1、LOSTENO PIEROCA REPORT ON MSHBOS TEA- BdOATlON WEGBONAL FORUMS AMERICAN ASSOCIA TE HIGHWAY AND T RA N s PO RTAT=W-NA - F F I c I A L s c H I CAG o SAN ANBOND NASHVILLE Report prepared under the direction of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials by Donald H. Camph, Al
2、daron, Inc. January 2003 I I NTRO D U CTI O N / ISTEA ushered in a new era of how America goes about creating its transportation future. ISTEAs central elements - strategic infrastructure investment, intermodalism, flexibility, intergovernmental partnership, a strong commitment to safety and the env
3、ironment, and an inclusive decision-making process - provided the platform from which innumerable policies, programs and projects have been launched by our state and local partners. “Sometimes it is about asphalt, concrete and steel. ” - Mary Peters,Administrator, FHWA The Transportation Equity Act
4、for the 21st Century (TEA-21) continued the national transportation policy directions established by the ISTEA, and also made important refinements. TEA-21 increased federal investment in highways and transit close to 40 percent - highways were guaranteed at $168 billion and transit at $36 billion o
5、ver a six-year period. This boost in federal assistance has enabled states, counties and cities to accelerate repairs to highways and add needed capacity. New transit rail service and modernized bus fleets funded through TEA-21 have helped transit ridership reach record levels. Safer facilities have
6、 been built and the rate of fatalities reduced. Access to jobs has improved and environmental enhancements have been built in 15,000 communities. ISTEA and TEA-21 each had an enormous impact on the nations transportation system. Together, they dramatically increased investment in roads and bridges,
7、spurred a revival of public transportation, and helped create a more efficient and interconnected system. ISTEA and TEA-21 are the two pillars of national transportation policy. In 2003, the 108th Congress will tackle the challenges inherent in building upon those pillars and decide how Americas tra
8、nsportation system can continue and enhance its critical role in supporting our economy, our global competitiveness, our national security, and the quality of life in our cities and towns. Much has changed in Congress, including the presence of a large number of new members, since TEA-21 became law.
9、 Leadership on key committees has changed. New competing public priorities - such as the need for increased security against terrorism - are part of the current landscape. “Quality is remembered long after price is forgotten, and the genius of Americas transportation system is its quality. We must b
10、e willing to pay the price to keep and enhance the quality of our nations transportation systems. ” -Joseph Krier, President, San Antonio Chamber of Commerce As a result, it is critically important that Congress hear from the participants in the transportation debate - not only state and local elect
11、ed officials, but also business people, and community activists. To achieve this goal, in the fall of 2002 AASHTO held a series of regional forums on the subject of TEA-21 reauthorization to solicit the views of our state and local partners and of a diverse representation of the stakeholders in Amer
12、icas transportation system. This report presents the results of those forums. Throughout the course of this outreach effort, we heard a lot about what people think is important. We heard about how an investment in transportation is an investment in Americas future, how we need to improve safety, and
13、 to improve the quality of life in our cities and towns. Regional forums LISTENING TO AMERICA I were held in Baltimore, San Antonio, Chicago and Nashville, and in all these places we heard five consistent themes: W Stimulate the Economy Witnesses indicated that states in every region are facing a fi
14、scal crisis. State revenues are down because the economy is down. What is needed short term is an economic stimulus to get the economy moving again. Boosting the user-fee funded transportation program may be just what the economy needs. Under AASHTOs proposal, highway and transit programs would incr
15、ease by $5 billion each of the next two years. That stimulus could create over 200,000 jobs. “Everyone who is interested in keeping America moving needs to come together to press for more investment in our transportation infrastructure. In reality, this is not government expenditure, it is governmen
16、t investment in our economic well-being and our quality-of-life. ” - Senator Paul Sarbanes (D-MD) “While America has benefited greatly from having a strong transportation network on which we can move our people and goods, we are now at a crossroads. Will we make the investment necessary to support a
17、 growing economy, or will we allow our transportation infrastructure to deteriorate to the point that it impedes growth?” - Representative Thomas Petri (R-WI) W TEA-2 I Works There is broad national consensus that TEA-21s basic program structure should be retained. TEA-2 1s firewalls providing guara
18、nteed funding levels for highways and transit and its 90.5 percent minimum guarantee for each state are widely viewed as facilitating better long-term planning and better overall management of state and regional transportation investment strategies. “TEA-21 benefitted all the States; now we need to
19、increase the size of the pie again. Moreover, we need additional resources at all levels of government if were to keep up with demand. ” - John W. Johnson, Chairman,Texas Transportation Commission W Investment in Transportation Is an Investment in Americas Future Elected and business leaders alike v
20、iew increased investment in our transportation systems as being necessary to ensure economic recovery and growth, homeland security and quality of life. While there is general recognition that TEA-21s record funding levels made possible many essential investments, there is widespread concern that th
21、ere remains a significant gap between needs and available resources. Further, there is the feeling that the Revenue Aligned Budget Authority (RABA) mechanism has been very beneficial for states in terms of assuring access to additional resources, but that RABA needs to be adjusted to avoid radical s
22、wings in spending levels. The bot- tom line is that higher levels of funding are required if our transportation systems are to do their job of sustaining a strong economy and meeting the mobility needs of all citizens. “We need to take a multi-modal, systems approach toward finding the right mix of
23、modes to move freight efficiently: highways, air, rail and water must all be given consideration. ” - John Porcari, Former Secretary, Maryland DOT 2 TRANSPORTATION - INVEST IN AMERICA H Finding the Right Mix There is general recognition that the individual transportation modes are interdependent, an
24、d that we need to take a multi-modal approach to relieve congestion and move freight efficiently. Many believe, however, that states and localities are hampered in this regard by rigidities in federal funding categories. People who testified at the AASHTO regional forums spoke in favor of expanded e
25、ligibility and greater flexibility of funding rather than establishing new set-asides, subcategories or suballocations. Flexibility and Partnerships Remain Key to Tapping the Full Potential of TEA-2 I Across the board, we heard about the need for increased flexibility to enable us to respond to diff
26、erent circumstances and changing needs. And we heard how partnerships are a crucial tool in taking advantage of the flexibility TEA-21 offers. TEA-21 sustained planning processes that take into account a broad array of factors, including community goals, economic development, improved access to tran
27、sportation, and environmental protection. Although these planning processes are generally viewed as being sound, the prevalent view is that state and local officials must be given the flexibility necessary to adapt these processes to fit specific circumstances. “Flexibility is a key issue for us. We
28、 need to be able to fill gaps in the Interstate sys- tem, preserve the existing system, and deal with our rural roads as well. ” - Fred Van Kirk, Secretary, West Virginia DOT During the AASHTO regional forums we heard how transportation partnerships have been formed all across America. We were told
29、that these partnerships, both public and private, have discovered innovative ways to address diverse transportation issues, ranging from freight movement, to safety, and pedestrian mobility. We were told how partners have brought new perspectives and new energy to the transportation decision-making
30、process, and have organized to address a variety of issues, such as environmental quality, economic development, and the link between transportation and land use. In all of the AASHTO regional forums, we heard about the importance of transportation to economic development and job creation, and to Am
31、ericas competitiveness in international markets. Through it all, we heard one clear and consistent message - the policy vision of ISTEA and the landmark fiscal provisions of TEA-2lare working to make 21st century America a better place for Americans to work, to grow their businesses, and to raise th
32、eir families. We also heard that, as always, there are opportunities for improvement, but there is no sentiment for wholesale changes. Across the board, we were told that the legislation that will reauthorize TEA-21 should be an evolution, not a revolution in national transportation policy. “Our pri
33、orities for TEA-2 I reauthorization are as simple as ABC; we need: J To have the Ability to have flexibility in how the state makes its funding decisions; J To Build on and make people aware of the successes of TEA-21; and J To have Consistent and predictable levels of funding to do good planning.”
34、- J. Bryan Nicol, Commissioner, Indiana Department of Transportation LISTENING TO AMERICA 3 PART I ISTEA AND TEA-2 I: THETWO PILLARS OF U.S. TRANSPORTATION POLICY ?ISTEA and TEA-2 I have been the most important national transportation policies to-date because they promote integration and balance amo
35、ng all surface transportation modes. ? - Eric Beyer, Executive Director, Nashville RTA The First Pillar: ISTEA ISTEA established a new set of program principles: building partnerships with local and state officials to advance strategic goals for transportation investment; flexibility in the use of f
36、unds; a commitment to strengthening intermodal connections; deployment of new information technologies; and a heightened sensitivity to the positive impact that transportation has on our quality of life and on the shape and character of America?s communities. ISTEA was built on four policy cornersto
37、nes. Economic Development and Competitiveness in Global Markets From its statement of national policy, to its targeting of funds to the national highway system, to its emphases on cost-effective decisions, ISTEA was designed to enhance America?s economic leadership and prosperity. Competitiveness, p
38、rosperity and jobs: these comprise the ISTEA?s first cornerstone. ?One of the major legacies of the 20th century is our nation?s network of Interstates, bridges and arterials. They are critical to our prosperity and symbolize the freedom of being American.? - Henry Hungerbeeler, Director, Missouri D
39、epartment of Transportation Maximizing System Performance The ?E? in ISTEA is efficiency - through better decisions and investments, through innovative financing, through deployment of new technologies, and through a new emphasis on performance. Efficiency is ISTEA?s second cornerstone. Partnerships
40、 and Flexibility in Making Transportation Choices ISTEA empowered state and local governments by shifting decision-making authority to them, and by giving them the flexibility to make sound investment choices. ISTEA also promoted partnerships through diverse means such as a more inclusive planning p
41、rocess and innovative financing strategies that attracted private-sector resources. Partnerships, flexibility and better investment choices: these are ISTEA?S third cornerstone. LISTENING TO AMERICA 5 “Transportation is not just getting in a car and moving around. It is in fact key to our quality of
42、 life and our economic vitality. It touches every single person in the country, as well as those who come to visit, ” - Carol Murray, Commissioner, New Hampshire DOT O Focusing on Outcomes for People and Communities ISTEA focused on transportations bottom line: making America a better place to live.
43、 It emphasized how transportation policy and investment affect safety, the sustainability of communities, and the environment. This focus on outcomes for people is ISTEAs fourth cornerstone. The Second Pillar: TEA-21 The Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) created a new paradigm
44、for funding surface transportation programs. “You cant just build your way out of congestion, but you cant hope your way out of it either. We need to keep building our highway and transit systems to meet the needs of the 2 Ist century. ” - Ei Tinklenberg, Former Commissioner, Minnesota Department of
45、 Transportation O Funding Levels and Program Equity TEA-21 authorized a 40 percent increase over the level authorized by ISTEA. A new minimum guarantee ensured that highway funds were distributed more equitably among the states. New Highway Trust Fund firewalls and guarantees enhanced the ability of
46、 state and local officials to plan, finance and implement their programs. Funding flexibility, first allowed in ISTEA and continued in TEA-21, allowed states and communities to tailor their transportation choices to meet their unique needs. Increased and secure funding is the first cornerstone of TE
47、A-21. “All roads may lead to Rome, but not all roads are in Rome. Federal funding formulas must recognize the unique needs of rural areas, and the role that the transportation system plays in our national goods movement network. ” -Tom Stephens, Director, Nevada Department of Transportation 6 TRANSP
48、ORTATION - INVEST IN AMERICA Safety TEA-2 1 continued and strengthened safety programs across the U.S. Department of Transportation. New incentive programs were aimed at increasing the use of seatbelts and promoting the enactment and enforcement of tougher standards for drunken driving. Since enactm
49、ent of TEA-21, the department has awarded highway safety incentive grants to: encourage proper use of occupant protection devices; reduce alcohol and drug-impaired driving; reduce motorcycle crashes; reduce school bus crashes; improve police traffic services; improve emergency medical services and trauma care systems; increase pedestrian and bicyclist safety; improve traffic record systems; and improve roadway safety. Safety is the second cornerstone of TEA-21. “Reconstruction of our Interstates can be done in ways that are very compatible with our urban areas, and that
