One study put the figure at between $134 billion and $262 billion a year, while another, released last week, said that postponing that investment could inflate the cost to $5 trillion by 2035.
A 2010 report by 80 transportation experts led by two former U.S. secretaries of transportation, Norman Mineta and Samuel K. Skinner, concluded that “Winning public support . . . will require policy makers to unite behind a compelling vision for U.S. transportation policy.”
So far, Congress is united only in agreement that there is too little money to fund transportation. The first skirmish has come over bikes and begonias, but there will be scores of others if a transportation bill is to pass by early next year, the target set by Mica and other congressional leaders from both parties.
“They think the only federal role is interstate highways, but virtually every community out there wants a balanced transportation program,” Mills said. “They put landscaping in the category of frivolous spending. But wildflowers along the highway contribute to erosion control, and if you ask the states, they’ll tell you it saves them a whole lot of money on mowing.”
The $3.4 million mini-tunnel that gives turtles safe passage under a Florida highway, which Coburn cited as an example of extravagance, finds defenders who say it saves motorists from deadly collisions that occurred when they swerved to miss the crossing turtles.
Mica and Coburn say that in tight times, the states — not Washington — should decide how their federal funding is allocated.
“Whose money is it? Who decides?” Coburn asked. “We’re building museums, we’re building squirrel crossings. We’re doing all these things that, if we had extra money, if we were running a surplus, sure, nobody would really be complaining about it.”
But faced with an enormous federal debt and huge transportation needs, he said, “We can no longer have silly priorities get in the way of real needs.”
“I guarantee you that I don’t know where the number one dollar priority ought to be in Oklahoma, but I also guarantee you that the director of Oklahoma’s highways does,” Coburn said. “Let’s let him have the freedom to do what’s best for Oklahoma.”
Oklahoma spent $142 million on hundreds of projects under enhancement program guidelines between 1992 and 2010. Most of the outlays were under $1 million. Those that cost more than that included construction of several welcome centers; trackside and depot improvements for Amtrak in Oklahoma City; a harbor project in Muskogee; and $2.5 million for the Cross Timbers Ancient Forest Preserve in Osage County.
“We picked the best projects we could,” said Gary Ridley, Oklahoma’s transportation director. “But we have a great need for [funds to fix] structurally deficient bridges in the state. Certainly that’s where our focus is, and it always has been. It does make it difficult when you have mandatory programs dictated by the federal government when you know your money should probably be spent in other areas that are more critical.”
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