NACo Lauds Federal Transportation Plan

The National Association of Counties (NACo) offered its strong support of the Administration’s long-term transportation plan that was presented to Congress on April 29.  As reported by Better Roads,

The bill, dubbed the GROW AMERICA Act, is based on President Barack Obama’s 4-year, $302 billion transportation reauthorization proposal.

In a statement released by NACo, President Linda Langston, Supervisor, Linn County, Iowa, said the following about the Administration’s plan,

“On behalf of America’s county governments, we thank the Obama administration, especially Secretary Anthony Foxx, for offering a detailed, multi-year federal surface transportation reauthorization bill. With counties owning 45 percent of the nation’s roads and 39 percent of bridges, we know first-hand the mounting costs for building and maintaining our nation’s transportation infrastructure. At the local level, we need a strong federal partner. We’re pleased the administration’s bill focuses on increasing federal investments, while also providing new resources and incentives for local governments. With the pending insolvency of the federal Highway Trust Fund and expiration of MAP-21, we’re encouraged by the renewed attention by the administration and key transportation leaders in Congress.”

An overview of the GROW AMERICA Act indicates it will do the following:

  • Address the shortfall in the Highway Trust Fund and provide $87 billion to address the nation’s backlog of deficient bridges and aging transit systems;
  • Create millions of new jobs to ensure America’s future competitiveness;
  • Increase safety across all modes of surface transportation, including increasing the civil penalties the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) can levy against automakers who fail to act quickly on vehicle recalls;
  • Provide certainty to state and local governments that must engage in long-term planning;
  • Reduce project approval and permitting timelines while delivering better outcomes for communities and the environment;
  • Bolster efficient and reliable freight networks to support trade and economic growth; and
  • Create incentives to better align planning and investment decisions to comprehensively address regional economic needs while strengthening local decision-making.

For more information on surface transportation reauthorization, click HERE.
Click HERE to access NACo’s priorities for MAP-21 reauthorization. To view NACo’s report, “The Road Ahead: County Transportation Funding and Financing, click HERE.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) announced on Tuesday that Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx is sending a long-term transportation bill to Congress. – See more at: http://www.betterroads.com/dot-chief-foxx-sends-highway-bill-to-congress-bill-reflects-president-obamas-4-year-302-billion-reauthorization-proposal/?utm_source=daily&utm_medium=email&utm_content=04-29-2014&utm_campaign=BR&ust_id=f3a33f7e87&*#sthash.1SQmX0zT.dpuf