State panel looks for ways to fix roads

A special panel, the Transportation Funding Task Force, which includes legislative leaders and others, is about to launch a study of ways to boost state aid for Louisiana's often-criticised road and bridge system. "There is not a legislator across the state that does not have some kind of issue with getting a project done, starting a project, finishing a project," said state Representative Karen St Germain, chairwoman of the House Transportation Committee and a member of the panel.
September 4, 2014 Read time: 2 mins

A special panel, the Transportation Funding Task Force, which includes legislative leaders and others, is about to launch a study of ways to boost state aid for Louisiana's often-criticised road and bridge system.

"There is not a legislator across the state that does not have some kind of issue with getting a project done, starting a project, finishing a project," said state Representative Karen St Germain, chairwoman of the House Transportation Committee and a member of the panel.
St Germain said that, unlike previous road funding studies and bills that went nowhere; this one comes amid a widespread public outcry about road conditions.

The study comes at a time of both highway improvements, including in the Baton Rouge area, and a US$12 billion backlog of road and bridge needs.

6174 Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) officials say US$540 million has been spent on road and bridge upgrades since 2008 in East Baton Rouge Parish alone, mostly through surplus state dollars after hurricanes Katrina and Rita and federal stimulus dollars.

However, the Baton Rouge area is considered ground zero for motorists' complaints, including heavy congestion on and near the Interstate 10 Mississippi River bridge.

State Senator Robert Adley says one aim of the study is "to try to get everyone to understand how serious the problem is and how far behind we are."  Part of the problem, he said, is that few taxpayers realize how much money is diverted from the state's Transportation Trust Fund, the key source of road and bridge aid.

He has complained that US$60 million of state gasoline tax revenue yearly helps fund State Police at a time when the state cannot come up with at least US$70 million a year for road preservation.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Electric buses: more billion dollar orders
    August 3, 2015
    China will spend up to one trillion dollars on electric buses over the coming 15 years according to analysts IDTechEx. This will reduce the impact of over 22.5 trillion dollars from air pollution over that time, at least one percent of GDP. More insurrection will occur if corrective action is insufficient because hundreds of thousands are dying from traffic pollution and far more are suffering resultant serious disease. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), outdoor air pollution caused 3.7 m
    Read More
  • Tolling is the 21st century’s road funding solution
    June 5, 2015
    HNTB’s Rick Herrington and Brad Guilmino put the case for tolling. Tolling is becoming the 21st century solution of choice for generating additional user-based transportation revenue. The proven funding source is being seriously considered for expanded use by cities, states and even the federal government with support from elected officials across the political spectrum. In fact, with each federal transportation reauthorisation, tolling restrictions have been relaxed.
    Read More
  • Coalition to address deterioration in US transportation system
    April 25, 2012
    The American Crisis in Transportation Coalition (ACT) has been formed to expand national understanding of the serious deterioration of America’s transportation system, and to educate the public and Congress on the funding needed to save the system from continued decline.
    Read More
  • Cubic voices opposition to proposed cuts in pre-tax benefits for mass transit
    August 8, 2013
    Cubic Transportation Systems has voiced its opposition to the proposed cuts in pre-tax benefits for the Transit Benefit Program available to citizens who use public transportation. Within the Senate Finance Committee, Senators are considering reducing the pre-tax benefit to individuals using public transportation from its current US$245 per month to US$125 per month, close to a 50 per cent cut. Cubic believes it is in the Committee’s best interest to maintain the current transit benefit since promoting pub
    Read More

Highlighted Content