Transcripts For CSPAN3 Hearing Focuses On Highway And Transi

I also want to comment the u. S. Department of transportation for acting quickly to release funds, emergency funds and provide assistance. Were here to examine the implementation of the fast act with our state and local partners. The fast act is a first long term surface transportation reauthorization bill in a decade and important for the 21st century. As a fiveyear bill provides very much needed certainty and funneledi funding to our partners. Fact that fast act is a forward looking law that puts an emphasis on projects of national significance, the movement streamlining project delivery and Innovative Solutions to transportation challenges. As they carry out the projects, the witnesses have a firsthand view of how federal transportation policies are being implemented by the u. S. Department of transportation. We look forward to building a 21st century infrastructure with our state and local partners. I now recognize you for your opening statement. Thank you very much, mr. Chairman. Chairman graves, im very grateful for this subcommittee hearing. I think it indicates that our subcommittee wants to get beyond all of the interest that we heard on and we have an infrastructure package idea, the idea of a large infrastructure package. Its not going to magically appear. I think deservedly, so i think a lot of self congratulations whethwhen we pass the First Service transportation bill in ten years. I must say that im very grateful, mr. Chairman, that it was a good bipartisan effort and i know you share with me the disappointment that in order to get any increase whatsoever after 10 years we had to make a six year bill a five year bill. I dont know how long we can keep that kind of if youre not even investing in a state of good repair, much less the new infrastructure we need, youre not investing, youre disinvesting. Remember how we built this country. Ever since this idea of the federal transportation infrastructure package was created by president eisenhower, the country has understood that you cant be a great country unless you continuously invest in infrastructure of various kinds. Now the Congressional Budget Office tells us that we face 139 billion short fall in the Highway Trust Fund just over the next decade. If were trying to continue to fund the fast act funding levels. And it says we need 17 billion more a year than fast act levels at the federal level to improve our infrastructure and maintain a state of good repair, reducing that backlog. Now im very pleased that the president has said good things about infrastructure. So i hasten to get ahold of the skinny budget and was very disappointed to see really unheard of cuts to popular transportation programs. So instead of investing after my hopes had been raised, for example from transit, urgently needed to alleviate im grateful nevertheless for the continuing bipartisanship on this committee and pleased to sign a letter with chairman graves and the leadership of the full committee to urge the committee to fully all fast act programs for the remainder of 2017 and in the upcoming 2018 budget. Im still banking on president that talks about a trillion dollar proposal. At least supporting us as we fight to maintain the meager funding levels we have. And we know that the budget im not terribly im not terribly pulling my hair out that the president s cuts will go through because no matter who is president , the appropriators always rewrite the budget. But i am concerned that the administration seems to be more he narmorred with pushing private capital and financing. Which would end up making projects more expensive than en making products more expensive. An vaefr centered approach will do little to improve infrastructure across the nation. You cant build your infrastructure and expect that toll roads will somehow pay for it. There must be a revenue stream and for for the modern era of life it begins with this subcommittee. Nor can we streamline our way out of inquad funding. Secretary chow said recently the problem is not money. Imagine saying that about roads and transit. The problem is always money. Its she didnt say that. That was editorializing. Its the delays caused by the government permitting processes that hold up projects for years, even decades, making them risky investments. But in fact, if you check the data, only 4 of all Infrastructure Projects are nationwide, undergo any rigorous Environmental Review. Most of it is what you and i see every day. 90 through the categorical exclusion process and are exempt from rig lus levels of review. A recent Inspector General report also refused the notion that more streamlining now is the more prudent cost of action. It concludes that additional streamline provisions in the fast act are actually slowing down the department of u. S. Department of transportations ability to implement the project delivery accelerations put into map 21. In other words, piling stream lining measures on top of each other before they can be implemented simply does not help and frankly does not happen. Ive always defended opportunities for Public Participation in nipa, and continue to believe that it helps us to improve the ultimate projects. Community input and buyin are crucial to the success and expeditious advancement of projects. Getting Public Participation sorry gutting Public Participation in the name of cutting red tape is something that will harm our roads and will harm the constituents who use our roads and infrastructure. I dont believe we can reenvent the wheel when it comes to transportation and infrastructure. I just think theres no way around our obligation as the congress of the United States to provide states and local governments with the funding and the flex bliltd that they alone know what to do with to produce smart and efficient projects, allowing the states who have the wisdom once we get give them the money to go ahead. I very much look forward to todays witnesses. Have read the headlines about atlanta and i85. Will be interesting to hear what we can do and what you can do on that unfore seen circumstance. Thank you very much and i look forward to the testimony. Thank you mr. Chairman. Thank you, Ranking Member. Now turn to Ranking Member of the full committee. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Thanks for this important hearing. Ill just restate a few things, because they do merit restating. We have an 836 billion backlog for highways and bridges. Nearly 1 is 40,000 need repair and replacement. Over 90 billion to bring them up to date. We havent increased the user fee here in washington, d. C. In a quarter of a century. Over the past few years, 17 states have raised their gas tax and nobody has been recalled. Nobodys lost their reelection and it has not been a controversy. The American People get it. Theyre tired of sitting in traffic. Theyre tired of blowing out tires in potholes and detoured around weight limited or closed bridges. Theyre tired of the decrepit state of Mass Transportation and they want action. Today im sending second chow a letter urging her to come down and work with congress to create a consensus around Real Investment and Real Solutions for the nations infrastructure problems. Im hearing a lot of talk about well, its going to be from structure banks, private tax credits, and were going to streamline the federal approval process. First off, most p3s are projects a billion or larger. Youve got to have a rate of return, youve got to track the investment. They have to be told or some other way to recoup the investment. And they are generally five to one public money to private money. Now, the speaker has said he wants 40 to 1 prooiflt to public money. That means no more p3s. No investors out there are going to put up at a 401 ratio and do a p3. They generally put up 10 to 25 h 15, at the most 20 and the rest comes from municipal, state bonds. Thats myth number one. Infrastructure, banks, private activities bonds, those are new forms of local borrowing. Again, they require a revenue stream. Hence, tolling or some other way of recouping the investment and of course they do increase the co cost. Now secretary chow stated investors say theyre Ample Capital available. The problem is not money. Its the delays caused by the government permitting process that hold up projects for years, even decades making them risky investments. No, no, that is not the problem. In fact, we made 42 major policy changes for stream lining in map 21. Not all of those have been implemented yet. In fact, some of them have run into conflicts with the fast act. We did streamlining and stream lining on top of stream lining. Lets get all that implemented and see if there are still issues. 90 of the projects go forward with filling out a few sheets of paper. So that isnt the issue here. You cant streamline your way out of a lack of funding. So you know, 4 of projects, 4 require Environmental Impact statements and as Ranking Member norton noted, most of those are held up at the local or state level because of controversy surrounding those projects, redesign and other things ch come out in hearings and things that have come out in the nifa process. 96 dont even have to go through a rigorous Environmental Review. And a recent report by the treasury looked another 40 projects whose skpleegs has been slowed or in jeopardy. Proof positive about stream lining . No. Its by far the major faektd hindering the completion of those products. I got a provision that says if congress proeps more money to transportation it flows through the policies in the fast act. We dont need to spend a year or two rewriting the policies, arguing over transit highway split, arguing over how much goes to freight, how much goes here, how much goes there, arguing. We dont have to go through any of that. All we have to do is have the guts to put up a little money. Thats why i introduced a penny for progress. If anybody around here thinks theyre going to lose their election if they vote on something that caps the indexation increase at 1. 5 cents a year, then you dont belong here. Thank you mr. Chairman. Thanks Ranking Member. Ill now introduce our panel. Mr. Mike pettersson is executive director of the Oklahoma Department of transportation testifying on behalf the American Association of state highway and transportation officials. We also have mr. Gary thomas whos president and executive director of the dallas area rapid are transit. Id like to recognize ms. Johnson of texas to make a formal introduction of him. Thank you very much, mr. Chairman. As a representative from dallas im very proud to introduce not only a frernd and partner but a good executive who is mr. Gary thomas, president and executive director of the can dart of dallas. He and i worked cooperative for many years to cultivate dallas into an interconnected transit hub that it is today as the largest growing metropolitan area in the country. He joined d. A. R. T. In 1998 has grown it into the nations longest and largest at 93 miles long. Under his leadership d. A. R. T. Has become an example of how to grow a flourishing Public Transit network. I know that d. A. R. T. Has strong working relationships with u. S. D. O. T. Thanks to mr. Thomas. Hes also effective at cultivating partnerships to need the needs of a row test multimode transit in the dallas metroplex. With that, mr. Chairman, i am proud to introduce mr. Thomas to the committee with great anticipation to his testimony and his plea for money. Thank you. I yield back. Thank you, ms. Johnson. And finally we have the honorable sam read, the mayor of atlanta, georgia. Hes fefg hon behalf of the United States conference of mayors. I now recognize mr. Johnson of georgia to make introduction. I thank you. Its my distinct pleasure to recognize and welcome my friend kassim read, mayor of atlanta to this hearing. As wez convene this hearing to morning, i can think of no better witness to offer than ka s kasim read. He balanced atlantas budget and took air of the challenge of the unfunded pension system. Thats been taken care of successfully six years ago or seven years ago, actually. He has invested in hiring more Police Officers in atlanta. Our crime rate continues to go down, hes the 59th mayor of the city of atlanta, serving in that capacity since 2010. Mayor reed is known for working in a bipartisan state on Economic Development and transportation issues. Atlanta has experienced significant Economic Development during his tenure and a population broom. For instance, his work with governor nathan deal and the Obama Administration to obtain federal support for the port of savannah expansion project has resulted in much Economic Development for the atlanta region and for the state of georgia. The city has responded by undertaking an ambitious agenda to upgrade roads and brings and improve the citys transportation infrastructure. The city of atlanta under mayor reeds leadership is undergoing a historic 2. 6 billion expansion of the atlanta rand Transit Association or marta. The beltline is 22 miles of trails and transit around the city on an abandoned railways. This project has opened up a lot of Economic Development in temperature of new houses, rehabilitated housing, new residents coming in, businesses opening up, communities being created that are walkable, bikeble, and interconnected and also at the same time he has presided over the opening of the Maynard Jackson International Terminal at the Atlanta Airport as atlanta matures who a world class city. Hes overseeing currently a 6 billion expansion of the heartsvillejackson airport, the worlds busiest airport, same time building a state of the art facility for falcons, world class facility with a retractable roof. So much that we can talk about mayor kasim reeds leadership. Hes working with colleges and universities in the private seconder to build an innovative transportation infrastructure that assures mobility for atlantas residents, businesses and visitors all taking place while atlanta remains an affordable city where everyday working people can afford to live, work and play. With that im proud to introduce to this committee, mayor kasim reed. Thank you. Id ask for unanimous consent that our witness statements be entered into the record. With no objection, that is so order. Since youre reading testimony, the testimony would ask you to please limit your testimony to five minutes. Mr. Pettersson, well start with you. Thank you mr. Chairman, mechanics of the committee. My name is mike patterson. Im the exclusive director of the Oklahoma Department of transportation, odot. Im here to testify on behalf of odot. First we want to thank you and other members of your committee for your leadership and efforts to increase the efficiency of delivering transportation projects. In collaboration and cooperation with the federal government, the state d. O. T. S continue to seek opportunities and create solutions to solve the detheatering Transportation System. All of us have come to realize that additional 23u78ding is important. That serves as a partial intrusion to the problem. The fast acts authorization of 305 billion for federal highway, highway safety, transit, Passenger Rail proems from 2016 to 2020 could not have been timelier in spurring our Economic Growth and investment in our multimodal transportation infrastructure. But equally important to initiate and completing transportation 1re678investment timely matter requires reforms. It is our hope that congress would feel comfortable in seeking additional reforms that would provide further opportunities to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of transportation programs and project delivery while remaining responsible stewards of taxpayer resources and both human and natural environments. Moving forward, we must develop a modern revenue model for funneleding our surface transportation 1re678investment. The days of reliance on consumption taks for fuel efficient vehicles is nearing its end. What we consider innovative funding today must and will become a new normal for funding transportation. Until that time, it is imperative that the annual Obligation Authority and the fast act be fully honored. The structure cash flow deficit in the Highway Trust Fund be resolved and the schedule of rescissions of Contract Authority be abolished. Even in todays it remains imperative that transportation investments remain the primary focus. The reality remains that most transportation projects cannot generate adequate revenue to service debt or provide the return on investment required by private sector equity holders. Everyone recognizes that the fast act provides only a nearterm solution to the federal surplus transportation funding. That is because the Highway Trust Fund continues to remain at a cross roads. The Highway Trust Fund has provided stable, reliable and sometimes substantial highway and transit for decades since 1956. But this is no lodger the indicate. Since 2008, the Highway Trust Fund has been sustained through a series of general fund transfers, now amounting to 140 billion. According to the january 2017 baseline of the Innovative Solutions<\/a> to transportation challenges. As they carry out the projects, the witnesses have a firsthand view of how federal transportation policies are being implemented by the u. S. Department of transportation. We look forward to building a 21st century infrastructure with our state and local partners. I now recognize you for your opening statement. Thank you very much, mr. Chairman. Chairman graves, im very grateful for this subcommittee hearing. I think it indicates that our subcommittee wants to get beyond all of the interest that we heard on and we have an infrastructure package idea, the idea of a large infrastructure package. Its not going to magically appear. I think deservedly, so i think a lot of self congratulations whethwhen we pass the First Service<\/a> transportation bill in ten years. I must say that im very grateful, mr. Chairman, that it was a good bipartisan effort and i know you share with me the disappointment that in order to get any increase whatsoever after 10 years we had to make a six year bill a five year bill. I dont know how long we can keep that kind of if youre not even investing in a state of good repair, much less the new infrastructure we need, youre not investing, youre disinvesting. Remember how we built this country. Ever since this idea of the federal transportation infrastructure package was created by president eisenhower, the country has understood that you cant be a great country unless you continuously invest in infrastructure of various kinds. Now the Congressional Budget Office<\/a> tells us that we face 139 billion short fall in the Highway Trust Fund<\/a> just over the next decade. If were trying to continue to fund the fast act funding levels. And it says we need 17 billion more a year than fast act levels at the federal level to improve our infrastructure and maintain a state of good repair, reducing that backlog. Now im very pleased that the president has said good things about infrastructure. So i hasten to get ahold of the skinny budget and was very disappointed to see really unheard of cuts to popular transportation programs. So instead of investing after my hopes had been raised, for example from transit, urgently needed to alleviate im grateful nevertheless for the continuing bipartisanship on this committee and pleased to sign a letter with chairman graves and the leadership of the full committee to urge the committee to fully all fast act programs for the remainder of 2017 and in the upcoming 2018 budget. Im still banking on president that talks about a trillion dollar proposal. At least supporting us as we fight to maintain the meager funding levels we have. And we know that the budget im not terribly im not terribly pulling my hair out that the president s cuts will go through because no matter who is president , the appropriators always rewrite the budget. But i am concerned that the administration seems to be more he narmorred with pushing private capital and financing. Which would end up making projects more expensive than en making products more expensive. An vaefr centered approach will do little to improve infrastructure across the nation. You cant build your infrastructure and expect that toll roads will somehow pay for it. There must be a revenue stream and for for the modern era of life it begins with this subcommittee. Nor can we streamline our way out of inquad funding. Secretary chow said recently the problem is not money. Imagine saying that about roads and transit. The problem is always money. Its she didnt say that. That was editorializing. Its the delays caused by the government permitting processes that hold up projects for years, even decades, making them risky investments. But in fact, if you check the data, only 4 of all Infrastructure Projects<\/a> are nationwide, undergo any rigorous Environmental Review<\/a>. Most of it is what you and i see every day. 90 through the categorical exclusion process and are exempt from rig lus levels of review. A recent Inspector General<\/a> report also refused the notion that more streamlining now is the more prudent cost of action. It concludes that additional streamline provisions in the fast act are actually slowing down the department of u. S. Department of transportations ability to implement the project delivery accelerations put into map 21. In other words, piling stream lining measures on top of each other before they can be implemented simply does not help and frankly does not happen. Ive always defended opportunities for Public Participation<\/a> in nipa, and continue to believe that it helps us to improve the ultimate projects. Community input and buyin are crucial to the success and expeditious advancement of projects. Getting Public Participation<\/a> sorry gutting Public Participation<\/a> in the name of cutting red tape is something that will harm our roads and will harm the constituents who use our roads and infrastructure. I dont believe we can reenvent the wheel when it comes to transportation and infrastructure. I just think theres no way around our obligation as the congress of the United States<\/a> to provide states and local governments with the funding and the flex bliltd that they alone know what to do with to produce smart and efficient projects, allowing the states who have the wisdom once we get give them the money to go ahead. I very much look forward to todays witnesses. Have read the headlines about atlanta and i85. Will be interesting to hear what we can do and what you can do on that unfore seen circumstance. Thank you very much and i look forward to the testimony. Thank you mr. Chairman. Thank you, Ranking Member<\/a>. Now turn to Ranking Member<\/a> of the full committee. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Thanks for this important hearing. Ill just restate a few things, because they do merit restating. We have an 836 billion backlog for highways and bridges. Nearly 1 is 40,000 need repair and replacement. Over 90 billion to bring them up to date. We havent increased the user fee here in washington, d. C. In a quarter of a century. Over the past few years, 17 states have raised their gas tax and nobody has been recalled. Nobodys lost their reelection and it has not been a controversy. The American People<\/a> get it. Theyre tired of sitting in traffic. Theyre tired of blowing out tires in potholes and detoured around weight limited or closed bridges. Theyre tired of the decrepit state of Mass Transportation<\/a> and they want action. Today im sending second chow a letter urging her to come down and work with congress to create a consensus around Real Investment<\/a> and Real Solutions<\/a> for the nations infrastructure problems. Im hearing a lot of talk about well, its going to be from structure banks, private tax credits, and were going to streamline the federal approval process. First off, most p3s are projects a billion or larger. Youve got to have a rate of return, youve got to track the investment. They have to be told or some other way to recoup the investment. And they are generally five to one public money to private money. Now, the speaker has said he wants 40 to 1 prooiflt to public money. That means no more p3s. No investors out there are going to put up at a 401 ratio and do a p3. They generally put up 10 to 25 h 15, at the most 20 and the rest comes from municipal, state bonds. Thats myth number one. Infrastructure, banks, private activities bonds, those are new forms of local borrowing. Again, they require a revenue stream. Hence, tolling or some other way of recouping the investment and of course they do increase the co cost. Now secretary chow stated investors say theyre Ample Capital<\/a> available. The problem is not money. Its the delays caused by the government permitting process that hold up projects for years, even decades making them risky investments. No, no, that is not the problem. In fact, we made 42 major policy changes for stream lining in map 21. Not all of those have been implemented yet. In fact, some of them have run into conflicts with the fast act. We did streamlining and stream lining on top of stream lining. Lets get all that implemented and see if there are still issues. 90 of the projects go forward with filling out a few sheets of paper. So that isnt the issue here. You cant streamline your way out of a lack of funding. So you know, 4 of projects, 4 require Environmental Impact<\/a> statements and as Ranking Member<\/a> norton noted, most of those are held up at the local or state level because of controversy surrounding those projects, redesign and other things ch come out in hearings and things that have come out in the nifa process. 96 dont even have to go through a rigorous Environmental Review<\/a>. And a recent report by the treasury looked another 40 projects whose skpleegs has been slowed or in jeopardy. Proof positive about stream lining . No. Its by far the major faektd hindering the completion of those products. I got a provision that says if congress proeps more money to transportation it flows through the policies in the fast act. We dont need to spend a year or two rewriting the policies, arguing over transit highway split, arguing over how much goes to freight, how much goes here, how much goes there, arguing. We dont have to go through any of that. All we have to do is have the guts to put up a little money. Thats why i introduced a penny for progress. If anybody around here thinks theyre going to lose their election if they vote on something that caps the indexation increase at 1. 5 cents a year, then you dont belong here. Thank you mr. Chairman. Thanks Ranking Member<\/a>. Ill now introduce our panel. Mr. Mike pettersson is executive director of the Oklahoma Department<\/a> of transportation testifying on behalf the American Association<\/a> of state highway and transportation officials. We also have mr. Gary thomas whos president and executive director of the dallas area rapid are transit. Id like to recognize ms. Johnson of texas to make a formal introduction of him. Thank you very much, mr. Chairman. As a representative from dallas im very proud to introduce not only a frernd and partner but a good executive who is mr. Gary thomas, president and executive director of the can dart of dallas. He and i worked cooperative for many years to cultivate dallas into an interconnected transit hub that it is today as the largest growing metropolitan area in the country. He joined d. A. R. T. In 1998 has grown it into the nations longest and largest at 93 miles long. Under his leadership d. A. R. T. Has become an example of how to grow a flourishing Public Transit<\/a> network. I know that d. A. R. T. Has strong working relationships with u. S. D. O. T. Thanks to mr. Thomas. Hes also effective at cultivating partnerships to need the needs of a row test multimode transit in the dallas metroplex. With that, mr. Chairman, i am proud to introduce mr. Thomas to the committee with great anticipation to his testimony and his plea for money. Thank you. I yield back. Thank you, ms. Johnson. And finally we have the honorable sam read, the mayor of atlanta, georgia. Hes fefg hon behalf of the United States<\/a> conference of mayors. I now recognize mr. Johnson of georgia to make introduction. I thank you. Its my distinct pleasure to recognize and welcome my friend kassim read, mayor of atlanta to this hearing. As wez convene this hearing to morning, i can think of no better witness to offer than ka s kasim read. He balanced atlantas budget and took air of the challenge of the unfunded pension system. Thats been taken care of successfully six years ago or seven years ago, actually. He has invested in hiring more Police Officers<\/a> in atlanta. Our crime rate continues to go down, hes the 59th mayor of the city of atlanta, serving in that capacity since 2010. Mayor reed is known for working in a bipartisan state on Economic Development<\/a> and transportation issues. Atlanta has experienced significant Economic Development<\/a> during his tenure and a population broom. For instance, his work with governor nathan deal and the Obama Administration<\/a> to obtain federal support for the port of savannah expansion project has resulted in much Economic Development<\/a> for the atlanta region and for the state of georgia. The city has responded by undertaking an ambitious agenda to upgrade roads and brings and improve the citys transportation infrastructure. The city of atlanta under mayor reeds leadership is undergoing a historic 2. 6 billion expansion of the atlanta rand Transit Association<\/a> or marta. The beltline is 22 miles of trails and transit around the city on an abandoned railways. This project has opened up a lot of Economic Development<\/a> in temperature of new houses, rehabilitated housing, new residents coming in, businesses opening up, communities being created that are walkable, bikeble, and interconnected and also at the same time he has presided over the opening of the Maynard Jackson<\/a> International Terminal<\/a> at the Atlanta Airport<\/a> as atlanta matures who a world class city. Hes overseeing currently a 6 billion expansion of the heartsvillejackson airport, the worlds busiest airport, same time building a state of the art facility for falcons, world class facility with a retractable roof. So much that we can talk about mayor kasim reeds leadership. Hes working with colleges and universities in the private seconder to build an innovative transportation infrastructure that assures mobility for atlantas residents, businesses and visitors all taking place while atlanta remains an affordable city where everyday working people can afford to live, work and play. With that im proud to introduce to this committee, mayor kasim reed. Thank you. Id ask for unanimous consent that our witness statements be entered into the record. With no objection, that is so order. Since youre reading testimony, the testimony would ask you to please limit your testimony to five minutes. Mr. Pettersson, well start with you. Thank you mr. Chairman, mechanics of the committee. My name is mike patterson. Im the exclusive director of the Oklahoma Department<\/a> of transportation, odot. Im here to testify on behalf of odot. First we want to thank you and other members of your committee for your leadership and efforts to increase the efficiency of delivering transportation projects. In collaboration and cooperation with the federal government, the state d. O. T. S continue to seek opportunities and create solutions to solve the detheatering Transportation System<\/a>. All of us have come to realize that additional 23u78ding is important. That serves as a partial intrusion to the problem. The fast acts authorization of 305 billion for federal highway, highway safety, transit, Passenger Rail<\/a> proems from 2016 to 2020 could not have been timelier in spurring our Economic Growth<\/a> and investment in our multimodal transportation infrastructure. But equally important to initiate and completing transportation 1re678investment timely matter requires reforms. It is our hope that congress would feel comfortable in seeking additional reforms that would provide further opportunities to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of transportation programs and project delivery while remaining responsible stewards of taxpayer resources and both human and natural environments. Moving forward, we must develop a modern revenue model for funneleding our surface transportation 1re678investment. The days of reliance on consumption taks for fuel efficient vehicles is nearing its end. What we consider innovative funding today must and will become a new normal for funding transportation. Until that time, it is imperative that the annual Obligation Authority<\/a> and the fast act be fully honored. The structure cash flow deficit in the Highway Trust Fund<\/a> be resolved and the schedule of rescissions of Contract Authority<\/a> be abolished. Even in todays it remains imperative that transportation investments remain the primary focus. The reality remains that most transportation projects cannot generate adequate revenue to service debt or provide the return on investment required by private sector equity holders. Everyone recognizes that the fast act provides only a nearterm solution to the federal surplus transportation funding. That is because the Highway Trust Fund<\/a> continues to remain at a cross roads. The Highway Trust Fund<\/a> has provided stable, reliable and sometimes substantial highway and transit for decades since 1956. But this is no lodger the indicate. Since 2008, the Highway Trust Fund<\/a> has been sustained through a series of general fund transfers, now amounting to 140 billion. According to the january 2017 baseline of the Congressional Budget Office<\/a>, the highway trust funneled spending is estimated to exceed repeats by about 17 billion in fy 21 glowing to about 24 billion by 2027. Furmt p furge, the Highway Trust Fund<\/a> is expected to experience a significant cash short fall in 2021. Since it cannot incur a negative since it im sorry since its cant incur a negative balance. It estimates states may see a 40 drop from fy 2020 to the following year from 46. 2 billion to 27. 7 billion. In the past, such a dollar short fall situations have 4red to the reduction of federal reimburse jmgts to states on existing obligations leading to serious cash flow problems for states and resulting in project delays. Based on the federal surplus transportation programs long track record of efficiency and flexibility we recommend that any increase in federal funds should flow through the existing fast approach instead of other approach that require more time and oversight. Though the certainly certainly significant benefits from investment in transportation infrastructure goes well nond shortterm construction jobs created, a well performing Transportation Network<\/a> allows businesses to manage inventories and move blitz more cheaply across a variety of sources. Congress that encourage the u. S. D. O. T. To be fully consistent with legislative intent. The onerous and unanticipated requirement regarding metropolitan planning organization, mpo coordination. Although state d. O. T. S and mp os already kpem fie the kind of corporation sought, the regulation at significant administrative and legal requirements to planning and programming being implemented by states and mpos today. Along with the senates recent passage of companion legislation to repeal this rule we appreciate your committees prompt action last week to bring this before the house floor. Mr. Chairman, chaung for conducting this important hearing to bring a greater awareness of transportation infrastructure needs of the nation and thank you for the opportunity to provide testimony. We will be happy to answer any questions the committee may have. Thank you mr. Patterson. Mr. Thomas. Thank you mr. Chairman. My name is gary thomas and im the ceo of dallas area rapid transit. I appreciate the work that this committee does and thank you congressman johnson for your kind introduction but more importantly thank you for what you do in our region. You have been the stalwart congresswoman for our region for many, many years and we certainly appreciate the impacts that youve had. Im grateful for the opportunity to talk about the impact that the partnership ofwith the federal government and most specific the fast act is having on our community. D. A. R. T. Was created in 1983 when north texans decided on a 1 sales tax for an agency that quite frankly they didnt know what was going to do at that time. Today d. A. R. T. Operates americas longest light rail system and the fourth largest metropolitan area in the United States<\/a>. The 2. 3 million residents of our 13 cities, 1700 square mile network to give them a choice to give them to get them to where they need to go every single day. Ive been part of the Public Transportation<\/a> industry now for 30 years and ceo since 2001. Public transportation is changing the way American Communities<\/a> grow. Equally importantly, were seeing a significant return on the Public Investment<\/a>. Transitoriented development along d. A. R. T. Rail lines has generated over 7 billion of Economic Impact<\/a> for new or planned construction. In 2014 or 2015, there were 43,000 jobs created as a result of this development. Resulting in the nearly 3 billion in wages, salaries and benefits. Not only do customers insist on being n mobile and being connected. Our go pass multiple ticketing app was one of the first to respond 240to that demand with a multiagency and multimodal fair payment system. We began working with car and ride Service Companies<\/a> like lyft and uber to provide a more complete trip. In other words, first 3450i8last mile opportunities. Now were using a mobility on dmoond grant to make it easier for car and ride sharing customers to connect with transit through that app. Our congressional delegation knows the federal funds invested in d. A. R. T. Will generate impact in a Higher Quality<\/a> of life in our region. Were pleased to enjoy consistent bipartisan report. We also realize we need to bring money to theble table. We decided to fund transit in their communities. We use that to leverage federal dollars the fast act and its predecessors are different makers in north texas. You can imagine. D. A. R. T. Success is prompting calls for more service. Were advancing plans for a second light rail line in Downtown Dallas<\/a> that we hope thereby books will be funded by a grant. Unfortunately, despite significant local investment, the project would be delayed at least 10 years without federal funding support. Yet we need the capacity today. Were also bringing in an old railroad corridor, the cotton belt to live with a new Rail Connection<\/a> to dfw airport. In response to local demand we were able to fast track that with help from a loan through the federal railroad administration. Federal support has helped us complete the conversion of our best fleet to compress natural gas. In addition were using federal funds from the low and no megs bus program to mr. Chairman seven trek buses to be in operation next year. Weve been aggressive and intentional in seeking creative ways to fund and deliver our projects. It certainly doesnt hurt that weve been able to develop a reputation for consistently being underbudget and ahead of schedule on our projects. Our mobility challenges are difficult but certainly can be solved. People in communities everywhere are working on solutions that meet their unique needs. They have the vision and the desire. They need help with the funding. We believe theres a role for local communities to partner with the federal government, to Work Together<\/a> to support these decisions with sustainable, substantial and predictable funneleding of the fast act. I cannot impress strongly enough how important it is to keep the fast act sbakts and that commitment in intact as we move forward. Thank you very much mr. Chairman and mechanics of the committee. I look forward to answering your questions. Thank you mr. Thomas. Paper reed. Hit your mike. Thank you. Mr. Chairman and mechanics of the committee, i want to thank you for the opportunity to be here today. I also want to thank my congressman from georgia could you pull that closer to you . I want to make sure i hear every single word you say. Thank you representative shuster. I also want to thank hank johnson for that kind introduction. I hope my wife was watching. That made me feel good about myself. So thank you congressman johnson. I also want to thank the administration and this committee for your help with regard to the problems we have faced with the collapse of the i85 freeway in atlanta, georgia. I want to take this opportunity to express my personal gratitude. I come here today as the mayor of atlanta and the chairman of the Transportation Committee<\/a> for the u. S. Conference of mayors. The challenge that were having in atlanta with interstate 85 and its collapse really points out that an overall Transportation System<\/a> is needed now more than ever. In fact, since weve been facing this challenge with i85, the use of marta, the ninth largest Public Transit<\/a> system in the United States<\/a>, has increased by more than 29 as we work through the challenge were facing. So alternatives including resilient models, we think, will be increasingly important in the 21st century. Were also investing in roads which is an issue that i know is very important to members of this committee as well. In 2015, the state of georgia passed h. B. 170 under the leadership of governor nathan deal which raised the tax tax to funneled nearly 1 billion annual for bridge and road repair. Were working hard to keep our own house in in order in addition to having a strong relationship with our federal partners. The city of atlanta is also moving full speed ahead and leading in our own way. Last november, the city moved forward with a half penny sales tax referendum which would jen race 2. 6 billion for marta and this item passed with 71 voter support. We also had a second ballot measure, a tee supplies for. 04 cents which will race money and it received 68 support. So i think its important to realize that in georgia and in the metro area, were focussing on roads in partnership with the state but were also not leaving our transit responsibilities and capabilities behind. City residents are indeed voting with their pocket books and businesses are voting with their feet. In the last 42 months after we have made these investments in improving our road infrastructure and our transit infrastructure, we have won 17 either regional or u. S. Headquarters in the city of laemtd. They include businesses like ncr, hundred any well, ge digital, u. P. S. We have had the largest net increase of jobs into the city in more than 40 years after making these fruInfrastructure Investment<\/a>s. This would not have been possible with the stability provided by the fast act and your leadership in making that legislation possible. So i wanted to thank you for that. And the last two years, atlanta taxpayers have focused increasingly on making sure that we funneled our share of infrastructure and i think its important to note that we asked this committee as you develop future legislation to always keep in mind what the local community has invested as we try to attract grants and federal support. We are fixing roads and bridges, engineering more than 30 miles of complete street projects including bicycle lanes and traffic light initiatives. As a result of all of these items, the city of atlantas Credit Rating<\/a> has improved 7 seven positions to aaplus as rated by standard poors, moodiesing and fitch. When you invest in these krits cal infrastructure items, the market responds and the Business Community<\/a> responds. Modest expansion means the percentage is real for light bus transit and Flexible Bus Service<\/a> and the atlanta street car systems. None of this would have been possible without your committees support. Mr. Chairman, thatting cans my testimony. Thank you very much, mayor. Well now turn to chairman shuster, the full committee. Im sorry im late. I did make it to hear your testimony. I thank you mr. Patterson, mr. Thomas. And thank you mayor reed for being here again. Outside of the 9th skaunl districts, i think youre probably my favorite mayor in america. So sorry for what happened down there on the bridge in 85 but from what theyre telling me theyre going to rebuild the bridge in about 80 days. Thank goonsd god that nobody was killed but we ought to pay close attention to how fast this moves. They built the bridge shy of 400 days a few years ago. These are the kind of things we learn from it. I was late because i spent an hour with the secretary chow. She came and briefed about 45 members of congress. She talked about the infrastructure bill and how important it is to the president. And of course 40, 45 members were there asking a lot of Great Questions<\/a> and it was a federal component to it, obviously. We got to figure the revenues out, publicprivate prims are a tool in the toolbox but its not the toolbox. Its a good tool. We need to make it better. Figuring out how to unleash the private dollars. As i talk to people around the country theres a 2 billion road project in california right now. Federal money, the rest is california money. And the state, local, private sector dollars. They want to get about 500 or 600 million in a tifia loan and theyre dragging their feet. They have to we have to get out of the way of the states to move these projects along. Thank you so much for being here today. I would be remiss if i didnt introduce and welcome to the committee the dean of the secretaries of transportation and the dean of the secretaries of transportation from oklahoma, gary ridley, dean ridley, its good to see you. Just you being in the room, were all learning from osmosis by you being here. I really always appreciate you being here. Thank the three of you for being here and thank you, chairman, for having this hearing. Where that well open it up for questions starting with mr. Barletta. Thank you. I group up working in the Road Construction<\/a> business. That experience showed me how difficult it can be for state and lot governments to move forward with projects when they are uncertain about federal transportation spending, and not only that experience, i was a former mayor as well, so i saw it on both ends. And that trickles down to private industry. My family would not hire more workers or purchase more equipment without knowing what the future might hold, without knowing what kind of work would be out there and for how long. Under the fast act, funneleding runs out in 2020. Can any of you speak to how this decline affects your ability to move transportation forward . From a transit agencys perspective we do a 20year Financial Plan<\/a> that identifies, assumes in some regards and identifies automatic of our revenue and also identifies all of our expenses so our projects are very specific. We make sure that we know when we can build them and that we can operate and maintain them once theyre built. Not having a certainty beyond 2020 pro hikts in that certainty of knowing what we can do in that 20year plan, so it limits us as we look at one of the facets as our congresswoman said, we kabts always predict out and solve some of the transportation kmejs that we need to be doing now to make sure that those projects are in place at that point in time. So the longrange funding is certainly critical for transit as we move forward. Thank you. As a followon to my colleagues comments, one of the things that we could absolutely do right now, which would be to smooth out the process around continuing resolutions even under the faus act that we have right now. Even when we have the continuing resolution process, it affects our ability to budget and our state d. O. T. , for example, is in a position where it cant adequately prepare to get projects out waiting for that process. So thats something within the f. A. S. T. Structure right now that would give us more dollars to get folks working. Thank you. One of the biggest complaints i hear from people back home is red tape and bureaucracy consistently hamper investment and invasion. The foiis this actually happeni or are permits still slow . Congressman, i as i mentioned in my comments i really appreciate what has happened with stream lining in the effects that came out in the f. A. S. T. Act in 20e 21. We have some challenges. There are rule making processes that are still under way that we still dont have the rules in place even after five years, but its important that the rules come out right. We dont want them just to be expeditionly drawn up and be wrong. So we havent felt all of the effects of your efforts and the rest of congresss efforts to provide that stream lining, but were hopeful that it does come to pass. Thank you. And just finally, theres no question. We need to find a sustainable Funding Source<\/a> for infrastructure. We cant keep pulling these rabbits out of our hat and onetrick ponies, or onehit wonders, whatever you want to call it. What solutions do any of you have maybe for a sustainable revenue stream that we could put in the Highway Trust Fund<\/a>, to help the Highway Trust Fund<\/a> . Congressman, oklahoma is a member of what we call the western road users consortium. Theres a group on the east coast [ inaudible ] yes. Sorry. Oklahoma is a member of the western road users consortium and theres a group on the east coast thats looking at what you call user fees. Some sort of way to find transportation beyond the consumption tax that i mentioned in my oral testimony. We see that something has to be done and i appreciate the federal government and congress providing some grant opportunities for all western to look at different funding mechanic nichlgs. I know that oregon has a test under way and california just entered into that similar kind of test model, so states are looking at that and we hope that the federal government and congress looks at our success and our failures to develop something for the fiech. Last, we also have visited with representative shuster and Ranking Member<\/a> defazio to talk about their penny for progress proposal as a guide. Additionally, we really strongly believe that local governments and state governments that really put skin in the game ought to have a process where they can where they have an advanced position in attracting federal capital. So how you all would structure that on a longterm basis, we would leave to the wisdom of this body, but when a local jurisdiction or a states citizens raise their hands and say were going to be first in on dealing with our own problems, we believe that we that municipality or state should be in an advanced position and that significant points should be awarded to whatever pool of money you all ultimately make available for us to deal with some of these tough challenges. Thank you. Thank you, mr. Chair. Ranking nebraska norton. Thank you, plmplgt chairman. Id be interested in knowing if any of your states have raised the state gas tax and what the effect what Public Opinion<\/a>, what the effect on Public Opinion<\/a> was, and what do you think would be the effect of raising the federal gas tax, now that perhaps some state gas taxes have been raised. If we had both gas taxes. Id be interested in hearing what you all have to say about that. Yes, maam. Texas has not raised their gas tax since 1992. Its much the same case. That when you watch gas prices every day swing 10, 15 cents a gallon, its im not sure how much a penny, penny and a half, two pennies would be noticed. Certainly theres been conversations in austin about gas tax, about vehicle miles traveled. Theres been a lot of suggestions being made. We recognize theres a state that something needs to be done much like whats happening across the country. The lot of conversation, we just havent made that decision yet. Mr. Patterson and mr. Mayor reed. Oklahoma has not raised their gas our gas tax since 1987. Governor fallon has proposed to increase our fuel tax. Its estimated that by june, we will have the lowest fuel tax in the country at 14 cents for diesel. Hows that working out for you . Its not working out too well. So governor fallon has made that proposal to increase it to 24 cents for each diesel and gasoline. Its going through the legislative process at this point. Mayor reed . Yes, match. Our corner, nathan deal in 2015, a republican governor with almost near constitutional jorlts in our house and in our senate in georgia with republican majorities in both raised the tax gas and raised one billion as a result of that. In the city of atlanta in november, we passed 2. 6 billion for the largest expansion of our Transit System<\/a> in history. It passesed with 71 local measure that passed with 68 local superior of funding more than 300 million in instruct. A year prior to that, we had a local referendum for a 250 million infrastructure bond. It passed with more than 80 support. So my state, im from the state of georgia. We have a very conservative state, and all of these measures have been passed with broad majorities. The legislative majority was in the generally assembly for the 19 billion in road money and then the other items that i referenced regarding marta our Transit System<\/a> and infrastructure funds have been done within the city of atlanta. Its a nice mix of urban and rural showing that whether you focused on rural folks or urban folks, people get that the we need significant Infrastructure Investment<\/a>. Very instructive. Conservative or republican, nobodys found a way to build roads and bridges and Transit System<\/a>s without money. And im interested in the in what the states have done because almost half the states have taken the initiative seeing that the federal government is stuck and has been stuck for a generation. One more question, id like to i got into the f. A. S. T. Act. Twafs it was the idea of a number of us, funds for alternatives. We dont just criticize the fact that Congress Wont<\/a> or your states, those two states for that matter, continue to continue to ignore the need for funds. We look for alternative funds and note that some states have found alternative ways or suggested alternative ways and are actually experimenting, and theres 10 million in the f. A. S. T. Act for such experimentation. Looking at if the notions to come forward recently about private investment as a way to fund roads and the investors getting back their investment through i suppose fares or tolls or the rest, id be interested in knowing whether you think relying more heavily on private investment would help us, in fact, haston the work that needs to be done on our roads, bridges and infrastructure. In oklahoma, and many states, we have seen a reliance more on private investor. In oklahoma, we have our Turnpike Authority<\/a> which was created back in the late 40s to develop a high speed, safe transportation facility between Oklahoma City<\/a> and tulsa. From that point, it has expanded on and its clearly a tolling authority, but the private investors are the moms and pops around the country that buy bonds. So we cant forget that that is a private investing opportunity. Could you could you build most of your roads use using tolls . Would the public tolerate that . No, maam, we cant and we realize that. We understand that at this point, many states are relying on some sort of tolling to make up the difference between Adequate Funding<\/a> at both the state and federal level. Could i just get answers too from the other two witnesses, please . Congresswoman, i think that it depends, as long as you keep your focus on project models versus tax credit models. So i think that the conversation has to be around real projects. Probably the most successful public project, Public Private<\/a> partnership we have in our city is a project called the atlanta belt line where we reclaim 22 miles of old abandoned railroads and now the 400 million in public support has triggered 3. 8 billion in private capital attracted to renovating that entire corridor and creating about 1200 acres of green space. That is a project model where Everybody Knows<\/a> where the focus is going to be, and everybody is tracking the jobs that are being created. The concern that were experiencing is moving to a tax credit model for the Financial Services<\/a> community or financiers. And so thats the distinction that i think is going to be really important as we have this conversation. The most striking and most successful Public Private<\/a> partnerships that i have seen have been project specificing with very borrowed Community Buy<\/a> 8 in. Mr. Thomas . Yes, maam from a transit industry perspective, its a little bit different. Transit b3s are a great opportunity perhaps as long as you understand going into it that that money is going to cost you more than what you could typically borrow other plays so there are levels of Public Private<\/a> partnerships, certainly in one case where we worked very closely with uber and lyft, thats a Public Private<\/a> partnership of sorts. On the other hand, a design built project is no funding or financing involved when you get to the funding and financing level, and, of course, the associated risk sharing opportunities, those cost more money. The private sector is going to expect higher Interest Rate<\/a> on the money that they put into a project than what we can typically get throughout the federal funds or even the rif or tifa loan. Thank you very much. Mr. Davis, five minutes. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Thank you to the witnesses. Mayor reed, sorry about the braves on opening day. Not an easy thing especially after the falcons. I hadnt gotten over the falcons, but i appreciate it. Appreciate all the good will i can get. Well, we dont want to remind you of bad things happening to atlanta sports, but as a braves fan myself, its always good to have the mayor of atlanta here. I want to ask you about funding set aside under the Surface Transportation Block Grant Program<\/a> that is sub allocated to localities. At tbg formerly stp is the most Flexible Transportation<\/a> funding it available to improve federal aid highways and bridges. I was pleased the f. A. S. T. Act took steps to increase allocation closer to traditional levels reaching 55bers by 20121. Mayor, can you explain for the committee the importance on increasing the sub al lotion of these funds for local communities like yours to be able to address your transportation and infrastructure problems . Congressman davis, i think theyre absolutely vital and they will encourage local municipalities to deal with our instruct challenges. The one point that i would make here is one ive already made is that i do believe that local governments that really step up and start solving these problems on their own should have a dynamic competitive advantage, and that is not in my opinion enough of the consideration as a part of this process. But i believe that the steps that were already taken have been vital, but i do believe that our federal partners could encourage us to do more on our own in order to be rewarded for that good behavior. Well, i appreciate hearing that, mayor, and also, im pleased, you know, that the f. A. S. T. Act does gradually increase that local control by increasing the sub allocation for stbg. But i would preferred actually a larger increase. Thats why along with miss titus from nevada advocated for language that would have increased that allocation to 60 by 2021. Blil we were unsuccessful,ty believe we should look at ways to increase local control and flexibility of these transportation dollars do you have any suggestions additionally to what you responded to my previous question with that congress would take to further promote local control and help communities better address your priorities . I think holding up National Models<\/a> that congress has confidence in for other governments to see would be very helpful. In other words, having some form playing a Clearing House<\/a> function where the answer isnt always additional money or capital but the answer may be that these are governments that are taking on these challenges and handling them well from a financing stained standpoint, an execution standpoint and a value of the dollars generated because everybodys going to come here and ask for more money. But if youre a local leader or a mayor, you have end date. To an extent that a body like yours held prongs out as models after you verified them and theyre prepared to put your stamp of approval on it, i think that it would make it much easier to scale these projects around the country in communities large and small. Thats great advice. And do you have any projects that you might want to mention here to the committee that are working well as maybe Public Private<\/a> partnerships regarding Infrastructure Improvements<\/a> in atlanta . Absolutely. I believe that the atlanta belt line is as successful a Public Private<\/a> partnership as anywhere in the country. If youve been to new york and enjoyed their high line, the atlanta belt line would be the equivalent of extending that to westchester county. Its 400 million in public money. Its 3. 8 billion in private money. It connects 45 neighborhoods that used to be separated by freeways. Its caused the city to connect such socially in a way that if it never connected before. That would be one example. Another example would be the atlanta streetcar where we had 98 million in Public Investment<\/a> and weve had 2. 5 billion in new Construction Activity<\/a> within a fiveminute walk of that line. Okay. Im not as familiar with that first project you mentioned. How is how are you paying back the private portion as a return on investment . What method . Its through the use of tax credits for investments. So for example, when you invest in the atlanta belt line, the public went in and did all of the spending that it took to clean and prepare it and then the private sector came in after the Public Sector<\/a> went in and identified the line. So for example, there was 1 million square foot building that had been boarded up and was dilapidated. Its now attracted a quarter of a billion dollars worth of investment that used to be owned by my government. I sold it to the private sector for 27 million. The private sector came in and invested a quart of a billion dollars. Its built on the atlanta belt line. And now 1. 4 Million People<\/a> are using at atlanta belt line. Thank you very much for your responses and thanks for being here. Thank you for the question. Mr. Nadler, in. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Mr. Patterson, your written testimony implies that the f. A. S. T. Act authorization levels rise faster for transit than for highways. In fact, transit and highway funding increased 3 per year over the five years of the f. A. S. T. Act. This Many Committee<\/a> has stood by the 80 20 split for decades. Does ash to maintain staying with this in future transtransportation bills as we did in the f. A. S. T. Act . Talk to the micah, please. Sorry. We do believe that the 80 20 split is the appropriate and should be maintained. Thank you. And also, your testimony makes a compelling argument that direct funding is essential for highway and bridge projects. You have made the case the Public Private<\/a> partnerships state infrastructure banks,tivia Credit Assistance<\/a> and local bonding issues are helpful but will not replace real direct dollars. Can you please explain why most transfor oportation methods can not troy enough for private sector investors . When you typically look at a transportation project across this country, when youre talking about rural or urban situations, there is no opportunity in most cases to toll that facility. Additionally, theres no Economic Economic<\/a> way to capture the dollars that are generated along the route. An sample in oklahoma, we have seen where in a small town in southern oklahoma, they grew out and annexed out to what we call interstate 35. They did that because of the Economic Development<\/a> the interstate provided to them, but we could not we as a d. O. T. Cant capture that, but there was benefit to the city through additional sales tax. Okay. Thank you. I have one more question for you, sir, and then ill move to the other witnesses. Earlier this year, Speaker Paul Ryan<\/a> suggested that an infrastructure package should consist of 98 private funding. Specifically, the speaker said that there should be a 401 ratio between private sect earn Public Sector<\/a> funding in a federal instruct package. Mr. Patterson, your testimony discusses the importance of direct federal funding for transportation which accounts for infrastructure package that relies on 98 private funding can adequately address the needs of oklahoma and other states . I dont understand how you get to that perspective. Its something that i would have to learn more about. The perspective is basically you have some sort of tax credits with federal funding that amounts to 2 and the other 98 comes in from private p3s or something. You dont think that works . I dont think it works in oklahoma. But you do think it works elsewhere . Just not in oklahoma . I cant speak for the other states, but i would imagine not. Okay. Thank you. Mr. Thomas, do you agree that Public Private<\/a> partnerships, state infrastructure banks and local bonding initiatives are helpful but cannot replace real direct dollars . They give us tools in the tool box, but it needs to be a complete tool box. Otherwise you can be the get the project done, sir. And its an incomplete tool box without federal funding . Yes, sir. Mayor reed, do you believe that private investors will be able to fund the vast majority of highway and transit projects or will they require federal and state funds to complete . I dont believe that the private market will do that because they will cherry pick projects, which will leave essential projects that we need that are just not as attractive. And so the answer is i dont believe i believe that the Public Private<\/a> Partnership Model<\/a> is important, but it will not replace the need for our federal partners to bear the lions share of the load because the incentive to do a private deal is to make a profit for the private sector. So in summary for all three witnesses, the proposal that we have heard, the administration has not made a formal proposal, but the proposal we have heard may be coming from the administration that they will do, i think, an 82 tax credit again for private partnerships and that will be that will fund the trillion dollars in infrastructure. Do any of the three of you believe that would work to fund a trillion dollars in infrastructure if the only federal money basically is an 82 tax credit . I do not i believe you have to have a project model, not a tax credit model. What do you mean by a project model . The specific projects that youre identifying that the federal government is investing into in order to create jobs as opposed to a tax credit model. So there has to be a federal investment in addition to tax credits . In addition to a state and local investment. Mr. Thomas and mr. Patterson . I agree with the mayor, the tax credits wouldnt do it all by themselves. I agree with the other two. Thank you. So in summary, all of our witnesses think that the proposal that i outlined, which we have heard will be the administrations proposal, would not in fact generate a trillion dollars for Infrastructure Investment<\/a> or anything near it. Is that correct . Yes, sir. Thank you very much. My time is well expired. I thank the chairman for indulging some time. Mr. Ferguson, five minutes. Mayor reed, right over here. Glad to have a fellow georgian in today, and thank you for taking time. I know the new mantra in atlanta and the new hashtag is if i can get there. Its been tough, but want to thank you on behalf of the rest of the state for your diligence in working of course with the governor to help mitigate what is a very, very difficult situation for not only atlanta but the southeast, and i think it goes to show just how important transportation is. The one breakdown in the system can have ripple effects throughout an entire region. Can you speak briefly to the cooperation needed between local, state, and federal officials and most importantly, on the planning process as it relates to transportation pronlts projects and a little feedback on how the response was from the federal department of transportation with the emergency on i85 . Thank you, congressman. And your accent was music to my ears. I felt right at home when you said hello. Heres what i think. I think that the most important fact has been that the governor and i had a strong working relationship. And so whether it when the state of georgia was competing for tifia funding or we were competing for a number of tiger grants working deep in the port of savannah, weve always partnered. So when you have an emergency like we had regarding the bridge collapse on i85, if you Work Together<\/a> all the time in a cooperative fashion, you just get through this challenge the way you will get through others. The bulk of the credit, congressman, belongs to our first responders. In a tragic event, we had no loss of life. And i think the credit to that goes to our firefighters and our Police Officers<\/a> and our state patrol officers. They coordinated. They shut down the highway expeditio expeditiously. Then we coordinated in deploying resources, which included foam fire trucks from Hartsfield Jackson<\/a> airport, which were essential in putting the fire out so less damage would have been done. Our federal partners have been exemplary. They have worked in the best tradition of the federal, state, and local relationship. And i have been in multiple meetings because we had we were at the state capital when this crisis occurred, and we instantly began working together. And i think thats why were going to get the highway up and operational as soon as we possibly can. And i also think that thats why you havent seen us playing typical political games of blames personship. Mr. Johnson . Thank you very much. Thank you, mr. Chairman, for this hearing. It has been one that has brought a great deal of frustration for me as i sit here and look at that quotation up there on the wall, the section of the constitution article 1, section 8 speaks to the federal governments responsibility toward post offices and roads. We have privatized the post offices, and i dont know what were getting from it, but i just dont see how we can privatize transportation. Nevertheless, im one of these people that will try to find a way to work with any philosophy that i can to try to get a job done. But this is a tough approach. To attempting to address the essential transportation problems in our country. So im going to ask mr. Thomas how detrimental will these cuts be or if theyll be detrimental to the city of dallas, to d. A. R. T. , and the cities across the country if the cig programs are cut . We have a lot of plans to accommodate the needs in the area as im sure every major city does. But when you read the president s budget, what is your reaction . How where do we go from here . Congressman, right now we have three projects that are well into the process in the dallas area alone. Two are core capacity projects and one is a small starts project. One is a second alignment through downtown. Again when people think of transit in the United States<\/a>, they dont always think about dallas, texas. But as i said earlier, weve got the longest light rail system in north america. All of those corridors, all of those lines, come through a single corridor in downtown right now. If anything happens in that corridor, an dent, a fire we had a fire a few years ago. When the firemen lay the hoses across the tracks, they dont want the trains to run across those hoses and we understand and appreciate that. So we desperately need that second alignment through Downtown Dallas<\/a>. We are proposing a 50 50 split from local funds with a 50 match from the federal government on core capacity. The other project that were working on is an extension of our older platforms, which would allow us on 28 platforms to extend those 100 feet, which gives us just by that alone 30 capacity increase on those two lines, the red line and blue line. Again, looking for a 50 50 split. Tex dot has actually come to the table with half of that. So were looking at the Core Capacity Program<\/a> for the other half. The third project is an extension of the streetcar project. The Streetcar Program<\/a> that we just opened not too long ago is unique because it uses American Made<\/a> streetcars, streetcars that are actual dual mode. Theyll operate with an overhead wire and without an overhead wire. We intend to increase that in the small starts program. We are well into the process, the environmental process, the working with the community, making sure we know where these projects should go, what the alignments are, building that support locally. All of those go away. They go away. Now, we still are having tremendous growth to the area. So if they go away, where do we go from there . Thats a good question, congresswoman. You know, i think as we look at, certainly our region, but across the United States<\/a>, the impact of the Capital Investment<\/a> grants has been important, its been critical. As transit agencies have continued to provide choices for people in their communities to be able to get where they need to go, whether its to the doctor, to the grocery store, and most importantly jobs, well over 80 of the people that are riding Public Transportation<\/a> are going to their jobs. So its imperative that we continue to look for and continue to support the f. A. S. T. Act. Its been incredibly successful to this point. I think its imperative that we continue to support that through 2020 at least. Thank you very much. Thank you, mr. Chairman and panelists, for joining us today. Mayor reed, ill start with you, first of all, thank you for being here. And i wish the best to the braves so long as they dont have any cross interest with the giants. Former National League<\/a> west mates. Now its all changed. We have some commonality with our emergency situations here with you with that bridge and i85 here. And i still harken back to when things went really well after the northridge earthquake in california. This was way back in 94 where it was projected it might be a year, a year and a half, having the biggest freeways in the country in the world knocked out. Due to cando attitude and putting aside red tape, they were able to get that back up within just a few months and saved much, much loss to Economic Activity<\/a> and inconvenience to the people in Southern California<\/a> there, and so i hope that that is going well and youre getting all the cooperation in the world from the federal government and others to see your bridge through. And an original timetable from what i saw yesterday moved up from the fall or winter to maybe june. I hope its moving fast for you. We have an immediate need in our oun own backyard. Im from Northern California<\/a> where you may have seen the story about the oroville dam and the spillway problem we had here in february that resulted partly as a precaution, an evacuation of nearly 200,000 people downstream of that. Nothing really bad ended up happening, but the possibility because of the erosion made that happen because of the safety requirements. Do you do you feel that the federal transportation Infrastructure Program<\/a>s support the locals in increasing Public Safety<\/a> and being prepared as much as they need to be for emerging situations like im talking about in my backyard or socal years ago or what you face with the loss of that bridge in your area . Is the federal government doing a good enough job supporting the local levels in that safety aspect . Is this specifying emergency situations where you need quick action . My sense is yes. I chair a group that is our local disaster planning entity in metropolitan atlanta. And i think that when it comes to emergency response, everything that i have seen shows a high level of professionalism and a high level of coordination. And so that is an aspect of the government that i feel very good about. I do believe that were all going to have to change at the local level, really, to a posture of being resilient because without moving in to a debate about climate, weather patterns and emergency situations are coming with increasing frequency. And so i think that this is a conversation were going to have to start having more aggressively with our federal partners, the things you experienced in Northern California<\/a> have a great deal to do with being on a permanent resilient footing. And as i sit here testifying right now, we are experiencing unusually bad weather in the city of atlanta and have been. And so whats happening is local governments are having to be on a on an almost permanent footing of responding to crises of one kind or another, frequently weatherrelated crises. Do you think greater weight should be given not only to improve movement, but flexibility in emergency situations that could come through the f. A. S. T. Lane program . Theres no question about it. Flexibility is going to be either the order of the day or its going to be thrust upon us by circumstances. So i think its a good approach to have flexibility built into the relationship as opposed to good people having to make it up at the last minute. Thank you. And my experience at your airport has always been very good as i take the red eye from the coast and end up there at 6 00 a. M. Sometimes, but its always a nice facility to be with. Just always the alone at popeyes is too long. Thats the busiest popeyes chicken in the world. Thank you, sir. I yield back. Thank you, mr. Chair. Mr. Thomas, i have a question in regard to Capital Investment<\/a> grants. The strump administrations skinny budget calls for the elimination of the Capital Investment<\/a> starts. D. A. R. T. Has investment in this pipeline. Do you think it makes fiscal sense to eliminate an Infrastructure Program<\/a> that has 55 projects from across the country and the planning potentially setting back billions of dollars of Infrastructure Investment<\/a> . Theres certainly across the United States<\/a>, congressman, theres been a lot of work done in preparation of these projects. A lot of the projects, as they are in dallas, have gone through Extensive Community<\/a> meetings, lots of planning efforts, lots of coordination, and certainly in our case were bringing a significant amount of money to the table as we always have, as well continue to do in our Financial Plan<\/a>. So and people have looked at the f. A. S. T. Act as that although it only goes to 2020 and we understand there are challenges beyond that, were certainly appreciative of the longterm bill. We would like for it to stay intact and for it to continue to move forward through 2020 so these agencies, including ours, that have anticipated that funding can go ahead and get these projects completed and provide those choices to people. Yeah, but does it make fiscal sense to eliminate them . Certainly in d. A. R. T. s case, no, maam, it does not. Were bringing money to the table. Theyre getting 50 cents to the dollar on a project. It seems like it makes a whole lot of sense to continue to do that. Thank you. Another question i have has to do with positive train control. The f. A. S. T. Act provided 199 million guaranteed for mass transit account for fiscal year 2017 to help computer railroads implement ptc. The funding was not available under the continuing resolution. This critical safety funding will lapse if the cr is extended for the remainder of this fiscal year. Mr. Patterson, mr. Thomas, can you elaborate why this funding is important to your agencies . Certainly, the transit industry is hopeful that the congress will complete the fy 17 budget so that 199 million of Grant Funding<\/a> can be allo allocated to the properties throughout the country. We have a 2018 deadline to put that Transit System<\/a> in place. That requirement comes on top of operating and maintaining our system every day, so its imperative that its already been extended once . Yes, maam. So its imperative to meet the 2018 deadline to get that funding in place so we can get that critical safety project completed. Thank you. Question primarily for mr. Patterson and mr. Reed, mayor reed. Ive been working on an amendment, faa reauthorization, to prohibit faa from impacting local and state sales tax. Faa has required excise tax to be spent on airport for airport infrastructure, but it has not interpreted it to affect general sales tax, which tax Aviation Fuel<\/a> as well as other products. Now they are changing the to count how much is collected by the general sales tax and siphoning the money back to the airport. When state and local governments are being told how to spend their own tax dollars by the faa, it will impact local transportation projects since most sales tax provide for local transportation funding. The Hartfield Jackson<\/a> airport in the state of georgia is one of those impacted regions in if the country with the new rule. It will take millions of dollars out of local control. A major problem in my state of california. Are you aware of the issue and do you have concerns with this new faa rule . Should congress fix and return 30 years of precedence that allows state and local governments to spend their general tax revenue as they see fit . I dont have any knowledge of i have knowledge but i cant really comment on that. I think the mayor would be better suited for this answer. Congresswoman, im on your side. And i dont think i could have said it better than you just said it. Well, its an infringement upon the local control as far as im concerned. Thank you, mr. Chair. I yield back. Mr. Smucker . Thank you, mr. Chairman. As a Business Owner<\/a> of a Construction Company<\/a> 25 years prior to serving in the state legislature and then here, i understand the importance of a good highway bridge system and infrastructure to move goods and employees to job sites and the importance of infrastructure to our economy essentially. And then when serving in the state legislature, we were one of the states that were able to pass a bill that provided for additional sustainable funding for our highway and bridge system, and in our case it was a wholesale gas tax that had a cap on it tied to the price of gas. We essentially lifted the cap, but generated billions of dollars of additional funding for mostly for maintenance and repair of our Current System<\/a> and in some cases adding additional capacity, but we had the highest number of structurally insufficient bridges of any state at the t m time. But the reason i bring that up and mayor reed, maybe this question will be directed to you. It was really important for us let me back up. It was a republican legislature, both houses and a republican governor at the time. I just mention that because you mention that in georgia, but i also mention it because at the same time that we were able to gather support for that, we were looking at all as pepects of ou budget. In fact, were cutting back in other areas because we really believe we needed to focus on the Core Functions<\/a> of government and were able to make the case to the people of pennsylvania that infrastructure is not only a core function of government, something you have to do at that level, but also was critically important to people who were caught in traffic and congestion and critically important to the economy. And it took a concerted effort. It took a lot of hearings. It took a lot of discussion with the public to gain that support that was required to pass that, and i think thats something that we will need to do here. And i support finding a way for sustainable funding. I think the point was brought up earlier. Its so important not only to states and local municipalities to have that dependable sustainable source of funding, but to all the businesses that rely on this it is critical for efficient delivery to know we can plan ahead. So mayor, i guess a question to you. Can you give us some insight . I think if i understood your testimony correctly while you were there you essentially passed a 1 sales tax that went to infrastructure. You said also georgia was doing that at the same time. What can we learn from that in terms of building the public support for investment in our infrastructure . Congressman, i think that what we can learn is that the public is ahead of us. And i think that when we talk plainly and explain what the challenges are, the public will come on board as long as they believe that were going to make a good use of their funds. I imagine you experienced that in pennsylvania. In georgia, our state is one of eight states in america with a aaa Credit Rating<\/a> from all three rating agencies. One of the reasons is tight fiscal management but also the decision that we made around transportation. Weve grown to be the tenth largest state in the union. The atlanta metropolitan region is now the ninth largest metro in the region with a gdp of 335 billion, and weve gone from a really low Credit Rating<\/a> to aaaplus from standard and poor and moody and fitch, and we had an absolute jobs boom. And what were all concerned about is who is going to win the war for talent. And i think that folks like you and i have to just get out and make the case. I thought it was really important that a republican governor, a republican house, and a Republican Senate<\/a> passed the billion dollars that they passed because our folks were stuck in traffic like youalls. On the transit side, were doing the biggest transit expansion in the history of our system, and it will be one of the seven largest in america, but we did it with 71 voter support at the ballot. I was hoping to get input from the others as well. But im out of time. I apologize. Thank you. Mr. Johnson . Thank you, mr. Chairman. Mayor reed, you served in the Georgia Legislature<\/a> for ten years, both in the house and senate. And so you know how conservative and fiscally restrained the environment is among our legislative friends in georgia. But yet back in 2015, georgia increased its gas tax from 7. 5 cents to 26 cents and increased the diesel tax to 29 secents, a then indexed it so every year its adjusted in accordance with the Consumer Price<\/a> index. Can you comment about the conditions that existed in georgia that led to the passage of that gas tax increase . And also what political fallout, if any, occurred as a result of passage and then the benefits from passing that increase . Thank you for the question, congressman. I think the bottom line is, is that if you want to lose an election in georgia, you would be the person to lose the states aaa Credit Rating<\/a>. And i think that everybody acknowledged everybody was experiencing the same thing. We were all sitting in traffic. We had tried to pass a regional bill. You remember that. The governor and i worked to pass a regional transportation bill that was soundly rejected by the voters at the ballot. So the problem of traffic in atlanta, we have among the worst traffic in the United States<\/a>. It was really starting to impact our ability to attract jobs and business when we were trying to fight our way out of the recession. And every meeting that the governor and i went to when we were recruiting businesses and working to keep businesses in georgia, they said youve got to do something about the traffic. And so i think it was a matter of having the right leader at the right time. He made the decision to move a bill through the georgia general assembly, and im comfortable saying that 95 of the people who voted in favor of the 1 billion tax increase were all reelected. Id probably be comfortable saying 98 were reelected at the ballot, so the risks were minimal, but we did do a very good job of explaining the need. And then the city took the lich leadership on expanding transit within the city of atlanta. I want to ask you about that because atlanta has seen a number of fortune 500 and fortune 100 Companies Moving<\/a> into atlanta as a result of our investment in transit. Can you elaborate on what weve done, how it has effected our economy . Sure, congressman. We have the Third Largest<\/a> concentration of fortune 500 businesses in the United States<\/a> of america. And i think what the Business Community<\/a> is doing is depoliticizing transit. So as opposed to it being a democrat republican issue when state farm cited 8,000 jobs outside of atlanta in dun woodythey wanted it by a marta stop. When Pulte Group Homes<\/a> moved to atlanta, the second biggest Home Building<\/a> in america, they wanted it by a marta stop. So what were seeing is the Business Community<\/a> and Millennials Want<\/a> to be near transit, so it is lifting the transit conversation out of urban rural politics because everybody wants terrific jobs. And we have a generation of folks unlike my generation and your generation who are not interested in driving automobiles. If you want to be first to the future, youre going to be in the transit business. So republicans and democrats have gotten in line, and i would suspect that mr. Thomas sees the same thing. When you put down transit and infrastructure, business comes to it because its a permanent investment. And when you put it to voters, these items pass overwhelmingly. So i think its really about being first to the future, congressman. And you just got to decide whether you want to have wellpaying jobs for your people or not. And now because of the Business Community<\/a>s insistence on transit and how well transit investments perform in terms of the economy that is built around it, its helping us get out of this old argument of rural urban, democrat republican. Yeah, mr. Thomas, have you experienced the same thing in dallas . Absolutely. And as in atlanta we have a state Farm Development<\/a> also, and they did the same thing. They looked for a rail station to be close to, and the same developer in the development around that particular station is phenomenal. 28 new restaurants, thousands of new residences. Millions of square feet of office space that occur around that particular station. So the developers certainly understand the advantage of that transportation infrastructure. Theyre looking at our communities understand it. The debate in north texas is where our resources, where those federal resources, end up going because they know when we go in and build that infrastructure, theres going to be development. Theres going to be job opportunities. There are going to be benefit to the people not only from a transportation perspective, but also all the ancillary benefits that happen around those stations. Thank you, im out of time. I yield back. Mr. Shuster. Once again i want to thank you and welcome you to the committee. I appreciate your testimony. I am going to yield my time to mr. Lamalfa. Doug, as we call him here. My time because he has more questions he would like to ask. With that, i yield. Much appreciated, mr. Chairman. Again, i appreciate the discussion with the panel and mr. Mayor, youre talking about the collaborative process that you had in georgia there with the governor, your city, and others, the aaa Credit Rating<\/a>. Youre doing things the right way. You are talking to people and they express what they want to happen. In california where we dont have a good Credit Rating<\/a> the legislature in really more well, total control terms, ill leave it at that, are forcing through at this moment, this week, a combined gas tax and car tax which the people are against, especially in terms of im going to direct a question to mr. Patterson here in a moment, but we have a high speed rail issue in california that has shown to be 55 billion short of funding. We dont know where it is going to come from. Yet we have crumbling bridges and roads down there that the people are going to be forced to pay a higher tax on their automobile registration and their gasoline which is probably going to mean to a two car middle income family around 500 a year they dont get to spend on education or whatever. Instead they are seeing billions spent on highspeed rail at a point in the state that no one seems to want it. And the audacity in this funding that would come from this new tax there is not upgrades for additional lanes or additional capacity for roads an bridges. So i think whats going on out there is not a collaborative process and is tone deaf to the middle income families. I would like to see a much more streamlined process to get dollars to projects to relieve traffic and get repairs. So for mr. Patterson, again, in my own county we have state highway 70 that could have been there are projects that could have been done in the future faster and less costly if the Environmental Review<\/a> process didnt have to take nearly as long for issues environmentally well known. We add a lane on the next segment that youre going to have issues that are already well known on previous studies in the same type of terrain. What can we be doing to assist local agencies without having to be held hostage for some of these habitat tradeoffs to have more efficient construction of transportation projects, whether its rebuilding of older, you know, infrastructure or the additional capacity we all want and well need as taxpayers . Thank you, congressman. One of the things that this congress did was provide for a Better Process<\/a> when were talking about adding in your example, adding lanes to or adding additional capacity to already identified transportation corridors, and the intent of congress at the time was to go from fence to fence because its already cleared as a transportation c cco corridor. Some of the guidelines that we have received from the federal Highway Administration<\/a> dont allow fence to fence. And so its just pavement edge to pavement edge. So were having to work through me of those issues with the usdot and their rule making process. And i know the director in california, malcolm dockery, is working very hard on that issue as well as many of my other colleagues from around the country. Thank you for that. Id like to look more into that fence to fence provision youre talking about there. But ill yield back the rest of my time. Please follow up with my office if you get a chance. Thank you. Ms. Titus . Thank you, mr. Chairman. We heard earlier chairman shuster mention about 45 members had a meeting with secretary chou. I would suggest that we invite her to meet with all members of this committee so we can have a collaborative effort and continue to be bipartisan in our effort to put forward transportation policy. Maybe then they wouldnt have the problems that they had with the Health Care Bill<\/a> if were all engaged from the beginning. So i would just make that suggestion. Also id like to acknowledge hes gone already, but mr. Davis from illinois. He brought out our bill that we worked together on and became an amendment to the f. A. S. T. Act where we send more money to local government as opposed to the state for it to be distributed. I think we need to continue down that path because too often the politics in the state capital around the d. O. T. Entities play a bigger part than good policy decisions. So the more we can send money to the local government, the better. Id like to turn my attention a little bit though to another provision in the f. A. S. T. Act that i worked own that was to have complete streets planning put into the bill. This is the first time this has ever been done in a federal transportation program. And i was glad to see that in my district in las vegas. We just had an increase in pedestrian deaths so having a policy that begins with the planning through the construction through the operation of transportation, it includes all user, i think is very beneficial. I know a number of states and local governments are incorporating that kind of safe streets planning and i would like to ask you, mayor reed, under your leadership, i know laentz kind of one of the stars in this area. Could you comment on the benefits of it, how its working, some suggestions or other places to follow . I think that it has worked well and i think that its connecting communities and contributing to a sense of community that people that created and developed the concept had in mind. It is what we thought it is when well executed. So it is an approach that were taking. It is a part of the reason that we had such success at the ballot when we went to voters for the four basis points for 0. 4 of a penny during our recent referendum. Folks are asking for it, and it also gives a significant boost to businesses that are on complete street corridors. I think that the complete street approach is really bearing good fruit and it is what we thought it was and needs to be pushed at very opportunity if you want your city or your community to be a leading one because its something people want when theyre looking for a place to make a permanent home. I believe its not just for safety but quality of life. You see more people on bicycles now, more people walking, all kinds of uses besides just cars and bus dollars. Mr. Patterson, would you talk about what some of the states are doing as they include this in their planning . I know several states are working on complete streets. In oklahoma were partnering with the city of Oklahoma City<\/a> for a new downtown boulevard that is includes bike lanes, walk pedestrian paths, as well as a new driving lane. It is where i40 used to go through downtown Oklahoma City<\/a>, and we relocated i40 to the south of downtown, and were putting in a boulevard that has the complete streets concept to it. And if you want to talk about businesses, were seeing in downtown las vegas where they now have rentabikes. Thats part of that quality of living i was talking about. Would you like to comment on how it relates to businesses and improves that aspect of things . Anybody . Well, i can tell you in Oklahoma City<\/a> we have the rentabike Program Going<\/a> on there and its growing exponenti exponentially. We believe once the new boulevard is in place it will explode much like you see here in washington, d. C. Mayor. Our program has been highly popular and were getting ready to expand it by 400 . Congressman, i think the benefit and you certainly are aware is how all the different modes of transportation Work Together<\/a> in a single corridor whether it be buses, bikes, pedestrians, automobiles, and that planning effort is what makes all that happen. And so often that planning effort is skipped and bypassed, so thank you very much for making sure its been included in the f. A. S. T. Act. S thank you. I yield back. Mr. Lowenthal. Thank you, mr. Chairman. And i join others in thanking our witnesses for joining us and educating us today. Id like to raise an issue thats near and dear to my heart and extremely important to my district, which is the 47 congressional district, which starts off with the port of long beach, which is the second largest port in the United States<\/a>. And that is freight funding, the funding for the movement of freight. As you know and ive mentioned the f. A. S. T. Act included dedicated freight funding programs for the first time. This included competitive Grant Program<\/a> dubbed fast lane by the by dot. Mr. Mayor reed, youve talked about the importance to your state and the city of Economic Development<\/a> at the port of savannah which received a 44 million grant for multimodal connectors, thats what youve talked about. Mr. Patterson, your department was granted 62 million last year for u. S. 69, u. S. 75 for road rail grade separations. So your Organization Also<\/a> put out a report with the American Association<\/a> of port authorities that showed the growing demand for multimodal projects. The report stated that in an absolute minimum need of at least 20 billion for multimodal projects. Yet the f. A. S. T. Act only has a total funding for multimodal projects of 1. 1 million, and thats over five years. The question i have for you is, do you agree that theres a greater need for funding of multimodal projects . Congressman, absolutely. One of the things that that we know is that as we have looked at the federal program over the years, since the completion of the interstate highway system, we really dont have a goal, a something to hang our hat on, if you will. We were hoping and we believe that this Freight Program<\/a> is the next goal. It is imperative that we be able to move freight across this country by rail, water i think youre doing great. I just want to ask because i have one more followup question and thats exactly what i wanted. Do you have anything to add, mayor reed . The answer is absolutely. Okay. Now, i have a proposal that i first introduced in the 114th, congress will be doing again, that puts a user fee, which is paid for by the owners of the goods on the cost of shipping goods by road or rail in the United States<\/a> to directly fund freight infrastructure, so a user fee paid by the owners of the goods to directly fund freight infrastructure. Would you maybe not this one, but would you support a similar proposal for such as a user fee by the owners of goods to pay for the infra for freight infrastructure . Several years ago, a group of us at ashtel got together and we were looking for ways to Fund Transportation<\/a> in the future. Congressman, thats exactly one of the things that we had come up with was an additional surcharge, a user fee, however you would want to label it for Freight Movements<\/a> and dedicated to a freight system. So it has to be dedicated . It would be sustainable, paid by the users. It would be in a dedicated funding stream to be used just for freight infrastructure. Would you support that, mayor reed . I dont know. Id have to have the full proposal to consider it. Okay. Were just talking about not so much a specific proposal but just the concept that those who use the system would pay for the improvements in the system, dedicated in some way to get both back to, you know, an appropriate way of distributing those funds. Yes. Thank you. And i yield back. Mr. Lipinski. Thank you, mr. Chairman. I thank all of our witnesses for being here today as we talk about the f. A. S. T. Act, which i think to thank all the members of this committee on both sides, the chairman of the subcommittee, chairman of the full committee, mr. Schuster, our Ranking Member<\/a> and Ranking Member<\/a> norton and defazio. We all work to well together in putting getting the f. A. S. T. Act put together and moved. Im hopeful that we can do the same thing on a new, big trillion dollar or more than trillion dollar infrastructure plan. Things that have been talked about by the last few people, members who have spoken about complete streets, about transit, think its important that authorization be included in a new infrastructure package. Freight movement i think thats also very critical too. I want to ask a question about something that i dont think anyone has yet asked about in this at this hearing. About Vehicle Infrastructure<\/a> vti technology and getting that into our infrastructure. So not only vtv, vehicle to vehicle, but vti technology is vital for maximizing the benefits of autonomous and connected vehicles. Benefits such as great safety improvements, less congestion on our roads, and also increasing the efficiency of our vehicles. So we really need to find creative ways to incentivize investment in vehicle and infrastructure technology. We need to make target investments that best leverage capital especially if were going to be doing this big infrastructure package. Now the f. A. S. T. Act ensured that vti would remain eligible for funding, but we also need to consider big policies that promote advanced systems that enable vti during construction so were not going back and doing it all over again. Ive asked witnessesa at previous hearings about the state of local about state and local investments in this technology and some have said that theyve been hesitant to make investment because of the lack of industry standards and federal guidance. In january, fhwa released new vti guidance document that can help transportation agencies understand the regional impacts of vti deployment and emerging technologies and leverage federal aid funds to deploy them. So after that long lead up, id just like to ask mr. Patterson, mr. Reed, if you can discuss your experience with vti technology and whether or not theres sufficient federal guidance to promote investment and what more can be done so we can make sure that we do prepare the infrastructure for this. Mr. Patterson, you want to start . Thank you, congressman. I think i think from an overall perspective and given the advances in technology, its been good that the states have taken a slow, methodical approach to integrating vti in the system. When you look, technology doubles every year. And you look back five years ago when we got into the discussion about v2i, it is really changed. The answer was very helpful. We had several of our members who were very involved in leading the technology. I can tell we are still learning. Were not as far advanced as some other states are in the discussion, but it is something that we are beginning to understand and embrace. And it was that guidance and it is the sport of ashtel members that gets us to that point. Mayor reed, anything to add . We are developing a smart corridor along north avenue near georgia tech and by the Cocacola Company<\/a> that will be really testing all of these technologies at once. So much like my colleague, were in the very early stages of it. Candidly, we have been put a great deal more energy in to selfdriven Vehicle Technology<\/a> and we have been slower on v2i. Is there anything the federal government can do to help speed things along to make it easier for states and localities to do this . I think rules from the road from federal experts could shorten the learning curve for municipalities, because thats really the challenge for us when these new kinds of technologies and relationships occur. We have to come up to speed on that, and we have to put in a good amount of person power for that. So knowing where the federal government is going in the future in that regard would send an important signal to where we should be going. I think that collaboration and cooperation is going to be very important as the mayor said, as we begin to develop our system in oklahoma and as other states expand their v2i capabilities. If you think about it, this is really a turning point for all of transportation. Its almost as extensive going from the horse and buggy to the model t. So it is something that were very interested in and our customers, the public, is going to demand that kind of reaction from us. Thank you. Yield back. Any other further questions . Seeing none, id like to obviously thank our witnesses for your testimony today because your contribution to todays discussion, its obviously been very informative and very helpful. And with that id ask unanimous consent that the record of todays hearing remain open until such time as our witnesses have provided any answers to any questions that may be submitted to them in writing and namunanis consent that it remain open for 15 days for additional comment for anything to be committed into the record of todays hearing. Without objection, that is so ordered. And if no other members have anything to add, then the committee stands adjourned. Thank you all. This weekend on American History<\/a> tv on cspan 3 saturday at 8 00 a. M. Eastern United States<\/a> Holocaust Memorial<\/a> Museum Director<\/a> and the president and ceo of the National September<\/a> 11 memorial in new york city talk about the creation and message behind both museums. But why would you build in washington, people asked. Doesnt it belong in berlin or jerusalem . So we designed the architecture and exhibitions to try to answer that question so the first part of your museum appearanexperien hearing from that american g. I. Who asked that big question, which is how can human beings do this to one another. And throughout the exhibition we keep bringing back what america knew and when america knew it. Sunday at 10 00 a. M. Eastern, the scentennial of americas entry into the war. And at 2 00, a author on how the founders viewed slavery. The first seven president s of the United States<\/a>, john adams was the only one who never owned a slave out of principle, not because he couldnt necessarily afford it. But out of principle. And abigails feelings about it were everyon more strongly voic than his. Then at 8 00 on the presidency, university of virginia president ial scholar Barbara Perry<\/a> talks about the traits of a great president. The sign of a good leader is a leader who is selfconfident, but not arrogant. So confident in his own leadership and in his intellect that he didnt worry about having really smart people around him. For our complete American History<\/a> tv schedule, go to cspan. Org. The Supreme Court<\/a> heard oral argument in murr versus wisconsin, a case that will decide when the government must compensate private Property Owners<\/a> for land use regulations that prohibit how a persons property can be used or sold. The courts decision can impact more than 100 cities and counties that have restrictions on land sales and use. This is an hour and ten minutes. We will hear argument first this morning in case 15214, murr versus wisconsin. Mr. Chief justice and may it please the court, the fundamental unfairness in this case is illustrated by one fact. If anyone else in the world other than the murr siblings owned lot e, that owner","publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"archive.org","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","width":"800","height":"600","url":"\/\/ia800609.us.archive.org\/14\/items\/CSPAN3_20170407_105900_Hearing_Focuses_on_Highway_and_Transit_Infrastructure_Funding\/CSPAN3_20170407_105900_Hearing_Focuses_on_Highway_and_Transit_Infrastructure_Funding.thumbs\/CSPAN3_20170407_105900_Hearing_Focuses_on_Highway_and_Transit_Infrastructure_Funding_000001.jpg"}},"autauthor":{"@type":"Organization"},"author":{"sameAs":"archive.org","name":"archive.org"}}],"coverageEndTime":"20240627T12:35:10+00:00"}