Skip to main content

IBTTA, ARBTA, ATFI comment on latest Grow America Act

The International Bridge, Toll and Turnpike Association (IBTTA) has applauded the Grow America Act 2.0 just released by the US Administration and US DOT. It says that once again, the Administration has boldly called for lifting the ban on Interstate tolling for the purpose of reconstruction, giving states greater flexibility to meet their challenging infrastructure and surface transportation needs. The six-year, US$478 is said to be US$126 billion more than current investment levels and US$238 billion mo
April 2, 2015 Read time: 2 mins
The International Bridge, Toll and Turnpike Association (63 IBTTA) has applauded the Grow America Act 2.0 just released by the US Administration and US DOT. It says that once again, the Administration has boldly called for lifting the ban on Interstate tolling for the purpose of reconstruction, giving states greater flexibility to meet their challenging infrastructure and surface transportation needs.

The six-year, US$478 is said to be US$126 billion more than current investment levels and US$238 billion more than estimated Highway Trust Fund revenues over the period.

In addition, Patrick D. Jones, executive director and CEO of IBTTA stated, “IBTTA fully supports the Administration's proposed requirement that any new toll facilities on Federal-aid highways use non-cash all electronic tolling as of October 1, 2016."

Javier Rodriguez, executive director of the Miami-Dade Expressway Authority and president of IBTTA said, "This good news comes as IBTTA members meet in Washington, D.C. and visit congressional offices this afternoon. We look forward to working with Congress and the Administration to pass a long-term surface transportation bill."

The American Road and Transport Builders Association (ARBTA) has also analysed (link http://www.artba.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Admin-Budget-Analysis.pdf) the bill in depth, commenting “With the release his FY 2016 budget proposal, President Obama has put forth a plan to stabilise the Highway Trust Fund and reauthorise the federal surface transportation programs. Now the ball is in Congress’s court.”

Commenting on the bill, anti-tolling Alliance for Toll-Free Interstates (ATFI) Julian Walker said in a statement to The Hill, “The recycled plan to lift the ban on tolling existing interstates has aged horribly in the year since it was first offered.”

“Tolling interstate lanes which drivers now freely access is an inefficient financing mechanism that is the worst possible approach to raising transportation revenue,” Walker continued. “The idea has already been rejected by lawmakers, the public, and community leaders in the few states with a federal exception to the tolling prohibition.”

Related Content

  • July 24, 2014
    IBTTA Joins transportation secretaries in call for adequate infrastructure funding
    The International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association (IBTTA) has joined US Department of Transportation (DOT) secretary Anthony Foxx and 11 former DOT secretaries in supporting a call for Congress to find consensus on a long-term solution to funding our nation’s infrastructure. Patrick D. Jones, executive director and CEO of IBTTA, echoed the call for long-term action by stating: “The joint letter released yesterday by our nation’s transportation chiefs is a profile in courage and should serve as an
  • May 24, 2017
    IBTTA calls on Congress to repeal regulation on tolling interstate highways
    The White House has released President Trump’s fiscal year 2018 budget, including a US$200 billion investment in infrastructure projects over the next 10 years with a focus on leveraging the power of public private partnerships. The International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association (IBTTA) has responded, saying the government should repeal the burden of regulation and give states maximum flexibility to use financing tools to meet their local needs. 35 states and territories throughout the country have u
  • September 13, 2013
    IBTTA applauds new interstate study
    A new study, Interstate 2.0: Modernising the Interstate Highway System via Toll Finance, by US public policy think tank, the Reason Foundation, details how much it will cost to reconstruct and widen Interstate highways in all 50 states and shows how to pay for the modernisation efforts with toll revenues. It makes the case for lifting the federal prohibition on tolling existing lanes of the Interstate highway system and states: “…as the reality of the cost of Interstate reconstruction and modernisation s
  • January 7, 2014
    New president for IBTTA
    From 1 January, Mike Heiligenstein, executive director of the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority (CTRMA), Austin, Texas, began his year-long term as president of the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association (IBTTA). He says: “Over the next year, I look forward to leading our industry’s international association while highlighting the great work at The Mobility Authority and other IBTTA member organisations around the globe.” Eight other directors also began new terms on the IBTTA’s bo