SECTION: CAPITOL HILL HEARING TESTIMONY

LENGTH: 902 words

COMMITTEE: HOUSE TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE

SUBCOMMITTEE: HIGHWAY AND TRANSIT

HEADLINE: HIGHWAY PROGRAM OVERSIGHT

TESTIMONY-BY: JOSEPH L. PERKINS,, COMMISSIONER OF THE

AFFILIATION: ALASKA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC FACILITIES

BODY:
Testimony of

Commissioner Joseph L. Perkins, Commissioner of the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities

To The House Subcommittee on Highways and Transit of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

November 1, 2001

Thank you, Mr. Chairman and distinguished members of the committee. My name is Joe Perkins. I am the Commissioner of the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities. I am here today representing, not only the great state of Alaska, but also the 18 member states that make up WASHTO - the Western Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. I want to first clearly state that the Transportation Equity Act For the 21St Century, TEA-21, has been a resounding success for Alaska and the West. TEA-21 provided unprecedented levels of much needed funding for highways and transit, expanded flexibility for state usage of the funding, and guaranteed that the federal gasoline taxes are utilized for construction and operation of our nation's transportation systems.

These three tenets -increased funding, flexibility, and the firewalls - were crucial to the success of TEA-21. Let me give you some examples of projects in my part of the country that illustrate my point.

Last year in my home state, we completed the Whittier Tunnel project. This $90 million project converted a 2.5 mile-long train tunnel to the city and port of Whittier into the first dual use Auto and Train tunnel in North America. Its unique engineering and construction has garnered 10 national awards, including the AASHTO 2000 President's Transportation Award and the 2001 Nation's Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement Award by the American Society of Civil Engineers Award. The tunnel is expected to provide traffic flow of approximately 140,000 vehicles and 531,000 people this year. It also serves as an intermodal connector to our state ferries terminal in Whittier. In addition, toll charges are expected to cover $3.8 million in yearly operating and loan repayment costs.

In New Mexico, Highway 44 is the primary trade and tourist route to the state's northwest quadrant. A 120-mile stretch of Highway 44 is being widened to four lanes using TEA-21 design, construction management and financing ideas. This project, which ordinarily would have taken 27 years and many phases to build, is slated for completion in just 3 years. Accelerated construction and innovations such as a first-in-thenation 20-year warranty and the use of GARVEE bonds will save more than $100 million.

In Utah, the nation's largest design-build highway project was undertaken in preparation for the Olympics. The $1.6 billion I-15 Corridor Reconstruction Project upgraded the corridor from six lanes to twelve, constructed or reconstructed 142 bridges, and improved 7 urban interchanges and three connections with other major interstates, including I-80 and I215. Due to the new construction techniques, the project was completed in just over half of the normal construction time, and is now open and ready to handle the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.

These three projects would not have happened without the increased funding, the flexibility, the RABA guarantees, and the new innovative financing methods contained in TEA-21.

In addition to the construction of new highways, TEA-21 has spurred growth in transit system implementation and expansion.

In Alaska, we have recently partnered with state and local social service agencies to institute new transit service in three areas of our state - the Matanuska-Susitna Valley, Kenai, and Kodiak Island. This service has proved invaluable in helping social service agencies meet their goals in implementing new welfare-to- work programs. These are not your typical city busses or trains. These are coordinated transportation systems that use both public and private non-profit resources. I have heard story after story about how these systems have helped get unemployed workers to training, children to daycare, and new workers to jobs.

In Portland, the expansion of the NiAX light rail system to the airport was recently completed and is now operating. This project exemplifies the intermodal emphasis and funding flexibility of TEA-21. This $125 million plus project included federal, local and private funds. The project, completed with its unique public- private partnership, has spurred revitalization and economic development along its corridor, and has improved access to the airport.

I could go on with example after example of projects like these that tell the tale of TEA-21. Instead I will close by saying that TEA-21 has been, in my opinion, the single most successful transportation program since the creation of the Interstate Highway System and the Federal Highway Trust Fund. The vision shown by Congress in adopting TEA-21 has produced the intended results - America's highways and bridges are in better condition than ever before; transit ridership has increased to the highest level in 40 years; the use of seat belts, child safety seats, and air bags has improved, while drunk driving has been reduced; and major investments have been made to make projects more environmentally friendly and to provide transportation alternatives for pedestrians and bicyclists.

Thank you for your continued support of our nation's transportation systems.



LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2001