The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) is now law. Whether we’re Democrats or Republicans, Liberals or Conservatives, whether we’re cheering its passage or mourning it, it’s time to ensure the $787 billion in the law is spent wisely.
In a past column, I made a few suggestions about how to spend money improving commercial aviation in the U.S. and at the same time reduce our dependency on foreign oil. I offered “green” investment spending suggestions for rail transportation.
The ARRA includes roughly $48.7 billion for transportation projects including $27.5 billion for highway and bridge construction projects and about $17.7 billion for a variety of mass transit projects.
Taking into account our country’s serious highway needs I was still disappointed in the ratio of highway versus mass transportation spending. By spending more on mass transit, we could have stimulated the economy, better assisted the “greening” of the U.S., and reduced our dependency on foreign oil.
The new law contains no spending to replace our World War II-era air traffic network, or for airport construction to improve flight path efficiency, and aircraft holding times in the air and on the ground, which would save fuel and the environment, as well as improve aviation safety.
With more Americans hitting the highways, instead of flying for vacations, thanks to the economy, I’d like to focus on the law’s $27.5 billion for highway and bridge construction projects. Of the $27.5 billion, $40 million is to be spent on oversight which is very much needed.
Experts have pointed out the need to replace countless bridges in the U.S., and do it quickly for safety’s sake. Less than a mile from my house are four bridges in desperate need of replacement. One’s already under construction. Huge chucks of concrete were falling from it to the river and the Interstate highway which ran underneath it. It’s amazing no one was killed from the falling debris.
Along with the thousands of bridges, I’m sure there are many other highway projects needed for safety, but I have serious concerns about how the huge amount of highway funds will be spent.
To start, the law contains the provision that,
Requires states to obligate at least half of the highway/bridge funding within 120 days.
That means the states have three short months to carefully consider how to plan their highway allocation. Does anyone want to bet against me that this provision of the law won’t foster some really poor decision making by the states? I didn’t think so.
According to Colorado DOT spokeswoman Stacy Stegman, like other states, Colorado already has made their decision how to spend their ARRA funds. Their list includes road widening, new passing lanes, new bicycle lanes, new traffic signals, as well as road reconstruction and repaving. Nothing thus far has been allocated to bring Colorado’s highways out of the 50’s and into the 21st century.
I believe Colorado’s plans are an example of missed opportunities.
San Francisco newsman Michael Totty asks us to “Imagine highways that alert motorists of a traffic jam before it forms. Or bridges that report when they’re at risk of collapse.”
Tom Vanderbilt, author of the bestselling book, Traffic: Why We Drive the Way We Do (and What It Says About Us), says,
The Interstate Highway System was a marvel, but we don’t need another. By all means, fix the existing traffic infrastructure — roads, bridges, bottlenecks … Instead of building new roads — which encourage unsustainable development patterns, more vehicular traffic, and are often only fully occupied at a few peak periods — we need to emphasize transit, but also smarter roads: Sensors that detect “non-recurring” traffic disruptions (the cause of an estimated one-third of traffic delays), intelligent traffic signals and variable speed limits and that react to changing conditions, systems that allow “hard shoulders” to be converted into extra traffic lanes, and real-time, occupancy-based tolling and parking programs.
In the next 90 days, states will have little time to create projects which bring our highways past the Eisenhower era, but they do have until next February to determine how to use the remainder of their highway allocations.
Much new highway technology already exists. Traffic signals which warn motorists of upcoming traffic jams and accidents, and suggest alternate routes, road speed sensors which signal a visual display on car navigation systems, via satellite, how traffic is moving on metropolitan area roads so motorists could alter their route, and computerized traffic signal coordination which can speed along traffic on major thoroughfares according to conditions, are just three examples.
We need to upgrade our highways today, with the new technology which can make our roads safer, improve traffic flow, reduce fuel usage and air pollution, and invest in new technology development, which can drive our national highway system into the new century.
After many years working in corporate America as a chemical engineer, executive and eventually CFO of a multinational manufacturer, Ned founded a tech consulting company and later restarted NSL Photography, his photography business. Before entering the corporate world, Ned worked as a Public Health Engineer for the Philadelphia Department of Public Health. As a well known corporate, travel and wildlife photographer, Ned travels the world writing about travel and photography, as well as running photography workshops, seminars and photowalks. Visit Ned’s Photography Blog and Galleries.
