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How
to Fund Transportation without Really Trying
These
six strategies will stretch Virginia
transportation dollars by billions of dollars --
and put off the need for tax increases for years.
The
General Assembly is locked in another fight over
taxes and fees. This time is it centered on
transportation. I am not blind to the need for
taxes, but I believe that increases in taxes and
fees should be at the bottom of the list for
funding options. There ought to be other ways to
find the necessary funding to confront our
transportation problem.
Here
are some suggestions for our elected leaders to
consider:
First,
the state’s private road maintenance contract
should be expanded from the current 250 miles,
which has saved more than $20 million over four
years according to a Virginia Tech study. Delegate
Leo Wardrup, R-Virginia Beach, has introduced legislation
to expand these contracts to all 1,118 miles of Interstate
highway.
Further,
there is no reason not to expand these private
contracts to include the additional 8,074 miles of
the state’s primary roads and the 47,993 miles
of secondary roads as well. If 80 percent of these
additional miles were brought under private
maintenance the savings could be as much as $400
million a year. These funds could be available to
fund many of our transportation needs.
Second,
Public Private Partnerships significantly reduce
the “projected public cost” for construction
and these savings should be factored into the
transportation funding formula. The private sector
seems ready to finance toll roads, toll bridges
and High Occupancy Toll lanes as well as other
projects. Private companies have shown interest in
paying the state for long-term leases for assets
such as the Dulles Toll Road. This one lease could
generate immediate cash of $1 billion or more to
our state for critical transportation needs.
Third,
the state and Northern Virginia should revisit the
Rail to Dulles project and consider a Bus Rapid
Transit system that some experts says would save
$2 billion in public monies, maybe more. A new
head-to- head comparison is needed.
Fourth,
the state should use budget surpluses for
transportation. This would be another $1 billion
or more this year and many billions in the years
ahead as long as the economy doesn’t “tank.”
Fifth,
a few years ago the U.S. House Transportation
Committee released a study showing that federal
regulations and requirements drive up the
construction cost of a transportation project by
30 percent to 40 percent. Earmarked federal
transportation dollars should only go for major
projects such as rebuilding of the Wilson Bridge,
the expansion of Route 81 or for a third crossing
in Virginia Beach.
Other
federal funds should come as a block grant to the
state to be used on a prioritized basis. This
would lower the cost of our transportation needs
by billions of dollars over a twenty-year period.
Our powerful congressional delegation and our
Governor should work on designing such an
innovative funding system. Finally,
reforming VDOT must continue.
Senate
Transportation Committee Chairman Marty Williams
believes that this massive agency can be carved
down to about half of its current employees. The
idea is supported by past VDOT officials. Such a
reform would give us a leaner and more efficient
agency.
These
six ideas do not require additional taxes or
additional fees. If after these efforts are
executed and if additional monies are needed, the
citizens of Virginia would be more willing to
accept tax increases knowing that the Commonwealth
had brought 21st-century strategies to bear on the
“Transportation Crisis.”
--
January 30, 2006
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