SAFETEA-LU and Critical Commerce Corridors

A New Vision & Mission for America's Federal Surface Transportation Program

ARTBA recommendations for SAFETEA-LU Reauthorization:

Critical Commerce Corridors

There is currently no comprehensive strategic initiative to address America's freight challenges and handle the expected doubling of truck traffic in the next 25 years. Once again, strong federal leadership is necesary to fill this policy void. To complement the expanded investments in existing federal highway and transit programs, and to be considered as part of SAFETEA-LU reauthorization, ARTBA is calling for the creation of a bold new program - Critical Commerce Corridors (3C) to provide new surface transportation system capacity and operational improvements exclusively focused on securing the safe and efficient movement of freight.

Testimony

Reports & Studies

Dr. William Buechner media briefing update on stimulus/authorization bill July 27, 2009.

On A Crash Course: The Dangers & Health Costs of Deficient Roadway Conditions

More than half of U.S. highway fatalities are related to deficient roadway conditions – a substantially more lethal factor than drunk driving, speeding or non-use of safety belts – according to a landmark study by the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation (PIRE), which was released July 1, 2009. The study was commissioned by the Transportation Construction Coalition. It also found that 10 roadway-related crashes occur every minute (5.3 million a year) and also contribute to 38 percent of non-fatal injuries.

In revealing that deficiencies in the roadway environment contributed to more than 22,000 fatalities and cost the nation more than $217 billion annually, PIRE concluded that making the roadway environment more protective and forgiving is essential to reducing highway fatalities and costs.

Paying our Way

In February 2009, the congressionally-chartered National Surface Transportation Infrastructure Financing Commission released its final report, which offers a roadmap for sweeping reform of the nation's transportation infrastructure funding and finance framework. The Commission offers specific recommendations for increasing investment in transportation infrastructure while at the same time moving the federal government away from reliance on motor fuel taxes toward more direct fees charged to transportation infrastructure users.

Transportation for Tomorrow

A January 2008 report of the National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission, prepared by a specially convened Commission, meets the charge given under Section 1909 of the Safe Accountable, Flexible and Efficient Transportation Equity Act - A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU). The report includes detailed recommendations for creating and sustaining a pre-eminent surface transportation system in the United States.

Transforming Transportation

According to a September 2007 Government Accountability Office report, the nation's transportation policy has lost focus. The report noted that the nation's overall transportation goals need to be better defined and linked to performance measures that evaluate what the respective policies and programs actually accomplish. They noted that as the federal share of total transportation spending continues to decline, it has become increasingly important that federal transportation policy goals and their link to local decision making and spending be well defined.

Freight Transportation

A January 2008 GAO Report shows number of factors contribute to constrained freight mobility and, together, these factors have significant adverse impacts. First, growing freight transportation demand decreases freight mobility. Volumes of goods shipped by trucks and railroads, for example, are projected to increase by 98 percent and 88 percent, respectively, by 2035. Second, the capacity of our transportation system is constrained by other factors, including the cost of surmounting geographic barriers, such as mountain ranges and waterways, population density, and urban land-use development patterns. Third, freight mobility is limited by inefficiencies in how infrastructure is used, such as poor road signal timing and prices paid by users that do not align with infrastructure costs, resulting in congestion.