NEW: Sen. Reed Says Transportation Bill will Bring $515 Million to RI
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
U.S. Senator Jack Reed estimates the transportation bill moving through Congress could provide Rhode Island with about $515 million over the next two years to help create jobs improving the state’s roads, bridges, buses, and trains.
Later today, the U.S. Senate is poised to pass a $109 billion surface transportation bill that will help fund highway and transit programs and give Rhode Island greater flexibility over how it spends federal transportation dollars.
“This is a smart investment in creating construction jobs and improving Rhode Island’s roads, bridges, and bus system. With more Rhode Islanders depending on public transportation, this federal funding will help give RIPTA and RIDOT the resources they need to provide equipment for safe and reliable bus and commuter rail service,” said Reed, who helped author a key portion of the bill that will provide Rhode Island over $30.5 million in federal mass transit funding in 2012, an increase of more than 10% ($3.7 million) over last year.
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The Senate transportation bill includes a provision backed by Senator Reed to allow larger transit systems serving areas with high unemployment to use a portion of their federal funding to pay for operations for two years – three if unemployment worsens. Currently, the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) and other large transit systems are prohibited from using their federal funding for operations. This will provide a temporary opportunity for transit agencies to maintain service during tough economic times.
The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) is projected to receive an average of $227 million a year for highways, roads, and bridges. Last year the state received $226.9 million. Rhode Island will continue to receive more than $3 in federal funding for every dollar paid in federal gas taxes.
Congress needs to approve an extension to federal transportation projects before the end of March, or the government will lose the authority to spend money on infrastructure projects.
The U.S. House of Representatives is on recess this week, but Majority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) has conceded the House plan to gut public transportation lacks support and signaled he will allow a vote on the bipartisan Senate version of the bill.
A 2008 report from the U.S. Department of Transportation estimates at least $50 billion a year is needed to improve America’s roads and bridges. And over $15 billion annually should be invested to keep our transit systems in safe, working order and able to keep up with growing demand. And a recent report from the transportation advocacy group “Transportation for America” found that Rhode Island has the 4th highest rate of structurally deficient bridges in the nation that are in need of improvement.
The Senate is in the process of voting on more than 20 amendments to the bill today and final passage is expected tonight. The bill must then be approved by the U.S. House of Representatives before it can be sent to the President to be signed into law.
