Infrastructure in the News: New Jersey screeches to a halt, Georgia and Louisiana surge ahead
July 8th, 2016 | By: Olivia Wolfertz
With July’s heat, construction projects should be in full swing and you’re probably considering a vacation. Wouldn’t it be nice to have an extra $3,400 in your bank account to plan a trip with? Well, as ASCE’s new Failure to Act economic study video shows, if we improved our infrastructure every American family could save $9 a day. Watch the video that details the high costs of underinvesting in our nation’s infrastructure and the solution to close the gap. New Jersey’s postponed decision to address the looming insolvency of its state transportation trust fund has resulted in a halt of dozens of transportation projects. Gov. Christie’s office released the seven-page list of projects that are on hold until a bill is passed. An opinion piece in the Washington Post echoes the frustration that New Jersey residents are experiencing and tells the state “Yo… you don’t have to cut a tax to raise a tax,” a debate at the center of passing a bill. The situation in New Jersey parallels that of the federal government which has also not increased its gas tax in 23 years. Mississippi is another state in a funding bind, as a recently proposed solution for much-needed highway improvements fizzled away, in spite of compelling arguments for investment. According to a study by the National Center for Pavement Preservation, maintenance costs can multiply to anywhere from six to 14 times what it would have cost if preservation work had been done within 15 years of a road’s construction. Once again, this illustrates we can invest now, or we can pay more later. In contrast to New Jersey and Mississippi, many states including Georgia and Louisiana are moving ahead with transportation projects due to intentionally raised state funds and contribution from the FASTLANE grants, which are part of the federal FAST Act. While these grants bring promising infrastructure maintenance and show what investment can do, they are also a reminder that our federal Highway Trust Fund is still without a fix that offers long-term, sustainable funding.Infrastructure in the News: Summer Infrastructure Priorities
June 24th, 2016 | By: Olivia Wolfertz
With the start of summer, Congress is eyeing a long recess and construction season is in full swing, drawing increased attention to our surface transportation and water infrastructure needs. It is no secret to the American public that our infrastructure greatly needs TLC. That is why states like New Jersey are fighting so hard to get a transportation budget passed that would increase the state gas tax and provide a 10-year, $20 billion plan to invest in roads, bridges, rail and other infrastructure. It also explains why states like Wisconsin, Illinois and Tennessee are lamenting their lack of funding for much needed infrastructure improvement projects. Even in our nation’s capital, the subway system is undergoing tedious maintenance and the iconic Memorial Bridge is facing potential closure in five years due to increased vulnerability and lack of maintenance, and not enough funding to fix it. On a more positive note, there are many states that are making steps toward not only funding their infrastructure but advancing and innovating their cities. In fact, the city of Columbus, Ohio, recently beat out 77 other cities to win the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Smart City challenge, which awarded them $40 million to kick off new transportation strategies. ASCE’s Gamechangers report lists a myriad of inspirational, innovative infrastructure accomplishments that remind us what can be accomplished when we make the investment. Speaking of moving forward, remind your Senators to pass the Water Resources Development Act of 2016 (WRDA; S.2848) before they recess for the summer, which would authorize funding for our nation’s flood control, navigation and ecosystem restoration projects. Because water infrastructure is so critical to our nation’s health and prosperity, passing this legislation would be a great step forward in preserving our water resources and more than 90 groups came together this week to share that sentiment with the Senate via a letter.New Jersey Legislators Introduce Bills to Fix the Transportation Trust Fund
June 21st, 2016 | By: Infrastructure Report Card
Only a few days after the release of the 2016 Report Card for New Jersey’s Infrastructure, the political debate over saving the State’s soon to be insolvent Transportation Trust Fund (TTF) looms over both the New Jersey Senate and General Assembly. Yesterday, legislators in both chambers introduced identical bills to replenish the Fund, from which the State pays for maintenance, repairs and construction for transportation infrastructure. If the legislature does not act, the state’s Transportation Trust Fund will become insolvent on July 1. The bills, introduced by Sens. Paul Sarlo (D-Bergen) and Steve Oroho (R-Sussex), and by Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto (D-Hudson), are a welcome step towards recommitting public investment to the Transportation Trust Fund. The long-awaited legislative proposals call to fund the TTF with $20 billion over the next decade, and doubles municipal infrastructure aid to $400 million per year. If the legislation is successful, revenue for these long-term programs will come from an update to New Jersey’s outdated gas tax, which has lost a third of its purchasing power since it was last increased in 1988. The bills introduced yesterday in Trenton would increase the gas tax by 23 cents per gallon, and impose an approximately 13 cents per gallon tax on jet fuel. Offsetting the consumer costs of these new taxes would be the discontinuation of the New Jersey estate tax, greater tax exemptions for retirement income and low-income workers, and a new tax deduction for contributions to charities. The 2016 Report Card gave New Jersey’s roads, bridges, and transit grades of D+, D+ and D-, respectively. Among the most alarming statistics about transportation infrastructure found in the report is that 42% of New Jersey’s roadways are deficient, which means over 16,000 miles of roads are rough, distressed or cracked. Equally glaring is the state of New Jersey’s bridges. 1 in 11 are categorized as “structurally deficient,” and over 40% of all New Jersey bridges are expected to soon require improvements or complete replacement. As the most density populated state and a vital corridor between Philadelphia and New York City, New Jersey’s economic health and public welfare demand that the state prioritize investment in transportation infrastructure. Fixing the Transportation Trust Fund with a long-term solution is imperative to adequately addressing the infrastructure challenges highlighted by the 2016 Report Card for New Jersey’s Infrastructure. New Jersey’s lawmakers need to pass the bills before them immediately to protect the Transportation Trust Fund. Use #FixNJTrustFund on Twitter to call for action, and check out the full 2016 Report Card for New Jersey’s Infrastructure.Infrastructure in the News: Embracing Challenges and Moving Forward
June 17th, 2016 | By: Olivia Wolfertz
With the release of New Jersey’s state infrastructure report card, we are reminded how our nation’s overall infrastructure needs impact the everyday lives of citizens and state-specific needs. The state’s Transportation Trust Fund is heading toward bankruptcy by July 1 unless state legislators act. New Jersey residents can write their elected officials here and ask them to #FixNJTrustFund. When it comes to localities, it can be difficult to prioritize which infrastructure needs the most urgent repairs given limited funding and deferred maintenance backlogs. In Santa Monica, Calif., the city has made an effort to get a jump on things by investing resources in for infrastructure that doesn’t quite need an emergency fix in order to save money and headache down the road. “And the better you do at investing in your infrastructure, the more resources you have to continue investing in your infrastructure. And the opposite is just as true: The more you skimp on your infrastructure, the fewer resources you have to invest in your deferred maintenance,” Rick Cole, Santa Monica’s city manager. A less-commonly reported on example of where this underinvestment is true is in our school facilities. An op-ed in Politico recently exposed how many school facilities are outdated and need repairs, also evident in the Report Card’s “D” grade for school facilities. The US Green Building Council recently reported that over $45 billion in additional funding is needed annually to upgrade and maintain our schools to ensure health and safety. Like all infrastructure, school facilities that don’t receive regular maintenance acquire much costlier investment needs down the line. Fortunately the poor condition of our nation’s infrastructure has reached the ears of our top presidential candidates as both Clinton and Trump have agreed to make aging infrastructure a priority in their first 100 days in office. A column in The Hill elaborated on the importance of infrastructure in the upcoming election, featuring No Labels’ Policy Playbook for America’s Next President, supporting three infrastructure ideas that received 63-75 percent public support depending on the policy suggestion. In order to improve our infrastructure it is important that local, state and federal governments work together to find long-term, sustainable funding solutions that enable us to improve our nation’s infrastructure.New Jersey Report Card Coming Next Week
June 8th, 2016 | By: Becky Moylan
With only a few weeks left before New Jersey’s Transportation Trust Fund goes insolvent, the Report Card for New Jersey’s Infrastructure will be released on Thursday, June 16 to underscore the importance to #FixNJTrustFund with a sustainable, long-term funding solution.
The report will grade surface transportation categories of bridges, rail, roads, and transit, along with dams, drinking water, energy, hazardous waste, levees, parks & recreation, ports, solid waste, and wastewater.
The event will be released to the media via a conference call at 10 a.m. and at a rally at the state capitol hosted by Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto. For additional information contact reportcard@asce.org.
Stay tuned for additional details, the release of the grades, and (hopefully) the resolution to the Transportation Trust Fund crisis in the coming days and weeks.
Raising Revenue for Infrastructure: Who will be next?
April 14th, 2015 | By: Maria Matthews
Whether it’s been increased, decreased, or frozen the 2015 legislative session has seen a high level of activity from states attempting to modify their gas tax to keep up with their infrastructure needs. We’re keeping a close eye on the nearly 40 states that are still in session and hopeful they will vote “yes” for infrastructure time and again. Among the states to watch closely are Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, South Carolina and Washington. All have hinted they might take action this year. Here’s what to expect and watch for:- Michigan has put its funding decision in the hands of voters. They’re being asked to go to the polls on May 5th to raise the sales tax by 1% and increase vehicle registration fees. The legislature doesn’t adjourn until December so in the event the ballot measure fails, the state lawmakers will likely head back to the drawing board.
- Nebraska’s legislature is two rounds of voting away from a phased in 6-cent per gallon increase. The bill may meet opposition from the Governor, if it clears the legislature. Its next hurdle would then be a veto override.
- New Jersey is in the unusual position of having to raise revenues to preserve its Transportation Trust Fund The fund is expected to run dry sometime this summer and will indeed impact the way The Garden State maintains its highways and bridges.
- South Carolina has a number of proposals on the table. More importantly than the number of options being considered is the fact that the Legislature and the Governor will need to find common ground when it comes to raising additional revenue for roads. In her State of the State Address, Governor Nikki Haley indicated she would support no more than a 10-cent per gallon tax increase and only if there were offsets in other areas to keep the state competitive with its neighbors.
- Washington state’s legislature has proposed an 11-cent per gallon increase as part of a larger transportation funding package that would also increase a number of driver fees. With a projected adjournment date just around the corner, April 26, hopefully they will finish their work with decisive action for transportation investment.
Tags: Michigan, Nebraska, New Jersey, South Carolina, state, state government, Washington
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