U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
U.S. Rep. Don Young, Chairman

Contact:  Steve Hansen (Director of Communications)  (202) 225-7749
 Email: Steve.Hansen@mail.house.gov
     Justin Harclerode (Deputy Director of Communications)  (202) 226-8767
  Email: Justin.Harclerod@mail.house.gov

To:  National Desk/Transportation Reporter
September 26, 2002

TEA 21 Has Made Significant Improvements To Highway & Transit Infrastructure, According To Transportation Officials;
Congestion, However, Remains A Growing Transportation Problem

        Washington, D.C. - Department of Transportation officials appeared before the U.S. House Highways and Transit Subcommittee today to outline findings of their upcoming report on the physical conditions and operational performance of the nation’s highway and transit systems.

        Federal Highways Administrator Mary Peters and Federal Transit Deputy Administrator Robert Jamison discussed aspects of their Department’s report, The Status of the Nation’s Highways, Bridges, and Transit: Conditions and Performance, which is traditionally prepared every two years. The full report has yet to be delivered to Congress, but the witnesses expected its submission in the near future.

        The Subcommittee will use the report as a tool to draft legislation reauthorizing the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA 21), which expires next year.

        Kate Siggerud of the General Accounting Office (GAO) also appeared before the Subcommittee to discuss a GAO report released in the spring that analyzed the condition of the Interstate Highway System.

“We’ve Made Real Improvements In Our Transportation Infrastructure, But It’s Clear That We Have Much More To Do” – Chairman Petri

        “It was clear from the hearing that we’ve made real improvements in our transportation infrastructure, thanks to the increased funding in TEA 21,” said Subcommittee Chairman Tom Petri (R-WI).  “But it’s also clear that we have much more to do.  The economy’s lifeblood flows through our transportation system, and we have to pay attention to that if we want vigorous economic growth.”

DOT Officials Outline Improvements Under TEA 21

        According to Administrator Peters, this edition of the Conditions and Performance Report will be the first to measure the impact of TEA 21’s significant boost to transportation investment.  The report finds that total highway expenditures at all levels of government increased 25 percent between 1997 and 2000.

        “The increased Federal funding levels for highway capital investment under TEA 21 through 2000 have been matched and exceeded by increases in State and local investment,” said Peters.  “This is a very important point.  State and local governments did not simply substitute Federal funds for their own during this robust economic period.  Instead, they poured billions of additional dollars into transportation projects beyond the minimum increases necessary to meet Federal matching requirements.”

        In addition to higher levels of investment, recent years have also seen an overall improvement in the physical quality of highway and bridge infrastructure, and a decrease in the fatality rate on our nation’s highways, according to the report.

        Deputy Administrator Jamison outlined recent favorable trends in transit as well.  “Record levels of investment in transit by Federal, State, and local governments have improved transit conditions and increased transit capacity and utilization in America,” said Jamison.  “Between 1990 and 2000, total transit capital investment spending doubled, from $4.5 billion to $9.1 billion.

        “Every trip on public transportation helps reduce road congestion and automotive emissions, and contributes to meeting local air quality goals.  The Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA) and TEA 21 have played an important role maintaining and improving the condition and performance of America’s transit systems.  This, in turn, has played an important role in attracting passengers to transit,” said Jamison.

Despite Infrastructure Improvements, Congestion Has Worsened

        However, according to the Conditions and Performance Report, not all aspects of highway and transit transportation have improved in recent years.

        “Despite record levels of funding, however, operational performance - measured by congestion - worsened throughout the country,” said Peters.  “Congestion increased in metropolitan areas of every size.  FHWA’s analysis of highway and bridge needs and investment requirements suggests that future funding continue to address system preservation needs, but that increases be reoriented toward system expansion to reduce user costs and enhance system performance.”

Projected Needs For Highways And Transit Systems

        “The average annual investment level under the Cost to Maintain Highways and Bridges is projected to be $75.9 billion for 2001 through 2020, which is 17.5 percent larger than the $64.6 billion of capital spending in 2000,” said Peters.  “The average annual investment level under the Cost to Improve Highways and Bridges Scenario is projected to be $106.9 billion for 2001 through 2020, stated in constant year 2000 dollars.  This is 65.3 percent higher than the $64.6 billion of total capital investments by all levels of government in 2000.”

        “The Cost to Maintain Transit is estimated at $14.84 billion per year,” said Jamison.  “This represents the estimated average annual capital cost for the 20-year period from 2001 to 2021 to maintain transit conditions and performance expressed in year 2000 dollars from all sources.  The Cost to Improve Transit is estimated at $20.62 billion per year.”

        These investment levels represent combined funding from federal, state, local, and private sources.

GAO Report Outlines Challenges For Maintaining Interstate System

        The GAO earlier this year reported similar findings on the status of the Interstate System - its overall condition is relatively good but challenges in coming years loom.

        “The Interstate highways will face increasing traffic and congestion, given the comparatively small growth in lane miles,” said Siggerud.  “Therefore, federal, state, and local government officials will face many challenges as they work to assure that the Interstate component of the nation’s transportation system continues to provide efficient travel and remain in relatively good condition, given uncertain economic conditions.  In particular, these challenges include:

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