Washington, D.C. —The following is a statement from Randall (Randy) S. Over, P.E., president of The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) on the GROW AMERICA Act:
“We need bold leadership at all levels of government if we are going to solve America’s infrastructure deficit, and today’s four-year draft bill from the U.S. Department of Transportation appears to be a positive step. We welcome efforts to create more robust infrastructure investments that move our country away from simply maintaining the funding and investments of the past. We also applaud the continued streamlining of project approval processes so we can deliver projects on time and on budget, and improved project financing.
“The title of the draft bill could not be more appropriate – maintaining and modernizing our nation’s infrastructure enables thriving interstate commerce, job creation, and will quite literally ‘GROW’ America.
“Inaction or continued short-term solutions will continue to cost American families and businesses. When our roads prevent trucks from getting from Point A to Point B to deliver goods, our nation suffers. When our ports can’t keep pace with the realities of international commerce, our nation falls behind. Deficient roads, bridges, and ports hurt our GDP, our ability to create jobs, our disposable income, and our competitiveness with other nations. ASCE estimates that deficient and unreliable surface transportation will cost each American family $1,090 a year in personal disposable income by the year 2020.
“Any reauthorization of MAP-21 must be focused on modernizing our transportation infrastructure network in order to build a 21st century economy. The American Society of Civil Engineers, representing more than 145,000 civil engineers, believes the authorization should focus on three goals for surface transportation: expanding infrastructure investment and finding sustainable revenue solutions for the Highway Trust Fund; continuing the meaningful reforms started in MAP-21; and positioning our nation to build strategically for the future.
“ASCE is disappointed that long term sustainable revenue sources for the Fund were not identified, and we urge Congress to take immediate action to identify long-term revenue solutions for the Highway Trust Fund to avert this impending insolvency crisis.
“We look forward to a more thorough review of the proposal, and it is our hope that the Administration and Congress will work together to advance the policy and the funding needed to keep our transportation system working for our economy.”
Founded in 1852, the American Society of Civil Engineers represents more than 145,000 civil engineers worldwide and is America’s oldest national engineering society. For more information, visit www.asce.org.
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I would change our position to make it truely sustainable.
Sustainability is not only to highways; and engineers (and at least civil Engineers) not only just buid highways; you need add language about the 3 tiers of transportation: city-wide (transit, small roads, light-rail, streetcars); regional (commuter trains; highways); inter-city (Highways, high-speed rail and airports). ALL THAT NEEDS FUNDING; and in fact, I don’t think any extra or widening of highways should be consider before studying land-use or rezoning first. That is true sustainability.
Correct me if I am wrong, but my understanding is this proposal includes granting the states an almost unlimited power to charge tolls on the interstate. I find this particularly egregious, and an inappropriate tradeoff for not raising income taxes. To me this would be another step toward increasing the gap between the “1%” and the rest of the country, as the burden would shift to those who tend to use and rely on the interstate the most, but who may well be less able to afford the additional expense required in order to utilize what usually is the more efficient way to travel from point A to point B.