black. “Unless there was something screwy that happened.”

The bill started out simple enough, but several wary lawmakers added exceptions and the governor fought for a loophole to allow for his treasured Trans-Texas Corridor. By the end of the legislative session a few weeks ago, virtually every toll road project working toward a concession contract with a private consortium was exempted from the ban. Perry’s office didn’t recognize at least one toll project covered by the bill drafted to limit the powers of TxDOT: U.S. 281 in San Antonio.

The governor and TxDOT helped draft the bill in the last few days of the session, and a provision was added that gives the state control of how high toll rates can be and how quickly they can be raised for toll roads owned locally. Market valuations would be required to figure how much revenue a toll road could bring in, as well as how much drivers would be willing to pay, and dedicating revenues to other local projects. If state and local officials could not agree on the toll plan, it would be forfeited.

This is the moratorium that “isn’t.” As happens in many legislative forums lawmakers make sure their specific projects are exempted from the provisions of legislation intended to limit someone else’s ability to advance a project. This isn’t unique to Texas. It happens all the time in Congress. In fact, Congress has exempted itself from laws with which the rest of us have to comply. TW

DOT’s DBE Changes Impact Firms

Alaska - Since Alaska dropped its requirements for hiring minority contractors for construction projects, some companies in the state have seen their workload drop considerably. Christina Eneix, a Hispanic woman who runs a landscaping company, says her company is rarely sought for bids on projects. Eneix believes that she has been the low bidder for a certain prime contractor twice, but was not chosen for the job. There is no recourse in such cases because the minority goals no longer exist, she says.

The Alaska Department of Transportation is working with the Federal Aviation Administration, the municipality of Anchorage and the Alaska Railroad Corp to figure out whether the organizations and their primary contractors are hiring sufficient numbers of minority business owners for some construction projects, and if not, if discrimination is involved.

The DOT’s civil rights manager, Jon Dunham, said the agencies plan to use the results of the study to determine how best to implement changes, which could include revisions to bidding and construction standards. The study’s findings are expected to be released in February 2008.

Federal Money Keeps Minnesota Moving

WASHINGTON – Congressman Jim Oberstar says road construction in Northeast Minnesota would be grinding to a halt if it weren’t for a number of high priority projects he managed to get approved in the last federal highway bill. “The state should be aggressively upgrading and investing in our roads,” said Oberstar. “Instead, they are barely keeping up with potholes.”

This year the Minnesota legislature was only able to pass a minimal “lights on” bill that funds transportation at 2007 funding levels. Legislators agreed to a more ambitious plan for state road construction, but it was vetoed by Governor Pawlenty because it included a gas tax increase.

Under the 2005 $285 billion national SAFETEA-LU legislation, Oberstar was able to get a 46 percent increase in federal highway aid for Minnesota. Mn/DOT is planning to move forward with six more high priority projects on highways 53, 169 and 61, which are 80 percent paid for with federal funding under the SAFETEA-LU law.

“If we didn’t have this federal law to tell Governor Pawlenty to fix our roads, he wouldn’t be doing it,” said Oberstar. “If you take the high priority projects out of the mix you will see that Mn/DOT is only carrying out basic road maintenance. That’s not good enough. We need to invest in our transportation systems if we are going to keep our economy growing.”

TxDOT Executive Director Retires

Texas - The head of the Texas Department of Transportation is retiring after leading the department through a period of fundamental change since 2001. Executive Director Mike Behrens will leave TxDOT on August 31 after serving in the agency for nearly 37 years. The agency just endured a grueling legislative session in which state lawmakers heavily criticized transportation policy on toll roads and privatization.

“I’ve been through five legislative sessions. That’s just part of the job,” said Behrens. “I’ve been thinking about it for a couple years. An old boss of mine said, ‘You’ll know when it’s the right time,’ and I think it’s the right time.” As director, Behrens directed engineers in finding innovative ways to fund roads and communicate openly with the public.

Texas Transportation Commission chairman Ric Williamson said there is no rush to find a replacement for Behrens. “Our immediate focus is to thoroughly review all the new transportation legislation to make sure we understand the Legislature’s direction and intent,” Williamson said. “We will then move forward with a process to find the best person possible to lead TxDOT and implement the will of the legislature.”

Mike has brought notable leadership to the Texas Department of Transportation. His quiet demeanor allays his strong presence and the impact he has had on the agency and transportation in the state. Mike’s contribution to advancing PPP’s will have a long-lasting effect on our industry nationwide. Best wishes to him for a well deserved retirement. TW

‘Click it or Ticket’ Campaign a Waste, say Many Drivers

California - The federal government’s “Click it or Ticket” campaign is annoying, and a waste of tax dollars, according to many California drivers. After the Los Angeles Times ran a recent column criticizing the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s campaign to give citations to unbelted drivers, responses from a wide range of West Coast residents poured in.

Many people said federal regulators should focus their attention on fighting more serious violations, such as speeding, running red lights, and drunk driving. Other readers agreed with the newspapers’ point that the message about New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine’s crash was misdirected on his lack of seat belts, saying he was endangering the lives of those around him by traveling at 90 mph.

“My initial reaction was also “they were traveling at 90 mph and the lack of seat best use got all the media attention?” said one reader. It was also noted that Corzine “was late for a meeting with Don Imus and the Rutgers basketball coach – not exactly an issue of statewide importance.”

While the importance of seatbelt use is justified, and the lack of use affects more lives than just those who choose not to wear it when an accident occurs, the Times said the federal government should put more emphasis on crimes that endanger other motorists.

This is an emotional debate that will rage for years to come. On one hand are the “personal rights” people who say it’s my choice whether or not to wear a seatbelt. On the other hand are the groups who say the choice not to wear a seatbelt impacts me because your medical costs incident to an accident will increase auto insurance rates. Same arguments apply to helmet laws. Perhaps the answer lies in the solution that insurance companies use for life insurance policies. Non-smokers get a discount. Maybe those who wear seatbelts should get a discount. TW

Highway Funding Plan Shelved

BATON ROUGE, La. – A bill planned to pay for years of road projects and repairs was shelved by the Senate Finance Committee last week. The President and chief executive officer of the Greater Lafayette Chamber of Commerce, Rob Guidry, came before the Committee with the support of 16 other chambers from around the state to push for the passage of the $448 million plan, which called for no new taxes.

The plan would have increased state road funding through motor vehicle sales tax revenues. The Louisiana Good Roads & Transportation Association says the state has 6,000 miles of bad roads, and each driver pays hundreds of dollars in repairs, fuel consumption, and tire wear as a result.

Senate committee members who shelved the plan, saying it would create a gaping hole in the state’s operating budget, have strong backing. DOTD Secretary Johnny Bradberry and Gov. Kathleen Blanco have also criticized it.

Congestion Pricing Plan Gains Momentum

NEW YORK – New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg is taking his congestion pricing campaign on the road, and it appears to be gaining speed. In an effort to get the governor and the state legislature on his side, Bloomberg is pushing the clean air and economic impact aspects of his plan to charge drivers $8 to drive below 86th Street by the end of the session, on June 21.

Governor Eliot Spitzer and Mayor Bloomberg met with U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters on Thursday morning. She heaped praise on the plan, and said it was one of five finalists to receive a share of the $1.1 billion in federal funding to fight congestion in metro areas.

Secretary Peters called the plan bold, brave, and long overdue. “It cannot be easy for a politician to propose charging commuters more money to enter Manhattan, but the mayor’s plan is sound, and the mayor’s plan will work,” she said. “Major cities worldwide have been using the kind of congestion pricing that is being proposed here by the mayor and supported by the governor.”

The mayor will lobby his case before the state legislature for the first time on Friday. He says he needs approval right away to receive a $500 million federal grant for the three-year pilot congestion pricing program.

Nevada Gov. Signs $1B Hwy. Funding Bill

CARSON CITY, Nev. – Nevada Gov. Jim Gibbons has signed a $1 billion bill to reduce the state’s $5 billion funding gap for highway projects and relieve congestion on the state’s highways, particularly in the Las Vegas metro area. Gibbons signed AB595 on Wednesday in Carson City. “We needed innovative funding, not something that would create new or increased taxes,” said Gibbons spokesman Brent Boynton. “This enables growth to pay for growth.” The governor had vowed to veto any bill that contained a tax increase.

A compromise between the governor and several key lawmakers, the bill diverts $20 million annually from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, and a portion of an existing rental car and property tax revenue set aside for capital projects in Clark and Washoe Counties. The money from the bill will pay for $1 billion in bonds for improvements to I-15 and U.S. 95 in Las Vegas and I-80 in Reno. Under the new law, counties will keep the money raised in their county.

The state has $1.2 billion in regular funding for road construction over the upcoming two-year budget, in addition to the $1 billion bill. The majority of the projects planned are in the Las Vegas area.