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Transportation News June 26, 2009

Infrastructure Authority Legislation -- Finally
Infrastructure authority legislation to help facilitate the construction of some $12 billion-plus in mega highway projects passed the General Assembly this week. The legislation will allow the Louisville bridges project and the I-69 bridge project near Henderson to move forward. The legislation also provides for the creation of authorities to manage other $500 million-plus Interstate or Interstate-type projects within Kentucky.

Highway Program Takes an Unexpected $25 Million Hit
In an effort to help automobile dealers sell new cars, the General Assembly has adopted tax credit legislation that will result in a $25 million reduction in funding for an already seriously strapped highway program. However, Senate President David Williams said the Senate is "committed in January to try to make the Road Fund whole" and will "encourage the House" to go along. Not replacing the funding will mean more state projects are slowed or stopped.

Reauthorization Heats Up as Groups Push Administration to Action
Forty-three House Democrats, this week, urged President Obama to drop the Administration’s plan to delay transportation reauthorization. In a letter to Obama, the members of the U. S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure said they are "profoundly disappointed" with the president's plan to extend transportation funding at current levels for 18 months. The House Ways & Means Subcommittees on Select Revenue Measures and Oversight this week started the review process for highway and transit investment needs.

Transportation News June 22, 2009

Outcome for Important Legislation Uncertain
Infrastructure authority legislation to help facilitate the construction of the state’s mega highway projects passed the House on Wednesday by a vote of 89-9 and the Senate on Friday by a vote of 32-0 with one pass. While the provisions for the authority are virtually the same in both House and Senate versions, they are, unfortunately, in two different bills. Observers are apprehensive the expected showdown this week between the House and Senate on whether or not expanded gaming is the best way to generate additional funds to meet General Fund needs and the best way to preserve the Kentucky horse industry could have an impact on authority and other economic development legislation.

Cabinet Presents Projected $239 Million Cutback in Program
The Transportation Cabinet, last week, gave the House Budget Review Subcommittee on Transportation its recommended revision to deal with a projected $239.1 shortfall in FY 10 Road Fund revenue. The budget revision is the result of the recent projection by the Consensus Forecasting Group for FY 10 Road Fund revenue to come in at $1.166 billion compared to the budgeted $1.405 billion. The FY 10 cutback follows a $96 million downward revision for the current year.

T&I Committee Proposes $500 Billion Surface Program
The U. S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, last Thursday, released a white paper outlining plans for the new surface transportation authorization bill that envisions a $500 billion six-year program -- $337 billion for highways, $12.6 billion for safety, $99.8 billion for transit, and $50 billion for high-speed rail. Leaders denounce USDOT Secretary Ray LaHood’s call for postponement of a six-year highway reauthorization bill and instead the enactment of an 18-month reauthorization.

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