Langevin: RI Must Invest In Transportation
Monday, May 23, 2011
With federal programs facing across the board cuts, it shouldn’t come as much of surprise that transportation funding also takes a hit. Paul Ryan (R-WI1), the House Budget Committee Chairman's budget cuts transportation funding by more than 30%.
But Congressman James Langevin (D-RI2) says improving transportation is the key to more jobs, greater efficiency and the way to attract new business to the Ocean State. Langevin recently met with Federal Highway Administrator Victor Mendez, who was in Rhode Island last week for a forum recognizing the importance of transportation in so many facets of life.
Langevin: Strong Infrastructure Is Critical
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTLangevin said a strong transportation infrastructure is essential for the state.
“I appreciate Administrator Mendez coming to Rhode Island and engaging with leaders in our community,” Langevin said. “A strong transportation infrastructure is critical for our state’s entrepreneurs to compete nationally and globally. Making improvements and increasing transportation choices will mean immediate construction jobs and a better overall system that attracts more business in the future.”
Must Be On The Same Page
With billions of dollars in transportation funding at stake, Langevin said it is important to make sure the Obama administration is ready to help the state use its resources effectively.
“In a time of difficult fiscal constraints, the public and private sectors must be on the same page to maximize our resources,” he said. “We need to make sure top Administration officials, like Administrator Mendez, who understand these issues so well, see our unique challenges and work with us to develop solutions.”
Langevin pointed to a recent study conducted by the Urban Land Institute, which said the United States was falling behind other developed countries when it comes to transportation infrastructure and that it would cost trillions for the nation to catch up.
“The Urban Land Institute recently estimated that our country must invest $2 trillion to rebuild deteriorating roads, bridges, water lines, sewage systems, and dams and the challenge is especially great in New England, where we have some of the oldest infrastructure in the nation,” he said.
Senator DiPalma: We Can’t Rely On Feds
The Urban Land Institute’s study suggested the Republicans’ plan to cut transportation funding was shortsighted. It said slashing funding would pass the problem on to states and municipalities, many of which are facing their own budget shortfalls.
State Senator Lou DiPalma, who has been at the forefront on transportation issues in Rhode Island, said the state can’t rely on the federal funding. He agreed with Langevin, saying the infrastructure is vital for creating jobs.
“Transportation equals economic development,” DiPalma said. “It is critical we address RI’s transportation challenge and establish sustainable transportation funding solutions. Given our federal budget pressures, we cannot rely on the federal highway trust fund to provide the needed resources.”
Commission Studying Transportation Funding
DiPalma co-chairs a commission created in the Senate to study transportation funding with Senator Juan Pichardo. The commission hears presentations on the future of federal funding and federal transportation funding trends, transportation funding initiatives in other states and options appropriate to Rhode Island.
“The Commission will be making its recommendations with the most appropriate means to address RI’s transportation funding challenges in the coming weeks,” DiPalma said.
A Top Priority
Langevin said transportation funding must be a top priority for Rhode Island.
“We have no choice but to push for immediate investments,” he said. “Underfunding our transportation system, whether at the federal, state or local level, simply means pushing the costs onto someone else or dealing with the problem after a disaster happens.”
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